Vladimir Bolshakov - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Vladimir Bolshakov

Vostok (Oriens), 2024

The article is a publication of an Ancient Egyptian anonymous mummy-cover of the Dynasty 21, kept... more The article is a publication of an Ancient Egyptian anonymous mummy-cover of the Dynasty 21, kept in the collection of the Kramskoy Voronezh Regional Art Museum (Inv. no. 2 ДВ). This item is a part of the burial assemblage of a noble Egyptian woman, originating from the secret tomb of the Theban priests at Bab el-Gasus. Initially, the mummy-cover entered in the museum of the Yuryev (Tartu) Imperial University, where it ended up after the distribution of antiquities from the so-called “Russian lot” – a diplomatic gift from the Khedive Abbas II Hilmi. In fact, the mummy-cover had only twice become the subject of brief scholar publications: in the summary work of B.A. Turaev, dedicated to Egyptian antiquities in the collections of the Russian Empire (1899) and in the catalogue of Egyptian objects from museums of the former USSR, compiled by O.D. Berlev and S.I. Hodjash (1998). Thus, the relevance of the article is determined by the necessity for a new separate publication of the object, which would include along with its description the graphic reproduction and transliteration of inscriptions. The article is hence mainly devoted to the description and typological classification of the mummy-cover decoration and layout. According to O.D. Berlev, the mummy-cover should be considered as belonging to the Theban priestess Nesytaudjatakhet, whose inner and outer coffins were included in the “Russian lot” as well. Nevertheless, taking into account the recently identified archival documentation concerning the “Russian lot,” the attribution of the mummy-cover requires further investigation and additional verification.

Egypt and neighboring countries, 2024

The article discusses the question of the royal couple’ theological role in the context of the re... more The article discusses the question of the royal couple’ theological role in the context of the religion of the Amarna period. The dominant interpretation in Egyptology suggests the existence in the Amarna theology of a new divine triad Aten–Akhenaten–Nefertiti, organized according to the model of the old Heliopolitan triad of the primeval gods Atum–Shu–Tefnut. In accordance with this point of view, Akhenaten and Nefertiti were identified with the children of the solar god (Aten) – the twin gods Shu and Tefnut. The author focuses on examination of the theological role of the royal couple as the manifestation of Shu and Tefnut, and in particular on the hypothetical assimilation of Nefertiti with the goddess Tefnut as a female “counterpart” to the king as Shu. As the study of visual and written sources of the Amarna period shows, the thesis about the equivalence of the roles of the king and queen in the Aten–Akhenaten–Nefertiti constellation does not stand up to criticism. Moreover, it should be concluded that in the Amarna religion, the great royal wife was only a secondary figure and acted only as a necessary theological complement to Akhenaten, personifying not a specific goddess, but the feminine divine principle in general.

Egypte, Afrique et Orient, 2023

page 62 MULTIMEDIA par Jean-Luc Bovot fig. 1 (ci-dessus) L'épouse de Menna tenant, dans l'une de ... more page 62 MULTIMEDIA par Jean-Luc Bovot fig. 1 (ci-dessus) L'épouse de Menna tenant, dans l'une de ses mains, le collier-menat de la déesse Hathor et, dans l'autre, le sistre, également emblématique de cette divinité. Tombe de Menna (TT 69). XVIII e dynastie. © ÉAO. Première de couverture Néfertari et Isis. Tombe de Néfertari dans la Vallée des Reine. XIX e dynastie. © ÉAO. Quatrième de couverture Néfertari et Isis. Tombe de Néfertari dans la Vallée des Reine. XIX e dynastie. © ÉAO.

Vestnik drevnei istorii, 2020

The present article is an addition to the author’s previous detailed publication of the XXI dynas... more The present article is an addition to the author’s previous detailed publication of the XXI dynasty anthropoid coffin of the Theban priestess Nesytaudjatakhet from the collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan (Kazan). The article contains an updated publication of the decorative program of the coffin’s lid and its inscriptions, until recently hidden under protective paper labels.

