The Process of Cursing in Ancient Egypt Thesis submitted in accordance with requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy by Sarah Louise Colledge September 2015 Page | 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to Professor Christopher Eyre and Dr. Roland Enmarch for all the advice and help over the last four years, and indeed the last eight years, it was greatly appreciated. My thanks and gratitude also extend to the rest of the staff at the University of Liverpool who shaped my experience throughout my Degree and Masters – Professor Mark Collier, Dr. Violaine Chauvet, Dr. Glenn Godenho, Dr. Ian Shaw and Dr. Steven Snape. For David Teagan Brown mAa-xrw Page | 2 CONTENTS Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. 2 Bibliographical Abbreviations ................................................................................................. 9 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter One – Monument Curses ...................................................................................... 27 1: Context ........................................................................................................................... 27 2: Identity ........................................................................................................................... 30 2.1: The Curser ............................................................................................................... 30 2.2: The Target ............................................................................................................... 30 3: Situation ......................................................................................................................... 33 3.1: Tomb and Contents (A Texts) ................................................................................. 33 3.2: Other Monuments (B Texts) ................................................................................... 37 3.3: Endowments and Agreements (C Texts) ................................................................ 37 3.4: Miscellaneous (D Texts) ......................................................................................... 38 4: Mechanics ...................................................................................................................... 40 4.1: Structure and Grammar ........................................................................................... 40 4.2: Agents ..................................................................................................................... 43 4.2.1: Pharaoh ................................................................................................................ 43 4.2.2: Deities and Akhs .................................................................................................. 44 4.2.3: Animals ................................................................................................................ 45 4.2.4: Author .................................................................................................................. 45 5: Outcome ......................................................................................................................... 47 5.1: Categories ............................................................................................................... 47 5.1.1: Physical Denial of Afterlife ................................................................................. 47 5.1.2: Supernatural Denial of Afterlife .......................................................................... 48 5.1.3: Retribution by Deities .......................................................................................... 50 5.1.4: Retribution by Akhs ............................................................................................. 52 5.1.5: Bodily Retribution ............................................................................................... 53 5.1.6: Physical Loss ....................................................................................................... 54 5.1.7: Abstract Loss ....................................................................................................... 56 5.1.8: Familial Retribution ............................................................................................. 57 5.1.9: Animal Infliction .................................................................................................. 58 5.2: Timing and Occurrence........................................................................................... 59 6: Summary ........................................................................................................................ 62 Chapter Two – Execration Figures .................................................................................... 65 1: Cairo Museum EM00-130 ............................................................................................. 65 1.1: Context .................................................................................................................... 65 Page | 3 1.2: Identity .................................................................................................................... 65 1.3: Situation .................................................................................................................. 66 1.4: Mechanics ............................................................................................................... 66 1.5: Outcome .................................................................................................................. 67 1.6: Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 67 2: Walters Art Gallery 48.1773 .......................................................................................... 68 2.1: Context .................................................................................................................... 68 2.2: Identity .................................................................................................................... 68 2.3: Situation .................................................................................................................. 68 2.4: Mechanics ............................................................................................................... 69 2.5: Outcome .................................................................................................................. 69 2.6: Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 69 3: Abusir Excavation 1984 ................................................................................................. 70 3.1: Context .................................................................................................................... 70 3.2: Identity .................................................................................................................... 71 3.3: Situation .................................................................................................................. 72 3.4: Mechanics ............................................................................................................... 72 3.5: Outcome .................................................................................................................. 73 3.6: Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 73 4: Louvre E 27145 ............................................................................................................. 74 4.1: Context .................................................................................................................... 74 4.2: Identity .................................................................................................................... 74 4.3: Situation .................................................................................................................. 75 4.4: Mechanics ............................................................................................................... 75 4.5: Outcome .................................................................................................................. 76 4.6: Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 76 5: Cairo JdE 63955-63959 ................................................................................................. 77 5.1: Context .................................................................................................................... 77 5.2: Identity .................................................................................................................... 82 5.3: Situation .................................................................................................................. 82 5.4: Mechanics ............................................................................................................... 83 5.5: Outcome .................................................................................................................. 83 5.6: Bibliography ..........................................................................................................