Laurent Coulon

Civilisation de l'Égypte pharaonique

Année 2025-2026

Collège de France

Conférence - Renata Landgráfová : Snakes and Demons: Guardians of the Afterlife in the Saite-Persian Tombs at Abusir

Résumé

In the shadow of the pyramids of the 5th Dynasty in northwest Abusir lies a Saite-period shaft tomb necropolis whose tombs challenge conventional funerary expectations. The richly decorated tomb of Iufaa, in particular, presents a trove of rare ritual texts—including a unique initiation manual for scorpion and snake magicians—and serpent guardians more at home in astronomical scenes of Ptolemaic temples than in burial chambers. Nearby, the tomb of Menekhibnekau features a more traditional program, yet stands out for its striking use of Book of the Dead Chapter 144. Here, demonic gatekeepers are not only named but visually anchored in the architectural "gate" (entrance) of the burial chamber itself—a spatial and symbolic innovation not documented elsewhere. This lecture explores how these tombs reimagine the roles of serpents and demons as powerful protectors on the path to eternity.

Renata Landgráfová

Charles University de Prague

Renata Landgráfová est invitée par l'assemblée du Collège de France, sur proposition du professeur Laurent Coulon, chaire Civilisation de l'Égypte pharaonique