Hermione Wrote:
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> Does this new article differ significantly from
> your own article ?
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This article tends to expand on some of Greg's ideas, but it divides the role of the Tekenu (as a person) into three aspects - a ritualist Tekenu, a "sleeping" Tekenu, and an "active" Tekenu, drawing upon new imagery from TT 295 and TT 11.

The abstract reads:

Summary

The tekenu is a recurrent element in Egyptian funerary rituals which is not completely understood and, therefore, still raises several questions. The aim of this article is to reassert the human aspect of the tekenu and his role as officiant or ritualist. This study is based on a revision of known sources and incorporates new documents, mainly from the TT 295 and TT 11. In this role of officiant or ritualist, the tekenu participates in several episodes of the funeral ceremony, particularly in a ritual of dormition with a close analogy in the Opening of the Mouth.

Concluding Remarks from the article itself:

Evidently, there are many aspects about the tekenu, its origin, historical evolution, and the role he performs, that are still unknown to us. It would be logical to ponder on whether, with the passing of time, he continued to be a real element of the funeral, or whether his image was simply retained in the iconographic repertoire of tomb decorations, in keeping with Egyptian conservative tendencies and respect for religious traditions. In any case, we hope to have proved that a re-evaluation of current sources, together with new documents from TT 295 and TT 11, mainly, allows for the presentation and understanding on this particular character and his function within funerary liturgy.

Thus, possible symbolic or mythological interpretations left aside, the tekenu is presented as an officiant or ritualist, one of the participants in the ritual that, as usual, must undergo a series of nitial purifications that include the use of cosmetics and incense. Even though the tekenu's best known function is as part of the funerary procession and the hauling of the coffin and the canopic jars, it is possible that his most relevant function would link him to a ritual dormition, an oneiric trance (real or fictitious) that would probably take place once the funerary procession reached the necropolis or the tomb itself. In this dormition, the tekenu is assisted by other priests, such as the sA srqt, and he makes use of the bovid skin-mskA, being one of the most characteristic elements of the process and which will end up in a hole or well, along with the selected offerings. Through this ritual dormition, this character appears as an active and dynamic figure, obvious protagonist of a number of episodes within the funerary ritual. And it is this dynamicity which evidently contrasts the motionless and static image normally attributed to the tekenu.

Article citation:

Serrano Delgado, J. M. 2011. Contribution to the Study of the tekenu and its Role in Egyptian Funerary Ritual. ZÄS 138: 150-162 (with 4 plates).

HTH.

Katherine Griffis-Greenberg

Doctoral Candidate
Oriental Institute
Doctoral Programme in Oriental Studies [Egyptology]
Oxford University
Oxford, United Kingdom