Crafting Authentic and Dynamic Female Characters in Historical Fiction

Crafting Authentic and Dynamic Female Characters in Historical Fiction

Crafting Authentic and Dynamic Female Characters in Historical Fiction

Character development

In the world of historical fiction, the portrayal of characters is a captivating art form. Historical figures, just like people today. So based on the condition that this holds true for both men and women, authors need to build intricate layers of complexity, encompassing their thoughts, emotions, desires, and beliefs.

However, the first thing to remember when it comes to creating strong and compelling female characters in historical fiction is that writers, regardless of their gender, often find it difficult to depict characters of the opposite sex with authenticity and nuance. But, don’t let this put you off. Men can write with authenticity about women and women can write authentically about men. To truly bring historical female characters to life, it is essential to delve deep into their psyche and imbue them with the richness and depth they deserve. This blog post aims to explore effective techniques for developing multidimensional and well-rounded female characters within the historical fiction genre.

One crucial aspect of character development is ensuring that your characters possess the same level of complexity as people in contemporary society. They should think, feel, and possess a compelling backstory, desires, and beliefs. By doing so, readers can relate to them on a profound and genuine level, transcending the barriers of time and culture.

The Big Five – Writing Strong Female Characters

Category:Big five personality traits - Wikimedia Commons

As you embark on the journey of crafting authentic female characters, consider examining where they stand on the Big Five Personality Traits – a model widely used in psychology to assess human personality. These traits include:

  1. Openness: How receptive is your character to new experiences, ideas, and perspectives? Are they curious and intellectually adventurous? Weaving these traits into their narrative can make them relatable and engaging.
  2. Conscientiousness: Does your character display traits of being organized, responsible, and self-disciplined? Are they meticulous in their actions and possess a strong sense of duty? Exploring the impact of conscientiousness on their decisions and interactions can add depth to their portrayal.
  3. Extraversion: Is your character outgoing, sociable, and energized by social interactions? Or do they lean towards introversion, finding solace in introspection and personal reflection? By understanding their position on this spectrum, you can create realistic dynamics within their relationships and social environments.
  4. Agreeableness: How compassionate, cooperative, and empathetic is your character? Are they inclined towards altruism and forming harmonious connections with others? Delving into their agreeableness can reveal their motivations, conflicts, and potential for growth.
  5. Neuroticism: Does your character experience emotional instability, anxiety, or mood swings? Alternatively, are they characterized by emotional stability and resilience? Exploring their emotional landscape can provide a profound insight into their reactions to adversity and their overall character development.

By thoughtfully considering these personality traits, you can infuse your historical female characters with authenticity, allowing them to resonate with readers on a deep and meaningful level. Remember, just as people today, historical figures deserve to be portrayed as complex individuals with their own hopes, fears, and aspirations.

On the whole, it must be said that writing historical fiction is an opportunity to breathe life into the past, bridging the gap between eras and cultures. By creating compelling and well-rounded female characters, you can offer readers a captivating journey through time while showcasing the strength, resilience, and complexity of women throughout history. So, embrace the challenge, dive into research, and let your characters shine as vibrant testaments to the enduring spirit of humanity.

Where would your characters fit in the Myres Briggs range of personality types?

Authenticity in Fiction & Realistic Portrayals

As an author venturing into the realm of historical fiction, my goal is to create believable characters that resonate with readers. To achieve this, I strive to develop multi-dimensional and well-rounded individuals who undergo significant growth and transformation throughout the course of the narrative. The challenges they face shape their reactions, choices, and dialogue, ultimately driving the story forward. See also: 10 Things That Turn Characters Bad.

True Essence

To effectively portray characters, it is essential to reveal their true essence to the reader. This requires a deep understanding of the characters themselves, as well as the dynamics at play within their relationships. While the characters may be unaware of certain aspects of their own personalities, the people around them often possess insights that shed light on these hidden traits. As the story unfolds, the characters embark on a journey of self-discovery, unearthing new aspects of themselves that influence their actions and words.

Self-Awareness

To truly show the reader who the characters are, it is crucial for the actors (the characters themselves) to possess self-awareness. They must grapple with their own strengths, weaknesses, desires, and fears, allowing these elements to shape their behaviour and decision-making. By delving into the depths of their psyches, I can present characters that feel authentic and relatable.

Character Arcs

In order to bring these multi-dimensional characters to life, I believe in the power of character arcs. Over the course of the story, the obstacles I place before them serve as catalysts for change. As they confront and overcome these challenges, they evolve and grow, ultimately transforming into individuals with newfound wisdom and resilience. These arcs allow readers to witness the characters’ development and connect with their journey on a profound level.

By staying true to their personalities and giving them room to grow organically, I can craft narratives that resonate with readers, offering a compelling and immersive experience.

Bring the Past to Life

In the realm of historical fiction, the characters become conduits through which the past comes alive. By revealing their complexities, vulnerabilities, and self-discovery, I hope to captivate readers and provide them with a window into the human condition. The journey of self-understanding, both for the characters and the readers, becomes an enthralling exploration of the intricate web of humanity.


Using a Johari Window – Nuanced Character Development

Writing Multidimensional Characters

When it comes to developing authentic and relatable characters in historical fiction, the Johari Window can serve as a valuable tool. This psychological concept illustrates the different aspects of self-awareness and knowledge that characters possess throughout their journey. By understanding this framework, we can effectively showcase character growth and create engaging narratives.

The Open Pane

In the open pane of the Johari Window, we find the aspects known to both the character and others. These elements are the foundation of the character’s personality and are typically evident in their actions, thoughts, and interactions. By establishing this shared knowledge, we provide readers with a clear understanding of the character’s motivations, strengths, and weaknesses.

The Closed Panes

However, there are also aspects known only to the character themselves. These hidden traits, desires, and fears shape the character’s internal world. Exploring these facets of their personality allows for deeper character development and creates opportunities for self-discovery as the story progresses.

Conversely, there are elements known by others but not yet realized by the character. These insights held by secondary characters or even the reader can add depth and complexity to the narrative. They can act as mirrors, reflecting aspects of the character’s personality that they may be blind to, thereby facilitating growth and self-awareness.

Lastly, there are aspects that remain unknown to both the character and others. These represent the mysteries and revelations that the character will encounter on their journey. As they strive to achieve their desires and confront obstacles, they will unravel these hidden aspects, creating a compelling arc of self-discovery and transformation.

Establishing a Profound Desire or Goal

Mystery Man on Film: Character Goals

To give the character a strong starting point, it is essential to establish a profound desire or goal. This driving force will shape their actions and decisions throughout the story. Whether it’s Jane seeking love or Belle yearning for freedom, the character’s pursuit of their heart’s desires becomes a central focus. However, the path they choose and the choices they make are heavily influenced by the groundwork set in their characterization.

Moral Complexity & Personal Growth

Morally Grey Characters in Books // Why do they make such interesting characters+ book recommendations with such characters – BOOKATHON

It is true that contemporary women’s fiction, including historical and modern literary fiction, often features morally complex characters. These complex characters provide an avenue for extraordinary and unexpected actions, adding depth and intrigue to the narrative. However, it is important to remember that moral complexity should be balanced with authenticity and genuine character development. Your character’s choices should stem from their unique motivations and experiences, rather than being contrived for shock value alone.

That doesn’t mean you can’t develop a morally ‘grey’ character. Morally grey or morally ambiguous characters are those who are not like traditional heroes. They do or have done some morally questionable things whose consequences can make for fascinating reading.

