Djedkare Izezi (Part II) & Unas: the Cannibal Hymn
The reign of Djedkare comes to an end after nearly forty years of rule. His successor, Unas, oversees some important theological and artistic developments.
The Pyramid Texts make their appearance in this reign, carved on the walls of Unas’ tomb at Saqqara (Read them all, wall by wall, here). Most notable of these hymns is the Cannibal Hymn, a violent but fascinating litany extolling Unas’ power and status among the great gods. Hear a vocalisation of the Cannibal Hymn by Orlando Mezzabotta, on YouTube.
Images of starving Bedouin (nomads) appear in the causeway of his pyramid complex. This hints at famines and drought sweeping the Near East, heralding a period of climate change that will ultimately destabilize and destroy the Old Kingdom royal power.
Bibliography
- Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms, 1973 (2006 paperback edition).
- Nigel Strudwick, Texts from the Pyramid Age, 2005 (Google Books).
Vincent Brown – Pyramid Texts Online.
Gaston Maspero, The History of Egypt (Gutenberg.org). - Ancient Egypt Online – Unas.
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I am looking for Orlando’s amazing readings of the egyptian texts. I only found your podcast a few months back but I am loving the journey your taking us on. Many thanks and keep up the awesome work!
Great news I found him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7KYQNm5oD8
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Hello, thank you for a taking the time to make this illuminating and easy to digest podcast. Its my latest addiction and I have ambivalent feelings about catching up to the current episode (117 at the time of this post). That being said, you mentioned a YouTube link to be found here in both episodes 17 and 18. It may be my own obliviousness at not seeing it but I have not found the link. If you would be so kind as to share said link with the oration of the Unas Pyramid texts it would be immensely appreciated.
Thank you again for your invaluable work and in advance for your reply.
Hello Dominic and I’m not sure if you are still active and notice the comments, but I have a question about this particular episode which I cannot contain.
As you have included a reading of Sumerian text or hyroglyphs into this episode, by Orlando, checked the page and its mentioned that it is experimental reading,which partly answers my question. So we(as in humanity,historians) decoded hyroglyphs thanks to Rosetta stone, and we know the translation. But do we have any way at all of knowing how they sounded like?