The University of Chicago Calling out to Isis: The
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THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CALLING OUT TO ISIS: THE ENDURING NUBIAN PRESENCE AT PHILAE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE DIVISION OF THE HUMANITIES IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF NEAR EASTERN LANGUAGES AND CIVILIZATIONS BY SOLANGE ASHBY CHICAGO, ILLINOIS JUNE 2016 CONTENTS FIGURES .................................................................................................................................................. iv TABLES .................................................................................................................................................... vi ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................. vii GLOSSARY .............................................................................................................................................. ix ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................................. xi Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Goals of this Study .......................................................................................................................................... 8 TerminoloGy ................................................................................................................................................... 11 Geographic Terms and Political Designations ................................................................................................. 11 Graffiti Corpus ............................................................................................................................................... 12 UniquE CharactEristics of Nubian Graffiti ............................................................................................ 17 Who wErE thE “Nubians”? .......................................................................................................................... 24 Prior Scholarship .......................................................................................................................................... 27 Publication of Graffiti ................................................................................................................................................. 27 Publication of Temples .............................................................................................................................................. 29 Nubian Graffiti ............................................................................................................................................................... 30 Temple Inscriptions as Evidence for Religious Use ...................................................................................... 32 KushitE TemplE BuildinG in LowEr Nubia ............................................................................................ 35 PtolEmaic PhilaE ........................................................................................................................................... 38 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................... 48 ChaptEr 1: AgrEEmEnts ..................................................................................................................... 50 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 50 Burkhardt’s Definition of the Corpus .................................................................................................................. 54 Introduce the Corpus .................................................................................................................................................. 56 Language Use ................................................................................................................................................................. 59 Shrines (wrk, g™.t) in Procession .......................................................................................................................... 60 What was thE Political/REliGious usE of thE TEmplEs in this Period?......................................... 62 Temple Financial Transactions .............................................................................................................................. 62 Cult Associations .......................................................................................................................................................... 66 Nubians in the Egyptian Priesthood .................................................................................................................... 69 Who AuthorEd thE Early Roman pEriod Nubian Graffiti at PhilaE? ............................................. 71 Why was LowEr Nubia Important to MEroitic KinGs in this PEriod? ........................................... 86 IntErrEGnum I: A PEriod DEvoid of DatEd Nubian Graffiti ............................................................... 88 Indications of Additional First CEntury AD Nubian Graffiti at PhilaE ......................................... 94 Cult Association of Thoth Pnubs .......................................................................................................................... 101 Cult Association of Arensnuphis .......................................................................................................................... 107 ChaptEr 2: ExtEnsion of thE Kingdom of MEroE into LowEr Nubia ................................ 115 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 115 Crisis of the Third Century ..................................................................................................................................... 116 Wayekiye Family ........................................................................................................................................................ 118 Expanded Corpus of Graffiti .................................................................................................................................. 119 Change in Focus of the Nubian Graffiti ............................................................................................................. 124 Festivals Performed by Nubians at Philae ....................................................................................................... 126 Who camE to PhilaE? ................................................................................................................................. 142 ii Civil Administrative Titles ...................................................................................................................................... 145 Temple Administrative and Priestly Titles ..................................................................................................... 152 Goldsmiths .................................................................................................................................................................... 158 Different Titles Used with Different Languages ............................................................................................ 161 Strategos or Pelamos? ............................................................................................................................................... 163 Why was LowEr Nubia Important to thE MEroitic KinGs in this PEriod? ................................. 165 What Was thE Political and REliGious UsE of thE TEmplEs by MEroitic RulErs? ................... 169 Political Use .................................................................................................................................................................. 170 Religious Use ................................................................................................................................................................ 173 Meroitic Royal Tombs and thEir DEcoratEd ChapEls ..................................................................... 188 IntErrEGnum II: A PEriod DEvoid of DatEd Nubian Graffiti .......................................................... 203 ChaptEr 3: Last PriEsts at PhilaE ................................................................................................ 205 Introduction to the Corpus .................................................................................................................................... 209 Language Use ............................................................................................................................................................... 214 Were the Last Priests at Philae Nubian? .......................................................................................................... 217 Feet Graffiti ................................................................................................................................................................... 224 Who CamE to PhilaE? ...............................................................................................................................