Abstract
The article gives a new explanation for the masses of sacred ibises and their remains inside the Egyptian ibis burial places (Ibiotapheia) especially in Ptolemaic times. We find no traces of a continuous flow of pilgrims visiting sanctuaries of Thot and offering single ibis mummies to venerate Thot privately. The many new Ptolemaic nourishing places of the ibis (Ibiotropheia/Ibion) are economically closely connected to the distribution of new Fields of the ibis, sold by the administration also to foreigners like kleruchoi-soldiers. This happened in combination with the installation of many new cult places and cult statues of Ibis- and Baboon-gods, all maintained by an Ibion-organisation. Every newly founded local ibion in the Nile valley delivered selected sacred ibises to a new local Greek-Egyptian Hermaion where they fulfilled roles of gods during feast days and oracle procedures. Collection of dead ibises from the Ibion and their deification, then the mass burial of all animal remains and finally the rebirth of young sacred ibises inside an Ibion secured the immortality of the Ibis-god. This Ibis- god protected all over Egypt the pharaoh’s New Year feast and his enthronisation corresponding to the mythological role of the ibises as supporters of Thot during the first creation.
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