The hypocephalus is an element of Late Period and Ptolemaic funerary equipment – an amuletic disc placed under the head of mummies. Its shape emulates the sun’s disc, and its form is planar, although it occasionally has a concave shape (in such cases, it protects the head as a funerary cap). The earliest known example can be dated to the 4th century BC and the latest to the 2nd/1st century BC. The Hypocephalus: an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Amulet analyses both the written records and iconography of these objects. So far, 158 examples are known; several, unfortunately, from old descriptions only. The relatively low number shows that the object was not a widespread item of funerary equipment. Only priest and priestly families used them, those of Amon in Thebes, of Min in Akhmim, and the ones of Ptah in Memphis. Among the examples, no two are identical. In some details, every piece is an individualized creation. Ancient Egyptian theologians certainly interpreted hypocephali as the iris of the wedjat-eye, amidst which travels the sun-god in his hidden, mysterious and tremendous form(s). The hypocephalus can be considered as the sun-disk itself. It radiates light and energy towards the head of the deceased, who again becomes a living being, feeling him/herself as ‘one with the Earth’ through this energy. The texts and the iconography derive principally from the supplementary chapters of the Book of the Dead. Some discs directly cite the text of spell 162 which furnishes the mythological background of the invention of the disc by the Great Cow, who protected her son Re by creating the disc at his death.
Author(s): Tamas Mekis
Series: Archaeopress Egyptology
Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 368
City: Summertown
Cover
Title Page
Copyright page
Contents Page
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
1 Introduction
1.1 Perspectives of the work
1.2 Definition of the term ‘hypocephalus’
2 History of the research on hypocephali
3 Sun-disc under the head – overview
4 Some problems around hypocephali – pseudo-hypocephali
4.1 The issue of Xnm.t wr(.t)
4.2 The ‘hypocephalus biscuit’
4.3 The issue of the so-called ‘terracotta hypocephali’
4.4 Other hypocephali
5 Systematisation of hypocephali
5.1 Register system
I. Classical hypocephali (stucco coated linen, cartonnage, bronze, papyrus, wood)
II. Mummy linen hypocephali
6 Introduction to the understanding of the structure of the discs
6.1 The ‘standard’ hypocephalus (Register type 1a-c)
6.1.1 The composition of the first register
6.1.1.1 Repertory
6.1.1.2 Analysis of register I
6.1.2 The composition of the second register
6.1.2.1 Repertory
6.1.2.2 Analysis of register II
6.1.2.3 Meaning of the register
6.1.3 The composition of the third register
6.1.3.1 Repertory
6.1.3.2 Analysis of register III
6.1.4 The composition of the fourth register
6.1.4.1 Repertory
6.1.4.2 Analysis of register IV
Introduction to the analysis of the iconography
6.2 Hypocephali with concentric register-system
6.2.1 Definition of the group
6.2.2 Changes of the register-system and of the iconography
6.2.2.1 Inside the ‘hypocephalus-pupil’
Crocodile-depictions
The falcon-headed crocodile
The four-headed crocodile
Amon-Re: further variations
6.2.2.2 The ‘iris’ of the hypocephalus
Conclusion to the interpretation of ‘standard’ discs
6.3 The textile hypocephali
6.3.1 The Theban group
6.3.2 Enigmatic group
Conclusion on the interpretation of textile discs
7. Spell 162 of the Book of the Dead: prescription of the hypocephalus
8 Grouping of hypocephali on the basis of rim inscriptions
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Results of the last 50 years – an overview
8.2.1 The typology of Edith Varga
8.2.2 The typology of John Gee
8.2.3 The typology of Luca Miatello
8.3 The system of text typology
9 Text typology in use
9.1 Rim inscriptions – Transliteration, translation and commentary
9.1.1 Text type I
9.1.1.1 a) The group Jnk HkA …
9.1.1.2 b) The group jnk ȝḫ… (Theban)
9.1.1.3 c) The group jnk jmn ntj… (Theban)
9.1.1.4 d) Transitional texts of text types 1.) + 4.)
