Sacred Violence

When Ancient Egyptian Punishment was Dressed in Ritual Trappings

Bibliographic Data

ID4587151
AuthorsKerry Muhlestein (corresponding author)
Year2015
Volume78
Issue4
Pages244-251
Publication date2015-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueNear Eastern Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1094-2076 • E-ISSN: 1557-5594
PublisherUniversity of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.5615/neareastarch.78.4.0244
OpenAlexW2486869534
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited1

According to the evidence at hand, it appears that during the period spanning from the Old Kingdom through the Libyan Era, institutionally sanctioned ritual violence centered around two main ideas: interference with cultic practices (temple and funerary), and rebellion (both the uprising of conquered enemies rebelling against Egypt's hegemony and the rebellion of actual Egyptians). It seems that while there were many crimes that the ancient Egyptians felt merited capital punishment, and many ways such punishment could be inflicted, most did not include a ritual element. However, it is clear that there were many executions that did include a ritual element, and in many cases it is likely that information conveying a ritual context is unavailable. For now, it can only be concluded that some executions were ritualized and others probably were not. Evidence regarding the forms of punishment that received ritual trappings remains inconclusive

Aesthetics · Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Criminology · Hegemony · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · History · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology