Institut français
d’archéologie orientale du Caire

IFAO

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pays/zone estimés: 192.168.253.1 EGY XXX

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BIFAO104_art_02.pdf (0.5 Mb)
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Bulletin de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale 104
2004 IFAO
18 p.
gratuit - free of charge
La pintade, le soleil et l’éternité. À propos du signe [...] (G 21).

The sign G21, identified by L. Keimer as a reference to the Guineafowl, Numida meleagris L., has the phonetic reading nḥ, which is also the bird’s name, Nḥ. It is commonly used in the writing of the word for cyclical eternity, Nḥḥ.

Nḥ is mentioned in funerary texts, connected to sunrise.

The palaeography of the sign G21, the study of the bird’s behaviour, and a careful analysis of funerary texts throw a light on the link established by the Ancient Egyptians between the -Guineafowl, the sun and cyclical eternity.