Scribal statues

Mødedato: Onsdag d. 4/10 2017, kl. 19.00
Lokale: 23.0.49

Scribal statues, v. Ph.d. Niv Allon, Assistant Curator, Metropolitan Museum, New York

The history of scribal statues spans almost two millennia, from the fourth Dynasty into the Late Period.Their consistency in form seemingly indicates stability in meaning to the point of fossilization.

A fundamental change in the statues’ inscriptions already during the Middle Kingdom suggests otherwise. In this period, the inscription on the papyrus surface starts referring to the textual activity itself.

This paper will explore the social and cultural setting of this change and its implications regarding the notion of literacy, as well the agents who took part in it, especially the vizier Mentuhotep who throughout Egyptian history remained the most prolific patron of scribal statues.