5 Osiris as Written in the Pyramid Texts and the Coffin Texts
In: Variability in the Earlier Egyptian Mortuary TextsSearch for other papers by César Guerra Méndez in
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Abstract
This study collects all the evidence on the different spellings for Osiris found in the Pyramid Texts and Coffin Texts to discuss their implications. Two main engrammations, with several minor variants, occur that are based on a different ideogram each: the seat (
Gardiner Sign List Q1) and the flesh (
Gardiner Sign List F51). Two particular cases which tell about the polyfunctional and context-responsive nature of the Egyptian script, especially of its semagrams are also discussed: One case englobes both main engrammations while the other was used to make the Osirian-solar connection explicit. This study also gathers evidence about the kind and hierarchy of the graphemic variants found, which may be of relevance to retrieve the processes involved in the reading-writing and conceptual processes of the ancient Egyptian script.