Execration texts

As execration texts is called hieratic or hieroglyphic inscriptions on ancient Egyptian pottery and clay figures that were partly labeled with individual, warring partly with rolled- lists to name people, cities and countries, in order to overthrow this ritual. In this way, they represent also an important source for the political and linguistic situation in Palestine and Nubia dar.

Origin

The execration texts are taken from the Old and Middle Kingdom, some even from the time afterwards. It is unclear on whose behalf the execration texts were produced. Since, however, these texts which are directed against enemies, mainly military should come into question.

Locations

The oldest execration texts were found in several clay pots at four locations in the vicinity of the Great Pyramid at Giza and date from the 6th Dynasty (ca. 2347-2216 BC). They contain a variety of Egyptian and Nubian people names as well as some otherwise known Nubian peoples names.

Another group of Ächtungstexten comes from the earlier 12th Dynasty (ca. 1938-1759 BC) and is written on clay pots; a slightly younger group is written on clay figurines, more execration texts of the Middle Kingdom are from Mirgissa. The texts from the Middle Kingdom called Nubian princes, Canaanite cities with their princes, including Jerusalem, Egyptian and deceased.