In ancient Egypt, food crises were most often occasioned by bad harvests following low or destruc... more In ancient Egypt, food crises were most often occasioned by bad harvests following low or destructive inundations. Food crises developed into famines when administrative officials—state or local—were unable to organize storage and redistribution systems. Food deprivation, aggravated by hunger-related diseases, led to increased mortality, migrations, and social collapse. In texts and representations, the famine motif is used as an expression of chaos, emphasizing the political and theological role of the king (or nomarch or god) as “dispenser of food.
The aim of this article is to gather and analyze the available data concerning the buildings of t... more The aim of this article is to gather and analyze the available data concerning the buildings of the Saite divine adoratrices in the area now partly covered by the modern village of Naga Malgata, to the north-west of the temples of Karnak. The starting point is a thorough survey of the various sources and records concerning this sector from the beginning of the XIXth century till today. Among the documents collected, the report and photographs of Maurice Pillet in the 1920s are the most informative as they give many details about a large building inscribed in the name of the divine adoratrice Ankhnesneferibre and a smaller building, with well-preserved reliefs, showing the induction of the divine adoratrice Nitocris. Using additional photographs, including aerial views, plans from various periods, and results of recent fieldwork on the site, the archaeological data provided by M. Pillet’s survey have been completed and these two Saite building, as well as several additional constructions around them, have been accurately located. In addition, several related inscriptions allow the identification of Ankhnesneferibre’s building as the palace of the divine adoratrice, which was built according to a model already attested under Nitocris, as stated in an inscription of her majordom Ibi. More generally, the area of Naga Malgata is to be identified as the quarter of the divine adoratrices, which was also probably the living place of the members of her administration and her court of female followers, “the harem of Amun”.
Most of the hundreds of stone statues yielded by the Karnak Cachette are private or royal effigie... more Most of the hundreds of stone statues yielded by the Karnak Cachette are private or royal effigies. However, stone divine statues were also found in the same deposit, but have received little attention so far. Compared to other gods such as Amun, Mut, Khonsu or Ptah, Osiris is by far the best represented in the Cachette. This paper aims to analyze the corpus of these Osirian effigies by considering them specifically in terms of their original function in the cults of Karnak. Using the texts of the inscribed statues, it is possible to determine the personality of their dedicants, and which particular forms of the god were honoured through them (e.g. Osiris pa-Hapy). In some rare cases, the inscriptions shed light on the rituals associated with the dedication of the statue. Evidence suggests a probable connection between some of these statues and the XXVth-XXVIth Dynasty chapels of Osiris in the northern area of Karnak.
An hitherto unpublished statue of Padiamenope (« Petamenophis »), the owner of TT 33 in the Asasi... more An hitherto unpublished statue of Padiamenope (« Petamenophis »), the owner of TT 33 in the Asasif, can be reconstructed from three fragments (Cairo RT 27/1/21/1 + Sydney University Museums NMR 11 + frag. coll. Porret). This is a very large striding statue (around 1,90 m high according to our reconstruction), whose inscriptions and general appearance are similar to those of a statue of Montuemhet from the Karnak Cachette (Cairo CG 42236). When comparing both monuments, one is led to suggest that they were created at the same time and that the floruit of Padiamenope’s career is to be situated at the end of the XXVth dynasty or at the beginning of the XXVIth dynasty. The autobiographical text carved on the two statues, which is also found in the tomb of Montuemhet (TT 34) and Ibi (TT 36), shows the features of a probably original creation, which was soon considered as a classic at Thebes at the end of the XXVth or the beginning of the XXVIth dynasty.
Between 1903 and 1907, G. Legrain discovered around 800 stone statues, stelae and other objects i... more Between 1903 and 1907, G. Legrain discovered around 800 stone statues, stelae and other objects in a large pit (the so-called “Cachette”) inside the temple of Amun at Karnak, in which they were piously buried by the Egyptian priests, probably during the 1st century B.C. They include a number of royal effigies of all periods but most of the statues primarily belong to the priests who officiated at Karnak from the New Kingdom to the end of the Ptolemaic Period. The Karnak Cachette Database is an on-line inventory of the Cachette and a tool to search this rich corpus. The first version was launched in 2009; it provides, insofar as possible, a general description of each object (with dimensions, materials, dating), a label, the date of discovery, different inventory numbers, and a bibliography. Version 2 was put online in 2012: it includes an extensive access to the photographic documentation (more than 8,000 photographs are now available); this database has been regularly updated there...
