Re: birthing and henna

Posted by Roy on April 22, 1998 at 13:13:01:

In Reply to: birthing and henna posted by Phoenix Arabeth on April 22, 1998 at 03:25:02:

Catherine's reference to Taweret as goddess of childbirth is based on
material I collected while producing a broadcast story on the
preparation and opening of "Egypt's Dazzling Sun, Amenhotep III and
his World," an touring exhibition that was curated and opened at the
Cleveland Museum of Art in 1992. (The spelling of her name that I'm
using comes from print material issued by the museum.)

I got shown around the exhibition by the American curators as it was
being installed and again at the opening, and had the opportunity to
talk with curators from several overseas museums and organizations
that had loaned pieces for the show.

One remarkable group in the exhibition was several statuettes of Queen
Tiy, including one showing her head on the body of the goddess
Taweret. I talked with several of the curators about the Queen Tiy
statues, and my interview notes show one referring to the Tiy/Taweret
piece and calling Taweret "the goddess of pregnancy and childbirth,"
another refers to Taweret as "protector of women in labor, " and the
third scholar told me that small figurines of Taweret were "used as
magical talismans by midwives and by women about to give birth."

Also, in the catalogue for the exhibition, the American curatorial
team, in the chapter "Royal and Divine Images in Animal Form," refers
to Taweret as "the pre-eminent birth deity." Incidentally, the
catalogue was put out in regular publication by the University of
Indiana Press under the title "Egypt's Dazzling Sun," so you might be
able to find it in a library somewhere.

Follow-ups:

• Re: birthing and henna Phoenix 05:47:05 4/23/98 (2)
  • Re: birthing and henna EMe 13:20:20 12/21/00 (0)
  • Re: birthing and henna Roy 13:40:48 4/23/98 (0)