Khnumhotep II (''ẖnmw-ḥtp, "
Khnum
Khnum or also romanised Khnemu (; egy, 𓎸𓅱𓀭 ẖnmw, grc-koi, Χνοῦβις) was one of the earliest-known Egyptian deities, originally the god of the source of the Nile. Since the annual flooding of the Nile brought with it silt an ...
is pleased"'') was an
ancient Egyptian ''
Great Chief of the
Oryx nome
The Oryx nome ( Egyptian: ''Ma-hedj'') was one of the 42 '' nomoi'' (administrative divisions; Egyptian: ''sepat'') in ancient Egypt. The oryx nome was the 16th nome of Upper Egypt, Wolfram Grajetzki, ''The Middle Kingdom of ancient Egypt: histo ...
'' (the 16th nome of
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt ( ar, صعيد مصر ', shortened to , , locally: ; ) is the southern portion of Egypt and is composed of the lands on both sides of the Nile that extend upriver from Lower Egypt in the north to Nubia in the south.
In ancient E ...
) during the reign of pharaohs
Amenemhat II and
Senusret II
Khakheperre Senusret II was the fourth pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled from 1897 BC to 1878 BC. His pyramid was constructed at El-Lahun. Senusret II took a great deal of interest in the Faiyum oasis region and began work on an ...
of the
12th Dynasty
The Twelfth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (Dynasty XII) is considered to be the apex of the Middle Kingdom by Egyptologists. It often is combined with the Eleventh, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth dynasties under the group title, Middle Kingdom. Some ...
,
Middle Kingdom (20th century BCE). He is well known for his tomb at
Beni Hasan
Beni Hasan (also written as Bani Hasan, or also Beni-Hassan) ( ar, بني حسن) is an ancient Egyptian cemetery. It is located approximately to the south of modern-day Minya in the region known as Middle Egypt, the area between Asyut and Mem ...
and its decorations.
Biography and family
He was a member of a powerful family of
nomarchs
A nomarch ( grc, νομάρχης, egy, ḥrj tp ꜥꜣ Great Chief) was a provincial governor in ancient Egypt; the country was divided into 42 provinces, called nomes (singular , plural ). A nomarch was the government official responsib ...
and officials which was likely founded by his grandfather
Khnumhotep I
Khnumhotep I (''ẖnmw-ḥtp, "Khnum is pleased"'') was an ancient Egyptian '' Great Chief of the Oryx nome'' (the 16th nome of Upper Egypt) during the reign of Pharaoh Amenemhat I of the 12th Dynasty, Middle Kingdom (early 20th century BCE).
T ...
and housed in
Men'at Khufu. Khnumhotep II held many titles such as ''hereditary prince and count, foremost of actions, royal sealer, sole friend, member of the elite, overlord of
Nekheb
El Kab (or better Elkab) is an Upper Egyptian site on the east bank of the Nile at the mouth of the Wadi Hillal about south of Luxor (ancient Thebes). El Kab was called Nekheb in the Egyptian language ( , Late Coptic: ), a name that refers to ...
'', and also ''overseer of the
Eastern Desert
The Eastern Desert (Archaically known as Arabia or the Arabian Desert) is the part of the Sahara desert that is located east of the Nile river. It spans of North-Eastern Africa and is bordered by the Nile river to the west and the Red Sea an ...
'', a position which he held from Year 19 of Amenemhat II until at least Year 6 of Senusret II i.e. the date which appears in Khnumhotep's tomb. Like most nomarchs of the time he also held some priestly charges.
Wolfram Grajetzki
Wolfram Grajetzki (born 1960, in Berlin) is a German Egyptologist. He studied at Free University of Berlin and made his Doctor of Philosophy at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He performed excavations in Egypt, but also in Pakistan. He publishe ...
, ''Court Officials of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom'', London 2009.[Janice Kamrin, ''The Cosmos of Khnumhotep II at Beni Hasan''. London, England: Kegan Paul International, 1999.]
His predecessor as nomarch was probably his relative
Netjernakht, and Khnumhotep honored him by building his tomb. His mother was Baqet while his father was an official named Neheri. Khnumhotep had two wives, the main of them was Khety, herself a daughter of the unnamed nomarch of the neighbouring 17th nome with
Hardai as capital. Like her husband, Khety held a remarkable number of titles such as ''daughter of a governor, king's acquaintance, foremost of actions, lady of the house'', and was also a
priestess of Hathor Priestess of Hathor or Prophetess of Hathor was the title of the Priestess of the goddess Hathor in the Temple of Dendera in Ancient Egypt.