Tomb 1 at Bir el-Shaghala (Dakhla Oasis) is a mausoleum-like structure belonging to
Ta-Ḏḥwty sȝt ... more Tomb 1 at Bir el-Shaghala (Dakhla Oasis) is a mausoleum-like structure belonging to Ta-Ḏḥwty sȝt Ḥr-tȝ (Tathoutis daughter of Herta). The ground floor has an open-air court and an antechamber and two burial chambers with painted wall decoration. The upper floor has a chapel and a pyramid, which is the largest from a private tomb. The upper part witnessed two phases of use: two vaults were added inside the pyramid and two banqueting rooms to its north. The tomb’s layout is modeled on late dynastic pyramidal tombs, but the vaulted rooms isolate it as a distinctive type. The antechamber decoration shows many anomalies: the ba of Re, Tutu, and Horus Great of Strength all have human bodies. An apotheosis scene is unique in a tomb from Roman Egypt, as is the ceiling frieze of ba-birds and an Abydene fetish. The paintings in the rooms show stylistic affinities to the “Kharga Coffin Group” and attest to common motifs used in tombs and funerary objects in the oases. The tomb is datable to late 1st century CE on the basis of its architecture and paintings.
L. Medini, G. Tallet (éd.), Qu’est-ce qu’un mythe égyptien ? – 10e Table ronde de l’Atelier Aigyptos, Revue de l'Histoire des Religions 235, 2018
Mythologie et géographie sont indissociablement liées en Égypte ancienne, par le seul fait que le... more Mythologie et géographie sont indissociablement liées en Égypte ancienne, par le seul fait que les mythes sont souvent des récits étiologiques sur ses composantes territoriales. Cette contribution aborde le cas particulier de Nédit, qui désigne dans les sources égyptiennes le lieu où Osiris a été tué par Seth et dont la localisation a été l'objet de vifs débats. Des données concordantes permettraient de le situer dans le Delta oriental, non loin de Bousiris, d'autres autorisent à établir une équivalence avec Abydos. L'acclimatation à des fins rituelles du toponyme ne suffit pas à rendre compte d'une délocalisation qui impliquait une adaptation du mythe lui-même. L'analyse des récits mythologiques des papyrus Jumilhac et Salt 825 permet de mieux comprendre l'usage qui est fait du toponyme.
The wandering of Nedit, between Busiris and Abydos: Egyptian mythology and geographical dualism Mythology and geography are inextricably linked in ancient Egypt, by the mere fact that its myths are often aetiological narratives about its territorial components. This contribution focuses on Nedit, a toponym which, in ancient Egyptian sources, designates the place where Osiris was killed by Seth. Its location has been the subject of much debate. Consistent evidence would make it possible to locate it in the Eastern Delta, not far from Busiris, but an equivalence with Abydos is another possibility. The transfer of the toponym for ritual purposes is not a suitable explanation to account for a delocalization that would imply an adaptation of the myth itself. The analysis of the mythological accounts from papyri Jumilhac and Salt 825 allows a better understanding of the use of the toponym.
In ancient Egypt, food crises were most often occasioned by bad harvests following low or destruc... more In ancient Egypt, food crises were most often occasioned by bad harvests following low or destructive inundations. Food crises developed into famines when administrative officials—state or local—were unable to organize storage and redistribution systems. Food deprivation, aggravated by hunger-related diseases, led to increased mortality, migrations, and social collapse. In texts and representations, the famine motif is used as an expression of chaos, emphasizing the political and theological role of the king (or nomarch or god) as “dispenser of food.
The aim of this article is to gather and analyze the available data concerning the buildings of t... more The aim of this article is to gather and analyze the available data concerning the buildings of the Saite divine adoratrices in the area now partly covered by the modern village of Naga Malgata, to the north-west of the temples of Karnak. The starting point is a thorough survey of the various sources and records concerning this sector from the beginning of the XIXth century till today. Among the documents collected, the report and photographs of Maurice Pillet in the 1920s are the most informative as they give many details about a large building inscribed in the name of the divine adoratrice Ankhnesneferibre and a smaller building, with well-preserved reliefs, showing the induction of the divine adoratrice Nitocris. Using additional photographs, including aerial views, plans from various periods, and results of recent fieldwork on the site, the archaeological data provided by M. Pillet’s survey have been completed and these two Saite building, as well as several additional constructions around them, have been accurately located. In addition, several related inscriptions allow the identification of Ankhnesneferibre’s building as the palace of the divine adoratrice, which was built according to a model already attested under Nitocris, as stated in an inscription of her majordom Ibi. More generally, the area of Naga Malgata is to be identified as the quarter of the divine adoratrices, which was also probably the living place of the members of her administration and her court of female followers, “the harem of Amun”.
Most of the hundreds of stone statues yielded by the Karnak Cachette are private or royal effigie... more Most of the hundreds of stone statues yielded by the Karnak Cachette are private or royal effigies. However, stone divine statues were also found in the same deposit, but have received little attention so far. Compared to other gods such as Amun, Mut, Khonsu or Ptah, Osiris is by far the best represented in the Cachette. This paper aims to analyze the corpus of these Osirian effigies by considering them specifically in terms of their original function in the cults of Karnak. Using the texts of the inscribed statues, it is possible to determine the personality of their dedicants, and which particular forms of the god were honoured through them (e.g. Osiris pa-Hapy). In some rare cases, the inscriptions shed light on the rituals associated with the dedication of the statue. Evidence suggests a probable connection between some of these statues and the XXVth-XXVIth Dynasty chapels of Osiris in the northern area of Karnak.
