Dancing for the Dead: muu Dancers in Egyptian New Kingdom Scenes

Abstract

Muu dancers are one of the most common elements in the funerary processions represented in the private Theban tombs of the New Kingdom, especially in the 18th dynasty. This paper aims to analyse the main characteristics of the representation of these male individuals that appear only on private tombs located in different necropolises. It will also try to understand the ritual meaning of these dancers through the attested images, an enigmatic procedure that has been interpreted in different ways by several authors. In addition, the distribution of these scenes both inside and outside the Theban necropolis will be analysed to understand the diffusion of this type of representations during the Egyptian New Kingdom. Thus, firstly I will make a description of the funerary processions painted or engraved on the walls of the private tombs. Secondly, I will describe the muu dancers following Brunner-Traut’s classification and include the representations attested, comparing them to analyse the common features of these male dancers.