Lector priest

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Lintel of Raiay, limestone stele of the King's scribe, chief lector priest, and the first god's servant of Sopdu Nakht. Both figures stand before the enthroned Osiris. 19th Dynasty. From Egypt. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London

A lector priest was a priest in

magic" (heku) in ancient Egypt. In ancient Egyptian literature, lector priests are often portrayed as the keepers of secret knowledge and the performers of amazing magical feats.[2]

The highest-ranking lector priest in a temple, the chief lector priest, managed the temple's archives of ritual texts.[2]

The term lector priest is usually used to translate the

Late Egyptian language, the shortened form ḥrj-tp became a general term for "magician".[1]

Lector priests wore a sash across the chest that indicated their position.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Ritner, Robert Kriech (1993). The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice. pp. 220–222
  2. ^ a b c Doxey, Denise, "Priesthood", in Redford, Donald B. (ed) (2001). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Vol. III, pp. 69–70
  3. ^ Collier, Mark, and Bill Manley (1998). How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs. p. 33