Title
The title is known to be given during the Old Kingdom of Egypt, and was at that point very powerful ...
and
Pakhet
In Egyptian mythology, Pakhet, Egyptian ''Pḫ.t'', meaning ''she who scratches'' (also spelt Pachet, Pehkhet, Phastet, and Pasht) is a lioness goddess of war.
Origin and mythology
Pakhet is likely to be a regional lioness deity, ''Goddess of ...
. Khnumhotep's secondary wife was Tjat who held few, modest titles such as ''sealer, lady of the house'' and ''one who knows her lord''; she is the only known female sealer at the court of a local governor. Those peculiarities and the fact that both consorts appears several times in Khnumhotep's tomb suggests that the one between him and Khety was likely a
politically arranged marriage while Tjat could have been his true love who was appointed ''sealer'' by him in order to have her closer.
[
From his two consorts, Khnumhotep II had several children:][
*Nakht inherited his maternal grandfather's charge of nomarch at Hardai
*Khnumhotep IV, followed his father as nomarch of the 16th nome, but does not appear in his father's tomb and is only known by his unfinished tomb at Beni Hasan
* Khnumhotep III entered to the royal court where he managed to become '' high steward'' and later '']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 ...
''
*Neheri was buried in a small tomb at Beni Hasan where a stela of him was found
*another son is known for being a "mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
" in a contiguous nome.
For more about Khnumhotep's genealogy, see " Nomarchs of the Oryx nome".
The tomb BH3
Khnumhotep II is buried in Beni Hasan in the rock-cut Tomb 3 (BH3), one of the most notable of the whole necropolis. In ancient times, the tomb would have been approached via a path that was distinguishable by dark brown boulders on either side; the path extended from the open outer court down the hill to the edge of the cultivated land.Percy Newberry
Percy Edward Newberry (23 April 1869 – 7 August 1949) was a British Egyptologist.
Biography
Percy Newberry was born in Islington, London on 23 April 1869. His parents were Caroline () and Henry James Newberry, a woollen warehouseman. Newbe ...
, ''Beni Hasan. Part 1''. London, England: Kegan Paul, Trench, Tubner & Co., Ltd., 1893
Available online
/ref>
The tomb is fronted by a columned portico and a small courtyard; the courtyard would have been surrounded by mud-brick walls. The small columned portico is on the west side of the courtyard, directly in front of the tomb entrance.[ The ceiling of the portico is curved similar to the shape of a segmented barrel. The rock around the doorway leading inside the tomb to the chapel was smoothed and flattened, on which a fourteen line inscription is giving the list of the festal days for the services of funeral offerings, called ''percheru'', along with the name and titles of Khnumhotep II.][ The floor of the main chamber (also referred to as the chapel) is sunk into the ground below the level of the open outer court and is descended into by three steps.][ The chapel is the main chamber cut straight back into the cliff almost symmetrical with 4 columns and two large shafts (that lead to burial chambers) are cut into the floor. These four main columns support a ceiling that is divided by three segmented barrel shapes. These vaults are painted in a pattern that may be referencing a tent.][ The only light for this chamber would have come from the doorway to the portico and originally a door, between the portico and the chamber, could have been used to close the tomb to the outdoor elements.][ ]Percy Newberry
Percy Edward Newberry (23 April 1869 – 7 August 1949) was a British Egyptologist.
Biography
Percy Newberry was born in Islington, London on 23 April 1869. His parents were Caroline () and Henry James Newberry, a woollen warehouseman. Newbe ...
notes that the only remain from the inward swinging door is the pivot-hole. On the doorjambs are prayers to Osiris
Osiris (, from Egyptian ''wsjr'', cop, ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲉ , ; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎𐤓, romanized: ʾsr) is the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He wa ...
and Anubis
Anubis (; grc, Ἄνουβις), also known as Inpu, Inpw, Jnpw, or Anpu in Ancient Egyptian () is the god of death, mummification, embalming, the afterlife, cemeteries, tombs, and the Underworld, in ancient Egyptian religion, usually depict ...
above a seated Khnumhotep II who is facing inward.[ At the back of this main room (east wall) is a small rectangular shrine approached by a step about high. Newberry mentions that from his survey of the tomb there was a statue here of a seated Khnumhotep II, but the entire statue had been cut away and only a portion of the seat remains.]
On the wall are also depicted Khnumhotep's most notable officials and employees at his local court, which somewhat resemble a downscaled version of the royal court with a local treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance.
