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Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel

Martina Minas-Nerpel

Enchoria: Zeitschrift für Demotistik und Koptologie, Volume: 33, Pages: 65 - 90

Swansea University Author: Martina Minas-Nerpel

Abstract

The group of objects presented in this article consists of fifteen pebbles and is so far unparalleled in a funerary context in the entire history of ancient Egypt. The pebbles from Tuna el-Gebel (the necropolis of Khemenu, Greek Hermupolis, modern el-Ashmunein, was the capital of the fifteenth Upper...

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Published in: Enchoria: Zeitschrift für Demotistik und Koptologie
Published: Enchoria 2013
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa11216
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fullrecord <?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2015-06-04T15:31:37.0435213</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>11216</id><entry>2012-06-12</entry><title>Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>7c9852f9ed1871a7382860cd33db03ac</sid><ORCID/><firstname>Martina</firstname><surname>Minas-Nerpel</surname><name>Martina Minas-Nerpel</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2012-06-12</date><deptcode>ACLA</deptcode><abstract>The group of objects presented in this article consists of fifteen pebbles and is so far unparalleled in a funerary context in the entire history of ancient Egypt. The pebbles from Tuna el-Gebel (the necropolis of Khemenu, Greek Hermupolis, modern el-Ashmunein, was the capital of the fifteenth Upper Egyptian nome) were found in a secondary burial next to the tomb of Padikem (3rd century BC) and they are inscribed in demotic with the names of Egyptian deities, of which some are rather unexpected and otherwise not attested (for example Montu, son of Isis). The combination of all fifteen names is so far unique. The pebbles can be called magical since they were intended to protect the deceased, to ward off evil, and to ensure resurrection with the support of the named deities, very much like mummy masks or hypocephali with the decoration and spells inscribed on them. Because of the number fifteen and the presence of some specific deities, it is possible to establish a context of the moon eye and rebirth. The person who was buried in the sand without a coffin did not belong to the wealthy elite who could afford tombs and expensive funerary equipment. The deceased&#x2019;s family had the means to pay for mummification, but a mummy mask was evidently too costly. However, a priest was able to supply magical protection by using local pebbles and by inscribing names of deities on them, thus transferring age-old knowledge onto material readily available that he had only to pick up from the ground. The pebbles were based on religious traditions thousands of years old and reflect in a simplified way the mythology of the moon eye, of Thoth, the lunar staircase, and the protective function of funerary masks known from the Old Kingdom onwards.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Enchoria: Zeitschrift f&#xFC;r Demotistik und Koptologie</journal><volume>33</volume><paginationStart>65</paginationStart><paginationEnd>90</paginationEnd><publisher>Enchoria</publisher><issnPrint/><issnElectronic/><keywords>Egypt: Tuna el-Gebel; funerary equipment; magical protection; demotic.</keywords><publishedDay>31</publishedDay><publishedMonth>12</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2013</publishedYear><publishedDate>2013-12-31</publishedDate><doi/><url/><notes>The volume will be available in print by autumn 2013.</notes><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Classics</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>ACLA</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm/><lastEdited>2015-06-04T15:31:37.0435213</lastEdited><Created>2012-06-12T11:11:49.5558905</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences</level><level id="2">School of Culture and Communication - Classics, Ancient History, Egyptology</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Martina</firstname><surname>Minas-Nerpel</surname><orcid/><order>1</order></author></authors><documents/><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2015-06-04T15:31:37.0435213 v2 11216 2012-06-12 Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel 7c9852f9ed1871a7382860cd33db03ac Martina Minas-Nerpel Martina Minas-Nerpel true false 2012-06-12 ACLA The group of objects presented in this article consists of fifteen pebbles and is so far unparalleled in a funerary context in the entire history of ancient Egypt. The pebbles from Tuna el-Gebel (the necropolis of Khemenu, Greek Hermupolis, modern el-Ashmunein, was the capital of the fifteenth Upper Egyptian nome) were found in a secondary burial next to the tomb of Padikem (3rd century BC) and they are inscribed in demotic with the names of Egyptian deities, of which some are rather unexpected and otherwise not attested (for example Montu, son of Isis). The combination of all fifteen names is so far unique. The pebbles can be called magical since they were intended to protect the deceased, to ward off evil, and to ensure resurrection with the support of the named deities, very much like mummy masks or hypocephali with the decoration and spells inscribed on them. Because of the number fifteen and the presence of some specific deities, it is possible to establish a context of the moon eye and rebirth. The person who was buried in the sand without a coffin did not belong to the wealthy elite who could afford tombs and expensive funerary equipment. The deceased’s family had the means to pay for mummification, but a mummy mask was evidently too costly. However, a priest was able to supply magical protection by using local pebbles and by inscribing names of deities on them, thus transferring age-old knowledge onto material readily available that he had only to pick up from the ground. The pebbles were based on religious traditions thousands of years old and reflect in a simplified way the mythology of the moon eye, of Thoth, the lunar staircase, and the protective function of funerary masks known from the Old Kingdom onwards. Journal Article Enchoria: Zeitschrift für Demotistik und Koptologie 33 65 90 Enchoria Egypt: Tuna el-Gebel; funerary equipment; magical protection; demotic. 31 12 2013 2013-12-31 The volume will be available in print by autumn 2013. COLLEGE NANME Classics COLLEGE CODE ACLA Swansea University 2015-06-04T15:31:37.0435213 2012-06-12T11:11:49.5558905 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Culture and Communication - Classics, Ancient History, Egyptology Martina Minas-Nerpel 1
title Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel
spellingShingle Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel
Martina Minas-Nerpel
title_short Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel
title_full Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel
title_fullStr Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel
title_full_unstemmed Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel
title_sort Pebbles inscribed in demotic from a burial in the tomb of Padikem at Tuna el-Gebel
author_id_str_mv 7c9852f9ed1871a7382860cd33db03ac
author_id_fullname_str_mv 7c9852f9ed1871a7382860cd33db03ac_***_Martina Minas-Nerpel
author Martina Minas-Nerpel
author2 Martina Minas-Nerpel
format Journal article
container_title Enchoria: Zeitschrift für Demotistik und Koptologie
container_volume 33
container_start_page 65
publishDate 2013
institution Swansea University
publisher Enchoria
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Culture and Communication - Classics, Ancient History, Egyptology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Culture and Communication - Classics, Ancient History, Egyptology
document_store_str 0
active_str 0
description The group of objects presented in this article consists of fifteen pebbles and is so far unparalleled in a funerary context in the entire history of ancient Egypt. The pebbles from Tuna el-Gebel (the necropolis of Khemenu, Greek Hermupolis, modern el-Ashmunein, was the capital of the fifteenth Upper Egyptian nome) were found in a secondary burial next to the tomb of Padikem (3rd century BC) and they are inscribed in demotic with the names of Egyptian deities, of which some are rather unexpected and otherwise not attested (for example Montu, son of Isis). The combination of all fifteen names is so far unique. The pebbles can be called magical since they were intended to protect the deceased, to ward off evil, and to ensure resurrection with the support of the named deities, very much like mummy masks or hypocephali with the decoration and spells inscribed on them. Because of the number fifteen and the presence of some specific deities, it is possible to establish a context of the moon eye and rebirth. The person who was buried in the sand without a coffin did not belong to the wealthy elite who could afford tombs and expensive funerary equipment. The deceased’s family had the means to pay for mummification, but a mummy mask was evidently too costly. However, a priest was able to supply magical protection by using local pebbles and by inscribing names of deities on them, thus transferring age-old knowledge onto material readily available that he had only to pick up from the ground. The pebbles were based on religious traditions thousands of years old and reflect in a simplified way the mythology of the moon eye, of Thoth, the lunar staircase, and the protective function of funerary masks known from the Old Kingdom onwards.
published_date 2013-12-31T03:12:55Z
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