By utilizing the Johari Window and understanding the character’s known and unknown aspects, we can delve into their psyche, emotions, and desires. This framework enables us to create characters who undergo transformative journeys, evolving in response to their challenges and self-discovery. Through thoughtful and nuanced storytelling, we can breathe life into historical figures, allowing readers to connect with their struggles, triumphs, and personal growth.


Memorable Female Characters

What sets apart beloved female characters in literature is their ability to overcome the hurdles society and their families place in their paths. By establishing clear goals and presenting formidable opposition, authors can create compelling narratives that resonate with readers. It is important to note that an attractive female character does not necessarily require a “bad-ass” attitude towards the law, but rather a tenacious spirit and the strength to face adversity head-on.

Strong Female Characters

Elizabeth Bennett

Take Elizabeth Bennett from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as an example. Her goal is to secure a marriage with the richest and most handsome man in town. However, her journey is packed with societal expectations, familial pressures, and her own personal biases. To achieve her goal, Elizabeth must challenge her own preconceived notions and navigate the complexities of relationships, ultimately finding love and happiness on her own terms.

Emma Harte

In Barbara Taylor Bradford’s A Woman of Substance, Emma Harte is driven by the ambition to build a business empire and achieve financial independence. Throughout her romantic ups and downs, she encounters numerous obstacles, including gender bias, societal norms, and personal sacrifices. Emma’s determination and resilience allow her to triumph over adversity, establishing a legacy that transcends societal expectations.

Jo March

Similarly, Louisa May Alcott’s Jo March in Little Women aspires to become a teacher and fulfil her writing ambitions. Jo faces challenges such as societal expectations for women, financial constraints, and personal growth. Through her perseverance and determination, Jo not only becomes a successful writer but also finds fulfilment in her personal life.

What makes these characters so well-loved?

What makes these characters so well-loved is their ability to confront and conquer the obstacles placed before them. Their goals are not easily achieved, requiring them to challenge societal norms, familial expectations, and their own limitations. These characters exhibit resilience, adaptability, and the courage to pursue their dreams despite the barriers they encounter.

In creating attractive female characters, it is important to develop well-defined goals that resonate with readers. These goals should be significant, reflecting the character’s desires, passions, or ambitions. By providing strong opposition, whether from society, family, or internal conflicts, authors can generate tension and engage readers in the character’s journey.

Rebel Without a Cause?

However, it is crucial to note that an attractive female character does not necessarily require a rebellious or “bad-ass” attitude towards the law. What truly captivates readers is a character’s depth, authenticity, and relatability. Their strength lies not only in their defiance of societal norms but also in their vulnerability, growth, and the complexity of their emotions.

So, as writers, let us craft female characters with compelling goals and formidable opposition. Let us explore the depths of their resilience, determination, and inner strength as they navigate a world that seeks to confine them. By depicting their journeys with authenticity and nuance, we can create memorable characters that inspire and resonate with readers for generations to come.


Angels are for heaven, not this earthly realm.

Embracing the Flaws: Crafting Complex and Human Characters

In the realm of storytelling, it is the imperfections and flaws that truly make characters come alive. Whether they are angelic or mortal, male or female, the strengths and weaknesses inherent in being human are what shape their narratives and make them intriguingly flawed. It is through these imperfections that characters find their relatability, growth, and ultimately, their memorable qualities.

While angels may symbolize purity and perfection in the heavenly realm, it is the flaws and complexities of human characters that captivate readers on this earthly plane. By embracing and exploring these imperfections, we breathe authenticity and depth into our characters, making them relatable and compelling.

Balancing Flaws and Strengths

Every human, regardless of gender, possesses a unique blend of strengths and weaknesses. These attributes define their character and shape their actions and decisions. However, it is important to remember that relying too heavily on strengths can lead to downfall, just as weaknesses can be a source of growth and resilience.

Crafting interestingly flawed characters involves balancing their strengths and weaknesses, allowing both to shape their journey. Characters who solely rely on their strengths may encounter situations that expose their vulnerabilities, forcing them to confront their limitations and reevaluate their choices. Conversely, characters who begin with apparent weaknesses can find unexpected reserves of strength and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Opportunities for Growth

Flawed characters offer opportunities for growth, transformation, and compelling storylines. Their imperfections create internal and external conflicts, driving the narrative forward and providing readers with a genuine and relatable experience. As writers, we can explore the intricate interplay between strengths and weaknesses, showcasing the complexities of the human condition.

By giving our characters space to evolve and learn from their mistakes, we create narratives that reflect the real-world journey of self-discovery. Characters who acknowledge and address their flaws can experience profound growth, connecting with readers who see aspects of themselves within these struggles and triumphs.

So, as we embark on the task of crafting engaging characters, let us embrace their imperfections. Let us delve into their strengths and weaknesses, exploring the intricate dance between these qualities. By presenting characters who are flawed, yet compelling, we offer readers a mirror to their own human experiences, encouraging empathy, introspection, and an enduring connection to the story being told.

Fears and Weaknesses

Overcoming weaknesses could be the making of a remarkable historical character, so don’t think to create a sassy heroine she has to be macho or fearless.

The most common fears for women are pretty much the same as they have always been. Which of these fears are you going to challenge your female historical characters with?

  • not getting married or finding a life partner,
  • not having kids or losing a child,
  • getting old, maimed, or scarred,
  • being killed or raped,
  • being trapped in a loveless relationship,
  • being abandoned
  • ending up in poverty or dying alone.

Unveiling the Stakes: Empowering Historical Heroines

In the realm of historical fiction, the fate that awaits our heroines adds an element of intrigue and urgency to their narratives. As skilled writers, we have the power to create mesmerizing characters who utilize their strengths, weaknesses, and ingenuity to save themselves from their impending and often dire destinies.

It’s a High Stakes Game

One crucial aspect of storytelling is ensuring that the reader is aware of the high stakes faced by our historical heroines. By clearly communicating the potential consequences of failure, we heighten the tension and engage the reader on a profound emotional level. Whether it is the threat of societal ruin, loss of loved ones, or personal tragedy, the weight of their fate hangs in the balance.

Mesmerizing historical characters understand the gravity of their situations and use every tool at their disposal to overcome the challenges they encounter. They tap into their strengths, leveraging their unique abilities, talents, and resilience to navigate treacherous paths. Simultaneously, they acknowledge their weaknesses, recognizing areas where they must grow or seek assistance.

Ingenuity becomes a valuable ally in their journey.

Ingenuity becomes a valuable ally in their journey. These characters think creatively, seeking unconventional solutions to seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Their resourcefulness, adaptability, and strategic thinking enable them to outmanoeuvre their adversaries and alter their destinies.

By portraying heroines who actively shape their own narratives, we empower readers with a sense of agency and inspire them to face their own challenges with determination and courage. Witnessing the transformation of historical heroines as they defy their horrible fates instils hope and fuels a deep connection between the reader and the character.

Getting the Balance Right

However, it is essential to strike a delicate balance in portraying their struggles. While the stakes may be high, it is equally important to depict moments of vulnerability and emotional resonance. Readers are captivated by the multifaceted nature of characters who showcase a range of emotions, as it mirrors their own humanity. These authentic portrayals add depth and relatability, fostering a stronger connection between the reader and the heroine.

