The Representation of Dance Within the Banquet Scenes of the Private Theban Tombs of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt
Abstract
The present paper is the result of an investigation about the representation of dance within the banquet scenes found in the decoration of the private Theban tombs of the New Kingdom (1550-1070 B.C.). It aims to put in context the representation of dance within the well-known banquet scenes of the Eighteenth Dynasty (1550-1295 B.C.), as well as analyse, through the study of all the scenes found, its main characteristics and its symbolism. Finally, I will try to explain its possible interpretation, based on the context in which the images appear, and the conventions used for its representation. Therefore, the common elements in these scenes (location, iconography…) will be highlighted as they are the key to understand their meaning and importance. This is a relevant issue, since these banquet scenes in which we can see female dancers were loaded with symbolic and aesthetic content, and would serve as a link between the deceased and the visitors of the tomb. They had, therefore, a great importance for Egyptian religious thought as they helped the survival of the deceased in the Hereafter.
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