18th Dynasty Research Articles

A Gynecological Treatment Found in Qubbet el-Hawa and Described in Different Papyri

Summary The present paper discusses the finding of an hemispherical drinking cup between the heads of the femurs of a lady identified as Sattjeni A in a Late 12th Dynasty tomb in Qubbet el-Hawa, which has been catalogued as 34aa. The woman suffered a traumatic injury in her pelvis, which provoked her pain, sterility and iatrogenic pain. The presence of the ceramic with remains of organic material with evident signs of combustion is compared to similar treatments recorded in different papyri, one of them (P. Kahun) almost contemporary to the burial. The analysis of the textual sources has allowed us to relate this find to the medical treatments prescribed by the ancient specialists in the 12th Dynasty.

Hieratic Fragment from Medinet Ghurab P. BM EA 10777

This paper aims to publish the fragment of the hieratic papyrus P. BM EA 10777 stored in the British Museum. It also examines the role and function of the expression anxt n niwt. This fragment represents a list of titles and names associated with the royal court. W. Petrie discovered the papyrus at Kom Medinet Ghurab. A. Gardiner donated it to the British Museum in 1958. According to the titles as well as the paleography, this papyrus probably dates back to the 19th Dynasty. تهدف هذه الورقة البحثية لنشر ودراسة کسرة بردية هيراطيقية (P. BM EA 10777) المحفوظة بالمتحف البريطاني بالإضافة الي دراسة ماهية مصطلحanxt n niwt . تمثل هذة الکسرة قائمة من الالقاب والأسماء التي قد تکون مرتبطة بالقصر، والتي عثر عليها بتري في منطقة کوم مدينة غراب، ثم تبرع بها جاردنر عام 1958 إلى المتحف البريطاني. وفقا للالقاب والسمات الخطية، قد تؤرخ هذه البردية إلى عصر الأسرة التاسعة عشر.

Wood identification of some coffins from the Necropolis of Thebes held in the collection of the Egyptian Museum in Florence

Two groups of coffins from the Necropolis of Thebes and held in the Egyptian Museum of Florence were analysed to collect information about the woods used in their construction, possible provenance and the technological features. The two groups of coffins belong to burials during the XVIII Dynasty of the New Kingdom and the XXI Dynasty of the Third Intermediate Period. The latter group comes from the well-known tomb of Bab el-Gasus. The analysis confirms that the most frequently utilised timber for the ancient Egyptian wooden coffins was Ficus sycomorus L. (sycamore fig) that was widely available locally at the time of construction. Sycamore fig wood is light and easy to process, and is the only local tree species suitable for making boards of sufficient length for the sides of coffins. Sycamore fig is used almost exclusively in the coffins from Bab el-Gasus. Here very few other woods were detected, but were all local in origin: Acacia sp., acacia; Tamarix sp., tamarisk. In contrast, the precious softwood of Cedrus cf. libani (probably Lebanon cedar) largely appears in the coffins of the New Kingdom. The comparison of the woods from the analysis of the two groups of coffins points out important differences between them. The differences may depend on the variations over time of the workmanship skills and on the higher social status of the deceased in more ancient periods. Most likely the main difference is due to the worst socio-economic situations that drastically reduced the availability of timber during the XXI dynasty period, in that geographical area of Egypt.

The first reported case of the rare mitochondrial haplotype H4a1 in ancient Egypt

