Mortuary texts of the priest Khons-iu

 

The corpus of spells in the Book of the Dead does not only consist of texts, every "chapter" could also be accompanied by an illustration. At an early stage a shorthand form of these was developed which the scribes were able to produce with their reed pens. The funerary papyrus of Khonsu-iu shows this remarkable graphic art tradition at its finest and in great detail. Khons-iu [Khensêu] was a High Priest of Ptah in Memphis who died in 249 BC. He was one of a succession, a dynasty, of men who held this very important priestly function in the Late Period. Other members of his family are represented in the Viennese collection by the tomb stelae of his father An-em-her, his nephew of the same name, and the latter's sons Djed-her [Djedhó] and Hor-em-akhet [Harmákhe] (cf. inv. no. 125).

Present location	KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM [09/001] VIENNA
Inventory number	3862
Dating	PTOLEMAIC PERIOD; PTOLEMY II PHILADELPHUS (not after)
Archaeological Site	UNKNOWN
Category	PAPYRUS
Material	PAPYRUS
Technique	PAINTED

Bibliography

• Verzeichnis der antiken Sculpturenwerke, Inschriften und Mosaiken des K.k. Münz- und Antikencabinets im unteren K.k. Belvedere (1826) 48, Nr. 474, 49, Nr. 475, 50, Nr. 476.
• (Steinbüchel, A. v.,) Scarabées égyptiens illustrés du Musée des Antiques de Sa Majesté l'Empereur. Wien 1824.
• Satzinger, H., Ägyptisch-Orientalische Sammlung Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien (museum), Braunschweig (Verlag Westermann), 1987.
• Satzinger, H., Das Kunsthistorische Museum in Wien. Die Ägyptisch-Orientalische Sammlung. Zaberns Bildbände zur Archäologie 14. Mainz. 1994.
• Seipel, W. (ed.), Wasser und Wein, Krems (1995).

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