Pharaonic love spell
Did the Egyptians believe in love? Does Egypt have magic? What is love in ancient Egypt? How did the Egyptians do magic? What are Egyptian marriages like? Can I marry an Egyptian man?
Did the Egyptians believe in love?
Although marriages in ancient Egypt were arranged for communal stability and personal advancement, there is evidence that romantic love was as important to the people as it is to those in today. Romantic love was a popular theme for poetry, especially in the New Kingdom (1570-1069 BCE) when works appear praising the virtues of one's lover or wife.
The Chester Beatty Papyrus I, dating from c. 1200 BCE, is among these. In this piece the speaker talks about his "sister" but this would not have been his actual blood relative. Women were commonly referred to as one's sister, older women as one's mother, men of the same age as brothers and older men as fathers. The speaker in the Chester Beatty Papyrus passage not only praises his beloved but presents the Egyptian ideal of feminine beauty at the time:
Does Egypt have magic?
In ancient Egypt, if a woman were having difficulty conceiving a child, she might spend an evening in a Bes Chamber (also known as an incubation chamber) located within a temple. Bes was the god of childbirth, sexuality, fertility, among other his other responsibilities, and it was thought an evening in the god's presence would encourage conception. Women would carry Bes amulets, wear Bes tattoos, in an effort to encourage fertility.
Once a child was born, Bes images and amulets were used in protection as he or she grew and, later, the child would become an adult who adopted these same rituals and beliefs in daily life. At death, the person was thought to move on to another plane of existence, the land of the gods, and the rituals surrounding burial were based on the same understanding one had known all of one's life: that supernatural powers were as real as any other aspect of existence and the universe was infused by magic.
An ancient Egyptian text more than 1,300 years old, which would originally have been used as a magic spell, has finally been deciphered – and it seems like love was the goal. Today of course, many of us might just use a dating app instead.
The spell or "magic recipe" includes an image showing two bird-like creatures facing each other, surrounded by fragments of sentences referring to Biblical characters and events. The text is written in Coptic, an Egyptian language that used the Greek alphabet.
What is love in ancient Egypt?
The Ancient Egyptians portrayed scenes of love and respect between men and their wives on the walls of temples. They also married young, with men often marrying by the age of 17 and women by the age of 14, according to Zahi Hawas in his book, “Family in the Period of Ancient Egyptians.”02/10/2017
What are Egyptian marriages like?
Ancient Egyptians cared deeply about family, but marriage was a personal choice decided by the couple who wanted to get married. Polygamy and even adultery were acceptable for men, and, ironically, women were treated respectfully. Marriage was a personal choice in Ancient Egypt and divorce was fairly common.
Can I marry an Egyptian man?
Interfaith marriages are permitted by Egyptian law except in the case of a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim man. The affidavit also mentions that you are free to marry and that the Embassy has no objection to the marriage.