In the realm of historical fiction, we have the power to breathe life into captivating heroines who defy their predetermined fates. By clearly establishing the stakes, showcasing their strengths and weaknesses, and highlighting their ingenuity, we create narratives that grip readers and transport them to the past. These heroines inspire, empower, and ignite the imagination, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of those who embark on their extraordinary journeys.


Not the Prettiest Girl in Town

Characters we come to love are not the prettiest girls in town or the girls who never lose their temper.

Embracing Imperfections:

Complex and Resilient Historical Heroines

A point often overlooked is that the most beloved characters in literature are not always the prettiest or the ones who never lose their temper. Instead, it is their complexity, unique traits, and relatable flaws that captivate readers and make them truly unforgettable.

Take J.K. Rowling’s Hermione Granger, for example. She is a know-it-all, fiercely intelligent, and unafraid to showcase her vast knowledge. Rowling said the character of Hermione has several autobiographical influences: “I did not set out to make Hermione like me but she is a bit like me. She is an exaggeration of how I was when I was younger.” She recalled being called a “little know-it-all” in her youth. And she says that not unlike herself, “there is a lot of insecurity and a great fear of failure” beneath Hermione’s swottiness. Finally, according to Rowling, next to Albus Dumbledore, Hermione is the perfect expository character; because of her encyclopedic knowledge, she can always be used as a plot dump to explain the Harry Potter universe. Rowling also states that her feminist conscience is rescued by Hermione, “who’s the brightest witch of her age” and a “very strong female character.”

Dorothy L. Sayers’ Harriet Vane, a gawky and unorthodox bluestocking, faces false accusations of murder, demonstrating her resilience and determination. Vane, a mystery writer, initially meets Lord Peter Wimsey while she is on trial for poisoning her lover (Strong Poison).

Louisa May Alcott’s Jo March possesses a fearful temper. Second oldest of the four sisters, Jo is boy-like, the smartest, most creative one in the family; her father has referred to her as his “son Jo,” and her best friend and neighbour, Theodore “Laurie” Laurence, sometimes calls her “my dear fellow.”

On balance, historical women, much like their fictional counterparts, were multifaceted individuals with their own pride, intellect, ambitions, and flaws. They experienced pain, harboured hatred towards certain individuals, and were susceptible to the wounds inflicted upon them by society.

Incorporating these authentic emotions and qualities into your historical female characters brings them to life. They become relatable, tangible figures who bleed when pricked, figuratively speaking. These heroines, despite their imperfections, possess strength, resilience, and an indomitable spirit that allow them to navigate the challenges of their time.

Getting the Right Male Protagonist

If your historical female character finds herself as the sidekick to an all-conquering male protagonist, it is entirely valid for her to feel peeved and occasionally disrupt the narrative. These moments of rebellion and disruption can add depth to her character, highlighting her desires for autonomy and recognition.

By embracing the complexities of historical heroines, we pay homage to the diverse experiences and struggles faced by women throughout history. We acknowledge their desires, dreams, and ambitions, while also recognizing the obstacles and limitations imposed upon them.

So, as writers, let us celebrate the imperfections and complexities of our historical heroines. Let us create multidimensional characters who embody pride, intellect, and ambition, while also allowing them to experience a range of emotions and confront the injustices of their time. By doing so, we empower these characters and offer readers a rich tapestry of resilience, determination, and the indomitable spirit of women throughout history.


Unleashing the Unexpected: Surprising Character Journeys

As writers, one of the joys of storytelling is allowing our characters to surprise us and, in turn, surprise themselves. By turning the tables, flipping expectations, and making the seemingly impossible possible, we create narratives that captivate and engage readers.

In the creative process, it is essential to give our characters the space to grow, evolve, and challenge their own limits. We can achieve this by presenting them with unexpected situations, encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones and explore uncharted territory.

By letting our characters find their courage, they can overcome obstacles they never thought possible. This growth may emerge from fortuitous mistakes or taking advice that seems questionable at first. These moments of experimentation and risk-taking can lead to new perspectives, personal growth, and surprising triumphs.

However, on the negative side, growth often comes hand in hand with painful lessons. Our characters may be confronted by their own hypocrisy or face the consequences of their own actions. These moments of reckoning provide opportunities for introspection, self-reflection, and character development.

As the narrative unfolds, characters may stumble upon secrets that grant them power over others. This newfound knowledge can test their morality, leading them into temptation and challenging their integrity. How they handle these temptations reveals aspects of their character and provides rich opportunities for exploration.

By allowing our characters to surprise themselves, we create a sense of authenticity and depth. Just like real people, they are complex beings who navigate their own journeys of self-discovery. Through their choices and actions, they reveal their true nature and uncover hidden strengths and vulnerabilities.

As writers, we are guides and witnesses to these character transformations. We set the stage, present the challenges, and watch as our characters navigate their paths. By relinquishing control to some extent and allowing the characters to surprise us, we create narratives that are dynamic, unpredictable, and resonate deeply with readers.

So, let us embrace the unexpected in our storytelling. Lead our characters into uncharted territory, challenge their beliefs, and watch as they evolve and surprise themselves. By doing so, we create narratives that are vibrant, authentic, and reflect the rich tapestry of the human experience.


About the Author

Julia Herdman’s historical fiction novel, Sinclair is a captivating story set in the late 18th century, with strong female leads and themes of love, loss, redemption, and personal growth. The backdrop of 18th-century London, with its stark contrasts between the rich and the poor, adds depth and richness to the narrative. The book immerses readers in a world where compassion and kindness coexist with ambition, conflict, and temptation.

Through the experiences of the prodigal son, James Sinclair, who undergoes a transformative journey after a shipwreck, the novel explores themes of remorse, restitution, and recovery. The twists and tragedies encountered by the characters further enhance the depth of the story.

Sinclair offers readers a glimpse into the society and challenges of the 18th century while leaving them with a sense of fulfilment and positivity. It is a testament to the human spirit and the possibilities for growth and redemption that exist within us all.

Sinclair by Julia Herdman is available on Amazon.

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For more tips on writing see:

Six Rules for Writing Historical Fiction

The Present Past – Writing History

10 Things That Turn a Character Bad

About

How to Write Historical Fiction

Crafting Authentic and Dynamic Female Characters in Historical Fiction

How to Write Historical Fiction

How to Write Historical Fiction

by Julia Herdman

Sinclair_Cover Julia Herdman

Sinclair by Julia Herdman

is rated 5 Star on Amazon and Goodreads

Sinclair is set in the London Borough of Southward, the Yorkshire town of Beverley and in Paris and Edinburgh in the late 1780s. Strong female leads include the widow Charlotte Leadam and the farmer’s daughter Lucy Leadam. Sinclair is a story of love, loss and redemption. Prodigal son James Sinclair is transformed by his experience of being shipwrecked on the way to India to make his fortune. Obstacles to love and happiness include ambition, conflict with a God, temptation and betrayal. Remorse brings restitution and recovery. Sinclair is an extraordinary book. It will immerse you in the world of 18th century London where the rich and the poor are treated with kindness and compassion by this passionate Scottish doctor and his widowed landlady, the owner of the apothecary shop in Tooley Street.  Sinclair is filled with twists and tragedies, but it will leave you feeling good.

Find a Good Starting Point:

When I wrote my book, Sinclair, I had no idea where or when to start my story. I had had the idea for a book for a long time, but it was very unformed. I wanted to write a book that was a good book to read, but I was struggling for somewhere to start.

