Thoth-the Recorder of Lives

Thoth the scribe of the gods, creator of magic, writing, laws, religion, science and the recorder of the results of the judgement of the dead souls attempting to enter Osiris' realm of the Afterlife.

With the head of an Ibis or Baboon, his sacred animals, Thoth accomplished his duties with honesty and truth.

As one of the Major Egyptian Gods, he was critical to the maintenance of the Universe.

Thoth and his baboon are plastic pieces

Horus the Protector

 

Horus God of the Sky and Kingship, son of Osiris and Isis, was one of the main protector gods of the Ancient Egyptians as his mortal enemy was the deity who killed Osiris-Set the god of darkness and evil. Horus could be either be seen as a falcon or as a human with a falcon head. As Horus was worshiped from pre-dynastic Egypt to the Roman Era, his religious powers and responsibilities changed but not his falcon appearance.

This pair of ancient Horus statues are part of the Smithsonian collection in Washington D.C.

Sobek the Powerful-Crocodile God of the Nile

 

Sobek the Powerful, Egyptian Crocodile God of the Nile-Leader of Armies. One of the greatest and oldest of the Ancient Egyptian gods, Sobek was worshiped until Christianity replaced the old gods during the later Roman and early Eastern Roman Empires.

As ruler of the Nile River, he was in control of the floods that brought fertile soils to grow the crops that made Egypt powerful. His fearful nature, as a crocodile, was balanced by the protection he provided from evil, and evil magic users.

         Sobek is a large plastic piece I painted.

Ancient God in the New World

After more than 3000 years of Egyptian deserts, the goddess Sekhmet has come to rest in the cooler climes of the California Central Coast.

In the early 20th century, she traveled West to make her home at the estate of Hearst Castle in San Luis Obispo County, California.

Images of the Gods

Small statues, pins, rings, amulets and the like of the gods of Ancient Egypt were popular for use in both everyday life as well as important items to be buried with the dead for their use in the next world. In the latter case many such items would be placed in the actual mummy wrappings to accompany and protect the spirit of the dead.

The lion headed Sekhmet, was the powerful goddess of war and battles. The sun disc above her represented the scorching, destructive heat of the sun. Her fierce temper needed to be appeased and was best used when directed against the enemies of Ra, and Osiris or she could turn against the very humans who worshiped her.

The dwarf god Bes was the protector of pregnant women, newborn babies and the family as well as protection against snake and scorpion bites. Humor, music and dancing were also popular with Bes, and he became a favorite "household" God of the common people.

Tawaret, the Hippo goddess who protected women during pregnancy and childbirth.

Baba, the baboon god was an assistant to Thoth as well as the guardian to the first gate of the underworld.

This ring of Eye of Horus-Oudjat-Wedjat was a protection from evil.

Gods-Gods-Gods

The Religion of Ancient Egypt was complex to say the least.  Three thousand years of additions, revisions, outside influences, and political policies made often drastic changes in name and responsibilities of many gods. Here is a small sampling of some of the more important gods of Egypt: Horus sky god-war god-protector god, symbol of Pharaoh as a living god on Earth-son of Isis-bitter enemy of Set; Set (Seth, Septh) god of chaos-evil-darkness brother of Osiris; Osiris god of the dead, ruler of the underworld; Isis-sister/wife of Osiris-goddess of motherhood, family, magic and later intelligence and beauty; Thoth-god of writing, he recorded the deeds of people used in the weighing of the heart; Anubis-god of embalming and guide of the dead-later judge of the dead



Weighing of the heart, Amat awaits the judgment and will consume the heart and soul of those who fail the test. Note the many ankh (religious symbol for eternal life) visible in both the print above and in hands of the gods.

Amun Ra (Ra, Amun, Amen, Amen Ra, Re, Amun Re) Was the last great god created by the Egyptians. Originally a version of the Sun god, Amun Ra eventually was proclaimed the "King of the Gods," so much so that the Ancient Greeks referred to him as Zeus.

Social Classes of Ancient Egypt

Pharaoh-Chief Priest King

High Officials-Royal Family, Administrators, Nobles, Court Officials, Priests, Scribes

Middle Class-Merchants

Working Class-Artisans, craftsmen, entertainers,peasant workers

Servants-freemen and Slaves all who worked for the above classes

Tiny Art-Big talent

Delicate Art thirty-Five Centuries Old

Pharaoh offering precious ointments to the gods.

Horus, at first a sky god (hence the falcon image), eventually became one of the most important gods of the Egyptians, especially as a defender of good vs evil.

Bes offers protection over the young Horus as the latter control's crocodiles, snakes and other creatures. The carving is covered with spells of protection, water poured over it by priests became "Holy Water."

This beautiful and delicate vast is only 50 mm (2 inches) tall.

These tiny, glazed pieces are all less than 25mm (one inch) tall. The artful skill of the craftsmen that created these tiny works still amazes us more than 3500 years later.

Life in Egypt-through the eyes of the Artist

For thousands of years the artists of Ancient Egypt carved and painted the images of their world on walls, in tombs, on papyrus and everyday belongings. These beautiful works of art give a brief look into a World of luxury and pleasure of the wealthy as well as life and hard work of the common people. 
Tribute from Nubia for the Pharaoh.

Taking funeral gifts to a tomb.

Women making final arraignments to their outfits before a party (note the perfumed wax on their wigs that will melt as the event proceeds and keep the women smelling sweet).

An unfinished work presenting women at their daily toilet.

A family hunting and food gathering.

Farming, the most common work of the people.

Tutankhamun, the Boy King

The beautiful funeral mask of King Tutankhamun (King Tut) is one of the greatest surviving works of the Ancient Egyptian Goldsmiths. As he ruled circa 1341-1324 BCE, this mask is over 33 centuries old.

Cleopatra VII-Caesar's Bane

Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII, queen of the Greek Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, are the true stuff of legends, as countless Hollywood and television productions (here the 1950's, Claude Rains and Vivien Leigh version) have told their audiences.

Cleopatra VII is always beautiful, seductive and ruthless in these versions (Liz Taylor is this movie reincarnation). In reality Cleopatra did have a way of turning men into her willing aides. Julius was very smitten with her to the point of ignoring his wife and Roman traditions dealing with relationships with non-Roman women. When she claimed her child, Caesarion, was in fact the son of Caesar many of Rome's Patrician Senators were disgusted. This alienated more Senators from Caesar and added fuel to the fire that Caesar was no longer a true Republican of Rome. It was feared Caesar would marry the Queen of Egypt-that would make him a "King," the type of ruler the Senators most despised. The loss of Senate support was to have fatal consequences for Julius.

The actual Cleopatra VII was uncommonly pretty in her youth according to most sources and the limited physical evidence such as statues and wall carvings. She did use all her abilities, including her body, to attain her goals; the rulership of Egypt and maintaining Egypt's power in the Ancient World.

But after multiple children, the stress of leadership (including a civil war, murdering at least two brothers two sisters and consistent hostilities with Rome) and age began to tell. Her visage on coins of the time show her as much more "mature" queen.

Cleopatra VII was the last independent ruler of Egypt until the mid-20th century. Her attempts to keep Egypt independent of Rome through her very personal relationships with, first Julius Caesar and later Mark Anthony, were in the end futile and lead to her death and the fall of her kingdom to Octavian and the Romans in 30 BCE.