Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-grxwn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-13T11:23:12.768Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

11 - Primate Behavior in Ancient Egypt

The Iconography of Baboons and Other Monkeys in the Old Kingdom

from Part III - Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 August 2022

By
Lydia Bashford
Edited by
Bernardo Urbani ,
Dionisios Youlatos  and
Andrzej T. Antczak
Bernardo Urbani
Affiliation:
Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research
Dionisios Youlatos
Affiliation:
Aristotle University, Thessaloniki
Andrzej T. Antczak
Affiliation:
Universiteit Leiden
Get access

Summary

While various primates may have originally roamed in the formally lush prehistoric landscape of Egypt, by the Old Kingdom period, baboons and other monkeys were not native to Egypt proper and only available through foreign import from further south. Yet monkeys remained a recurrent feature in the iconography of this and later periods. A motivation of great religious significance was likely behind the baboon’s continual importation. Of a more secular nature, however, are reliefs from both royal and non-royal tombs where they are inserted into traditionally human scenes, exhibiting their own natural behavior, or imitating human actions, often rather humorously. This study examines the type of primate behaviors observed by the Egyptians and recorded on the walls of their tombs for eternity.

Key words:

Ancient Egypt, Old Kingdom, Baboon, Monkey, Primate behavior, Iconography

Type
Chapter
Information
World Archaeoprimatology
Interconnections of Humans and Nonhuman Primates in the Past
 , pp. 283 - 309
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allen, J. P. (2015). The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts. Atlanta: SBL Press.Google Scholar
Anvari, Z., Berillon, G., & Asgari Khaneghah, A., et al. (2014). Kinematics and spatiotemporal parameters of infant‐carrying in olive baboons. American Journal of Physical Anthropolology, 155(3), 392–404.Google Scholar
Bárta, M., (2001) Abusir V: The Cemeteries at Abusir South I. Praha: Set Out.Google Scholar
Bashford, L. (2016) The iconography of exotic animals and other exotica: Interconnections during the Old Kingdom. MA thesis. University of Auckland.Google Scholar
Davies, N. de G. (1901). The Rock Tombs of Sheikh Saïd. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.Google Scholar
Davies, N. de G. (1902a). The Rock Tombs of Deir el Gebrâwi I. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.Google Scholar
Davies, N de G. (1902b). The Rock Tombs of Deir el Gebrâwi II. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.Google Scholar
Davies, N. de G. (1943). The Tomb of Rekh-mi-rēʽ at Thebes II. New York: The Plantin Press.Google Scholar
Dominicus, B. (1994). Gesten und Gebärden in Darstellungen des Alten und Mittleren Reiches. Heidelberg: Heidelberger Orientverlag.Google Scholar
Duke, J. (2001). Handbook of Nuts. Boca Raton: CRC Press.Google Scholar
El Awady, T. (2009). Abusir XVI: Sahure – The Pyramid Causeway: History and Decoration Program in the Old Kingdom. Prague: Charles University in Prague.Google Scholar
El-Khouli, A., & Kanawati, N. (1990). The Old Kingdom Tombs of el-Hammamiya. Sydney: Australian Centre for Egyptology.Google Scholar
Estes, R. D. (1991). The Behavior Guide to African Mammals. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Evans, L. (2000). Animals in the domestic environment. In Donovan, L., & McCorquodale, K.. eds., Egyptian Art Principles and Themes in Wall Scenes. Guizeh: Foreign Cultural Relations, 73–82.Google Scholar
Evans, L. (2010). Animal Behaviour in Egyptian Art: Representations of the Natural World in Memphite Tomb Scenes. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.Google Scholar
Fehlmann, G., O’Riain, M. J., & Kerr-Smith, C., et al. (2017). Extreme behavioural shifts by baboons exploiting risky, resource-rich, human-modified environments. Scientific Report, 7, 1–8.Google Scholar
Fischer, H. G. (1959). A scribe of the army in a Saqqara mastaba of the early Fifth Dynasty. Journal of Near Eastern Studies 18, 233–272.Google Scholar
Fischer, H. G. (1978). Notes on sticks and staves in Ancient Egypt. Metropolitan Museum Journal, 13, 5–32.Google Scholar
