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Khekeret-nisut is a much debated Ancient Egyptian woman's title. Women with this title are known from 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 ...

, less often from the Middle Kingdom, but again often from the

Second Intermediate Period The Second Intermediate Period marks a period when ancient Egypt fell into disarray for a second time, between the end of the Middle Kingdom and the start of the New Kingdom. The concept of a "Second Intermediate Period" was coined in 1942 by ...

and the

New Kingdom New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

. The title is often translated as ''lady in waiting'' or ''king's ornament''. The title holders are most often married women of high status. In the Eleventh Dynasty, some queens of

Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep II ( egy, Mn- ṯw-ḥtp, meaning " Mentu is satisfied"), also known under his prenomen Nebhepetre ( egy, Nb- ḥpt- Rˁ, meaning "The Lord of the rudder is Ra"), was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the sixth ruler of the Eleventh Dyn ...

had that title.

Henry George Fischer Henry George Fischer (May 10, 1923 – January 11, 2006) was an American Egyptologist and poet. Biography Born on May 10, 1923, in Philadelphia, Fischer graduated from Princeton University in 1945, after that he was sent teaching English ...

translated the title as ''ornament of the king'' and saw the women with this title as part of the king's harem. Harco Willems argued that the correct translation is ''adorner of the king'' and argued that they were playing some role in the king's cult.H. Willems: ''Dayr al-Barsha Volume I. The Rock Tombs of Djehutinakht (No. 17K74/1), Khnumnakht (No. 17K74/2), and Iha (No. 17K74/3). With an Essay on the History and Nature of Nomarchal Rule in the Early Middle Kingdom'', Leuven 2007, p. 73

Literature

* Danijela Stefanovic: ''The Non-royal Regular Feminine Titles of the Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period: Dossiers'', London 2009 pp. 85- 109

References

{{Ancient Egyptian royal titulary Ancient Egyptian titles