Item Size:  20.5" x 38"      Type:  Wall Plaque  

Material:  Casting Stone, with Antique Stone Finish

Original:  From the Temple of Abydos, 19th Dynasty, 1317 B.C.E.

Current Location of Original:  Temple of Abydos, Abydos, Egypt

In this relief, Pharaoh Seti I, father of Ramses II, is seen offering to the gods the seated image of the goddess, Maat, held in his hand like a doll. In Egyptian mythology, Maat was the personification of all the elements of cosmic harmony, as established by the creator god at the beginning of time � including truth, justice, law, world order, and moral integrity. She is shown here as a lady wearing on her head an ostrich feather. This scene establishes the king as the representative of divine order, since Maat was seen legitimizing his authority to govern and to uphold the laws of the universe which she embodies.