Translation and commentary to the Theban examples
9.1.1.5 a) The group jnk ḥkȝ… (Akhmimic)
9.1.1.6 c) The group jnk jmn ntj… (Akhmimic)
9.1.2 Text type 2 J(nk) ḏbȝ.tj-texts
9.1.2.1 The standard text and variant a)
9.1.2.2 Variant 2.b)
9.1.6 Text type 6 – texts with one occurrence so far
9.1.5 Text type 5
9.1.4. Text type 4 – Osirian-texts
9.1.4.1 a) Htp-dj-njsw(.t), pr(.t)-xrw
9.1.4.2 b) Invocation to the gods of the God’s domain
9.1.4.3 c) ‘+d-mdw jn’-formula
9.1.4.4 d) Listing genealogies and titles
9.1.4.5 Transitional text types between text types 4.) and 6.)
9.1.3 Text type 3
9.1.3.1 Version a)
9.1.3.2 Version b)
9.1.2.3 Variant 2.c)
9.1.2.4 Transitional text type between the j(nk) DbA.tj-group and the previous jnk Ax.w-group (2.c) + 1))
9.1.2.5 Transition between text types 2.) and 4.) - DbA.tj-discs originating from Tuna el-Gebel
10 Transliteration and translation of the texts of the pictorial field
10.1. Transliteration and translation of texts of register I
10.1.1a Texts of register Ia of hypocephali showing text type 1
10.1.6b Texts of register Ib of hypocephali showing text type 6
10.1.5b Texts of register Ib of hypocephali showing text type 5
10.1.4b Texts of register Ib of hypocephali showing text type 4
10.1.3b Texts of register Ib of hypocephali showing text type 3
10.1.2b Transitional. Texts of register Ib of hypocephali showing transitional texts of text type 2
10.1.2b Texts of register Ib of hypocephali showing text type 2
10.1.1b Texts of register Ib of hypocephali showing text type 1
10.1.6a Texts of register Ia of hypocephali showing text type 6
10.1.5a Texts of register Ia of hypocephali showing text type 5
10.1.4a Texts of register Ia of hypocephali showing text type 4
10.1.3a Texts of register Ia of hypocephali showing text type 3
10.1.2a Transitional. Texts of register Ia of hypocephali showing transitional text group 2
10.1.2a Texts of register Ia of hypocephali showing text type 2
10.2. Texts of register II
10.2.1 Texts of register II of hypocephali showing text type 1
10.2.2 Texts of register II of hypocephali showing text type 2
10.2.3 Texts of register II of hypocephali showing text type 3
10.2.4 Texts of register II of hypocephali showing text type 4
10.2.5 Texts of register II of hypocephali showing text type 5
10.2.6 Texts of register II of hypocephali showing text type 6
10.2.7 Texts of register II of concentric discs
10.3 Texts of section IIIa (transliterations and translations)
10.3.1. Texts of section IIIa of hypocephali showing text type 1
10.3.2. Texts of section IIIa of hypocephali showing text type 2
10.3.2. Transitional. Texts of section IIIa of hypocephali showing transitional text type 2
10.3.3 Texts of section IIIa of hypocephali showing text type 3
10.3.4 Texts of section IIIa of hypocephali showing type 4
10.3.5 Texts of section IIIa of hypocephali showing text type 6
11. Workshop traditions
11.1 Theban hypocephali
11.1.1 Introduction
11.1.2 The place of hypocephali in the order of funerary equipment
11.1.3 Systematisation of Theban hypocephali
11.1.3.1 An overview of the text-chronology
11.1.3.2. The register system and iconography
11.1.3.3. Technique
11.2 Akhmimic hypocephali
11.2.1 Difficulties of the research
11.2.2 Definition of the Akhmimic dialect
11.2.2.1 Peculiarities
11.2.2.2 The ortography
11.2.2.3 Peculiarities of the iconography
11.2.3 Conclusions
11.3 Hypocephali of Tuna el-Gebel
11.4 Abydenian hypocephali
11.4.1 Introduction – The place of hypocephali in the order of the funerary equipment
11.4.2 Examination of hypocephali – ortographic peculiarities
11.4.2.1 Definition of the Abydenian dialect
Ortographic peculiarities of text type 1
11.4.3 Piece No. 111
11.5 Hypocephali of Memphis
11.5.1 Introduction – The place of hypocephali in the order of funerary equipment
11.5.2 Peculiarities of Memphite hypocephali
12. Conclusion
Catalogue
I. Classical hypocephali
II. Textile amuletic hypocephali
Plates
Illustration credits
Bibliography
Indices
Catalogue entry numbers and corresponding inventory numbers
Inventory numbers of hypocephali, corresponding catalogue entry numbers and text types; Trismegistos number
Index of rim-inscriptions
Index of personal names – Filiations
Names
List of titles of owners of hypocephali and those of appearing in the filiations
Private collectors (collection - date of the sale of hypocephalus)
General index
Index of divine epithets
Index of objects discussed
Index of texts
Index of theonymes
Index of toponymes
Index of words and phrases discussed
Back cover
