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BENI HASAN
PART II.
I'ERCY E. NEWBERRY
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ARCH/EOLOGICAL SURVEY OF EGYPT
Edited by F. L. GRIFFITH, B.A., F.SA
BENI HASAN
( PART II.
BT
PERCY E. NEWBERRY
WITH APPENDIX, PLANS AND MEASUREMENTS OF THE TOMBS BY
G. WILLOUGHBY PRASER, P.S.A.
WITH THIRTY-NINE PLATES
PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE EGYPT EXPLORATION FUND
LONDON
80LD BT
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., Ltd.
Patebmobtsb House, Chasing Cbobs Boad
BERNARD QUARITOH, 16, Piccadillt, W.
ASHER & CO., 13, Bedfobd Stbeet, Goysnt Gabdbk, W.G.
AND AT THE omCBS OT THB 80CIKTT
37, Qbbat Russell Stbeet, W.C.
{Opporiie the BHti$k Mmtum)
1893
^11
LONDON :
GILBBBT AND BIVINGTOIT, LIMITICD,
ST. John's housb, clbbkbnwell boad, b.c.
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c^
EGYPT EXPLOEATION FUND.
SIE JOHN FOWLER, Bart., K.C.M.G.
Wcemptc6i^cntB.
•1
Sir Gharlbs Newton, K.C.B., D.CX.
Prof. R Stuart Poolb, LL.D. (Hon. Sec.),
£. Maunde Thompson, Esq., CJ3., LL.D.
Charles Dudlet Warner, Esq., L.H.D., LLJ).
Sonaris Causa (U.S. A.).
The Rev. W. C. Winslow, D.D., D.C.L.
{Son, Treas. and Son, Sec, U.S.A.).
The Hon. Edward G. Mason (U.SA.).
The Hon. John Geo. Bourinot, D.G.L.
(Canada).
Prof. G. Maspero^ D.C.L. (France).
JosiAH Mullens, Esq. (Australia).
MoNs. Charles Hentsoh (Switserland).
f)otu ZtcsamctB.
H, A. Gruebee, Esq., F.S.A. [ The Rev. W. C. Winslow, D.D. (U.S.A.).
Clarenoe H. Clark, Esq. (Penn. U.S.A.).
t>on. Secretati?.
Prof. R. Stuart Poole, LL.D.
Aembers of Committee.
The Rt. Hon. Lord Amherst ofHaoknet,F.S.A.
T. H. Baylis, Esq., Q.C., M.A.
Miss Bradbury.
J. S. Cotton, Esq., M.A.
M. J. DE Morgan {IHreeteur Gen&dl des Anti-
quith de V£gypte).
Sir John Evans, E.C.B., D.C.L., LL.D.
W. Fowler, Esq.
Major - General Sir Francis Grenfsll,
G.C.M.G., KC.B.
P. L. Griffith, Esq., B.A., F.S.A.
T. Farmer Hall, Esq.
Prof. T. Hayter Lewis, F.S.A.
Mrs. MoClure.
The Rev. W. MaoGreoor, M.A.
J. G. Meiqos, Esq. (U.S.A.).
J. H. MiDDLETON, Esq., M.A.
A. S. Murray, Esq., LL.D., F.S.A.
D. Parrish, Esq. (U.S.A.).
Col. J. C. Ross, R.E.
The Rev. Prof. A. H. Sayoe, M.A., LL.D.
H. ViLLiERS Stuart, Esq.
Mrs. Tirard.
The Rev. H. G. Tomkins, M.A.
The Rt. Rev. The Lord Bishop of Truro.
Herbcann Weber, Esq., M.D.
General Sir Charles Wiuson, K.C.B.,
K.C.M.G., F.R.S.
n ^ 2- "S ^
The tenants of the tombs to dust decay.
Nescient of self, and all beside are they ;
Their snndered atoms float abont the world,
Like mirage clonds, until the jndgment-day.
Omar Khayyam (Whinfield's translation, 242).
CONTENTS.
PAOB
Editor's Pebpace vii
General Notice op the Tombs (continued from Part I, p. 3) : —
5. Decoration 1
6. Biographies: —
Khnemhotep^ the Scribe 6
Family of Baqt 1 6
7. Biographies (continued) : —
Family of Khnemhotep I. . 7
Family of Amenemhat 13
Genealogical Table of the Family of Khnemhotep I. . . .14
Dated Events 16
8. Geography: —
The Oryx nome 17
Cities of Egypt outside the Oryx nome 21
Foreign Lands and Tribes 21
9. Religion : —
Funerary Deities 22
Local Deities . 22
Other Deities 23
List of the Tombs (Nos. 15-39, with the Inscriptions of Nos. 21, 23, 27,
29, and 33) 25
DsTAUiED Descriptions op the Inscribed Tombs :—
Tomb No. 15 41
Tomb No. 17 51
The Greek and Coptic Grappiti 63
Appendix : Mr. Fraser's Report on the Tombs at Beni Hasan : —
I. Notes on the Architecture 71
II. Antiquities found in the Excavations 79
Tables of Measurements, Nos. I.-IV 82
List op Plates, with Repbrenoes 87
EDITOE'S PEEFACE.
The present volume completes the description of the tombs at Beni Hasan.
To this detailed description has been added the report of the Surveyor,
Mr. G. Willoughby Fraser, who deals with the plans and measurements of
the whole series of tombs and with the objects found in the course of his
excavations. The summary accounts contained in the* ^General Notice'* in
Part I. are also continued and completed; the sections printed in this
volume deal with the decoration of the tombs, with the history of the families
concerned, and with the geography and the religion as illustrated in the
scenes and inscriptions ; the situation of the tombs, their purpose, date, and
architecture, having been already discussed in Part I.
It will be observed that in this volume there is a return to the system
of transliteration that has been customary in England for about twenty years.
The transliteration and spelling of oriental words are always matters of
contention, and the system adopted in Part I. gave rise to some complaints :
subscribers familiar with the old system were unwilling to abandon it for a
new one, which might not, after all, be final. I have therefore, by direction
of the Committee of the Egypt Exploration Fund, consulted with several
experts in order to adapt the earlier style to modern scientific requirements.
On the one hand, an attempt has been made to render it even more intelligible
by substituting M, shj and th for x* Sy and 0. On the other hand, the a has
been introduced instead of the a to represent the supposed ^ ain sound of
— 0, since all travellers in Egypt can comprehend the meaning of the new
symbol. The semi-vowel y has also been substituted for long J, as being
nearer to the true value of the l| l| , and z for the somewhat enigmatical f.
viii EDITOR'S PREFACE.
The Egyptian alphabet appears to have been purely consonantal, at least
such is our opinion, but our readers might find a difficulty in making for
themselves a pronounceable word out of groups of consonants like htp^ Usrtsn,
and so on. The conventional pronunciation of the words (their real pro-
nunciation being unknown) has therefore been indicated by inserting the
letter e where necessary ; the three '' breathings ** (if we may name them so)
have been vocalized with a, marked as a, a, a (^^, l], — o), to distinguish
these troublesome consonants. The chick ^ is no longer a w but w, and the
pronunciation of the l|( y as a vowel, in such names as Khety, will present no
difficulty to the English reader.
F. L. GRIFFITH.
(Superintendent of the Archaeological Survey.)
British Museum,
December 6th, 1893.
THE TOMBS AT BENI HASAN.
PAET 11.
GENERAL NOTICE OF THE TOMBS
(eontinuedfrom Part /., p. 3).
It was pointed out in the first part of the
present memoir,^ that the tombs which are
here described, are nearly related to one
another in point of time, and, further, that
they all belong to the Middle Kingdom period
of Egyptian history {circa 2800-2500 B.C.).
This was a time of great wealth among the
nobles, and consequently it is found that the
decoration of their tombs is very rich. The
architecture, which is extremely simple, has
already been described,* but the interior
decoration of the tombs yet remains to be
noticed.
§ 5. But little sculptured decoration is
scniptve. ^ound at Beni Hasan. It is confined to the
fa9ades, the doorways, the columns, and the
shrines. In two tombs (Nos. 2 and 3) dentils
representing the ends of wooden roof-beams
have been sculptured in the portico. The
architraves of the doorway have incised
inscriptions in horizontal and vertical lines,
which are divided from each other by grooves ;
the same is the case with the doorway into
1 Vide Bent Hasan, Part I., General Notice, § S, p. 2.
' L.C., Greneral Notice, § 4, p. 3.
DBOOSA-
Tioir.
the shrine of Tomb No. 3. There are also
incised hieroglyphs in the passages into
Tombs Nos. 2, 8, and 18. The columns are
either fluted (as in Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 82), or
sculptured in the form of bundles of lotus-
buds (Nos. 15, 17, 18, and 28). In four
instances ^ the shrine has contained statues
of the deceased, which in Nos. 2 and 3 have
been painted. In ancient Egyptian tombs
it was usual to represent the entrance into
the underworld by the jambs and lintel of a
doorway, with a stela above it, upon one
of the walls. This is technically known
as the •* false door," and was often repre-
sented with great elaboration, but there is
never any passage-way through it. At Beni
Hasan there are nine instances of false doors
in the thirty-nine tombs. In Tomb No. 2
it is painted only, but in all the other cases
it is represented in relief, or at least by
sculptured lines, and not merely painted,
so as to keep up its architectural character.
The position of these false doors appears to
3 Tombs Nos. 2, 3, 9, 80. In Tomb No. 36, on the
East wall, are also seulptored three small figures.
B
2
BESl HASAN.
have been to a great extent arbitrary ; the
West, however, was the region of departed
souls, and there was evidently a strong pre-
ference for the west and south-west. The
examples found at Beni Hasan are five ^ in the
southern half of the west wall, one in the
north half of the same wall,* two near the
west end of the south wall,' and, although
the inner end of these tombs is naturally
eastwards, there is only one case,* and that
probably the earliest in the group, where the
&lse door has been placed there.
PaiBtiaf. The painted decoration consists of
(a) architectural ornamentation, and {b) scenes
painted upon a thin coat of fine-grained
plaster. This latter was found necessary
owing to the natural limestone being found
too absorbent for the purposes of the
artist. The pigments, which are red, blue,
yellow, green, black, and white, are mostly of
mineral origin,* and were probably laid on
with a white of egg medium ; such, at least,
is the opinion of several artists who have
visited the place, including Mr. M. W.
Blackden, who made many careful copies
from the original paintings.
Archi- («) Aechitectural Decoratiox. Under this
*^|™^ heading may be grouped the ceiling-decora-
tion. tions, the friezes, dados, border patterns,
columns, and architraves.
In three of the tombs only are the ceilings
painted (Nos. 2, 3, and 23). The decoration
of No. 3 is the simplest. Here the ceiling is
divided by black lines into a series of small
red and yellow squares containing quatrefoils,
which are black in the red squares and blue
in the yellow. The ceiling decoration of
Tomb No. 2 is more elaborate, and is evi-
dently derived from the roof of a dwelling-
house. A wooden beam, inscribed with the
ordinary prayer for the owner, is represented
as running longitudinally down the centre of
the ceiling. The space on either side is
painted with quatrefoils as before, but in the
middle there is a remarkable change of
pattern, which is undoubtedly intended to
show an opening in the roof, covered with
matting of more than one pattern.* The
ceiling of Tomb No. 23 is similarly decorated,
the only important difference being that the
painted wooden beam and the mat-work
pattern run transversely across the ceiling
instead of longitudinally.
The Friezes vary in the different tombs.
In No. 20, the earliest painted tomb in the
group, it consists of a single cord or binding
pattern, black on white, with a row of coloured
rectangles below (see Fig. 1).
Fig. 1.
1 Tombs Nos. 2, 17, 27, 33, 38.
« Tomb No. 14.
' Tombs Nos. 3 and 22. In the latter there arc two
opposite each other on the North and South walls.
* Tomb No. 29.
^ Vide a paper read before the Bojal Institution of
Great Britain, March 17, 1893, by Dr. W. J. Russell,
F.B.S., and published in the Proceedings of that Society.
In Nos. 2, 3, 14, 15, 17, 23, and 29 the
EJielcer'' ornament takes the place of the
Fio. 2. Kheker Obsambnt Fig. 3. KnEKSB Ornamknt
PROM Tomb No. 17. "om Tomb No. 2.
binding pattern, with the rectangles as before
(see Figs. 2 and 3 for two types). In Tomb
« For details see Beni Hasan, Part I., PL vi., and p. 29.
7 The 6 was named <=:> ft Kheker by the
Egyptians.
BENI HASAN.
No. 33 the Khekera are very small, and a band
of rectangles is painted above instead of
beneath them.
The Dado, or space beneath the wall-paint-
ing, is usually left plain, and the scenes are
bordered below by one or more bands of
colour. In the shrine of Tomb No. 2, how-
ever, the dado was painted pink and then
splashed with red, green, and black in order
to resemble rose granite. In the main-
chamber of Tomb No. 3 the same decoration
is used, and vertical lines of hieroglyphs
are incised upon it and painted in green.
The decoration of the dado of the shrine of
the same tomb is very elaborate, and has
been fully described in Beni Hasan, Part I.^
In Tombs Nos. 2 and 3 the arched roofs
form, upon the east and west walls, extensive
curved spaces above the Kheker frieze, which
is carried horizontally across from spring to
spring of the arch. The decorator has filled
these spaces with a kind of mat- work pattern
in yellow and green. This is not shown in
our plates, but can be seen in Lepsius's copy
in the Denkmdler, Abth. ii., Bl. 126.
The borders at the sides of the scenes are
formed by bands of coloured rectangles,
beyond which, in Tombs Nos. 2 and 3, there
is a peculiar rope pattern and a blue line.
Possibly the scenes in the tombs were in
imitation of decorated screens hung upon the
walls of palaces; the cord pattern suggests
looped or linked cords running upon upright
poles at the ends of these screens, to keep
them stretched, for the loops are drawn out
in the upper part and heaped together below,
as it were by the weight of the screens to
which they are attached. It must be admitted,
however, that if this was so, the treatment of
it by the artist is decidedly conventional.
Under the heading of architectural decora-
tion should also be noted the colouring of the
* P. 71, and Pis, xxyi. and xxvii.
Scenes.
doorways, jambs, architraves, columns, &c.
The doorways and jambs of Tombs Nos. 2 and
3 are coloured to imitate rose granite, as also
are the architraves and columns. In Tomb
No. 17, however, the columns, which are
carved to represent a bundle of stems and
buds of the lotus, are painted in various
colours, but all of them purely conventional.*
(ft) The Scenes. The arrangement of the The
paintings upon the walls is more or less abbanoiI
arbitrary ; sometimes two or three, sometimes '"^^'
many scenes are grouped upon one wall.
They are then usually arranged in horizontal
tiers one above the other, but frequently
figures larger than the life interrupt this
continuity. In grouping the scenes upon the
walls a natural principle generally guided the
artist when other ideas did not interfere ; this
was to represent the desert at the top of the
wall, the Nile at the bottom, and scenes of
agriculture, &c., on the banks of the river
between. It is worth noting also that ap-
parently certain walls were reserved for
special subjects. Thus, hunting scenes are
always painted at the top of the North wall,
and the scenes of battle and (with two excep-
tions) those of wrestling on the Bast wall.
In the earlier tombs (Nos. 27, 29, 33) the
East wall was reserved for the religious scenes
and lists of offerings. Many of the paintings
have been copied from one tomb into another,
which may, perhaps, account for this peculi-
arity. Thus, the scenes on the North wall
(west end) and East wall of Tomb No. 17 are
undoubtedly copied from the corresponding
wall-paintings of Tomb No. 15.
There is no natural or continuous back- Kibcu-
TION
ground, and the only attempt at true perspec-
tive to be found in the tomb-paintings occurs
on the North wall of T6mb No. 3. It is in the
scene of men feeding oryxes in the farmyard
(see Beni Hasan^ Part I., PI. xxvii.). In the
^ See PI. X. and p. 55.
B 2
BENI HASAN.
foreground is an oryx kneeUng, and behind
it, in the background, another animal of the
same species, which a man is endeavouring
to throw on its knees by putting his weight
upon its neck and horns. The arms and hips
of the man are correctly drawn, and the form
of his back and chest is rendered without
any exaggeration. In all cases the figures
are drawn in outline, and filled in with the
necessary local colour without any attempt
at producing the effect of sculpture by
finer toning or shading. In drawing the
human figure the artists of Beni Hasan
followed the usual Egyptian custom. The
head is in profile with a full-face eye
and placed upon a full-face bust. The
trunk, however, is seen from a three-quarter
point of view, while the legs are drawn in
profile. In no case do we find the head drawn
from the front, except in the convention-
alized hieroglyph ^ her. Some parts of the
South wall of Tomb No. 2 have been marked
out with squares, as if to regulate the designs
mathematically, but traces of this practice
are few and show but little accuracy.^ The
artist has here also made little sketch studies
of the persons that he was portraying, ap-
parently in order to obtain a more satisfactory
portrait.* Generally, however, he first drew
the outlines of the figures in pale red, without
any set-out lines to g^ide him, and then went
over them again in some darker or black
paint, correcting any little mistakes that he
might have made. In most of the paintings
in the tombs at Beni Hasan the technical skill
displayed by the artists is not great; the
paintings in Tomb No. 17 are exceedingly
coarse, and the same is the case with those
on the North wall of Tomb No. 2. Those on
the South wall and in the shrine of the latter
tomb, however, are very carefully drawn ; and
the wrestlers painted on the East wall of
^ An instance is shown on PL x. of Part L
' Vide Beni Hcuan, Part I., PL z., and PL zyIL,
bottom row, fifth figure from the right.
Tomb No. 15 should be especially noted,
for nowhere in all Egypt do we find the
human figure more naturalistically treated.
In the rendering of birds, fish, and animals
they attained greater perfection than in the
rendering of the human figure, so that there
is little difficulty in identifying the species
represented. The natural features of the
country, however, are very conventionally
drawn : wat^r, for instance, is always repre-
sented by a series of zig-zag lines, and the
desert land by a narrow space with wavy
outline, coloured pink, and dotted with red
and black spots.
The subjects represented in the different Suwectb.
tombs are essentially the same. They are
usually taken from the private and everyday
life of the people, and are consequently those
amid which the dead man had passed his days.
He is either at home among his possessions,
or hunting in the desert or marshes, and his
military expeditions are indicated by combats
of soldiers and attacks upon the enemy's forts.
At home we see him with his wife and
family, and surrounded by his household and
other servants. In Tombs Nos. 2 and 3
portraits of the various members of the
households of the two owners are given, with
their names in painted hieroglyphs. Often
the great man is depicted accompanied by his
pet dogs, or baboons, and sometimes (in the
earlier tombs of the group) by his favourite
buffoons, or dwarfs. At other times he is
portrayed whilst inspecting the produce of
his farms, or whilst superintending the
gathering of taxes. Agricultural scenes,
indeed, are very numerous. Men are shown
ploughing the soil, sowing or harvesting the
grain, or storing it in huge granaries, whilst
others are tending herds of oxen, asses, and
gazelles, or flocks of geese, cranes, and other
domesticated birds. Several paintings also
show the cultivation of the garden, orchard,
and vineyard, and the various processes of
wine-making.
BENI HASAN.
