At the turn of the IV-III millennium BC. e. On the banks of the Nile River in Africa is one of the most powerful and developed civilizations of antiquity. The remains of the culture of Ancient Egypt are still striking in their grandeur and grandeur.
The secret of the popularity of Ancient Egypt in the 21st century
Interest in the history of Ancient Egypt does not fade over time. Secrets of the tombs of the pharaohs, legends of curses imposed on the treasures of the kings of antiquity, a series of mysterious deaths of scientific archaeologists who studied mummies, and the secrets of the construction of the pyramids still excite the imagination of people, a huge number of historical and feature films are shot.
One of the most sensational and successful feature films about Ancient Egypt is the 1999 Mummy painting. Thanks to the charismatic game of Oded Fehr, who played the role of a desert warrior, the audience became interested in mejajs. Who were the Mejai in ancient Egypt really?
Who was called Mejaj in Ancient Egypt?
From school history books, you can read that the Mejai are small owners in ancient Egypt. It is unlikely that this information can be called exhaustive.
Ancient Egypt had a developed state and legal system. We have not reached a single complete codex other than small passages carved on stones. We are talking about the Palermo stone, which is the main source of modern knowledge about the economy, politics and religion of Ancient Egypt.
The army of Ancient Egypt, in addition to protecting the borders, was engaged in maintaining order within the country. Recruits were recruited among the population, but no fewer soldiers were mercenaries from neighboring Nubia - the territory of present-day Sudan. The Mejai in Ancient Egypt are officers who commanded small units. Parts involved in restoring order in the cities, and mercenaries were also called mejai.
Why is Nubia considered the birthplace of the Medjays?
The Mejai are Nubian tribes roaming the territory of present-day Sudan. While hunting mainly for cattle breeding, many of them willingly hired to serve the Egyptians.
On the territory of Nubia at different times there were several states. The most famous of them is the kingdom of Kush. Its capital was the city of Napata, and later - Meroe. With the discovery of gold, the life of the region’s population has changed for the better, the Kush state has risen, and its rulers have been called black pharaohs. Below is a drawing of a Meroe reconstruction.
The Nubians were excellent wars and often hired in Egypt for service. The main role of the Nubian Majais in the Egyptian army is the protection of the tombs of kings and nobles, the fight against robber detachments in the country. Terrible Kush warriors opposed the Romans in their expansion of Africa.
The figure below is a reconstruction of the exit of Taharka, one of the pharaohs of the Nubian dynasty of Ancient Egypt.
Apparently, the word "Mejai", when used frequently in relation to Nubian mercenaries in Ancient Egypt, has become a household name for the rule of law.
It turns out that the Mejai of Egypt are not just small owners, but owners, who, according to the laws of the country, had to maintain order and calm on their lands themselves.
What did the mejai look like?
In the Mummy tape, the vestments of the Majais are more of a traditional outfit for Arab Bedouins. In fact, clothing in ancient Egypt was not at a premium. Its wearing by children and adolescents until puberty was not provided at all. In large cities and settlements, adults wore a minimum of things from a light white canvas: men - skirts, women - togas, opening one chest.
Mejay in ancient Egypt - is primarily a representative of the authorities. For the servants of order and soldiers of the regular army, a number of distinctive signs were provided.
Warriors wore "shells" of strips of durable linen fabric, many additionally lined them with leather inserts, and warlords relied on crocodile skin shells. During the campaigns and during the assaults, the soldiers put on a special hat - a leather helmet with metal stripes.
The uniform provided for a wide variety of shields, spears, berdysh, swords and additional protection for each type of troops. The photo below shows sketches of the reconstruction of weapons and protective equipment.
Why did the Mejai have tattoos?
The mummies of the pharaohs and priests of Ancient Egypt can be called champions in the number of tattoos. Scientists still do not know for what purpose the people of antiquity adorned their bodies. Tattoos are found on the remains of people around the world.
There are several suggestions about the meaning of tattooing:
- Thus, belonging to a particular tribe, caste, estate or religion was noted.
- Tattoos were supposed to attract good luck and wealth in a person’s life, the favor of the gods, determine the path and destiny.
- Early tattoos did not differ in artistry, but represented sets of dots and dashes. Scientists believe that this could be a variant of the "passport" in antiquity. This theory is also supported by the fact that in ancient Egypt special signs were applied to the bodies of criminals, which made them outcasts of society.
Be that as it may, the fascination with tattoos in ancient Egypt was a ubiquitous phenomenon. The most popular tattoo symbols among mejai are scarab, Horus eye and Ankh.