Funerary apotropaic devices in Egypt’s Old Kingdom

The prospect of entering a forgotten tomb and emerging plagued by an ancient curse has intrigued modern audiences for more than a century. Despite the interest of the general public and scholars alike, the topic of curses has been relatively understudied in Egyptological scholarship. This thesis explores previously overlooked aspects of Egyptian curses such as placement, intent, and phraseological trends, and examines them within the temporal and cultural contexts that they first appeared - the Old Kingdom. Tombs from this period featuring curses are examined with a view to gaining greater understanding of their geospatial nature and scope, as well as insight into those individuals who employed curses and their potential motivations for doing so. Modes of analysis include tomb locations within cemeteries, the titles of those who invoked curses, curse location, and phraseology. This research extends our knowledge of curse origins, phraseological evolution, and dissemination over time, as well as their social meaning within the broader and ever-changing frameworks of ancient Egyptian funerary culture.