I had discovered I had married into a family whose ancestors were apothecary surgeons working at Guy’s Hospital and living in Tooley Street close to London Bridge in the late 18th century.

The family were quite a well-documented, as the historical record goes. I had already done a lot of research, but I did not have a story and I could not see how I was ever going to write a book.

Determined not to give up on my quest to be a writer of novels  I searched the internet for ideas and found one that I thought would work for me. I looked for a dramatic historical incident, adapted it and put my characters into it. Suddenly, my writer’s block had disappeared, and my characters were telling their own story.

The sinking of the Halsewell, by Turner

 

Keep the End in Mind:

When I was writing my book Sinclair, I always knew how the story would end.

I did not know how my characters would get there, but I knew where I wanted to get them.

Keeping the end in mind is a tried an tested technique in many endeavours, and it works well when you’re writing historical fiction or any book for that matter.

 

Hit the Books: 

Getting the history right is important when writing historical fiction, but don’t get hung up on having to get everything right in the first draft. If you don’t know what they called something in the 1870s, just give the thing its common name and get on with the flow of your story.

Details can be corrected later. What cannot be repaired are fundamental errors such basing your book on an iron or steel ship in the 1780s when everything was made of wood.

Details matter, to the avid historical fiction reader.  I remember reading a book set in the 1950s and the author described the stuffing coming out of an old settee as foam. It grated on me all the way through the book.

When I wrote my book I had to research the history of medicine and the key players in its development, particularly the London teaching hospitals.

To my horror, I found that medicine of the 1780s was very primitive. There were no anaesthetics, no antibiotics and doctors didn’t even have stethoscopes.

 

Visit Locations:

Getting a feel for scale is hard when you’re writing about the past.

Visiting the sites or similar locations to those you are writing about in your book will help you get a sense of how long it took people to do things in the past.

Putting the house or the street you are writing about into its context will help you paint a more vivid picture. I looked at old maps, old painting and illustrations and used contemporary descriptions of places I used in my story when I could find.

I also visited the central locations in Sinclair – London, Edinburgh and Beverley in Yorkshire.

Guy’s Hospital, London

Remember: It’s the story that counts

When I write about the past, I know I am taking my reader into a foreign country.

Beyond the memory of your own generation, the past is a mystery, it is an uncharted territory that is both dangerous and exciting.

I aim to create a world my reader can believe because I want to write a book that is a good read. I want to show my reader a world that they might have experienced if they had lived in that time and place.

As a writer, I place myself inside my characters, I see the world I have created through their eyes because I am telling their story.

So, remember to think about the journey your characters will take, what will they be like when your tale is told. What will they have learned about life, themselves and their friends? No matter how accurate your history is if your characters are not believable and do not grow, you have not written a story, people will want to read.

 

 

Here are some websites to try if you’re thinking about writing historical fiction:

https://jerichowriters.com/historical-fiction

How to Write Historical Fiction: 7 Tips on Accuracy and Authenticity

The Present Past – Writing History

 

 

 

The Tragic Life of Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla

The Tragic Life of Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla

The Tragic Life of Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla: A Roman Saga of Power and Betrayal

Discover the captivating and lesser-known tale of Empress Lucilla, who lived as “Sister to a Tyrant” during the tumultuous era of ancient Rome. In this illuminating documentary, “Roman History Unveiled,” I delve deep into the life of Lucilla, the daughter of Marcus Aurelius and sister of the infamous Commodus.

Uncover the secrets of the Roman Empire as we explore the untold story of this remarkable woman who witnessed power struggles, political intrigue, and the rise of one of Rome’s most notorious emperors. Lucilla’s life was marked by tragedy, ambition, and her unwavering commitment to her family.

Youtube Tragic LucillaClick Here to Watch the Video

Introduction:

In the heart of the Roman Empire, amidst the opulence and grandeur of the ancient world, lived a woman whose life was marked by privilege, treachery, and the intricate threads of family bonds.

Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla, the daughter of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and Empress Faustina the Younger, was not merely a noblewoman.

She was also the elder sister of Emperor Commodus, a character immortalized in the blockbuster film “Gladiator” and depicted in various cinematic adaptations.

 

Today, we delve into the tragic tale of Lucilla’s life, exploring her transitions from royal lineage to a fateful marriage and, finally, to the heart-wrenching plots that unfolded in the shadows of Rome.

 

A Roman Princess and Her Cinematic Avatar:

Gladiator Movie

Lucilla Empress

To comprehend Lucilla’s life fully, one must begin with her royal lineage. Her father, the mighty Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and her mother, the illustrious Empress Faustina the Younger, provided her with a heritage of unparalleled grandeur. Beyond her noble birthright, Lucilla’s life was etched into the annals of cinematic history. In 2000, Ridley Scott’s epic film “Gladiator” introduced a character loosely inspired by Lucilla. Danish actress Connie Nielsen breathed life into this captivating character, whose fate became entwined with the Hispano-Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, portrayed by Russell Crowe. However, it’s essential to remember that the on-screen portrayal was a work of fiction, cleverly woven into the rich tapestry of ancient Rome.

 

A Royal Marriage and Political Significance:

Marcus Aurelius and Verus

Marcus Aurelius and Verus

Turning the pages of history, we find that Lucilla embarked on a journey of matrimony at a remarkably tender age. In 164 CE, when she was 14, Lucilla married Lucius Verus, her father’s co-ruler. This union bore personal significance and marked a pivotal moment in the Roman Empire’s history.

Two Emperors, One Empire:

Lucius Aurelius Verus, 18 years Lucilla’s senior, shared the throne with her father, Marcus Aurelius. This joint rule heralded an era of unprecedented importance, marking the first time multiple emperors governed the Roman Empire. Together, they shaped the destiny of an empire that spanned continents.

 

The Beauty of Tradition:

The Romans: Marriage And Weddings | ITALY Magazine

Imagine Lucilla’s wedding day, where ancient Roman customs and traditions took centre stage. The groom, Lucius Verus, would have led a magnificent procession to the bride’s family home, where she awaited his arrival, adorned in her finest attire. Dressed in a Toga virilis, symbolizing his transition into adulthood and the associated rights and responsibilities, he embarked on this auspicious journey. On the other hand, Lucilla donned a tunica recta, a beautifully woven white tunic cinched with the intricate “Knot of Hercules,” her head graced by a crimson veil.

Symbolism in Every Detail:

Lucilla’s attire was not the only element steeped in symbolism. Her carefully arranged hair lay concealed beneath a flammeum, a crimson wedding veil rich in cultural and symbolic significance. Completing her ensemble, she wore red shoes, not merely for fashion but to symbolize vitality and good fortune. As the marriage contract was solemnized, a lavish feast unfolded, culminating in a joyous procession to the couple’s new abode, where Lucius Verus carried his bride over the threshold.

The Marriage Knot and Its Origins:

The marriage knot, or Knot of Hercules, originated in ancient Egypt but became best known as a symbol of weddings. It was incorporated into the protective girdles worn by brides and ceremonially untied by the groom on the wedding night. This custom likely gave rise to the phrase “tying the knot.” In Roman lore, the knot symbolized the legendary fertility of the God Hercules and the power of the Girdle of Diana, captured from the Amazon Queen Hippolyta. Both Diana and Hercules symbolized the moon, an ancient emblem of fertility.

