There were two Egypt's, one up one down, heaven and earth. Through child-like eyes and in the absence of 3,000 of science the blackness of space was perceived as a hemispherical dome shaped land canopying our flat earth. The Egyptians quite naturally called these 'two lands' Upper and Lower Egypt. Upper Egypt is where the transposed Egyptians, the stars resided. The stars were perceived as real people living a life eternal in the black land (kemet) above. During the night they slept just as we do on earth. On the morn the ‘two lands’ burst into life as the Red Sun rose in the east. The inhabitants of both Upper and Lower Egypt would awake to begin such tasks as ploughing the fields, sowing and reaping. In other words the stars would awake the same time as their earthly counterparts to undertake the same agrarian tasks they once undertook on earth.
The space in between Upper and Lower Egypt I have dubbed the intermediate space, although the Egyptians may have called it the Duat. This location is to be seen as having more in common with Lower Egypt, earth. The Egyptians believed when they were born two of them were created, the physical body and an exact double they called the ka. Our modern day interpretation has erroneously deemed the ka as some kind of spirit form, this is incorrect. In a world dominated by cosmic catastrophe, the kas of the Egyptians were the infinite number of comet shaped bodies inhabiting the intermediate space between heaven and earth. It was believed after death the Egyptians would join with these astral doubles and after a perilous journey (chaos), and providing they’d been ‘good and just’ during their earthly life, it was hoped they would be reborn as a star in the kingdom of Osiris (the god who look after the stars above).
On this page, and by way of the art historical approach, it is my intention to demonstrate how close proximity cometary bodies dominated ancient skies. Moreover, the outline or shape of said bodies was clearly reflected in Egyptian art especially in regards to the afterlife and the gloriously decorated coffins.
The photo on the left shows comet Holmes in March 2008. This incredible image is unaltered apart from rotating it. The nucleolus of the comet can be seen enveloped by a gigantic spherical coma. Compare this to the Sarcophagus of Mesrē. It takes little imagination to see the Egyptians are undoubtedly emulating the shape of comets, or as they believed, their celestial counterparts, their kas. The face represents the nucleolus while the distinctly odd copious hairdo represents the coma.
Left: Comet Holmes, Credit Nasa.
Right: Sarcophagus of Mesrē. Credit: Rama
Compare the following comet images with outline of other coffins and on the right an afterlife figurine called a shabti.
There was no art for art sake in ancient Egypt; everything had meaning, so the question has to be why did the Egyptians choose such an elaborate hairdo? Who thought it would be a good idea to portray the dead (in transit more like) in this way?
This isn't’ rocket science, cosmic catastrophe and a sky awash with cometary bodies pathed the way for such imagery. Most of the comet images on this page have been captured using powerful telescopes; in ancient times there was no need for magnification instruments just a cursorily glance skywards revealed comets of all sizes. This would include cometary planets as demonstrated with Comet Venus – all granted visibility day and night courtesy of a hazed red sun.
Above right: male and female 'comets.'
On the left we have two 'comet' figures enclosed in a false door. False doors were a means by which the earthly Egyptians would talk to their friends and relatives in the land above - a very real physical world above, or so it was believed.
Three photos below Credit: British Museum
Middle and left: golden comets; close proximity bodies coloured gold due to the light from the Sun.
Right: blue hair! Why? Answer, comets many times appeared blue especially during the day.
It was believed some of the resurrected Egyptians would spend eternity with the sun god Re.
The comet form wasn't exclusive to coffins and the afterlife, on the contrary the 'comet look' as you would expect also featured in life statues as well.
If this isn't a Comet I don't know what is!
On the left we have Senenmut who I believe was a guise of Mars. Out ranked (outsized) at this particular time by Hatshepsut/Venus ("foremost of the noble women" & "just and full of vitality like the Sun.’).
Almost lost amidst the dust and debris Senenmut/Mars appears fixed on the horizon taking on the attributes of a comet whist seemingly holding a smaller body (daughter) in front of him. Why else would you bury a child in granite in this way?
While we're on the subject, the statue on the right again depicts Senenmut/Mars appearing within Hathor - Earth's Ring of Debris (hat-hor = "house of the king").
Cometary cone of incense and dancing girls
Cone of incense = smaller comets ('commoners')
Below are some common scenes from the New Kingdom depicting scantily clad serving-girls (& guys) wearing cones of incense on their heads.
Incense (latin: incendere, "to burn") was formed into small pellets and burned. It was used in religious ceremonies to drive away demons and gratify the presence of the gods, as they believed.
So what we have here is servant girls wearing cones of fire on their heads! This is is of course totally impractical, even impossible especially given the fact that many scenes depict Egyptian women in the act of dancing.
In an attempt to explain this oddity some have suggested this was simply a solid lump of perfume, unfortunately this has been shown to be incorrect.
"During the New Kingdom people were depicted carrying little cones in their hair, which are generally interpreted as having been made of solid perfume. But examinations of wigs and hair have shown little evidence of fatty residue." http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/timelines/topics/cosmetics.htm
Having no concept and the complete inability to comprehend a world dominated by cosmic catastrophe on the part of scholars this invariable leaves us with 'symbolism.' Everything its seems boils down to symbolism. The featured Egyptians didn't actually wear 'cones of fire' on their heads, it was merely symbolic. Where on earth do they draw the line? Exactly what part of the scenes featured here have their basis in reality.
"All wear on their heads a 'cone of ointment', of which we don't actually know if it was indeed worn or if it symbolized perfumes and fragrances poured on the guests" (N. Cherpion).
The cone of incense is symbolic - it is symbolic of the numerous 'smaller' comets that littered ancient skies. There are many hundreds of similar images adorning numerous tomb and temple walls the length and breath of the Nile valley. May I suggest the reader take this into account when studying Egyptian art. To reiterate; cosmic catastrophe is staring us in the face via ancient history.
Left: look closely at the cones on atop the enveloping wigs.
Mesopotamian cultures also incorporated the 'comet form' into their art. I will endeavor to continue this conversation with more images soon.