|
Maps
Few maps of ancient Egypt (that is, plans
locating particular geographical sites) have survived, but there are
cosmological or star maps and mythical maps of the underworld. At
Denderah in the Temple of Hathor a map of the sky, stars, and decans
(constellations) once decorated the ceiling of a terrace chapel.
This “Zodiac Ceiling,” now in the Louvre in Paris, has been replaced
at Denderah by a plaster cast. Another relief carved on a
sarcophagus now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, shows the
figure of the sky goddess Nut as she personifies the heavens. She
stands with her feet on the ground and bends over so that her arms
hang down and her fingertips almost touch the floor. Under her
curved body between her legs and arms there is a circular
representation of a map of the world. In the center there is the
underworld where the gods live; this is encircled by the names of
the nomes (geographical and political divisions of Egypt); and
around these on the edge of the circle are the names of foreign
countries. Charts of the heavens have also survived on the ceilings
of some tombs and temples.
Maps of the underworld, inhabited by gods and
the dead, occur in the wall scenes of New Kingdom tombs in the
Valley of the Kings at Thebes and also in the various funerary
“books” or papyri (on which the tomb scenes are based) that provided
the deceased with a guide to the underworld. As well as supplying
the deceased with spells to counteract the dangers of the
underworld, the papyri also offered vignettes illustrating the
underworld and sometimes giving examples of specific geographical
“locations” in this mythological landscape.
There are, however, only two extant examples of
maps of terrestrial locations, and they are the oldest known maps in
the world. One partially preserved papyrus showing the gold mining
area situated to the east of Coptos dates to the reign of Ramesses
II. The other map, now in the Turin Museum in Italy, outlines two
parallel valleys between mountains, which are joined together by
another valley. One of the parallel valleys appears to be covered
with blocks of stone and wood. Two of the mountains— each drawn with
a steep point in a rather simplistic form—contain gold mines and the
place where the gold was washed. One of the parallel valleys and
another side pass are described as routes that led to the sea. On a
third mountain there appear to be several substantial buildings as
well as a shrine to the god Amun. In addition the dwellings of the
miners are shown and the well of Sethos I (to whose reign this
document dates) and also a great stela that he set up, possibly to
commemorate the opening of this well..
|
|
Other
Topics About :
Foreign Trade and Transport |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
