Songstresses of Osiris : a study of late New Kingdom stelae from Abydos

Ives, Rachel Amy (2002). Songstresses of Osiris : a study of late New Kingdom stelae from Abydos. University of Birmingham. M.Phil.

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Abstract

The stelae from the Twentieth Dynasty 'Cemetery of Songstresses' at Abydos have presented an insight into a section of population who dedicated funerary monuments principally to Osiris, the god of the Afterlife. The principal occupation highlighted on the stelae is that of 'Songstress.' This corpus presents female musicians worshipping deities without male accompaniment. A survey of the cults that these female musicians celebrated demonstrates that they were not restricted to the Theban clergy. They are likely to have played a role in ritual enactments of the myth of Osiris at Abydos. Stelae from this cemetery also present a variety of professions held by the men, ranging from scribes, priests, \(sḏm\)-\(`š\) and weavers, to artisans such as sandal-makers and gold-workers. These demonstrate that the religious importance of Abydos had not diminished during the Twentieth Dynasty. Artistic styles of the stelae typically present a less elaborate range of motifs than those shown on comparative Theban examples. The preferred style depicts the deceased worshipping before Osiris with several vertical columns of text to identify the dedicator of the monument.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.Phil.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.Phil.

Supervisor(s):