The Perils of Early Marriage:

Early marriage was the norm in the Roman world despite its high mortality rate among the aristocracy. Even today, teenage pregnancies carry higher risks than pregnancies in more mature women. Lucilla defied the odds and gave birth to three children: Aurelia Lucilla, born in 165 in Antioch, Lucilla Plautia, and Lucius Verus. Tragically, Aurelia and another son died in their youth.

The Rise to Empress:

Lucilla’s life underwent a profound transformation with this marriage. She ascended to the prestigious rank of Augusta, donning the mantle of a Roman Empress and thus reaching the zenith of her societal standing.

Widowhood and a Second Marriage:

After Lucius Verus’s death in 169, her father arranged a second marriage for her, this time to Tiberius Claudius, a Syrian Roman general known for his valour during Rome’s conflicts against the Parthians and the Marcomanni. Quintianus, despite being twice Lucilla’s age and of a lower social rank, was a political ally to her father and a hero among his troops. They wed in 170 CE and welcomed a son named Pompeianus about a year later.

A Tragic Twist of Fate:

Lucilla’s life took a dark turn despite her newfound marriage. With the passing of her mother Faustina, her father bestowed upon her the honour of Empress. However, this honour was short-lived. After her brother Commodus married, Lucilla and her daughter and Commodus’ wife Crispina were imprisoned on the island of Capri. Tragically, they met their end at the hands of Commodus in 182 AD.

Lucilla’s Enduring Legacy:

In addition to her historical account, Lucilla’s life has left an indelible mark on popular culture. From Sophia Loren’s portrayal in the 1964 film “The Fall of the Roman Empire” to Tai Berdinner-Blades’ interpretation in the 2016 docuseries “Roman Empire: Reign of Blood,” her character has fascinated audiences across the ages. While these adaptations may take creative liberties, they ignite curiosity about the lives of remarkable women from the past, ensuring Lucilla’s legacy endures.

Fall of the Roman Empire 1964 Trailer - YouTube

Conclusion:

The life of Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla was one of grandeur, betrayal, and tragic twists of fate. From her noble birth to her cinematic avatars and tumultuous marriages, her story is a testament to the captivating narratives that history and fiction can weave together. As we journey through the transitions of her life, we gain insight into the complexities of ancient Rome and the enduring allure of remarkable women like Lucilla who left their mark on history and the silver screen.

Sources:

Epitome of Book LXXIII, Roman History by Cassius Dio,  Vol. IX of the Loeb Classical Library edition, 1927

Wikipedia and Wikiwand

Julia Herdman writes historical fiction.

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Sinclair_Cover Julia HerdmanSinclair is set in the London Borough of Southward, Beverley’s Yorkshire town, and Paris and Edinburgh in the late 1780s. Strong female leads include the widow Charlotte Leadam and the farmer’s daughter Lucy Leadam. Sinclair is a story of love, loss and redemption. Prodigal son James Sinclair is transformed by his experience of being shipwrecked on the way to India to make his fortune. Obstacles to love and happiness include ambition, conflict with a God, temptation and betrayal. Remorse brings restitution and recovery. Sinclair is an extraordinary book. It will immerse you in the world of 18th-century London, where the rich and the poor are treated with kindness and compassion by this passionate Scottish doctor and his widowed landlady, the owner of the apothecary shop in Tooley Street.  Sinclair is filled with twists and tragedies but will leave you feeling good.

 

Messalina – The Most Promiscuous Women in Rome?

 

Questions in Egyptology No. 1 – What does the cartouche symbolise?

Questions in Egyptology No. 1 – What does the cartouche symbolise?

What does the cartouche symbolise?

Unravelling the Mysteries of Ancient Egyptian Cartouches, Shen Rings, Magic Knots, and Magic Circles

Among the captivating mysteries of Ancient Egypt are the intriguing artefacts known as cartouches. Journey with us as we explore their significance and uncover the secrets they hold.

Firstly, let’s delve into the mysterious realm of cartouches. These oval-shaped enclosures surrounded the names of pharaohs and divine beings. Crafted with precision, cartouches shielded these esteemed names, symbolising protection and eternity. Transitioning from hieroglyphics to enigmatic cartouches, Egypt showcased its evolving power. The cartouche, a prominent symbol in Egyptology, holds significant importance in deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Represented as twin oval loops of rope encircling the pharaoh’s name, it is considered a form of protective symbolism. The art of crafting these enigmatic artefacts was not limited to skilled artisans. Priests and magicians dedicated their lives to understanding the secrets behind their creations. The methods remained veiled in secrecy, passed down through generations, preserving their mystical aura.

David Ian Lightbody’s research highlights its connection to the concept of Horus’s encircling protection. Lightbody’s treatise entitled ‘On the Origins of the Cartouche and Encircling Symbolism in the Old Kingdom
Pyramids’ describes a special type of encircling symbolism that was also incorporated into the
architecture of the pharaonic monuments at that time. He claims it manifested a ritualised form of protection
placed around the buildings and tomb chambers and became influential during the third dynasty. He bases his thesis on evidence from Old Kingdom texts and artworks which attest to ‘circumambulation’ rituals carried out by the pharaoh and the priests.

Lightbody claims that the origin of the cartouch is the shen ring which appears in the historical record in the third dynasty. The cartouche, he says is a development of the shen ring designed as a new architectural motif, for the pyramid, to elevate the status of the pharaoh and the members of his own powerful court.

This article explores other possible meanings and purposes of the cartouche, delving into its role in safeguarding the king’s name and preserving his legacy in the eternal afterlife. We also look into its possible connections with magic circles and magical knots.

The Cartouche

The conventional view of the cartouche in Egyptology was first identified in royal architecture by Flinders Petrie in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although his chronologies and his views on race have not stood the test of time, Petrie was right in almost every respect when it came to the architectural survey and analysis of Egyptian monuments says David Ian Lightbody, in his article, The Encircling Protection of Horus, Current Research in Egyptology, 2011.

In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an oval with a line at one end tangent to it, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The first examples of the cartouche are associated with pharaohs at the end of the Third Dynasty, but the feature did not come into common use until the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu.

While the cartouche is usually vertical with a horizontal line, if it makes the name fit better it can be horizontal, with a vertical line at the end (in the direction of reading). The ancient Egyptian word for cartouche was shenu, and the cartouche was essentially an expanded shen ring. Demotic script reduced the cartouche to a pair of brackets and a vertical line.

Egyptian Cartouches - Swan Bazaar Blogs

In Egyptology, the cartouche is considered to be a form of protective symbolism that was represented graphically, and as a partially abstracted concept, by the shen ring, or shenu.

It was depicted as twin oval loops of rope, tied at the bottom.

These protective symbols encircle the hieroglyphs of the pharaoh’s name.

Egyptian Occult History: Lecture: The Shen or the circle of protection

Ba bird in the form of a vulture hovering over the dead king holding a shen ring.

The Shen Ring

In ancient Egypt a shen ring was a circle with a line tangent to it, represented in hieroglyphs as a stylised loop of a rope. The word shen itself meant encircle, while the shen ring represented eternal protection.

The shenu is also known in its elongated form as the cartouche and was depicted as twin oval loops of rope, tied at the bottom. They encircle the pharaoh’s praenomen, throne name, or nomen, birth name, in hieroglyphs. Other motifs and deities were closely associated with this ring and the cartouche, such as the royal falcon Horus, the royal uraeus snake, and the vulture goddess Nekhbet. Together, they represented the ideas of royal protection and dominion over the encircled world.

