Finding Gender in Egyptian Mortuary Ritual: Agency, Individuality, and Choice

A conversation between Mariam Ayad (The American University in Cairo), Visiting Associate Professor of Women’s Studies and Near Eastern Religions, and Jacquelyn Williamson (WSRP 2013-14), Associate Professor of Ancient Art and Archaeology, specializing in Ancient Egypt and Gender at George Mason University.

[conceitedperson]

So much of this is about adaption, to create the image of continuity and stability, the pharaohs seem to be adapting themselves to this mythical versions of themselves. Farming adapted to the nile, prayers and rituals adapted to circumstances, finances, space available. So, the gods can't be restricted by gender if they need to adapt to all situations in order to maintain stability in such a chaotic world, and a female pharaoh becomes not a big deal - because she's divine and gods can just swap gender when needed, they are just gods. She used the goddess Ma'at in her cartouche, her gender was never hidden or an issue among elites at least (what the lower uneducated classes thought is lost... but anyway)