Hippo Hunt (Ancient Egypt)
| Hippopotamus / hippopotamus in hieroglyphics | ||||||
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Deb Db Hippopotamus |
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Chab Ḫ3b hippopotamus |
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Debet Dbt hippo |
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The hippopotamus hunt was one of the most important cultic and social events in ancient Egypt . This special form of ritual hunting has been documented since the early dynasty of Egypt and has always been reserved for the king ( pharaoh ) and his elite . Scenes of the hippopotamus hunt appear numerous on artifacts , e.g. B. Stone vessels and ivory bowls.
From King Den ( 1st dynasty ) depictions of the ruler during the harpooning of the hippopotamus have been preserved on ivory tablets and stone vases. From the Old Kingdom onwards, there are reliefs depicting a hippo hunt. The hippopotamus was especially in earlier times a representation of chaos , the king triumphed symbolically over evil with the slaughter of the hippopotamus.
literature
- Toby AH Wilkinson : Early Dynastic Egypt. Routledge, London et al. 1999, ISBN 0-415-26011-6 , pp. 274-275.
- Stan Hendrickx et al. (Ed.): Egypt at its origins. Studies in memory of Barbara Adams . Peeters Publishers et al., Leuven et al. 2004, ISBN 90-429-1469-6 , p. 815.
- J. Vandier : Manuel d'archéologie égyptienne. Tome 4: Bas-reliefs et peintures. Scènes de la vie quotidienne. Volume 1. Picard, Paris 1964, Chapter IX: Fishing, Harpooning and the Hippo Hunting