The present paper deals with the interpretation of the antichambre carrÃ©e, the room that constitutes a typical component of the âstandardâ pyramid temples of the Old Kingdom (from Sahura onwards) and Middle Kingdom. The paperâs main scope is to question the broadly accepted theory on the meaning of the roomâs decoration, namely that it evokes the sed-festival, an act of regeneration of the kingâs reign. For this purpose, the thorough examination of the antichambre carrÃ©eâs decorative layout â assessing all known examples, with the focus not only on figural representations but also on the text â is combined with data obtained from related sources, including the Djoser shrine court within his step-pyramid complex, the Palermo Stone, the depictions of the sedfestival in Niuserraâs sun temple at Abu Ghurab and, finally, the âbirth cycleâ of Hatshepsutâs temple at Deir el-Bahari. The major conclusion emerging from this comparison is that while the main message of the antichambre carrÃ©e is indeed the manifestation of the kingâs rule over two parts of the country, the ritual acts on display could have taken place in royal ceremonies other than the sed-festival, the prime candidate being the âAppearance of the King of Upper and Lower Egyptâ, an event that seems to have commemorated the act of coronation.

On the Antichambre carrée and the Sed-festival: Re-examining the issue

ivySCI AI Smartly Parses PDF, Answers Researchers' Questions, and Helps You Understand Papers in Seconds

Journal Info