The arts and trades come in for their due
share of illustration. Painters and sculptors
are represented at work. Men are depicted
preparing flax by boiling and beating it, whilst
others are spinning and weaving. Potters
are shown preparing clay, turning the wheel,
and fabricating pots. Goldsmiths are weigh-
ing out and workiug gold. Artificers are
shown manufacturing flint knives, and bows
and arrows, whilst others are making sandals,
rope, mats, and baskets. Carpenters are
portrayed at work, making chests and various
kinds of household furniture, whilst others
are building boats. Nor are the amusements
of the people forgotten, there being numerous
paintings in which men are shown playing
at draughts, mora, thimble-ring, and other
games of skill and chance. Gymnastics are
also represented by groups of wrestlers,
dancers, and acrobats. In most of the tombs
are sporting scenes, showing the owner accom-
panied by his followers hunting the wild
animals of the desert. The game is always
pursued on foot, for the horse and camel
were unknown in Egypt at the time these
paintings were executed. We also see the
nobles in papyrus canoes upon the marshes,
fowling with throw-sticks ; at other times
spearing fish with harpoons, or seated
behind screens of reeds catching wild-fowl
in the clap-nets. Their serfs are depicted
fishing with the rod and line, or hauling
drag-nets ashore filled with shoals of
fish.
Military expeditions, as before stated, are
indicated by combats of soldiers and attacks
upon the enemy's fortresses. The arms are
bow and arrow, sling, spear, club, and
battle-axe. A shield was also used, and a
dagger carried in the belt. Against the forts
they wield a kind of battering-ram, and shield
themselves with the testudo. In several
instances light-skinned men are represented
among the native soldiers of the army.
Purely funerary scenes are not numerous.
We see, however, the offerings to the
deceased, the procession of the statue, and
magnificently decorated boats conveying the
coflBned mummy on the river to visit the
sacred shrines of Osiris at Abydos in Upper
Egypt, and at Biisiris in the Delta.
§ 6. {a) Khnbmhotep, the Scribe. The
inscriptions in Tomb No. 13 throw but
little light upon the history of its owner,
the Royal Scribe, Q ^^ § ^ Khnemhotep.
Upon the lintel of the entrance doorway/
we read that he was the son of | j j^
Neteruhotep, and his moffher's name ^, ^ O IJ
Sat-tekh (?) is recorded on the right-hand
jamb. From his civil titles we gather that
he was a "royal scribe," and superinten-
dent of the property of the king in the
district. He was also "Regulator of the
rotation of priestly orders in the temple of
Pakht," and " Manager of the divine offer-
ings in the temples of the gods of this city,"
i.e., probably Khnem and Heqt of Herur.
His descriptive titles tell us that "his position
was put forward while he was yet a child," *
and further, that he " did not lie still upon
those things that he inherited" ' — perhaps an
indication of an ambitious spirit. As to his
personal character, we are told that "he
loved his lord (the king) truly,"* that he
loved, and was beloved by, his fellow-citizens,*
" longsuffering in the midst of the nobles," •
and " untainted by robbery." ^
(6) Baqt. The earliest of the Great
Chiefs of the Ovjx Nome recorded at Beni
Hasan was ^5^ ^ A Baqt I. For him Tomb
1 Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PL xli. and pp. 7S-77.
^ L,c,, Part I.y PI. xli., right-hand door-post, line 2,
and cp. p. 77.
' L,c,, the same line and page.
* L.c.f the same line and page.
^ Z.6., left-hand doorpost, line 1, and p. 76.
® L.C., line 2.
'^ L,c., line 1.
BIOGSA.
PHIS8.
Khnem-
hotep
the
Seribe.
Family
of
Baqt I.
Baqt I.
6
BENI HASAN.
No. 29 ' was excavated and decorated, but
the inscriptions in it are few, and throw no
light whatever upon his ancestry, or even
upon his parentage. He is nowhere stated
to be an hereditary prince, but bore the
usual titles of Ho-prince, " Confidential friend
of the king," " Royal acquaintance ; " and the
legal titles of ** Chief of the city of Nekheb,"
" Chamberlain," * and " He who belongs to
the city of Nekhen." In an inscription on
the South wall of his tomb he is described as
"pleasing the heart of all people," and is
stated to have made " monuments of eternity
in the temple of Horus, Smiter of the
Rekhyt." ' He married a " priestess of
gold (?) of Hathor," named il ^ ^ Tahu-
tiqa,* and by her had a son, described as
•*the eldest son of his body,"* who in-
herited his father s titles and the princedom
of the Oryx nome.
baqt II. For this son, named ^5^ ^ A Baqt II.,
Tomb No. 33 was excavated. His descrip-
tive titles tell us that he " loved his lord of
very truth," that he was " beloved by his lord
every day," and " satisfied the desire of the
King within the South." • He is further
described as the " pillar of the South," and
is said to have made ** monuments of eternity
in the house of Khnem." Nothing is
recorded of his family or descendants.
It is probable, however, that he was the
father (or at least a near relation) of Remu-
shenta, the owner of Tomb No. 27/ The
two tombs are very similar in design, and
the paintings, where they are preserved, bear
a close resemblance to one another in style.
The inscriptions also show that the titles
1 Vide Pis. zzvii.-xxxii. of this volume, and p. 32.
2 dmrds, " He who is in the chamber."
3 Vide PL xxxii, and p. 36.
* Vide PI. xxix. and p. 32.
6 Vide PI. xxxvi. and p. 38.
• Vide Pis. XXXV. and xxxvi., and p. 39.
7 Vide PL xxvi. and op. p. 30.
SHENTA.
borne by both men were similar, and the
line of hieroglyphs immediately below the
frieze upon the South wall of each tomb is
nearly sign for sign the same.
That the Remushenta of Tomb No. 27 was Rbmu
the father of Baqt III., buried in Tomb No.
15,^ there can be little doubt. Baqt III.
is stated in his own tomb to be the son
of Remushen (sic) by Hoteperfu. His
titles correspond with those of his presumed
father, Remushenta, but he seems to have
been granted more territory, since he is
described as the " Great Chief of the Oryx
nome to its full extent.^^ ^ His wife's name
is not recorded, but one of his children, a
daughter named Hathor-nefer-heputa, is
mentioned in an inscription on the North
wall of his tomb.' He also had a son named
Khety.*
This son likewise inherited his father's Khett.
princedom and titles, and for him a magni-
ficent tomb (No. 17) * was hewn in the rock,
a few yards from that of his parent. He is
described as " Captain of the host in all
difficult places," and was apparently " Ad-
ministrator of the Eastern Desert." He is
further described as a great fisher and fowler,
and is said to have been beloved of Sekhet,
" the mistress of hunting." He married a
woman " worthy before Hathor, Lady of
Neferus," called Khnemhotep,® by whom he
had a son. This child is stated to have been
his heir, and to have excavated his tomb, but
the inscription leaves us in doubt as to his
name, for Khety, which occurs at the end of
the text/ may be the name either of the
father or of the son. Can it be that the un-
named son here is Amenemhat of Tomb
* Vide Pis. ii.-viii.a, and pp. 41-50.
8 Vide PI. V. and p. 43.
» Vide PI. iv. and p. 47.
* Vide PL xiv. and p. 67.
*> Vide Pis. ix.-xix., and pp. 51 •62.
* Vide Pis. xiv. and xvi., and pp. 58 and 60.
' Fwifl PL xviii. and p. 62.
BENI HASAN.
No. 2, and that the unnamed father in Tomb
No. 2 is our Khety ? This question probably
can never now be answered satisfactorily ; all
would be in favour of a reply in the affirma-
tive, if the name of Amenemhat's mother
(Henu) did not differ from that of Khety' s
wife (Khnemhotep).
Since the families of Amenemhat and
Khnemhotep (to be discussed below) sup-
plied princes of the nome from the time
of Amenemhat I. at the beginning of
the Xllth Dynasty, and we have shown
on architectural and other grounds ^ that
their tombs are later than those of the
family of Baqt, we must place the latter in
the Xlth Dynasty. The style of the tomb of
Khnemhotep I. is similar to that of Baqt I.,
so that probably the series is continuous, and
we may put Khety at the end of the Xlth
Dynasty, and his ancestors here named may
reach back a century or more amongst the
royal Antefs and Mentuhoteps of Thebes.
GBNEALOGIOAL TABLE OF THE FAMILY OF BAQT I.
Baqt I. »
Great Chief of the
Oryx Nome
(Tomb No. 29)
Tahntiqa^
Baqt II.
Great Chief of the
Oryx Nome
(Tomb No. 33)
■
•
Bemushenta »
Great Chief of the
Oryx Nome
(Tomb No. 27)
Hoteperfa*
T
Baqt IIL =
Great Chief of the
Oryx Nome
(Tomb No. 15)
I
Khnemhotep*
I
Khety
Great Chief of the
Oryx Nome
(Tomb No. 17)
L
Hathor^
nefer-
heputa*
Khety (P)
or if not Khety, possibly
Amenemhat, of Tomb No. .
2, but by another wife,
Henn, not Khnemhotep.
1 Vide Bent Hasan, Part I., General Notice, § 3.
§ 7. (a) Khnemhotep I. In the Great ranuly
Inscription published in Part I. of the present Khnem-
memoir we read of the King Amenemhat I., totep I.
the first monarch of the Xllth Dynasty, hotbp'i,
traversing Egypt in order that he might re-
store law and order in the country, which
hints at the re-settlement of internal feuds in
consequence of a change of dynasty. The
inscription first of all telfe us that he came
in order to abolish wrong, " gloriously ap-
pearing even as the god Turn himself."*
The special object of this royal progress was
to define the boundaries of the territorial
divisions and make a ** Doomsday Book " of
their extent, "that he might set right that
which he had found ruined and restore that
which one city had taken from its sister city,
that he might cause one city to know its
boundary with another city, establishing their
landmarks as heaven ; reckoning their waters
according to that which was in the writings,
apportioning according to that which was in
antiquity, of the greatness of his love of
right." «
It was on this occasion that the grandfather
of Khnemhotep II., whom we have to treat as
the founder of the princely family of Khnem-
hotep, was raised by the King to the position
of an hereditary prince and created Adminis-
trator of the Eastern Desert in the city of
Menat-Khufu. He was afterwards advanced
to the princedom of the Oryx nome.
Khnemhotep II, refers to these facts as well
known, but did not consider it necessary to
name the important personage whose grandson
he himself was. Was not this the celebrated
founder of his family, and were not his name
and deeds recorded in his own tomb hard by ?
Unfortunately the hand of time has been at
work, and the record had well-nigh perished
when, in the course of our minute search
' Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. xxv., lines 36-46, and
p. 59.
' Z.C., lines 39-46,
8
BENI HASAN.
over the walls of . many tombs, we found at
length a biographical text, written in the first
person, and corresponding to the above
account in every detail as sign after sign was
painfully identified. At first hardly anything
was visible, but the finely coloured details of
the picture-characters enabled us to restore
the greater part, even where the outlines of the
signs had been entirely destroyed. The record
alluded to is painted upon the South-west
wall of the main chamber of Tomb No. 14,
and consists of eight horizontal lines of
hieroglyphs. So much of the text as could
be discerned has already been published,^
and the following is a translation of that as
far as it can be deciphered.
(1) The hereditary prince, the royal chancellor,
the royal friend, the Am-a^ the Great Chief of the
Oryx Nome, Chamberlain^ judge, &c., who has pro-
pitiated the cycle of g^s in Herur. • . •
(2) . • . Stately in departing, who was ushered
into the royal audience chamber between two high
officers .... the truly known to the King, the
prince, Khnemhotep, possessing the reward of worth.
ye who live upon the earth, who love life,
who hate
(S) death, who desire the King's regard, say ye :
'^A thousand loaves of bread, jugs of beer, oxen
and fowl to the prince Khnemhotepa^ justified.''
1 came forth from my city, I went out to my
territory, never did I wrong any person. . . .
(4) . . . The sovereign, life, wealth, health to him,
the King
(5) . . . Sehotep-ab-Ra, sonofRa, Amenemhat L,
who lives for ever, appointed me. ... I embarked (?)
with his majesty upon (?) a fleet of twenty ships built
of acacia wood. . . .
(6) . . . Negroes .... Asiatics • . • (an expe-
dition?) . . .
(7) . . . His majesty made me prince in the town
of Menat-Khufu, my method was excellent in the heart
of his majesty . . . thus I did benefit my city, I
made excellent my territory. I organized it, making
(8) its great men into officers, its lesser me^ into
servants, discipUning its young men . . .
Vide Bent Hasan, Part L, PI. xliv.
In the Great Inscription is contained the
whole history of the installation of this first
Q^l^^ Khnemhotep. The King, we
read, "placed him in the position of an
hereditary prince and administrator of
the Eastern desert in the town of Menat-
Khufu, establishing for him the southern
landmark [and] making firm the northern
one like heaven ; and divided for him the
great river down its middle, apportioning
its eastern half to the nome of the ^ Bock of
Horus' reaching to the Eastern desert."*
Such was his fiirst princedom ; it was here
that he " made excellent " his province, and
that his " method was excellent in the heart
of the King."
The same text records that he was after-
wards made one of those " favoured by the
royal hand," and created Great Chief of the
Oryx nome.*
The name of Khnemhotep I.'s father
is not recorded, but in an inscription on
the North wall of his tomb his mother's
name is given as ^^ ^ A Baqt.* This
name, and still more his own, indicates
that Khnemhotep I. was a native of the
district with which we are dealing, but what
his position may have been before Amen-
emhat I. brought him forward we cannot
say. His wife, named ^^ (1 Sat-ap, was
" an hereditary princess," and she is also
described as "mistress of all women" and
" wife of a Ao^-prince." * The last title is, of
course, due to her marriage with Khnem-
hotep I. , but the first was a title in her own
right, and may, perhaps, indicate that she
was an heiress of a noble family. By her,
> Vide Bent Hasan, Part I., PL xxv,, lines 24-46, and
p. 58.
8 L.C., Part I., PI. XXV., lines 46-63, and p. 69.
* X.C., PL xlvi.
6 L.C., Part L, PL xlvi.
BENI HASAN.
9
Khnemliotep I. had issue two children, a son
and a daughter.
XT /VWS/NA
Nekht. The name of the former was ^^^^ Nekht,
and he succeeded his father in the prince-
dom of Menat - Khuf u " by the great
favour of the King Usertsen I/' ^ " He ap-
pointed his son, his eldest, Nekht, justified,"
runs the inscription, "to the princedom,
namely, his inheritance in the town of Menat-
Khufu, by the command of the majesty of
the King Usertsen I." In his tomb (No, 21)
he is further entitled " Administrator of the
Eastern desert." * He appears to have died
childless. The princedom of the Oryx nome,
however, did not devolve upon Nekht, or if
so, only for a short period, as we find the
Great Ghiefdom of the nome in the hands of
another noble family as early as the eighteenth
year of Usertsen I. (see below, on the
family of Amenemhat),' and we have no
evidence of its having been afterwards re-
stored to the Khnemhotep family.
Baqt. Khnemhotep I.'s daughter, Baqt,* named
after her maternal grandmother, married an
hereditary prince named ^ (I Nehera,
"the son of Sebekankh."* This Nehera was
haq^jprmce of a neighbouring district called
the " New Towns," which are mentioned in
some tombs at Sheikh Said, not far distant.^
He was also Mat of the King of Upper
Egypt and Amt of the King of Lower Egypt
(probably meaning the Alpha and Omega to
the King'), qualified by the phrase, "for
his office of town-governor," which seems to
imply that he was ruler of the royal city
itself, probably the Het-Sehotep-ab-Ba of
^ Vide Bent Hasan, Part I., PI. zxv., lines 54-62, and
p. 60.
* Vide PL zxii.A.
' See p. 13 of the present volume.
^ Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. xxv., lines 4 and 74.
* Vide Z.C., Part I., PI. xxv., lines 62-71 and PL xxvi.,
line 189.
* Vide Lc, p. 60, note 2. ^ Vide 2.C., note 3.
Amenemhat I., mentioned elsewhere, and
discussed in the section on Geography.' The
marriage is briefly noted : " My mother,"
says Khnemhotep 11. , "proceeded to Het-
Sehotep-ab-Ra to be wife of the hereditary
prince and governor of the New Towns,
Nehera.'* • Of this latter personage's history
we know but little. That he was of noble
origin is proved by the fact, stated in the
Great Inscription, that " he ruled his city
when a babe at the time of its circumcision
and performed the royal mission with waving
plumes of office, as a child at his mother's
breast." ^ The same text also tells us that he
made for himself a £a-house in the City of
Memefert (possibly in the neighbourhood of
Der el-Bersheh) in good stone of Anu (lime-
stone), " in order that he might root his name
to eternity and make it endure for ever," *
We shall have more to say about him in the
memoir on the tombs of El-Bersheh.
Khnemhotep I.'s eldest son, Nekht, having Khnbm-
died without issue, and the direct male line
failing, the princedom devolved, through his
daughter Baqt, upon her eldest son, who was
named after his grandf ather.» It was for this
son that Tomb No. 3 * was excavated, and to
the autobiographical inscription incised be-
neath the wall-paintings of its main chamber
we owe most of our knowledge of this ancient
and princely family. He tells us that in exca-
vating this tomb he was only following in the
footsteps of his father. " My first honour,"
he says, " was in establishing for myself a
tomb-chapel, for, as the saying goes, a man
should imitate the acts of his father." ^ It
is also stated that the tomb was made so that
^ See p. 21.
> Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PL xxv., line 69.
^ Lx^ PI. xxvi., lines 184-192, and p. 65.
» L.C., lines 170-184.
' Z.C., PL XXV., lines 14-24.
* L,c, Pis. xxiL-xxxviii., and pp. 39-72.
* Lx., PL xxvi., lines 170-173.
10
BENI HASAN.
in it might be recorded for ever the occupa-
tions of himself, his family, and his entire
retinue.^ Giving a detailed account of his
life, he informs us that he was ^^a noble
directly from his birth," His mother, we
read, was taken to the royal city or palace
of Amenemhat,' named Het-sehotep-ab-ra, to
be married to Nehera ; and Khnemhotep II.
himself also says in another place,' that he
was an adopted child of the King and brought
up by him. He inherited his grandfather's
princedom in the nineteenth year of the reign
of Amenemhat II. The King, he says, ^* raised
me, as son of a ^a-prince, to inherit the
princedom of the father of my mother, of the
greatness of his love of right, verily he was
the god Tum himself. Placed he me to the
position of a ^-prince in the year xix, in
the town of Menat-Khuf u." * The sixth year
of the reign of Usertsen II., the latest date
found in his tomb,' shows us Khnemhotep still
acting as ha^ and receiving the tribute of the
foreigners. As Amenemhat II. reigned at
least thirty-five years, this prince must
therefore have ruled the city for at least
twenty-two years, if there was no co-regency
of the kings. Continuing to speak in the
first person, he tells us of his good deeds.
" I arose," he says, " and made the city rich,
and stores of all things accumulated in it. I
made to flourish the name of my father ; I
established the chapels of his KaSy I con-
ducted my statues to the temple, and I
offered them their offerings. I appointed a
iTa-servant (to attend to the sacrifices at the
tomb), and endowed him with lands and serfs.
