Hotep

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The Egyptian word Hotep (ḥtp)is regularly found in the names of ancient Egyptian figures such as Hotepsekhemwy (ḥr ḥtp-sḫm.wj "the two powers are at peace".), the first ruler of Egypt's Second Dynasty.[1] It is rendered in hieroglyphs as an altar/offering table. It has special semantic meanings in the Ancient Egyptian offering formula, also known as the ḥtp-dỉ-nsw formula, to refer to the "boon given by the king," or the food and goods on which a dead soul was supposed to subsist during the afterlife.[2]

The Egyptian hieroglyph for the term hotep defining the word peace.
The Egyptian hieroglyph for the term hotep defining the word peace.

Hotep is an English rendering of a word from the ancient Egyptian language transcribed as htp Gardiner p 579 and 617 = law. The phrase m hotep has been translated to mean literally from law "peace", Gardiner p 583 and 620 "to rest" "be satisfied", "peace", "become at peace" and "at ease" as in the Egyptian philosophy of living the life in Ma3t. [3][4][5]

prefect:

If you have, as leader, to decide on the conduct of a great number of men, seek the most perfect manner of doing so that your own conduct may be without reproach. Justice is great, invariable, and assured; it has not been disturbed since the age of Ptah. To throw obstacles in the way of the laws is to open the way before violence. Shall that which is below gain the upper hand, if the unjust does not attain to the place of justice? Even he who says: I take for myself, of my own free-will; but says not: I take by virtue of my authority. The limitations of justice are invariable; such is the instruction which every man receives from his father.

Faulkner Middle Egyptian 1991 Griffith ISBN 0 900416 327 p 159 hrt = peace, hrw = pleasing, be pleased, satisfied; p 179 htp altar, offering, boon which the king grants, be pleased, be happy,be gracious, pardon, be at peace, be peaceful, become calm, p 180 rest,satisfy, make content, htpw peace, contentment, good pleasure, make peace, htpt peace, contentment. To put to rest disputes, and settle the complaints of petitioners be peaceful, calm, make peace.

The writings of Ptah Hotep (maker of the law)

The Precepts of Ptah-Hotep, c. 2200 BCE

Contents

[edit] In Afrocentrism

Several modern circles of Kemetic Reconstructionism belief, from Afrocentrism and Nuwaubu to Kemetic Orthodoxy, used the term hotep (or em hotep) as a greeting meaning "peace" or "in peace". [6][7]

In the Ausarian tradition Hetep meant peace, but not just saying peace but sending peaceful energy. Hetep is also found in greeting phrases like Hetep Sesh (Peace to you teacher – hello teacher). Some phrases combine the word Hetep with English words e.g. Hetep and Respect (sending peace and respect to the person).

Hotep (Hetep) is also used in a call and response by those steeped in Classical African Civilization cosmologics. A Culturally healthy communication might look like this: Hetep (call); Hetepw (response). In ancient Egyptian the word is rendered ḥtpw. Sometimes this greeting has a physical bio-energetic aspect. The call might be accompanied with back of left hand pointing to target (responder) right hand taped against left palm to facilitate sending peaceful energy. You will still find this ancient practice carried forward in some modern Kemetic schools of thought like the Ausar Auset Society.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Vendel, Ottar . "Absolute Egyptology - gods, kings, pyramids.: Hotepsekhemwy". http://www.nemo.nu/ibisportal/0egyptintro/2egypt/2sidor/2hotepsekhemwy.htm on July 16, 2006.
  2. ^ Gardiner, Alan. (1957). Egyptian Grammar, Third Edition, p. 170. Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. ISBN 0-900-41635-1.
  3. ^ Reader, Greg. "NiankhkhnumKhnumhotep Names United". Retrieved from http://www.egyptology.com/niankhkhnum_khnumhotep/names.html on July 16, 2006.
  4. ^ Branney, Sean (1988). Strange Eons, Vol. 2, Issue 10. Retrieved from http://www.cthulhulives.org/HPLHSPress/Egypthos.pdf on July 16, 2006.
  5. ^ Kinnaer, Jacques (2006). "Hotepsekhemwi". Retrieved from http://www.ancient-egypt.org/kings/02/0201_hotepsekhemwi/titulary.html on July 16, 2006.
  6. ^ (2003). "Terms Used by the Kemetic Orthodox". Kemet.org. Retrieved from http://www.kemet.org/terms_list.html on July 16, 2006.
  7. ^ (2006). "What is Hotep?" Hotep.org Retrieved from http://www.hotep.org/WhatisHoptep.htm on July 16, 2006.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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