Stories of the Pharaohs
God, King, and Symbol
Season 5. Episode 2. Listen to full episodes of the Podcast, here.
Imagine a world in which the same earth you walk had been populated by Gods in years past. These deities may have had bull's tails, or the heads of falcons, held massive whips, or possessed the moon in their left eye. This was the belief system of the Ancient Egyptians, who saw their Kings and Queens as direct descendants of these divinities, and founders of human society.
"Horus was the last ruling God of Egypt, before the first human king. So Horus was seen to be the father of Egyptian kings. When the king died, they assimilated with the God Osiris, and Horus' father, and became divine at that point."
The Pharaoh ruled not only by divine right, but as a direct heir of these Gods. I sat down with Amanda Dunsmore, Senior Curator, International Decorative Arts and Antiquities at the National Gallery of Victoria. She heads up the monumental exhibition Pharaoh: a landmark in the collected display of treasures from Ancient Egypt.
With Pharaoh view now, Amanda talked me through the myth and iconography of some of the more than 500 objects–including towering sculptures, statues that graced ancient temples, coffins, and of course jewellery–which immerse visitors in the world of the ancient pharaohs.
Tickets here.
Cleopatra’s Bling jewellery is now stocked in the NGV Design Store, including exclusive pieces designed as a celebration of the Pharaoh exhibition, referencing some of the symbols we spoke about in this episode.
Listen to Episode 2 of the Cleopatra's Bling Podcast:
or simply search The Cleopatra's Bling Podcast in your app.