I decreed the funerary offerings at every
feast of the necropolis," and then he enume-
rates all the festival days on which offerings
' Vide Bent Hasan, Part I., PI. zxv., lines 4-13.
» Z.c, lines 62-71.
' L,c,, PI. xxxiL
* £,.c.y PI. XXV., lines 72-79.
* Z.C., PI. xxxviii., fig. 2.
were to be given.* He concludes the para-
graph by a curse levelled at those who may
disobey his commands. ** Moreover," he says,
" if any jKx-servant or any person disarranges
these feasts, may he cease to exist and may
his son cease to exist upon his seat." '
As to his character, he insists upon the
piety of his actions to his fathers, and his care
in restoring the inscriptions letter for letter.®
The royal favours shown to him by the King
were very numerous. " Great was my praise
in the palace," he remarks, " more than any
courtier. He promoted me from amongst his
nobles so that I attained a place in front of
those who had been in front of me {i.e. over
the heads of his seniors). Never before was
a servant so honoured by his master." • But,
as Khnemhotep II. naively adds, " he knew
the carefulness of my speech and the modera-
tion of my character" (to paraphrase slightly).
He concludes with pride: *^Thus I was a
trusty servant of the King ; my praise was
before his nobles and my favour in the
sight of the courtiers." \ Among his civil
titles may be enumerated ** /^a-prince in the
great house," * " chief of all princes," ' and
in one place we read that he was mat of the
King of Upper Egypt and amt of the King
of Lower Egypt "for his office of town-
governor."* These latter titles, it will be
remembered, were held by his father Nehera,
and would seem to imply that he was not
merely governor of his own city of Menat-
Khufu, but of the royal city itself.
The public works undertaken by him are
enumerated in somewhat general terms in the
last twenty-nine lines of the Great Inscrip-
tion,* but the text is very carelessly written,
• Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. xxv., lines 82-96.
' L.C., lines 97-99. ** L.c, PI. xxvL, lines 161-169.
» Lj!., lines 100-112.
» Lc.,Knes 113-120.
' Lx.y PL xxxiii.
* Vide PL xxvi., lines 193-222.
' L.O., PL xxxv.
^ L.C,, PL xxxiii.
BENI HASAN.
11
and the exact meaning of many of the words
unknown. The reader is, therefore, referred
to the inscription itself, or to the translation
of it printed on pages 85-66 of Part I. of this
memoir.
Khnemhotep was a great hunter, and re-
nowned for his skill in fishing. On the north
wall of his tomb he is represented accompanied
by his sons, hunting wild animals in the desert,^
and among his " descriptive titles " we read
that he was " great in fish, rich in wild-fowl,
and loving the goddess of the chase." * Above
the entrance to his shrine we see him seated
behind a clump of reeds and holding in his
hand a cord which is attached to a clap-net.*
•* Hidden by the screen," runs the inscription
descriptive of the scene, " he closes the great
clap-net.'* Again, in the right-hand side of
the shrine doorway there is a picture of the
great hunter in a canoe upon the water spear-
ing fish with a kind of bident harpoon.* The
inscription above reads appropriately, "canoe-
ing in the papyrus beds, the pools of wild-fowl,
the marshes and the streams, by Khnemhotep,
the chief canoer in the papyrus beds and pools
of wild-fowl, capturing birds and fish ; spear-
ing with the bident he transfixes thirty fish (?) ;
how delightful is the day of hunting the
hippopotamus ! " Upon the corresponding por-
tion of the east wall of his tomb Khnemhotep
is depicted fowling with the throw-stick and
accompanied by his family.*
Several facts relating to the private history
of this great prince can be gleaned from the
inscriptions. The date of his marriage, how-
ever, is not recorded, though the inscrip-
tions have much to tell us of his married
life and family. He married a princess
Khety/ and had a servant-concubine
* Vide Beni Hasan, Taxi I., VI.
• L.C., PL xxxiv.
* L.C., PL xxxiv.
• L.C,, PL XXXV.
' Z.C., PL xxxiiL
• L.e^ PL xxxii.'
Zat,' who is described in the
tomb of her son by the more honourable title
nebt peVf " Lady of a house." * Khety was
the daughter of a certain (unnamed) ha^
prince and governor of the Jackal nome, by
his wife 'vyv^^^ Thcnt.' Among her titles may
be noted ^a-princess, royal acquaintance,
and priestess of Hathor and of Pakht. In
Tomb No. 23 she is further described as an
hereditary princess, one whom her husband
loved, and mistress of her house and people.'* *
She was, no doubt, buried in the same tomb
as her husband. By her Khnemhotep had
issue seven children, four sons and three
daughters.
The eldest son
/VWS/SA
Nekht inherited, Nexht
II.
through his mother Khety and by favour
of Usertsen II., his maternal grandfather's
titles together with the princedom of
the Jackal nome.* To him also was given
the inheritance of Kha-Ra(?),* and by
Usertsen II. he was made the •* leader of the
southern land.*' * On his installation into his
maternal grandfather's inheritance the limits
of the province were re-established by the
King, just as those of his paternal grand-
father's nome had been fixed by Amenemhat
I. The landmarks, it is stated, were set up
" upon the meadows of the low-lying ground,"
and amounted in all to fifteen.* The northern
one was the boundary to the nome of
Oxyrhynchus ; the southern one the boundary
to the Oryx nome.* The Jackal nome, how-
7 Vide Bent Hasan, Part I., PL xxxv. ® L.e,, p. 7.
' Vide l.c,, PL xxxv., and cp. lines 123-125 of the
Great Inscription, PL xxvi
^ Vide PL xxiv. of the present volume.
2 Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PL xxvi., Unes 121-160.
^ X.6., PL xxxv. The import of this is obscure.
^ This title occurs again in the quarries of Hetnub
(Blackden and Eraser, Hieratic Oraffiti at Hat-ntib,
Nos. X., xi.).
^ Beni Hasan, Part I., PL xxvi., lines 139-143.
^ L.C, line 144, and cp. lines 49 and 50 of the same text.
2
12
BENI HASAN.
Khvbm-
hotbp iii
Othek
Ghildrbn
OF
Khnem-
HOTEP IL
ever, did not embrace the land on the eastern
side of the valley, for the inscription tells us
that the great river- valley was ** divided down
its middle, its western half being given to the
Jackal nome, reaching as far as the western
hiUs." ^
The second son (or perhaps a twin brother
of Nekht),* named Q ^^ 8 ^ n ^^^^^l^^tep
III,, inherited his father's princedom of
Menat-Khufu,' and, at his father's request,
was created by Usertsen II. a confidential
friend of the King and Superintendent of the
frontier,* an office of considerable importance
in the Southern Country. As such, he pro-
bably collected the tribute from foreign
nations, and he is described as *^ abounding
in tribute of the King." * As speaker and
councillor he was unrivalled. He was the
"unique mouth whose speech exting^isheth
the speech of other mouths."* His tomb
cannot be identified.
Two other sons are mentioned in the in-
scription as having been bom of Khnem-
hotep's first wife Khety. Their portraits and
^ (I Nehera, and j ^^ Neternekht)
are given on the south wall of the main
chamber of their father's tomb.'
The daughters, named «j^ ^ A Baqt,
A^ Thent, and fl Meres,' were priestesses
of Hathor and of Pakht, and one of them,
probably the eldest, was given the prince-
dom of a city named ^ ^,' which was
apparently within the family possessions.^
1 Vide Bent Hasan, Part I., PI. xxvi^ lines U4-146.
' He is called Ky ur " the other eldest." L.C., line 160.
^ L,e.y PI. xzxii.
* L.C., PL xxvi., lines 150-160.
5 Z.C., PI. xxvi, lines 153-4. • X.c., lines 154-159.
7 Tomb No. 3, vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PL xxxv.
® L.c. PI. xxxv.
' This town is mentioned in an inscription at Siut
(Griffith, Siut, Tomb III., line 16, PI. xL), and was the
northern limit of the armj of the South from Elephan-
tine to that place. The name cannot be read.
1 Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PL xxxii.
By his second wife, Zat, Khnemhotep had
three children. She was a woman of humble
origin, at first merely a t^u " hand-
maiden,** who probably occupied much the
same position with regard to Khnemhotep
that Leah's and Rachel's maidens, Zilpah
and Bilhah, did to Jacob.* The youngest
of the children of this marriage, named
Q ^ X ^ n ^^i^e°^^otep,' must be " the
hereditary prince Khnemhotep, bom of Zat,"
who was buried in Tomb No. 4.* Nothing
is recorded of the history of the two other
children but their names, which were ^ {\
Nehera (a son) and ^.^ D Sat-ap (a
daughter) .*
Tomb No. 23 • appears to have been dedi- Otheu
cated by Khnemhotep II. to an ancestor, tionsop
^^^ Neternekht, who was " an heredi- hotep il
tary prince, royal chancellor. Administrator
of the Eastern Desert and Superinten-
dent of the priests of Horus, the smiter
of the Rekhit." He is represented in a
painting on the East wall of his tomb,
standing between his mother ( ( ^ ^
Arythotep, a ** priestess of Hathor in Aryt,"
and his wife ^ y Herab, who was " an
acquaintance of the King" and priestess of
the same goddess. The inscriptions above
them show that all three were established
in the same nome as Khnemhotep II., but
their degree of relationship to him is doubt-
ful. He calls Neternekht his ** father,"
but this is a description applicable perhaps
to every ancestor. Khnemhotep II. is also
represented here, and behind him his wife and
another woman named (J (J ^ a . v^
Khety, born of Khu," doubtless some
8 Cf . Genesis xxix. 17-36.
' Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. xxxv.
* L.C., p. 7. ^ Lx., PI. xxxv.
* Vide Pis. xxiii. and xxiv., and p. 27 of this volume.
ti
BENI HASAN.
13
relation. There were several smaller figures
represented in this interesting wall-painting,
but these are almost entirely destroyed, and
it is impossible to say whether any of them
were children of Khnemhotep. It would
appear that the painting in this tomb was
executed before those of Tomb No. 3, in
which Khnemhotep II. was buried.
The family relationships are shown in a
tabular form on the next page.
Family (b) Ambnbmhat. The tomb of the prince
wnhS f'^' whose history we have now to consider bears
on the doorway a date in the forty-third year
of the reign of Usertsen I./ and consequently
takes us back to the last years of the second
king of the Xllth Dynasty. Furthermore,
this year is stated to correspond with the
twenty-fifth year of Amenemhat*s rule in the
Oryx nome,* so that the duration of his
governorship extended from the eighteenth
to the forty-third year of Usertsen I.
Of Amenemhat's family history but very
little is recorded. His father' s name is un-
fortunately not given, but a passage in the
Biographical Inscription,' which is incised
upon the jambs of the entrance doorway of
the tomb, informs us that he was a Aa-prince,
and, by implication, " Treasurer of the King
of Lower Egypt," and " Chief Captain of the
host of the Oryx nome." Amenemhat's
mother, named 5 ^ O cH Henu,* was a
daughter of a Aa-prince, and consequently of
noble descent. His wife, by name § ^ ^ "^^^ ^^
Hotept,* was, like his mother, the daughter
of a Aa-prince, a priestess of Hathor of
Neferus, and of Pakht of the Speos-valley ;
she is further described as ** the true royal
^ Vide BerU Hasariy Part I., PL yiii., Unes 1-4.
* Z.C., line 3.
* L.c, lines 7-8.
* Vide l.c.y PI. vii., left-hand door-post, line 1 ; com-
pare also p. 36 of the same volume.
^ Vide l,c,, PI. zyiii., and p. 36.
acquaintance." There is no record of any
children of Hotept, but the " eldest son " of
Amenemhat, "bom of Hathorhotep," appears
twice.* It is diflScult to identify Hotept with
^ ; possibly this son was adopted, or
Amenemhat may have taken a second wife.
Hathorhotep's name is without any titles.
Her son was named Khnemhotep, and is
described as *• Captain of the Host," ** confi-
dential friend of the King," and the " true
royal acquaintance in the south." ^
GBNBAIiOGIOAL TABLE OF THE FAMILY OF
AMENEMHAT.
The Ha-prinoe . . .
I
I
Chief Captain of the Host -a^^y, •
of the Orvx Nome. ^ ^®^^
X»=The
Ha-prinoe . . •
Hotept = Amenemhat « Hathor-hotep.
Great Ohief of the Oryx Nome. I
Khnemhotep
Oaptain of the Hoit.
Several interesting facts regarding the life
and character of Amenemhat are given in his
Biographical Inscription. We have men-
tioned above that his tomb is dated in the
43rd year of Usertsen I. ; and further, that
he began to rule in the Oryx nome in the
eighteenth year of the same king's reign. In
the last six lines of his autobiography he
tells us of his character and conduct as a
ruler : —
I was a possessor of favour, abounding in love, a
ruler beloved of his city. Moreover, I passed years
as governor in the Oryx nome, so that all the works
of the King's house came into my hands. Behold,
the superintendents of the gangers of the domains
of the herdsmen of the Oryx nome gave to me 8000
bulls of their draught stock ; I was praised for it in
the King's house. At each annual occasion of stock-
taking, I rendered all their produce to the palace :
* PI. xvii., where the mother's name is g^ven, and
PI. jix.
' Vide Beni Saaan, Part L, PL xvii.
14
BENI HASAN.
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BENI HASAN.
15
there were no arrears to me in any of his offices. I
worked the Oryx nome to its boundary^ in numerous
visits. Not the daughter of a poor man did I wrong ;
not a widow did I oppress ; not a farmer did I beat ;
not a herdsman did I drive ofiF. There was not a
foreman of five men from whom I took his men from
the works. There was not a pauper around me ; there
was not a hungry man of my time. When there
came years of famine^ I arose^ I ploughed all the
fields of the Oryx nome to its southern and to its
northern boundary. I made to live its inhabitants,
making its provision ; so that there was no hungry
man in it. I gave to the widow as to her that pos-
sessed a husband ; I did not favour the elder above
the younger in all that I gave. When thereafter
great inundations took place^ producing wheat and
barley^ producing all things abundantly, I did not
exact the arrears of the farm.^
A few ideas regarding Amenemhat's
personal character can also be gleaned from
his descriptive titles. He boasts that he was
truthful (" he spake words of truth*'),* up-
right (" free of planning evil " ' and " clear
of speaking fraud")/ and long-suffering.*
Beloved not only of his people,* but also of
the officials ^ and nobles ® of the palace. He
admitted everyone to audience,^ and assisted
passing travellers.^ He encouraged the timid
man,' but, as a judge, was unbiassed.'
Speaking the right when he judged between
two disputants,* he thus gained reverence
among his people.' A courtier of judgment
1 Vide Bent Rasan^ Part L, PI. viii., lines 15-21,
pp. 26-27.
^ L.c, PI. vii., right-hand doorpost, line 3, p. 23,
' L.C., same line.
* L.C., PL ix.. Southern Architrave, Eastern half, p. 28.
5 Z.C., PL XV., Lintel, line 4, p. 29.
* i.c., PL vii., right-hand doorpost, line 2, p. 23, and
PI. XV., line 10, p. 29.
' Z.C., PI. XV., Hne 3, p. 29.
8 L.e., PL ix., line 7, p. 28.
» L.C., PI. vii., line 2, p. 23.
1 Z.C., line 2, p. 23.
> L.C., line 2, p. 23.
8 L.C., PL XV., line 2, p. 28.
* i.c., PL ix.. Southern Architrave, Eastern half,
p. 28.
6 Z.C, PL XV., line 8, p. 28.
and tact, ^^ knowing the place of his foot in
the house of the King," • he was " careful of
his going among his equals " ^ and ^* long-
suffering in the midst of the nobles." * Cele-
brated for his ability in "recognizing the
means of accomplishing things," • he was
appealed to in times of difficulty for " finding
order in its entanglement.''^ He is also
described as " a master in the art of causing
writing to speak^" ' a great hunter,' and
" superintendent of the pools of sport." *
In the Biographical Inscription three expe-
ditions to the South are recorded, in all of
which Amenemhat played an important part.
The first was to Ethiopia, when he accom-
panied the King in the capacity of " Chief
Captain of the host of the Oxyx nome,"
which he assumed as deputy of his aged
father.
" I followed my lord," he tells us, " when
he sailed up the river to overthrow his
enemies in the four foreign lands/ I sailed
up as the son of a prince, the treasurer, chief
captain of the host of the Oryx nome, as a
man replaces an aged father according to the
favours in the King's house and his love in
the palace." •
He "passed through Ethiopia in sailing
^ Vide Beni Hcuan, Part I., PL xv., line 6^ p. 29.
7 L.C., PL XV., line 2, p. 28.
* Z.C., PL XV., line 7, p. 29.
* Z.0., PL vii., right-hand doorpost^ line 3^ p. 23.
^ L.C., PL ix.. Southern Architrave, Eastern half,
p. 28.
' L.C., PL vii, line 4, p. 22.
' L.C., PL vii, right-hand doorpost^ line 4, p. 23.
* Lx,, PL vii., Lintel, line 5, p. 22.
^ Probably the Negro lands mentioned in the in-
scriptions of Una and Herkhuf (Ylth Dynasty). In
Una's inscription we have Amam, Uauat, Arthet, and
Meza ; in Herkhuf s, Sethu appears to take the place of
Meza. Their territory must have been situated on the
east and west banks of the river from the First Cataract
southward (see Maspero, Rec, de Travaux, vol., xv.,
p. 103).
« Vide Beni Hcuan, Part I., PL viii., lines 6-8, p, 26.
16
BENI HASAN.
southward," and went beyond the limits of
the land hitherto known to the Egyptians.
" I brought the tribute of my lord,*' he
continues, **my praise it reached up to
heaven. His majesty arose and proceeded
in peace. He overthrew his enemies in the
vile land of Ethiopia. I returned following
his majesty as a man ready for any emergency.
There was no loss among my soldiers." ^
The second expedition was undertaken to
obtain gold for Usertsen I. This time
Amenemhat, with a band of 400 picked men
of his army, accompanied the King's eldest
son, who is here called Ameny, but was after-
wards known as the King Amenemhat II.
The precise destination of the expedition is
not recorded.*
" I sailed up the river," he says, " to bring
treasures of gold to the majesty of the King
Usertsen I., living eternally, for ever.
"I sailed up with the hereditary prince, the
eldest son of the King, Ameny, life, wealth,
health to him ! I sailed up in number 400
men consisting of every chosen man of my
army. Returning back in peace they had
not decreased. I brought the gold appointed
to me. I was praised for it in the house of
the King, and the King's son praised God
for me." »
The third and last expedition mentioned
in this interesting record was to the city of
Ooptos a few miles to the north of Thebes,
and this time Amenemhat appears to have
been accompanied by another royal personage,
possibly the future Usertsen II.
" I arose, I sailed up the river to bring
treasures to the City of Coptos with the here-
* JBeni Hasan, Part I., PL viii., lines 8-11, p. 25.
' It was perhaps to Nubia. There is an inscription
upon a stela in the British Museum (No. 569^ Sharpe,
Eg. Insc), of nearly the same period, which records
the expedition of a certain Hathorsa to Nubia in search
of gold.
5 L.(?., lines 11-14, pp. 25-26.
ditary prince, governor of the royal town, the
wezir, Usertsen, life, wealth, health to him !
