Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
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Egyptian
Archaeology
VOLUME 99
2013
PUBLISHED BY
Published annually by
The Egypt Exploration Society
3 Doughty Mews
London WC1N 2PG
Registered Charity No. 212384
A limited Company registered in England, No. 25816
Editorial Team
Roland Enmarch, Editor-in-Chief
Violaine Chauvet, Editor
Mark Collier, Editor
Chris Eyre, Editor
Cary Martin, Editor
Ian Shaw, Editor
Glenn Godenho, Editorial Assistant
editorial email address: jea@ees.ac.uk
the journal of
Egyptian Archaeology
Volume 99
2013
published by
Published annually by
The Egypt Exploration Society
3 Doughty Mews
London WC1N 2PG
Registered Charity No. 212384
A limited Company registered in England, No. 25816
Editorial Team
Roland Enmarch, Editor-in-Chief
Violaine Chauvet, Editor
Mark Collier, Editor
Chris Eyre, Editor
Cary Martin, Editor
Ian Shaw, Editor
Glenn Godenho, Editorial Assistant
editorial email address: jea@ees.ac.uk
Contents
Tell el-Amarna, 201213.
Barry Kemp .
A. Graham, K. D. Strutt,
V. L. Emery, S. Jones,
and D. S. Barker . .
.
Paul T. Nicholson
and Caroline Jackson .
. 85
Dina Metawi.
. 101
. 117
Ronald T. Ridley.
Francisco Bosch-Puche .
Sin E. Thomas .
. 35
53
131
. 155
Chris Elliott .
. 171
Silvia Lupo
and Maria Beatriz Cremonte .
. 191
Joshua Trampier,
Willem Toonen, Aude Simony,
and Jennifer Starbird . .
.
. 217
.
.
. Sami Uljas .
.
Roland Enmarch.
.
.
.
.
.
.
241
. 253
Brief Communications
A Roman Period Childs Mummy
in the Saffron Walden Museum .
Christina Riggs .
David Lorand .
270
Jennifer Cromwell .
272
Abdalla Abdel-Raziq.
ukasz Jarmuek .
.
.
Alexander Safronov.
. 275
.
. 281
290
T. G. Wilfong.
295
James P. Allen .
300
Tatjana Beuthe .
308
. 265
Reviews
Anne Boudhors and Chantal Heurtel,
Les ostraca coptes de la TT29: . .
.
Autour du moine Frang . .
.
.
.
Reviewed by
Jennifer Cromwell .
313
Christopher Eyre.
Pierre Meyrat .
Matthias Mller .
Anthony Spalinger .
.
.
.
.
. 317
.
.
319
. 321
324
Nigel Strudwick .
Galle Tallet .
S. P. Vleeming .
Eric Wells .
Derek A. Welsby .
.
.
Mareike Wagner .
.
.
Roberta Tomber.
. 329
. 327
. 325
. 334
332
338
. 341
I would like to thank: my colleagues at the Higher Institute for Hotels and Tourism for their support with
this paper; Tarek El-Awady, director of the Cairo Museum, for permission to publish the dyad; and Sabbah A.
El-Raziq, curator in charge of the Cairo Museum basement, for helping locate it. The BNnumbering system was
used for objects transferred to the basement between 1959 and 1960. No indication survives in museum records as
to when the dyad arrived in the museum, its location before transferral to the basement, or its provenance.
1
@wt Mn-xpr-Ra @nk.t-anx is Tuthmosis IIIs mortuary temple at El-Qurna in West Thebes, about a km to
the south-east of Deir el-Bahari: PM II, 148; H. Ricke, Der Totentempel Thutmoses III. (BBA 3; Kairo, 1939);
W. Helck, Materialien zur Wirtschaftsgeschichte des Neuen Reiches, I (AAWLM 1960/1011; Wiesbaden, 1961),
947.
2
In New Kingdom pair statues, men appear more often on the right side than women. For the dominance of
right over left in Ancient Egypt, and its use in hierarchical gender depictions, see G. Robins, Some Principles of
Compositional Dominance and Gender Hierarchy in Egyptian Art, JARCE 31(1994), 3940. Robins argues that
exceptions, which do occur, may relate to the orientation of statues within their architectural setting.
