Past as Prologue — Connecting the Old Kingdom to the New: Meanings in Architecture (original) (raw)
The Amduat and its Relationship to the Architecture of Early New Kingdom Royal Burial Chambers
Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, 2008
The Amduat, a new genre of funerary literature chosen by the Thutmoside kings to decorate their tombs, describes the journey through the twelve hours of the night by the sun god Ra, arising reborn at sunrise. Few studies have examined the ways in which the texts and pictures of this composition work together with the architecture of the tombs to create a synthetic whole. Following Roehrig’s suggestion that the layout of the tomb of Thutmose III (KV 34) reflects concepts from the Amduat itself, this paper delves more deeply into the decorative and architectural relationships of the burial chamber of KV 34 and also examines the other two pre-Amarna tombs with complete versions of the Amduat (KV 35 and KV 22) to see the ways in which succeeding kings utilized this Netherworld text. The investigation revealed that KV 34 represents a true synthesis of decoration and architecture, transforming the burial chamber into a working microcosm of the Netherworld and emphasizing the identification of the king with the unified Ra-Osiris in order to ensure his potential for rebirth. In addition, it was discovered that the Litany of Ra’s textual and pictorial decoration works together with the most critical section of the Amduat to reinforce this important identification. Succeeding kings elaborated and expanded the architecture and decoration of their tombs in order to describe ever more fully the afterlife in both its solar and Osirian aspects, striving to guarantee their protection, regeneration, and ascent to the sky for eternity.
From pitgraves to mortuary temples complexes
Trace the evolution of funerary architecture from the Predynastic pit-grave, through the development of the mastaba tomb, up to (and including) the development of Djoser's Step Pyramid. I hereby declare that the materials contained in this essay are entirely the product of my own work, that sources used are fully documented and that the whole has not previously been submitted for any other purpose.
THE EVOLUTION OF FUNERARY ARCHITECTURE FROM THE PREDYNASTIC PIT-GRAVE TO THE STEP PYRAMID
2023
This essay explores the evolution of funerary architecture in ancient Egypt, from the early Predynastic pit-graves to the development of the mastaba tomb and culminating in the construction of Djoser’s Step Pyramid, the world’s first monumental stone structure. It highlights how these architectural advances reflect the sociopolitical, religious, and technological developments of the time. Predynastic pit-graves signify the early stages of organized burial practices, emphasizing simplicity and cultural beginnings. The Early Dynastic Period introduced mastabas, which were more elaborate structures symbolizing the transition between earthly existence and the afterlife, marked by intricate carvings and rituals. The essay culminates with the transformative innovations of the Third Dynasty, focusing on Imhotep’s design of Djoser’s Step Pyramid, which introduced multi-tiered architecture to symbolize the pharaoh’s divine ascent. By analyzing these shifts, the study underscores the pivotal role of funerary architecture in ancient Egyptian culture and its enduring legacy in the study of history and archaeology.
PAPERS ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE LEIDEN MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES , 2022
Acting with images and images that act Egyptian non-royal tombs were created, used, and visited by diverse audiences on different occasions, during the construction and the burial, for reasons of funerary cult, and at events in the necropolis such as religious festivals and processions. 1 The patron, the artists, architects, and craftsmen, members of the tomb owner's family, his peers and subordinates, priests, relatives, or even passers-by and participants in feasts were able to enter the tomb chapels and see the decoration. As such, the iconographic programme of the tombs reflects the values and concerns of members of the elite, and we can assume that there was a desire to individualise the images. After all, tombs were meant to establish a funerary cult related to the identity of their elite owners, 2 who most probably wished to be distinguished from their peers by the uniqueness of their monument. 3 It seems obvious that for the owners, the construction and decoration of a tomb was an important event during their lifetime, since the cult chapels in particular were prestigious locations where knowledge about social rank was imparted and commemorated. It was also most probably in the interest of the tomb owner to attract visitors and family members to the tomb with the decoration of the chapel, and thereby ensure an ongoing offering cult. It was only through continued visits by the living that the monument's cult could be maintained, and so in this context the inventiveness of artists responsible for decorating the chapel was of importance. 4 Tomb owners likely wished to "make good dwelling in the graveyard, make worthy the station in the West", as expressed in an Egyptian literary text known today as the Instruction of Hordjedef, 5 among others. Thus there was the desire to build a monument, which satisfied all the cultic needs for the afterlife, served as self-representation of the tomb owner, and performed memorial functions for the deceased. The iconographic programme of the tomb 1
Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur (SAK), 2022
The current paper discusses the nature of the adaptation of historic architectural models from the Egyptian Middle Kingdom, demonstrating how they communicated religious, ideological, and structural concepts that were adapted within the design and function of Ahmose’s funerary architecture at the beginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty. In the context of the royal mortuary complex, the Ahmose complex is fundamental to understanding the shift from the royal pyramid to the unmarked subterranean tomb. Therefore, we will also examine how fundamental features of that site form a direct precedent for activities later undertaken by his Thutmoside successors at the Valley of the Kings.