Sed festival
sed festival ḥbsd conventional pronunciation also known heb sed feast tail ancient egyptian ceremony celebrated continued rule pharaoh name taken name egyptian wolf god one whose name wepwawet sed lessformal feast name feast tail derived name animal tail typically attached back pharaoh garment early period egyptian history tail might vestige previous ceremonial robe made complete animal skin ancient festival might perhaps instituted replace ritual murdering pharaoh unable continue rule effectively age condition eventually sed festival jubilee celebrated ruler held throne thirty year every three four year festival primarily served reassert pharaonic authority state ideology sed festival implied elaborate temple ritual included procession offering act religious devotion ceremonial raising djed base sacrum bovine spine phallic symbol representing strength potency duration pharaoh rule festival also involved symbolic reaffirmation pharaoh rulership upper lower egypt pharaoh followed typical tradition reign long year content promise million jubilee afterlife despite antiquity sed festival hundred reference throughout history ancient egypt detailed record ceremonies—apart reign amenhotep iii—come mostly relief cycle fifth dynasty king neuserra sun temple abu ghurab akhenaten east karnak relief cycle twentysecond dynasty king osorkon ii bubastis clear evidence early pharaoh celebrating heb sed first dynasty pharaoh den third dynasty pharaoh djoser pyramid djoser two boundary stone heb sed court within pyramid complex also shown performing heb sed false doorway inside pyramid two boundary stone would functioned symbolic reminder djosers dominion upper lower egypt placement within mortuary complex would allow king continue carrying hebsed perpetuity death one earlier sed festival substantial evidence sixth dynasty pharaoh pepi meryre south saqqara stone annal document document corroborates reign least year despite damage addition alabaster container commemorating pepi first sed festival given subsequent first intermediate period lack extant monument manifestation centralized state activity creating void evidence sed festival sixth dynasty middle kingdom power pharaoh became consolidated monument began built previously old kingdom amenemhat based evidence provided foundation block pyramid appears ruled coregent son senusret based upon chronology presented monument th regnal year amenemhat would th regnal year son therefore amenemhat would ineligible sed festival least per tradition independent reign senusret notable erection white chapel pavilion meant commemorate heb sed sed festival celebration taking place st year opposed th chapel would subsequently incorporated festival hall thutmose ii amenhotep iii third pylon karnak notably amenemhat ii despite appearing ruled approximately year appear kind hebsed lavish sed festival judging surviving inscription amenhotep iii c bce ramesses ii first dozen approximately bce several pharaoh seem deviated year tradition notably two pharaoh eighteenth dynasty hatshepsut akhenaten ruler dynasty recovering occupation foreigner reestablishing redefining many tradition hatshepsut celebrated sed jubilee thebe counting time consort husband recent research indicates exercise authority usually reserved pharaoh reign thereby acting coruler rather great royal wife duty assigned royal daughter upon husband death eligible male royal family stepson nephew child made consort shortly thereafter crowned pharaoh egyptologist jürgen von beckerath book chronology egyptian pharaoh speculate hatshepsut may celebrated first sed jubilee mark passing year death father thutmose derived legitimacy rule egypt appointed daughter highest administrative office government giving coregents experience ruling many aspect bureaucracy reflects oracular assertion supported priest amunre father named heir throne akhenaten made many change religious practice order lessen influence priest amunre saw corrupt religious reformation may begun decision celebrate first sed festival third regnal year purpose may gain advantage powerful temple since sedfestival royal jubilee intended reinforce pharaoh divine power religious leadership time akhenaten also moved capital egypt tellel amarna akhenaten established tellel amarna sole worship aten unprecedented action pharaoh could explain would want consolidate religious political power contrast akhenaten father amenhotep iii emphasized polytheistic status quo sed festival sed festival still celebrated later libyanera king shoshenq iii shoshenq v osorkon second heb sed rd year osorkon ii constructed massive temple bubastis complete red granite gateway decorated scene jubilee commemorate hebsed hornung erik staehelin elisabeth neue studien zum sedfest schwabe isbn medium related sed festival wikimedia common