Alicia Meza

P.O.Box 750838

Forest Hills, NY 11375

AliciaIM@aol.com

The subject of sex and gender was efficiently validated in the theology of Ancient Egyptian religion. Sex and gender were essential for the continuation of life on earth and therefore, for achieving life after death. Since the family of gods was the model for the structure of Egyptian society, its royal family was the living image of the divine family. As early as the Old Kingdom there were cases of endogamous marriages within the royal family. In commoners such marriages also existed but they were rare. The antecedent of this development is found in the dogma of Ancient Egyptian Cosmogony and in religious accounts. Sometimes the reason behind these marriages was economic, in order to consolidate property within the family. Although brother-sister marriages existed in earlier times they were by far more frequent during the New Kingdom. Apparently, these types of royal unions were motivated by a religious dogma, but in reality they were a strategy to consolidate the position and power of the king. The gender issue was even more outstanding during the time when Egypt was under foreign rule. This paper examines the drastic changes in the attitude toward gender within the royal family during the New Kingdom, and it also looks at the role of women in society, the duties and privileges of the commoner as well as those of royal birth.