According to Lightbody, scenes incorporating these icons were often depicted on the architectural elements of tombs and temples, particularly at entrances and on thresholds, such as under architraves, down door jambs, or along the tops of enclosure walls. In this way, they protected the royal building entrances and perimeters.”

Ancient Egypt

Cartouche inscriptions on temple columns.

Lightbody concludes that “Petrie was right to conclude that circular symbolism was used in the royal architecture of the Old Kingdom. The circular symbolism represented eternal royal protection encircling the pharaoh and his territorial dominion and was represented by the Shen, and/or cartouche symbols, often carried by Horus above. The cartouche and shen were not just decorative motifs. They were absolutely central to the ideology of kingship, and represented the importance of sacred protection for the pharaoh, his territorial domination, and his unique status as Horus, the living son of Ra.”

The Critical Question

The critical question for us is whether the cartouch symbol, as a functional magical system of royal protection, was offering protection like an amulet or spell to everything surrounding it, or was it designed specifically to protect the king’s name and therefore preserve him for eternity?

If we look at the definition of an amulet given by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York we get a clearer picture of what an amulet is. The Met define an amulet as an object believed to have certain positive properties that can be magically bestowed upon its owner. In ancient Egypt, this magical power was often derived from a combination of several aspects, such as the amulet’s shape, decoration, inscription, colour, material, and words spoken over the piece or acts performed with it.

Amulets were usually worn or placed on the body to transfer their powers directly to the owner. Often amulets were pierced or featured a loop, which allowed their use as pendants on a necklace, for example. Among many other possibilities, they could be incorporated into rings or enfolded in a piece of fabric that was then attached to a string. This means that amulets could be worn without having any means of suspension themselves. When used for the dead, they were placed on the mummy or in between the mummy’s bandages.

So, could a cartouche be an amulet? Well, according to Lightbody the answer must be yes. Although the cartouche is not worn by the pharaoh himself, it is so to speak, worn by his monuments. Its primary purpose is to manifest a ritualised form of protection around the buildings and tomb chambers.

Nekhbet, Shen Rings and the Concepts of Return and Renewal

In artistic depictions, Nekhbet was often portrayed hovering above the royal image, with her majestic wings outstretched, while tightly clutching a shen symbol in her claws. The Shen symbol represented eternal encircling protection, emphasizing Nekhbet’s role as a guardian deity.

Depicted as a vulture or sometimes anthropomorphically, she wears a vulture headdress, symbolizing her role as the Goddess of Upper Egypt, while her counterpart, Wadjet, reigns as the Goddess of Lower Egypt. Together, they represent the unified sovereignty of Egypt, often appearing side by side in heraldic fashion.

Symbolically, the hieroglyphic sign of the vulture represents the word “mut,” signifying “mother.” This symbolism extends to the Goddess Mut, but Nekhbet is more closely linked to the vulture, accentuating her maternal qualities. She is often depicted as the nurturing nurse of Horus, highlighting her protective and caring nature.

At Nekhbet’s cult centre, Nekheb (also known as el-Kab or Eileithyiaspolis to the Greeks), seven “arrows” of Nekhbet are referenced. These “arrows” are potent forces, sometimes malevolent, but under the goddess’s control, they can act according to her will. The ability to command these forces demonstrates Nekhbet’s formidable power in protecting the pharaoh and combating disease and misfortune.

As a goddess connected with the king and the king’s mother, she is a goddess of earthly and cosmic order. We believe her shen rings represent a world free from disintegration. They represent the cosmos held together by the actions of the gods and the king. The cosmos is shown as held together by a magical whip binding.

The shen ring is secured by a knot tied at the end of a rope to keep the end from unravelling. The benefit of the whipping knot is that it is quite easy to tie and no tools are required. Usually, one end of the whipping cord is looped along the rope to be whipped, and the remaining cord is wound tightly over the loop. Finally, the loose end of the wound whipping is passed through the loop so that both ends may be drawn securely inside the winding. The same technique is seen in the Cartouche.

Thus, the shen ring is a symbol of unity, completeness, stability and enduring. It is the symbol of cosmic ma’at. It represented an unchanging and eternal cosmos. It rendered  ” order ” to created things, physical and spiritual, and returned the cosmos to its state at the beginning of time. “The ancient Egyptians believed that Shu created a space between the earth and the sky in which creatures could breathe the air that gives life. In his space, the sun could rise for the first time and drive away the primaeval darkness.  As part of establishing the divine order, Shu and Tefnut also become two different types of time. “Shu is Eternal Recurrence and Tefnut is Eternal Sameness.” This began a great cycle in which everything had to change to survive and yet everything remained fundamentally the same. Pinch – Handbooks of World Mythology, Handbook of Egyptian Mythology, Pinch, G ABC-Clio Inc, 2002.

An Example of a Cartouche Encircling the Body

New Kingdom Ramesside royal sarcophagi have cartouches encircling the body of the king and constitute a cosmogonic representation of the dead king as Osiris enveloped by the bounded universe.

The Cartouche as a Magic Circle

Traditionally, circles are believed by ritual magicians to form a protective barrier between themselves and what they summon. Circles may or may not be physically marked out on the ground, and a variety of elaborate patterns for circle markings can be found in grimoires and magical manuals, often involving angelic and divine names. Such markings, or a simple unadorned circle, may be drawn in chalk or salt, or indicated by other means such as with a cord it provides a protective boundary by enclosing positive and beneficent energies within its confines. In other words, it protects what is inside the circle not what is outside as in the examples mentioned by Lightbody.

The idea of forming a protective circle suggests there are things in the world that protected the something in the circle from evil things. In Medieval witchcraft, magic circles were used to protect the person or thing inside the circle from the power of the devil or evil spirits. But, there is no devil in ancient Egypt so what could the cartouche be protecting the king from?

Medieval European magic - Wikipedia

A magic circle from a 15th-century manuscript – Wiki Commons.

Why Create a Protective Circle?

Jan Assmann provides the answer in his discussion of the heart and connectivity in Death and Salvation in Egypt.

Assmann writes: “For the Egyptians, this principle of “connectivity,” the attachment of an individual to a whole, was what characterized life in general. Life was a connection, and death was disintegration and isolation. But to be able to consider this connection, we must determine the entities between which the life-giving connectivity is to be in effect. It was for just that reason that the Egyptians cast a dissecting gaze on the world, so as all the more keenly to grasp its connectedness, that is, the connective structures and principles.

They conceived of the body as a marionette only in order to catch sight of the life-giving and life-maintaining function of the circulatory system. The Egyptians thus did not really view the world with a dissecting gaze but with an integrating, one might almost say, an “embalming” gaze. The embalming ritual was specifically intended to remedy the condition of dismemberment and decomposition that set in with the stopping of the heart and the ceasing of the circulation of the blood and to benefit the marionette of the body by substituting new, symbolic connectivity by means of ritual and chemistry.

Because we ourselves do not have this embalming glance, what we see in Egyptian art and in other phenomena of Egyptian culture is primarily the additive, the isolating, and the paratactic. We are blind to the animating, the connective. Just as the Egyptian reader had to supply the vowels, for the writing system noted only the consonants, so also he had to supply the conjunctions, for the connection between clauses was mostly paratactic, and in both cases, he had no difficulty. In both cases, the reader breathed a connective life into the elements.” [2]

Museum Mummy – Wiki Commons. File:Mummy at British Museum.jpg

So, to conclude, the ancient Egyptians thought that chaos was all around them and that it could come crashing into the world at any time subsuming everything within it. Disintegration was thus an ever-present danger. As Assmann has pointed out embalming was a means of preventing the disintegration of the body in the eternal life of the tomb.