I sailed up in number 600 men, consisting of
every valiant man of the Oryx nome. I
returned in peace, my army safe and sound ;
I accomplished all that I was ordered to do." *
In the inscriptions at Beni Hasan we have Dated
met with the names of several Kings of the
Xllth Dynasty. The following conspectus
of dateable events will be found useful : —
EHinemhotep I. is created
Great Chief of the
Oryx Nome and Prince
of Menat-Khuf u, by -
Nekht I. inherits his
father Khnemhotep
I.'s titles, which are
ratified by - - - -
Amenemhat I.
Usertsen I.
and dies in - - -
Amenemhat begins to
rule in the Oryx nome
in- ------ 18 Usertsen I.
( 43 Usertsen I.
" 1 1 Amenemhat II.
Khnemhotep II. inherits
his grandfather's
princedom of Menat-
Khuf u in the - - - 19 Amenemhat II.
which he still retains C 38 Amenemhat II.
in the \6 Usertsen II.
Nekht II. inherits his
maternal grandfather's
princedom of the
Jackal Nome, which
is confirmed to him
by
Usertsen II.
§ 8. At a very early period the land of obo-
Bgypt was divided into two great principali-
ties: the southern one was called Qemau,
** the South land," or Upper Egypt ; the
* Bent Hasan, Part I., PI. viii., lines 14-15^ pp. 26.
BBNl HASAN.
The
Oryx
Home.
northern one Ta-meh, " the North land," or
Lower Egypt. These two states were sub-
divided into what the Egyptians called ^s
hesept, " provinces," the vofiot, or " nomes,"
of the Greek geographers. In Lower Egypt
there were twenty-two of these subdivisions ;
in Upper Egypt twenty. The Necropolis of
Beni Hasan was situated within the south-
em principality, in the XVIth subdivision,
which was called by the Egyptians ^
Mahez,^ " the Oryx nome." Several of its
governors were buried in the tombs described
in the present memoir, and their inscrip-
tions throw considerable light upon its
^^-.^
^
/
m
^w^
V
\\^
^^
%^\
A\
^
m
-K^}
i;
^om<)kt m
R"""
MAP
k
m
WTHrc».Ea.«Di>
i \
\.«,
^^.
r. BENI HASAN \ ^
\\ -^^
F». i. THB NnOHBOUBHDOD 01 BlMI HlUK.
An early mention of the Oryx nome is
found at Zauyet-el-Maiyit!n, in the tomb
of a certain "royal acquaintance" named
® ^ ■^ I Khunes, who was its governor
' The Egyptian name of the Oryr \a ^ \ Mahez,
but the reading of the nome aign is not so certain. It
is probable, however, tiiat it should likewise be read
Mahez, and that this name ia identical with "^ 1"%^®
Meht, which appean in the Ptolemaic nome liato as the
eacied capital of the XVIth province. The change
from Ma^ to Me^t would not be diffieolt to explain.
at the time of the Vlth Dynasty.* The
Great luRcription of Khnemhotep II. records *
how the kings of the Xllth Dynasty re-
organized the nomes in this part of Egypt,
restoring their ancient boundaries and defin-
ing the territory of their cities. The same
text names the boundaries. On the north
was the Jackal or Oynopolite nome, on the
south the Hare or HermopoUte nome. " He
(the king) set up the landmarks," runs
the inscription, " the southern one as his
boundary to the Hare nome, the northern
one as his boundary to the Jackal nome." *
Further, " he divided the great river-valley
down its middle, its waters, its fields, its
wood, its sands, as far as the western
desert." ' The land on the eastern half of
the valley was generally included in the Oryx
nome,' but it appears from this passage and
from the context that in the time of Amen-
emhat I. it constituted a separate district,
called ^^ Tuf-^era, "the Rock of
Horns," perhaps with Menat-Eliufa as
capital. The king divided for Khnemhotep,
we are told, " the great river-valley down
its middle, and apportioned its eastern half
to the nome of Dat-Heru, reaching to the
Eastern Desert." ' Some idea of the popula-
tion of the province in the time of Usertsen
I. may be deduced from the fact that Amen-
emhat levied a troop of six huidAred men,
" consisting of every valiant man of the
' Vide Lepeius' Denhnaler, Abth. ii., Bl. 107.
s Vide Bern Saum, Part I., PI. xxv., lines 86-45 et
seq., and p. Ci9,
* L.C., lines 48-60.
' L.e., lines 61-53.
* This is implied hy the title of several of the princes,
"Great Chief of the Oryx
nome to iU entirety," which occurs in many of the earlier
tombe at Beni Hasan.
^ Vide Beni Haiaa, Part I., PI. zxT., lines 33-36, and
p. 69.
18
BENI HASAN.
Menat-
Khtjfu.
Oryx nome '* ; " and the thriving condition of
the country is clearly stated in the Bio-
graphical Inscription in Tomb No. 2, where
it is asserted that there was not to be found
" a hungry man in it." ' An annual tax of
three thousand bulls, collected from the
draught stock of the herdsmen of the
nome,' also points to the prosperous condi-
tion of the district at that early period.
A number of cities are mentioned in the iu-
scriptions, but perhaps the most interesting
is that one which was named - o *^
(®\
A/VWNA
Yj ©^ Menat-Khufu, "the nurs-
ing-city of Khufu." So far as can be
gathered from the inscriptions, this was not
the capital of the whole nome, but only of
the eastern portion (Tut-Heru). The name
" Nursing-city of Khufu," would imply that
it was founded at a very early period, for
this Khufu is the celebrated second king
of the IVth Egyptian Dynasty and the
builder of the Great Pyramid at Gizeh. An
estate of the same kind, called after Eliufu's
JIIIIIIIIL _ fl gf^
^ . Menat
Seneferu, " the Nursing-city of Seneferu," is
mentioned in a very ancient tomb near
Seneferu's pyramid at MSdiim, not far from
Waste in Middle Egypt.*
The name of Menat-Khufu occurs in the
Historical Inscription in Tomb No. 14,
where Khnemhotep I. is mentioned as
having been raised to the Aa-princedora of
the city.* To this title his son Nekht
succeeded,® and Khnemhotep II. afterwards
inherited the princedom in the nineteenth
predecessor, (PJ^_^1
* Vide Bent Hasan, Part I., PL viii., lines 14-15, and
p. 26.
« i.c., line 20, and p. 27. ' i.e., line 16, and p. 26.
* The paintings and inscriptions of this tomb have been
published by Professor Petrie in his volume on MedUm,
PL xix., and cf. p. 39.
s Vide Bent Hasan, Part I., PL xliv., line 7.
« i-c, PL XXV,, lines 64-57, and p. 60.
year of Amenemhat II.' We then read of
him making the city " rich, so that stores
of all things accumulated in it."
The only other reference to the city of
Menat-Khufu is in a graffito cut upon
a rock in the Wady Hammam8,t, the great
desert road which leads from Ooptos to the
Red Sea. It takes us back a little earlier
than the account of Khnemhotep I., being
dated by the cartouche of the fourth
Mentuhotep of the Xlth Dynasty. It is of
considerable interest, and we may be excused
for reproducing it from Lepsius' copy (see
Fig. 5).
?s
I 1 1
m2\%
/WW\
<2J-' ^
=^1 ^9
4 4^4
'9
II I
I ti
1 1 I
Fig. 5. Inscription of Ss-ankh.
*' The Captain of the host in the desert, steward of
the house in Egypt, superintendent of the .... on
the river, Se-ankh says : — ®
'* I am captain of the host in this whole land
' Part I., PI. XXV., lines 78-79, and p. 61.
® The text is published in Lepsius' Denkmaler, Abth.
ii., Bl. 149, g. The following transliteration of it may
be useful to our readers : — Mer mesha her set, met per
her Kemi, mer memu (?) her dtru, Se-anii zed : du dr-nd
mer mesha en ta pen er zer-tf her set ten, aper em khau (f)
nebu (f) em ta heqt renp neb udz en qemdu : dr-nd dnt-es
em uzu qat-es em nut ent mu aper .... em khretul-d']
er zer-es khent er Thaau mehti er Menat-Khufu per
k[ud'] er Uaz-ur set'n\d'\ aptu set-n[a\ kehesu per'n[d] er
set ten em se en renpet xo ihrefu lxx em mesu en uat :
dr-n[d'\ metet neb en Neb-taui'Ra, onik ^^^*
BENI HASAN.
19
(Egypt) upon this mountain^ provided with all kinds
of implements (?) and with bread and beer and every
green herb of the south : I have made its valleys into
land-marksy its heights into pools of water^ peopling
it with my progeny throughout: south to Thaau,
north to Menat-Khufu. I have gone forth to the sea
(Bed Sea). I hunted fowls, I hunted gazelles. I
have come out to this mountain as a man of ninety
years, [with] seventy children, the issue of one wife.
I did everything that was right (?) to the King Neb-
taui-Ba (Mentuhotep IV.) living eternally.''
This quaint record gives us a hint of the
importance of the town of Menat-EHiufu,
and as to its situation indicates that it was a
boundary of the eastern desert, thus proving
that the Nile did not run between it and the
hills. It must therefore be looked for on
the east bank, or perhaps actually upon the
desert edge. Unfortunately, however, our
present knowledge is insuflBcient to enable
us to identify the site with any precision.
Champollion suggested that it might be the
Coptic Tiuoorrc, TiUuiitH, the Arabic hXJ\
Minyeh,' and his identification has been
followed by Brugsch' and Dumichen';
while the learned editor of Baedeker's Upper
Egypt considers that the ancient city was
situated immediately east of MinySh, on the
opposite bank of the river.* Long before
this, however, Jomard, a member of the
scientific staff of Napoleon's expedition,
published it as his opinion'^ that some
mounds which formerly stood a short
distance to the south of Abu Qerq&s, and
were known by the name of l#^* B1-* Anbaga/
1 Notices Manuscrites, T. ii., pp. 432-433.
« Oeogr. Ins., T. i., p. 224, and Diet. OSogr., pp. 255,
256, 1173.
' Oesehichte JEgyptens, pp. 191-192.
* Ober-^^Igffpten, p. 3.
^ Jomard, Description des Antiquites de VHeptanomide,
in the Description de V Egypt, T. iv., p. 349-350.
^ Jomard, Description des Antiquites de V Heptanomide,
in the Description de VEgypt, T. iv., pp. 349-350 :—
« Le nom ^'eU'Anhwge Uft^^ (ou eh'Anbagye U^') est
donne a des mines inconnues et d*ime ^tendue fort eon-
marked the site of the town of which the
tombs of Beni Hasan form the Necropolis.
In all probability Menat-Khufu was this
town, and Maspero^ has adopted Jomard's
suggestion. His statement cannot, however,
be verified, for the mounds have all dis-
appeared.
To the north of Menat-Khufu and upon Hebku.
the same side of the river was 8 J ^
Hebnu, a town which, according to the
inscriptions, was an important religious
centre, with a temple dedicated to Horus.*
The worship of Horus at this locality is
mentioned in inscriptions of various periods •
from the time of King Pepy of the Vlth
Dynasty, and the importance of the city was
such that it was the religious centre of the
whole Oryx nome from the earliest times.
In a tomb at Zauyet el-Maiyitin, in the
eastern cliff about four miles south of Minyeh,
sid^rable, situ^ dans la plaine de la rive gauche du Nil,
en face des grottes s^pulcrales de fieny-Hasan, entre le
village de Koum el-Zohayr et celni de Menchat-Da'bes.
La longueur totale de cet espace depuis Koum-Beny-
Daoud, au nord, jusqu*ii Textrdmite sud, n'a pas moins
de cinq mille metres. Trois buttes elev^ se remarquent
dans cet intervalle; le terrain qui les sdpare, quoique
moins exliauss^, domine encore sur la plaine, et il est
recouvert lui-m^me de d^ombres et de debris. . . .
Aujourd*hui la grande route passe par le milieu de ces
mines, qu'on traverse pendant plus d'une heure, sans
rencontrer un seul village. ... La plus dtendue des
buttes de ruines est celle da Sud : on y trouve beaucoup
de pierres tallies, et des briques cuites, d'une grando
dimension. J'ai vu un mur, enfoui bien avant sous les
ddcombres, large d'un m^tre et demi ; il est b&ti tr^-
solidement, et f ormd avec ces grandes briques. A mesure
qu'une coUine s*abaisse et que I'inondation atteint
jusqu'au sol (ce qui arrive par I'exhaussement croiteant
du fond du Nil), on y introduit la charrue, on ensemence,
et les ruines disparaissent."
7 Proc. 8.B.A., vol. xiii., p. 504.
^ ^ dlh *T 5 J © " ^^^^ ^*^^ Hebnu " is often
mentioned at Beni Hasan. Vide Beni Hasan^ Part I.,
PI. vii., et seq.
• Vide Lepsius* Denkmaler, Abth. ii., Bl. 111. Pt^.
BuL, No. 3, PI. iv., line 23. Brugsch, Did. Oeogr.,
p. 490, Ac.
D 2
20
BENI HASAN.
Herus.
Speos
Aktemi-
DOS.
there is an inscription which enables us to
determine its site. It is the prayer of
a " confidential friend of the king," Khnem-
hotep, for "a good burial i7i UebnUy as a
devoted servant of Horus within Hebnu." ^
This shows that the town could not have
been far distant, and we may identify it
either with the present village of Sawadeh
at the foot of the hill in which the tomb
containing the inscription has been cut, or
perhaps see the actual remains of it on the
edge of the desert half a mile south of the
tombs, at K6m el-Ahmar, where there are
important mounds and a fragment of a
column of Amenhotep III.
Another town frequently mentioned in the
inscriptions at Beni Hasan, and one which it
is still possible to locate, is that named
^ ^^ © Herur. It contained a famous
temple dedicated to Khnem * and another to
his consort the goddess Heqt. There can be
little doubt that the ancient name still
survives in the Arabic ^y^ Hur, a village
built upon a high moimd four miles to the
south-west of the modem Beni Hasan.
The Set- valley ("^V in which the
goddess Pakht was worshipped, is noticed in
two of the tombs, and was probably the
^ The inseription has been published bj Lepsius in liis
Denhmdler^ Abth. ii., Ill, e, and runs : —
1I.AT
PIlS)
^dlli
o D
©"Lord of Herur"
^ Khnem is often called ^
{vide PL v.), and his consort 8 ^S. §
*• Heqt of Herur " (vide PL xv.).
' In Tomb No. 3, the name is spelt out ^ with the
phonetic determinatives of an animal and a knife, and
the ideographic determinative of a hill or valley. Vide
Beni Hasan, Part I, PL xxiv., Southern Architrave.
valley behind Beni Hasan, containing the
celebrated cave-temple dedicated to Pakht,
and called by the Ilomans the Speos
Artemidos.* It is known to the Arabs of
the present day by the name of Stabl
An tar.
Neferus (T ^P®) ^^^ ^^^^ within Nbferus.
the Oryx province, and was from an early
period of considerable local importance. It
contained as far back as the Vlth Dynasty
a temple dedicated to Hatbor,' and is men-
tioned in connection with her worship down
to Ptolemaic times/ Maspero supposes ^ that
the modem msS\ Atlidem is built upon its
ruins, but the only direct evidence that we
have of its position is contained in an
inscription in a tomb at Kom el-Ahmar,
which indicates that it was to the south of
that point. The inscription in question is
contained in a single vertical line of
hieroglyphs, and is explanatory of a picture
of a vessel in full sail going southward.®
n reada, ® (1 ]■ w ^ . ^ <=, ^ ig
^ i ^> ^ P © ** Sailing southward to the
festival of the goddess Hathor, Lady of
Neferus." This southward voyage must
have started from K6m el-Ahmar.
Two other localities connected with the Aryt,&c.
worship of Hathor are mentioned in the
inscriptions. These are ^^(j(j^Aryt,* and
T^J^®' **The island of Bu(?)." Brugsch*
would identify the former with Alyi of the
* Itin. Anton.y 167 ; and cp. Brugsch, Oeogr, Inschr,y
hue 224.
* Vide Wilkinson's Popidar Account of the Ancient
Egyptians, vol. i,, p. 414.
• Brugsch's Diet. Geogr., p. 340.
" Frac. 8.B.A.y vol. xiii., pp. 515-517.
^ It has been published by Wilkinson in his Popular
Account of the Ancient Egyptians, vol. i., p. 41 4.
• Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. xvii., Ac.
' X.c, p. 85.
. ' Diet. Geogr., p. 130.
BENI HASAN.
21
Antonine Itinerary, but Maspero ^ places it
farther south.
®
**The island of ..."«
was also, perhaps, within the Oryx nome, but
it is only mentioned twice in the inscriptions.
It was connected with the worship of Khnem,
nomo.
who is also called Lord of ^ in Tomb
No. 14' None of these names are foimd
elsewhere, and the reading of some of them
is doubtful.
Cities of It is necessary to add a few notes on the
^^^ other geographical names that occur in the
the Oryx Beni Hasan inscriptions.
The north of the Oryx nome was bounded
by the Jackal or Cynopolite nome ; * the
south by the Hare or Hermopolite nome.*
The northern boundary of the former was the
Oxyrhynchite province.®
Mernefeet is known only from the Bio-
graphical Inscription of Khnemhotep II. ; ^
it is perhaps to be identified with the modem
D6r el-Bersheh, a small village about fifteen
miles south of Beni Hasan. Het-sehotbp-
AB-BA is likewise mentioned but once in the
same inscription.® The name means " the
palace (?) of Amenemhat I.," and it may be
another name for the Thet-taui, or Het-
thet-taui, which is mentioned in the Turin
papyrus and elsewhere as the residence of
that king. The site of Thet-taui is unknown,
but it was probably near the Fayum. Het-
sehotep-ab-ra may, however, be some other
royal residence. <^ ;• a name for which no
reading has yet been found, is mentioned in
* Proc, S.B.A., vol. xiii., pp. 520-521.
* Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. vii, and cf. p. 85 of
the same volume.
' L.C., p. 85.
* L.c, PI. XXV., line 51.
» L.C.
* Lx; PL xxvi., line 144.
' L.e,, line 174.
® L.c, PI. xxiv., line 66.
* L.c.y PI. xxxii.
a tomb at AsyAt ; it was evidently an im-
portant city like Menat-khufu, and must
have been in Middle Egypt. Khaea^ is
perhaps a place-name, but is altogether
doubtful. Kbbti (Coptos), the modem Koft,
is mentioned once, and is well known.'
Two city-names are commonly found
closely associated in the titles {ari Nekhen
and her tep Nekheb) of judicial and other
functionaries throughout Egypt, and occur
thus in each of the inscribed tombs at Beni
Hasan. These are the twin cities of Nekhen
and Nekheb, placed opposite each other on
the two banks of the Nile, and now repre-
sented by the ruins of K6m el- Ahmar and El-
Kab. Nekheb was the capital of the third
nome of Upper Egypt.
The following sacred cities connected with
the worship of the funerary gods are found
in almost every tomb. Ut (god Anubis)
may have been one of the oases in the
western desert ; Tatu (god Osiris) Busiris,
the capital of the ninth nome of Lower
Egypt; and Abtu (god Osiris) Abydos, the
capital of the eighth nome of Upper Egypt.
