PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSES

Those who spoke to the Gods and Goddesses were the Priests and Priestesses supposedly a carry-over from the time of Atlantis. They were the souls who carried the sacred knowledge about creation and the nature of our reality. There were initiates who studied the knowledge of both the sacred mystery teachings and the religious philosophies of the times. This sacred knowledge would be passed down in many forms including the genetics of certain souls. That information would one day be brought out into the open in its truest form. That time is NO ! "ecause the Pharaoh could not perform ceremonies at all the temples throughout #gypt$ he appointed high priests to carry out the sacred rituals at each temple. Priests often passed down their positions from father to son. They en%oyed great power and wealth in #gyptian society. The priests& duties were to care for the gods and attend to their needs. They also performed funeral rites$ teaching school$ supervising the artists and works$ and advising people on problems. The priesthood of ancient #gypt has a far reaching and deep history$ rooted within the traditions of Ancient #gypt. 'nlike the orthodo( priesthoods usually found within estern society$ the role of the #gyptian priest or priestess was vastly different within the society as a whole. )ather than seek the divine and develop a rapport with the gods$ the role of the priest was akin to an everyday %ob. *or$ as the pharaoh was seen as a god himself$ the priests and priestesses were seen as stand-in&s for the pharaoh+ as it was the greater %ob of the priests and priestesses to keep #gyptian society in good order$ as is the case with most theoretically based societies. The mystical attributes of the priests and priestesses take on a secondary role$ when one considers the heightened role religion played within #gyptian society. Not only was religion a way to attain the ethereal and basic needs of the #gyptians$ but it also served as a mechanism to order society$ to create a hierarchy$ and to preserve the culture for future generations. As such$ the role of the priests and priestesses was both functional and mystical on both levels. A priest or priestess in ancient #gypt was generally chosen by either the king$ or attained their post by hereditary means. ,n either case$ the priests who received their positions hereditarily and through the

king were not set apart from mundane life. ,n fact$ such priests were made to embrace the mundane life to keep #gyptian society functioning properly -and as stated above it was a %ob of fairly high status.. Though the priesthood had started out simply$ with relatively few temples$ in the later dynasties the temples e(panded into the hundreds. ith such growth$ a large bureaucracy was needed to keep the temples in good standing+ and thenceforth$ the small priesthood&s of the #gyptians grew from an estimated hundred priests into the thousands$ and with it came a priestly hierarchy. The daily life of a priest or priestess depended on their se( and also their hierarchical standing within the priesthood. Priests were often rotated from position to position within the priestly hierarchy and were integrated in and out of mundane society. This rotation system generally went$ that a priest would enter into temple life one month$ at three times a year. This rotation system had a direct connection to the often stringent purity rites of the priests. )egardless of what status the priest was$ there were numerous taboos and tradition&s a priest had to or could not partake of. Of these taboos and traditions$ a priest or priestess could not eat fish -a food thought to be ascribed to peasant life.$ could not wear wool -as nearly all animal products were unclean.$ were generally circumcised -only common among the male priests.$ and it was not uncommon for priests to bathe three or four times a day in /sacred/ purificatory pools. ,t was also not uncommon for the /oracle/ tending priests -one of the most sacred positions.$ to shave off all of their body hair$ partially to get rid of lice$ but partially for purificatory functions. These /oracle/ priests symbolically gave food to the statues of the gods$ clothed the statues of the gods$ sealed the temple chamber in the evening$ and were known as stolists. As can be seen from the e(ample of the stolists$ the need for purity e(tended not only upon the mundane level$ but also held true within the afterlife as well. *urther$ from such purificatory rites the priests were often times known as the /pure ones/ regardless of status within the temples. The priesthood was a civil function in ancient #gypt. )ecruited from the local population$ the priests served three months at a time then returned to their daily lives. A small core of superior priests$ or adepts$ served the temple full time. 0uring the New 1ingdom$ every temple$ no matter how small$ had at least one resident priest. The function of a priest was to maintain the universal order as dictated by the Gods in the 2ep Tepi$ or the *irst Time$ the original Golden Age of the 3igh God. To this end$ their primary function was to perform the rituals of the 0ivine 0rama$ the Great 4yth$ at the appropriate time and in the correct way. "y involving a large portion of the local population in its services$ the temple became the center of local culture. The initiation$ or installation$ of a priest was essentially the same in all temples. A baptism in a sacred pool$ symbolic of the waters of Nu$ the 5osmic Ocean$ washed away all evil. Then the candidate was sprinkled with oil and water as purification$ led to the statue of the Goddess and instructed in the secret ways of touching and working with the statue. The candidate then undertakes a ten day fast$ at the end of which the mysteries are revealed by some sort of psychic6shamanic e(perience. ithin the temple structure$ there were classes of priests. The administrative officials in the large temples$ such as 1arnak$ functioned as a separate group$ one not too concerned with religious perspectives. They took care of the business end of the temple and its property. The religious establishment also had its classes. The temple of Amun had five different priestly sections$ each with its own sub-divisions. The 3igh Priest of Ptah at 4emphis was called /the great chief of all artisans$/ as all crafts were under the protection of Ptah. These first and second /prophets$/ mis-translated by the Greeks