The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 99 (2013), 10116
ISSN 0307-5133
JEA 99
2013
103
pose in New Kingdom pair statues.3 The arm of the man crosses in front of the arm of
his wife, obscuring it partly. Their free hands rest on their thighs.
The upper part of the sculpture is too poorly preserved for a full description of their
costume. What survives shows Nebnefer dressed in a long, close-fitting, unpleated kilt,
ending just above the ankles,4 and a pair of sandals. His right hand rests on his lap in
front of his right knee. He clasps a long folded piece of cloth. Tauseret wears a long,
tight-fitting, unpleated dress reaching to her ankles,5 while her left hand rests flat on
her thigh, and her feet are bare.6
An incised column of hieroglyphs runs down the centre of the front of the costume
of each one of the seated couple, beginning presumably at the lap, and ending at the
hem, providing their names and titles. A dedicatory text, in seven columns of incised
hieroglyphs, is inscribed on each side of the seat, providing standard offering formulas,
and the name, filiation, and titles of the official and his wife. The rear of the seat
appears never to have been decorated.
Fig. 3. Cairo Museum BN 104, inscriptions on the costume of Nebnefer (left) and Tauseret (right).
3
J. Vandier, Manuel darchologie gyptienne, III (Paris, 1958), 441 (A, a).
Vandier, Manuel III, 494 (B). According to Vandier, this type of kilt was favoured in the Eighteenth Dynasty
until the reign of Amenhotep III. Parallels are found in Louvre A.53, Louvre E.10443, and Turin 3057.
5
Vandier, Manuel III, 499500 (b), pls cxlv.3, cxliii.1 and 3. This type of dress was common for women in the
Eighteenth Dynasty. It is usually held by two wide straps, not clearly identifiable on the damaged dyad. Other
Eighteenth Dynasty parallels are Berlin 2289, CGC 42126, Louvre E.10443, Turin 3056, Louvre A.53, and
Louvre E.11364.
6
Eighteenth Dynasty parallels showing the male figure wearing sandals, with the female figure barefoot: BM EA
31, BM EA 36, MMA.62.186, JE46600. To my knowledge, no study has so far provided a satisfying explanation
for this, but the wearing of sandals appears to have been a privilege of the priestly class: see S. Sauneron, The
Priests of Ancient Egypt (D. Lorton tr.; Ithaca, 2000), 42. However, sandal-wearing in Old Kingdom tomb
decoration apparently does not convey status or gender difference: see R. Siebels, The Wearing of Sandals in
Old Kingdom Tomb Decoration, BACE 7 (1996), 7588.
4
JEA 99
Inscriptions
Commentary
a
prt can tentatively be restored above nbt. The common expression prt nbt Hr wDHw
... ... n kA n ... is what one expects here.
Hr sA tpy is a well attested New Kingdom title, denoting a phylarch in charge of
the first priestly phyle.8 The ancient phyle system of part-time temple service9 was
used in royal mortuary temples10 and state temples, as well as in smaller shrines. In
the New Kingdom, there were four phyles,11 with each phyle serving for one month
each by rotation, thus rotating three times a year.12 A chief (phylarch) was appointed
for each phyle, his title in the New Kingdom being Hr sA.13 Because of the lacuna above
Hr sA on the dyad, the reading of Nebnefers full title is uncertain, but [wab n] Hr sA-tpy
n Mn-xpr-Ra is possible.
b
2013
105
JEA 99
incense, unguent, 3| (and) every good and pure thing, breathing the sweet breeze of the
North Wind,15 4| libations, wine, and milk 5| for the ka of the wab-aq priesta of Amun
in Henket-ankh 6| Nebnefer, justified, born by the great superintendent of the musical
troupeb 7| of Amun in Henket-ankh, the royal mother,c justified.
Commentary
a
wab is the general term for priest, as well as designating a low status member of
the priestly hierarchy.16 The more specific priestly title wab-aq a priest who has access,
a priest who enters,17 refers to a high ranking priestly office whose holder had access
to the divine statue that resided in the sanctuary.18 The stela of one Useramun (temp.