An hitherto unpublished statue of Padiamenope (« Petamenophis »), the owner of TT 33 in the Asasi... more An hitherto unpublished statue of Padiamenope (« Petamenophis »), the owner of TT 33 in the Asasif, can be reconstructed from three fragments (Cairo RT 27/1/21/1 + Sydney University Museums NMR 11 + frag. coll. Porret). This is a very large striding statue (around 1,90 m high according to our reconstruction), whose inscriptions and general appearance are similar to those of a statue of Montuemhet from the Karnak Cachette (Cairo CG 42236). When comparing both monuments, one is led to suggest that they were created at the same time and that the floruit of Padiamenope’s career is to be situated at the end of the XXVth dynasty or at the beginning of the XXVIth dynasty. The autobiographical text carved on the two statues, which is also found in the tomb of Montuemhet (TT 34) and Ibi (TT 36), shows the features of a probably original creation, which was soon considered as a classic at Thebes at the end of the XXVth or the beginning of the XXVIth dynasty.
Between 1903 and 1907, G. Legrain discovered around 800 stone statues, stelae and other objects i... more Between 1903 and 1907, G. Legrain discovered around 800 stone statues, stelae and other objects in a large pit (the so-called “Cachette”) inside the temple of Amun at Karnak, in which they were piously buried by the Egyptian priests, probably during the 1st century B.C. They include a number of royal effigies of all periods but most of the statues primarily belong to the priests who officiated at Karnak from the New Kingdom to the end of the Ptolemaic Period. The Karnak Cachette Database is an on-line inventory of the Cachette and a tool to search this rich corpus. The first version was launched in 2009; it provides, insofar as possible, a general description of each object (with dimensions, materials, dating), a label, the date of discovery, different inventory numbers, and a bibliography. Version 2 was put online in 2012: it includes an extensive access to the photographic documentation (more than 8,000 photographs are now available); this database has been regularly updated there...
Tomb 1 at Bir el-Shaghala (Dakhla Oasis) is a mausoleum-like structure belonging to
Ta-Ḏḥwty sȝt ... more Tomb 1 at Bir el-Shaghala (Dakhla Oasis) is a mausoleum-like structure belonging to Ta-Ḏḥwty sȝt Ḥr-tȝ (Tathoutis daughter of Herta). The ground floor has an open-air court and an antechamber and two burial chambers with painted wall decoration. The upper floor has a chapel and a pyramid, which is the largest from a private tomb. The upper part witnessed two phases of use: two vaults were added inside the pyramid and two banqueting rooms to its north. The tomb’s layout is modeled on late dynastic pyramidal tombs, but the vaulted rooms isolate it as a distinctive type. The antechamber decoration shows many anomalies: the ba of Re, Tutu, and Horus Great of Strength all have human bodies. An apotheosis scene is unique in a tomb from Roman Egypt, as is the ceiling frieze of ba-birds and an Abydene fetish. The paintings in the rooms show stylistic affinities to the “Kharga Coffin Group” and attest to common motifs used in tombs and funerary objects in the oases. The tomb is datable to late 1st century CE on the basis of its architecture and paintings.
L. Medini, G. Tallet (éd.), Qu’est-ce qu’un mythe égyptien ? – 10e Table ronde de l’Atelier Aigyptos, Revue de l'Histoire des Religions 235, 2018
Mythologie et géographie sont indissociablement liées en Égypte ancienne, par le seul fait que le... more Mythologie et géographie sont indissociablement liées en Égypte ancienne, par le seul fait que les mythes sont souvent des récits étiologiques sur ses composantes territoriales. Cette contribution aborde le cas particulier de Nédit, qui désigne dans les sources égyptiennes le lieu où Osiris a été tué par Seth et dont la localisation a été l'objet de vifs débats. Des données concordantes permettraient de le situer dans le Delta oriental, non loin de Bousiris, d'autres autorisent à établir une équivalence avec Abydos. L'acclimatation à des fins rituelles du toponyme ne suffit pas à rendre compte d'une délocalisation qui impliquait une adaptation du mythe lui-même. L'analyse des récits mythologiques des papyrus Jumilhac et Salt 825 permet de mieux comprendre l'usage qui est fait du toponyme.
The wandering of Nedit, between Busiris and Abydos: Egyptian mythology and geographical dualism Mythology and geography are inextricably linked in ancient Egypt, by the mere fact that its myths are often aetiological narratives about its territorial components. This contribution focuses on Nedit, a toponym which, in ancient Egyptian sources, designates the place where Osiris was killed by Seth. Its location has been the subject of much debate. Consistent evidence would make it possible to locate it in the Eastern Delta, not far from Busiris, but an equivalence with Abydos is another possibility. The transfer of the toponym for ritual purposes is not a suitable explanation to account for a delocalization that would imply an adaptation of the myth itself. The analysis of the mythological accounts from papyri Jumilhac and Salt 825 allows a better understanding of the use of the toponym.