Similarly, we believe the cartouche, which was the representation of a loop made from two pieces of rope joined together with a whip binding was designed to prevent the disintegration of the royal name.

Why Protect a Name?

In the Ancient Near East and in Egypt in particular, the name contained the soul of the being that it inhabited. The meaning of the name was binding on the object or person, and the person or object forever had to live up to the fate defined by the name. In the Ancient Near East, the name is the soul and essence of the person who receives it, and the one who names binds the meaning of the name to the person as a fate or destiny. As long as the name of the being exists, the being will exist.

Each pharaoh had up to five names that symbolised their power and might. The full titulary was announced at the coronation when a pharaoh officially became king.

  1. Horus name — the oldest form of a pharaoh’s name, often enclosed in a serekh, a sort of “heraldic crest” representing a palace facade.
  2. Nebty name — the “Two Ladies”, the heraldic goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet, representing Upper and Lower Egypt respectively.
  3. Gold name — gold was strongly associated with eternity, but the meaning of this title is disputed.
  4. Throne name — (prenomen) the first of the two names written in a cartouche.
  5. Personal name — (nomen) the name given at birth, often the name by which a pharaoh is known today.

The whip binding of the cartouch encloses and protects the very essence of the king, his royal house, the land of Egypt, his cosmic existence, and the throne of his ancestors and descendants.

When the Frenchman Jean-François Champollion and the Englishman Thomas Young worked on the translation and interpretation of the Egyptian hieroglyphs in the early 19th century, they, first of all, looked at the cartouches. The two researchers had noticed that the cartouches always contained the same hieroglyphs and apparently represented the names of certain rulers. With this knowledge, the historical foundation for the correct reading and interpretation of the hieroglyphs was laid.

The Cartouche as a Badge of Ownership

A possible alternate explanation for the cartouche is that it was a badge of ownership. Placing one’s name on a thing or building is usually viewed as symbolising ownership. Such a symbol, mark, or token is used to signify that someone possesses or owns a particular item, object, or privilege. It serves as a clear indication of ownership. They provide a sense of pride and exclusivity to the holder, establishing a tangible connection between the owner and the item or privilege they possess.

In the Amarna Period cartouches, whether empty or enclosing a name could serve as protective amulets, seals, and ring seals. The same is true of Tutankhamun, where the cartouche was used in the design of objects or furniture; for example, a wooden box in the form of a cartouche along with many seals bearing his name.

The unbroken seal on King Tutankhamun's tomb, 1922 - Rare Historical Photos

Whip binding with mud seal cartouche.

 

The Cartouche as a Magic Knot

For the ancient Egyptians, tying and untying knots was of great importance. The ancient Egyptians were perfectly capable of representing a continuous line, but they chose not to because knots and knot tying are particularly part of magical enchantments. The Egyptian magician spends a large part of his time tying knots according to Bruce Trigger et. al.

A magic knot is a point of convergence of the forces which unite the divine and the human worlds he and his colleagues say in The American Discovery of Ancient Egypt, (Nancy Thomas, Gerry D. Scott, Bruce G. Trigger, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1995.)

We see the knot-tying image in the sema-tawy image, a motif that shows the gods Horus and Set pulling on opposing ropes with the throne of Egypt in the centre. The image is said to represent unity and shows the king’s name in a cartouche joined to the heart and lungs of a bull. The symbolism of the heart, lungs, and trachea illustrate the complementary relationship between the organs, the lungs must work together to preserve the heart. It is an image of the two lands united by the king.

Hapi using a knot to unite the Two Lands

Sema-tawy – Hapi pulls the knot to tie the two lands of Egypt, Upper and Lower Egypt, or the two banks of the river together.

The Book of Coming Forth by Day also gives several examples of the magical power of the knot. In one, knots are tied around the deceased to help her come into the presence of the Deities: “The four knots are tied about me by the guardian of the sky [. . .] the knot was tied about me by Nuet, when I first saw Ma’et, when the gods and the sacred images had not yet been born. I am heaven-born, I am in the presence of the Great Gods.”

In addition to these four knots, there were seven knots, or tesut, that were tied about the deceased to protect him or her. The power of the magical knot is in its ability to both unite and “surround” things. The tied knot is a symbol of the coming together of two things in perfect wholeness, a condition that promotes a positive outcome.

The king wished his name to be preserved through time, to be enduring through time, and to give thanks to the gods forever. As long as a person’s name was said – as long as life was breathed into it by the speaker, the name lived.

Summary

In the captivating realm of Ancient Egypt, cartouches hold intriguing secrets.

The Protective Symbolism of Cartouches

Cartouches, oval enclosures, shielded pharaohs’ names, symbolizing protection and eternity. Crafted precisely, they transitioned from hieroglyphics to enigmatic symbols, showcasing Egypt’s evolving power. Priests and magicians dedicated their lives to understanding these mystical artefacts.

The Connection to Horus’s Encircling Protection

David Ian Lightbody’s research links cartouches to Horus’s encircling protection, influencing Egyptian architecture. The shen ring, an expanded form of the cartouche, represented eternal protection and unity, connecting the pharaoh to cosmic existence.

The Role of Cartouches in Safeguarding the King’s Name

Cartouches played a crucial role in safeguarding the king’s name and preserving their legacy in the afterlife. The cartouche’s magical qualities protected the king from disintegration and chaos, ensuring the continuity of their soul.

Cartouches as Badges of Ownership

Another perspective sees cartouches as badges of ownership. Placing a name on an item or building symbolizes ownership and provides a tangible connection between the owner and the item. Cartouches served as seals of ownership, signifying the king’s dominion over Egypt and their powerful court.

Cartouches and Magic Knots

Ancient Egyptians believed in the significance of tying and untying knots in magical enchantments. The cartouche’s whip binding represented unity, stability, and endurance, protecting the king’s name and maintaining cosmic ma’at.

The Protective Circle of Cartouches

The cartouche could be seen as a magical circle, forming a protective barrier. It encircled and safeguarded the king’s name, preventing disintegration and preserving their existence in the afterlife.

Preserving the Soul through Names

For the ancient Egyptians, the name contained the essence of the person or object. The cartouche protected the king’s name, ensuring their soul’s continuity and preventing the person from being forgotten in eternity.

Concluding Thoughts

So, to conclude it is more likely the cartouche holds the king’s name together in the same way that bandages held his dead body together. The ancient Egyptian were obsessed with thwarting the process of decay. They understood that bodies if left unbound disintegrated into a pile of bones. If his name were damaged or completely destroyed, the soul would be lost and the deceased would be forgotten and fall for nothing. The cartouche was thus designed to hold the king’s name together so that it would remain intact, could be read and said, and so preserved his Ka spirit or his worldly persona. The cartouche protected the king’s name, not his tomb or the adjacent area

For the ancient Egyptians, the cartouches originally had a cultic and religious meaning, since the tying and untying of knots was also of great importance in ancient Egyptian magic.  As a modified form of the Schen ring, the cartouche had the same symbolic function: it was supposed to protect the name ( ren ) of the ruler and preserve it for all time. The background was the religious belief that every deceased whose name remains forever, also in the afterlife continue to exist forever. If his name were damaged or completely destroyed, the soul would be lost and the deceased would be forgotten and succumbed to nothingness. The cartouche was intended to prevent this by protectively surrounding the king’s name.

