Saints in ancient Egypt

Abstract EN

Some dead individuals lie somewhere between deities and the ordinary dead, these are the people sometimes referred to as “saints”, a term that will be assumed here.

Amenhotep son of Hapu falls into this category while on his way to becoming a god.

Unfortunately, the line between saints and deities is vague.

This is complicated by the fact that the Egyptians themselves do not seem to have had rigid conceptions about it.

So, the study will focus on the interaction of the living with these “saints”, discuss relevant sources, which are texts that rely on “saints” as a helpful force, responding to requests and giving out rewards.

The research is collecting the source evidence related to Mehu, Heqaib and Amenhotep son of Hapu, as well as discussing the stelae related to this concept, besides the reasons of the popularity of these individuals after their death.