*** ZOOM ONLY EVENT ***
Osiris and the Stars: Reassessing the Astronomical Scheme on a Bull’s Sarcophagus
The inner lid of a sacred bull sarcophagus from the 30th Dynasty, discovered in the Bull Mausoleum at Abû Yâsîn, contains a unique astronomical diagram—the only known example to incorporate the orientations of the Foreleg constellation (Ursa Major). At first glance, the scheme appears to serve a timekeeping function. However, in 1969, Neugebauer and Parker (1969:51) dismissed the diagram as so poorly executed that it had “lost any astronomical meaning.” Their critique has since shaped scholarly opinion, with the diagram viewed as evidence of either a decline in astronomical knowledge during the late Pharaonic period or as an example of sloppy craftsmanship in terms of astronomical precision.This lecture re-examines the validity of such assessments. Is the scheme truly devoid of astronomical intent, or might it instead reflect a shift in theology, with Osiris, god of the Duat, being linked to the stars? By reconsidering the diagram’s context and content, the presentation seeks to restore the significance of this sarcophagus scheme within the tradition of Egyptian celestial iconography.
Bernadette Brady holds a PhD in Anthropology (2012) and MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology (2005) and an MA in Egyptology from Manchester University. She is currently a lecturer for the Sophia Centre for the Study of Cosmology in Culture at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, UK. Bernadette was the course director for the 2019 BSS at Luxor on Egyptian Astronomy and has lectured widely on this subject.
Entry: £5 members, £7 non-members