Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
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This thesis examines all the material (reliefs, stelae, a statue and a papyrus) that in the past and/or the present have been/are connected to (the Memphite lost tomb of) Hormin. Hormin served as...Show moreThis thesis examines all the material (reliefs, stelae, a statue and a papyrus) that in the past and/or the present have been/are connected to (the Memphite lost tomb of) Hormin. Hormin served as the Overseer of the Royal Appartments of Memphis under the reigns of Seti I and Ramesses II. Based on criteria such as style, the Hormin material is defined and the origins of the incorrect connections to Hormin are investigated. Next to this, all the information is gathered in the Hormin material in order to attempt to reconstruct the life and career of Hormin. Moreover, the nineteenth century discovery and exploitation of the tomb, resulting in the material being spread over at least five museums (Bologna, Paris, Cairo, Leiden, Berlin), is examined. This information assists in deciding what can be said of Hormin's lost tomb and what not (architecture of the tomb; further material that can still be found in the tomb etc.). This thesis highlights the issues involved when studying New Kingdom Saqqara, especially material without a tomb context.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
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This thesis aims to give an in depth look at the dummy writing and painting palettes of ancient Egypt. A suggested terminology of the subject is presented together with a corpus of dummy palettes...Show moreThis thesis aims to give an in depth look at the dummy writing and painting palettes of ancient Egypt. A suggested terminology of the subject is presented together with a corpus of dummy palettes and related objects. On the basis of this corpus the different aspects of the dummy palettes, such as their materials, symbolism, archaeological context, and ownership, are studied in order to reach a better understanding of why these objects were made and how they were meant to function.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
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It has long been recognised that ancient Egyptian women occupied a unique position within society in comparison to women in other ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern civilisations. This was...Show moreIt has long been recognised that ancient Egyptian women occupied a unique position within society in comparison to women in other ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern civilisations. This was already characteristic of the culture in antiquity and recognised by ancient Greek and Roman historians. Classical visitors of Egypt, like Herodotus, commented on the position of women as unusual and different from the situation they knew from their own cultures. This situation persisted even after the introduction of Greek and Roman traditions, which more heavily restricted women’s position and activities. Women participated in the economy of Egypt to a greater extent than can be documented for women from any other society in antiquity. When compared to women from other ancient cultures, such as Greece or Rome, the average Egyptian woman was relatively independent. She could inherit, own and dispose of property in her own right. She enjoyed a legal status, in theory equal to a man, and could act independently in business and court settings. In contrast to some cultures, no male guardian was required to act for her. Considering all these examples of female independence within society, it seems to be expected that women also enjoyed a certain degree of freedom when it comes to their occupational activities.Show less