![\"fertility-figurine-2\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mancent.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Fertility-figurine-2.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a>\u00a0The course<\/p>\nHeka: The Magical Arts of Ancient Egypt<\/a><\/h1>\nwill focus on the concept of Heka<\/em> (magic) in ancient Egypt. Heka <\/em>was a divine force imbued in deities, the king and the dead.\u00a0 It could be used for good or bad, private or state purposes.\u00a0 This course will focus on two main areas.\u00a0 Firstly, deities and ritual practitioners (priests and priestesses), this will include the god Heka and and the gods as healers, for example Sekhmet.\u00a0 Secondly, the course will examine the objects and images created to channel the power of heka<\/em>, including execration and fertility figurines, amulets, wands and spell books.<\/p>\n![\"sekhmet-figure-3\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mancent.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Sekhmet-figure-3.jpg?resize=256%2C300&ssl=1\")
Although much, if not all, of Egyptian art was magical this course will examine images and objects created specifically for magical practice. A broad definition of magic will be used; which is, any activity that seeks to obtain its goal outside the natural laws of cause and effect, will be deemed magical.<\/p>\n
This includes rituals in the home, temples and in the funeral realm; most rituals in ancient Egypt used a combination of recitation and action.<\/p>\n
The lectures will demonstrate the assimilation of magic, medicine and religion in ancient Egypt and illustrate how magical practice was part of everyday life. As Egyptologist, Robert Ritner said, \u2018one man\u2019s magic is another man\u2019s religion\u2019.\u00a0 The course also presents a rare opportunity to handle and photograph many magical objects from ancient Egypt at Manchester Museum.<\/p>\n
Although much, if not all, of Egyptian art was magical this course will examine images and objects created specifically for magical practice. A broad definition of magic will be used; which is, any activity that seeks to obtain its goal outside the natural laws of cause and effect, will be deemed magical.<\/p>\n
This includes rituals in the home, temples and in the funeral realm; most rituals in ancient Egypt used a combination of recitation and action.<\/p>\n
The lectures will demonstrate the assimilation of magic, medicine and religion in ancient Egypt and illustrate how magical practice was part of everyday life. As Egyptologist, Robert Ritner said, \u2018one man\u2019s magic is another man\u2019s religion\u2019.\u00a0 The course also presents a rare opportunity to handle and photograph many magical objects from ancient Egypt at Manchester Museum.<\/p>\n