Idy was an important Ancient Egyptian official in the

Eighth Dynasty The Eighth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (Dynasty VIII) is a poorly known and short-lived line of pharaohs reigning in rapid succession in the early 22nd century BC, likely with their seat of power in Memphis. The Eighth Dynasty held sway at a time re ...

known from several sources. He lived at the beginning of the

First Intermediate Period The First Intermediate Period, described as a 'dark period' in ancient Egyptian history, spanned approximately 125 years, c. 2181–2055 BC, after the end of the Old Kingdom. It comprises the Seventh (although this is mostly considered spurious ...

and was the son of

Shemay Shemay (also Shemai) was an ancient Egyptian official and later vizier toward the end of the 8th Dynasty (22nd century BCE) during the First Intermediate Period, mainly known for being the beneficiary of most of the Coptos Decrees. His career ha ...

, who is also known from several monuments and decrees from

Koptos Qift ( arz, قفط ; cop, Ⲕⲉϥⲧ, link=no ''Keft'' or ''Kebto''; Egyptian Gebtu; grc, Κόπτος, link=no ''Coptos'' / ''Koptos''; Roman Justinianopolis) is a small town in the Qena Governorate of Egypt about north of Luxor, situated und ...

. His mother was the ''king's daughter'' Nebet. Idy appears on many royal decrees found at Koptos. There he bears the important title of a

vizier A vizier (; ar, وزير, wazīr; fa, وزیر, vazīr), or wazir, is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in the near east. The Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was a ...

, but was also overseer of Upper Egypt and ''overseer of priest'' and ''

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

''. The decrees are dated under king

Neferkauhor Neferkauhor Khuwihapi was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Eighth Dynasty during the early First Intermediate Period (2181–2055 BC), at a time when Egypt was possibly divided between several polities. Neferkauhor was the sixteenth and penulti ...

and

Neferirkare Neferirkare (sometimes referred to as Neferirkare II because of Neferirkare Kakai) was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Eighth Dynasty during the early First Intermediate Period (2181–2055 BC). According to the egyptologists Kim Ryholt, J ...

. One decree (called today Koptos M) is addressed to Shemay and dates under Neferkauhor. It reports the appointment of Idy to the ''

overseer of Upper Egypt The Overseer of Upper Egypt was an important Ancient Egyptian title during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods. The title appears first in the early Fifth Dynasty. The first title holder is the vizier Kay, who possibly lived during the reigns of N ...

''. A second one (Koptos Q) mentions affairs in the temple of

Min Min or MIN may refer to: Places * Fujian, also called Mǐn, a province of China ** Min Kingdom (909–945), a state in Fujian * Min County, a county of Dingxi, Gansu province, China * Min River (Fujian) * Min River (Sichuan) * Mineola (Am ...

at Koptos. In a third decree (Koptos R) Idy bears the titles of a vizier. In the decree, the king protects the statues and the funerary cult of Idy. The decree is dated under king Neferirkare, who was the successor of Neferkauhor. It seems that Idy took over many positions that his father hold before. Idy is also known from inscriptions in the tomb of his father Shemay. One inscription reports that Idy found the chapel of his father in ruins and rebuilt it. A second inscription reports that king Pepy Neferirkare (the latter name is partly destroyed), was sending someone to bring for him a

sarcophagus A sarcophagus (plural sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a box-like funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek ...

and stones for the father's tomb. The name of Idy is not preserved, but can be reconstructed. The shipping of the sarcophagus is also depicted on one wall in Shemay's tomb. Here is also mentioned the local official and ''eldest king's son''

User Ancient Egyptian roles * User (ancient Egyptian official), an ancient Egyptian nomarch (governor) of the Eighth Dynasty * Useramen, an ancient Egyptian vizier also called "User" Other uses * User (computing), a person (or software) using an ...

. There is also a statue in

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

(no. E.4355) that might belong to Idy. Here he bears the titles ''god's father, beloved of the god'' and ''hereditary prince'' (

iry-pat Iry-pat ( egy, jrj-pꜥt "member of the elite") was an ancient Egyptian ranking title, that is a title announcing a high position in the hierarchy of the country. Iry-pat was indeed the highest ranking title at the royal court, and only the mos ...

). There is also a rock inscription from the

Wadi Hammamat Wadi Hammamat ( en, Valley of Many Baths, ''India way; gateway to India'') is a dry river bed in Egypt's Eastern Desert, about halfway between Al-Qusayr and Qena. It was a major mining region and trade route east from the Nile Valley in ancien ...

that most likely belongs to this Idy. Here he bears the titles ''royal sealer'', ''sole friend'', ''controller of priests'', ''privy to the secret of the god's treasure''. The inscription also mentions the ''overseer of Upper Egypt'' Tjauti-iqer and reports the bringing of stones.

References

Bibliography

* * *

External links

Koptos Decree Q at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
{{authority control Viziers of the Eighth Dynasty of Egypt Nomarchs Ancient Egyptian priests Overseers of Upper Egypt