Today we pay homage to the "Lady of Truth", Ancient Egyptian Goddess MA'AT
Ma'at (Maat, Mayet) is the personified essence of truth, justice, balance, and cosmic order. Daughter of the Atum-Ra and said to be one of the consorts of Thoth, Ma'at first appeared in the ancient text of the Old Kingdom (c. 2613 - 2181 BCE). She is often pictured as a winged woman with an ostrich feather in her headband or holding a white ostrich feather and scales.
Ma'at is said to have been present during the beginning of creation when, from the primordial waters of Nun, the ben-ben (first mound of dry land) rose with Atum (or Ra, the sun god) standing upon it in the presence of the invisible Heka (magic). Tells of her birth say that when Atum spoke the world into creation, Ma'at (cosmic order of balance and harmony) was born.
Ma'at is considered an ancient Goddess and a universal principle all in the same breath. She embodies the seven principles of Truth, Justice, Harmony, Balance, Order, Propriety, and Reciprocity. According to Ancient Egyptian mythology, after the death of the body, everyone had to pass through the Hall of Judgment (Hall of Two Truths), where a person’s heart was weighed on a scale against Ma’at’s feather of truth. If the deceased person’s heart balanced with Ma’at’s feather, they could continue their journey to the Afterlife. If not, their journey ended. This influenced the daily actions of the ancient Egyptians.
Book of the Dead or Papyrus of Ani (known to the ancient Egyptians as The Book of Coming Forth by Day) contains the 42 Laws of Ma'at. Below is a more modern version of those 42 laws. Much love and respect to Netjeret (nTrt) MA'AT!
Sources:
Britannica - Maat: Egyptian goddess
Egyptian Museum - Deities in Ancient Egypt - Ma’at
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