Later, when the sun cult of the god Re reached its peak, another symbolism was added: the loop of the cartouche, which appears to be endless, as compared to the equally endless course of the sun. Since the Egyptians worshipped the pharaoh as Sa-Ra (“son of Re”) and the sun touched all of Egypt, the power of the pharaoh was also considered omnipresent and all-encompassing. Where the sun shone, so was the pharaoh.

It provided the king with one of the many ways the ancient Egyptians believed a person could survive the forces of entropy, decay, and disintegration associated with mortality. The two ropes of the cartouch most probably represented the two ropes of time that were spooled out by the gods (See The Book of Gates).

When shown independently the cartouche took on an iconic significance and replaced the king’s, or more rarely, the queen’s, anthropomorphic image, enabling him or her to be venerated as a divine entity. Conversely, the enclosure of a god’s or goddess’s name in a cartouche served to render the deity more accessible to the human sphere.

The shen ring, which began meaning ’causes to live’ was most probably a symbol of eternity and eternal life.

Sources

  1. [1] “Lightbody, D., 2012. The Encircling Protection of Horus. Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Symposium Current Researches in Egyptology, 2011, University of Durham. Abd El Gawad, H. et al. Ed. Oxford: Oxbow: 133-140.
  2. [2]Cunningham, Scott (2001). Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, 29th edition, Llewellyn Publications.
  3. [3] Assmann, J. Death and Salvation in Ancient Egypt, Trans: David Lorton, Cornell University Press, Ithaca and London, Original German edition, © 2001 by C. H. Beck, Munich.
  4. [4] The American Discovery of Ancient Egypt, (Nancy Thomas, Gerry D. Scott, Bruce G. Trigger, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1995.)
  5. [5] Leprohon, R, The Great Name, Ancient Egyptian Royal Titularly, Society of Bible Literature Atlanta, 2013.

Questions in Egyptology No 3. Did the Egyptians Influence the Greeks?

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Getting the Pharaoh to the Afterlife

Ancient Egypt – Cheapskate Coffin Makers

Garden Paintings in Tombs

Garden Paintings in Tombs


The Tomb of Nebamun

The beautiful illustration above show a garden laid out in typical ancient Egyptian style. The strange but charming perspective is called ‘aspective’ and it is the opposite of our modern western view called ‘perspective’. The aim of the ancient Egyptian artist was to show all the essential details of a thing or person from a universal, not a personal viewpoint.

The image of the pond is a halcyon one, the animals, fishes and trees represent the peace and tranquillity of the ideal afterlife. The colours are cool and tranquil to illustrate the peace and comfort of life in the Hereafter. Heaven was not perceived as a garden but gardens were thought of as heavenly.

The painting is one of 11 paintings acquired by the British Museum from the tomb-chapel of a wealthy Egyptian official called Nebamun in the 1820s. Dating from about 1350t BC, they are some of the most famous works of art from Ancient Egypt.

The Tomb of Nebamun is from  Dynasty XVIII. It was located in the Theban Necropolis on the west bank of the Nile at Thebes (present-day Luxor), in Egypt. The tomb was the source of a number of famous decorated tomb scenes that are currently on display in the British Museum, London.

Nebamun (c 1350 BCE) was a middle-ranking official scribe and grain counter at the temple complex in Thebes. His tomb was discovered in 1820 by a young Greek adventurer called Giovanni (“Yanni”) d’Athanasi, who was acting as an agent for Henry Salt, the British Consul-General. The tomb he found had plastered walls that were richly and skilfully decorated with fresco paintings, depicting idealised views of Nebamun’s life and activities.

D’Athanasi and his workmen literally hacked out the pieces he wanted with knives, saws and crowbars. Salt sold these works to the British Museum in 1821, though some of other fragments became located in Berlin and possibly Cairo. D’Athanasi later died in poverty without ever revealing the tomb’s exact location.

The best-known of the tomb’s paintings include Nebamun fowl hunting in the marshes, dancing girls at a banquet, and a pond in a garden. In 2009 the British Museum opened up a new gallery dedicated to the display of the restored eleven wall fragments from the tomb. They have been described as the greatest paintings from ancient Egypt to have survived and as one of the Museum’s greatest treasures

The frescoes are now on display together for the first time at the British Museum. Following the restoration process, they now give a true impression of the colour that would have been experienced by the ancient visitors to the tomb-chapel.

Objects dating from the same time period and a 3-D animation of the tomb-chapel help to set the tomb-chapel in context and allow visitors to experience how the finished tomb would have looked.

Formal Gardens

Formal memorial gardens were a regular feature of royal and upper-class tombs and were often constructed adjacent to temples. A model of a garden was discovered under the floor of the tomb chapel of Meketre, chancellor to King Mentuhotpe (fig. 4).31 It depicts a garden with a pond and surrounding trees, the house with it is small in comparison. This illustrates the prestige a garden provided. A model of one’s home to take to the afterlife would have been a necessary addition to the burial chamber.

The formal gardens represented in tomb scenes and the actual ones known from texts, illustrations and those found during excavations show they were mostly symmetrical in design and located close to either private homes and tombs, palatial residences, or cult centres, temples and shrines.

  The formal garden of Amun-Re, Thebes (TT96), 1834, New York Public Library Digital Collections.

Formal gardens, like the one shown above, were first constructed by the pharaohs, who sometimes gifted them to members of the royal family or to valued officials. This began a trend in private memorial garden construction.

Palace gardens were lavish with facilities for sports, leisure, music, song, and dance performances. Boats were rowed on their vast lakes and memorial meals, wakes, banquets, and religious festivals and rituals were celebrated.  The grounds were also used to grow food, flowers, herbs, fish farming, fruit and vine cultivation. Bees were kept in beehives for the making of honey.

Each of the 42 floral and 11animal species identified in these formal gardens has a specific growth and/or development cycle, which only allows them to be in bloom and/or be available for harvest at certain times of the year. Jayme Reichart of the American University in Cairo has catalogued and analysed 11 gardens constructed before the Amarna Period. An example of the number of trees of each type is listed

Jayme Rudolf Reichart, Pure and Fresh: A Typology of Formal Garden Scenes from Private Eighteenth Dynasty Theban Tombs Prior to the Amarna Period, Thesis Submitted to The Department of Sociology, Egyptology, and Anthropology In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for
The Degree of Master of Arts in Egyptology and Coptology, 2020.

 

Ineni and his wife sit in a pavilion while a gardener carries water jugs. The text above this scene reads Inspecting his [S-formal garden] in the west, refreshing himself under his sycamore fig trees, seeing [those great] and beautiful trees that he planted on earth under the praises of that noble god [A]mun, [Lord of Thrones of the Two Lands].

Julia Herdman is currently working on the first book to tackle the subject of Ancient Egyptian Sacred Numbers for over a hundred years.

Sources:

British Museum Website, Egyptian Gardens, Alison Daines, Studia Antiqua 6, no. 1  2008, Jayme Rudolf Reichart, Pure and Fresh: A Typology of Formal Garden Scenes from Private Eighteenth Dynasty Theban Tombs Prior to the Amarna Period, Thesis Submitted to The Department of Sociology, Egyptology, and Anthropology In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for The Degree of Master of Arts in Egyptology and Coptology, 2020.