The Karnak Cachette, excavated by Georges Legrain between 1903 and 1907, is one of the most fasc... more The Karnak Cachette, excavated by Georges Legrain between 1903 and 1907, is one of the most fascinating discoveries of Egyptian archaeology. The first reason lies in the very high number of objects found in it (statues, stelae, furniture of various kinds), some of them still unpublished, all of which are documents of major importance for the religious life of Karnak, but also more generally for the history and art of Pharaonic Egypt between the Middle Kingdom and the Ptolemaic period. The second reason is that the raison d'être of this cache and the historical circumstances surrounding its creation remain mysterious. Even if some comparisons can be made with other caches found in Egypt and the Sudan, its magnitude and wealth are exceptional. Building on a research program launched by the IFAO and the Egyptian Ministry of State for Antiquities to improve our knowledge of the Karnak Cachette and its content, this book comprises twenty-four contributions by international scholars studying objects found in this deposit, analyzing the Cachette itself, or investigating other Egyptian caches from an ideological or archaeological point of view.
This volume brings together papers of researchers from different countries, who are specialists o... more This volume brings together papers of researchers from different countries, who are specialists of literature, linguistics, archaeology and history of ancient Greece or Egypt. The association between Hellenists and Egyptologists offers new insights about the Herodotean treatment of Egypt, by highlighting both the influence of various Egyptian sources (monuments, inscriptions, literature, folklore) on the content of the Histories’ second book and the adaptation by Herodotus of the information collected in relationship to his personal writing project. The topics of the papers are the following: the particular style of Herodotus in the ethnographical part of the Histories, the importance of taking into account demotic sources for a better understanding of Herodotean narratives, the significance of Egyptian religious sources for the interpretation of chapters about divination, the influence of Egyptian Pharaonic annals on the material of the kings’ chronicle and its phraseology, of the Egyptian mythology on the description of the Phoenix, of the Egyptian religion on the treatment of the god Osiris. My own paper deals with the internal structure of the Histories’ second book (see papers' section).
Au nord-est du grand temple de Karnak, un cimetiere de figurines du dieu Osiris, recemment degage... more Au nord-est du grand temple de Karnak, un cimetiere de figurines du dieu Osiris, recemment degage, temoigne de l'importance des ceremonies du mois de Khoiok, a l'epoque ptolemaique. Les fouilles du Centre franco-egyptien des temples de Karnak ont permis de decouvrir ce que les textes n'expliquaient pas : le lieux magnifiquement decores ou l'on enterrait l'effigie du dieu qui avait ete soigneusement confectionnee l'annee precedente.
Entre 1903 et 1907, l’archeologue francais Georges Legrain decouvrit plusieurs centaines de statu... more Entre 1903 et 1907, l’archeologue francais Georges Legrain decouvrit plusieurs centaines de statues, steles et autres objets, ainsi que des milliers d’Osiris en bronze, enfouis dans une vaste fosse au sein du temple d’Amon de Karnak (d’ou le nom de « Cachette de Karnak »). Cet ensemble constitue une extraordinaire source d’information sur le clerge egyptien et l’evolution des cultes locaux. Constatant qu’un siecle apres la decouverte il n’en existait pas de description raisonnee, nous avons entrepris la creation d’un inventaire en ligne et d’une interface qui permette de consulter ce riche corpus. La premiere version de la base de donnees fut ainsi mise en œuvre en 2006 et publiee en ligne en 2009. Elle comprenait une description museographique de chaque objet et une bibliographie. La version 2, mise en ligne en 2012, a permis l’acces libre a l’ensemble de la documentation photographique (plus de 8000 photos). Les travaux en cours visent a encoder et a publier en ligne les inscripti...
Entre 1903 et 1907, l’archeologue francais Georges Legrain decouvrit plusieurs centaines de statu... more Entre 1903 et 1907, l’archeologue francais Georges Legrain decouvrit plusieurs centaines de statues, steles et autres objets, ainsi que des milliers d’Osiris en bronze, enfouis dans une vaste fosse au sein du temple d’Amon de Karnak (d’ou le nom de « Cachette de Karnak »). Cet ensemble constitue une extraordinaire source d’information sur le clerge egyptien et l’evolution des cultes locaux. Constatant qu’un siecle apres la decouverte il n’en existait pas de description raisonnee, nous avons entrepris la creation d’un inventaire en ligne et d’une interface qui permette de consulter ce riche corpus. La premiere version de la base de donnees fut ainsi mise en œuvre en 2006 et publiee en ligne en 2009. Elle comprenait une description museographique de chaque objet et une bibliographie. La version 2, mise en ligne en 2012, a permis l’acces libre a l’ensemble de la documentation photographique (plus de 8000 photos). Les travaux en cours visent a encoder et a publier en ligne les inscripti...
