Carolyn Routledge 

University of Liverpool

Did Women ‘Do Things’ in Ancient Egypt?

Gay Robins notes that in ancient Egyptian art women are generally in passive poses in relation to men and their clothing is represented as more restrictive. She suggests that ideally ancient Egyptian men were expected to be "far more active than women"(Robins 1993: 181). Certainly, in fishing and fowling scenes women are represented as disturbingly static while their male companion animatedly goes about hunting. Interestingly, a parallel to this artistic representation can be seen in ancient Egyptian literary expression. Women are almost never described as ‘doing things’ – irt xt. Clearly, women did do things in ancient Egypt. In art they are depicted in such activities as dancing, farming, and participating in religious rites. Similarly, in writing a woman could be described as rowing, seducing men, and guarding her husband. Thus the passive or static artistic representation and the literary avoidance of ir xt may have a specific ideological reference related to gender roles.

This paper examines the case for the avoidance of describing women as "doing things". First, the possibility of missing evidence is considered related to poor preservation, decorum, and male dominated production of literature and art. Second, such considerations are weighed against evidence for active avoidance of the use of ir xt in relation to females such as the epithet of Hetepheres: "she says all things and it is done for her" and the description of women ir irw, "performing performances" for Amenhotep III’s Sed festival. Third, the exceptional use of ir xt by Hatsepsut while king is considered. Finally, the use of ir-xt in relation to male activity is examined. From this examination it is suggested that the expression ‘to do things’ relates to a specific way of creating and maintaining ma`at. Therefore, it is concluded that there was a gender divide in the creation and maintenance of ma`at in ancient Egypt. The difference in male and female roles in relation to ma`at are expressed in artistic representations such as the fishing and fowling scenes and in verbal expression.

Robins, G. 1993 Women in Ancient Egypt. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

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