Chantress (in ancient egyptian; Šmyt) was a high prestigious title in ancient Egypt for women;where the chantresses held a significance role within the religious and cultural practices of the civilization.
History
Old Kingdom
The title of Chantress appeared as early as old kingdom and were known as "singers of Upper and Lower Egypt", These women in the temple played a role in hailing the king, dating back to the Fourth Dynasty. They were under the supervision of a male overseer, further emphasizing their importanc religious and social hierarchy in old kingdom.
Middle kingdom
During middle kingdom, there were few examples bearing the title of Chantress, one of the examples is Lines 5 and 6 of an unprovenienced Middle Kingdom stela (CG20777) mention a mother - daughter pair; "Dancer Tuniwt, true of voice, fathered by Ii-ib and born of the Chantress Senbet"
New kingdom
However in the New kingdom and third intermediate period the title of Chantress had risen and was held by many women, it had replaced the title Priestess (ḥmt-nṯr) as the female equivalent of the title Priest. It is clear that much more is known about the family of the Chantresses of the New Kingdom, than of the later periods. This may be due to the fact that the decorated nobles' tombs at Thebes record scenes of family life and the lifestyle of the officials. These monuments, as well as the other sources, demonstrate that the title Chantress was a common part of the lives of the elite and lesser elite.
Third intermediate period
It's estimated a total of 252 women were found to have held the title of chantress during the third intermediate period. Inscriptions were often found in the coffins of the noble women at the time, making it easier to identify the chantress, Additionally Divine Adoratrice of Amun religious occupational titles during third intermediate period, was usually held by the high priests' wives and daughters such as Herwebenkhet making it a highly respected position among ancient Egyptians.
Late and ptolemaic period
In the late and Ptolemaic Periods, there are very few women known to have held the title of chantress and information about them is scanty. This is partly due to the lack of decorated tombs and women statutes at this period
Role
Chantresses were primarily associated with the worship of various deities, particularly those connected to music, fertility, and love. They were often attached to temples dedicated to deities such as Hathor, Isis, and Amun. These chantresses were considered to be the earthly representatives of these goddesses and played a vital role in maintaining the divine connection between the mortal world and the gods. They were responsible for maintaining the rituals and ensuring that the gods were appeased. They were also responsible for performing purification rituals, making offerings to the gods, and providing guidance to the pharaohs and other officials.