Dayr al-Barshā and Dayr al-Bahrī: Two Ritual Landscapes in the Time of Mentuhotep II

After discussing the landscape setting of the Middle Kingdom Dayr al-Barshā necropolis, this article focuses on the evidence for a processional infrastructure there, which is argued to have facilitated religious processions from the capital of the Hare nome at Khemenu to the associated cemetery there. The infrastructure includes a river crossing, ritual activities at the landing stage, where a cult place for the provincial ruler was located, a processional road crossing the cemetery, and leading to a second cult place for the local ruler at his tomb. The article then discusses early evidence for other processional roads linked to temples, royal mortuary complexes, and cemeteries for private individuals. It is argued that deliberately built processional infrastructure is originally mainly a feature related to royal pyramids, with early evidence for processional roads liked to temples and private tombs being very restricted. The article argues that conscious landscaping on a grand scale undertaken by Mentuhotep II in Abydos and Thebes (Valley Festival) may have given the impetus for the spatial organisation of the Dayr al-Barshā region as well, which dates to the same period.

ISBN:1950343138

Publication year:2019

Accessibility:Closed