I believe that the Ancient Egyptians used storytelling methods that are also used by the indigenous cultures of the world to today. That is a combination of mythological stories performed in repeated rituals at specific places. Let me clarify what I mean by mythological storytelling. Kelly has studied indigenous knowledge systems and found that across a range of pre-literate cultures that mythological storytelling aids in the memorialisation of knowledge:
Kelly also notes that these stories are often performed repetitively, in ritual at specific locations, making use of memory palaces in a similar fashion to the Greek orator’s use of the method of loci. Despite being a literate culture, there is evidence that the Ancient Egyptians were aware of and used a similar method to the indigenous cultures Kelly has studied to convey knowledge. One such example appears in Budge Vol I):
Compare and contrast this with Kelly’s example of an Australian indigenous tribes song which aids in identification of places along a known path of travel which is intended to be sung in that place
There is no connection between the cultures yet the approach appears universal across multiple indigenous cultures that Kelly has studied and even may be applied to the Egyptians who are a culture that clearly became literate. There are likely many other examples of Ancient Egyptians using these methods. Do you agree or are you aware of more?
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Excerpt from Grounded: Indigenous Knowing in a Concrete Reality by Lynne Kelly
“Stories are far easier to remember than lists of facts. Narratives and vivid characters enacting the knowledge increase the chance that it will be remembered. Structuring information in such a concrete way also allows for commentary and recognizing patterns and stimulating questions in a way that many contemporary educational methods have lost.
The Rhetorica ad Herennium advises its orators that to make information most memorable, mental images should be as striking as possible with vibrant active characters displaying exceptional beauty or singular ugliness. They should be engaged in striking or comic effects involving heroes and trauma, disasters and great feats.”
Kelly also notes that these stories are often performed repetitively, in ritual at specific locations, making use of memory palaces in a similar fashion to the Greek orator’s use of the method of loci. Despite being a literate culture, there is evidence that the Ancient Egyptians were aware of and used a similar method to the indigenous cultures Kelly has studied to convey knowledge. One such example appears in Budge Vol I):
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Gods of the Egyptians, Budge p293
The first work, the "Festival Songs of Isis and Nephthys," was a very important service, and the second, the " Lamentations of Isis," was probably a supplement to it; two priestesses, who dressed in the characters of Isis and Nephthys, and personified these goddesses, sang the sections, or "houses," of the Festival Songs in turn on the great commemorative festivals of Osiris, and as the "Lamentations" were rhythmical they were probably sung in the same service.
The rubric of the "Festival Songs" orders that they be sung in the temple of Amen-Ra, and as the third work, the "Book of Overthrowing Apepi," was devoted to the protection of the Sun- god Ra, the great lord of the temple, provision must have been made for reciting it there.
Compare and contrast this with Kelly’s example of an Australian indigenous tribes song which aids in identification of places along a known path of travel which is intended to be sung in that place
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Excerpt from Kelly
the Rrumburriyi Tiger Shark’s kujika shows the way in which a songline acts as a set of subheadings to the songs associated with each location along the path and the information “which will be sung, repeated, ritualised at that location.
We sing this spring waters there in the north and we come ashore at Yulbarra. We come ashore and we sing the people at Yulbarra. We sing the paperbarks swamp and then onwards and northwards we sing the messmate trees and then we climb up onto the stone-ridge country and we sing the cabbage palms, and then we come to that place called Rruwaliyarra and we are singing the blue-tongued lizards and then the spotted nightjar, the quoll and the death adder, and we sing that one remains alone – the rock wallaby – we are singing her, and then we sing the messmate trees.”
There is no connection between the cultures yet the approach appears universal across multiple indigenous cultures that Kelly has studied and even may be applied to the Egyptians who are a culture that clearly became literate. There are likely many other examples of Ancient Egyptians using these methods. Do you agree or are you aware of more?