The Double Crown of Ancient Egypt

The double crown, or Pschent, of Egypt is composed from the Red Crown and the White Crown. The double crown showed the Pharaoh's power over all of Egypt.

The double crown bares two emblems of the gods: including the Egyptian Cobra known as Uraeus which symbolized Wadjet's Lower Egypt and the Egyptian Vulture known which represented Nekbet's Upper Egypt.

The double crown was thought to have been invented by the Pharaoh Menes during the early Dynastic Period (3100 - 2686 BCE). Even though Menes is credited with inventing the double crown, the Pharaoh Djet was the first Pharaoh that was recorded wearing the double crown.

Unfortunately, the double crown has not survived through the ages so we do not known the exact materials it was made from, though it was speculated by archeologists that it was either made from cloth or leather. 

The only gods to have worn the double crown were Horus or Atum whom were have though to have a special relationship to the Pharaoh. 

Upper Egypt and the White Crown

Upper Egypt, which is in the south, is divided from Lower Egypt by the Nile River. The northern part of Upper Egypt is also known as Middle Egypt.

The capital of Upper Egypt is Nekhen. Nekhen is also the center of the Ancient Egyptian Cults which is the cult of the Horus of Nekhen. Since the cult of Horus is in Nekhen, it is the center of one of the oldest ancient temples, which kept its importance even after its decline. Nekhen is also the site of Tomb 100, which is the site of the oldest known painted Egyptian Tomb.

Map of Egypt, showing the capital of Upper Egypt; Nekhen

NordNordWest

Painting from Tomb 100

Francesco Raffaelle

Upper Egypt is also connected with the White Crown, or Hedjet. While not much is known about the construction of the white crown, it does appear in many Ancient Egyptian cravings, statues, and even on the Narmer Palette. 

The White Crown

Nekbet is often depicted wearing the white crown since she is the patron goddess of Nekhen and Upper Egypt. The shrine of Nekbet is also the oldest oracle site of Ancient Egypt and it was the original Necropolis or city of the dead. The priestess at the shrine was also referred to as "muu" or mother and wore robes of vulture feathers emulating the goddess Nekbet.

Nekbet wearing the white crown; The Temple of Kom Ombo

Lower Egypt and her Red Crown

Lower Egypt, which is in the north, is divided from Upper Egypt, which is in the south, by the Nile river. 

Map of Ancient Egypt

Jeff Dahl

Lower Egypt was also known as Ta-Mehu or "land of papyrus" and was also divided into twenty districts called nomes. 

Map of Lower Egypt with historical nomes numbered

Jeff Dahl

Lower Egypt was united and was symbolized by the red crown. The red crown is also known as Deshret, and was speculated to be originally made of copper, reeds, cloth, and leather. 

Red Crown

Egyptian kings wore the red crown to symbolize themselves as the successors of Horus, the original ruler over Lower Egypt. Some deities also wore the red crown including Wadjet and Neith. 

Red Crown

The red crown was also paired with the White Crown of Upper Egypt to form the Double Crown which symbolized rule over all of Egypt. 

The side of a Narmer Palette with two serpopards

3000 BCE ±100 years

Maat and Isfet

Maat and Isfet were two Egyptian gods, each the counterpart of the other.

Maat symbolized truth, balance and order, law, morality, and justice. Maat is the daughter of Ra and is the creator god of the egyptian civilization. Maat is also the pre-eminent solar deity who regulated the stars, seasons, and the actions of mortals and deities. 

Maat; kneeling with her wings spread

Isfet is the opposite of Maat represents chaos, injustice, uncleanliness, political unrest, and "to do evil." In Egyptian Mythology the dead were "cleansed" of Isfet in order to pass onto Duat, in order to be judged by Maat.

Egyptian Panel which shows Isfet and other deities

It was thought by Egyptians that if the forces Maat and Isfet were held in equilibrium then harmony would befall Egypt. However, if one of them took more control then the other would suffer and so would Egypt. 

The Goddess Maat

Dylan Meconis

Maat also decided the fate of mortals in the underworld, weighting the hearts of the dead against her feather of truth, which she is usually depicted wearing on her forehead, in her scales of justice. 

If the scaled balanced then the soul passed onto Aaru, the mythological Egyptian paradise, but if the balance tipped then the soul was eaten by Ammit, the "soul-eater" goddess who was part lion, hippopotamus, and part crocodile. 

Isfet; represent chaos and destruction

In this way Maat and Isfet would watch over the deities and mortals and attempt to maintain balance and unity.  

An artist's rendition of Maat

The Ankh of Ancient Egypt

The Ankh is the Egyptian hieroglyph life and immortality. It was considered to the be the the key of life or key of the Nile to the Ancient Egyptians. It is symboled by a teardrop-loop and a cross

The Ankh Egyptian Symbol

Alexi Helligar

While the origin of the ankh remains unknown; many scholars, like E. A. Wallis Budge, have hypothesized the ankh was the belt buckle of the mother goddess Isis, and was used in conjunction with the knot of Isis during ceremonies. 

Egyptian gods and kings are often depicted carrying the ankh to symbolize their powers over life and death. The ankh is also connected with funerals and death, because mummies often carry a ankh to signal safe passage between this world and the next.

Alternatively, the ankh can also symbol the mother goddess Isis and her husband Osiris, which symbolized the union of Heaven and Earth. They are often depicted holding a an ankh in one or both hands. 

The Scarab of Ancient Egypt

Scarabs were popular amulets in Ancient Egypt, and many of them survived to present day. Since scarabs were inscribed on the bottom of the amulet they provide useful information to researchers and archeologists. 

Scarab with Spread Wings; Walters Art Museum, USA

Scarabs take the shape of the dung or scarab beetle, as it symbolized new life and resurrection. Ancient Egyptians used the dung beetle to represent this because of the habit the dung beetle had of rolling a ball of dung in which it had laid its eggs. The new beetles that then hatched and emerged from the dung then represented life emerging from the mud and and spontaneous creation.

Granit Scarab Beetle Statue in Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt (Wouter Hagens)

The Scarab is also associated with the young sun-god Khepri, who like the scarab beetle was believed to be self-created. He was also connected with the scarab beetle because its rolling of dung also symbolized the journey of the sun making its way through the sky. The name Khepri came from the Ancient Egyptian word "Kheper" which meant "develop" or "come into being."

Khepri; Based of New Kingdom Tomb paintings

Scarabs became popular during the Middle Kingdom and remained popular even after the pharaonic period.  Scarabs were first used as amulets, as personal seals and also administrative seals that functioned and was incorporated as jewelry.  As time went on scarabs were used as political seals and to advertise royal achievements. Lastly, heart scarabs were used in the group of amulets protecting mummies. 

Heart Scarab

The Lamassu of the Fertile Crescent

The Lamassu is the symbol of power and protection of the Fertile Crescent. It is shown as being a massive winged creature with a lion's or bull's body and the head of a man. 

They are often associated with the Assyrian culture but have their roots in Babylonian Mythology. Lamassu were thought of as protecters of cities and royal palaces and guarded the entrances of them. Giant Lamassu were placed at the entrance to the city of Babylon in the famous Ishtar Gate as to protect the city from harm. 

The Lamassu also protected the households of the common people. Common Babylonian people would engrave the Lamassu on a clay tablet and bury them under the threshold of their door to keep their homes protected. 

The Lamassu is also associated with the moon goddess, as the horns of the bull on Ishtar's Headress denoted the crescent moon.