Body and frames of war in New Kingdom Egypt : : violent treatment of enemies and prisoners

Body and Frames of War in New Kingdom Egypt deals with the relation between violence and the bodies of enemies and prisoners of war in New Kingdom Egypt (ca. 1550/1070 BC) through the lens of "frames of war" (J. Butler). Archaeological, textual and pictorial sources on military violence (torture, mutilation, execution) are examined with various methods. Numerous attestations of caging, branding and marking, cutting off hands, cutting off phalli, cutting off ears, eyes gouging, strangling, burning, impaling and decapitation of enemies are analysed in detail and compared with treatments of the dead in the Underworld and criminals in ancient Egypt. Uroš Matić for the first time comprehensively compares divine and state violence in ancient Egypt. He discusses evidence from physical-anthropology (skeletal remains) and chooses a constructivist approach to textual and pictorial representations of violence. Bodies of enemies are understood as objects and media of violence. Several theoretical models are consulted in the examination of the material. It is argued that there was a difference in violent acts committed by the king and those committed by the soldiers. The king treats the enemies in the same way as deities and demons treat the dead in the Underworld. The violence committed by soldiers, on the other hand, is mundane and has no religious background. This difference strengthened the divine nature of the king Egyptology Cover 1 Title Pages 4 Contents 6 List of plates 10 Acknowledgments 14 Introduction 16 Body-centered research on violence 17 Research aims, questions and problems 20 Materials, method and theoretical background 22 Materials 22 Method and theoretical background 22 Problem of historicity 24 History of Research 26 Enemies and prisoners of war in ancient Egypt: A critical history of research 26 War and violence in archaeology 30 Torture 34 Sun exposure 35 Caging 38 Beating and harassment 40 Mutilation 46 Branding and marking 46 Eye and ear removal 50 Hand cutting 55 Phalli cutting 70 Hanging upside-down 80 Execution 88 Strangling 88 Decapitation 91 Impalement 106 Burning 115 Skeletal evidence 132 “Execration pits” from Tell el-Dabca 132 Execution or execration in the case of Karnak temple 141 Hand cutting in Tell el-Dabca 142 Burning of enemies at Amman 146 Frames of War in New Kingdom Egypt 148 Hunt 148 Gender 154 Religion 164 Bodies as objects of violence 176 Human sacrifice 176 Body parts of enemies as commodities 180 Bodies as media of violence 182 Difference between the king and soldiersin treatments of enemies and prisoners of war 182 Violence as performance 194 “Propaganda” and the social production and control of fear 200 Conclusion 214 Documents 222 Doc. 1: Ahmose relief block from Abydos 222 Doc. 2: The Coronation of Queen Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari temple 223 Doc. 3: Autobiography of Ahmose son of Ebana 224 Doc. 4: Tombs of Djehuty (TT 11) and Montuherkhepeshef (TT 20). 230 Doc. 5: The Annals of Thutmose III in temple of Amun at Karnak 234 Doc. 6: Poetic stela of Thutmose III from Karnak(Cairo CG 34010; JE3425) 237 Doc. 7: Gebel Barkal stela of Thutmose III(Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 23.733) 238 Doc. 8: Autobiography of Amenemhab called Mahu (TT 85) 240 Doc. 9: Great Sphinx Stele Amenhotep II in Giza 242 Doc. 10: Memphis stela of Amenhotep II(Egyptian Museum in Cairo, JE 86763) 243 Doc. 11: Amada inscription and Elephantine stela of Amenhotep II(Wien ÄS 5909-upper part; Kairo CG 34019, JE 28585-lower part). 251 Doc. 12: Chariot of Thutmose IV from his tomb(Egyptian Museum in Cairo, CG 46097). 253 Doc. 13: Autobiography of Ahmose-Pennekhbet 255 Doc. 14: Stela of Amenhotep III between Aswan and Philae 257 Doc. 15: Amenhotep III Semnah stela (British Museum EA 138 (657)) 258 Doc. 16: Letter of the Assyrian king Ashuruballit to Akhenaten (EA 16) 260 Doc. 17: Stela of Akhenaten from the temple of Buhen,Museum of the University of Pennsylvania (Phil. E16022 A and B). 261 Doc. 18: Walking stick of Tutankhamun (Cairo JE 61737; Carter no. 048a) 264 Doc. 19: Walking stick of Tutankhamun (Cairo JE 61735; Carter no. 048b). 266 Doc. 20: Walking stick of Tutankhamun (Cairo JE 61736; Carter no. 048c) 266 Doc. 21: Walking stick of Tutankhamun (Cairo JE 61733; Carter 048d). 267 Doc. 22: Walking stick of Tutankhamun(Cairo JE 61732; Carter no: 050uu). 267 Doc. 23: Walking stick of Tutankhamun (Cairo JE 61734; Carter no. 100a) 268 Doc. 24: Chariot yoke of Tutankhamun (Carter no. 159=120d) 269 Doc. 25: Painted box of Tutankhamun (Cairo JE 61467; Carter no. 021) 269 Doc. 26: Memorial temple for Tutankhamun at Karnak 273 Doc. 27: Memphite tomb of Horemhab 277 Doc. 28: Karnak, Northern Wars of Seti I,Campaign from Sile to Pa-Canaan, Year 1 279 Doc. 29: Kanais, temple of Seti I 280 Doc. 30: Decree of Blessing of Ptah 281 Doc. 31: Abydos, Battle of Qadesh 282 Doc. 32: Karnak, Battle of Qadesh 285 Doc. 33: Luxor, Battle of Qadesh 287 Doc. 34: Ramesseum, Battle of Qadeshand the Taking of Dapur under Ramesses II 288 Doc. 35: Abu Simbel, Battle of Qadesh 290 Doc. 36: Beit el-Wali/South temple, Nubian campaign 291 Doc. 37: Papyrus Anastasi II (BM EA 10243). 