from the #gyptian /servants of the God$/ were mostly royal appointments and could be chosen from any level of society. They led the higher ranks of the priesthood in the ritual functions of the temple. ,n addition to the political administration$ the priests and priestesses took on both magical and economic functions$ however set apart from the hierarchy of priests are the lay magicians who supplied a commoners understanding of #gyptian religion. Through the use of magic and their connection to the gods$ lay magicians provided a service to their community$ usually consisting of counseling$ magical arts$ healing$ and ceremony. 7ay magicians who served within this last and final caste of the #gyptian priesthood belonged to a large temple known simply as /The 3ouse of 7ife/. 7aymen would come to /The 3ouse of 7ife/ to meet with a magician$ priest or priestess to have their dreams interpreted$ to supply magical spells and charms$ to be healed and to counteract malevolent magic$ and to supply incantations of various types. Though the 3ouse of 7ife provided it&s 7aymen with many prescriptive cures for common ills$ it was largely shrouded in mystery in ancient times. ,n fact$ the library of The 3ouse of 7ife was shrouded in great secrecy$ as it contained many sacred rites$ books$ and secrets of the temple itself which were thought could harm the pharaoh$ the priests$ and all of #gypt itself. Though the magicians of The 3ouse of 7ife$ were seen as another step from the ceremonial duties of the priests$ they were by no means less important$ and as is evidenced by the presence of many magical wands$ papyri te(t$ and other archeological evidence$ The 3ouse of 7ife took on a role direly important to the way of life of Ancient #gyptians. One final position within the priesthood highly worthy of mention is that of the 8cribes. The scribes were highly pri9ed by both the pharaoh and the priesthood$ so much so that in some of the pharaoh&s tombs$ the pharaoh himself is depicted as a scribe in pictographs. The scribes were in charge of writing magical te(ts$ issuing royal decrees$ keeping and recording the funerary rites -specifically within The "ook of The 0ead. and keeping records vital to the bureaucracy of Ancient #gypt. The scribes often spent years working on the craft of making hieroglyphics$ and deserve mentioning within the priestly caste as it was considered the highest of honors to be a scribe in any #gyptian court or temple. *inally$ worthy of mention$ though there is considerable historical evidence telling of the role of priests within the priestly hierarchy$ the status of the priestesses was at times e:ual if not minor to that of the male priesthood. The female priestesses held the main function within the temple&s of music and dancing. At Thebes$ however$ the chief-priestess of Amun bore the title of ;god<s wife<+ she was the leader of the female music-makers who were regarded as the god<s harem and were identified with the goddess 3athor$ who was associated with love and music. ,n the Twenty-third 0ynasty and afterwards such priestesses were practically rulers of the theocracy$ their duties centering around the reverence of ,sis$ and many other female and male goddesses and gods.