Kash ' {Beni Hasan^ Part I., PI. viii., and Foreign
p. 25), = Ethiopia, is a name frequently found ^
in the inscriptions of the Middle Kingdom and tribes,
later times. The Four Foebign Lands (Beni
Hasan^ Part I., PI. viii., and p. 25), reached
by a southward voyage, must have been in
Ethiopia, and were probably the countries
named Amam, Wawat, Arthet and Meza in
earlier inscriptions. The remarkable group
of foreigners figured in Tomb No. 14* may
probably be referred to the Libyans, called .
the Themehu by the ancient Egyptians.
A AMU is a well-known designation of the
tribes on the north-east of Egypt and of the
* ride Beni Hasan, Part I., PI.
* Z.c, PL viii.
' The BibHcal tCh3 Kush.
^ L,e., PIb. xlv. and xlvii.
22
BENI HASAN.
Asiatics. Those figured in the tomb of
Khnemhotep 11. ^ had perhaps wandered
into the desert between the Nile and the
Bed Sea.
*^r'^w § 9. On the monuments of the Old and
Middle Kingdom representations of divinities
very rarely occur, and none are met with in
the wall-paintings at Beni Hasan. There
is, however, no lack of their names in the
inscriptions, and a few interesting figures
of them, on a small scale, occur in the
hieroglyphs determining their names. Those
that are named may be divided into three
groups : the funerary deities, the local gods,
and other divinities of less defined signifi-
cance.
Pane- Tq ^\^q ^j,q^ ^ig^gg belongs the great Osiris,
Deities. Khent Amentiu^ ruler of the departed spirits
in the West, named the Lord of Busiris in
the Delta, and of Abydos in Upper Egypt.
He was the King of the Underworld and
judge of the dead. Next there is Anubis,
the embalmer, who is always represented
in the form of a jackal. He is described
as Lord of Tazeser (" the sacred land "),
tep tu-ef^ "He who is upon his hill," and
dm Utj " Within the City of embalming,"
perhaps, as Prof. Maspero has lately sug-
gested,* one of the oases in the western
desert. Thirdly, there is Ptah Socaris,
entitled Lord of Heaven, and worshipped
especially in the necropolis of Memphis.
He is generally entitled in other inscriptions
neb shetytj ** Lord of the sarcophagus." At
Beni Hasan the prince Amenemhat is said
to be one " worthy before Ptah Socaris,"
and the Great Chief Baqt is " beloved " of
him.
1 Beni Hasan, Fart I., Pis. zxyiiL, xxx., and xxxi.
3 Vide Journal Asiatique, IX. Serie, t. i., p. 232-240.
BihUoth^que Egyptologique, tome ii., p. 421, " Le nom
antique de la Grande-Oasis."
y
The following gods take their titles from Local
f\ AAv«/>A Doitios.
localities in the Oryx nome : — ^^ ^ ^
£ " Horus within the city of Hebnu,"
the capital of the province. Amenemhat
is described as "worthy before" him,
and Khnemhotep I. " beloved of him."
' Khnem, Lord of Herur,"
«5b? ^ ^©
is frequently mentioned. Amenemhat was
" superintendent of the priests " of this god.
Baqt I., Baqt IH., and Khety are all de-
scribed as " beloved " of the same deity, and
Baqt III. as "worthy before " him. The con-
sort of Khnem of Herur, 8 ^ ^^ §» ^^ m ^
" Heqt of Herur," is also frequently alluded
to in the Beni Hasan inscriptions : Baqt III.,
Khety, and Khnemhotep I. are all " beloved "
of her ; and Khety is described as hesy,
" praised " of Heqt of Herur. Two local
forms of the goddess Hathor are also men-
tioned. One was
Lady of Neferus," the other ^ ^v ^ *i^ ^^
" Hathor in Aryt : " Hotept, the wife of
Amenemhat, was a priestess of the first;
Henu, Amenemhat' s mother, Amenemhat
himself, Sat-ap the wife of Khnemhotep I.,
Baqt III., and Khnemhotep the wife
of Khety, are all described as *• worthy
before " Hathor of Neferus. Khnem-
hotep I., Baqt III., and Khety are all
mentioned as "beloved" of the same
goddess. Henu, Amenemhat's mother, and
Hotept his wife, are both named as *' worthy
before " Hathor in Aryt. Another local
deity to be mentioned here was the leopard-
goddess ^ ^ P^ " Pakht, Lady of the
Specs Valley." The lady Hotept is called
her "priestess," and Khnemhotep II. her
" ^A<e6-priest ; " the lady Henu, and Khnem-
hotep II. are both described as "worthy
before" Pakht.
Besides Horus of Hebnu, three other
BENI HASAN.
23
Other
Deities.
forms of the god Horus are alluded to
in the inscriptions. These are ^kf^^J^^^
** Horns, smiter of men (refcAyi)," -||- ^ " He
who is within Shent," ^ and ^d^SlP
"Horus of the two scorpions." The first
was probably a local form,^ as he is rarely
found elsewhere ; Mr. Renouf considers him
to be the sun-god at dawn in his destructive
character.' The second is possibly connected
with sport. He is mentioned once at Beni
Hasan : Amenemhat is described as '^ a
noble great of years in the house of am
shent " * (i.e. a great sportsman ?). " Horus
of the two scorpions " may possibly be that
form of him known at a later period as
" Horus of the crocodiles," who is repre-
sented as a youthful deity, like the young
Hercules, triumphant over dangerous animals.
Amenemhat was a priest of this deity .'^
The ram-headed god, Khnem, is found as
god of two localities, of which both the
readings and situations are unknown, viz. : —
Q!fej
Ql^
anzE®
probably they
are local. The goddess Hathor is referred to
as
j^®
8
and T " Mistress
of ," both titles being obscure.
Amenemhat is described as a priest of fj ^
1 Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., p. 22^ footnote 1, and
cp. Mariette's Monuments Divers, p. 96 ; Lanzone's
Dizionario di Mitplogia Egizia, vol. iv., Tav. ccxvi. and
ccxvii., ^^ "11" ^ ^ which may he the same. An un-
puhlished inscription at El-Bersheh gives the reading of
" ^ for in the title mer shent. Am sherd may he
an expression for the '^ holder of the rope" in the fowling
scenes, or for the holder of the tiller-rope in a hoat
^ Baqt I. is descrihed as " making monuments of
eternity in the temple of Horus Smiter of the Bekhyt"
Vide PI. xxii. and p. 39.
^ Froc, 8,B.A., vol. xii., pp. 460-1.
* Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PL vii. and p. 22.
^ Z.c, PI. vii. and pp. 22.
^ L.c, PI. vii. and p. 85. 7 j^^c., p. 85.
^ L.e., PI. xiii. • Lx,, p. 85.
Shu, and of his consort
He was also a priest of
A/W^
J Tefaet.'
" Anubis within the house of Shemsu," * or
** the follower," possibly a local form of the
god. Khnemhotep II. was a " priest " {hen
neter) ' of Anubis. It is worth noting that
to Khnemhotep II. the sun-god Turn is
the type of a just and glorious king, for
Amenemhat I. is described in the Great
Inscription of Tomb No. 3 as ** gloriously
appearing even as the god Tum himself."*
The god Geb (Seb) is once alluded to,* and
Khety and Khnemhotep II. are both mentioned
as " beloved of ^ ^ J J Ij Sekhet
(DM ^ ^ ) Mistress of sport." ® Amenemhat
is entitled ^ Q Q Q "^ " Regulator of the
houses of the divine crown of Lower
Egypt (?V and m^EI "Associate
in the house " of the same goddess.® The
meaning and reading of \J in these groups
is doubtful.
The names of persons mentioned in the
inscriptions are often compounded with
those of deities. Khnemhotep occurs twenty-
four times, Khnemnekht five, Khnememhat
three, Khnemseankh twice, and Khnemaa
and Khnemdez (?) once. Heqt occurs once
in the compound name Heqt-hotep, Horus
in Hor-hotep and Hor-maakheru, Amen
in Amenemhat, Ptah in Per-ptah and Ptah-
ankh, Sebek in She-Sebek and Sebek-ankh.
Hathor occurs in Hathor-hotep, Menthu in
Menthu-hotep, and TJt-en-Anpu is once
mentioned.
1 Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. vii.
* L.C., PL xvii. This form of Anubis is mentioned in
an inscription of the time of Usertsen I., published in
Mariette's Ahydos, voL ii., PI. 23.
' Vide Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. xxxv.
* Line 37, and cp. line 75. ^ L.c., PL xxxv.
^ Vide PL xviii. and p. 62, and Beni Hasan, Part I.,
PL xxxiv. and p. 45.
7 Lx., PL xvii. 8 Lx., PL vii.
LIST OF
THE TOMBS AT BENI HASAN.
(NOS. 15-39.)
See Sketch Sukvbt, Bern Easan, Part I., PI. ii.
TOMB No. 15.
Tomb of Baqt [III.] {vide detailed description^ p. 41).
TOMB No. 16.
Apparently finished, but with no paintings or inscriptions. Architectnrally of the same type as
No. 15, but smaller and with seven mommy-pits.
TOMB No. 17.
Tomb of Khety {vide detailed description, p. 61).
TOMB No. 18.
Unfinished (see Pis. xx. and xxi.). The floor of the front part of the main chamber is not excavated
to the full depth. The fa9ade of the tomb is cut in the side of the cliff, and in this is liewn a plain
doorway without architectural features. The plan of the main chamber {vide PI. xxi.) is complicated by
an extension on the south side commencing at eight feet ten inches from the south-west corner. The
eastern end is divided transversely by three rows of columns supporting plain architraves ; and another
architrave, supported by a similar column, continues the original line of the South wall as far as the
first of the three transverse architraves. Five of the columns on the north-east (viz., Nos. 1-8, and 5, 6)
are now destroyed, but the remaining ones (viz., No& 4, and 7-10), which are all unfinished, still exist.
The bases were apparently intended to be circular and similar to those of the colunms in the tomb of
Khety (No. 17). There are three mummy-pits. No paintings or inscriptions. The unsymmetrical plan
of the tomb is due to the fact that the engineers were cramped for space, owing to a small tomb (No. 19)
having already been excavated on the south side {vide Sketch Survey, Beni Hasan^ Part L, PI. ii.,
Nos. 18 and 19).
26
BENI HASAN.
TOMB No. 19.
Unfinished. A small rectangular chamber, with low ''cambered'* ceiling and small unfinished shrine
in the south wall. Three mummy-pits. No paintings or inscriptions.
TOMB No. 20.
Unfinished. In plan a small rectangular chamber. Two mummy-pits.
Period.
Situation.
Hame.
Titles.
Parentage
andFamUy.
Arohitec-
tnre.
Inscrip-
tions and
Paintings.
TOMB No. 21.
TOHB OF THE
^®
VS^/VNA
\
"Great Chief op thb Oeyx Nome/'
Nekhta.
Xllth Dynasty. (The owner, Nekhta, is assumed to be identical with Nekht, the uncle of
Khnemhotep II., see Beni Hasan, Part I., General Notice, § 3, for the date.)
Southern Group. (See Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. ii. No. 21.)
1
Nekhta.
-=^„ Aa, " fla-prince."
^ (D
AM/S/V\
her fep aan Mahez, " Great Chief of the Oryx nome.'*
f^(t)
[
AA^/>AA
mer set abtet, '' Administrator of the Eastern Desert.''
ft^ ( ® \'^ — W ^ I *« ^w MenaUKhufu, " Ha-prince of the town of Menat-
Khufu.'* See Bmi Hasan, Part I., p. 60, 1. 56.]
On the parentage and family of Nekhta see General Notice, § 7, p. 9.
Architecturally this tomb (Pl.xxii.) appears to be of the same type as No. 15 (see p. 45), but smaller,
and with only two mummy-pits ; the columns are destroyed.
Remains of an unfinished painting are to be seen on the lower part of the middle of the South wall.
As the explanatory inscription informs us, the scene represents : maa, Teat sekhet d[n] ha \Nekhtd\f
''the watching of the work of the fields by the Ho-prince [Nekhta] " (PI. xxii.a).
It is curious to note that the inscription which records his name, over the large standing figure of
Nekhta, has no beginning.
■^m^n^\
A^/\/NAA
>
should probably have been painted in above the
single line.
On the West wall, to the left of the doorway, there has been scrawled in red paint on the rough surface
of the stone, | fl\ J |-^ (| M^ ^^^ Nekhta, " the lector Nekhta."
BENI HASAN.
27
TOMB No. 23.
Unfinished. A rectangular chamber : two false doors, with '' palm-branch " or corvetto cornice at the
top, are sculptured opposite each other in the middle of the North wall and South wall respectively.
They still retain traces of colour, showing that they were originally painted.
TOMB No. 23.
(
Period.
Tomb of the
Xllth Dynasty.
T Ji fv\o *' Administrator of thb Eastern Desbrt,"
A^/WNA
Nbterneeht.
Situation.
Southern Group. (See Beni Hasan, Pt. I., PL ii. No. 23.)
Hame.
,1
A^/WNA
Neternekht.
Titles.
erpa, " Biya-prince.
»
^^ J.JL ic
M
ha, *' .fla-prince.
99
^r\ sahu bdtij " 8ahu of the King of Lower Egypt."
n
<f "^
semer uaii, " Confidential friend of the King."
I Q^y]l
^ ' T JI -- -- '"^^ *^^ dhtet, " Administrator of the Eastern Desert."
a^ c^
I
L I J 1 I ''^^^^ '^ KM ^^ ! ^^'^ ^^ neter en Heru he rekhyt, " Superintendent of the
priests of Horus^ Smiter of the Bekhyt."
Parentage,
Father : Name unknown.
Mother :
^ D
Arythotep, a ^^ ^^ ^^__^ ' H ® I 1 ^^ ^^^^^ Het-heru em Aryt,
*' Priestess of Hathor in Aryt," and _^ nebt per, '* Mistress of the house.'*
Wife :
9 o
Her.ab,a [H ^ ^ flfl © 1 ! ^ J J J C-I.]T ^'"^ ^^^^^^ ^^^'^^u em
Aryt em sut-ls] nebt, " Priestess of Hathor in Aryt in all [her] places," She was also a
nebt per, " Mistress of the house/' and a 1 <=> reMt seten, " Boyal acquaintance/'
The following persons are also represented in this tomb : —
(^) <^1 ^^ Q ^^ ^ n *^ ^ Khnemhotep, son of Nehera^ born of Baqt [Khnemhotep II.],
who claims to have made the tomb for his ancestor. ^
B 2
1
28
BBNI HASAN.
Arohi-
tectnre.
Decoration.
Scenes and
Insorip-
tions.
(2) irn ^ ^ Khety, born of Thent [wife of the preceding (see Beni Hasan^ Part I.,
p. 43j and General Notice^ § 7^ p. 11)].
(3)
AAA/>AA
^ Khety, born of Khu^ who is not mentioned elsewhere.
The facade of the tomb (see PI. xxiii.) is cut into the side of the cliff, and in this is hewn a large
plain doorway without architectural features. In plan the Main Chamber is nearly square, with the east
end divided off by two columns. These latter, which are now entirely broken away, were probably of the
lotus-bud type^ and were surmounted by abaci and a plain architrave running transversely to the axis
of the tomb. Where the architrave abuts against the wall are antae of slight projection. A transverse
section would show that the rock ceiling is slightly '' cambered '' in the space between the architrave and
the exterior wall^ while in the longitudinal section it slopes down from the architrave to the inner wall.
The western portion of the South wall was cut too far back and left unfinished, and the South-west wall
has been broken through into Tomb No. 24 (which is shown on the same Plate). Four mummy-pits are
excavated in the floor^ which has suffered much from quarrying.
OeiUng: The ceiling between the architrave and the inner wall is elaborately painted. The decoration
represents a wooden beam running transversely across the centre of the ceiling (see PI. xxiii.). Its colour
is yellow with brown graining, and upon it, between two thick lines of dark blue, are painted two
mutilated inscriptions in blue hieroglyphs, starting from the centre and reading thus^ )»— ► •^--ik . On
the north side is given the Td seten hetep formula to Osiris : 1 ^ A jl ^^ K ^ ® | ?
On the south side is given the Td seten hetep formula to Anubis : 1 ^ A ^% ^_
either side of the beam the space is divided by thin black lines into small red and yellow squares containing
quatrefoilsj which are black in the red squares and blue in the yellow. This design is continued to the
edges of the ceiling at the architrave and walls ; but in the centre is a large rectangular space of a
different pattern^ crossed by the beam and bordered by two white lines enclosing a narrow black bandj
within which is a wavy white line. This space is divided transversely into three nearly equal compart-
ments. In the central one, which is narrower than the others, is painted a chequer pattern (yellow and
red) ; it is separated from the other compartments by narrow black lines. The remaining spaces are filled
with imitation mat-work of plain yellow, and yellow with brown stripes ; the direction of the two kinds of
reeds alternates in the four compartments which the beam forms in crossing the two spaces. Compare
the ceiling decoration of Tomb No. 2, the patterns of which are almost identical with the above (see
Beni Hasan, Part I., p. 29, and PI. vi.).
Frieze : The frieze consists of the usual kheker ornament above a border of coloured rectangles.
NoBTH Wall, Painted low down on this wall are several Coptic inscriptions : among them the
alphabetic table given in PI. xxv. '
East Wall. PL xxiv. The East wall only is painted with scenes, and these have been mUch damaged
by the Copts, who have scrawled numerous graffiti upon them. On the north end of the wall is a group of
three large standing figures ; the central one of Netemekht, facing to the right ; the right-ljand one of
his mother, Arythotep; and on the left, facing him, Her-ab, his wife. Above, in fifteen vertical lines
of hieroglyphs, are given the names and titles of these three persons in separate inscriptions. The
inscriptions read : —
(1) Maa dnu neb nefer[dn'']nef em nut-ef em heseput-ef ent ^kmu Mahez an erpd ha sahu bdti
semer uati m\er] henu neter en Hem [he] rekkyt maa maat ua met set dbtet ha Neternekht
BENI HASAN.
29
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(eont.)
maa kheru neb dmakhy " Seeing all the good contributions brought to him from his towns (and)
his fields of the Oryx nome^ by the ^^a-prince, the ^-prince» sahu of the King of Lower Egypt,
the confidential friend of the King, superintendent of the priests of Horus, Smiter of the Bekhyt,
making the inspection alone {i.e. without the aid of a royal scribe), administrator of the Eastern
Desertj the Ao-prince^ Neternekht, justified^ possessing the reward of worth/'
(2) Met-ef merUef hen neter HeUheru em Aryt nebt per Arythetep, " His mother^ whom he loves,
the priestess of Hathor in Aryt, the lady of the house, Arythotep/'
(3) HemUef merUef ent set db-efrekhi seten hen neter Het-heru em Aryt em 8ut[-^ nebt nebt per
Her-db maa kheru, *' His wife, whom he loves of the place of his heart, familiar friend of the
King, priestess of Hathor in Aryt in all [her] places, the lady of the house, Her-ab, justified/'
Behind these figures, in the upper part of the wall, are tables with sacred oils, &c. The lower part
is destroyed.
To the right of the figures at the top are shown various offerings, and at the base is a small painted
figure of the mer per Per-Ptah sa NeJchtd, " the steward Per-Ptah's son Nekhta/' The rest of the scene
is destroyed.