Flores, D. (2004). The topsy-turvy world. In Knoppers, G. N., & Hirsch, A., eds., Egypt, Israel, and the Ancient Mediterranean World: Studies in Honor of Donald B. Redford. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 233–255.Google Scholar
Greenlaw, C. (2011). The Representation of Monkeys in the Art and Thought of Mediterranean Cultures: A New Perspective on Ancient Primates. Oxford: Archaeopress.Google Scholar
Gordon, A. H., & Schwabe, C. W. (2004). The Quick and the Dead: Biomedical Theory in Ancient Egypt, Leiden. Boston: Brill; Styx.Google Scholar
Harpur, Y. (2001). The Tombs of Nefermaat and Rahotep at Maidum: Discovery, Destruction and Reconstruction. Cheltenham: Oxford Expedition to Egypt.Google Scholar
Harpur, Y., & Scremin, P. (2010). The Chapel of Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep: Scene Details. Oxford: Oxford Expedition to Egypt.Google Scholar
Harpur, Y., & Scremin, P. (2015). The Chapel of Nefer and Kahay: Scene Details. Oxford: Oxford Expedition to Egypt.Google Scholar
Hall, K. R. L. & DeVore, I. (1965). Baboon social behaviour. In DeVore, I., eds., Primate Behaviour: Field Studies of Monkeys and Apes. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.Google Scholar
Hassan, S. (1943). Excavations at Gîza IV (1932–1933). Cairo: Government Press.Google Scholar
Hassan, S. (1944). Excavations at Gîza V (1933–1934). Cairo: Government Press.Google Scholar
Hassan, S. (1975). Mastabas of Princess Ḥemet-R’ and Others. Cairo: General Organisation for Government Printing Offices.Google Scholar
Hein, K. (2006). Der Pavian im Boot: ein Deutungsversuch. Göttinger Miszellen, 210, 5–6.Google Scholar
Houlihan, P. F. (1997). Harvester or monkey business? Göttinger Miszellen, 157, 31–47.Google Scholar
Houlihan, P. F. (2001). Wit and Humour in Ancient Egypt. London: Rubicon Press.Google Scholar
Janssen, R., & Janssen, J. (1989). Egyptian Household Animals. Princes Risborough: Shire Publications.Google Scholar
Jéquier, G. (1938). Le monument funéraire de Pepi II. Vol. II. Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale.Google Scholar
Jørgensen, M. (1996). Catalogue Egypt I (3000–1550 BC) Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Copenhagen: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.Google Scholar
Kanawati, N. (2012). The Cemetery of Meir I: The Tomb of Pepyankh the Middle. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.Google Scholar
Kanawati, N. (2007). Deir el-Gebrawi II: The Southern Cliff. The Tombs of Ibi and Others. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.Google Scholar
Kanawati, N. & Evans, L. (2014). Beni Hassan I: The Tomb of Khnumhotep II. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.Google Scholar
Kanawati, N., & Evans, L. (2017). The Cemetery of Meir IV: The Tombs of Senbi I and Wekhhotep I. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.Google Scholar
Kanawati, N., & Evans, L. (2018). Beni Hassan IV: The Tomb of Baqet III. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.Google Scholar
Kanawati, N., & Hassan, A. (1997). The Teti Cemetery at Saqqara. Volume II: The Tomb of Ankhmahor. Warminster: Aris and Phillips.Google Scholar
Kilany, E. El-. (2013). Monkeys in the daily life scenes of Ancient Egypt. Göttinger Miszellen, 238, 25–39.Google Scholar
Kilany, E. El-., & Mahran, H. (2015). What lies under the chair! A study in ancient Egyptian private tomb scenes, Part I: Animals. Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, 51, 243–264.Google Scholar
Kingdon, J. (1988). East African Mammals: An Atlas of Evolution in Africa Vol. I. London; New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Kummer, H. (1968). Social Organization of Hamadryas Baboons: A Field Study. Basel: Karger.Google Scholar
Kummer, H. (1997). In Quest of the Sacred Baboon: A Scientist’s Journey. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Labrousse, A., & Moussa, A. (2002). La chaussée du complexe funéraire du roi Ounas. Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientaleIF.Google Scholar
Lashien, M. (2013). The Chapel of Kahai and his Family. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.Google Scholar
Lepsius, C. R. (1897–1913). Denkmaeler aus Ägypten und Aethiopien. Vol. II (pts. 3-4). Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs.Google Scholar
Macdonald, J. (1965). Almost Human. The Baboon: Wild and Tame – In Fact and in Legend. Philadelphia: Chilton Books.Google Scholar
