Egyptian Art: Sakhmet

The archaeologist came to this conclusion based on hieroglyph samples at Gaza, which showed clear and deep cuts in diorite and granite. Sesames is an Egyptian, African sun goddess whose name meaner â€Å"The Powerful One†. Sesames reigned over Egypt from 1390- 1352 B. C. E. It's said she was known to have always been draped in red garments hence another one of her many nicknames was â€Å"Red Lady'. The symbolism of her red garments, were from the blood of her conquered enemies. Her name is derived from the Egyptian word â€Å"Seem† (which meaner â€Å"power† or â€Å"might†) and is often translated as the â€Å"Powerful One†.She is depicted as a lion-headed woman, sometimes with the addition of a sun disc on her head. Her seated statues show her holding the ankh of life, but when she is shown striding or standing she usually holds a scepter formed from papyrus (the symbol of northern or Lower Egypt) suggesting that she was associated primarily wit h the north. However, some scholars argue that the deity was introduced from Sudan (south of Egypt) where lions are more plentiful. It was said that her breath formed the desert. She was seen as the protector of the harass and led them in warfare.Sesames was associated with the goddesses given the title â€Å"Eye of Re† she wore a sun-disk and cobra on her brow, identifying her as the daughter of the sun god Re. According to myth, Ra became angry because mankind was not following his laws and preserving Matt Justice or balance). He decided to punish mankind by sending an aspect of his daughter, the â€Å"Eye of Ra†. He plucked Hath from Areas on his brow, and sent her to earth in the form of a lion. She became Scheme, the â€Å"Eye of Re† and began her rampage. The fields ran with human load. However, Re was not a cruel deity, and the sight of the carnage caused him to repent.He ordered her to stop, but she was in a blood lust and would not listen. So Re poured 7,000 Jugs of beer and pomegranate Juice (which stained the beer blood red) in her path. She gorged on the â€Å"blood† and became so drunk she slept for three days. When she awoke, her blood lust had dissipated, and humanity was saved. In another version of the myth, Path is the first thing she sees on awaking and she instantly fell in love with him. Their union (creation and destruction) created Unfetter (healing) and so re-established Matt. The saving of mankind was commemorated every year on the feast day of Hath/Scheme.Everyone drank beer stained with pomegranate Juice and worshipped â€Å"the Mistress and lady of the tomb, gracious one, destroyer of rebellion, mighty one of enchantments†. A statue of Scheme was dressed in red facing west, while Bass was dressed in green and faced east. Bass was sometimes considered to be Sesames ‘s counterpart (or twin depending on the legend), and in the festival of Hath they embodied the duality central to Egyptian mythol ogy. Scheme represented Upper Egypt while Bass represented Lower Egypt. In her role as the eye of Re, Sesames was dispatched abroad to destroy Egypt enemies.Sesames became angered when she discovered Re set another goddess in her place while she was away. The Eye refused to return and protect Egypt, until pacified by wine, music, and dance. The Egyptians explained the sun's annual motion toward the south and then back to Egypt as the Eye's departure and return. In other myth's, Re's Eye symbolized natural phenomena, such as the Niles flood and the Egyptian new year. Although Kismet's true form was believed to be hidden, this bust's lioness face refers to her power and fierce nature, which could either defend or destroy.The goddess's benevolence and protection were deemed particularly necessary at times of transition, such as the new day or year. Amputated Ill commissioned two or more Sesames statues for each day in the year, compelling the goddess's favor and protection. Many statue s of Sesames were found in the precinct of Mute Kara. Since Kismet's actions were primarily destructive while Mute represented protection, the two goddesses were sometimes insider as the positive and negative aspects of one deity.In conclusion, my trip to the Brooklyn Museum of art was not my first, nor will it be my last, but it was the most entertaining and informative trip. Next time I go I will definitely bring some friends along so they can enjoy the rich Egyptian culture as much as I did. This is a statue of Sesames. Medium: Grandiosity Place Found: Thebes, Egypt Dates: ca. 1390-1352 B. C. E. Dynasty: XVIII Dynasty Period: New Kingdom Dimensions: 39 x 19 7/8 x 15 9/16 TN. (99 x 50. 5 x 39. 5 CM)