Sacred Space in Ancient Egypt: Some Observations and Remarks from the Great Hymn to the Nile and the Tale of Sinuhe

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Abstract

This paper intends to respond to a fundamental question: how did the ancient Egyptians sacralize the space in which they inscribed their identity and therefore recognized themselves? Our main topic will be the sacralization of space in the Nilotic civilization, more speci cally the aquatic and terrestrial space(s). We shall regard the concept of Space in a broader sense, in which we refer the aquatic surfaces and the land–based layer and not to a particular space, such as «the house» (pr) or «the temple» (r-pr). Hence, we shall try to comprehend how the Egyptians felt and narrated their sacred space. Thus the spatial reality will be addressed, primarily in its constructive ability of building a people’s identity, mainly focusing on two texts: the Great Hymn to the Nile, and the Tale of Sinuhe, concisely presenting a theoretical framework.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEnvironment and Religion in Ancient and Coptic Egypt
Subtitle of host publicationSensing the Cosmos through the Eyes of the Divine. Proceedings of the 1st Egyptological Conference of the Hellenic Institute of Egyptology
EditorsAlicia Maravelia, Nadine Guilhou
Place of PublicationOxford
PublisherArchaeopress
Pages443-452
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)978-1-78969-640-0
Publication statusPublished - 2020
EventEnvironment & Religion in Ancient & Coptic Egypt: Sensing the Cosmos Through the Eyes of the Divine: 1st Egyptological Conference at People's University of Athens - People's University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Duration: 1 Feb 20173 Feb 2017

Publication series

NameArchaeopress Egyptology
PublisherArchaeopress
Volume30

Conference

ConferenceEnvironment & Religion in Ancient & Coptic Egypt: Sensing the Cosmos Through the Eyes of the Divine
Country/TerritoryGreece
CityAthens
Period1/02/173/02/17

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