In the middle of the wall are the remains of a seated figure of Khnemhotep [II.], with an inscription
of seven vertical lines of hieroglyphs above him, reading : —
Hd mer hen neter mer set dbtet Neherd sa Khnemhetep dr en Baqt maat-Meru nebt dmakh dr-efen
dt-ef mery-ef ha mer hen neter [Neternekht ?] dr en Arythetep mMa\t]'kheru, " The Aa-prince,
the superintendent of the priests, the administrator of the Eastern Desert, Nehera's son
Khnemhotep, born of Baqt, justified, possessing the reward of worth ; he made [this] for his
ancestor, whom he loves, the Aa-prince, the superintendent of the priests [Netemekht?]
born of Arythotep, justified/'
In front of Khnemhotep is a table of offerings, above which is a name list of twenty of them. The
scene below is destroyed. On the right-hand side of the wall are painted two figures of women, one of
whom sits before an altar, whilst the other stands behind her. Above the seated figure are given her
name and titles in four vertical lines of hieroglyphs : —
Ertet'pat ha\te{\ meTer\(\ ha-es, hent per-es, hent meryt-^s sat ha nebt per Khety drt en Thent
maa\t\'kheru^ " The arpa-princess, the Aa-princess, whom her husband loves, mistress of her
house, mistress of her serfs, the daughter of a ^-prince, the lady of a house, Khety, bom of
Thent, justified."
Above the standing figure is an inscription in three vertical lines of hieroglyphs, reading :—
Amakht kher Asdr neb fefu Thebt per Khety drt en Khu maat-kkeru neb[t'\ dm>akh, " Devoted
towards Osiris, Lord of Tatu, the lady of the house, Khety, born of Khu, justified, possessing
the reward of worth.''
In front of Khety, " born of Thent," is an altar, upon which are numerous offerings, and above, to
the left-hand side, is g^ven a name list of twenty-two of them. The blank space to the left was probably
occupied by offerings.
TOMB No. 34.
Unfinished (see PI. xxiii., where it is shown in plan and elevation on the right of the entrance to Tomb
No. 23). Apparently a small chamber with slightly arched ceiling. The entrance and back wall are much
damaged. Immediately outside the entrance is a mummy-pit (see Mr. Fraser's Appendix, p. 80).
30
BBNI HASAN.
TOMB No. 25.
Unfinished. A small square chamber with three mummy -pits.
TOMB No. 26.
Unfinished (see PI. xxxvii.). A small square chamber with slightly ''cambered" ceiling. Two
mummy-pits.
Period.
Tomb of the
§®
TOMB No. 27.
AA/S^AA
"Geeat Chief of the Oryx Nome,"
'^'ww O fi Rbmushbnta.
1
Xlth Dynasty (?). (See Bent Hasan, Pt I., General Notice, § 3.)
Situation.
Southern Group. (See Beni Hasan, Pt. I., PI. ii. No. 27.)
Hame.
Titles.
MAAAA _ WVS/NA
/S/WWV
^^^^^ 9 Q Remushenta (variant : ^^^^'^'^
A H Remushen[t]a)
AAAAAA
/WN/VNA AAA/S/W
-=^„ Ai, " Aa-prince.''
^^ «aA» 6a^t, *' fifaAw of the King of Lower Egypt
>i
T £a «emer tta^i, '' Confidential friend of the King."
1 ^ rekA seten, " Royal acquaintance.''
S/ €)
^WWA
her fep aa en Mahez, " Great Chief of the Oryx nome. '
II ^^ dm-ds^ ''He who is in the chamber.'' (Legal title.)
^ 3 ^'"^ ^(sA^an^ '' He who belongs to the city of Nekhen." (Legal title.)
-J-JES Aer ^ep iVeA^ei, " Chief of the city of Nekheb." (Legal tiUe.)
Seligion.
Architec-
ture.
No representation of any divinity occurs in the tomb. Prayers are addressed as usual to the two
chief funereal gods^ Osiris and Anubis. The only other deity mentioned in the inscriptions is the local
one: Q'5^^
" E[hnem^ Lord of Herur."
The fa9ade of the tomb (see PI. xxvi.) is cut in the side of the cliff, and in this is h^wn a plain
doorway without architectural features. In plan the main chamber is nearly square, with; the ceiling
slightly '' cambered." On the south half of the West wall is carved a false door, which is unfinished and
much mutilated. There are six mummy-pits.
BENI HASAN.
31
Scenes and
Inscrip.
tions.
The frieze consists of the usual kheker ornament and coloured rectangles.
East Walu Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs, too much mutilated to
be traced, reading ih-> : —
l^&Tl^B^^iiTt^ln^^®^
o o o
^WWA
^
H
I
kJ'
s/ e
A^/WVA
i«*ZMfl>°nM
AAfs/SAA
Ja I I I
kQ^
^
©
1H
^WWA
n
I 11 O I
^
l^Til
AA/S/VV\
/s/wwv
9- H
TVi Ae26^ «^^^ As'dr neb Tefu Khent dmentiu neb Abfu
May the King give an offering [and] Osiris, Lord of Tatu,/ Khent Amentiu, Lord of Abydos,
pert kheru ent ha sahn bdti
perkheru offerings to the bo-prince, sahu of the King of Lower Egypt,
her fep aa en Mahez dnu qema mery neb-efmaa
Great Chief of the Oryx nome, pillar of the South, beloved of his lord truly.
dr menu nu zet
making monuments of eternity
em het neter ent Khnem neb Herur
• - •
in the temple of Khnem, Lord of Herur,
semer uah
confidential friend of
the King,
hesy-ef en set db-ef
his favourite of the place
of his heart,
td-nef maa-Meru neb
who gives to him all
justification.
fuyt db neb dmakh y \kher As-dr] Re-mu^shentd
all widening of the heart {i,e, joy), the worthy before Osiris, Bemushenta.
On the left-hand side of the wall is painted a large standing figure of Bemushenta clad in a leopard's
skin (?). In the centre was apparently painted a list of offerings, on the right-hand side of which was a
large standing figure of Bemushenta seated upon a chair : below him sits a dog. The general scheme of
the paintings in this wall was probably similar to that of the East wall of Tomb No. 29 (see PI. xxx.).
South Wall. Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs, too much mutilated to
be traced, reading -<— « : —
^
m
A^/S/VV\
o ^ ®
O I
n
A^/S/VV\
^ I
-LI
^WWA
Mfl-nTF->
lk^Ty^:^flfl?iiiMI
^""^ C3ED
0«
^WWA
o o o
U
I
flTJgwIi^
O
fv/\/1
•-^i^h^-* \ I I /VVVV\A /WWW
(••»
The beginning of the inscription probably gave the ?\i hetep seten Jnpu formula. Among the titles
are : — hesy-ef maa em khert hem ent ra neb, " whom he praises truly in that which belongs to the day of
every day " (i.e. ''from day to day "), and mery nut^ef^ ''beloved of his townsmen."
All that can now be distinguished of the paintings are, in the south-east corner, a large standing
figure of Bemushenta, and behind him servants (?) and two dwarfs, similar to those in Pl, xvi.
32
BENI HASAN.
TOMB No. 28.
Uninsoribed. Architecturally of the same.tjrpe as Tomb No. 15^ but smaller, and with two columns
remaining. Eight mummy-pits. Apparently converted by the Copts into a church ; fragments of Coptic
plaster remain on the walls and floor.
Period.
Situation.
Hame.
Tifles.
Parentage
and
Family.
Beligion.
TOMB No. 29.
Tomb of thb
^®
A^A/S/W
"Great Chief op the Oryx Nome,"
1^ f § Baqt [L].
Xlth Dynasty (?). (See Beni Ilamn, Pt. I., General Notice, § 3.)
Southern Group. (See Sketch Survey, Beni Eaaan, Pt. I., PL ii.', No. 29.)
^f^ Baqt (variants : ^fOl| and J^f^^ Baqta).
— ^„ h&, *' flo-prince."
C2
^^ sahu bdti, '^ 8ahu of fixe King of Lower Egypt.
semer udti, '' Confidential friend of the King."
}f
L ^ '^^M setetif " Royal acquaintance.''
J}
'^'wwv ttlgt her fep aa en MaheZy " Great Chief of the Oryx nome."
I w^ aTH-cw, " He who is in the chamber." (Legal title.)
>jr @ dri Nekhen^ " He who belongs to the city of Nekhen." (Legal title.)
-|- J © ® ^t^P Nekheb, " Chief of the city of Nekheb." (Legal title.)
Father : Name unknown.
Mother : Name unknown.
Wife .• i ^ IJ^ Tehutiqa; a [f] 9 J ^ " priestess of gold (?) of Hathor."
[Son : '^ ^ ^ Baqt [II.] see PI. xxxvi.]
No representation of any divinity occurs in the tomb. Prayers are addressed as usual to the two
chief funereal gods^ Osiris, Lord of Tatu, Khent Amentiu, Lord of Abydos ; and Anubis, Within the
temple, Upon his Hill, Within Ut, Lord of the Sacred Land.
The only other deities named in the inscriptions are : Q ^^ ^ ^^ ® " Khnem, Lord of Herur,"
^ K^ ^ '^ " ^^'°^ Smiter of the Rekhy t," and [f] ^ '' Hathor."
BENI HASAN.
83
Arehi.
tectnre.
Deooration.
Beenes and
Intcrip-
tiona.
The fa9ade of the tomb (see PL xxvii.) is cut into the side of the cliflP (in a bad layer of stone), and in
this is hewn a plain doorway withoat architectural features. In plan the Main chamber is nearly square,
with roof slightly ''cambered/' The ceiling is roughly worked, the limestone being full of hard nuclei
of large size, which were left projecting by the excavators. Part of the cliff has fallen away,
destroying the upper part of the doorway, which evidently consisted of a plain rectangular opening.
There is a pivot-hole on the northern side of the doorway* On the south side of the East wall is carved
a false door with sinkings and beads : above it is represented a lintel, painted to imitate granite (see
PI. xxz.). The tomb has been much de&cei by the Copts, who have cut a doorway from Tomb No. 28
through its North wall [see Plan PL xxvii.]. They have also broken through the South wall into
Tomb No. 30, and cut a passage with rough steps to the mummy-pit of the same tomb. A square recess
has also been cut in the East wall. There are six mummy-pits; one unfinished and placed askew.
The ceiling is plain.
The frieze consists of a kind of rope pattern with the upper edging line omitted, painted in black.
West Wall. This wall is very much damaged and the paintings almost entirely defaced. North
aide of doorway : To the right is a large standing figure of Baqt with staff in his right hand, and before
him was a vertical line of hieroglyphs giving his titles (?) ( x is all that remains). In front of him are
several scribes, arranged in three rows. South side of doorway : To the left is a large standing figure of
Baqt, below which is a boating scene (?) •
North Wall. (See Pis. xxviii and xxiz.)
FRIEZE 1
B
. A
M
E
F
C
C
1
K
H
J
—
N p
Q
D
R
L
S
The paintings are in a very bad state of preservation. On the western side of the wall is a figure
of Baqt, wearing sandals and leaning on a staff [A], with his name and titles in a horizontal line of
hieroglyphs above him. Behind, in three rows, are attendants and others bringing weapons, furniture,
and offerings [B, C, D]. In front of him are three rows of scenes. Row 1. Hunting in the desert with
nets [E, F], and bringing the game to Baqt.
The inscription to the left of the first row is explanatory of the scenes ; like the similar one on
PL xxzv. it is much confused, but can be read thus : —
fnaa dnu aut set ha/m remu sekhet apdu
Inspecting the tribute of the (wild) cattle of the desert, catching fish, netting wild fowl.
i^ens shau
traversing in the papyrus marshes.
shesu
pools of wild fowl,
pei^u meru
swamps and canals,
d\n\ ha
by the ArO-prince,
reih seten
the royal acquaintance.
mery-ef hesy-^
whom he loves [and] praises.
Baqtd
Baqta.
F
34
BBNI HASAN.
Seenes and
Iniorip-
tiODB
{corU.)
Bow 2. Men engaged in catching wild fowl with a clap-net [H]. Two men in a papyrus boat
bringing the birds with flowers to Baqt [G].
Row 3. Men pulling a net full of fish to shore [J, KJ. A man carrying fish, and another splitting
them open to dry [I]. Two boats on the river or canal [M]. A herd of cattle about to be taken
across the water and a man carrying a calf to the boats [L].
On the eastern side of the wall^ and occupjdng the three bottom rows, is shown [at N] Baqt [I.],
accompanied by his wife Tehutiqa [O] and^ presumably^ his son (Baqt [II.]), whose figu^ is almost
destroyed [at P] ; these three persons are upon the water, apparently in a papyrus boat (? the end of which
is shown as if flat) ; Baqt is armed with a harpoon^ and is in the act of striking a fish. (Here a doorway
has been cut by the Copts through the wall into Tomb No. 28^ destroying much of the scene.) On the
right hand of the papyrus marsh are represented, in two rows, parties of men in canoes gathering the
papyrus [Q, R], and below, a quarrel between two crews [S].
East Wall. (See PI. xxx.)
FRIEZE
B
H
L
K
a:
UJ o
ill
t
leopard-skin
is a vertical
On the north end of the wall is painted a standing figure of Baqt [I.]^ clad in a
garment, and holding in his left hand a stafi* and in his right a baton of oflice [A]. In front
line of hieroglyphs, giving his name and titles. Arranged in three rows before him are m m bringing
gazelles, oxen, &c. [B, C, D]. Over the upper row is an inscription, reading : —
maa mezt aut set
Inspecting the stalls of cattle and the animals of the desert.
On the middle of the wall, and divided from the scenes just described by a lotus-btjd column, is
painted a scene representing men bringing ofiierings [£, F] to lay upon an altar; [G] in fijont of their
lord, Baqt [I.], who is seated on a chair, beneath which is a dog [H]. In the centip is a laq^ name-list,
in three rows, of the offerings presented [I], and below are men sacrificing oxen [J, K].
On the south end of the wall, and divided from the middle scene by a painted columjn with lotus
flower capital, are five rows of paintings and a sculptured false door : — j
Bow L A table, upon which is a box and jewellery, to which men are bringing varioujs articles of
domestic furniture [L] . . '
Row 2. Five men carrying weapons for hunting and fighting. The third man is leading by a string
an ichneumon (?) ; a dog is beside it [M].
Row 3. Two men reciting, one entitled [^kAer he\b ; and another carrying a head-rest [Nj.
Row 4. Two men bringing offerings to lay upon an altar [0]. j
Row 6. Sacrifice of an ox. j
To the left of Rows 3-5, and occupying in height from Row 3 to the level of the floor. Is sculptured
a false door with beads and sinkings ; above it is a painted lintel and corvette cornice, and the whole is
enclosed by an " architrave,'' upon which are incised three inscriptions —
(1) The Td hetep seten formula to the Great God, Lord of Heaven, with name 4nd titles of
Baqt [I.].
6ENI HASAN.
35
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(2) The Td hetep aeten formula to (MnB, Lord of Tetu, i^Aetit dmentiu, Lord of Abydos, with
name and titles of Baqt [I.].
(3) The ?\i hetep setenformnlB. to Anubis, Ment neter, Upon his Hill, Within Ut, Lord
of the Sacred Land, with name and titles of Baqt [I.].
The upper, half of the false door contains a scene representing Baqt seated at a table of offerings.
Below is the false door proper^ with rounded lintel ; above it are the seven sacred oils, and on each side
are two lines of hieroglyphs and a standing figure of Baqt [I.].
B
South Wall. (See Pis, zxxi-zzxii.)
FRJEZE
H
K L
MNO
U
W
i
The paintings are divided into two sections by a narrow black vertical line drawn from the frieze
to the dado in the middle of the waU.
(a) Eastern half (see PL xxxi.).
To the left is a large standing figure of Baqt [JJ], holding a staff in his left hand and a baton of
office in the right [A] . In front is a vertical line of hieroglyphs^ reading : — |
hi
The Aa-princci
favoured by the (royal) arm.
sahu bati i
\
sdhu of the King of L(|wer Egypt,
semer ucUi her fep aa en Mahez neb damt blpner meryJ[i]
confidential friend of the Eang^ Great Chief of the Oryx nome, possessor of grace, sWeet of love,
mery Khnem neb Herur Baqt
beloved of Khnem, Lord of Herur, Baqt.
Behind Baqt stand two attendants [B, C].
The paintings on the remaining part of this side of the wall are divided into four rows :— «
Row 1. Six men are endeavouring to overturn a buU, which is tossing one of them [t)] . To the
right is an acacia (aont) tree, in which are perched various birds. Goats attended by the
goatherd are browsing on the leaves of the lower branches [E].
Bow 2. A group of men, bulls fighting, and man with cow and boy [F].
Bow 3. Scene of cows and a bull [G].
Bow 4. The left-hand end of this row is almost entirely defaced, but there still remain traces of a
man armed with bow and arrows and shooting at a lioness which is attacking a bull [H].
To the right are two bulls [I]*
(6) Western half (see PL xxxii.).
To the left is a large standing figure of Baqt [L], holding in his left hand a staff and; in his right
F 2
36
BENI HASAN.
Scenes and
Insorip-
tiona
{eont.)
hand a b&ton of office [J]. Behind him stand the aahu (?), *' treasarer/' holding a staff [E], the shemsu
kh&r ^Aa&ut/^ attendant sandal-bearer/' carrying a pair of sandals [L], and three dwarfs [M, N, O],
called respectively, j;^ nemt», ^^ U zemb^ and (1 v ^^- Compare the dwarfs in Tomb No. 17,
Plxvi
In a horizontal line above^ and in a vertical one in front of^Baqt^are given his name and titles. The
vertical line reads :—
ha dmes db [en reth neb] (cp. Beni HcLsan, Pt« I.^ PL vii. and p. 23) dr menu [n/u zet]
the Ao-prince^ pleasing the heart of all people, making monuments of eternity
emu qema
the pillar of the South,
em het neier ent Heru he Bekkyt [Aer fep a(i\ en \M(i\hez
in the temple of Horus, Smiter of the Bekhyt, Oreat Chief of the Oryx nome,
Baqtd
Baqta[I.].
The paintings to the right are arranged in five rows of unequal height.
Bow !• Six groups of wrestlers [P].
Row 2. Men leading and driving goats [Q, B]. To the left of the row is a vertical line of
hierogljrphs descriptive of the scene, and reading : — moa ushaau, ^' Inspecting the goats."
Bow 3. Men leading and driving oxen [S, T]. To the left of the row is a vertical line of
hieroglyphs, reading i^mcka dnu eti kau duau uufu, ** Inspecting tribute of bulls, oxen, and
bullocks.''
Bow 4. Bulls fighting [U, V].
Bow 5. Ploughing scenes [W, X].
A doorway has been cut through the western part of this wall into Tomb No. 30, destroying the
centre part of Bows 2-5.
TOMB No. 30.
A small square chamber with vaulted ceiling (see PL xxxvii.)^ the axis of which runs parallel to the
axis of the tomb. At the east end of the chamber is a small shrine^ raised two feet five inches above
the chamber floor^ with moulded architrave and projecting cornice. On the East wall of this shrine
is sculptured a small standing figure^ mutilated. In the centre of the chamber is a mummy-*pit
sloping inwards.
TOMB No. 31.
Unfinished (see PI. xxxvii.), and the plan uncertain. One mummy-pit.
TOMB No. 33.
The fa9ade of the tomb (see PL xxxiiL) is cut into the side of the hill^ and consists of a '' portico
in antis/' %.e. it has two columns (now almost entirely broken away) and antae. The shafts of the
columns are very slender^ octagonal in plan, and stand on large circular bases rounded on the edges
and slightly taised above the floor level. The shafts taper slightly, and are surmounted by a plain
B£NI HASAN.
37
square abacus^ which projects beyond the upper periphery, but is of the same width as the lower
diameter of the shafts. The architrave^ which rested upon the abacus, is of the same width and
without any architectural divisions. Its apparent supports on either wall are slightly projecting
pilasters^ corresponding to the aniae in a Greek temple : they are plain and of the same width as the
architrave. Above the architrave there is a ledge of rock somewhat resembling a cornice, the soffit of
which is plain. The ceiling of the portico is of a curved section, taking the form of a segmental barrel
vault, which is placed at right angles to the axis of the tomb (see Longitudinal section, PI. xxxiii.) ;
the arch therefore springs from the architrave of the column on the one side, and from the wall which
separates the portico from the main chamber on the other. The portico is separated from the main
chamber by a wall three feet thick, and in this is formed a doorway, the threshold of which is raised
six inches above the portico floor. The door-posts and lintel (technically, the *' architrave of the door ")
project from the wall one inch, and are quite flat. In plan the main chamber is nearly symmetrical,
and is lighted only from the doorway : the floor is raised one foot six inches above the threshold. The
roof was supported by two columns with plain architraves, which run parallel to the axis of the tomb
and divide the chamber into three aisles of nearly equal width. From these architraves spring three
barrel vaults of a segmental section. The shafts are completely destroyed from the architrave to the
base, leaving no indication of their form. The bases, like those of the portico, are raised six inches
above the floor level, and chamfered : their diameter is five feet. At the east end of the main chamber
is the Shrine or Sanctuary, entered by a doorway, which is surrounded by the moulded '' architrave '^ and
surmounted by the usual corvetto or palm-branch cornice. This doorway stands on a plain pedestal,
projecting slightly from the East wall, and the floor of the Shrine is raised three feet eight inches above
that of the main chamber. The separating wall is two feet six inches thick. The inner threshold is
raised to the level of the floor of the shrine. Crossing the south aisle of the main chamber is the opening
of a mummy-pit, which slopes down under the South wall. There is another mummy-pit (sloping
inwards) the entrance to which is in the central aisle, immediately in front of the doorway. Through
the South wall a hole has been cut (probably by the Copts) into the adjoining tomb (No. 33).
The walls of this tomb were left quite plain.
TOMB No. 33.
TOUB or THB
^®
AA/VS^A
^^ Great Chief of the Oryx Nome,''
^ f 5 Baqt [II.].
Period.
XI th Dynasty (?). (See Beni Hasan, Pt. I., General Notice, § 3.)
SituatioD.
Hame.
Titles.
Southern Group. (See Sketch Survey, Beni Hasan, Pt I., PI. ii. No. 33.)
'^f ^ Baqt (variants: ^f ^(|, Jf Ofl Baqta, and J^f ^ Baqt).
-^^ hi, " flii-prince.''
•»"
n
]
/WWVA
^^ sdhu bdti, " Sahu of the King of Lower Egypt.'*
semer uati, " Confidential friend of the King.
rekA seien, " Royal acquaintance."
38
BENI HASAN.
Titles
Parentage.
Beligion.
Archi-
teotnre.
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions.
J}
/WW^A
her tep da en Mahez^ " Great Chief of the Oryx nome/'
I ^^ ^^"^'^9 " ^® ^^^ ^ ^^ *'^® chamber.** (Legal title.)
M] an NeMeiif " He who belongs to the city of Nekhen." (Legal title.)
•}- J © ® *^^ ^^^ NeMeb, « Chief of the city of Nekheb.'* (Legal tiUe.)
Father : ^^ () Baqt [L], of whom he was the ^^ TO ^^ , '' eldest son of his body.*'
Mother : ^^ T Tehutiqa (see PI. xxxYi.c, and compare PI. xxix.).
No representation of any divinity occurs in the tomb. Prayers are addressed to the two chief
funerary gods, Osiris, Lord of Tetu^ Khent-amentiu, Lord of Abydos, and Anubis, Within the temple^
Upon his hill, Within Ut, Lord of the Sacred Latid.
The only other deities named in the inscriptions are : —
Q ^ " Khnem/* and ^ J^ ^^ '^ " Horus, Smiter of the Rekhyt.''
t
t
The fa9ade of the tomb (see PI. xxxiv.) is cut in the side of the cliff, and in this is heWn a plain
doorway without architectural features. In plan the Main chamber is nearly square, with r6of slightly
'^ cambered.** On the south half of the West wall is carved a false door, with sinkings and beads, upon
which are incised hieroglyphic inscriptions. There are three mummy-pits. \
The frieze consists of the usual kheker ornament, with a row of coloured rectangles above and
below.
West Wall. North side of doorway. Beneath the frieze are traces of a hieroglyphic inscription.
Below, to the left, are painted a Ic^rge standing figure of Baqt [II.] and, in front of him. Wrestlers and
scribes.
South side of doorway. No frieze is traceable here. On the upper part of the right-hand side
of the wall is painted a large standing figure of Baqt [II.] with an altar in front of him, to which men
are bringing offerings. On the left-hand side of the wall is sculptured a false door, with slight beads
and sinkings (see PI. xxxvi.). Above it is painted the usual corvette or '' palm-branch ** cornice ; an
inscribed band or architrave surrounds the door. Incised upon this architrave are three hieroglyphic
inscriptions. The horizontal one at the top gives the prayer for perkJieru offerings, and reads I'^-^ertkAeru
ent ha wmakhy kher neter aa neb pet Baqtd, ^^ perkheru offerings to the devoted one towards the Great
God, Lord of heaven, Baqta." The right and left-hand inscriptions give the J*d hetep seten formulas to
Anubis and Osiris respectively. An inner band encloses within it, at the top, a scene representing the
owner of the tomb before a table of offerings, in which the figure, hieroglyphs and all matters of detail,
are sculptured in relief Below are the seven sacred oils, and beneath, another band enclosing the false
door proper. The inscription upon this band gives the usual prayer for perkheru offerings, together with
the name and titles of Baqt [II.].
North Wall (see PI. xxxv.). Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs, giving
the Td hetep seten formula to Anubis for a good burial, together with the name and titles of Baqt.
Among the latter occurs : — neb^f mery em wi maa, " Loving his lord of very truth." The scenes are
BENI HASAN.
39
Scenes and
Insorip-
tions
(cent,)
arranged in four (or five f ) rows. Only the painting in the two upper rows can now be made out ;
the lower rows are almost entirely destroyed by the Arab g^ffiti which have been sdrawled over
them. t
Bow 1. Shows a hunting, scene in the desert.
4
Bow 2. The right-hand end is destroyed. In the centre was a standing figure of Baqt [IL] armed
with a harpoon^ to the lefb of him is a scene representing men fowling with a clap-net.
At the west end of the wall are the remains of a large standing figure of Baqt [II.], with his name
and titles above him^ and in front of him a confused inscription descriptive of the scenes (compare a
similar one in Tomb No. 29, PI. xxviii.). It reads: — "Inspecting the tribute of the cattle. of the hills,
catching of fish, netting of wild fowl, traversing the papyrus marshes, pools of wild fowl, swamps and
canals, by the &a-prince, Baqt.''
East Wall (see PI. xxxvi.). Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs giving
the Td hetep seten formula to Osiris for a good burial, together with the name and titles of Baqt. The
inscription ends : —
meh dh en seten em qemau neb^f mery ra neb
satisfying the desire of the King within the South, whom his lord loves every day.
anu qemau
d/r menu nu zet em het neter ent Khnem
wn^u
pillar of the South, . making monuments of eternity in the house of Khnem, favoured of the (royal)
hand,
dmakhy mes en Tehutiqa Baqt [L] sa ha her (ep aa en Mahez
the devoted one, bom of Tehutiqa, son of Baqt, a ha-fvimoe, (and) Great Chief of the Oryx
nome,
merp ur en khet-ef dmakhy kher neter aa Baqt [IL']
beloved (and) the eldest of his body, devoted towards the great god, Baqt [II.].
The paintings on this wall represent a number of men bringing offerings to lay upon an altar in front
of Baqt. The lower part of the wall paintings are almost entirely defaced, but what is left of them
shows that the general scheme of the scenes corresponded with the scheme of those on the East wall of
Tomb No. 29 (omitting the false door and the rows to the right of it).
South Wall. Immediately below the frieze is the following line of hieroglyphs, too much
mutilated to be traced : —
M
A/VAA/V4
^ © T © ® \
o
M^il'-Un
W— A/VVWV
^ I
(•<<•)
iiM^-Sl^
^ ^ o o o
^ \\ ^ /www
il>:>11J>17l
D
k\\
o
^fo
The inscription is almost identical with that on the South wall of Tomb No. 27 (see p. 31).
40
BENI HASAN.
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(cont.)
The paintings here are too much defaced to copy. The accompanying diagram, made from what
remains of the scenes, may be taken as giving the scheme upon which they were arranged : —
FRIEZE
INSCRIPTION
Four large Figures.
Seated
A
OQ
Hunting
Figure of
Dwarf.
O
2
3
and
Baqt.
Agricultural
Below his chair
60
Scenes.
are
60
two dogs.
C
CO
Unfinished (see PI. xxxvii.).
and walls* Two mummy-pits.
TOMB No. 34.
A small square chamber, with remains of Coptic plaster on the floor
TOMB No. 35.
Unfinished (see PI. xxxviL). Apparently only the exterior portico is begun. It has a curved roof.
Across the front of the entrance is the opening to a mummy-pit.
TOMB No. 36.
Unfinished (see PI. xxxvii.). A small sqnare chamber. On the East wall are two small seated
fignres (cut in the solid rock) flanking a larger one, now much mutilated.
TOMB No. 37.
Unfinished (see PI. zxzvii.). Plan (?).
TOMB No. 38.
Unfinished (see PI. xxxvii.). A small square chamber, with an uninscribed fidse door on the southern
half of the West wall.
TOMB No. 39.
Unfinished (see PI. xxxvii.). A small square chamber. The southern half of the West wall is
broken away.
TOMB No. 15.
ToitB OF TUB
^®
AMAAA
" ObBAT CuISF of this OllYX NOHB,"
^ f ^ Ba«^ pll.].
(PLATES II.— VniA.)
FORMER DESCRIPTIONS AND COPIES.
The tomb was first described by
JOMAED in 1798 {Description de VEgypte, Antiq., Tome iv., pp. 335-347). In March, 1826,
it was visited by
JAMES BURTON (Diary, 1825, March 12-15, Brit. Mas. Add. MS, No. 25637, ft. 2, 4, 73) ;
and three years later by the members of the Franco-Tnscan Expedition under
CHAMPOLLION and ROSELLINl (Tomb of "Menophth," OhampoUion's Lettres ecriU,
p. 42 ; Monuments, pis. ccclxz., ccclxxii, &c. ; Notices, Tome ii., ff. 359-384 ; JPapiers
de Champollion, Supplement, 36,' E. 129-200, in the Bibl. Nat. Paris; Boeellini's
I Monumenti dell* Egitto^ e della Nubia, II. Men. eivili, pis. ix., x., xiv., &c., and
M88, in the Library of the University at Pisa). A few of the scenes were traced by
BOBEBT HAY in 1828 (see his journal in Brit. Mus. Add, M8. 29857, ff. 97-120, and copies
in Brit. Mus. Add, MS. 29850, ff. 346, 347, &c,). Small scale copies of some of the
paintings were made by .
WILKINSON in 1834 (Manners and Customs qf the Ancient Egyptians, ed. 1878, vol. L,
pp. 203, 305, &c., vol. ii., pp. 112, 234, &c.) ; and in 1842 '
LEPSIUS made copies of some of the inscriptions (see MSS. at Berlin and DenJkmaler,
Abth. ii., Bl. 142, c,/, g).
TOMB No. 15.
Period : XTth Dynasty.
(See Pt. I., General Notice, § 3.)
Position : Southern Group.
(Sketch Survey, Pt. I., PI. ii. No. 15.)
Hame.
Bank.
Titles.
Parentage,
Ac.
NAME, RANK, TITLES, AND PARENTAGE OF THE OWNER OF THE TOMB.
"^^^ Baqt (variants: ^f (>^ Baqta, and J "^ ^ (j Baqta).
Governor of the Oryx nome, the XVIth nome of Upper Egypt.
-^„ Ai, ^'ffa-prince.'^
^f^ sahu bdti, " Sahu (treasurer ?) of the King of Lower Egypt.''
I T ^ semer iLati, " Confidential friend of the King."
}
AA/VS^A
>
reM seten maa, " True royal acquaintance.''
^1"^ — siH o
its entirety."
her fep an en Mahez md qef-ef, '* Great Chief of the Oryx nome to
i ^^ dm-ds, " He who is in the chamber." (Legal title.)
M] ^ dri Nekhen, " He who belongs to the city of Nechen." (Leg^l title.)
-)- J ® I *^^ ^^^ NekkRh, '' Chief of the city of Necheb." (Legal title )
^- ■ ^ AA/S/VV\
Father : '^'^'^^ x "^^''^ Bemushen.
I AA/S/VV\
Mother: ^ - ^ Hoteperfu (variant, ^ n ^ (j Hoteperfua).
Daughter : [^ 9 O J I ° ^ ^T^ ^ Hathor-neferheputa.
G 2
44
BENI HASAN.
Beligion.
RELIGION.
No representation of any divinity occurs in the tomb. Prayers are addressed to the two chief
funerary gods, Osiris and Anubis, and once to Ehnem, Lord of Herur.
The following deities are named in the inscriptions: —
flA )l^®fflhciF WW^^^^^^ I J ^ As'dr neb Tdfu kksnt dmentiu neb Abfu^
'* Osiris, Lord of Tatu (Busiris), MAent Amenti, Lord of Abydos.''
'I n ^^ 'I T ^ ® ^^ -^wpt* /ep tu-efdm TJt neb Tazeser, " Anubis Upon his hill.
Within Ut, Lord of the Sacred Land.*'
^ li ®^ '^^ ^ ^ i ^^^ *^ reMyt, " Horus, Smiter of the Behhyt."
fx "^ ^ J^ © Khnem neb Herur, " Khnem, Lord of Herur."
H ^ jj "^ I % P © Het'heru nebt Nefems, " Hathor, Lady of Neferus.
J^^^^JIj^ Heqt Heruryt, '' Heqt of Herur/'
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TOMB.
Kit Plan to Scenes.
BBNI HASAN.
45
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES.
(See Plates II. and III.)
Archi-
tectural
Features.
The fa$ade of the tomb is cut into the side of the cliffy and in this is hewn a large plain doorway
without architectural features (see PI. ii.). In plan the main chamber is rectangular^ and the east end
was divided off by two quatrefoil columns of the lotus-bud type (see Fl. x.). These latter, which are
now broken away, were surmounted by a plain architrave running transversely to the axis of the tomb.
Fragments of the shafts and capitals were found on clearing the tomb : the circular bases, of a rounded
section^ as well as the architrave, are still in place. Where the architrave abuts against the walls, are
antae of a very slight projection. The rock ceiling is slightly '' cambered *^ in the form of a very flat
arch. In the south-eastern comer of the main chamber is excavated a small shrine (see plan, PI. ii.).
There are seven mummy-pits : those marked M, N, and O in the Key plan have been cleared : for plan and
sections of that marked M (A in the plan on PL ii.) see PL iii.
The entrance to this tomb is shown on PI. i., to the extreme left.
Friese, ftc.
Style of
Painting.
PAINTINGS AND INSCRIPTIONS.
Main Chamber.
{See Plates IV.-VIIIa.)
The frieze consists of the usual kheker Q ornament painted in colours. Beneath the kheker
ornament is a border of coloured rectangles (yellow, blue, red, and green), separated by black lines
enclosing a white line. On the North wall this border is continued down either side of the paintings,
and forms a '^ framing " to the scenes. The ceiling and dado are plain.
The style of painting is uniform throughout the tomb. The human figure is boldly and spiritedly
drawn : the birds and animals are weak. The hieroglyphs immediately below the frieze and above the
large figures of Baqt are coloured with much care and detail. The small explanatory hieroglyphs are
roughly painted in green. For a specimen of the painting see PI. viii. The subjects of the paintings
on the North and East walls bear a close resemblance to those of the corresponding walls of Tomb No. 17
(compare PL iv. with PI. xiii., and PI. v. with PI. xv.) .
Scenes and
Inioxip-
tioni.
West Wall. (See Key plan A and L.)
On the South-west wall immediately below the frieze, which is much mutilated, is a line of painted
hieroglyphs <— « , giving the T<^ hetep seten formula to Anubis, the prayer for perkherwoSenngSy and
titles of Baqt. The end of the line is destroyed. The inscription runs : —
i^A^iriitrH^,:,,^
|— ] ^ -y/vvvvvv^^
^s^\jn;\
LJJ ^
0*5 =^
[
.TO
n
Traces of scenes remain on the upper portion of the wall, but they are too mutilated to show what
Hd
BBNI HASAN.
Scenes and
Intorip-
tions
(eorU.)
n
they were intended to depict. On the lower half are two large figures of Baqt (P). One of these
represents him standing with the right arm raised in the act of adoration. The other figure is seated.
They are both much mutilated.
On the North-west wall, immediately below the frieze, is a line of painted hieroglyphs »►— ► , giving
the 7U hetep seten formula to Anubis and titles of Baqt. The beginning and the end of the inEcription
is destroyed. It runs : —
A/S/VV/W
o I
The paintings on this wall are also too mutilated to trace. On the right-hand side of the upper half
of the wall is apparently represented a large papyrus marsh with lotus pools and men harvesting the
papyrus (compare the corresponding wall in Tomb No. 17, PI. xi.). On the lower half is perhaps a row
of priests sacrificing oxen.
NoETH Wall. (See Key plan B, and PI. iv.)
FRIEZE 1
B
A
c
D
C
H
1
J K
F
E
L
M
N
P
Q
R S T
U V
W
X Y
z
e
/■
a.
o A
I-
^
n
Immediately below the frieze is [A, B] a line of painted hieroglyphs <— « , giving the To* hetep aeten
formula to Osiris, with titles and name of Baqt. The inscription reads : —
Td hetep seten
May the King give an ofiering
Asdr neb Tdfu Ment amentia
(and) Osiris Lord of Tatu kAent amenti.
neb Abfu
Lord of Abydos,
qrest nefert ent amakhy mery Khnem neh Herur mery Heqt Heruryt
a good burial for the worthy one, beloved of Khnem, Lord of Herur, beloved of Heqt of Herur,
mery Het-heru nebt Neferua
beloved of Hathor, mistress of Neferus,
heey en Heru he rekkyi
favoured of Horns, Smiter of the Bekhyt,
ha
the ^-prince.
am^a
favoured of the (royal) hand,
her fep aa en Mahez
Great Chief of the Oryx nome
her fep Nekheb
Chief of the city of Nekheb,
eahu bdti
sahu of the King of Lower Egypt,
earner uati
confidential friend of the King,
md qef'ef
to its entirety.
a/m-aa
He who is in the chamber.
reM aeten maa hjeay^ef
true acquaintance of the King whom
he praises,
dri Nekhan
He who belongs to the
city of Nekhen,
Baqld mea en Hetep-er'fu
Baqta, born of Hoteperfu.
