The “wicked priest” in egyptology and Amarna studies : a reconsideration
Abstract: It is often the case in Egyptology that the priesthood, especially that of Amun in the 18th dynasty, is portrayed as a power hungry, underhanded, political force. This paper will argue that such portrayals are influenced by the assumptions of the Enlightenment and, in particular, Deism. It often happens that assumptions held at the time of the inception of a discipline have a lingering influence on their field. Within scholarship the conclusions of those seen as ground breaking pioneers can also be very influential. This paper examines the reasons for the growth of the “wicked priest” discourse in Egyptology and its application to Amarna Studies. In an attempt to stop the lingering influence of this discourse, some tentative alternate suggestions are made regarding two areas of this application: 1) Akhenaten’s religious reforms and change of capital; 2) The hacking out of Akhenaten’s name and the reaction to his rule.
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| Format: | Artículo biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales. Departamento de Historia. Centro de Estudios de Historia del Antiguo Oriente
2008
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| Subjects: | RELIGIONES ANTIGUAS, EGIPTOLOGIA, HISTORIA ANTIGUA, AKHENATON, |
| Online Access: | https://repositorio.uca.edu.ar/handle/123456789/12027 |
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