Vostok (Oriens), 2023

Данная работа представляет собой публикацию статуэток-ушебти, датируемых временем XXI династии (о... more Данная работа представляет собой публикацию статуэток-ушебти, датируемых временем XXI династии (ок. 1070-950 гг. до н.э.), из египетского собрания Национального музея Республики Татарстан (НМРТ). Основной акцент в статье сделан на выявлении и идентификации тех экземпляров ушебти, которые были найдены в тайнике в Баб эль-Газус и поступили в казанский музей после раздела т.н. «русского лота» в 1895 г. На основе анализа изданных архивных документов, музейной документации и предшествующих публикаций памятников египетской коллекции в Казани (описание Б.А. Тураева и каталог О.Д. Берлева и С.И. Ходжаш) автором статьи были выявлены ушебти из состава «русского лота» и в ряде случаев установлено их возможное соответствие владельцам погребальных ансамблей из Баб эль-Газус. В прежних публикациях памятников египетской коллекции НМРТ статуэтки-ушебти никогда не описывались настолько подробно, насколько это необходимо для их полноценного изучения. Все публикуемые автором статьи ушебти XXI династии разделены на три категории по принципу их происхождения: ушебти из гробницы в Баб эль-Газус; ушебти из фиванского некрополя; ушебти, точное происхождение которых не установлено. В результате проделанного сравнительного анализа опубликованных архивных источников, музейной документации и изучения самих предметов в фондах музея удалось идентифицировать 8 из 9 ушебти из Баб эль-Газус, переданных в конце XIX в. в музей древностей при Казанском императорском университете. Статья содержит уточненные сведения о каждой из статуэток-ушебти XXI династии, воспроизведение и перевод иероглифических надписей и новые фотографии всех экземпляров. Главным итогом предпринятого изучения ушебти указанного периода из собрания НМРТ является их расширенная публикация, необходимая как для дальнейшего исследования истории предметов из «российского лота», так и других образцов ушебти XXI династии, хранящихся в российских музеях.

Vostok (Oriens), 2023

The article analyzes the characteristic traits of deification of the New Kingdom queens on the ba... more The article analyzes the characteristic traits of deification of the New Kingdom queens on the basis of their official representation in Egyptian pictorial and textual sources. In order to reveal the nature of the deification of queens and the essence of their theological role in general, the article discusses specific methods and features of the queens’ assimilation with the goddesses, primarily, Hathor, Isis, Maat, Mut or the goddess of the Solar-Eye (Hathor/Tefnut). Here, the term “deification” means a queen was endowed with various features of a goddess, and two aspects of this phenomenon are distinguished: the deification of living and dead queens. The focus of the present study is only the lifetime deification. The author puts the trend to assimilate them with goddesses in a close correlation with the evolution of the royal ideology and the so-called “solarization” of the ruling king’s image, which reached its peak expression under Amenhotep III and Ramses II (the period of Akhenaten’s reign, which deserves a special study, is out of scope). The bulk of the evidence is provided by individual iconography of several queens.
The study of the available selection of sources allows to draw a fundamental conclusion that undoubtedly were various semantic parallels between the queens’ images and the principal goddesses of the pantheon. Nevertheless, the assimilation of queens with the goddesses, with some exceptions, did not reach the level of complete identification with the latter, and these parallels themselves were drawn mainly by the means of iconography rather than phraseology.

Vostok (Oriens), 2022

The paper deals with a controversial question concerning the character of the sacral role of the ... more The paper deals with a controversial question concerning the character of the sacral role of the royal women in the context of the concept of divine queenship. As the queenship is seen in modern Egyptology as an essential constitutive element of the ideology of kingship, the sacral role of the royal women is frequently determined as similar or even parallel to that of the king. In particular, the sacral scenes with the images of the royal women performing the rites in pair with a king or alone are sometimes considered as an illustration to this interpretation. As the author of the present paper suggests, this approach needs a reеvaluation, which should be based on a careful examination of all surviving scenes depicting a cultic activity of the royal women. Among other issues the author touches, as well, the problem of the sacral role played by Nefertiti whose official position differs considerably of that of other royal women. A preliminary study of figurative and epigraphical sources, especially of the offering scenes with representations of the royal women, allowed the author to assume that in the majority of cases they played an auxiliary and secondary role. Indeed, since the Ramesside period the most widespread iconography of a royal woman is her representation shaking the sistrum/sistra – an auxiliary action in the divine cult. Thus, the thesis about the great king’s wife (or the king’s mother)’ role as a counterpart of the king in his cultic functions should be revised, if not rejected.

Sousa R. et al. (eds) Bab El-Gasus in Context. Rediscovering the Tombs of the Priests of Amun, 2020

The present article deals with the symbolism of the sistrum in the cultic and ceremonial practice... more The present article deals with the symbolism of the sistrum in the cultic and ceremonial practice of the New Kingdom period. As a sacred musical instrument, closely associated with Hathor and other goddesses identified with her (Tefnut, Sakhmet, Bastet, Iusaas, Nebet-Hetepet), the sistrum of two types (sSSt and sxm) was widely used in performing various religious rituals and ceremonies. Since the dominant type in the iconography of the king’s wives and mothers of the New Kingdom is their image playing the sistrum/sistra, the author focuses primarily on the main female representatives of the royal family. The article provides a brief overview of iconography, laudatory epithets of royal women and accompanying inscriptions to the use of sistra. A study of official cultic and ceremonial scenes with royal women shaking sistra, allows the author to define three main objects of veneration: a. gods; b. goddesses; c. king. The author also puts into doubt the interpretation widespread in mode...

Journal of historical philological and cultural studies, Jun 30, 2017

Статья посвящена проблеме интерпретации малоисследованного титула древнеегипетских царственных же... more Статья посвящена проблеме интерпретации малоисследованного титула древнеегипетских царственных женщин «мать бога» (mwt nTr). С точки зрения автора, понимание содержания данного титула в первую очередь зависит от правильной интерпретации компонента «бог» (nṯr), которым в древнеегипетских текстах традиционно обозначалась как особа царя, так и определенное божество. Исторический обзор употребления титула «мать бога» в протоколе царственных женщин (прежде всего, эпохи Нового царства) позволяет сделать вывод, что под обозначением «бог» подразумевался царь, а не собственно «настоящее» божество. В связи с этим автор проводит различие между титулом «мать бога» и титулами, в которых имя конкретного божества указано («мать бога N»). В частности, акцент сделан на титуле «мать бога Хонсу-дитя» (mwt nṯr n Ḫnsw-p3-ẖrd), появившемся при XXI династии у жен и дочерей фиванских верховных жрецов Амона. Особое внимание в статье уделяется вероятной связи титула «мать бога» с представленной в серии храмовых сцен эпохи Нового царства сакральной ролью матери будущего царя, зачатого от Амона-Ра. Анализ изобразительных и эпиграфических источников позволяет сделать вывод о том, что титул «мать бога» являлся отражением теологической роли царской матери, отождествленной с богиней-матерью, и может быть понят в контексте двух фундаментальных мифо-теологических концепций-так называемой «осирической» и «солярной» в ее фиванской редакции. Таким образом, содержание титула «мать бога» понимается автором в контексте идеи божественного материнства правящего царя как земного воплощения божества. Ключевые слова:титул «мать бога», древнеегипетская титулатура, древнеегипетские царицы, религия Древнего Египта Введение Среди многочисленных титулов и эпитетов, обозначавших сакральную роль древнеегипетских царственных женщин, выделяется особая группа титулов, Большаков Владимир Анатольевич-кандидат исторических наук, доцент Российского университета дружбы народов.

Sousa R. (ed.) "Yellow" Coffins from Thebes. Recording and decoding complexity in Egyptian funerary arts (21st – 22nd Dynasties). BAR Publishing, Oxford., 2020

455 «97. Sarcophage de la XXIème dynastie (1000 avant Jésus Christ) très bien conservé-1; 98. Cou... more 455 «97. Sarcophage de la XXIème dynastie (1000 avant Jésus Christ) très bien conservé-1; 98. Couvercle d'un sarcophage de la XXème dynastie-1; 99. Idem-1» (Kollekzii 1897, 7, nos 97-99). As can be seen, the information about these monuments was repeated in the catalogue of Durov's museum. 456 A possibility of such an error seems to us to be quite possible. 457 The present location of the second coffin lid is unknown. 458 As a rule, the coffins of the 21 st Dynasty come from collective burials, similar to the Bab al-Gasus Cache. Much less often "yellow coffins" were found in individual burials. In any case, the provenance of the burial ensemble of Ankhef could be both collective and individual burial. On the other hand, the exact provenance of the Ankhef ensemble remains an open-ended question.

Oriens, 2020

The article is devoted to the controversial dating of the sculptural portrait of the anonymous qu... more The article is devoted to the controversial dating of the sculptural portrait of the anonymous queen, originating from the former collection of V.S. Golenischeff (The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. Inv. No. I, 1a 5355).

