1. The Origins of Theatre (North Africa and The Near East)
Studies of wall paintings on caves in Africa, France, & Spain reveal that humans used forms of artistic expression as early as 20,000 years ago.
The earliest known permanent settlements were built in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) some time around 8000 B.C.E.
By 3000 B.C.E. Egypt had formed an effective central government.
For the next 2500 years, Egypt, its southern neighbor the Kush Empire, and the Near East were the major centers of civilization.
Theatre historians give emphasis to Egypt because the Kush Empire has only recently begun to be studied, and the empires of the Near East rose and fell without leaving behind records of performances.
A map of the ancient Near East, including Egypt. Image: 1

2. The Origins of Theatre (North Africa and The Near East)
Most information about ancient Egypt comes from hieroglyphics, decorations, and artifacts preserved in the great pyramids built for pharaohs’ tombs.
More than 50 “pyramid texts” survive today, which serve as the basis for historical study.
Many hieroglyphic scenes depict the trials through which the spirit must pass before being admitted to the afterlife.
Some scholars have argued that these texts are actually dramas, enacted by priests to ensure the well-being of the dead pharaoh.
This view is based on the presence of occasional passages of dialogue and indications of action.
However, there is no concrete evidence that they were intended to be acted out or that they ever were.
Hieroglyphs from the tomb of Rameses 6. These are painstakingly restored by archaeologists. Image: 2

3. The Origins of Theatre (North Africa and The Near East)
Another common text tells of the death and resurrection of Osiris and the coronation of Horus.
A version of this story is preserved on the “Shabaka Stone,” carved while Egypt was under rule of the Nubian Kush Empire.
Some historians interpret this hieroglyphic text as a libretto of a drama.
The pharaoh would play the role of Horus
It would be performed each year on the first day of spring to celebrate the regeneration of the year.
The play is often called the Memphite Drama, because the Shabaka Stone was found near the Egyptian city of Memphis.
Again, other scholars do not believe the story was performed since the text does not directly support the theory.
The Shabaka Stone.
Image: /2013/04/24/amun-vs-ptah-the-pottercreator-of-the-universe/ 3

4. The Origins of Theatre (North Africa and The Near East)
At Abydos, the most sacred spot in Egypt, some kind of performance relating to Osiris occurred each year from about 2500 to 550 B.C.E.
Sadly, no part of the text remains!
What little we know comes from a journal by Ikhernofret, who participated some time between 1887 and 1849 B.C.E.
Based on this writing, scholars call the performance the Abydos Passion Play.
This purposely links it to European religious dramas of the Middle ages.
A drawing of the Ikhernofret Stone, describing they Abydos Passion Play. Image: 4

5. The Origins of Theatre (North Africa and The Near East)
The difficulty of studying these ancient times is not in establishing that performances occurred, but in determining the nature of the performances.
However, it is known that Egypt, Kush, and the Near East had an enormous influence on Western culture, and vice versa.
A Greek historian around 450 B.C.E. noted performances in Egypt and stated that their god of wine, Dionysus, was another version of Osiris.
One important difference: Egyptians had an advanced civilization for around 3000 years, but never developed theatre beyond ritualized performances.
Their society resisted changes that may have led to independent theatre, while the Greeks went on to develop theatre and create new plays each year.
The Egyptian god Osiris if often compared with the Greek god Dionysus. Image: 5