the past the northernmost statue was said to have made
musical sounds at dawn, amazing visitors and bringing it
world fame until the Romans made crude repairs and
silenced the statue. An earlier collection of stone statues,
dating to the Middle Kingdom (2040–1640 B.C.E.) are in
ruins in BIAHMU, erected by AMENEMHET I(r. 1991–1962
B.C.E.).Companions of the Divine Heart Two deities called
WAand AA, they made their home on the “PRIMEVAL
ISLAND OF TRAMPLING,” as depicted on the walls of the
EDFUtemple. They are called the Lords of the Island of
Trampling and are associated with the god RÉ.Contending of Ré and Set A mythological text found
at THEBES in the Chester Beatty Papyrus I, the long
account was written in the reign of RAMESSES V (r.
1156–1151 B.C.E.) and relates the confrontations between
the child god HORUSand the deity SET. The gods of Egypt
who were called upon to settle the dispute debated for
about 80 years but then made Horus the true ruler of
Egypt. Set, banished from the abodes of the gods, was
given lightning in order to allow him to frighten mortals.Coptos See KOPTOS.Corners of the Earth The four cardinal points recog-
nized by the ancient Egyptians and honored in the con-
struction of the pyramids and other monuments, the gods
of the four corners were SOPDU,HORUS,SET, and THOTH.
Queen ASHAIT, a lesser ranked consort of MONTUHOTEP II
(r. 2061–2010 B.C.E.), had a hymn to the spirits of the
four corners of the earth in her tomb. This hymn remark-
ably categorized the physical aspects of the winds that
came from each corner and was beautifully written.coronation rituals An ancient Egyptian ceremony that
evolved from the Predynastic Period, before 3000 B.C.E.,
and was used upon the accession of each new ruler to the
throne. The ruler was shown to the people in opening
rites as the heir to Upper and Lower Egypt. In some
dynasties the ceremony took place while the old ruler
was still on the throne, elevating his successor to a core-
gency that ensured an orderly succession. Another aspect
of succession, not involved in the actual ceremonies of
coronation but vital to the elevation of the new ruler, was
the mortuary rite. Each new ruler had to be present at the
burial of his predecessor.
Wearing the white CROWN, the hedjet, of Upper
Egypt, the heir to the throne was led out to the people.
He then put on the red wicker basket crown, the deshret,
of Lower Egypt’s Bee Kings. When the crowns were
united as the pachent, or pschent,upon the head of the
pharaoh, a great celebration took place. At this point the
ruler entered the hall of the NOMEgods of Upper Egypt,
wearing only the white crown. When these divinities wel-
comed him he repeated the same ceremony in the hall of
the nome gods of Lower Egypt, wearing the red crown
only. The SOULS OF PEand the SOULS OF NEKHENhad to
approve the new ruler. A stake was then put into the
ground, entwined with the LOTUSand PAPYRUSsymbols of
both kingdoms. The monogram or CARTOUCHEof the new
ruler was worked in gold and precious stones alongside
the stake. The CROOKand the FLAIL, the symbols of Egyp-
tian royalty traditionally handed down from the agricul-
tural beginnings of the nation, were placed in the hands
of the new ruler, who was then led in procession around
the walls of the capital.
A ceremony called “the placing of the diadem in the
hall” started in the Early Dynastic Period (2920–2575
B.C.E.). By the time of the New Kingdom (1550–1070
B.C.E.), the rituals had become more sophisticated and
elaborate. The inscriptions detailing the coronation of
Queen-Pharaoh HATSHEPSUT (r. 1473–1458 B.C.E.) de-
scribe purifying rites and a journey from THEBES to
HELIOPOLIS(at modern Cairo), where the god ATUMof-
fered her the crown. AMENHOTEP III(r. 1391–1353 B.C.E.)
also made the trip down the Nile for his accession.
A proclamation of the pharaonic role was then
announced in Thebes, supposedly by the god AMUN, and
the new ruler was led before the courtiers and the people.
Purified once again and robed, the heir received the
crowns and was honored by the gods, portrayed by
priests in masks serving as attendants. The concluding
ceremonies and festivals lasted for several days and were
occasions of immense joy for the nation. It was also
believed that the gods and goddesses took part in the cel-
ebrations as the ruler’s name was inscribed mystically on
the PERSEA TREEupon coronation.corvée A French word used to designate a unique form
of labor used in Egypt: the king, as the living god of thecorvée 87The gigantic mortuary statues of Amenemhotep III, called
the Colossi of Memnon by the Greeks.(Courtesy of
Steve Beikirch.)