Journal of Ancient History (Vestnik Drevnei Istorii), 2020

The present article is an addition to the author’s previous detailed publication of the XXI dynas... more The present article is an addition to the author’s previous detailed publication of the XXI dynasty anthropoid coffin of the Theban priestess Nesytaudjatakhet from the collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan (Kazan). The article contains an updated publication of the decorative program of the coffin’s lid and its inscriptions, until recently hidden under protective paper labels.

Вестник Древней Истории/Journal of Ancient History, 2020

Публикация антропоидного саркофага 21 династии Анхефа.

Bibliotheca Orientalis, 2015

Проблемы истории, филологии, культуры, 2019

The paper deals with the sacral role of the Great King’s Wife in the context of the ideology of t... more The paper deals with the sacral role of the Great King’s Wife in the context of the ideology of the second half of the Eighteength dynasty, particularly during the reigns of Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten). The author believes that the sacral role of the
King’s Wife consists of two interconnected aspects: the cultic and ceremonial aspect and the theological one. The main attention of the study is paid to the revealing of possible ideological premises of the unprecedented rise of principal female representatives of the Royal Family Queens Tiyi and Nefertity. The main evidence of the important position of both Queens is mainly attested not only by new elements of their iconography, but also by their titles and epithets. The overview of available figurative and epigraphic sources related to Tiyi let to conclude the direct connection between the official manner of representation of the Royal couple as a divine couple and new theological tendencies in the Egyptian religion under Amenhotep III. According to the author’s point of view, the “new solar theology” developed during the second part of Amenhotep III’s reign with its specifi c concentration on the idea of the supreme solar deity. It was a starting point of radical sun-worshipping reform of Akhenaten. In this context, the unusually important position and the sacral role of Nefertity is viewed as a consequence of further development of theological thought of the preceding reign. Thus, some symbolic elements of Nefertity’s iconography (especially of the early years of Akhenaten’s reign) allow talking about a continuity to some degree of ideological traditions characteristic for Amenhotep III’s time. In connection with the hypothesis concerning the presumed adaptation by Akhenaten of the ancient Heliopolitan cosmogony the question of Nefertity divine status in the Amarnian theological system is also raised.

Аннотация. Статья посвящена проблеме интерпретации малоисследованного титула древнеегипетских цар... more Аннотация. Статья посвящена проблеме интерпретации малоисследованного титула древнеегипетских царственных женщин «мать бога» (mwt nTr). С точки зрения автора, понимание содержания данного титула в первую очередь зависит от правильной интерпретации компонента «бог» (nṯr), которым в древнеегипетских текстах традиционно обозна-чалась как особа царя, так и определенное божество. Исторический обзор употребления титула «мать бога» в протоколе царственных жен-щин (прежде всего, эпохи Нового царства) позволяет сделать вывод, что под обозначе-нием «бог» подразумевался царь, а не собственно «настоящее» божество. В связи с этим автор проводит различие между титулом «мать бога» и титулами, в которых имя конкрет-ного божества указано («мать бога N»). В частности, акцент сделан на титуле «мать бога Хонсу-дитя» (mwt nṯr n Ḫnsw-p3-ẖrd), появившемся при XXI династии у жен и дочерей фиванских верховных жрецов Амона. Особое внимание в статье уделяется вероятной свя-зи титула «мать бога» с представленной в серии храмовых сцен эпохи Нового царства сакральной ролью матери будущего царя, зачатого от Амона-Ра. Анализ изобразительных и эпиграфических источников позволяет сделать вывод о том, что титул «мать бога» являлся отражением теологической роли царской матери, отождествленной с богиней-матерью, и может быть понят в контексте двух фундаментальных мифо-теологических концепций – так называемой «осирической» и «солярной» в ее фиванской редакции. Таким образом, содержание титула «мать бога» понимается автором в контексте идеи божественного материнства правящего царя как земного воплощения божества.

The article is a study of the XXI dynasty inner coffin from the Egyptian collection of the Nation... more The article is a study of the XXI dynasty inner coffin from the Egyptian collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan (Kazan). The coffin belonging to the Theban priestess of Amun and Mut Nesytaudjatakhet (Nsy-tA-wDAt-Axt) originates from a famous hidden tomb at Bab el-Gasus.

