Prokletí starých Egypťanů? Magický text na ochranu proti zlodějům ze šachtových hrobek v Abúsíru | Curse of the ancient Egyptians? Protective spell against tomb robbers from the shaft tombs of Abusir

Abstract

The study contains a translation and analysis of a hitherto unknown protective spell from the sarcophagus lid in the shaft tomb of Menekhibnekau, which has a single known parallel as yet, located on the eastern exterior wall of the outer sarcophagus of Iufaa, with three columns extending onto the southern wall. The major part of the spell places the deceased under the protection of the goddess Isis, but the powerful seven “knots” or “utterances” of the creatrix goddess are invoked as well. The final part of the spell contains a short curse aimed at potential tomb robbers, which is rather unusual in terms of both its placement and time of use: such texts were much more usual in far earlier times of Egyptian history

Keywords

• late period
• menekhibnekau
• iufaa
• abusir
• shaft tombs
• magical texts
• religious texts
• tomb robbers
• curses