Takabuti, was a female who lived in ancient Egypt during the 25th Dynasty, c.660 BCE. Her mummified remains were brought to Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1834 and are currently displayed in the Ulster Museum. To gain insight into Takabuti’s ancestry, we used deep sampling of vertebral bone, under X-ray control, to obtain non-contaminated bone tissue from which we extracted ancient DNA (aDNA) using established protocols. We targeted the maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), known to be highly informative for human ancestry, and identified 38 single nucleotide variants using next generation sequencing. The specific combination of these SNVs suggests that Takabuti belonged to mitochondrial haplogroup H4a1. Neither H4 nor H4a1 have been reported in ancient Egyptian samples, prior to this study. The modern distribution of H4a1 is rare and sporadic and has been identified in areas including the Canary Islands, southern Iberia and the Lebanon. H4a1 has also been reported in ancient samples from Bell Beaker and Unetice contexts in Germany, as well as Bronze Age Bulgaria. We believe that this is an important finding because first, it adds to the depth of knowledge about the distribution of the H4a1 haplogroup in existing mtDNA, thus creating a baseline for future occurrences of this haplogroup in ancient Egyptian remains. Second, it is of great importance for archaeological sciences, since a predominantly European haplogroup has been identified in an Egyptian individual in Southern Egypt, prior to the Roman and Greek influx (332BCE).

A Sixth Dynasty Stela from Abydos

The subject of this article is to publish a complete scientific publishing for an old kingdom stela which is related to a high official who was contemporary to the late of the Old Kingdom , Ny-Ppy was the name of the owner of the current stela, who might have begun his career in the Memphite capital before he ended his long career path in Abydos as the true count of the Eighth nome of Upper Egypt where the current stela was discovered by August Mariette. The paper shows in details the complete description of the stela in general and its inscriptions which are inscribed on it as well as the transliteration and the translation of these inscriptions attested on it. The Author gives a complete analysis for the whole titles and epithets mentioned by Ny-Ppy on his current stela which describe his administrative tasks during his long career path. and finally , at the end of the article it suggests a specific dating for the stela according to the Artistic , epigraphical and textual items that attested on the stela and so a particular date for the owner of the stela.

Shabti of Panefernefer From the Collection of Poltava Local History Museum

The author publishes an ancient Egyptian funeral shabti-statuette from the collection of the Vasyl Krychevskyi Poltava Local History Museum with inv. no. A.149/1 (blue faience, 9 × 3 × 2 cm). The shabti can be dated by the 21st Dynasty. The figurine was purchased in 1894 by P. Bobrovskyi in the Sales Hall of the Cairo Museum of Antiquities for the collection of the Natural Science Museum of the Poltava Regional Community. The hieroglyphic inscription is preserved on the front side of the shabti: «Enlightened, Osiris, the Chief of the archivists of the Treasury of the Temple of the Amun, Panefernefer, true-voiced». O. Berlev incorrectly read the name of the shabti owner no. A.149/1 as «Paneferher», but the reading as Panefernefer (PA-nfr-nfr) is correct. The owner of the shabti has a rare title «the Chief of the archivists of the Treasury of the Temple of the Amun». Besides Panefernefer, five more priests who wore this title are known. All of them lived during the 20th and 21st Dynasties and that fact indicates the functioning of this archive precisely at the time of these two dynasties. There is no data on the genealogy of Panefernefer. There is a number of analogies to the shabti no. A.149/1: Copenhagen A.A.b.98, A.A.11 (?), Florence 6594—6596, Ipswich R. 1932—26.20; London BM EA 8906, EA 22790, Birmingham inv. no. ECM 376, Amasis Collection, inv. no. S—2058. In addition to shabtis, other objects of Panefernefer funeral assemblage are also preserved: a roll of the Book of the Dead (Vienna AS 3860), a shabti-box (Avignon A.82), a sarcophagus model (Berlin AM 6747), and two planks of the box (Berlin AM 777 and 779). Moreover, the name Paneferenfer is found on sources not related to his funeral inventory. This is the letter of Panefernefer to the scribe Chari (pTurin 1979) and two references on the coffins of kings Amenhotep I and Thutmose II from the mummy cache at Deir el-Bahri (TT 320), which confirm that Panefernefer took part in the mission of reburying the royal remains. Monuments of Panefernefer kept a number of titles that provide additional prosopographic information, including his professional duties: «the divine father of the Amun», «the scribe of the double treasury of the temple of the Amun-Re, the king of the gods», «the head of the jewelry workshops of the temple of the Amun», «the head [///] Amun in Ipet-sut (Karnak temple)», «the scribe of the jewelry workshops of the temple of the Amun», «head of the works». Most of the artifacts of Panefernefer were acquired by European collectors in the 19th century. Some of them went to museum collections in the UK, Germany, Denmark and Ukraine, and some are in private collections. Poltava shabti no. A.149/1 is the only Panofernefer’s object in Eastern Europe.

