Iker Fresneda Perez

Iker Fresneda Perez is Archaeologist in the religious and funerary world. He is part of the project "Invisible Networks: Patronage in the Old Kingdom Funerary Cult”, funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain and co-funded by the European Union". After completing his undergraduate and master's degrees in Archaeology at the University of Granada, he is currently pursuing his PhD in History at the University of Seville with a research entitled "The ḥm-nṯr priesthood associated with deities during the Egyptian Old Kingdom".

The project

Title: The ḥm-nṯr priesthood associated with deities during the Egyptian Old Kingdom

"This project is oriented toward an eminently social and structural analysis of the officiants of the divine cults during the Old Kingdom. Special attention will be paid to the different priestly titles and to the associated hierarchical ranks, with the aim of reconstructing the forms of internal organization of the temples, the professional trajectories of their members, and the networks of patronage and interdependence that articulated the relationship between local elites, the central administration, and cultic agents. Likewise, the social and economic impact of priestly activity will be examined, understood not only as a ritual function but also as a mechanism of promotion, reward, and consolidation of status within Old Kingdom society. This work aims to define the character, functions, and spheres of action of the different priestly titles and ranks documented during the Old Kingdom, considering both the capital and provincial contexts. It seeks to identify the individuals who held these offices and to analyze the combination of administrative, religious, and honorific titles present in their careers, in order to understand the mechanisms of access, promotion, and permanence within cultic structures. In addition, the relationships of interdependence, patronage, and clientelism existing among the various agents involved in the management of the divine cult will be examined, evaluating the socio-economic position of the officiants within Old Kingdom society as a whole."

Hosting institution: Centre de Recherches Egyptologiques de la Sorbonne – CRES

Selective Bibliography

• Fresneda Pérez, I. (2024). El artesanado en el Reino Antiguo egipcio. Una perspectiva socioeconómica desde el mundo funerario. Arqueología y Territorio, 21. Pp. 15-29.