The foreigners in the Beyond of Seti I (KV17)
Egyptian views on the Other and their space in the Duat
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21680/1984-817X.2025v1n01ID38365Keywords:
Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, Funerary Space, Fifth Hour of the Gates, Tomb of Seti I (KV17)Abstract
Egyptian funerary beliefs were diverse, and the concept of the Afterlife (or Duat) varied over time and across the contexts in which funerary discourse was developed. This study examines the depiction of foreigners in the Fifth Hour of the Gates, who are often interpreted by Egyptologists in a positive view, as if Re were offering them protection in the Afterlife. However, this paper seeks to challenge and reinterpret this perspective. Through an analysis of textual elements and comparisons with other funerary discourses from the period, we argue that these foreigners were perceived as enemies of the pharaoh, both in terrestrial Egypt and in the Duat. Consequently, we propose that the division within the Gates reflects a mechanism of control over these ethnic groups in relation to the Egyptians.
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