The goddess Maat was the personification of the basic laws of all existence;
she embodied the concepts of law, truth, and world order. The most ancient
hieroglyphic character probably depicted the straightness of the plinth on
which the throne rested, which was also a symbolic representation of the
primeval hill. The transfer of a physical concept to the field of ethics has
its parallel in the English adjective 'straight' meaning 'honest,' 'upright,'
and 'true.'
Without Maat life was impossible for she was Re's food and
drink. The seated image of this goddess who wore an ostrich feather on her head,
was held in Pharoah's hand like a doll and was presented as an offering to the
gods. This meant that the king was the representative of divine order. Judges
were regarded as priests of Maat. In the Hall of Judgement at the Weighing of
the Heart the heart of the deceased was placed on the scales of justice, balanced
against the feather of Maat, symbol of truth. Mention was often made of two
Maat goddesses who were equated with the two solar barques, called Maaty. Source: Illustr. Dictionary
of The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Egypt 11 Jan 1998
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