Pigments, incense, and bitumen from the New Kingdom town and cemetery on Sai Island in Nubia

An analysis of paints found in ceramic sherd palettes from the 18th Dynasty (1548-1302 BCE) Pharaonic town on Sai Island in Upper Nubia using polarised light microscopy and infrared spectroscopy revealed pigments from the standard Egyptian repertoire: red and yellow ochres, Egyptian blue, calcite, gypsum, anhydrite, and the bright white huntite. Orange-yellow residues in ceramic sherds from the town were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and were identified as Pistacia sp. resin, probably for use as incense. A dark organic substance from a vessel in the elite Pharaonic cemetery of the island was analysed using a second GC–MS method and was shown to be bitumen. Biomarkers in the bitumen indicate that its source may be the same as a sample from another Pharaonic town in Upper Nubia, suggesting a possible Nubian source. This is one of the earliest identifications of the use of bitumen in a funerary context in the ancient Nile Valley, and the furthest southern example yet analysed. Black fluids containing bitumen were used in Egypt as part of the process of mummification and for funerary anointing rituals; it is likely that the bitumen material at Sai was related to these practices.

Below the surface of the coffin lid of Neskhonsuennekhy in the Museo Egizio collection

The multidisciplinary and multi‐technical study of the coffin lid of Neskhonsuennekhy (Turin, Museo Egizio, inventory number S.05245) datable to the 26th dynasty (664–525 BC) was launched in 2015 at the Centro Conservazione e Restauro La Venaria Reale during the conservation activities required by the Museo Egizio, as part of wider research on the so‐called red coffins. Widespread abrasions and gaps in the pictorial stratigraphy strongly impeded the reading of the decoration, and a reddish and locally blackened material was covering many areas. Integrating multispectral imaging (UV fluorescence, VIL, IR reflectography), MA‐XRF, radiography, and analyses on micro‐samplings (OM, SEM‐EDX, FT‐IR) allowed deepening the state of preservation, detecting previous intervention, and characterizing the blackened surface, necessary to define the cleaning intervention objectives. In particular, the IR reflectography allowed recovering the readability of the beautiful drawings and the ancient hieroglyphs hidden beneath the reddish blackened surface. Based on the analytical data and compatibility with the pigments known in ancient Egypt, it was possible to return to the public the original lost decoration with a descriptive and virtual reconstruction. The new LANDIS‐X scanning station equipped with a real‐time macro XRF was fundamental for studying pigments, glazes, and mixtures besides the presence of lead impurities in the copper source used to make the Egyptian blue pigment, encouraging the research on the sources of mineral supply. Finally, this study allowed understanding the technique of execution of the find, from the assembly of the wooden elements to the reddish finish, noticing analogies with the other red coffins.

Working Together: Community, Conservation, and Preservation Strategies for Royal Painted Tombs at El-Kurru, Sudan

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the conservation and preservation of the twenty-fifth dynasty royal painted tombs of Queen Qalhata and her son King Tanwetamani in the ancient kingdom of Kush at El-Kurru, Sudan. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region, Sudan’, the tombs fall under the International Kurru Archaeology Project. This collaboration with archaeologists, architects, engineers, and community stakeholders focuses on improving visitor access to the tombs while ensuring their preservation. Sustainable site maintenance was considered in developing realistic conservation strategies while working in a remote area with limited materials. The treatment plan for these tombs evolved from a thorough understanding of materials and methods used in their fabrication, analysis of their history and alteration over time, and consideration of future use and accessibility. Discussion with stakeholders informed collaborative decision-making processes to arrive at appropriate treatment methodologies which could be implemented in a compressed time frame. Choice of treatment materials and decisions about stabilization and improvements to the physical structure were based on availability, ease of use, and support of long-term maintenance. These measures will enhance visitor safety and contribute to the long-term preservation of the tombs, with the hope of serving as a model for similar projects in the region.

