Anthropology 176TS    Syllabus    Fall 2008

TA: Mariam Dahdul
mdahdul@umail.ucsb.edu
Office 2042
Tues. 2:30-4:30 pm

TA: Zac Hubbell
zhubbell@usmail.ucsb.edu
Office 2042

Ancient Egyptian Religion

What’s up with this dog headed guy? And what is he doing with that Mummy? How and why did the Egyptians make Mummies anyhow? And what about those Pyramids? How could they possibly have built them and why would they want to? Discover the answers to these questions and explore the mysterious realm of ancient Egyptian Religion, with its massive temples, multitude of gods and goddesses and fascinating funeral rites. Perform actual Egyptian temple and funeral rituals, and a 2500 year old play “The Triumph of Horus”! This course will investigate ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and practices, their origin, and development. The great mythic Solar Cycle of creation and Osirian Cycle of betrayal and revenge, death and rebirth are discussed, as well as the place of the myriad local and minor Gods and Goddesses within Egyptian mythology. The dynamics behind the monotheistic “Revolution” of Pharaoh Akhenaton are investigated, and the connections of Atenism with Moses, Israelite Monotheism and the Bible explored. The interaction of sacred and secular in Egyptian society is considered through the nature of divine kingship, large temple institutions, and funerary foundations. The relationship between the state cults and private worship by noble and commoner is explored, and the nature and potency of ancient Egyptian magic and curses investigated. The nature and development of Egyptian funerary beliefs are also detailed, including the history and significance of pyramids and tombs, mummification, and the process of ‘democratization’ of the afterlife, as individuals gradually took hold of their own destinies after death at the expense of the Pharaohs. Instructor: Stuart Tyson Smith. Office & Contact: 1003 HSSB, 893- 7887, stsmith@anth.ucsb.edu. Office Hours: Tu 3-5. Time & Place: Tuesday, Thursday, 11-12:15 pm, Buchanan 1940.

Course Requirements

The course will have a midterm (25%) and final exam (50%). Participation in the re-created ceremonies and play, or a short paper as a make-up, will also be required (25%). Each exam will consist of a pictorial identification section (20%), a set of short description identifications of important deities, individuals, places, and concepts (40%), and an essay question (40%). For each section there will be some choice of what to answer (e.g., identify 10 of 15 places/names/items listed, one of two essay questions, etc.). Study questions will be handed out at least two meetings before each exam and gone over in class. Make up exams can be scheduled if there is any difficulty in attending on an exam day. If possible, arrange this before the exam is given, otherwise a penalty may be assessed (a valid excuse such as illness will never be penalized). Cheating will not be tolerated and will result in a grade of F for that exam.

Readings will be assigned from the following (see Course Schedule for specific assignments):

Richard Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson, London, 2003.

 

John Taylor, Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt (Duckworth Egyptology Series), University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2001.

 

William Kelley Simpson (ed.), The Literature of Ancient Egypt. University of Texas Press, Austin, 2001.

 

Stuart Tyson Smith, “They did take it with them,” KMT magazine, 2:3, Fall 1992, pp. 28-45, 66-67. On E-Res at the Library, password “motive”.

 

 

 

Course

Schedule

 

Sept. 25. Introduction: Brief review of Egyptian history, nature of the sources, Overview of Egyptian Religion.
	Wilkinson, pp. 6-11; Simpson, pp. 1-9.
Sept. 30, Oct 2. The Nature of Divinity. The Solar Cycle: The Egyptian Myth of the Origins of Life. Ra and the great Solar Cycle. Local Gods and the Solar Cycle, related myths.
	Simpson, pp. 45-53, 104-111, 278-298. Wilkinson, pp. 12-41. Solar Deities: Re, Apophis, Nun, Nut, Geb, Shu, Tefnut, Maat, Atum, Nefertum, Khepri, Sokar, Benu, Gengen Wer, Sopdu, Ruty, Mahet Weret, Mnevis, Sky Bull, Ogdoad. Local Deities: Amun, Mut, Khonsu, Hathor, Thoth, Min, Montu, Seshet, Waset, Bat, Bastet, Mahes, Pakhet, Wenet, Khnum, Satet, Ptah, Buchis, Heryshef, Banebdjamet, Nemty, Hatmehyt, Hehet. Nature: Hapy, Heh, Sothis.
	Δ Say a 3500 year old ancient Egyptian prayer in ancient Egyptian!
Oct. 7, 9. The Osiris Myth: Osiris’ death, rebirth and role as King in the Afterlife. The struggle between Horus and Seth and the nature of Divine Kingship. King and God: The nature of Egyptian Kingship. The King as enforcer of Ma‘at (order, rightness) on earth and the Solar Cycle. Akhenaton and the Amarna Revolution. Egypt and the Bible.
	Simpson, pp. 54-66, 91-103, 152-174, 301-306, 351-360, 367-385; Wilkinson, pp. 54-69. Osirian Deities: Osiris, Isis, Horus, Seth, Nepthys. Royal: Nekhbet, Wadjet, Souls of Pe & Nekhen. Akhenaton: Aten.
Oct. 14, 16. Temple institutions and the state bureaucracy. Religion and the People: The State Cults and private worship. Household Deities.
	Simpson, pp. 116-124, 339-344, 386-391, Wilkinson, pp. 42-53, Popular & Household Deities: Taweret, Bes, Renenutet, Meretsegar, Meskhenet, Amenhotep son of Hapu, Imhotep.
Oct. 21, 23. Religion and moral values. Daily life and Egyptian magic, stories of magicians. Magic and the State, magic and medicine, magic and crime. The ancestor cult and Letters to the Dead.
	Simpson 13-24, 125-151, 175-244, 361-366. Wilkinson, Magic: Heha, Hu, Pataikos, Shed, Aker, Serket, Nehebu-Kau, Ipet.
Oct. 28, 30. Mid-Term exam (Oct. 28) And just in time for Halloween: Mummification and the afterlife.
	Simpson, pp. 112-115, 245-277, 332-333; Taylor, pp. 1-45. Wilkinson, Afterlife Deities: Amut, Kherty, Babi, Mehen, Tree Goddess, Sah, Shezmu, Imentet (Hathor), Reret.
	Δ Perform a 5000 year old Egyptian funerary ritual to feed the dead!
Nov. 4, 6. Origins and development of Egyptian funerary beliefs. Ka, Akh, and Ba: The Egyptian Soul & the ‘democratization of the afterlife.’ Private burial and tombs in the Old Kingdom through the Middle Kingdom.
	Simpson pp. 399-428, 453-469; Taylor, pp. 46-111. Wilkinson, Anubis, Sons of Horus (Imsety, Duamutef, Hapy, Qebesenuef).
Nov. 13. The origins and development of Pyramids as a royal and private funerary monument. Pious funerary foundations. Nubian (Sudanese) Pyramids, Egyptian influences on Nubian religion.
	Taylor, pp. 112-243; Wilkinson, Nubian Deities: Dedwen, Apademak, Anuket, Mandulus, Arsenuphis.
	Δ Recite a passage from the Pyramid Texts (featured in The Mummy Returns)
	Note: Veteran’s Day Holiday November 11.
Nov. 18, 20. Private and Royal Burial in the Second Intermediate Period through the New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period.
	Smith, They did take it with them (on reserve).
Nov. 25. Hellenism, burial and religion in the Greco-Roman Period.
	Taylor, pp. 123-32; Wilkinson, pp. 242-3. Hellenistic Deities: Serapis, Isis (review), Apis. Foreign Deities: Baal, Ash, Reshep, Anat, Astarte, Baalat, Qadesh.
	Simpson pp. 392-398, 443-529; Taylor pp. 244-263.
	Note: Thanksgiving Holiday November 27.
Dec. 2, 4. The Legacy of Egyptian Religion. Egypt’s place in world religious history. Egyptian religion & pop culture.
	Δ December 2 - Group Performances: Temple Ritual.
	Δ The “Opening of the Mouth” ceremony to bring Mummies back to life!
	Δ “The Triumph of Horus” – a 2200 year old play!

Final Exam, Thursday, December 11, 12-3 in Buchanan 1940.