The hierarchy of priests consisted of a milieu of offices and duties. At the top of the hierarchy of priests was the high-priest$ also known as the sem-priest$ and as /the *irst Prophet of the God/. The high-priest was often very wise in years$ and old. Not only did he serve as political advisor to the pharaoh$ but he was also a political leader for the temples he belonged to as well. The high-priest was in charge of overseeing magical rites and ceremonies as well as advising the pharaoh. 4aintaining a fairly ceremonial position$ the high-priest was often times chosen by the pharaoh as an advisor$ however$ it was not uncommon for a high-priest to have climbed through the ranks to his official status. "elow the high-priest were a number of priests with many speciali9ed duties. The speciali9ation of these second tier priests ran from /horology/ -keeping an accurate count of the hours through the days$ e(tremely important during the time of the sunboat worshippers$ but also for agricultural reasons as well.$ /astrology/ -e(tremely important as well to the mythology of #gypt as well as to the architectural and calendrical systems of #gypt.$ to healing. As is obvious by the speciali9ation of the priests$ the cycles of the cosmos were e(tremely important$ as they decided when crops would be planted$ when the Nile would wa( or wane$ and further when the temple rites were to begin in the morning. The result of

these #gyptian priests studies can be seen in both the mythological studies of #gypt$ as well as within the agricultural practices$ which rival even the modern 5aesarian 5alendar still used within the western world today.

The /kher heb/$ or the 7ector Priest These sacred scrolls are read out loud by the /kher heb/$ the lector priest$ who is obliged to read them directly from the papyrus book held open in his hands. 3e has to recite them e(actly as they are written$ even if he has read them many$ many times before$ for making a mistake can offend the god. This was done at the official ceremonies and at the head of the processions$ when the god was carried out before the people. The /3em net%er/$ or the 3igh Priest ,t was not regarded as important to spread teachings about the god=s superiority$ nor was it the hem net%er&s task to see to the people&s spiritual or moral welfare. 3is %ob was to take care of the god and the god=s needs$ to act as a servant of the god. "y treating the god as an important citi9en of #gypt$ it was ensured that the god would live on and care for the people of #gypt. And the highest priest was Pharao$ who acted as a servant to all the different gods$ in all the different religious centra throughout the land. 3e appointed 3igh Priests to act for him at the different temples$ their number depending on the si9e of the temple and the cult&s popularity. This appointment to 3igh Priest was both a religious and a political one and sometimes it was held within a powerful family for several generations. *emale 8ervants of God omen from noble families were accepted as /hemet net%ers/ already in the Old 1ingdom. 'sually they were attached to the goddesses. ,t&s uncertain what work they really performed$ more than being singers$ dancers and musicians. At one occasion in the Third ,ntermediate Period there was a royal lady titled God>s ife of Amen. 8he was served by female acolytes$ lived in celibacy and adopted another royal lady to secure the successor ship. God&s *ather The 3igh Priest is also called the *irst Prophet and could in his turn delegate 8econd$ Third and *ourth Prophets as deputies. The brother-in-law to Amenhotep ,,,$ Aanen$ was for a long time 8econd Prophet of Amen at 1arnak and 3igh Priest of )e-Atum. Aanen&s father ?uya was 3igh Priest of 4in at Akhim and also held the title of God&s *ather$ which is believed to mean *ather-in-law of the 1ing. "ut /father of the god/ was also used as titles for the priesthood directly below the *irst Prophet and these persons often held other important duties outside the temples. ?uya was therefore 4aster of the 1ing>s 3orses and Overseer of the 5attle of the temple of 4in$ besides being the 3igh Priest of 4in. Temple ork and Purity

The priesthood was divided into four phyles$ i.e. groups$ and each phyle worked one month out of three. The servants of the god kept up their normal profession$ whatever it was$ for eight months of the year$ and the remaining months were served at the temple.

