Knowledgeable Men in Position of Power: the Case of King’s Scribes during the 18th Dynasty
Des savants dans une position de pouvoir: le cas des scribes du roi pendant la XVIIIe dynastie
Résumé
Although ‘king’s scribes’ were amongst the most prominent and well-known New Kingdom officials, and despite its apparent transparency, the significance of this office remains not fully understood. King’s scribes were important civil servants involved in several scholarly activities, according to their monumental discourse. They are defined by their relation to the king and displayed a predilection and even a virtuosity in writing, epistemic erudition, rituals, etc. Therefore, they can be seen as an ongoing formalisation of a power-knowledge nexus during the New Kingdom. This contribution offers an overview of the author’s doctoral research. First, the object of research and methodology is defined. Then, three main approaches are presented: analysis of titles, study of self-presentation strategies, and examination of how these scribes processed knowledge through their monuments.