Paths to Immortality: Female Burial Diadems of Old Kingdom Egypt

Abstract

The design and symbolism of the akh, ankh, central carnelian stone, papyrus umbels and lotus flowers on the Old Kingdom "Boston" Diadem discovered as part of the 1927 Harvard University-Museum of Fine Arts, Boston expedition connect iconographically to two additional full diadems and three sets of fragments also discovered at the Giza Necropolis during the 20th century, and are telling evidence of afterlife potential accorded to elite, non-royal women of Fifth Dynasty Egypt. As a starting point, this thesis explores the symbolic meaning of the royal crown, particularly the uraeus diadem and the inherent, genderless unity implied, along with an overview of extant female diadems discovered with or adjacent to ancient Egyptian burials. The Pyramid Texts assisting Old Kingdom queens at death are noted for similar afterlife possibilities as those accorded to kings, towards becoming a star or star-like and following the way of Osiris in the Duat. The archaeological finds for six non-uraeus diadems and fragments discovered in the Old Kingdom Giza Necropolis, iconographically related, are fully described along with click-beetle necklaces and fragments associated with these burials of, presumably, elite but non-royal individuals. The sšd fillet is considered in the context of funerary texts for its initiatory significance and sacred function as preparation for the afterlife journey. The relationship of the House of Life (per ankh) during the Old Kingdom to the scribal deities Seshat and Thoth and, potentially, to elite women as well as men of the Old Kingdom is described and evidenced. The tombs of Meresankh III and Hetepheres I are considered for the possible connection of these queens to various deities and to the House of Life via iconography and inscriptions. Particularly, the finds of click beetle necklaces and beads emblematic of the goddess Neith as "Opener-of-the-Ways" towards resurrection during the afterlife journey, connect even further the elite women's burials at Giza with their queenly predecessors, and are catalogued here for the first time. Notably, many priestesses or "prophetesses," typically of Neith and Hathor, were found buried in Giza tombs in conjunction with men titled as scribes, craftsmen and priests and often shown wearing the leopard-skin garment characteristic of Seshat, and potentially were all affiliated with the House of Life. Even while women’s cultic roles diminished over the course of the Old Kingdom and beyond, a persisting connection to Hathor, Neith, Thoth and Seshat, deities considered already quite ancient at this time, evidenced potential ties to the enigmatic House of Life for the female diadem-wearers buried at Giza. The symbolism of these iconographically-related burial fillets implies the belief that to become an immortal akh was the aspiration and considered possible for numerous, unnamed Old Kingdom women, buried in mastaba tombs at Giza.