Thutmose III), who was a wab-aq in the temple of Amun, records that his duties
included the anointing and dressing of the statue of the god.19 Another wab-aq from
the reign of Osorkon I claims to wn aAwy nw pt m Ipt-swt open the doors of heaven
(i.e. the sanctuary) at Karnak.20 Lefebvre argues that such privileges were especially
reserved to the wabw-aAw, or senior wab-priests.21
b
wrt xnr superintendent of the musical troupe22 is first attested at the beginning
of the Eighteenth Dynasty.23 It was one of the few senior female offices in the New
Kingdom temple hierarchy,24 being held by some of the most prominent women in
Egypt including queens, princesses, and noblewomen.25 Among notable figures who
15
Barta, Aufbau und Bedeutung, 93 (Bitte 79) records the phrase (di.f) ssn.tw TAw nDm n mHyt for the Early
Eighteenth Dynasty.
16
See e.g. A. H. Gardiner, The Tomb of Amenemhet, High-Priest of Amun, ZS 47 (1910), 94; J. Gee,
Prophets, Initiation and the Egyptian Temple, JSSEA 31 (2004), 97107.
17
Wb. I, 283.11; Helck, Materialien II, 156, Nr. 23.
18
G. Daressy, Monuments dEdfou datant du Moyen Empire, ASAE 17 (1917), 239. In his discussion of
the Demotic P. Fitzhugh D.3+D.4, Reymond differentiates between the wab nty pA nty wab (priest of the adyton)
and the wab nty aq (priest who enters), arguing that wab nty aq was the higher rank: E. Reymond, Fragment of a
Temple Account Roll, JEA 60 (1974), 194 n.5.
19
A. Moret, Monuments gyptiens de la collection du Comte de Saint-Ferriol, RevEg NS 1 (1919), 10.
20
Stela of Nespaheremhat (CGC 42189), G. Legrain, Le logement et transport des barques sacres et des
statues des dieux dans quelques temples gyptiens, BIFAO 13 (1917), 41. Two further examples of wab-aq: CGC
42138 (Eighteenth Dynasty), G. Legrain, Statues et statuettes de rois et de particuliers (CGC Nos 4200142138;
Cairo, 1906), 889; JE37847 (Twenty-sixth Dynasty), K. Jansen-Winkeln, Zwei Statuen der Sptzeit aus der
Cachette von Karnak, MDAIK 60 (2004), 93105.
21
Lefebvre, Histoire des grands prtres, 15, 1723.
22
xnr, first translated as harem or concubines, is more accurately understood as a musical troupe. The
xnr was associated with temple music, with women who belonged to it being musical performers called upon to
provide the proper atmosphere for the service of a particular deity: see A. Blackman, On the Position of Women
in the Ancient Egyptian Hierarchy, JEA 7 (1921), 1517; D. Nord, The Term xnr: Harem or Musical
Performers?, in W. Simpson and W. Davis (eds), Studies in Honor of Dows Dunham: Studies in Ancient Egypt,
the Aegean, and the Sudan (Boston, 1981), 13745; G. Robins, Women in Ancient Egypt (London, 1993), 1489; S.
Onstine, The Role of the Chantress (Smayt) in Ancient Egypt (BAR 1401; Oxford, 2005), 1618; id., The MusicianPriestesses of Ancient Egypt, Ostracon 13/2 (2002), 913. For wrt xnr, see Wb. III, 297.13, 298.1; A. Ayedi, Index
of Egyptian Administrative, Religious and Military Titles of the New Kingdom (Ismailia, 2006), no. 864; W. Ward,
Essays on Feminine Titles of the Middle Kingdom and Related Subjects (Beirut, 1986), 6971.
23
M. Gitton, Les divines pouses de la 18e dynastie (ALUB 306; Besanon, 1984), 97. Gitton cites stela CGC
34080 (temp. co-regency of HatshepsutThutmose III), depicting Queen Ahmose-Nefertary, as one of the
earliest attestations for this title.
24
A. Dodson, An Unusual Statue of a Royal Mother-in-Law and Grandmother, in A. Leahy and W. Tait
(eds), Studies on Ancient Egypt in Honour of H. S. Smith (London, 1999), 256.