The Professions and Hierarchy of Nekhebu

The aim of this paper is to examine the titles and professions of an Old Kingdom official particularly a sixth dynasty royal Architect who performed the tasks of his career under the sovereign Pepi I.Mr(i)-PtH-anx-mry-Ra was the full of that official who was also called Nekhebu, his tomb is located in Giza near king cheop’s great pyramid, his father was possibly khnementi the owner of tomb G 2374 but the name of his mother was still unknown.The paper provides a general overview of Nekhebu’s practical life through a detailed analysis of the different and various titles and epithets he held during his long resplendent career, as well as the diverse professions he occupied in the civil Egyptian Administration of the Old Kingdom.Nekhebu was one of the most important civil officials in the sixth dynasty as a whole and particularly in the reign of the monarch Pepi I who executed many projects and expeditions for him.The Author depends in that paper on many scattered sources for Nekhebu’s biography, this is due to the great destruction of his stone built mastaba which led to the cracking of the walls of his mastaba to several too heavy blocks found in a disordered heap of debris.The two main sources for Nekhebu’s biography were found by Reisner in the tomb complex of snDm-ib’s family of the fifth and sixth dynasties at Giza, one of these two main sources is located in the Cairo museum while the other one is located in Boston museum, both texts record many projects that Nekhebu executed to the king, as according to their inscriptions he was responsible for directing four missions for the king Pepi I.The first mission was directing the erection of the ka-mansions of Pepi in Lower Egypt and directing the Administration at the north in “city of Lakes”, in “Akhbit of Horus” and the pyramid of Men-nefer-pepy (the pyramid of king Pepi I), the second mission was in Lower Egypt where he dug a canal between Akhbit and the residence, the third mission was in Upper Egypt as Nekhebu dug a canal in Ḳus while the fourth mission which is recorded in the Cairo text presented his responsibility in directing the works of a pyramid monument in Heliopolis.After every mission Nekhebu executed for the king, he stated the praises and rewards offered to him as a gift from the king in appreciation of his efforts to achieve the mission successfully.In addition to these two main sources there are some blocks from his mastaba preserved now in Boston museum which the author depends on them in the paper.These sources record many different titles for Nekhebu which helped to suggest an accurate topic concerning his promotion and Hierarchy during the reign of Pepi I.The paper examines all the titles and epithets held by Nekhebu from his various inscriptions, the reading of each title and the different opinions suggested by scholars concerning each title’s reading, its transliteration and the translation as well as the functions and natures of each title and the different points of view suggested by scholars regarding each title whether it was an honorific title or an official one indicates an actual profession.The paper concludes two distinct types of titles which indicate two different career tracks that Nekhebu passed by during his long career.And finally, the paper suggests a proposed Hierarchy for Nekhebu according to these titles.

Thônis-Héracléion : Mémoire et Reflets de L’Histoire Saïte

Thonis-Heracleion and Saïs, located close to each other geographically, have shared a common history over several centuries. Numerous bronze objects dating from the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty were brought to light in the northernmost waterway leading from the Canopic mouth east to west across Thonis-Heracleion. Among these artefacts are four bronze plaques engraved with the names of kings, one displaying an unknown Horus name in the frame of a serekh. Attempts to identify this king led to the establishment of a list of the rulers to whom this name might be attributed in view of the historical data and the archaeological results obtained on site. Thônis-Héracléion et Saïs, proches l’une de l’autre d’un point de vue géographique, ont eu, pendant quelques siècles, une histoire commune. Plusieurs objets de bronze datant de la vingt-sixième dynastie ont été mis au jour le long de la voie d’eau transversale la plus septentrionale de Thônis-Héracléion qui menait d’est en ouest vers la ville à partir de l’embouchure Canopique. Parmi les artefacts, quatre sont des plaques de bronze gravées de noms royaux, et l’une d’elles donne, dans le cadre d’un serekh, un nom d’Horus inconnu. Les tentatives d’identification de ce roi amènent à dresser la liste des souverains auxquels ce nom pourrait être attribué, compte tenu des données historiques et des résultats archéologiques obtenus sur le site.