Bulletin De L Institut Francais D Archeologie Orientale Du Caire, 2004
Etude mettant en valeur les resultats des trois campagnes de fouilles menees sur le site de la ch... more Etude mettant en valeur les resultats des trois campagnes de fouilles menees sur le site de la chapelle dediee a Osiris, maitre des aliments. Notre contribution consacre une analyse architecturale preliminaire d'un vaste bâtiment en briques crues eleve a l'arriere de la chapelle. Un examen comparatif denote des similitudes avec des structures cellulaires bien connues a la Basse Epoque qui pourraient avoir fait office de magasins.
Bulletin De L Institut Francais D Archeologie Orientale Du Caire, 2011
Lors des fouilles menées en 2008-2009 dans la zone nord du temple d'Amon de Karnak a été ... more Lors des fouilles menées en 2008-2009 dans la zone nord du temple d'Amon de Karnak a été mise au jour une construction en briques crues d'époque ptolémaïque, adossée à la façade de la chapelle d’Osiris Ounnefer Neb Djefaou (VIe S. av. J.-C.), qui comportait des structures de combustion auprès desquelles ont été découverts des scories de forge, des monnaies d’imitation en bronze et un chapelet de flans. L'ensemble de ces éléments permet d'interpréter la structure comme un atelier monétaire du IIe s. av. J.-C. destiné à la fabrication de monnaies d'imitation et abritant peut-être d'autres activités artisanales annexes. Le caractère modeste de l'installation et le fait qu'y ont été trouvées également plusieurs monnaies « officielles » n'ayant plus cours au IIe s. av. J.-C. suggèrent que la production métallurgique de l'atelier était issue de la refonte d'objets d'alliage cuivreux. Cette découverte est, par bien des aspects, tout à fait exceptionnelle, car, même à l'échelle du bassin méditerranéen, les vestiges des lieux de production monétaire sont rares. L'analyse comparative des structures attestées pour la Grèce antique ainsi que les données issues de l'archéologie expérimentale permettent d'affiner notre compréhension de la chaîne opératoire à l'œuvre dans ce genre d'atelier. En outre, cette trouvaille permet de localiser précisément au moins une partie des monnaies d’imitations émises pendant la deuxième moitié du IIe s. av. J.-C. en Égypte et de démontrer l'existence, à l'intérieur d'un sanctuaire en activité, d'un lieu de fabrication monétaire dont le statut ne pouvait pas être entièrement clandestin. Mots-clés : Numismatique - Atelier monétaire - Chapelet de flans - Monnaies d'imitation - Production métallurgique - Chapelles osiriennes de Karnak - Époque ptolémaïque – During excavations carried out in 2008-2009 in the northern area of the Temple of Amun at Karnak, a mud brick structure of the Ptolemaic period was brought to light, leaning against the facade of the chapel of Osiris Wennefer Neb Djefau (VIth c. BC). It included combustion structures, near to which forging slags have been discovered, imitative bronze coins and a chapelet of blanks. The structure can be interpreted as a mint of the second century BC intended for the manufacture of imitative coins and may have also housed other crafts activities. The modest nature of the installation and the fact that together have been found several “official” coins, no longer in use in the second century BC, suggests that the metallurgical production in the workshop was carried out following smelting of copper alloy objects. This finding is in many respects quite exceptional because the remains of monetary mints are rare throughout the entire Mediterranean region during this period,. Comparative analysis of structures documented for ancient Greece as well as the data from experimental archaeology can refine our understanding of the operating chain in this type of workshop. Furthermore, this find pinpoints at least some of the imitative coins issued during the second half of the second century BC in Egypt and demonstrates the existence, within a sanctuary, a place of coin production which could not have been entirely clandestine. Keywords: Numismatics – Monetary mint – Chapelet of blanks - Imitative coins - Metallurgical production - Osirian chapels of Karnak - Ptolemaic Period –
Publication de trois sieges de pretre d'epoque tardive provenant de Thebes : le siege Caire R... more Publication de trois sieges de pretre d'epoque tardive provenant de Thebes : le siege Caire RT 2/2/21/5, appartenant a un pretre exercant des fonctions tres importantes dans le culte osirien a l'epoque ptolemaique, le siege musee de Louxor 807 et un siege conserve a proximite du temple de Louxor. Le bloc Brooklyn 16.580.214 et un bloc provenant de la colonnade de l'est a Karnak, tous deux fragmentaires, sont aussi interpretes comme pouvant provenir de sieges de pretre. Une synthese sur les fonctions des sieges de pretre est proposee, utilisant a la fois les donnees epigraphiques, la comparaison avec les sieges en calcaire de Deir el-Medineh datant du Nouvel Empire et le temoignage d'un edifice de Kom Ombo d'epoque romaine ou des sieges ont ete retrouves dans leur disposition originelle.