25
A list of important figures that held the title wrt xnr during the Eighteenth to Twentieth Dynasties is
provided by Gitton, Les divines pouses, 1024. During the Third Intermediate Period, this title was often held by
the wife or the daughter of the high priest: see K. A. Kitchen, The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt (1100-650
B.C.) (1st edn; Warminster, 1973), 4301; S. Naguib, Le clerg fminin dAmon thbain la 21e dynastie (OLA 38;
Louvain, 1990), 13388.
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107
held this title, in addition to Queen Ahmose-Nefertary,26 are: Huy (mother of the great
royal wife of Thutmose III Queen Merytre);27 Queen Tuya (wife of Seti I, and mother
of Ramses II);28 and Queen Nefertari Meryt-Mut (wife of Ramses II).29
c
Nebnefer is here linked to the royal family only through his maternal filiation. Since
the present statue is probably to be dated to the reign of Thutmose III (see below), and
assuming that the title mwt-nsw is here used, as in general, to denote a kings mother
during his reign,30 the only candidate would seem to be that kings mother, Isis.
Nebnefer is not explicitly said to be a kings brother (sn-nsw). According to Dodson,
during the first portion of the New Kingdom only the ruling kings sons were
commemorated on official monuments. He suggested that, after the demise of their
father, it was unusual for non-regnant princes to explicitly state their close connexion
with the ruling king.31 If so, and if the stylistic dating of this dyad holds (see below),
then Nebnefer could have been a hitherto unknown son of Thutmose II who had
passed out of the direct line of succession. In this case, Nebnefer would thus have been
a wab-priest in the mortuary temple of his brother. It was not unusual for royal princes
to hold priestly offices. Thutmose III himself had been a Hm-nTr of Amun before his
ascension to the throne.32
Since Nebnefer is not given the title sA-nsw, it is possible he was the offspring of a
new marriage by Isis after the death of Thutmose II, in which case, he could have been
only a maternal half-brother of Thutmose III. This would perhaps justify his filiation
to his mother rather than to his father, due to her prestigious position.
In order to ascertain whether the royal mother referred to in Nebnefers filiation
really is Queen Isis, the dating of the Henket-ankh may be relevant. Exactly when
Thutmose III began its construction is unknown. The earliest surviving mention
appears on a row of grano-diorite blocks forming the base of the south wall of the
Red Chapel of Queen Hatshepsut at Karnak.33 Here, Henket-ankh is mentioned
among other palaces, nomes, and temples that are being offered to Amun. Since the
Red Chapel is probably to be dated very shortly after year 16 of the co-regency,34 this
could indicate that the construction of Henket-ankh already commenced as early as the
26
M. Gitton, Lpouse du dieu, Ahmes Nfertary: Documents sur sa vie et son culte posthume (Besanon, 1981),
69.
27
Gitton, Les divines pouses, 7980, 102; Dodson, in Leahy and Tait (eds) Studies on Ancient Egypt in Honour
of H. S. Smith, 2559.
28
LD Text III, 148; KRI II, 846, 294.
29
M. Gitton, Variation sur le thme des titulatures de reines, BIFAO 78 (1978), 39780.
30
A. Dodson, Tuthmosis III: Family Man, Ostracon 15/2 (2004), 34. Dodson notes occasional instances
where this title appears to be used prior to any offsprings accession, in which case a co-regency between that
king and his predecessor should probably be assumed. The title mwt-nsw could also be used after the death of the
king her son, as with Queen Isis herself in the tomb of Dhutmosi (TT248), dated to the reign of Amenhotep II
(Urk. IV, 1642.7).
31
A. Dodson, Crown Prince Djhutmose and the Royal Sons of the Eighteenth Dynasty, JEA 76 (1990),
889; C. Aldred, The End of the El-aAmrna Period, JEA 43 (1957), 32. Aldred suggests that it was unusual
for officials intimately related to the royal family to publicise such a relationship, citing Anen, second prophet of
Amun during the reign of Amenhotep III, and that kings brother-in-law: on none of his monuments does Anen
mention his relationship to Queen Tiye, and he is linked with her only by his being named on the coffin of their
mother Tiuyu.