Inscriptions on the Stelae of the General Kasa. Translations and Historical Commentary (In Russi... more Inscriptions on the Stelae of the General Kasa. Translations and Historical Commentary
(In Russian with Summary in English)

Vostok (Oriens), 2024

The article is a publication of an Ancient Egyptian anonymous mummy-cover of the Dynasty 21, kept... more The article is a publication of an Ancient Egyptian anonymous mummy-cover of the Dynasty 21, kept in the collection of the Kramskoy Voronezh Regional Art Museum (Inv. no. 2 ДВ). This item is a part of the burial assemblage of a noble Egyptian woman, originating from the secret tomb of the Theban priests at Bab el-Gasus. Initially, the mummy-cover entered in the museum of the Yuryev (Tartu) Imperial University, where it ended up after the distribution of antiquities from the so-called “Russian lot” – a diplomatic gift from the Khedive Abbas II Hilmi. In fact, the mummy-cover had only twice become the subject of brief scholar publications: in the summary work of B.A. Turaev, dedicated to Egyptian antiquities in the collections of the Russian Empire (1899) and in the catalogue of Egyptian objects from museums of the former USSR, compiled by O.D. Berlev and S.I. Hodjash (1998). Thus, the relevance of the article is determined by the necessity for a new separate publication of the object, which would include along with its description the graphic reproduction and transliteration of inscriptions. The article is hence mainly devoted to the description and typological classification of the mummy-cover decoration and layout. According to O.D. Berlev, the mummy-cover should be considered as belonging to the Theban priestess Nesytaudjatakhet, whose inner and outer coffins were included in the “Russian lot” as well. Nevertheless, taking into account the recently identified archival documentation concerning the “Russian lot,” the attribution of the mummy-cover requires further investigation and additional verification.

Egypt and neighboring countries, 2024

The article discusses the question of the royal couple’ theological role in the context of the re... more The article discusses the question of the royal couple’ theological role in the context of the religion of the Amarna period. The dominant interpretation in Egyptology suggests the existence in the Amarna theology of a new divine triad Aten–Akhenaten–Nefertiti, organized according to the model of the old Heliopolitan triad of the primeval gods Atum–Shu–Tefnut. In accordance with this point of view, Akhenaten and Nefertiti were identified with the children of the solar god (Aten) – the twin gods Shu and Tefnut. The author focuses on examination of the theological role of the royal couple as the manifestation of Shu and Tefnut, and in particular on the hypothetical assimilation of Nefertiti with the goddess Tefnut as a female “counterpart” to the king as Shu. As the study of visual and written sources of the Amarna period shows, the thesis about the equivalence of the roles of the king and queen in the Aten–Akhenaten–Nefertiti constellation does not stand up to criticism. Moreover, it should be concluded that in the Amarna religion, the great royal wife was only a secondary figure and acted only as a necessary theological complement to Akhenaten, personifying not a specific goddess, but the feminine divine principle in general.

Egypte, Afrique et Orient, 2023

page 62 MULTIMEDIA par Jean-Luc Bovot fig. 1 (ci-dessus) L'épouse de Menna tenant, dans l'une de ... more page 62 MULTIMEDIA par Jean-Luc Bovot fig. 1 (ci-dessus) L'épouse de Menna tenant, dans l'une de ses mains, le collier-menat de la déesse Hathor et, dans l'autre, le sistre, également emblématique de cette divinité. Tombe de Menna (TT 69). XVIII e dynastie. © ÉAO. Première de couverture Néfertari et Isis. Tombe de Néfertari dans la Vallée des Reine. XIX e dynastie. © ÉAO. Quatrième de couverture Néfertari et Isis. Tombe de Néfertari dans la Vallée des Reine. XIX e dynastie. © ÉAO.

Vestnik drevnei istorii, 2020

The present article is an addition to the author’s previous detailed publication of the XXI dynas... more The present article is an addition to the author’s previous detailed publication of the XXI dynasty anthropoid coffin of the Theban priestess Nesytaudjatakhet from the collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan (Kazan). The article contains an updated publication of the decorative program of the coffin’s lid and its inscriptions, until recently hidden under protective paper labels.

