Breaking the dšr.t Vessels

‘Breaking the dsr.t-vessels’ was a funerary rite that involved the intentional damaging of a certain type of ceramic vessel. The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of the rite through a re-evaluation of the primary sources and previous research and to provide the first study devoted entirely to the rite.

In ancient Egyptian thought, the funerary procedure played a key role in the transition to the afterlife. As early as the Old Kingdom (c. 2700-2200 BCE), the Pyramid Texts and representations and inscriptions in private tombs show a highly developed funerary ritual with a large number of individual rites intended to ensure a safe transition to the realm of the dead and a pleasant afterlife for the deceased. One of these is the so-called ‘breaking the dsr.t-vessels’ (Egyptian sd dsr.wt), a rite that involved the intentional damaging of a certain type of ceramic vessel. The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of the rite through a re-evaluation of the primary sources and previous research and to provide the first study devoted entirely to the rite. While the rite of ‘breaking the dsr.t-vessels’ has been associated with several different archaeological contexts and primary sources, this monograph argues that a careful distinction needs to be made between the evidence identified as such. This study aims to demonstrate that there is a significant discrepancy between textual, iconographic, and archaeological sources which calls into question the identification of a large number of sources as sd dsr.wt contexts. A number of different ritual and non-ritual practices in ancient Egypt involve the deliberate fragmentation of pottery, each of which should be addressed in context.

Introduction Goal and Definition On the Necessity of a Re-Evaluation Methodology and Structure The BdV in Egyptological Literature History of Previous Research Phase 1: Identification Phase 2: Contextualisation Phase 3: Attribution of Archaeological Evidence Interpretations of the BdV The BdV as a Rite Against Evil Proponent Arguments Problems The BdV as Disposing of Vessels Proponent Arguments Problems How to Move Forward The Concept of Intentional Damaging of Objects: Fragmentation Theory Interpreting the Intentional Fragmentation of Objects Implications of Fragmentation Theory for the BdV Forms of Intentional Fragmentation of Objects in Ancient Egypt The dsr.wt - Appearance, Use, and Purpose dsr.t-Vessels in the Old Kingdom dsr.t-Vessels in the Middle Kingdom dsr.t-Vessels in the New Kingdom dsr.t-Vessels After the New Kingdom dsr.t-Vessels in Archaeological Contexts Conclusion on dsr.t-Vessels Contextualising the BdV The Pyramid Texts The Old Kingdom Private Contexts The BdV in the Middle Kingdom The BdV Scene in the Luxor Temple The dsr.wt in the BdV The New Kingdom Vessel-Breaking Scenes Summary and Conclusion Appendix Appendix Table 1 Appendix Table 2 Appendix Table 3 Catalogue A1 - dsr.wt in the Old Kingdom A2 - dsr.wt in the Middle Kingdom A3 - dsr.wt in the New Kingdom A4 - dsr.wt after the New Kingdom B1- BdV in the Old Kingdom B2 - BdV in the Middle Kingdom B3 - BdV in the New Kingdom B4 - Vessel-Breaking Scenes in New Kingdom Private Tombs Bibliography and Abbreviations,

Introduction

Goal and Definition

On the Necessity of a Re-Evaluation

Methodology and Structure

The BdV in Egyptological Literature

History of Previous Research

Phase 1: Identification

Phase 2: Contextualisation

Phase 3: Attribution of Archaeological Evidence

Interpretations of the BdV

The BdV as a Rite Against Evil

Proponent Arguments

Problems

The BdV as Disposing of Vessels

Proponent Arguments

Problems

How to Move Forward

The Concept of Intentional Damaging of Objects: Fragmentation Theory

Interpreting the Intentional Fragmentation of Objects

Implications of Fragmentation Theory for the BdV

Forms of Intentional Fragmentation of Objects in Ancient Egypt

The dšr.wt – Appearance, Use, and Purpose

dšr.t-Vessels in the Old Kingdom

dšr.t-Vessels in the Middle Kingdom

dšr.t-Vessels in the New Kingdom

dšr.t-Vessels After the New Kingdom

dšr.t-Vessels in Archaeological Contexts

Conclusion on dšr.t-Vessels

Contextualising the BdV

The Pyramid Texts

The Old Kingdom Private Contexts

The BdV in the Middle Kingdom

The BdV Scene in the Luxor Temple

The dšr.wt in the BdV

The New Kingdom Vessel-Breaking Scenes

Summary and Conclusion

Appendix

Appendix Table 1

Appendix Table 2

Appendix Table 3

Catalogue

A1 – dšr.wt in the Old Kingdom

A2 – dšr.wt in the Middle Kingdom

A3 – dšr.wt in the New Kingdom

A4 – dšr.wt after the New Kingdom

B1 – BdV in the Old Kingdom

B2 – BdV in the Middle Kingdom

B3 – BdV in the New Kingdom

B4 – Vessel-Breaking Scenes in New Kingdom Private Tombs

Bibliography and Abbreviations

Elena Hertel holds a BA Classical Archaeology and Egyptology from Heidelberg University and an MA by research in Egyptology from Leiden University. Currently she is a PhD candidate at Basel University in the Swiss National Science Foundation project ‘Crossing Boundaries’. Her research specialty in Egyptology is the combination of philological and object studies. She is also involved in several publication projects of demotic and abnormal hieratic papyri.

• By (author) Elena Luise Hertel