Death and Burial in the Kingdom of Meroe
Résumé
This article presents an overview of funerary customs and their antecedents in the king dom of Meroe (300 BCE–350 CE), with a focus on elite burials. In a land exposed to grad ual changes after a long period of Egyptian colonization, cultural entanglement has creat ed new religious beliefs supported by a unique architecture and statuary, in addition to new traditions regarding mortuary rituals. Copying the royal funerals, high-ranked offi cials are buried with rich equipment (weaponry, vessels, jewelry, coffins, shrouds) while at the surface a pyramid or a tumulus will mark the grave and become the theater of a cult for the dead fusing with the cult of Osiris. Easily accessible from settlements, the Meroitic grave appears as a new place to intercede with the gods and maintain the influ ence of some families over local communities.
Domaines
Sciences de l'Homme et Société
Origine : Accord explicite pour ce dépôt