Abydos

Patricia Podzorski on Abydos -- on the burial place of the god Osiris

Patricia Podzorski on Abydos -- as the burial place of the first kings of united Egypt

Abydos is located west of the Nile in southern Egypt. It was a holy city due to its status as the legendary burial place of Osiris, the god of the dead Abydos is the site of burials of many pre-dynastic Kings, who desired to be associated with both the ancient rulers and with Osiris. Some scholars believe Abydos was also a royal cemetery during the First and Second Dynasties. However, others believe that the royal tombs at Abydos are actually dummy tombs or monuments built in honor of the deceased kings, who they believe were really buried at Saqqara.

The University of Pennsylvania Museum has participated in several expeditions to Abydos continuously from 1967 into the present. Expeditions have focused on cemeteries and urban areas, including several structures such as royal mortuary complexes, offering chapels, the temple of Seti I, the temple of Osiris known as the Osireon, and the Portal Temple of Ramses II. Expeditions have resulted in the discovery of royal boat pits, a temple of Thutmose III, and a kiosk built by Akhenaten.

Objects from Abydos on exhibit are a vase (see cat. no. 23), the Block Statue of the Overseer of Priests Sitepehu (see cat. no. 38), jewelry (see cat. nos. 56, 58a,b, 59), vessels (see cat. nos. 62b, 67, 69c), a mirror (see cat. no. 74a), a fish dish (see cat. no. 75), a shabti (see cat. no. 82b), and stelae (see cat. nos. 95, 97).

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