Ancient Egyptian Practice of Erasing Pharaohs from Historical Records
Ancient Egyptians practiced a form of memory condemnation, similar to the Roman damnatio memoriae, to erase unpopular or sacrilegious pharaohs from history. This involved defacing statues, removing names from inscriptions, and destroying monuments. Key figures targeted included Akhenaten, who imposed monotheistic worship of Aten in the 14th century BCE; his successors Tutankhamun and Nefertiti; and Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh from the 15th century BCE. The practice was motivated by political consolidation and spiritual beliefs, as Egyptians thought erasing a name prevented existence in the afterlife. Ironically, many erased rulers are now well-known due to modern archaeological discoveries.
Key facts
- Ancient Egyptians erased pharaohs' memories by defacing monuments and removing names.
- Akhenaten promoted monotheistic worship of Aten in the 14th century BCE.
- Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh, was erased by Thutmose III in the 15th century BCE.
- The practice aimed to secure political power and impose spiritual punishment.
- Modern archaeology has revived knowledge of many erased pharaohs.
Entities
Institutions
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- British Museum
Locations
- Ancient Egypt
- Rome
- Amarna