Maître, J. (2018). Malin comme un babouin” Le rôle des singeries comme faire-valoir de l’idéal de vie à l’égyptienne dans la chapelle du mastaba d’Hétepet à Gîza. Egypte, Afrique and Orient, 89, 43–52.Google Scholar
Manuelian, P. D. (1999). Market scene from the Tomb of Tep-em-ankh. In Anonymous, ed., Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 404–407.Google Scholar
McNamee, G. (2011). {Aelian’s} On the Nature of Animals. San Antonio: Trinity University Press.Google Scholar
Ministry of Antiquities. (2018). The Discovery of an Old Kingdom Tomb of a Lady who was a Top Official in the Royal Palace. Cairo, Egypt: Available at: www.egyptologyforum.org/bbs/Hetpet_tomb.pdfGoogle Scholar
Moussa, A. M., & Altenmüller, H. (1971). The Tomb of Nefer and Ka-hay: Old Kingdom Tombs at the Causeway of King Unas at Saqqara. Mainz: Zabern.Google Scholar
Moussa, A. M., & Altenmüller, H. (1977). Das Grab des Nianchchnum und Chnumhotep. Mainz: Zabern.Google Scholar
Noll, P. E., Coelho, A. M., & Bramblett, C .A. (1982). The effects of sexual status on threat, attack, and subordinate behaviors of Papio monkeys. Archive of Sexual Behavior, 11, 65–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Osborn, D. J., & Osbornová, J. (1998). The Mammals of Ancient Egypt. Warminster: Aris and Phillips.Google Scholar
Schrier, A., & Swedell, L. (2008). Use of palm trees as a sleeping site for hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) in Ethiopia. American Journal of Primatology, 70, 107–113.Google Scholar
Smith, W. S. (1942). The origin of some unidentified Old Kingdom reliefs. American Journal of Archaeology, 46, 509–531.Google Scholar
Sponsel, L. E., Ruttanadakul, N., & Natadecha-Sponsel, P. (2002). Monkey business? The conservation implications of macaque ethnoprimatology in southern Thailand. In: Fuentes, A., & Wolfe, L. D., eds., Primates Face to Face: Conservation Implications of Human-Nonhuman Primate Interconnections. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 288–309.Google Scholar
Subiaul, F. (2007). The imitation faculty in monkeys: evaluating its features, distribution and evolution. Journal of Anthropological Science, 85, 35–62.Google Scholar
Swedell, L. (2002). Ranging behavior, group size, and behavioral flexibility in Ethiopian hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas). Folia Primatologica, 73, 95–103.Google Scholar
Sweeney, D. (2015). Monkey business at Deir el-Medina. In Amstutz, H., Dorn, A., Müller, M., Ronsdorf, M., & Uljas, S., eds., Fuzzy Boundaries: Feitschrift für Antonio Loprieno. Vol. II. Hamburg: Widmaier Verlag, 801–813.Google Scholar
Vandier d’Abbadie, J. (1964). Les singes familiers dans l’ancienne Égypte (Peintures et Bas-reliefs): I. L’Ancien Empire. Revue d’égyptologie, 16, 147–177.Google Scholar
Vandier d’Abbadie, J. (1965). Les singes familiers dans l’ancienne Égypte (Peintures et Bas-reliefs): II. le Moyen Empire. Revue d’égyptologie, 17, 177–188.Google Scholar
Vandier d’Abbadie, J. (1966). Les singes familiers dans l’ancienne Égypte (Peintures et Bas-reliefs): III: le Nouvel Empire. Revue d’égyptologie, 18, 143–201.Google Scholar
Varille, A. (1938). La tombe de Ni-Ankh-Pepi à Zâouyet el-Mayetîn. Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale.Google Scholar
Vilensky, J., & Larson, S. (1989). Primate locomotion: Utilization and control of symmetrical gaits. Annual Review of Anthropology, 18, 17–35.Google Scholar
Wickler, W. (1967). Socio-sexual signals and their intra-specific imitation among primates. In Morris, D., ed., Primate Ethology. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, pp. 69–147.Google Scholar
Wild, H. (1953). Le Tombeau de Ti II: La Chapelle (pt. 1). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale.Google Scholar
Whitten, P. L. (1983). Diet and dominance among female vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops). American Journal of Primatology, 5, 139–145.Google Scholar
Wilson, P. (1997). A Ptolemaic Lexikon: A Lexicographical Study of the Texts in the Temple of Edfu. Leuven: Peeters.Google Scholar
Young, J. W., & Shapiro, L. J. (2018). Developments in development: what have we learned from primate locomotor ontogeny? American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 165, 37–71.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×