hen in the temple$ ritual purity was of utmost importance. #ach temple had its own lake where the priests purified themselves and the ritual vessels that were used in ceremonies$ and from where water was taken for the libation offerings. Priests could only wear white linen and sandals made from papyrus$ all animal products were considered unclean. The priest who held the leading role in a procession or other ceremony$ used the cheetah- or leopard skin robe draped across his back. "ut that one might also have been an imitation. 0uring temple duty$ a priest had to shave off all his bodily hair$ even the eye brows and was e(pected to abstain from se(ual activity. Outside of temple duty$ they could marry$ raise families and live normal lives. 8ervices and )ituals The god$ in the form of a statue$ was seated in a shrine$ a so called naos$ which was built of stone or wood and kept in the innermost chamber of the temple. The statue could be made of stone$ gold or gilded wood$ inlaid with semi-precious stones and it was not always life-si9ed. ,t was not regarded as an idol$ but as the receptacle of the deity>s ka. Three times a day$ if not more$ rituals were performed at the shrine. At dawn the temple singers awoke the god by singing the 4orning 3ymn. And after having purified himself$ the priest conducting the 4orning 8ervice$ broke the seal and drew back the bolts that had been tied last night$ and the doors to the god was opened. Now the god received the same purification process as the priests already had undergone. ,ncense was burned and the god was dressed$ perfumed and had cosmetics put on$ in the same way as the 1ing would have been prepared for the day. The Offerings Then food and drink was put before the god. This was a display of the best that could be found+ %oints of meat$ roasted fowl$ bread$ fruits$ vegetables$ beer$ wine$ and everything in large :uantities$ out of the temple>s own kitchens$ gardens and farms$ and of superior :uality. The meat came from animals that had been slaughtered out of the sight of the god$ and overseen by a priest who had ensured it was fit to put before the god. No blood or unsightly scenes were allowed before the god. The offerings always included flowers$ bound in garlands and in large temples there were gardens with gardeners and florists to ensure the supply and prepare the offerings. Over these offerings the priest poured libations of water$ and in a spoon-like saucer$ shaped like a forearm with an open palm holding a small pot$ incense was burned. ,ncense was considered the /Perfume of the gods/ and as the intention was to stimulate all the senses of the gods$ it played an important part in the rituals. *ood and drink meant taste$ music and singing meant sound$ and flowers were added to make the offering beautiful and presentable. 8o while the god&s ka was believed to be absorbing these offerings$ musicians$ singers and dancers entertained him. The te(t of the hymns was simple$ with many repetitions of the god>s attributes and names$ and the music could be rattling of the sistrum or menat$ percussion$ and for special occasions$ harp$ flute$ drums and cymbals. Temple Organi9ation The larger temple centers were like veritable cities and employed all kinds of workers. There were temple bakeries and breweries$ and some temples had a fleet of boats and fishermen$ hunters and stables with donkeys$ there were farms or tenants of land. The produce arrived daily to fill the god>s storehouses and everything was recorded and kept in books by the temple scribes. On top of that the temple

employed craftsmen like stonemasons$ painters$ carpenters$ weavers$ scribes and administrators$ not to mention the priests. ,t was a huge organi9ation and as an e(ample there is 1arnak$ with a list of more than @A.BBB employees! ages 0uring the time of service in the temple$ any employee en%oyed a higher standard than normally. The god&s wealth was for all to share$ depending of status and type of work. 8o large$ well functioning centras usually held large properties of land$ the workers$ stone masons$ farmers etc. kept their families there too$ which enlarged the population$ and ensured there were all these e(tra kinds of needs and doings to keep women and children fed and clothed. A large religious temple comple( was bested in riches only by the )oyal 3ouse. *estivals and Processions The temples celebrated regular festive days$ the *irst of the 4onth and the New 4oon. The god>s statue was then paraded around the temple grounds$ and at certain places the procession stopped for offerings. These /resting places/ of the god usually had something in common with the particular festival. Then there were the larger religious festivals where the god was carried outside the temple precinct in front of the people. As they were not allowed inside the temple$ this was a popular occasion$ the god carried on his bark$ although veiled from the direct look of the commoner$ and the sacred books carried on the shoulders of a priest walking in front of the procession. Priests fanned and sheltered the god from the sun with ostrich plumes or fans made from palm fiber. ,ncense was burned and offerings were made at the resting places along the route. 8ome of these were permanent little temples$ others were erected %ust for the event. 3ere$ the bark was set down on an /altar/ while the rituals were performed. At some occasions the bark was put on the god>s own bargue from the temple :uai and was towed further along the Nile$ escorted by a flotilla of boats$ sometimes even the royal family was present to watch. These were great occasions$ in which everybody took part and they usually lasted for several days$ when eating and drinking was abundant. *estivals could also be shared between two temples$ like the commemoration of the 8acred marriage of 3athor and 3orus at 0enderah. All these celebrations had to be held at the right time and day and it was the task of the temple star watcher to keep track of the religious calendars. - The Temple Pages