32
Urk. IV, 157.9. G. Shaw, Royal Authority in Egypts Eighteenth Dynasty (Oxford, 2008), 21.
33
P. Lacau and H. Chevrier, Une chapelle dHatshepsout Karnak (Paris, 1977), I, 80, and II, pl. iv.290.
34
P. Laskowski, Monumental Architecture and the Royal Building Program of Thutmose III, in E. Cline and
D. OConnor (eds), Thutmose III: A New Biography (Ann Arbor, 2006), 185.
JEA 99
period of co-regency, and that c.year 16 it was ready and operative. The temple was
later on enlarged with the addition of a mud brick entrance pylon, probably during the
first decades of Thutmose IIIs sole rule since the bricks forming the pylons northern
tower were stamped with Thutmose IIIs epithet nb xpS, which seems to have been
used only in the first half of his independent reign.35 Work seems to have continued
at Henket-ankh in the last years of the Kings reign, as indicated by an ostracon36
referring to the assignment of three stonemasons to work in Henket-ankh in the 49th
regnal year of Thutmose III. This phase probably witnessed the addition in the south
eastern corner of the temple of a chapel for Hathor, whose decoration appears to have
taken place under Amenhotep II.37
Queen Isis is mentioned on two fragmentary objects discovered at the temple
of Henket-ankh.38 The first is a fragmentary stela where she is titled mwt-nsw and
described as anx.ti (living or may she live).39 The second object is a fragmentary
block where she is titled: iryt-pat wrt-Hswt Hmt-nTr Hmt-nsw wrt mwt-nsw hereditary
princess, great of praises, gods wife, great kings wife, kings mother.40 Here, too, she
is described as anx.ti.41
Although the presence of anx.ti is not itself sufficient proof that a queen was alive at
the time of the monuments creation,42 and so the surviving evidence does not allow
definite conclusions, it is at least conceivable that she had a presence at Henket-ankh,
and that for some time she might have served as a wrt xnr aA(.t) (n) Imn m Hnkt-anx.
Text on Tauserets side of the seat (figs 6 and 7)
() 1| Htp di nsw Imn-Ra Hry-ib m Hnk.t-anx Mwt 2| nbt ISrw @wt-@rw Hrt-tp smt Inpw 3|
imy-wt di.sn xA m t xA m Hnot xA m 4| Ss mnxt snTr mrHt xA m Htpw-DfAw aq pri 5| m Xrt-nTr
Hr-Sms.w nTrw nbw n kA n 6| wab-aA n Imn-Ra m Hnk.t-anx Nb-nfr 7| snt.f nbt pr &A-wsrt
mAat xrw
1
| An offering which the king gives to: Amun-Re who resides in Henket-ankh, Mut
2
| lady of Ishru, Hathor, chieftainess of the desert, Anubis 3|who is in the place of
embalming, that they may give a thousand of bread, a thousand of beer, a thousand of
4
| alabaster and linen, incense, ointment, a thousand of food provisions going into and
coming out 5| from the Necropolis,43 in the following of all gods, for the ka of the 6|
35
Laskowski, in Cline and OConnor (eds), Thutmose III, 2078, 232 n.151.
W. Hayes, A Selection of Tuthmoside Ostraca from Dr El-BaHri, JEA 46 (1960), 52.
37
Ricke, Totentempel Thutmoses III., 215.
38
In addition to the two objects discussed here, Isis is mentioned on stela CGC 34015, which was also found at
Henket-ankh. However, her name is now believed to have replaced that of Merytre-Hatshepsut to whom the stela
was originally dedicated: see P. Piccione, The Women of Thutmose III in the Stelae of the Egyptian Museum,
JSSEA 30 (2003), 947.
39
A. Weigall, A Report on the Excavation of the Funeral Temple of Thoutmosis III at Gurnah, ASAE 7
(1907), 1312 [13].
40
Ricke, Totentempel Thutmoses III., 30 n.5.