Bulletin de l'Institut français d'archéologie orientale
Tomb 1 at Bir el-Shaghala (Dakhla Oasis) is a mausoleum-like structure belonging to Ta-Ḏḥwty sȝt ... more Tomb 1 at Bir el-Shaghala (Dakhla Oasis) is a mausoleum-like structure belonging to Ta-Ḏḥwty sȝt Ḥr-tȝ (Tathoutis daughter of Herta). The ground floor has an open-air court and an antechamber and two burial chambers with painted wall decoration. The upper floor has a chapel and a pyramid, which is the largest from a private tomb. The upper part witnessed two phases of use: two vaults were added inside the pyramid and two banqueting rooms to its north. The tomb’s layout is modeled on late dynastic pyramidal tombs, but the vaulted rooms isolate it as a distinctive type. The antechamber decoration shows many anomalies: the ba of Re, Tutu, and Horus Great of Strength all have human bodies. An apotheosis scene is unique in a tomb from Roman Egypt, as is the ceiling frieze of ba-birds and an Abydene fetish. The paintings in the rooms show stylistic affinities to the "Kharga Coffin Group" and attest to common motifs used in tombs and funerary objects in the oases. The tomb is datable to late 1st century CE on the basis of its architecture and paintings.
Georges Legrain made an extraordinary discovery in 1903 in the north-west section of the courtyar... more Georges Legrain made an extraordinary discovery in 1903 in the north-west section of the courtyard in front of the Seventh Pylon at Karnak : over 700 statues in stone, 17000 in bronze and many other artefacts were unearthed during an excavation made difficult due to the infiltrations from the watertable. The work lasted until 1907 and most of the statues ended up in the Cairo Museum. Apart from a certain number of royal effigies from various periods, the statues, which date from the New Kingdom up to the end of the Ptolemaic period, portray priests occupying various functions in Karnak. The Karnak Cachette database gives for each object a general description (with dimensions, material, date, etc.), its different registration numbers and a bibliography. It also provides access to the photographic documentation collected during the project (around 8000 photographs).
Pour la première partie du séminaire, consacrée à une recherche diachronique sur le développement... more Pour la première partie du séminaire, consacrée à une recherche diachronique sur le développement du culte osirien en Égypte ancienne du IIe au Ier millénaire av. J.-C., l’enquête a été centrée sur le fétiche d’Abydos, dont le culte est appréhendé à travers son développement au sein de la métropole osirienne dont il est l’emblème, mais également à travers sa diffusion à Thèbes et dans divers autres sites. Cette année, ce sont les sources relatives au culte du fétiche à Abydos, du Moyen Empire jusqu’à l’époque ramesside, qui ont été étudiées. Dans la deuxième partie du séminaire, consacrée à la lecture d’inscriptions sacerdotales thébaines, l’étude s’est concentrée sur des documents de la XXXe dynastie et du début de l’époque ptolémaïque, pour une bonne part issus de la Cachette de Karnak, qui appartiennent à deux dossiers prosopographiques contemporains l’un de l’autre : la famille de Nesmin, propriétaire du papyrus Bremner-Rhind, et celle des prêtres osiriens enterrés dans la tombe d’Ânkh-hor.
La Cachette de Karnak, fouillée par Georges Legrain entre 1903 et 1907, est l'une des plus fascin... more La Cachette de Karnak, fouillée par Georges Legrain entre 1903 et 1907, est l'une des plus fascinantes découvertes de l'archéologie égyptienne. La première raison en est l'abondance des objets qu'elle a livrés (statues, stèles, mobilier divers), en partie encore inédits, qui sont autant de documents d'importance majeure sur la vie religieuse du sanctuaire de Karnak, mais plus généralement aussi sur l'histoire et l'art de l'Égypte pharaonique entre le Moyen Empire et l'époque ptolémaïque. La deuxième raison est liée au mystère qui entoure encore sa raison d'être et les circonstances historiques de sa création. Si elle peut être rapprochée sur certains aspects d'autres cachettes retrouvées en Égypte ou au Soudan, son ampleur et sa richesse restent exceptionnelles. S'appuyant sur un programme de recherche lancé par l'Ifao et le Ministère des Antiquités de l'Égypte pour mieux cerner la Cachette de Karnak et son contenu, cet ouvrage réunit vingt-quatre contributions de spécialistes internationaux impliqués dans l'étude d'objets qui en proviennent ou travaillant sur ce dépôt comme sur d'autres cachettes égyptiennes d'un point de vue idéologique ou archéologique. The Karnak Cachette, excavated by Georges Legrain between 1903 and 1907, is one of the most fascinating discoveries of Egyptian archaeology. The first reason lies in the very high number of objects found in it (statues, stelae, furniture of various kinds), some of them still unpublished, all of which are documents of major importance for the religious life of Karnak, but also more generally for the history and art of Pharaonic Egypt between the Middle Kingdom and the Ptolemaic period. The second reason is that the raison d'être of this cache and the historical circumstances surrounding its creation remain mysterious. Even if some comparisons can be made with other caches found in Egypt and the Sudan, its magnitude and wealth are exceptional. Building on a research program launched by the Ifao and the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities to improve our knowledge of the Karnak Cachette and its content, this book comprises twenty-four contributions by international scholars studying objects found in this deposit, analyzing the Cachette itself, or investigating other Egyptian caches from an ideological or archaeological point of view.