Government
The treasury ...
and many stewards and overseers.[
In the main chamber there is an autobiography of the deceased; it begins to the left of the entrance to the shrine and runs counterclockwise around the walls of the main chamber, ending to the right of the doorway leading to the shrine.][ The main types of information included are about the actions Khnumhotep II performed during his lifetime, his family and their lives, as well as the close relationship of his family to the royal house, Khnumhotep's excellent character, and his request to visitors that offerings are made to him.][
On the west wall of the chamber are scenes showing mainly the preparations for the funeral and the resurrection of the deceased.][ This is exemplified by the boat voyages making a connection between Khnumhotep II and the god Osiris. The orientation of the boats within the tomb literally has them travel south to Abydos (right of the entrance) and north to return (left of the entrance). The wall collectively ensures the tomb owner of rebirth in the afterlife where he will be sustained through cult activities.
On the eastern end of the north wall there is a large-scale standing figure of Khnumhotep II receiving offerings primarily of several types of animals and birds.
]
Procession of the Aamu
What makes this tomb stand out among the 39 large rock-cut tombs at Beni Hasan is the well known scene of the ''Aamu'' group from Shu, Asiatic nomadic traders who are sometimes considered Hyksos
Hyksos (; Egyptian '' ḥqꜣ(w)- ḫꜣswt'', Egyptological pronunciation: ''hekau khasut'', "ruler(s) of foreign lands") is a term which, in modern Egyptology, designates the kings of the Fifteenth Dynasty of Egypt (fl. c. 1650–1550 BC).
T ...
or at least their forerunners; the group, led by a man called Absha (or Abisha, Abishai), was bringing offerings to the deceased.[ Though there are fifteen people depicted in the scene, the accompanying inscription mentions there were 37 persons.]
The west end of the wall has another large-scale figure of Khnumhotep II only here he is facing right and using a bow to hunt in the desert which is on the edge of the Egyptian world, the boundary between order (''maat
Maat or Maʽat ( Egyptian:
mꜣꜥt /ˈmuʀʕat/, Coptic: ⲙⲉⲓ) refers to the ancient Egyptian concepts of truth, balance, order, harmony, law, morality, and justice. Ma'at was also the goddess who personified these concepts, and regul ...
'') and chaos. It has been interpreted that in this scene Khnumhotep II is assuming the role of the king dominating over the chaotic power of the desert.[
]
The east wall houses the entrance to the shrine, as well as two large depictions of Khnumhotep II hunting in the marshes, one on the north side and the other on the south side. To the south he is harpoon
A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument and tool used in fishing, whaling, sealing, and other marine hunting to catch and injure large fish or marine mammals such as seals and whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal ...
ing two fishes and to the north he is fowling with a throwing stick
The throwing stick or throwing club is a wooden rod with either a pointed tip or a spearhead attached to one end, intended for use as a weapon. A throwing stick can be either straight or roughly boomerang-shaped, and is much shorter than the j ...
.[ These hunting in the marshes scenes help protect the deceased in the afterlife as well as guarantee his rebirth through connotations of sexuality.][ Beneath him, north of the door, there are pictures of several people fishing and beneath him on the south side are representations of fighting boatmen. Collectively this wall represents the perpetual renewal of Khnumhotep II.
The fourth wall of this tomb, south wall, was dedicated to the celebration of the cult meal of Khnumhotep II and his wife Khety.][ The east end of the wall features the deceased seated in front of an offering table covered with offerings holding a ]flail
A flail is an agriculture, agricultural tool used for threshing, the process of separating cereal, grains from their husks.
It is usually made from two or more large sticks attached by a short chain; one stick is held and swung, causing the othe ...
, traditionally seen as a symbol of royalty or divinity, in his right hand.[ At the west end of the wall there is an illustration of Khety sitting in front of a full offering table. She is facing left and participating in her husband's meal presented by his cult.][ The shrine portrays a smaller version of the offering cult and in many ways can be seen as an expansion from the false door of the ]Old Kingdom
In ancient Egyptian history, the Old Kingdom is the period spanning c. 2700–2200 BC. It is also known as the "Age of the Pyramids" or the "Age of the Pyramid Builders", as it encompasses the reigns of the great pyramid-builders of the Fourth ...
, where a statue inside a niche could have been integrated.[ The placing of statues in the chapel itself is a new funerary art style that appeared in the Middle Kingdom tombs.][ p. 102]
References
Further reading
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khnumhotep 02
Nomarchs
Officials of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt
Ancient Egyptian priests