41
anx.ti and mAat-xrw both occur in a scene from the tomb of Thutmose III in which three of his royal wives
(Merytre, Satiah, Nebtu) and his daughter (Nefertiru) appear behind him: P. Bucher, Les textes des tombes de
Thoutmosis III et dAmnophis II (MIFAO 60; Cairo, 1932), pl. 24. Here, Thutmose III is designated mAa-xrw
(i.e., deceased). Both Satiah and Nefertiru are likewise designated mAat-xrw (albeit with some doubt over the
reading of Nebtus epithet: see Piccione, JSSEA 30, 95, 99 n.29). Merytre, who survived Thutmose III, is the
only one who is described as anx.ti.
42
Queen Ahmose-Nefertari is labelled anx.ti on monuments dedicated to her posthumously: see A. H. Gardiner,
A Stele in the MacGregor Collection, JEA 4 (1917), 1889; Gitton, Lpouse du dieu, 72.
43
Barta, Aufbau und Bedeutung, 95 (Bitte 115 a) records the phrase aq prjt m Xrt-nTr for the Early Eighteenth
Dynasty.
36
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109
senior wab-priesta of Amun in Henket-ankh, Nebnefer 7| and his sister (wife),b mistress
of the house, Tauseret, justified.
JEA 99
Commentary:
a
The title wab-aA or senior wab-priest, followed by the name of a deity, first appeared
in the Middle Kingdom,44 but was less frequent in the New Kingdom, and by the Late
Period, it became used as an honorary title that could be applied to any priest of high
rank.45 The wabw-aAw were lower in rank to the Hmw-nTr and the itw-nTr. Their position
in relation to other categories of priests remains, however, obscure.
b
The term snt became used as a designation for wife in the Eighteenth Dynasty.46
According to ern, the earliest attestation of snt.f referring to a wife in dated Theban
private tombs was during the independent reign of Thutmose III, in the tomb of
Nebamun (TT24).47 Whale, however, suggested an earlier occurrence in the tomb of
Senemioh (TT127), which was probably decorated during the reign of Hatshepsut.48
According to Whale, snt.f meaning the wife of the tomb owner became more
common under Amenhotep II, and by the reign of Thutmose IV, it was used almost
exclusively.
Greek graffiti on the base of the dyad (figs 811)
Greek graffiti occur on the base of the statue immediately in front of the feet of the
seated couple, and on the front face of the plinth. The main graffito is a perfectly
visible single line of inscription that was roughly cut on the front face of the plinth
(figs 89), with a chisel-edged tool. Traces of black ochre are still visible in the graffito,
particularly in the last four words. The script begins on the left and descends towards
the right. Its total length is 43 cm (h. of letters: 0.5 cm [ in ] to 2.4 cm
[]). The graffito reads:
A Proskynema (homage) of Eugraphios before the lord god.49
Above the preceding graffito, and immediately below Nebnefers left sandal sole (figs
1011), another graffito reading is visible (length: 7.9 cm). It was apparently cut
by the same hand, and seems, therefore, to be a continuation of the main graffito. Most
44
W. Ward, Index of Egyptian Administrative and Religious Titles of the Middle Kingdom (Beirut, 1982), nos
645, 647, 647.
45
H. de Meulenaere, Une formule des inscriptions autobiographiques de basse poque, in O. Firchow (ed.),
gyptologische Studien (VIO 29; Berlin, 1955), 22325.
46
J. ern, Consanguineous Marriages in Pharaonic Egypt, JEA 40 (1954), 239; G. Robins, The Relationships
Specified by Egyptian Kinship Terms of the Middle and New Kingdoms, CdE 54 (1979), 203; see also D. Franke,
Altgyptische Verwandtschaftsbezeichnungen im Mittleren Reich (HS 3; Hamburg, 1983), 6175; H.Willems, A
Description of Egyptian Kinship Terminology of the Middle Kingdom c.20001650 BC, Bijdragent ot de TaalLand-en-Volkenkunde 139/1 (1983), 15268. For a discussion on laws relating to consanguineous in the Ancient
Near East, see J. Kimuhu, Leviticus: The Priestly Laws and Prohibitions from the Perspective of Ancient Near East
and Africa (New York, 2008).
47
ern, JEA 40, 28.
48
S. Whale, The Family in the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt: A Study of the Representation of the Family in
Private Tombs (ACE Studies 1; Sydney, 1989), 2513, n.36.
49
The proskynema were homages left by the pious in the Graeco-Roman era while visiting a holy place.
They reflect the desire of the devout to assert the permanence of their names near to a deity. They contained a
pilgrims name, patronym, and in the best examples his ethnonym. The name of the deity invoked in the homage
is then mentioned, usually preceded by (i.e. lord god), and complemented with one of the deitys
epithets. The motivation for the visit was sometimes included, such as piety or healing. See G. Geraci, Ricerche
sul Proskynema, Aegyptus 51 (1971), 3211; Y. Volokhine, Les dplacements pieux en gypte pharaonique, in
D.Frankfurter (ed.), Pilgrimage and Holy Space in Late Antique Egypt (Leiden, 1998), 846.
2013
Fig. 10. Greek graffiti before the feet of Nebnefer and Tauseret (Cairo Museum BN 104).
Fig. 11. Detail of Greek graffiti in front of the feet of Nebnefer and Tauseret.
111
JEA 99
likely, it forms the latter part of ,50 the first four letters of the word being
no longer visible; this word is demanded by the sense, and suggests the homage of
Eugraphios was for the purpose of healing.
Immediately next to the preceding word, and on the same level, is another graffito
(figs 1011) of two words (dimensions: 9.8 cm in length; h. of letters 0.9 cm [] to 2.0
cm []). This graffito appears to have been cut by a different person. It reads:
and Phritob.51
In addition, several crosses are scratched almost everywhere over the sculpture (fig.12).
The addition of Christian symbols to older pagan texts seems to be a commentary by
a Christian convert on the main graffito.
The graffiti on Cairo Museum BN 104 can be understood in the light of two similar
graffiti left by a certain Eugraphios at the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut at
Deir-el-Bahari. Both graffiti are found in the upper terrace of the temple, and are dated
to the Roman Period (firstsecond century ad).52 The first graffito is found on the
south wall of the court (north face, 30 cm below dado line). It reads:53
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113
Proskynema of Eugraphios before the lord god
Asklepios, and Amenothes, and Hygieia.
Be mindful to us and grant us healing.54
The second graffito is found on the south side of the Ptolemaic portico (north face,
cornice between the entrance and the eastern column). It reads:55
[ ]
{}
, ,
These two healing prayers were left by a certain Eugraphios during his visit to the
temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir-el-Bahari. As indicated by numerous Greek graffiti
left by pilgrims, the upper terrace of this temple became a healing centre in Ptolemaic
times. The deities mentioned in this proskynema are those who were invoked to induce
a cure at this healing centre: Imhotep (named Imouthes by the Greeks, and identified
with their god of medicine Asklepios), Amenhotep-son-of-Hapu (named Amenothes
by the Greeks), and Hygieia the Greek goddess of health (daughter of Asklepios).
Significantly, directly under the first Deir-el-Bahari graffito of Eugraphios, another
graffito was added by a later visitor, reading:57
With the help of Pcherstapane and Phritob.58
Just as with the dyad Cairo Museum BN 104, this first graffito of Eugraphios at Deirel-Bahari received Christian comments. These were apparently carved by a monk
from the monastery of St. Phoibamon, which was installed on the upper terrace of
the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, probably at the end of the 6th century.59 This time,
however, and in addition to Christian symbols, such as an ankh cross with palms and a
Solomons knot, a Christian invocation formula was also added. It reads:60
54
Translation after J. Milne, The Sanatorium of Dr-el-BaHri, JEA 1 (1914), 97. For a recent study of the
two graffiti mentioned here, see A. Lajtar, Deir el-Bahari in the Hellenistic and Roman periods (JJP 4; Warsaw,
2006), nos 129, 197.
55
Bataille, Inscriptions grecques, no. 120.
56
Translation after Lajtar, Deir el-Bahari, no. 197.
57
Bataille, Inscriptions grecques, no. 87. The sense requries in this graffito should be read last, rather
than first as its position suggests. Bataille observes that this arose from a lack of free space after
: see discussion in Lajtar, Deir el-Bahari, 217.
58
Translation after Milne, JEA 1, 97.
59
The monastery of St. Phoibamon continued to function until the end of the eighth century, and numerous
graffiti prove that the monastery continued to be visited by Christian pilgrims until the end of the thirteenth
century. See W. Godlewski, Le monastre de St Phoibammon (Deir el Bahari 5; Warsaw, 1986).
