Description
Book SynopsisWhat is the
Tekenu? What was its function? What are its origins? These are questions upon which Egyptologists have long pondered. However, Egyptologists, until now, have avoided any major work on the topic. Previous treatments of the Tekenu largely adopt a selective approach focusing on a specific form. Rarely has the Tekenu been examined profoundly in all of its forms or contexts with its possible origins commented upon merely in passing. The aim of
The Tekenu
and Ancient Egyptian Funerary Ritual is to provide a provocative examination and interpretation of the
Tekenu in an endeavour to proffer plausible answers hitherto eluding scholars. Attested from the Fifth Dynasty until, and including the Saite Period, the
Tekenu is a puzzling icon which is depicted within the funerary scenes in the tombs of some ancient Egyptian nobles. In this work four distinct types of
Tekenu are identified and classified and then a Corpus Catalogue is formed. The
Tekenu is appraised within the context of the wall scene. Two tombs are dealt with in greater detail.
Trade Review'The great worth of this volume is that it gathers all the sources for the
tekenu in one place and presents them with copious illustrations, many of them in colour. The catalogue is certainly the longest and most-detailed part of the book and will be of considerable use to anyone who is interested in Egyptian funerals and their representation on tomb walls.' -- Christian Knoblauch * Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, Volume 56 *
Table of ContentsList of figures;
Acknowledgements;
Abbreviations;
Chronology code used throughout the work ;
Part 1 Formulation of the corpus catalogue: Chapter 1 Introduction and literature review;
Chapter 2 Aims and method;
Chapter 3 Typology: criteria and creation;
Chapter 4 Corpus catalogue;
Part 2 Evaluating the primary sources: Chapter 5 Textual references, pictorial representations and context;
Chapter 6 Special complex scenes: the
Tekenu in TT 20 and TT 100;
Part 3 The search for the origins of the Tekenu: Chapter 7 Cattle culture, early dynastic figures and standards;
Chapter 8 The
Tekenu and The Opening of the Mouth Ceremony;
Chapter 9 Summary and conclusions;
Appendix A Tombs containing
Tekenu images;
Appendix B
Tekenu Traits;
Appendix C Chronology of scholars’ views of the function of the
Tekenu;
Appendix D Pictorial context: diagrammatical interpretation;
Bibliography