International Conference at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Freie Universität Berlin, 2019
„The Thebaid in Times of Crisis“ deals with violent political and social conflicts in the Thebaid... more „The Thebaid in Times of Crisis“ deals with violent political and social conflicts in the Thebaid region in Upper Egypt in the Ptolemaic period (332-30 BCE). The conference highlights the rebellion as well as the efforts undertaken by the Ptolemaic state to integrate and maintain the territory in their realm. By reuniting international scholars of different fields, namely Egyptologists, Greek and Demotic Papyrologists, Ancient Historians, Numismatists and Archaeologists, the gathering follows a holistic approach to this central episode of Hellenistic Egypt. The goal is to redefine the relationship between political and religious institutions on a local and regional level – in a moment of crisis. The two antagonistic viewpoints, insurrection vs. integration, address the following questions: Insurrection. What are the causes, developments and effects of the revolts in the Thebaid, especially of the „Great Theban Revolt“ (205-186 BCE), in light of recent research such as e.g. palaeoclimatical insights? What can be said about the course of the revolts based on a comparison of sources from the centre and the periphery? Are priests involved as actors in the revolts? How do they shape royal and rebel ideology? What interrelations can be determined? Do the revolts leave an imprint on sources other than papyri? What can we gather from the archaeological record, private monuments and numismatic sources? Integration. Which strategies within the royal administration and cults are employed by the Ptolemies to integrate the Thebaid in their realm? Which measures are taken by the central administration after the uprising of the „Great Theban Revolt“ and other crises to stabilise the region, economically and theologically? In this stabilisation effort, what is the role of the local temples and their priests vis-à-vis the royal administration? 26 years after the colloquium „Hundred-Gated Thebes“ in Leiden and 12 years after the workshop „Perspectives on Ptolemaic Thebes“ in Chicago, the conference „The Thebaid in Times of Crisis“ takes stock of the progress in the field, introduces recent findings and opens up new avenues for research through interdisciplinary discussion.
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Papers by Laurent Coulon
sector from the beginning of the XIXth century till today. Among the documents collected, the report and photographs of Maurice Pillet in the 1920s are the most informative as they give many details about a large building inscribed in the name of the divine adoratrice Ankhnesneferibre and a smaller building, with well-preserved reliefs, showing the induction of the divine adoratrice Nitocris. Using additional photographs, including aerial views, plans from various periods, and results of recent fieldwork on the site, the archaeological data provided by M. Pillet’s survey have been completed and these two Saite building, as well as several additional constructions around them, have been accurately located. In addition, several related inscriptions allow the identification of Ankhnesneferibre’s building as the palace of the divine adoratrice, which was built according to a model already attested under Nitocris, as stated in an inscription of her majordom Ibi. More generally, the area of Naga Malgata is to be identified as the quarter of the divine adoratrices, which was also probably the living place of the members of her administration and her court of female followers, “the harem of Amun”.
Ta-Ḏḥwty sȝt Ḥr-tȝ (Tathoutis daughter of Herta). The ground floor has an open-air court and
an antechamber and two burial chambers with painted wall decoration. The upper floor has
a chapel and a pyramid, which is the largest from a private tomb. The upper part witnessed
two phases of use: two vaults were added inside the pyramid and two banqueting rooms to
its north. The tomb’s layout is modeled on late dynastic pyramidal tombs, but the vaulted
rooms isolate it as a distinctive type.
The antechamber decoration shows many anomalies: the ba of Re, Tutu, and Horus Great
of Strength all have human bodies. An apotheosis scene is unique in a tomb from Roman
Egypt, as is the ceiling frieze of ba-birds and an Abydene fetish. The paintings in the rooms
show stylistic affinities to the “Kharga Coffin Group” and attest to common motifs used in
tombs and funerary objects in the oases. The tomb is datable to late 1st century CE on the
basis of its architecture and paintings.