60
Bataille, Inscriptions grecques, no.89; G. Lefebvre, Recueil des inscriptions grecques-chrtiennes dgypte
(MIFAO 101; Cairo, 1907), no. 379.
JEA 99
It is the one God who helps you.61
Provenance and Date
2013
115
could be suggested here. He most likely entered the temple ranks as a wab-priest of
Amun-Re in Henket-ankh. With training and experience, and after having performed
the necessary initiation rituals, he acquired the privilege of being admitted into the
sanctuary of that temple (wab-aq n Imn m Hnkt-anx). At the same time, he may have
acquired of the title wab-aA (senior wab-priest).67 Then, he advanced into becoming
a chief of the first priestly phyle of Thutmose III. Presumably in the last years of
Thutmose IIIs reign, at a time coinciding with the construction of +sr-Axt, he became
affiliated with that temple as well. He probably continued to serve at the two memorial
temples throughout the reign of Thutmose III, and possibly during the early years of
Amenhotep IIs reign.
Nebnefer as a Royal Prince
Assuming that Cairo Museum BN 104 indeed indicates that Nebnefer was a true royal
prince, rather than a commoner-born half-brother of the king, no other references to
him as a royal prince seem to exist from the Eighteenth Dynasty. There are, however,
four other monuments from Deir el-Medina, all dated to the Ramesside Period, that
perhaps support the possibility of Nebnefer being a royal prince:68
1. A fragmentary stela dedicated by a deputy named Hay to Prince Nebnefer.69 The
stela shows Nebnefer seated before an altar, holding a lotus flower in his right hand.
The dedicatory text on the stela reads: ... Wsir sA nsw Nb-nfr mAa-xrw xr nTr aA, nb nHH Dt
...Osiris, the kings son, Nebnefer, justified before the great god, lord of eternity.
2. A small libation table dedicated by a man whose name probably reads @qA-mAat-Rasxpr-DAmw.70 Here again, Nebnefers name is preceded by the title sA nsw kings son.
3. Stela Leyden F93/1.27,71 dedicated by a workman named PA-TAw-m-di-Imn to
Amenhotep I and Nebnefer. Interestingly, the accompanying text describes Nebnefer
as being a nTr nfr or a good god.
4. Stela fragment Cairo JE41469.72 The dedicant of the stela, a workman named
Amunemopet, is represented standing on the right (figure broken off) holding a brazier
in his hand, censing towards four standing figures, facing right. The first one of these
figures is named Nebnefer. He is followed by King Amenhotep I, Queen AhmoseNefertari, and the goddess Mertseger. Interestingly, Nebnefers name is enclosed in a
cartouche. He wears a short wig from which a curled side lock of hair depends. Royal
princes of mature age wore this lock to indicate their filial relationship to the king. It was
also indicative of a particular priestly rank.73 Nebnefer appears holding the crook and
67
JEA 99
flail in his left hand. Both symbols were likewise associated with royal sons.74 However,
unlike the figure of Amenhotep I, no uraeus can be seen protecting his forehead.75
The Ramesside kings tended to venerate their ancestors, particularly the early
Eighteenth Dynasty as is evident, for example, from the so-called Wadjmose Chapel,
where the cults of some queens and royal princes of the early Eighteenth Dynasty
were re-established during the reign of Ramses II, following their abandonment after
the reign of Amenhotep III.76 It should therefore come as no surprise that the group
of evidence cited above is all dated to the Ramesside Period. Not only does the above
cited evidence from Deir el-Medina support the possibility of Nebnefer being of royal
lineage, it also seems to demonstrate fairly conclusively that he was the subject of a
mortuary cult, at least during the Ramesside Period, if not earlier.
Little is known about the origin of Queen Isis, but insofar as the extremely limited
evidence allows conclusions, the simplest assumption would be that Nebnefer was a
younger brother of Thutmose III and therefore a royal prince who passed out of the
direct line of succession. This would make Cairo Museum BN 104 a piece of particular
interest due to the rarity of sculpture representing royal princes of the early New
Kingdom.
74