Mz Maau Is there any research to whether the 70 days was coincidence orritualised to match the star?
Mz Maau asks: Is there any research to whether the 70 days was coincidence or ritualised to match the star?
Edit: This post addressed a question by a reader on Google + regarding the possible correlation between the 70 days of mummification as noted by Herodotus and the disappearance of the star Sopdet from the Egyptian skies.
I have not come across any research (but that does not mean there isn't any, Egyptology is a massive discipline) about the 70 days the star Sopdet (Sirius) was absent from the sky and its correlation with the ideal number of days required for mummification as recorded by Herodotus, but I did find this:
Screenshot below
Rossi, C. (2010) "Science and Technology: Pharaonic - Time Keeping" in Lloyd, A B. (Ed) A COMPANION TO ANCIENT EGYPT VOLUME I, Wiley Blackwell: UK p.396
(Also included is the relevant page from Herodotus Book II An Account of Egypt which is available from various free sites)
While the connection between the two concepts seems obviously linked, we must exercise caution because the Egyptians never left specific records regarding the mummification process, and recently some other assumptions have been found to be incorrect. eg the brewing process for Egyptian beer was long thought to be facilitated by the use of a piece of bread to introduce yeast. Recent discoveries at Amarna of sprouted grain and analysis of starches in vessels under electron microscope show that a malting process was actually used.
If anyone can provide a link to, or the title of, a peer reviewed paper on this topic, (eg. JSTOR/Academia.edu) please post it in the comments.
Edit: This post addressed a question by a reader on Google + regarding the possible correlation between the 70 days of mummification as noted by Herodotus and the disappearance of the star Sopdet from the Egyptian skies.
I have not come across any research (but that does not mean there isn't any, Egyptology is a massive discipline) about the 70 days the star Sopdet (Sirius) was absent from the sky and its correlation with the ideal number of days required for mummification as recorded by Herodotus, but I did find this:
Screenshot below
Rossi, C. (2010) "Science and Technology: Pharaonic - Time Keeping" in Lloyd, A B. (Ed) A COMPANION TO ANCIENT EGYPT VOLUME I, Wiley Blackwell: UK p.396
(Also included is the relevant page from Herodotus Book II An Account of Egypt which is available from various free sites)
While the connection between the two concepts seems obviously linked, we must exercise caution because the Egyptians never left specific records regarding the mummification process, and recently some other assumptions have been found to be incorrect. eg the brewing process for Egyptian beer was long thought to be facilitated by the use of a piece of bread to introduce yeast. Recent discoveries at Amarna of sprouted grain and analysis of starches in vessels under electron microscope show that a malting process was actually used.
If anyone can provide a link to, or the title of, a peer reviewed paper on this topic, (eg. JSTOR/Academia.edu) please post it in the comments.
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