Kefie Blair | Macquarie University (original) (raw)
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Standards of behaviour, principals determining right from wrong and what this entails can be obse... more Standards of behaviour, principals determining right from wrong and what this entails can be observed in many ancient Egyptian literary texts. From stealing, lying, cursing, bribery, and betrayal, this essay will attempt to observe and outline the traditional values which dominated ancient Egyptian society.
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The depiction of animals and their significance in Egyptian tomb art from the Old Kingdom is well... more The depiction of animals and their significance in Egyptian tomb art from the Old Kingdom is well documented; however, animals presented in literary texts such as tomb biographies or in this particular case, threat-formulae, is less so. Hippopotamus, snakes, scorpions, lions, crocodiles, and birds are just some of the animals that have been documented in Old Kingdom threat-formulae during this study; their importance, however, has been largely overlooked in favour of understanding the historical significance of tomb biographies. Threat-Formulae in Old Kingdom tombs are modes of thinking that follow a certain template or outline with little variation between examples
and appear in multiple tombs. They are used in mastabas and tombs with the intention of warding off evil and may be understood to be representative of the magical inclinations of the deceased.
Though threats and curses are apparent in all periods of Egyptian history, Old Kingdom tomb threats appear to have begun during the mid to late Fourth Dynasty (approximately 2600 BCE) and then exploded with popularity, becoming a common inclusion in tombs by the Sixth Dynasty
and dying out with the decline of the Old Kingdom and rise of the First Intermediate Period (approximately 2180 BCE). Despite their extensive usage, not every tomb features a threat formula and fewer still include animal motifs; thus, understanding their significance is important and documenting their prevalence, distribution and differences is key to understanding this curious aspect of Old Kingdom culture.
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Standards of behaviour, principals determining right from wrong and what this entails can be obse... more Standards of behaviour, principals determining right from wrong and what this entails can be observed in many ancient Egyptian literary texts. From stealing, lying, cursing, bribery, and betrayal, this essay will attempt to observe and outline the traditional values which dominated ancient Egyptian society.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The depiction of animals and their significance in Egyptian tomb art from the Old Kingdom is well... more The depiction of animals and their significance in Egyptian tomb art from the Old Kingdom is well documented; however, animals presented in literary texts such as tomb biographies or in this particular case, threat-formulae, is less so. Hippopotamus, snakes, scorpions, lions, crocodiles, and birds are just some of the animals that have been documented in Old Kingdom threat-formulae during this study; their importance, however, has been largely overlooked in favour of understanding the historical significance of tomb biographies. Threat-Formulae in Old Kingdom tombs are modes of thinking that follow a certain template or outline with little variation between examples
and appear in multiple tombs. They are used in mastabas and tombs with the intention of warding off evil and may be understood to be representative of the magical inclinations of the deceased.
Though threats and curses are apparent in all periods of Egyptian history, Old Kingdom tomb threats appear to have begun during the mid to late Fourth Dynasty (approximately 2600 BCE) and then exploded with popularity, becoming a common inclusion in tombs by the Sixth Dynasty
and dying out with the decline of the Old Kingdom and rise of the First Intermediate Period (approximately 2180 BCE). Despite their extensive usage, not every tomb features a threat formula and fewer still include animal motifs; thus, understanding their significance is important and documenting their prevalence, distribution and differences is key to understanding this curious aspect of Old Kingdom culture.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact