Zoser's funerary monument. Part 2: The 'heb-sed court'

Sequel to BACE 7 (1996) 43-54. This part is concerned with the so-called sed-festival court. The two lines of stone buildings along the larger of the two courts should be recognised as copies in stone of human dwellings. Not only was the perishable material changed into stone, but also the original layout was obviously compressed into a smaller space, especially eliminating and downsizing open areas of the prototypes. At its south end the larger court is connected via a passageway with a smaller one, which houses a free-standing house-like building. The common interpretation of the ensemble constituting the courts is connected with the sed-festival, but the pictorial and inscriptional information contained in the panels in the South Tomb give no indication about a sed-festival; instead, the pictures suggest the king to move from his earthly residence to the Hereafter to join the ancestors. Djoser's funerary complex copies the essential elements of the royal residence in Memphis, for the sake of providing the king with his familiar surroundings until he ascends to an 'otherworldly' state. The sed-festival is not essential to a reign, it is a temporary event. Therefore, the house-like building should rather be interpreted as the king's personal abode and the dwellings in the larger court as those of the members of the royal court. The dais, which seems to establish a connection with the sed-festival, is rather destined for formal audiences. (OEB)