OLD KINGDOM DOOR LINTEL OF ISI AT THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM

This rectangular limestone door lintel of Isi is currently housed in Cairo Museum (under Temporary Register No. 6-12-24-8). It belongs to the end of the 5th dynasty and the beginning of 6th dynasty of the old kingdom. Although it bears no royal name, it has the style of the inscriptions that existed at the end of the old kingdom. This tomb lays in the northern part of the cemetery of Deir El-Gebrawi at Assiut, which belongs to the end of 5th dynasty and the beginning of the 6th dynasty while the southern belongs to the reign of PPi the 2nd from the 6th dynasty.

The Northern Necropolis of Gebelein in Light of Old and Current Fieldwork

The Northern Necropolis of Gebelein was a place of important discoveries, e.g. an archive of Old Kingdom papyri, the Tomb of Unknowns, and the Tomb of the General Iti II. Several excavations have taken place there, but none have been sufficiently published. The archaeological contexts of these discoveries are poorly known, which limits their research value. Archival data from two unpublished excavations can help to understand the archaeological topography of the eastern part of this cemetery. The current survey of the area enables the authors to understand the progress of previous excavations, to locate in the field some of the archaeological features discovered during the twentieth century excavations, and contributes to contextualisation of some of the artefacts which were discovered at the cemetery. The necropolis in question presents the development of an important, provincial burial ground which can contribute to the understanding of the history of the region and the funerary traditions in provincial areas. Worth to note are the peculiarities, such as an Old Kingdom mastaba with subsidiary burials within its walls, mummified dogs in a Twelfth Dynasty tomb, and Nubian influence on local funerary customs.

The dnỉ-Measure in Ancient Egyptian Tomb Construction Projects

When constructing the rock-cut tombs in the Theban necropolis, the ancient Egyptian builders kept track of the progress by recording the amount of rock that was excavated. This is clear from Eighteenth Dynasty ostraca from the tomb chapel of Senenmut, TT 71, which record stages of excavation and measure the production output in units of dnỉ. The current article reconfirms the observations of J. Černý on the dnỉ-unit and its usage as a measure exclusively for capacity, particularly in building projects involving excavation of rock. From this, the article outlines the implications for the understanding of other tomb construction terminology, in particular the ȝʿʿ, the šʿd and the dḳr. The consequence is to acknowledge that the tomb builders of Senenmut only recorded progress of excavation, and not different stages of decoration. In addition, the article suggests that baskets filled with stone flakes at Deir el-Bahri from the Middle Kingdom may represent a practical use of the dnỉ-unit.

From Limestone to Sandstone – Building Stone of Theban Architecture During the Reigns of Hatshepsut and Thutmosis III

This paper reviews the monuments built in the Theban area during the reigns of Hatshepsut and Thutmosis III, and their stone materials. This period witnessed a shift from limestone to sandstone in the second part of the Hatshepsut coregency with Thutmosis III, when the queen commissioned an ambitious architectural program. In his autonomous reign, Thutmosis III reused limestone in various monuments, possibly to distance himself from the queen’s choices, and to connect his reign with those of their glorious predecessors in the Middle Kingdom (Mentuhotep II at Deir el-Bahari; Senusret III at Medamud) and in the early Eighteenth Dynasty (Thutmosis I and II).