292 Doc. 38: Athribis stela of Merenptah, Kom el-Ahmar, Menuf(Cairo JE 50568) 293 Doc. 39: Amada temple stela-inscription dedicated to Merenptah 295 Doc. 40: Papyrus Harris I (British Museum EA 9999),Ramesses III’ concluding prayer to Amun 298 Doc. 41: Karnak, Great Libyan War Inscription of Ramesses III 300 Doc. 42: Medinet Habu, East High Gate, North Tower, Façade 303 Doc. 43: Medinet Habu, Speech of Amun to Ramesses IIIin Presentation Scene on Pylon II (Campaign against Sea Peoples) 304 Doc. 44: Medinet Habu, First Pylon, South Triumph Scene 304 Doc. 45: Medinet Habu, Great Inscription of Year 5 of Ramesses III 305 Doc. 46: Medinet Habu, First Libyan war of Ramesses III, Battle withthe Libyans 306 Doc. 47: Medinet Habu, First Libyan War,Presentations of spoils of war to the king 308 Doc. 48: Medinet Habu, First Libyan war of Ramesses III,Presentation of spoils of war to the king 311 Doc. 49: Medinet Habu, First Libyan War of Ramesses III,Battle with the Libyans 313 Doc. 50: Medinet Habu, Sea Peoples campaign of Ramesses III,Land Battle 315 Doc. 51: Medinet Habu, Sea Peoples campaign of Ramesses III,River mouth battle 316 Doc. 52: Medinet Habu, Sea Peoples campaign of Ramesses III,Presentation of spoils of war to the king 317 Doc. 53: Medinet Habu, Second Libyan War of Ramesses III,Battle with the Libyans 319 Doc. 54: Medinet Habu, Second Libyan War of Ramesses III,Presentation of spoils of war to the king 320 Doc. 55: Medinet Habu, Siege of Tunip by Ramesses III 321 Doc. 56: Medinet Habu, Nubian campaign of Ramesses III 322 Doc. 57: Karnak, Amun precinct, Second Libyan War of Ramesses III,Battle with the Libyans 322 Doc. 58: Karnak, Amun precinct, Asiatic campaign of Ramesses III 323 Doc. 59: Karnak, Mut precinct, Second Libyan War of Ramesses III 324 Doc. 60: Karnak, Mut precinct, Asiatic campaign of Ramesses III 324 Bibliography 326 Indexes 390 Terms and themes 390 Sites 396 Geograhic areas 397 Persons 398 Sources 401 Middle Egyptian and Late Egyptian words 404 Plates 406 Body and Frames of War in New Kingdom Egypt' deals with the relation between violence and the bodies of enemies and prisoners of war in New Kingdom Egypt (ca. 1550/1070 BC) through the lens of "frames of war" (J. Butler). Archaeological, textual and pictorial sources on military violence (torture, mutilation, execution) are examined with various methods. Numerous attestations of caging, branding and marking, cutting off hands, cutting off phalli, cutting off ears, eyes gouging, strangling, burning, impaling and decapitation of enemies are analysed in detail and compared with treatments of the dead in the Underworld and criminals in ancient Egypt. 0Uro? Matic for the first time comprehensively compares divine and state violence in ancient Egypt. He discusses evidence from physical-anthropology (skeletal remains) and chooses a constructivist approach to textual and pictorial representations of violence. Bodies of enemies are understood as objects and media of violence. Several theoretical models are consulted in the examination of the material. It is argued that there was a difference in violent acts committed by the king and those committed by the soldiers. The king treats the enemies in the same way as deities and demons treat the dead in the Underworld. The violence committed by soldiers, on the other hand, is mundane and has no religious background. This difference strengthened the divine nature of the king Body and Frames of War in New Kingdom Egypt deals with the relation between violence and the bodies of enemies and prisoners of war in New Kingdom Egypt (ca. 1550/1070 BC) through the lens of "frames of war" (J. Butler). Archaeological, textual and pictorial sources on military violence (torture, mutilation, execution) are examined with various methods. Numerous attestations of caging, branding and marking, cutting off hands, cutting off phalli, cutting off ears, eyes gouging, strangling, burning, impaling and decapitation of enemies are analysed in detail and compared with treatments of the dead in the Underworld and criminals in ancient Egypt. Uroš Matić for the first time comprehensively compares divine and state violence in ancient Egypt. He discusses evidence from physical-anthropology (skeletal remains) and chooses a constructivist approach to textual and pictorial representations of violence. Bodies of enemies are understood as objects and media of violence. Several theoretical models are consulted in the examination of the material. It is argued that there was a difference in violent acts committed by the king and those committed by the soldiers. The king treats the enemies in the same way as deities and demons treat the dead in the Underworld. The violence committed by soldiers, on the other hand, is mundane and has no religious background. This difference strengthened the divine nature of the king