"Maat, who links universal to terrestrial, the divine with the human, and is incomprehensible to the cerebral intelligence." [Ancient Egyptian Proverb] See bridge
"Maat is good and its worth is lasting.
It has not been disturbed since the day of its creator,
whereas he who transgresses its ordinances is punished.
It lies as a path in front even of him who knows nothing.
Wrongdoing has never yet brought its venture to port.
It is true that evil may gain wealth but the strength of truth is that it lasts a man can say: "It was the property of my father." [Frankfort, Henri. Ancient Egyptian Religion. p. 62.]
Many consider Maat as a goddess of justice , but she is much more then that. In the Egyptian pantheon, Maat is a emanation of balance, truth and harmony - the first emanation of Ra, the light of his eye, the sacred bee and garancy of cosmic order and immortality.
As a first creation and emanation of principles of divine will, light and truth - She appears as a primordial mother of all Egyptian's Goddesses. In "her omnipotent existence", she obedient all their manifestations, creations and characteristics. That's why, very usually, she doesn't appear in the pantheon of Egyptian gods - she is above them, right after her Father.
The many different names of Ma’at give an idea of her importance to Egyptian society. Egyptians referred to Ma’at as:
• Eye of Ra
• Mistress of the Underworld
• Queen of the Earth
• Lady of Heaven
• Lady of the Gods and Goddesses
Egyptians saw Ma’at as an everlasting goddess. By representing order, she became the most important goddess of ancient Egypt.
Ma'at's ability to view truth and justice was key in judging a soul.
Being beyond the force which kept the Egypt functioning as an orderly society, Ma’at held an important role in the afterlife. She not only kept order among the living, but served as the judge of the afterlife.
After death, Ma’at would judge the hearts of the dead in Osiris’s Judgment Halls of the Dead. Once the dead reached the halls, Ma’at would weigh the heart of each person against the weight of her ostrich feather. If the heart weighed the same or less than the feather, they were considered just and worthy of continuing into the Duat, or everlasting afterlife. [anon from FaceBook]
Maat is the ancient Egyptian goddess embodying truth, justice, harmony, and cosmic order. Her name symbolizes moral law and the ideal of balance, representing the equilibrium of the universe. In art, Maat is typically depicted as a woman with an ostrich feather on her head, a symbol of truth and righteousness, often shown standing or seated, sometimes holding symbols of authority and eternal life, such as a scepter and an ankh.
Maat played a central role in Egyptian life, shaping moral and social norms. Pharaohs were considered responsible for upholding her principles, and their rule was judged according to how faithfully they maintained Maat. Violating these laws was seen as a serious offense with potentially catastrophic consequences.
In the afterlife, Maat was crucial in the weighing of the heart. If the deceased’s heart was lighter than her feather, the soul was granted access to eternal life. If it was heavier, it was devoured by the demon Ammut, denying the individual entry into the afterlife. The heart was regarded as the center of intellect and memory, making this ritual a powerful symbol of ultimate justice and the alignment of one’s life with the principles of Maat. [anon from FaceBook]
See Also