The king was the supreme authority in Egypt. The word pharaohstems from an Egyptian word meaning great house or palace. This term was not used in reference to the king until the twenty-second dynasty (about 1000 B.C.)

The king was considered the sole representative of the gods on earth. He alone was entitled to pray to them, or to appoint priests to take his place in the temples. His primary duty was to ensure a state of harmony (maat) between gods and men. His offerings and prayers were to appease the gods and goddesses and protect his people. He was the chief priest of Egypt, commander-in-chief of the army and navy, head of the administration, and was considered the gods representative on earth. The majority of the kings were male, but in the cases where there was no immediate male successor, Egyptians preserved dynastic succession through royal females.

Neith, one of the oldest and most powerful of all the Egyptian goddesses, was associated with the annual flood of the Nile. Known as the mother who bore the sun before anything else existed, she was also patron goddess of weaving and the domestic arts.

This bronze statue shows Neith in a style characteristic of Late Period sculpture, sitting upright with a back support. Both hands are pierced and probably held objects, a scepter in one hand and an ankh, emblem of life, in the other. Neith was often shown wearing the crown of Lower Egypt, identifying her as the protector of the monarchy.

The Story of Osiris
The story of the god Osiris recorded the most important cycle that of life, death and rebirth, and it served as a model for the cycle of kingship. It was believed that the god Osiris ruled the world before the beginning of history. His evil brother Seth murdered him and dismembered his body so that he would not have proper burial. Osiriss faithful wife and sister Isis collected the scattered parts of his body, and through magic she restored Osiris's body to the form of a mummy. Osiris became the ruler of the underworld, and his son Horus killed Seth. From then on the ruling kings of Egypt were considered the earthly manifestation of Horus, while after death they were identified with Osiris in the underworld.

More finely carved, handsome stone vessels have been found in ancient Egypt than in any other ancient culture. Although most stone vessels, like this vase, were found in tombs, some of them, especially those that held toiletries, may have been made for use in daily life. A typical royal tomb contained thousands of such vessels.

This cylindrical vase is made of Egyptian alabaster, which was abundant in Egypt. The extreme thinness of this vessel indicates a high degree of craftsmanship. We know that the vessel belonged to King Seti I, who ruled Egypt from 1299 -1274 BC, because his name is inscribed in the cartouche, an oval frame formed by rope surrounding the royal name.

All text this section from the original exhibition text panels, © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. All rights reserved.