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There is one interesting aspect
regarding the ancient Egyptian door: the false door that was
common in the tombs and the mortuary temples of the third
dynasty and of the New Kingdom. The false door was also called
the ‘ka door’ because it gave access to the ka, which is a soul`
s element, to go through it. In this way the false door has the
role of a sill between the mortals` world and the one of the
spirits and deities. The deceased or the deity had the
possibility to interact with the living`s world by walking
through the door or by receiving offerings through the door. The
New Kingdom is also the time when the temples false doors were
compared with a chapel called ‘the hearing ear’ that was
situated in the outer wall close to the temple` s back, also
near to the sanctuary. The false door was a way of communication
between the people outside and god. Usually the false door was
situated on the offering chamber`s West wall – the West being
associated with the afterlife and with the death - , on the
tomb`s back or at the mortuary temple. But the false door could
also be placed on the magical servants` cabinets or on the
coffins` sides. The deceased` s representation could be found on
the false door as well as decorations and marks with the titles
and the names of the person who owned the grave. A tomb could
have 2 false doors: one for the tomb`s owner and the other one
for the wife. But there were also some rare cases of mastabas in
which each member of a large family has his or her personal
false door. |
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