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My Proposed Dissertation: The Temple of Seti I Complex at Abydos as the Sacred Space for Osirian Mystery Rituals in the Ramesside New Kingdom
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Featured November 21 , 2006
Did the New Kingdom Ramesside period place a specific emphasis on cardinal directions as a religious feature for conducting religious rites?
The Temple of Seti I at Abydos, with its attendant structure, the Osireion, has been the subject of many studies – archaeological, religious, and architectural – since their discovery and excavations in the 19th and 20th centuries. These works have presented in-depth information in regards to their emphasis. This research proposal endeavours to study the temple and its structures with concentration upon its position within the Egyptian landscape. It will consider how ancient Egyptian cultural attitudes toward use of space, orientation, and direction guided not only the original establishment of this temple, but defined its use as creating a sacred landscape for the performance of religious rites in and around the temple complex.
It was Margaret Murray who in 1904 first suggested a physical and ritual link between the two structures based upon their orientation and cardinal direction (Murray 1989 <1904>). Subsequent excavations at both the Osireion and the Temple of Seti I have not indicated a direct connection between the structures. However, there are indications within analyses of the temple’s structure and elevations that suggest the Seti I temple may possess multiple levels within its foundation which may provide communication points between the Osireion and the Temple, most particularly via Room 13 (Mariette Room K), the "blind rooms" of the temple (Mariette 1869: 28; Frankfort, de Buck et al. 1933: 22; David 1973: 258-259). Alternately, it has been suggested that hollowed walls between the main temple structure and the Nefertem/Sokar complex, which may be accessible via the roof of the temple via the Hall of Barques (Eady and el-Zeini 1980), provide access to previously uncovered links between the structures. Additional features within the Temple of Seti I, such as a blind stairwell leading to the roof along the side of the Treasury, also indicate that the full religious usage of this temple has yet to be explored. Research for this dissertation will include review of archaeological and architectural analyses of the structure of the Temple and Osireion (such as Capart 1912; Zippert 1931; Frankfort, de Buck et al. 1933; Calverley and Broome 1933-1958; Caulfield 1989 <1902>), as well as physical review of both structures in correlating textual sources for mystery rites which are unique to this temple (David 1973: 251).
Capart, J. 1912. Le temple de Seti Ier: étude générale. Brussels: Rossignal and Van den Bril.
Caulfield, A. S. G. 1989 <1902>. Temple of the Kings at Abydos (Sety I). Egypt Research Accounts. 9th Memoir. London: Histories and Mysteries of Man/Egypt Exploration Fund.
David, A. R. 1973. Religious Ritual at Abydos (c. 1300 BC). Modern Egyptology Series. H. S. Smith. Warminster: Aris and Phillips.
Eady, D., (Omm Sety) and H. el-Zeini 1980. Abydos: Holy City of Ancient Egypt. Westwood: L Communications.
Frankfort, H., A. de Buck, et al. 1933. The Cenotaph of Seti I at Abydos. 39th Memoir of the Egypt Exploration Society. London: Egypt Exploration Society.
Griffis, K. 2002. Mapping the Afterlife: The Post-Amarna through Early Ramesside Royal Tomb as Sacred Landscape in Ancient Egypt. M. A. Dissertation (Unpublished). University College London.
Mariette, A. 1869. Abydos. Description des fouilles executées sur l'emplacement de cette ville. (Tome Premier). Paris: Librarie A. Franck.
Murray, M. A. 1989 <1904>. The Osireion at Abydos. Egyptian Research Accounts. Tenth Memoir. London: Histories and Mysteries of Man/Egypt Exploration Fund. Zippert, E. 1931. Der Gedächtnistempel Sethos I zu Abydos. Ph.D. Dissertation. Fredrich-Wilhelms Universität.
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