Vostok (Oriens), 2023

Данная работа представляет собой публикацию статуэток-ушебти, датируемых временем XXI династии (о... more Данная работа представляет собой публикацию статуэток-ушебти, датируемых временем XXI династии (ок. 1070-950 гг. до н.э.), из египетского собрания Национального музея Республики Татарстан (НМРТ). Основной акцент в статье сделан на выявлении и идентификации тех экземпляров ушебти, которые были найдены в тайнике в Баб эль-Газус и поступили в казанский музей после раздела т.н. «русского лота» в 1895 г. На основе анализа изданных архивных документов, музейной документации и предшествующих публикаций памятников египетской коллекции в Казани (описание Б.А. Тураева и каталог О.Д. Берлева и С.И. Ходжаш) автором статьи были выявлены ушебти из состава «русского лота» и в ряде случаев установлено их возможное соответствие владельцам погребальных ансамблей из Баб эль-Газус. В прежних публикациях памятников египетской коллекции НМРТ статуэтки-ушебти никогда не описывались настолько подробно, насколько это необходимо для их полноценного изучения. Все публикуемые автором статьи ушебти XXI династии разделены на три категории по принципу их происхождения: ушебти из гробницы в Баб эль-Газус; ушебти из фиванского некрополя; ушебти, точное происхождение которых не установлено. В результате проделанного сравнительного анализа опубликованных архивных источников, музейной документации и изучения самих предметов в фондах музея удалось идентифицировать 8 из 9 ушебти из Баб эль-Газус, переданных в конце XIX в. в музей древностей при Казанском императорском университете. Статья содержит уточненные сведения о каждой из статуэток-ушебти XXI династии, воспроизведение и перевод иероглифических надписей и новые фотографии всех экземпляров. Главным итогом предпринятого изучения ушебти указанного периода из собрания НМРТ является их расширенная публикация, необходимая как для дальнейшего исследования истории предметов из «российского лота», так и других образцов ушебти XXI династии, хранящихся в российских музеях.

Vostok (Oriens), 2023

The article analyzes the characteristic traits of deification of the New Kingdom queens on the ba... more The article analyzes the characteristic traits of deification of the New Kingdom queens on the basis of their official representation in Egyptian pictorial and textual sources. In order to reveal the nature of the deification of queens and the essence of their theological role in general, the article discusses specific methods and features of the queens’ assimilation with the goddesses, primarily, Hathor, Isis, Maat, Mut or the goddess of the Solar-Eye (Hathor/Tefnut). Here, the term “deification” means a queen was endowed with various features of a goddess, and two aspects of this phenomenon are distinguished: the deification of living and dead queens. The focus of the present study is only the lifetime deification. The author puts the trend to assimilate them with goddesses in a close correlation with the evolution of the royal ideology and the so-called “solarization” of the ruling king’s image, which reached its peak expression under Amenhotep III and Ramses II (the period of Akhenaten’s reign, which deserves a special study, is out of scope). The bulk of the evidence is provided by individual iconography of several queens.
The study of the available selection of sources allows to draw a fundamental conclusion that undoubtedly were various semantic parallels between the queens’ images and the principal goddesses of the pantheon. Nevertheless, the assimilation of queens with the goddesses, with some exceptions, did not reach the level of complete identification with the latter, and these parallels themselves were drawn mainly by the means of iconography rather than phraseology.

Vostok (Oriens), 2022

The paper deals with a controversial question concerning the character of the sacral role of the ... more The paper deals with a controversial question concerning the character of the sacral role of the royal women in the context of the concept of divine queenship. As the queenship is seen in modern Egyptology as an essential constitutive element of the ideology of kingship, the sacral role of the royal women is frequently determined as similar or even parallel to that of the king. In particular, the sacral scenes with the images of the royal women performing the rites in pair with a king or alone are sometimes considered as an illustration to this interpretation. As the author of the present paper suggests, this approach needs a reеvaluation, which should be based on a careful examination of all surviving scenes depicting a cultic activity of the royal women. Among other issues the author touches, as well, the problem of the sacral role played by Nefertiti whose official position differs considerably of that of other royal women. A preliminary study of figurative and epigraphical sources, especially of the offering scenes with representations of the royal women, allowed the author to assume that in the majority of cases they played an auxiliary and secondary role. Indeed, since the Ramesside period the most widespread iconography of a royal woman is her representation shaking the sistrum/sistra – an auxiliary action in the divine cult. Thus, the thesis about the great king’s wife (or the king’s mother)’ role as a counterpart of the king in his cultic functions should be revised, if not rejected.

