Year of Award
2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Science (MS)
Degree Name
Anthropology
Other Degree Name/Area of Focus
Archaeology
Department or School/College
Anthropology
Committee Chair
Dr. Kelly Dixon
Commitee Members
Dr. Anna Prentiss, Dr. Hipólito Rafael Chacón
Keywords
Osiris Shaft, Shetayet of Sokar, Egypt, Rosetau, Giza
Subject Categories
Archaeological Anthropology | Folklore | Social and Cultural Anthropology
Abstract
The Osiris Shaft is one of many archaeological signatures associated with Egypt’s Giza Plateau, the most well-known of which are the Great Pyramids. However, the role(s) the Osiris Shaft feature played in the religious and daily practices of ancient Egyptians remain(s) unknown. This research seeks to contextualize the Osiris Shaft in Egyptian history to learn more about this feature’s story. In order to achieve this goal, this thesis examines funerary deities associated with Memphis theology and explores archaeological investigations related to the Osiris Shaft, including the work of Dr. Zahi Hawass and investigations by the Giza Mapping Project. Thanks to modern technology, archaeological discoveries in Egypt are advancing at an exponential rate, and opportunities to solve some of the mysteries associated with the Osiris Shaft (e.g., its original date of construction) are now emerging. After analyzing existing archaeological evidence in tandem with the evolution and transformation of funerary deities leading up to/synonymous with Osiris, the Osiris Shaft may represent the successor of the Shetayet of Sokar.
Recommended Citation
Whiting, Nicholas Edward, "The Lost Histories of the Shetayet of Sokar: Contextualizing the Osiris Shaft at Rosetau (Giza) in Archaeological History" (2021). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 11693.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11693
Included in
Archaeological Anthropology Commons, Folklore Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons
© Copyright 2021 Nicholas Edward Whiting