Tekenu
Dating back to the age of the early New Kingdom, the tekenu became a popular feature of Egyptian funerary rites. Despite their frequent depictions, many questions are aroused by this strange inclusion: what are its origins? What was the function? And who...or what...is a tekenu?
It is important to note that depictions of tekenu have never been found in pharaonic tombs, nor has its corporeal existence been found or attested to. What does this tell us? Well, not much...except that its wide depiction among the non-royal meant that the tekenu was an expected and ordinary part of death. Recently, though, it has attracted the attention of scholars who think it would add valuable understanding to Egyptian funerary rites and traditions.
In order to better understand, we must also have a basic understanding of the ancient Egyptians view of death. Humans were believed to be created by both physical and non-physical elements and, in order to have a successful afterlife, these elements must be preserved and represented in the mummified body and tomb. The tekenu is part of this, yet, due to a lack of surviving documentation of what it is...scholars are left to determine what they think is and is not a tekenu in order to come to some sort of understanding.
What, first, do tekenu look like? They can vary in depiction in a few different ways, but it is often thought to resemble a humanoid figure. It is often in some sort of repose - either crouching, in the fetal position, or sitting. It often looks like it is wearing drapey fabric. Egyptologists have a few different thoughts on the subject - some believe the tekenu represents a priest, others believe it is a combination of two different bodies.
It is believed, to some, that the tekenu was actually physically present for funerary rituals. According to XXX, “From the walls of the tomb, it can be inferred with little doubt how this person participates as a sacred officiant that assumes a very particular role in the liturgical
dramatization that is the Egyptian burial.”
However, other schools of thought believe that the tekenu was not an independent physical being. In some depictions in hieroglyphics, the tekenu is represented as part of the funeral process. Because of this, it was thought that it might be a bag containing the body parts o the deceased that were not able to be mummified but would likely still be essential in the afterlife.
Similarly, some scholars believed the tekenu was simply a simulacrum of the deceased. In this form, the tekenu would serve as a sort of scapegoat in the afterlife who would distract the evil enemies of the deceased.
Others believe that the tekenu is a symbolic sacrifice made in funerals that were meant to benefit the recently deceased. There was said to be a ritual (though little extant proof exists), specifically a ‘skin ritual’, where a royal adolescent would be sacrificed, and wrapped into an animal skin. After this death, the king would then cover himself with that animal skin to obtain the vitality left behind by the dead youth. However, as noted earlier in this post, depictions of tekenu are not regularly found in pharaonic tombs. So, if this really was some sort of death ritual...wouldn’t it be mentioned there? Perhaps not.
There are even more schools of thought than the ones I’ve mentioned today and the process is ever-evolving as scholars continue to unpack this strange figure.
Thank you Samantha C. for your blogstonishing suggestion!
The blog image highlights a Tekenu wrapped in a shroud and in foetal position over a sledge. Painting from the tomb of Ramose in Gourna.XVIII Dynasty. Photo: Mª Rosa Valdesogo Martín.