Artwork description:

A very old deity, Mafdet was believed to represent the rule of law and final judgment; in fact, this goddess’ symbol was the executioner’s staff. Mafdet was said to “rip out the hearts of the transgressors of the Laws of Ma’at and deliver them personally to Ra and the pharaoh’s feet." In the early New Kingdom she was depicted as ruling over the Judgment Hall where the enemies of the pharaoh were decapitated with “Mafdet’s Claw.” As the scratch of her claws was lethal to snakes, so symbolically the harpoon of the king becomes Mafdet’s claws for decapitating his enemies in the Duat. In the Pyramid Texts it is said that "at her emergence the rebels are punished."

Materials used:

acid free paper, archival ink, matte finish

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