Ancient Egyptian Forum

Si-amun · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 8:18 pm Post subject: Competition Help

Hiya, got an important competetition coming up. It is a national competition and I ahve to write a history essay of between 2000 and 4000 words on any history topic. Quite naturally i was going to do an Egyptian one but I am stuck for essay titles. i am thinking of:

-To what extent was the Civil War of Cleopatra VII / Ptolemy XIII a war between Egyptian and Greek culture?

- What was the role of the Goddess Isis in New Kingdom Egyptian society and monarchy?

- What was the role of the Queen in the mid 18 th dybnasty and to what extent did it change during the Amarna Period?

Any comments on these ideas would be great, as would any ideas that are better. I need to be able to argue a particular way so perhaps something with a bit of conflicting ideas would be good. Thanks everyone!
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Thou dost appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, oh living Amun, he who was the first to live.

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Dark_Meryetamun_28 · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 8:19 pm Post subject:

Personally, I'd do the second one. Good luck with your contest!!!
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Si-amun · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 8:40 pm Post subject:

The problem is that essay would be merely stating facts. I need some form of argument iin there somewhere. That is why number one is good, as is number three cos I can argue to what extent was the role of Queen changed.
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Thou dost appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, oh living Amun, he who was the first to live.

maatkara · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 1:06 am Post subject:

I think it depends on which argument you can write more and with detailed informations....according to me, if you consider the third argument, the period of Hatshepsut is certainly the one which brought more changes in the figure of the queen of all Ancient Egyptian history.....good luck on that test! Wink

Si-amun · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:26 pm Post subject:

Ooooh, that is a good idea! I have until May to come up with the finis=ished essay but I have to do severalr redrafts and things for my head of history! Confused

, anyway. Please keep these ideas coming, the more you give me the more selection I have! I am desperate to write a really good essay so please carry on with the suggestion!

Good idea about the Hatchepsut Queen change. The main problem I would ahve with that though is to what extent she qwas Queen and what extent she was queen. hmmmmmmm, I will do a bit of reading around. Thanks!
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Thou dost appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, oh living Amun, he who was the first to live.

maatkara · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 12:08 am Post subject:

there is on ebook I really love about Hatshepsut, which is written by Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, the mysterious queen, who deeply analyse thehistorical context and give a clear idea of happened....according to one of the best known egyptologyst, she's been directrice of the egyptian section of the Louvre museum for years.... Wink

Si-amun · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 12:28 am Post subject:

Thankyou! If anyone has any ideas about what they would do if they were me then please feel free to chime in! I do like the idea about Hatchepsut, but it would mean me researching everything as my knowledge on her is hardly in depth! Hmmmmm, just thinking of lines of argument I could put in there. Thanyou Maatkara, you are brilliant!
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Thou dost appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, oh living Amun, he who was the first to live.

maatkara · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 6:43 pm Post subject:

thanx!

Si-amun · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:54 pm Post subject:

I had a good idea whilst lying in Bed last night. I am unsure whether I can apply it to Hatchepsut but I was also thinking perhaps Queen Tiy.

The dual nature of Egyptian religion is seen in the High power given to Queen Tiy at the time her husband was declared a God.

Let me explain, the dual nature of the Egyptian religion says that for a male there is a female, for a God there is a Goddess so without A Female Godess Amenhotep III could not be proclaimed a God. This is a reason why Tiy was never a Gods Wife of Amun, as she was Gods wife of Amenhotep III. It also explains the presence of a Temple dedicated to her honour in Nubia and also her prominence in the early years of Atenism. The argument I was going to use against it was the fact that she was not needed within the Egyptian Pantheon and was in fact more of a replacement ruler smbolically whilst her husbnand ruled as "God", not king. It is just an idea I am banding about in my head.

Now what has this got to do with hatchepsut??? Well, I was thinking that perhaps...

The dual nature of Egyptian religion allowed hatchepsut to become a Pharaoh as she bipassed the role of King and became a "God".

I would use the nature of her divine birth, depictions of her in Deir el Bahari and the wording of several of her monuments inscriptions to back up the beleif that she was in fact more God than human in her propaganda. The counter argument would be that her "rule" was not down to any actual propaganda and that she was the most qualified for the job, being a descendant of Ahhotep etc.

Hmmmm, these are just ideas I am banding about in my head and have probably not manifested too well onto the screen, but they work in my head! lol
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Thou dost appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, oh living Amun, he who was the first to live.

maatkara · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 8:47 pm Post subject:

I find it interesting....I'm following you, even if I don't look like! Laughing

I'm not well informed about that, but I think that also other queens have had the same "dualism"....Nefertiti was surely one and maybe Neferwsobek too...Neferwsobek belongs to a very different period, but can be inetersting to consider her and the relative historical context.....

Si-amun · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:29 pm Post subject:

To be honest I dont want to branch into areas of Egyptian History that I dont think I am fully confdant in because it would ential a lot more research rather than relying on what I already know and the books I already have. That is why I want to stick quite firmly to the New Kingdom. I was thinking about doing Nefertiti but the problem was that so much has been written it would be hard making the essay largely original, rather than a re-write of someone elses work.
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Thou dost appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, oh living Amun, he who was the first to live.

maatkara · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:50 pm Post subject:

uhm...i can understand.....so you have to concentrate on Hatshepsut...eheheheheh....so me! Wink

if you have the chance, grab that book I told you in my last post, I think it can help you a lot, if you decide to have ME as main subject! Very Happy

Si-amun · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:03 pm Post subject:

No, i am not interested in Hatchepsut as a mere Princess. When you're a pharoah come back and talk to me!

lol
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Thou dost appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, oh living Amun, he who was the first to live.

Psusennes I · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Posts: 913 Location: England

What about- Why did the Royal Family move to Tanis?

Then I can be in it. What competition is this anyway? I would like to have a go if I may. I usually fall into one of the lower age groups in competitions- and that is great. I won a piece of Titanic deckair a few months ago from an art competition. Is there an address or website?[/i]
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maatkara · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:06 pm Post subject: