Acknowledgements
This is a lightly revised version of a doctoral thesis in the History of Religions, defended in the spring term of 2013 at the Faculty of Theology, Uppsala University. It was basically written during the years 2009–2013, but had been in my mind for much longer. Already in February 1999, I was invited by the late Prof. Jean Leclant to consult some copies of texts from the pyramid of Pepy I, at the time still unpublished and kept in the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres in Paris. I was struck by the occurrence of certain spells in locations where they had not been previously documented. A thought crossed my mind that “this would be nice to look into more closely one day”, a moment that arrived about a decade later. By that time, the masterly publication of the Pyramid Texts of this tomb had been published years before (2001) and had ever since kept my enthusiasm concerning the project alive.
At the 9th International Congress of Egyptologists, held at Grenoble in 2004, I presented a few ideas concerning the ritual role of the vestibule of the pyramid. This occasion brought me into contact with Prof. James P. Allen, Brown University (Providence. RI), who later would accept the task as my external supervisor. His continuous interest and encouragement have been most valuable in the process. Other scholars with whom I have had the privilege of discussing thesis-related issues are Dr Roman Gundacker, Vienna, Dr Harold M. Hays†, Leiden, and not least my old friend and colleague, Ass. Prof. Åke Engsheden, Uppsala. In the revised work, I profited greatly from the critical remarks of Prof. Göran Eidevall, Uppsala.
Naturally, several publications of relevance for the present study have appeared since the doctoral defence, but which is was not possible to incorporate in a manner that would do them full justice. This is especially true of the work of Prof. Antonio J. Morales, Alcala.
Mrs. Margaret Cornell, of Somerset, took on the laborious task of proof-reading the entire manuscript. Certain parts were also checked by Dr Martha Middlemiss Lé Mon and Dr Cian Power, both at Uppsala. Dr Thorsten Päplow, Kristiansand, ensured that all the quotes in German had been properly transferred from the original, while Ass. Prof. Åke Engsheden offered the same service concerning the texts in French. Needless to say, all dubious expressions and misspellings are solely the result of my own ignorance.
I would like to thank the Department of Theology, Uppsala University, which, in addition to a creative and friendly working environment, provided me with financial support to make the completion of this study possible. Similarly I enjoyed the honour of being a member of the seminar of the History of Religions. Special thanks are owed to the head of the seminar, Prof. Mattias Gardell, as well as Ass. Prof. Lena Roos, Dr Sebastian Cöllen, Dr Per-Erik Nilsson, Magnus Hedelind and Dr Kristian Pella. Finally I express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor and Doktormutter, Prof. Eva Hellman, whose critical eye continued to follow every phase of this work until the very last word had been added. Finally, cordial thanks go to the editors and committee of E.J. Brill, who accepted the manuscript for publication.
The love and gratitude felt for the people closest to me—my wife, son, daughter, mother, father and sister with family—cannot be expressed (by me) in words. This will have to be demonstrated by other (performative) ways in the life that lies ahead.
Prov 13:20
Nisse Billing
Uppsala in November, 2017