http://www.ancientegyptalive.com/2015/09/08/egyptomania-in-pompeii-ancient-egypt-in-romes-famous-city/
Egyptomania in Pompeii: Ancient Egypt in Rome’s Famous City
Written by Thomas H. Greiner
Some weekends ago, Egyptophiles in Toronto were treated to a mini-symposium on the famous site of Pompeii and its devastating volcano, Vesuvius. One of the talks by Dr Benjamin Kelly from York University explored the presence of Egyptians and ancient Egyptian culture in the Bay of Naples. Organized by the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities, the symposium coincides with the concurrent blockbuster exhibit on “Pompeii: In the Shadow of the Volcano” at the Royal Ontario Museum.
Ancient Egypt in the time of Pompeii’s Glory
By the time Pompeii met its fate in AD 79, Egypt had already been absorbed into the Roman empire for more than 100 years. As we do today, the ancient Romans had a predilection for all things Egyptian and an ancient Egyptian presence, whether physically or metaphysically, was felt throughout Pompeii. Roman emperor Augustus himself had scenes with Egyptianizing elements drawn within a room in his house!
Located on the coast in ancient Campania on the Sarnus river, Pompeii was a bustling port city that did not officially become part of Rome until the 1st century BC. Its history may well go back to the 6th century BC, when itinerant Greeks began to mingle with the local Etruscan culture in the area. Hellenistic influence abounded in Pompeii and with that came fascination for ancient Egypt. Inspired by Pliny the Elder’s description of Egypt’s flora and fauna in his Natural Histories, feelings of Egyptomania are felt throughout Pompeii.
Isis: her Cult reaches the Roman World
Dr Kelly told us about the temple, which was devoted to the worship of one of Egypt’s most popular goddesses: Isis. Her cult gained significantly in importance throughout the Ptolemaic Period and eventually spread throughout the entire Mediterranean. In the Graeco-Roman world, she was worshiped as a giver of life, a healer, etc.
Egyptian elements made up part of the temple as one stele within powerfully testifies. Inscribed in hieroglyphs, it was the autobiography of priest Somtutefnakht, who lived in the 4th century BC. Originally from a temple in Herakleopolis Magna in Egypt, it made the long sea journey to Pompeii. As Dr Kelly asks: “Could Pompeii residents read hieroglyphic script or was it set up merely for its Egyptianizing elements?”
Pygmies abound in Pompeii
One of the popular “Egyptian” elements within Pompeii were depictions of pygmies. Way back in the Old Kingdom around 2,250 BC, Pharaoh Pepy II had excitedly awaited a pygmy that was to be fetched for him. These smaller-stature individuals are said to come from Punt, the land of Hatshepsut’s major 18th Dynasty expedition. Within Pompeii, however, we have over 17 instances of pygmy depictions throughout the town and Dr Ben Kelly believes that they were used to symbolize the opposite of Roman norms, that is, “they are upsetting the natural order”.
Pygmies were often associated with sexual acts in Pompeii. In reality, Pompeii is well-known for its scenes depicting salacious activity and there are graffiti and wall decorations throughout the town. In the House of Physicians, for example, we have a depiction of a group of pygmies engaged in a banquet, while two of them engage in lewd activity nearby. The notion of doing these kinds of acts within a public setting may be shocking to us moderners, though these sorts of activities were a popular subject for art throughout Pompeii.
Suffice it to say, ancient Egypt was alive and well in the minds of the local Pompeiians. Just like Pompeii and its inhabitants met its fate in AD 79 until its rediscovery in the 18th century, many aspects of ancient Egypt would also be forgotten until Napoleon’s grand expedition in 1798. As the popular new ROM exhibition (running until January 2016) demonstrates, Pompeii, like ancient Egypt, retains its eternal appeal and endless power to fascinate us today.
This blog is the first part in a series on Pompeii and the Egyptian world. Our upcoming blog will introduce you to the wonderful exhibit currently on display at the ROM. Stay tuned!
Notes
- Clarke, John R. Looking at Lovemaking: Constructions of Sexuality in Roman Art, 100 BC – AD 250. Berkeley, Calif: University of California Press, 1998.
- Swetnam-Burland, M. Egypt in Italy: Visions of Egypt in Roman Imperial Culture. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2015.
- Tresson, P. “La Stèle de Naples.” Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale 30 (1931):369–391.
| Thomas H. Greiner | |
 | Thomas H. Greiner is an Egyptologist from Vancouver and currently a PhD student in the Department of Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations at the University of Toronto. |
No comments:
Post a Comment