The myth of primordial rebellion

There is a recurring theme within the mythology of archaic civilisations that we could call ‘The primordial rebellion’. In Ancient Egypt, from the New Kingdom onwards, it is possible to find mythical accounts that develop the plot. We define this rebellion as ‘primordial’ because, accord-ing to the...

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Autor principal: Cabobianco, Marcos
Formato: Artículo revista
Lenguaje:Español
Publicado: Instituto de Historia Antigua Oriental, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, UBA 2024
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Acceso en línea:https://revistascientificas.filo.uba.ar/index.php/rihao/article/view/16256
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Sumario:There is a recurring theme within the mythology of archaic civilisations that we could call ‘The primordial rebellion’. In Ancient Egypt, from the New Kingdom onwards, it is possible to find mythical accounts that develop the plot. We define this rebellion as ‘primordial’ because, accord-ing to the stories, in an earlier era, in all likelihood the first, there were rebels who challenged the rule of the creator and his successors. This threatened kingship could be the projection onto the mythical plane of a different kind of leadership than that which characterises state societies. However, the king of the beginning, once a benevolent creator, allows a violent and repressive power, characteristic of the state, to emerge. As an accompanying effect, the realm of the gods is split from that of men. The question then arises as to what generates such a disruption and why, after the rebellion is over, it is not possible to return to the pristine world. Here we will concentrate on reflecting on Egyptian responses to these questions by analysing three accounts from the New Kingdom and later periods that deal with the rebellion and the irrevocable dis-ruption of the primordial order.