Breaking the dšr.t Vessels

Contents

Introduction

Goal and Definition

On the Necessity of a Re-Evaluation

Methodology and Structure

The BdV in Egyptological Literature

History of Previous Research

Phase 1: Identification

Phase 2: Contextualisation

Phase 3: Attribution of Archaeological Evidence

Interpretations of the BdV

The BdV as a Rite Against Evil

Proponent Arguments

Problems

The BdV as Disposing of Vessels

Proponent Arguments

Problems

How to Move Forward

The Concept of Intentional Damaging of Objects: Fragmentation Theory

Interpreting the Intentional Fragmentation of Objects

Implications of Fragmentation Theory for the BdV

Forms of Intentional Fragmentation of Objects in Ancient Egypt

The dšr.wt – Appearance, Use, and Purpose

dšr.t-Vessels in the Old Kingdom

dšr.t-Vessels in the Middle Kingdom

dšr.t-Vessels in the New Kingdom

dšr.t-Vessels After the New Kingdom

dšr.t-Vessels in Archaeological Contexts

Conclusion on dšr.t-Vessels

Contextualising the BdV

The Pyramid Texts

The Old Kingdom Private Contexts

The BdV in the Middle Kingdom

The BdV Scene in the Luxor Temple

The dšr.wt in the BdV

The New Kingdom Vessel-Breaking Scenes

Summary and Conclusion

Appendix

Appendix Table 1

Appendix Table 2

Appendix Table 3

Catalogue

A1 – dšr.wt in the Old Kingdom

A2 – dšr.wt in the Middle Kingdom

A3 – dšr.wt in the New Kingdom

A4 – dšr.wt after the New Kingdom

B1 – BdV in the Old Kingdom

B2 – BdV in the Middle Kingdom

B3 – BdV in the New Kingdom

B4 – Vessel-Breaking Scenes in New Kingdom Private Tombs

Bibliography and Abbreviations

About the Author

Elena Hertel holds a BA Classical Archaeology and Egyptology from Heidelberg University and an MA by research in Egyptology from Leiden University. Currently she is a PhD candidate at Basel University in the Swiss National Science Foundation project ‘Crossing Boundaries’. Her research specialty in Egyptology is the combination of philological and object studies. She is also involved in several publication projects of demotic and abnormal hieratic papyri.