Adapting Egyptian Hand Signs

In Ancient Egyptian Temple Ritual: Performance, Pattern, and Practice, Katherine Eaton examines patterns of representation in posture, gesture,  and movement in ritual scenes from the monuments of Sety I, Ramesses I, and Ramesses II. ¹ The archaeological evidence that was included in the study mostly dates from the early Nineteenth Dynasty period. Looking to ancient traditions, there are pieces of information that can aid in making more effective and sacred ways of engaging with the gods. Knowledge of ancient traditions can inform the creation of modern day rituals. The material from Eaton’s study is of interest to anyone interested in ancient Egyptian religion and the various forms of spirituality akin to it. In addition to going over some of the findings of her research, I will also adapt two gesture forms for general traditional Western-style rituals. The gestures can be used in rituals, be they astrological magic, ancient Greek religion, ancient Egyptian religion, or any syncretic form of the spiritual beliefs of the ancient Mediterranean. 

Dynamic and static offerings were the two types of presentations that occurred in rituals. These categories were devised to simplify the description of the various forms that offerings took in artistic depictions. Keaton explains the features of the first type of offering, static offerings. “Offerings depicted being held up before deities in essentially the same fashion over and over again will be called “static offerings.” Dynamic offerings are related to motion. “Offerings depicted being presented in many different ways will be called “dynamic offerings” or “offerings of motion.”² Within both forms, various modes of presentation and gestures occurred. Paired presentations are when offerings are grasped offerings of lettuce, or lengths of cloth or open palm offerings such as onions, cake, and milk. There are pairs of the offered items in both hands. Mixed presentations are when offerings are mixed, i.e. the right hand has lettuce and the left hand has onions. These are called the “open hold” or “grasp hold.” The paired presentations have many variations. One interesting variation is the protective gesture in one hand and an open palm offering in the other hand.³ The depictions suggest the hands don’t matter, at least as far as distinguishing which one leads or so forth. The offerings can be held at shoulder level or lower, as the height differs depending on the media. So again, there doesn’t seem to be a rule specified but it might only be in the depictions. Paired and mixed presentations can both be utilized in modern-day rituals.  

The two basic holds can be adapted to rituals and meditation. Both are related to the presentation of offerings. The grasp hold is used to hold offerings in temple representations, but I am adapting it to represent the theoretical side of the ritual where the petitioner or practitioner receives something from the deity. The grasp should be done with the right hand, and it grasps the empty space. When doing a ritual or meditation, the grasping right hand symbolizes the receipt of whatever the deity is giving to the ritualist. The left hand symbolizes the things the ritualist is giving to the deity. The open hold signifies the offerings to the deity, the aspect of the ritual that focuses on what the deity receives from the one performing the ritual. During the ritual, there is a portion of time that both holds are done. The ritualist focuses on the reciprocal nature of the ritual and the relationship with the deity. The ritual practitioner should think about what is being offered for a period of time. Likewise, for a period of time, the practitioner should also think about what is being asked for from the deity. The time spent focusing on the deity, the offering, and the thing being asked for, should be done as the poses are held. An example of the incorporation of the two basic holds will now be explained.

The two basic holds can be included in an existing ritual practice. Let’s assume the ritualist does daily planetary rituals. The ritual begins at dawn, on a Sunday on the hour of the Sun. The ritualist purifies the sacred space with holy water and lights a candle and a solar incense. A traditional hymn to the Sun is read aloud. A drink offering is poured. The ritualist says a short prayer. The ritualist makes a request to the Sun to give blessings, bring success, and to specifically help the practitioner’s academic studies. The practitioner says that the light, incense, and drink offering, are offered for the gifts. The ritualist sits down in front of the altar. With the right hand, the ritualist gestures the grasp hold. The left hand is raised a little so that the elbow rests on the knee. The palms are opened so the ritualist does the open hold. The ritualist concentrates on the right hand for 10 minutes. The ritualist visualizes the Sun’s blessings, success, and future academic achievement. The gesture is done while thinking about what is being received from the Sun. Then, the ritual practitioner focuses on the left hand, which is still in the open hold. The practitioner thinks about the current meditation, the ritual itself, the light, incense, and drink offerings, and the time spent doing the ritual. The practitioner focuses on giving all of these activities and things to the Sun. All the while, the ritualist focuses on the reciprocity that is taking place. Afterwards, the practitioner announces that the ritual is over, tells the Sun that it can leave the sacred space, and the candles and incense are extinguished. 

In conclusion, the paired presentations and types of holds depicted in the monuments of the Ancient Egyptian Nineteenth Dynasty are traditional ritual forms. Any spiritual person who leans toward traditional forms may find these ritual forms invaluable additions to their understanding of ritual practice. They can be adopted and worked into existing ritual practices. Based on this line of reasoning, I introduced two forms of gestures based on the grasp hold and the open hold. 

 

 

Notes

 

1. Katherine Eaton, Ancient Egyptian Temple Ritual: Performance, Pattern, and Practice, (Routledge Studies in Egyptology, 2013, Taylor and Francis), 125.
2. Eaton, Ancient Egyptian Temple Ritual: Performance, Pattern, and Practice, 139.
3. Eaton, Ancient Egyptian Temple Ritual: Performance, Pattern, and Practice, 145.

 

Bibliography

1. Eaton, Katherine. Ancient Egyptian Temple Ritual: Performance, Pattern, and Practice. Routledge Studies in Egyptology. 2013. Taylor and Francis.

 

Photo Credits

1. An ancient Egyptian 15th century BCE frieze. Public domain.
2. Protective gesture while offering Maat in the open hold. Relief of the Temple of Khonsu in Karnak, Ramsses IV offers Maat by Neithsabes.
3. A kneeling pharaoh offers in a paired presentation.  The Great Temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel. Photo by Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States.