Tenth International Congress of Egyptologists Abstracts of Papers

XICE – Abstract of Papers
achieved before. In 2001, Kahl published an article in which he presented
perspectives for the future study of early Egyptian writing and where he stressed the
need for a palaeographic treatment of early dynastic inscriptions. 126
Our palaeography reflects writings over half a millennium, covering the first
attestations of writing discovered in tomb U-j at Umm el-Qa‘ab 127 (ca. 3200 BC) until
the earliest known written continuous text in the reign of Netjerikhet -more commonly
known as Djoser (ca. 2600 BC). Given the obscurity of this initial phase of writing, it
may come as a surprise that a little less than 4500 sources are at our disposal.
Contrary to palaeographical studies concerning other periods, no selection on the
basis of material or type of inscription was made; every single inscription within the
above-mentioned time frame was considered, whether incised, painted or executed in
relief.
The presented paper will outline some results of the study. Based on the
chronological sequencing of the available early dynastic signs, it is possible to
describe developments in writing style until the reign of Netjerikhet/Djoser. In
addition, less well-dated inscriptions have been re-considered, re-evaluated and redated
on the basis of an established palaeography. Finally, dealing with the earliest
inscriptions allowed for a better understanding of the origins of the Egyptian writing
system and in particular, of the relationship between the latter and the already existing
communication systems.
Understanding the nature of propaganda in ancient Egypt: the divine birth of
Hatshepsut
Stephen Renton
The presence of propaganda in ancient Egypt has long been the subject of debate
within Egyptology, particularly following POSENER’S seminal 1956 work on political
literature in the Middle Kingdom. The vast majority of studies into the propagandistic
nature of texts and monumental scenes throughout Pharaonic Egypt, however, have
been undertaken in the absence of a comprehensive philosophical, ideological, or
theoretical examination of the idea of propaganda. This is hardly surprising though, as
efforts to analyse the idea of propaganda are rare even in the field of communication
studies. In Egyptological studies, propaganda is seldom defined —it is generally
assumed the reader already understands the term, or else the definitions provided vary
from one study to the next. Similarly, the methods used to identify and assess
propaganda within Egyptology are either inconsistent between studies, or not
immediately apparent to the reader. The end result is that few examples of purported
ancient Egyptian propaganda have been subjected to a form critical analysis based on
communication and propaganda theory.
This paper seeks to redress this balance by applying a propaganda model,
developed through an analysis of communication and propaganda scholarship, to
Hatshepsut's divine birth scene in her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri. For many
Turmbau zu Babel, Ursprung und Vielfalt von Sprache und Schrift IIIA: Schrift. Museum Catalogue
Graz (5/04-5/10 2003) (Graz, 2003); Frühägyptisches Wörterbuch 1-3 (Wiesbaden, 2004).
126 J. KAHL, ‘Perspektiven der Erforschung der frühen ägyptischen Schrift und Sprache’, in: J.
POPIELSKA-GRZYBOWSKA (ed.), Proceedings of the First Central European Conference of Young
Egyptologists. Egypt 1999 Perspectiv (Warsaw, 2001), 47-55.
127 G. DREYER, Umm el-Qaab I. Das prädynastische Königsgrab U-j und seine frühen Schriftzeugnisse,
AV 86 (Mainz am Rhein, 1998).
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