Blue Lotus and Egypt

The lotus flower materialized in legends instigating from ancient Egypt. It portrayed a significant part in ancient Egyptian religion (W.H. Goodyear 1891). In Egypt, there were two original species of lotus, there grew the white lotus, Nymphaea lotus, and there grew the blue lotus, Nymphaea cerulea. There was a third specie of lotus, the pink lotus, Nelumbo nucifera. This was introduced in the late period to Egypt from Persia (April McDevitt 2008). Today, these are widely known as the water lily (Caroline Seawright 2005). The three species of lotuses were shown in Egyptian art, but it was very apparent indeed that the blue lotus was the flower that was most commonly given focus and attention and the one depicted in the hieroglyph. With this, we can infer that the blue lotus has become the sacred flower of Egypt. The blue lotus flower had a deeper and stronger significance to the Egyptians (Caroline Seawright 2005; W.H. Goodyear 1891). The blue lotus flower has been presented expansively all the way through the art of ancient Egypt. In various artworks, it can be seen held in the hand of a human or a god, drawn as a border or outline a section of the work of art, blossoming to expose various humans or gods, and many other illustrations (Gay Robins 1997). The ancient Egyptians have developed a mechanism of counting to high values, but their number system was very rudimentary yet systematic. For instance, a sketch of a lotus flower symbolized the number 1,000, and a sketch of two lotus flowers coming out of a bush symbolized the number 2,000 (W.H. Goodyear 1891).

According to one creation legend, there was a big lotus that emerged out of chaotic water in the beginning. Along with this big lotus the sun rose on the first day. Before the universe began, there existed an infinite body of water which comprised the prehistoric river named Nun. From the Nun transpired a lotus flower, along with a single mountain of dry land. The lotus blossoms opened, and out stepped the sun god (W.H. Goodyear 1891).

At night, the lotus petals close and underwater, the whole flower sinks. During the day, it resurfaces and the petals open up to bloom again. The golden yellow center of the flower that was set against the blue petals seemed to be an imitation of the sun emerging from the clear blue sky. The blue lotus flower’s unusual activities were strongly linked to the setting and rising of the sun (Caroline Seawright 2005). With this unusual plant behavior, the lotus flower became a sacred symbol of the sun, rebirth and creation for the Egyptians (April McDevitt 2008). In Hermopolis, there was a strong belief that the sun god, came from a giant lotus flower that first surfaced from the primitive waters of Nun. There are sketches of this account in the Book of the Dead with the face of the deceased. It is probably a figurative representation of the deceased to the myth of creation as the blue lotus opened to expose the sun god for the first time, awarding the deceased a new life as the blue lotus blooms each morning (Caroline Seawright 2005). Because of this, it was believed that the lotus flower was also closely related to the Osirian occult (April McDevitt 2008). The Four Sons of Horus who watch over the canopic jars - Imsety, human headed protector of the liver, Hapy, baboon headed protector of the lungs, Duamutef, jackal headed protector of the stomach and Qebehsenuef, falcon headed protector of the intestines - are often shown standing on a blue water lily flower (April McDevitt 2008; Caroline Seawright 2005). The four mummiform gods are present in the judgment of the deceased in the Halls of Ma'ati where they position themselves before Osiris on a half opened blue lotus flower (Caroline Seawright 2005; Gay Robins 1997).

The lotus was commonly used in art, specifically in hieroglyphics drawn in tombs and temples, as an emblem of Upper Egypt. It was often drawn with its long stems tangled with papyrus reeds, which is a symbol of Lower Egypt, as a symbol of the unification of the Upper and Lower Egypt (April McDevitt 2008; Caroline Seawright 2005).

Nefertem was the god of the blue lotus flower. He was a god who was associated to the sun and also to healing and beautification. It was Nefertem who offered a blue lotus to the sun god, Ra, to relieve the torment of his aging body. The blue lotus’ perfume was not only pleasant to the Egyptians, but they also regarded it as a healing potion as well (Caroline Seawright 2005). People who have had the pleasure described the smell as being similar to that of a hyacinth, a loquat and even of a banana (Caroline Seawright 2005). The scenes in the hieroglyphics show women holding the blue lotus, offering it at parties, and people smelling its celestial fragrance.

The blue lotus flower was probably also a representation of sexuality. Women were enticed by the blue lotus. In the Turin papyrus’ particular erotic pictures, women were drawn

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