Sousa R. et al. (eds) Bab El-Gasus in Context. Rediscovering the Tombs of the Priests of Amun, 2020

The present article deals with the symbolism of the sistrum in the cultic and ceremonial practice... more The present article deals with the symbolism of the sistrum in the cultic and ceremonial practice of the New Kingdom period. As a sacred musical instrument, closely associated with Hathor and other goddesses identified with her (Tefnut, Sakhmet, Bastet, Iusaas, Nebet-Hetepet), the sistrum of two types (sSSt and sxm) was widely used in performing various religious rituals and ceremonies. Since the dominant type in the iconography of the king’s wives and mothers of the New Kingdom is their image playing the sistrum/sistra, the author focuses primarily on the main female representatives of the royal family. The article provides a brief overview of iconography, laudatory epithets of royal women and accompanying inscriptions to the use of sistra. A study of official cultic and ceremonial scenes with royal women shaking sistra, allows the author to define three main objects of veneration: a. gods; b. goddesses; c. king. The author also puts into doubt the interpretation widespread in mode...

Journal of historical philological and cultural studies, Jun 30, 2017

Статья посвящена проблеме интерпретации малоисследованного титула древнеегипетских царственных же... more Статья посвящена проблеме интерпретации малоисследованного титула древнеегипетских царственных женщин «мать бога» (mwt nTr). С точки зрения автора, понимание содержания данного титула в первую очередь зависит от правильной интерпретации компонента «бог» (nṯr), которым в древнеегипетских текстах традиционно обозначалась как особа царя, так и определенное божество. Исторический обзор употребления титула «мать бога» в протоколе царственных женщин (прежде всего, эпохи Нового царства) позволяет сделать вывод, что под обозначением «бог» подразумевался царь, а не собственно «настоящее» божество. В связи с этим автор проводит различие между титулом «мать бога» и титулами, в которых имя конкретного божества указано («мать бога N»). В частности, акцент сделан на титуле «мать бога Хонсу-дитя» (mwt nṯr n Ḫnsw-p3-ẖrd), появившемся при XXI династии у жен и дочерей фиванских верховных жрецов Амона. Особое внимание в статье уделяется вероятной связи титула «мать бога» с представленной в серии храмовых сцен эпохи Нового царства сакральной ролью матери будущего царя, зачатого от Амона-Ра. Анализ изобразительных и эпиграфических источников позволяет сделать вывод о том, что титул «мать бога» являлся отражением теологической роли царской матери, отождествленной с богиней-матерью, и может быть понят в контексте двух фундаментальных мифо-теологических концепций-так называемой «осирической» и «солярной» в ее фиванской редакции. Таким образом, содержание титула «мать бога» понимается автором в контексте идеи божественного материнства правящего царя как земного воплощения божества. Ключевые слова:титул «мать бога», древнеегипетская титулатура, древнеегипетские царицы, религия Древнего Египта Введение Среди многочисленных титулов и эпитетов, обозначавших сакральную роль древнеегипетских царственных женщин, выделяется особая группа титулов, Большаков Владимир Анатольевич-кандидат исторических наук, доцент Российского университета дружбы народов.

Sousa R. (ed.) "Yellow" Coffins from Thebes. Recording and decoding complexity in Egyptian funerary arts (21st – 22nd Dynasties). BAR Publishing, Oxford., 2020

455 «97. Sarcophage de la XXIème dynastie (1000 avant Jésus Christ) très bien conservé-1; 98. Cou... more 455 «97. Sarcophage de la XXIème dynastie (1000 avant Jésus Christ) très bien conservé-1; 98. Couvercle d'un sarcophage de la XXème dynastie-1; 99. Idem-1» (Kollekzii 1897, 7, nos 97-99). As can be seen, the information about these monuments was repeated in the catalogue of Durov's museum. 456 A possibility of such an error seems to us to be quite possible. 457 The present location of the second coffin lid is unknown. 458 As a rule, the coffins of the 21 st Dynasty come from collective burials, similar to the Bab al-Gasus Cache. Much less often "yellow coffins" were found in individual burials. In any case, the provenance of the burial ensemble of Ankhef could be both collective and individual burial. On the other hand, the exact provenance of the Ankhef ensemble remains an open-ended question.

Oriens, 2020

The article is devoted to the controversial dating of the sculptural portrait of the anonymous qu... more The article is devoted to the controversial dating of the sculptural portrait of the anonymous queen, originating from the former collection of V.S. Golenischeff (The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. Inv. No. I, 1a 5355).

Journal of Ancient History (Vestnik Drevnei Istorii), 2020

The present article is an addition to the author’s previous detailed publication of the XXI dynas... more The present article is an addition to the author’s previous detailed publication of the XXI dynasty anthropoid coffin of the Theban priestess Nesytaudjatakhet from the collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan (Kazan). The article contains an updated publication of the decorative program of the coffin’s lid and its inscriptions, until recently hidden under protective paper labels.