From Thebes to Piramesse — and Back: On the Text History of Supplementary Chapter 166 of the Book of the Dead

The colophon of BD supplementary chapter 166 states that the text had been found at the neck of Ramses II’s mummy. Dahms, Pehal, and Willems had argued in JEA 100 (2014) that the original document had not formed part of the original tomb equipment of Ramses II, but had been added in the course of the Twenty-First Dynasty after the tomb robberies in the Valley of the Kings. In 2016, J. Quack raised fundamental criticism against this interpretation, arguing that the text dates to the early Ramesside Period and had probably been applied in Piramesse to the mummy of Ramses II. The present article offers a critical reassessment of Quack’s paper. The linguistic register of funerary texts, the development of the negative aorist, and contextual indications strengthen the idea that the text was written in Thebes in the Twenty-First Dynasty in the social context of the Amun priesthood.

The Epic of Gulkišar and ANE Chronology

The discovery of a literary fragment of the royal epic of the Sealand king, Gulkišar, provides support for the recently published McLoud chronological model for the ancient Middle East, in which the Mesopotamian high chronology for the third and early second millennia B.C. is correlated with K. A. Kitchen’s “low” chronology for the Egyptian Twelfth Dynasty.

The Development of Production Centers of Blue-Painted Pottery in New Kingdom Egypt

This paper aims to examine the blue-painted pottery from all sites across Egypt and Egyptianized cities outside the Nile valley, and to discuss how its production centers were developed in the New Kingdom. The examination shows that, from the reign of Amenhotep II in mid-Eighteenth Dynasty through the Amarna Period in the late Eighteenth Dynasty, the find-spots of blue-painted pottery were essentially restricted to royal residential centers, such as Memphis, Amarna and Thebes. These provenances suggest that they were manufactured particularly in a few royal workshops. While, in subsequent periods, the fi nd-spots became widespread across Egypt, and spread out to neighboring regions. From the Post-Amarna Period at the end of Eighteenth Dynasty to Nineteenth Dynasty, the blue-painted pottery was still found from the main administrative centers or royal residential cities, such as Qantir, Memphis and Thebes, but they also became known from local administrative centers, including Groub, Asyut, Abydos and Elephantine. Furthermore, the locally made blue-painted pottery appeared from the Syro-Palestinian region and the area on Egypt’s Libyan border. If we compare fabrics, forms and designs of blue-painted pottery from these sites, some marked diff erences can be recognized, and they indicate that the blue-painted pottery was manufactured in workshops at each site. Hitherto, little is known about the development of blue-painted pottery manufacturing centers during New Kingdom, since the previous studies had been conducted by using fi nds from diff erent sites and periods separately. The present study, dealing with materials from the entire country and its outer regions, reveals that the blue-painted pottery production centers came to increase just after the Amarna Period which is well known as a signifi cant epoch of history, society, religion and art in New Kingdom Egypt.

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Previous articleNext article FreeCoverPDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreCover image credits: (Top) August Macke (1887–1914), Zoological Garden I (1912). Oil on canvas. Städtische Galerie Im Lenbachhaus Lenbach, Monaco / Bridgeman Images. (Left) Henrik Wigstrom (1862–1923), Clock, firm of Peter Carl Fabergé (1846–1920, after 1903). Jade, gold, enamel, diamonds. Cleveland Museum of Art / Bridgeman Images. (Bottom)Model Paddling Boat. Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty (c. 1981–1975 BC). Wood, paint, plaster, linen twine, and fabric). Metropolitan Museum of Art / Bridgeman Images. Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Art Documentation Volume 39, Number 1Spring 2020 Published for the Art Libraries Society of North America Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/710749 Views: 339Total views on this site Copyright 2020 by the Art Libraries Societies of North America. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Эпагомены в древнеегипетском календаре

The article describes peculiarities of the ancient Egyptian calendar, in particular, insertion of five epagomenal days after twelve months. Using historical and mythological material from different periods the author examines differences between regular and epagomenal days, identifies possible date errors in a balance sheet of the late Ramesside period, where epagomenal days are not given in the end-of-year period, but in the period at the beginning of the year. The source study is based on the author’s translations of a large number of documents; fragments of the papyri Leiden I 346 and Cairo JE 86637 dating to the XIV-XIII centuries BC are provided in the supplement.