The wandering of Nedit, between Busiris and Abydos: Egyptian mythology and geographical dualism Mythology and geography are inextricably linked in ancient Egypt, by the mere fact that its myths are often aetiological narratives about its territorial components. This contribution focuses on Nedit, a toponym which, in ancient Egyptian sources, designates the place where Osiris was killed by Seth. Its location has been the subject of much debate. Consistent evidence would make it possible to locate it in the Eastern Delta, not far from Busiris, but an equivalence with Abydos is another possibility. The transfer of the toponym for ritual purposes is not a suitable explanation to account for a delocalization that would imply an adaptation of the myth itself. The analysis of the mythological accounts from papyri Jumilhac and Salt 825 allows a better understanding of the use of the toponym.
sector from the beginning of the XIXth century till today. Among the documents collected, the report and photographs of Maurice Pillet in the 1920s are the most informative as they give many details about a large building inscribed in the name of the divine adoratrice Ankhnesneferibre and a smaller building, with well-preserved reliefs, showing the induction of the divine adoratrice Nitocris. Using additional photographs, including aerial views, plans from various periods, and results of recent fieldwork on the site, the archaeological data provided by M. Pillet’s survey have been completed and these two Saite building, as well as several additional constructions around them, have been accurately located. In addition, several related inscriptions allow the identification of Ankhnesneferibre’s building as the palace of the divine adoratrice, which was built according to a model already attested under Nitocris, as stated in an inscription of her majordom Ibi. More generally, the area of Naga Malgata is to be identified as the quarter of the divine adoratrices, which was also probably the living place of the members of her administration and her court of female followers, “the harem of Amun”.
Ta-Ḏḥwty sȝt Ḥr-tȝ (Tathoutis daughter of Herta). The ground floor has an open-air court and
an antechamber and two burial chambers with painted wall decoration. The upper floor has
a chapel and a pyramid, which is the largest from a private tomb. The upper part witnessed
two phases of use: two vaults were added inside the pyramid and two banqueting rooms to
its north. The tomb’s layout is modeled on late dynastic pyramidal tombs, but the vaulted
rooms isolate it as a distinctive type.
The antechamber decoration shows many anomalies: the ba of Re, Tutu, and Horus Great
of Strength all have human bodies. An apotheosis scene is unique in a tomb from Roman
Egypt, as is the ceiling frieze of ba-birds and an Abydene fetish. The paintings in the rooms
show stylistic affinities to the “Kharga Coffin Group” and attest to common motifs used in
tombs and funerary objects in the oases. The tomb is datable to late 1st century CE on the
basis of its architecture and paintings.
The wandering of Nedit, between Busiris and Abydos: Egyptian mythology and geographical dualism Mythology and geography are inextricably linked in ancient Egypt, by the mere fact that its myths are often aetiological narratives about its territorial components. This contribution focuses on Nedit, a toponym which, in ancient Egyptian sources, designates the place where Osiris was killed by Seth. Its location has been the subject of much debate. Consistent evidence would make it possible to locate it in the Eastern Delta, not far from Busiris, but an equivalence with Abydos is another possibility. The transfer of the toponym for ritual purposes is not a suitable explanation to account for a delocalization that would imply an adaptation of the myth itself. The analysis of the mythological accounts from papyri Jumilhac and Salt 825 allows a better understanding of the use of the toponym.
Building on a research program launched by the IFAO and the Egyptian Ministry of State for Antiquities to improve our knowledge of the Karnak Cachette and its content, this book comprises twenty-four contributions by international scholars studying objects found in this deposit, analyzing the Cachette itself, or investigating other Egyptian caches from an ideological or archaeological point of view.
The Karnak Cachette database gives for each object a general description (with dimensions, material, date, etc.), its different registration numbers and a bibliography. It also provides access to the photographic documentation collected during the project (around 8000 photographs).
Dans la deuxième partie du séminaire, consacrée à la lecture d’inscriptions sacerdotales thébaines, l’étude s’est concentrée sur des documents de la XXXe dynastie et du début de l’époque ptolémaïque, pour une bonne part issus de la Cachette de Karnak, qui appartiennent à deux dossiers prosopographiques contemporains l’un de l’autre : la famille de Nesmin, propriétaire du papyrus Bremner-Rhind, et celle des prêtres osiriens enterrés dans la tombe d’Ânkh-hor.
Insurrection. What are the causes, developments and effects of the revolts in the Thebaid, especially of the „Great Theban Revolt“ (205-186 BCE), in light of recent research such as e.g. palaeoclimatical insights? What can be said about the course of the revolts based on a comparison of sources from the centre and the periphery? Are priests involved as actors in the revolts? How do they shape royal and rebel ideology? What interrelations can be determined? Do the revolts leave an imprint on sources other than papyri? What can we gather from the archaeological record, private monuments and numismatic sources?
Integration. Which strategies within the royal administration and cults are employed by the Ptolemies to integrate the Thebaid in their realm? Which measures are taken by the central administration after the uprising of the „Great Theban Revolt“ and other crises to stabilise the region, economically and theologically? In this stabilisation effort, what is the role of the local temples and their priests vis-à-vis the royal administration? 26 years after the colloquium „Hundred-Gated Thebes“ in Leiden and 12 years after the workshop „Perspectives on Ptolemaic Thebes“ in Chicago, the conference „The Thebaid in Times of Crisis“ takes stock of the progress in the field, introduces recent findings and opens up new avenues for research through interdisciplinary discussion.
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