Вестник Древней Истории/Journal of Ancient History, 2020

Публикация антропоидного саркофага 21 династии Анхефа.

Bibliotheca Orientalis, 2015

Проблемы истории, филологии, культуры, 2019

The paper deals with the sacral role of the Great King’s Wife in the context of the ideology of t... more The paper deals with the sacral role of the Great King’s Wife in the context of the ideology of the second half of the Eighteength dynasty, particularly during the reigns of Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten). The author believes that the sacral role of the
King’s Wife consists of two interconnected aspects: the cultic and ceremonial aspect and the theological one. The main attention of the study is paid to the revealing of possible ideological premises of the unprecedented rise of principal female representatives of the Royal Family Queens Tiyi and Nefertity. The main evidence of the important position of both Queens is mainly attested not only by new elements of their iconography, but also by their titles and epithets. The overview of available figurative and epigraphic sources related to Tiyi let to conclude the direct connection between the official manner of representation of the Royal couple as a divine couple and new theological tendencies in the Egyptian religion under Amenhotep III. According to the author’s point of view, the “new solar theology” developed during the second part of Amenhotep III’s reign with its specifi c concentration on the idea of the supreme solar deity. It was a starting point of radical sun-worshipping reform of Akhenaten. In this context, the unusually important position and the sacral role of Nefertity is viewed as a consequence of further development of theological thought of the preceding reign. Thus, some symbolic elements of Nefertity’s iconography (especially of the early years of Akhenaten’s reign) allow talking about a continuity to some degree of ideological traditions characteristic for Amenhotep III’s time. In connection with the hypothesis concerning the presumed adaptation by Akhenaten of the ancient Heliopolitan cosmogony the question of Nefertity divine status in the Amarnian theological system is also raised.

Аннотация. Статья посвящена проблеме интерпретации малоисследованного титула древнеегипетских цар... more Аннотация. Статья посвящена проблеме интерпретации малоисследованного титула древнеегипетских царственных женщин «мать бога» (mwt nTr). С точки зрения автора, понимание содержания данного титула в первую очередь зависит от правильной интерпретации компонента «бог» (nṯr), которым в древнеегипетских текстах традиционно обозна-чалась как особа царя, так и определенное божество. Исторический обзор употребления титула «мать бога» в протоколе царственных жен-щин (прежде всего, эпохи Нового царства) позволяет сделать вывод, что под обозначе-нием «бог» подразумевался царь, а не собственно «настоящее» божество. В связи с этим автор проводит различие между титулом «мать бога» и титулами, в которых имя конкрет-ного божества указано («мать бога N»). В частности, акцент сделан на титуле «мать бога Хонсу-дитя» (mwt nṯr n Ḫnsw-p3-ẖrd), появившемся при XXI династии у жен и дочерей фиванских верховных жрецов Амона. Особое внимание в статье уделяется вероятной свя-зи титула «мать бога» с представленной в серии храмовых сцен эпохи Нового царства сакральной ролью матери будущего царя, зачатого от Амона-Ра. Анализ изобразительных и эпиграфических источников позволяет сделать вывод о том, что титул «мать бога» являлся отражением теологической роли царской матери, отождествленной с богиней-матерью, и может быть понят в контексте двух фундаментальных мифо-теологических концепций – так называемой «осирической» и «солярной» в ее фиванской редакции. Таким образом, содержание титула «мать бога» понимается автором в контексте идеи божественного материнства правящего царя как земного воплощения божества.

The article is a study of the XXI dynasty inner coffin from the Egyptian collection of the Nation... more The article is a study of the XXI dynasty inner coffin from the Egyptian collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan (Kazan). The coffin belonging to the Theban priestess of Amun and Mut Nesytaudjatakhet (Nsy-tA-wDAt-Axt) originates from a famous hidden tomb at Bab el-Gasus.

Inscriptions on the Stelae of the General Kasa. Translations and Historical Commentary (In Russi... more Inscriptions on the Stelae of the General Kasa. Translations and Historical Commentary
(In Russian with Summary in English)

Aksenova A.А. Formation of the Egyptian collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan: a contribution to the development of Russian Egyptology. RUDN Journal of World History. 2021; 13(2):211–229., 2021

A critical review of the article by A.A. Aksenova about the formation of the Egyptian collection ... more A critical review of the article by A.A. Aksenova about the formation of the Egyptian collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan.