The Psš-kf and the ‘Opening of the Mouth’ Ceremony: A Ritual of Birth and Rebirth
In archaeological and textual evidence alike, the psš-kf-knife consistently occurs as part of the same collection of objects. In the Pyramid Texts, these objects are presented in a sequence that is the earliest attested form of the ‘opening of the mouth’ ceremony. The speeches accompanying the prese...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
1992
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| In: |
The journal of Egyptian archaeology
Year: 1992, Volume: 78, Issue: 1, Pages: 113-147 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | In archaeological and textual evidence alike, the psš-kf-knife consistently occurs as part of the same collection of objects. In the Pyramid Texts, these objects are presented in a sequence that is the earliest attested form of the ‘opening of the mouth’ ceremony. The speeches accompanying the presentations suggest that the psš-kf and the objects associated with it were the equipment for a ritual mimicking birth and childhood, and that the role of the psš-kf in this process was to cut the umbilical cord of a newborn baby. Further archaeological, textual, and iconographic evidence is adduced to support this interpretation. |
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| ISSN: | 2514-0582 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The journal of Egyptian archaeology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/030751339207800107 |