Festivals

Innumerable festivals were held during the year in honour of various gods. Harvest festivals were held in honour of the god Min. Part of the year was devoted to those held in honour of Osiris, at the end of which, on the 30th of the month Khoiak, a Sokar festival was held at Busiris to commemorate the setting up of the backbone of the god. A mock fight was then carried on between priests of different sanctuaries, po ibly symbolizing the fight between Set and Osiris. Perhaps the most universally acknowledged of all the festivals were those in honour of Hapi the Nile god, and Osiris. Those of Has or seem to have taken a somewhat bacchanalian form. Inscriptions tell of an "Intoxication festival" in her honour held at Dendera. At Saïs the festivals were principally dedicated to Neith. At Memphis that of Ptah-Seker-Osiris was celebrated with great pomp; it fell on December 22nd in late times, and was connected with the winter solstice. A hymn to Amen-Ra speaks of the festival of the quarter month, and of the 6th and 9th days of the month. For every act of importance to the people in the year there was a special festival: the cutting of the dyke, opening the canals, reaping the first sheaf, carrying the corn, and so on. On great festival occasions the image or symbol of the god or godde was carried in its special bark round the temple and about the precincts. There was, as well, the festival for the dead on the 17th of Thoth, called also the fire festival, when the priests kindled fires in front of the statues in the sepulchral chambers, and the whole country lighted new lamps, and spent the night in feasting and visiting. One of the most important of the festivals was that which took place on the 1st of Thoth (i.e., the early days of August) on the day of the rising of So this (Sirius), which marked the beginning of a new year.