Rites, Rituals and Festivals as Instruments of Stability of Royal Power

Rituals and festivals have always been fascinating subjects of debate for scholars, sparking curiosity and inspiring countless discussions. While much has been said and written on these topics, this publication takes a fresh approach by exploring them through new research and contemporary, cross-disciplinary perspectives, summarizing insights of the 10th Symposium on Egyptian Royal Ideology, held in Warsaw in 2022. It dives deep into archaeological, textual and iconographic sources that shed light on Egypt’s ancient rituals and festivals. Events from the Egyptian festival calendar are explored, highlighting some of the most significant celebrations: the Sed Festival, New Year Festival, Beautiful Festival of the Valley, Hathor Festival, the Festival of Djeser-djeseru and the Tpj šmw Festival. This work also delves into royal ideology and the rituals kingship, like royal accession, with the royal coronation discussed separately, as well as the connections between funerary practices and royal ideology. A separate chapter focuses on the ritual of slaying Apophis. Through this comprehensive study, readers are invited to explore how ancient Egyptian kings used rituals and festivals not only to honour the gods, but also to reinforce their own power and ensure stability of their kingdom.