BENI HASAN.
47
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(coni.y
The scenes^ arranged in six rows of varying height, show the owner of the tomb hunting and
fowling, as well as several arts^ trades^ and games.
Bow 1. Hunting in the desert with netting [C-D] .
Row 2. The barber, i^Aaq, "shaving," and the chiropodist art dnt, "doing the nails'' [G]. The
sdhu ^n henkety " master of the linen," and linen manufacturers [H-IJ • Spinners and twine
manufacturers [J]. A quarrel which armed men are called in to stop (?), and Painters [E].
At the west end of the wall [at E and F] are two large standing figures^ one of Baqt, who holds
in his left hand a staff and in his right a b&ton of oflSce ; the other of his daughter Hathor-neferheputa*
who holds in her right hand a full-blown lotus-flower^ and in her lefb a staff. Above and in front of
the painted figure of Baqt his name and titles are g^ven in painted hieroglyphs. The corresponding
horizontal and vertical inscriptioDS for Hathor-neferheputa read : — Amakhyt kher Anpu fep ft^rf aat^ef
inert'ef, Hethemeferheputa, " Devoted towards Anubis, Upon his hill, his daughter, his beloved one,
Hathor-neferheputa."
Bow 3. Occupations of women. Spinning and weaving [M], superintended by the mer iel^
''superintendent of the weavers " [L]. Female acrobats, and women playing with the ball [N]
(see a specimen group in coloured PI. viiiA.).
Bow 4. Herdsmen leading cattle [O] • Tax-gathering : defaulters brought before a scribe, who
writes upon a papyrus roll [P, Q]. Four men clapping hands to beat time [B]. Manufacturers
of flint knives [S]. Sandal-makers [T].
Bow 5. Herdsmen leading cattle [U]. Musicians [V]. Goldsmiths [W]. Painters and sculptors
[X,Y].
Bow 6. Men fishing [c]. A party in canoes upon the water, with Baqt and his wife (P) fowling in
a papyrus marsh [e]. On each side are two boats, the crews apparently quarrelling \d,/].
In the spaces above and on the right [at Z, a and b] are depicted a series of birds with their
names written above them in green hieroglyphs. Below, are different species of fish and a
hippopotamus in the water.
Beneath the wall paintings is a dado 3 feet 3 inches high, of plain unpainted stone.
The pilaster and eastern end of the North wall (see Key plan, C, D) are unpainted.
East Walu (See Key plan E, F, and Pis. v. and viiL)
E
H
K
. 1
J
N
R
L
1
M
O
P
Q •
t
Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs [A, B] giving the Td hetep seten
formula to Osiris (with the same titles as on the North wall), a prayer for perkheru offerings, and the
name and titles of Baqt. The scenes are arranged in nine rows of nearly equal height
Bows 1-6 [C-H]. Wrestling: two hundred and twenty groups showing as many attitudes. The
wrestling is between two Egyptians, one painted a clear red, the other of a red-brown hue.
48
fi£NI HASAN.
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(cord.)
probably coloured thus to distiugoish more clearly the entwined limbs of the opponent wrestlers.
For a specimen group see the coloured PI. viii.
Bows 7-9. Battle scene showing soldiers [J-Q] attacking a fortress [I], and encounters between
foot-soldiers on the plain. The vacant space on the right-hand side of the bottom rows [at B]
was never filled in by the ancient artist. In the tomb of Ehety (No. 17) the corresponding
place on the wall is occupied by a list of offerings (see PL xv.).
Below the paintings is a plain unpainted dado 2 feet 8 inches in height.
South Wall : East end. (See Key plan G, and PI. vi.)
DenROYKD
A B C
D
Entrance
-TO
Shrine.
F E
G
H
1
The frieze^ inscription^ and two upper rows of this wall are destroyed. The paintings lost here
probably represented a vintage scenCi grape gatherings &c. (Compare Tomb No. 17^ PI. xvi.)
Bow 3. End of the vintage scene [C]. Tree with birds and trap [A, B].
Bow 4. Man standing ; in front of him, two species of baboon, a cat, and a rat
Bow 5. Two men pounding some substance in a large earthenware pot [F]. Women grinding com
and preparing bread [E].
Bow 6. Two men and two women engaged in making confectionery [G].
Bows 7 and 8. Men bringing the offerings, when prepared, of meat, beer, &c., towards a scribe [H, I].
The pilaster (see Key plan I, and diagram of wall painting) is unpainted.
South Wall : West end. (See Key plan J, K, and PI. vii.)
fikiiUM \
m
A
m
D
E
f
c
h
1
d
K L
M
H
o
P Q
T
R
y
b^ e d
s
U
V
z
e i
w
X
a
g h i '
A
\
Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs [A, B] <— «k , giving the Td hetep seten
I formula to Osiris, to Anubis, and to Khnem Lord of Herur, and demanding perMeru offerings for Baqta,
BENI HASAN.
49
Seenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(cont.)
" son of Remushen and Hoteperfu/' with his osoal titles and mery Plah SeJcer, " beloved of Ptah Socaris/'
mery neb-efmaa hesy-efem kert heru ent ra neh^ " beloved of his lord (the King) truly whom he praises,
from day to day '* (lit. : " in that which belongs to the day of every day ").
On the left-hand side of this wall [at C] is painted a colossal figure of Baqt^ who holds in his left
hand a staff and in his right a b&ton. In front of him stands a hawk with mutilated head. Above and
in front of him are given his name and titles in painted hieroglyphs.
Bow 1. Procession of the statue of Baqt in a naos drawn by seven men [D]. In front are four male
dancers with four men beating time ; six female dancers and four women beating time [E, ¥] .
The procession is headed by a scribe, to whom a number of men are bringing the funeral outfit
of clothings ornaments, weapons, &c. [G].
Bow 2. Scene representing the stock-taking of oxen. Scribe registering the numbers [H]. A
defaulter being bastinadoed [I]. Other defaulters are brought forward by officers [J]. Herdsmen
leading and driving cattle from the farms [E] . Preparing >Ma2^food for cattle [L].
Bow 3. Scene representing the stock-taking of asses. Scribes registering accounts [M]. A group
of women standing and sitting are apparently being ordered away [N]. Group of men brought
up by the attendants^ and a man driving a troop of asses [O^ P] . Herdsmen tending cattle
(bull-fight, &c.) [Q].
Bows 4-8 are interrupted by a large standing figure of Baqt^ and form three sections. At the
bottom there was probably another continuous row, which has now been entirely destroyed.
Section I. At the east end. Artificers.
Bow 4. Potters at the wheel [T].
Bow 5. Potters at the kiln [TT], Men straightening rods of wood [V].
Bow 6. Metal-workers [W]. The remaining portion of the row is much mutilated [X].
Section II. In the centre. Field work.'
A large standing figure of Baqt^ who holds in his right hand a full-blown lotus-lily, and in his left
a Etaff.^ Above him in two horizontal lines are given his name and titles. In front is a vertical
line of hieroglyphs^ reading: — maakat seMet an ha her fep aa en Mahez dmakh Baqtd, '^ watching
the work of the fields by the Aa-prince^ the Great Chief of the Oryx nome, the devoted one
Baqt.^
ff
Section III. At the west end.
A part of this section contains the field scenes referred to in the last : the other part represents
exercises and games.
Sub-section I. Field work.
Bow 4. Herdsmen with ox and calves [Y].
Bow 5. Men bringing wild fowl and papyrus and lotus flowers [Z].
Bow 6. Men fowling with a clap-net in a papyrus marsh [a].
Sub-section II. Exercises and games.
Bow 4 (continued). The game of thimble-ring (?) [6].
exercising with clubs [d].
Bow 6 (continued). Prisoners* base (P) [0,/].
A game with spikes [e]. Three men
H
50
BBNI HASAN.
Scenes and
Insorip-
tions
(cont)
Bow 6 (continued). '' Counting on the head and on the hands'' : a game [9]. Another game, and
men playing draughts [h].
Bows 7 and 8. One scene showing men catching fish with a net [t] ; the lower half of this scene is
destroyed.
At the western end of the wall [at S] was painted a large standing figure of Baqt, who apparently
watched the games. Above and in front of him are painted his name and titles. The figure is almost
entirely destroyed.
An opening (see Key plan H) in the south-west wall leads into the Shrine. The paintings within
it are too much defaced to copy. Upon the east and south walls are scenes representing the sacrifice of
an ox and men preparing viands (see ChampoUion's Monuments, Notices Descriptives, Tome ii., f. 368).
Against the west wall is a small altar, mutilated (see PI. ii.^ plan).
TOMB No. 17.
TOHB OF THE
^®
Jl
"Qebat Chief of the Oeyx Nome,"
( (1 Ejsety.
(PLATES IX.— XIX.)
u 2
FORMER DESCRIPTIONS AND COPIES.
The tomb was first desoribed by
JOMABD in 1798 (Description de VEgtfpte, Antiq., Tome iy., pp. 335-347). In March, 1825,
it was visited by
JAMES BUBTON (Diary, 1825, March 12-15, Brit. Mas. Add. MS. No. 25637, ff. 2, 4, 73 ;
Brit. Mns. Add. M8. No. 25657, f . 9) ; and three years later by the members of the
Franco-Tuscan Expedition nnder
CH AMPOLLION and BOSELLINI (Tomb of *" Botei«" Champollion's Lettres ecrits, p. 42 ;
Monuments, pis. ccclzxx. and cclxzi., Ac, ; Notices, Tome ii., ff. 334-358 ; Papiers de
ChampoUion, Supplement 36 ff. 81-128, in the Bibl. Nat. Paris ; Bosellini's I Monu-
menti delV Egitto e della Nubia, II. Man. cimli, pis. ii., x., xv., Ac. ; and M88, in the
Library of the University at Pisa). Small scale copies of the paintings of the North
wall (western half) and of the West wall were made by
BOBEBT HAY in 1828, and copies of these were afterwards coloured for him by Dnpuy in
1833 (see his journal in Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 29857, ff. 97-120 ; copies in Brit. Mus.
Add. M8. 29847, f. 10 ; Brit. Mus. Add. M8. 29813, ff. 46-50, 55, 74-78). A few of the
scenes were also traced and coloured (Brit. Mus. Add. M8, 29850, ff. 64, 72, &c.).
Several of the scenes were copied by
WILKINSON in 1834 {Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians, ed. 1878, vol. i., pp. 203,
371, 394, &0., and M88. in the possession of Sir Yauncey Crewe) ; and some of the
inscriptions by the members of the Prussian Expedition under
LEPSIUS in 1842 (see M88. at Berlin and Denhmaler, Abth. ii., Bl. 142, h-h, Bl. 143, a-(/;
Bfiefe, p. 97-100).
TOMB No. 17.
PxRiOD : Xlth Dynasty.
(See Pt. I., General Notice, § 8.)
Position : Southern Group.
(Sketch Survey, Pi I., PI. ii. No. 17.)
Hame.
Bank.
Titles.
Parentage,
NAME, RANK, TITLES AND PARENTAGE OF THE OWNER OF THE TOMB.
(jlj Khety.
Governor of the Oryx nome, the XVIth nome of Upper Egypt.
-=^„ Aa, ''J2a-prince/'
«pVj sahu ddti, " 8ahu (treasurer ?) of the King of Lower Egypt."
I T ^ semer uati, " Confidential friend of the King."
1 ^ y reM seten mcta^ " True royal acquaintance."
^> fi)
^^^^^^
ilil
o
her (ep aa en Mahez md qef-qf, " Great Chief of the Oryx nome to its
entirety."
[mer set abtet (?), ''Administrator of the Eastern Desert^' (see fanciful hieroglyphs, PL xiv. and p. 58).]
llkjl
difficult places."
mer mesha em set nebt sheta^t}, " Captain of the soldiers in all
1 ^^ 1 1 criD cm-dSf " He who is in the chamber." (Legal title.)
^ ® ^ ^0>^0n, '' He who belongs to the city of Nekhen." (Legal title.)
•)• J ® ® *^^ ^^^ NeMeb, " Chief of the city of Nekheb." (Legal tiUe.)
Father: ^f (> Baqt
Wife: Q^^ KhneiAhotep.
Son :
Khety (see PI. xviii. and p. 62).
54
BENI HASAN.
Baligion.
RELIGION.
No representation of any divinity oocors in the tomb. Prayers are addressed to the two chief
funerary gods, Osiris and Anabis«
Besides Osiris and Anubis the following deities, all of whom appear to be local, are named in the
inscriptions : ~~
^ 1^ ? 'l^ ^ S i ^^^ ^ rekhyt, " Horus, Smiter of the Rekhyt."
or '^^rjh ^ ^^^ ® Khnem nsb Herur, *' Khnem, Lord of Herur.''
H 5 JO ^ I ^ P ® ?^^'^^^ '^^^ Neferus, '* Hathor, Lady of Neferus.''
J f ^ ^ S 1 fl ^ ^^^^ fliw-wry ^ '' Heqt of Herur.''
Vj^ ^ i J m ^ ^^^^ ^^^ *^> " Sekhet, Mistress of hunting."
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TOMB.
Key Flaji.
Archi-
teotnral
Features.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES.
(See Plaiee IX. and Z.)
The fa9ade of the tomb is cut into the side of the cliff, and in it is hewn a large plain doorway,
without architectural features (see PL ix.). In plan the main chamber is rectangular. The eastern half
BBNI HASAN.
55
AreU-
teetnral
Featnres
(cont.)
is crossed by two rows of three' quatrefoil columns of the lotos-bud type (see PI. x.), two of which are
still intact The architraves above them run transversely to the axis of the tomb; upon these are
painted hieroglyphic inscriptions (see PL xviii.). Where the architraves abut against the walls there
are antae of slight projection. The rock ceiling is '' cambered '' in the form of a very flat arch.
The columns (see PI. x. for a specimen) are elaborately painted, and represent four lotus stems with
unopened buds : the stems are tied together immediately below the calyx by five cords of difierent colours^
the ends of which appear above and below^ and are coloured blue. The buds which form the capital are
painted blue, the edges of the sepals being indicated by a white line edged with red. The shaft is
divided into nine bands of colour, the eight upper ones being of equal breadth, while the lowest is three
times broader. The abacus is coloured blue; the base is unpainted. There are two mummy-pits, both
of which are situated in the southern part of the tomb.
Frieze, ftc.
Style of
Fainting.
PAINTINGS AND INSCRIPTIONS.
(PlcUes XL—ZIZ.)
The frieze consists of the usual kheker ornament, and below it runs the border of coloured rectangles.
The latter also forms an edging to the paintings on all the walls. The ceiling and dado are plain.
The style of painting is uniform throughout the tomb, and is exceedingly coarse. The human figure
is badly drawn in every case (note especially the large standing figure on PI. xi., and the larger figures
on PI. xvii.). The hieroglyphs are also ill-formed and badly painted. The subjects of the paintings
on the North-west and East walls bear a close resemblance to those on the corresponding walls of
Tomb No. 15 (compare Pis. iv. and v.).
Wbst Wall. (See Key plan A, and PI. xi. and xii.)
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions.
PIMP7T
FRFPyE
B
A
c
A
c
D
E
B ~
F
C
H
F E
DOORWAY
H C
D
«
J
K
L
M
■ N
P
Q
FALSE
DOOR
R
S
T
U
(a) North side.
Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs [A, B], giving the Td hetep seten
formula to Anubis for a good burial, with name and titles of Khety.
The paintings on this wall are apparently unfinished and in bad condition. On the left-hand side
are depicted three large figures. The upper one shows Khety harpooning fish [C] ; the second, a man
56
BENT HASAN.
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(eont,)
holding a club [D] ; and the thirds a seated figure of Khety with face turned towards the door [E] . To
the right of these figures are scenes on a small scale consisting of eight rows of pools of water with
clumps of papyrus and lotus plants. The scenes show boating [F], fishing and fowling [O, H] in the
papyrus marshes, and amongst the animals are represented hippopotami, wild boars, and calves (?) .
(b) South side.
Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs [A, B]» giving the T^ hetep seten
formula to Anubis for a good burial, with name and titles of Khety.
The scenes, which are arranged in eight rows of varying height, are in bad condition. The first five
rows, representing various occupations^ are divided from those below, which represent offering, &c., by
a horizontal line of rectangles.
Bows 1 and 2. On the right are representations of desert country [C, D], and above them [at A, B]
two hieratic inscriptions, which have been copied by ChampoUion (see Monuments de VEgypte^
Notices Descriptives, Tome ii., p. 336). In the middle are goats, with goatherds, pasturing among
trees on the edge of the desert [E, G]. On the left are oxen and asses with herdsmen [F, H].
Row 8. Oxen with herdsmen [Ij J].
Bows 4 and 6. Scenes of ships [K-N]. On the lefl of Bow 5 are two men engaged in driving in a
mooring-post with large mallets [M].
Below the horizontal line of rectangles are three rows of scenes divided by a false door.
Bows 6-8* To right of the false door, in Bow 6, is painted a list of offerings in curaive hieroglyphs,
much mutilated [B]. The scenes represent the sacrifice of an ox [S], and men bringing
offerings [T]. The lower row is almost entirely defaced [U].
The false door is partly carved with sinkings and beads. It has a painted corvette or palm-branch
cornice^ and upon it are incised inscriptions giving the Td hetep seten formulas to Osiris and Anubis,
together with the titles and name of Khety. In the centre are the remains of a figure of Khety,
who is seated before a table of offerings. The false door is much mutilated.
On the left-hand side are three rows of scenes representing the preparation of viands, cakes, &c.
Bow 6. Woman grinding com [O].
Bow 7. Two men preparing confectionery [P] .
Bow 8. A man cooking [Q]. This scene is almost entirely defaced.
North Wall : West half. (See Key plan B, and PI. xiii.)
FRIEZE 1
A
B
D
E
F
G
H
1
J
K
L
M
N
•
P
Q
R
S
T
U V
w
X
Y
Z
.
a
-b
c
BENI HASAN.
67
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(corU.)
Immediately below the frieze is [A, B] a line of painted hieroglyphs
formula to Anubis, with titles and name of Khety. The inscription reads :
Td hetep seten Anpu kkeni neter
May the Eang give an offering [and] Anubis^ Upon his shrine.
^ giving the Td hetep seteu
(ep fu-ef dm Ut
Upon his hill, Within Ut,
neb Tazeaer greet nefert em de-ef \en\ kher neter ha
Lord of the Sacred Land, a good burial, in his tomb of the necropolis, the /la-prince,
eahu hdti eemer uati
aahu of the King of Lower Egypt, confidential friend of the King,
wri Nekhen her fep Nekheb
he who belongs to the city of Nekhen, chief of the city of Nekheb,
heey en hesept-ef
praised of his countrypeople,
mery Khnem neb Herur
beloved of Khnem, Lord of Herur,
am-ae
he who is in the chamber,
mery nut-e/
beloved of his townspeople,
heey en Heqt Heruryt
£avoured of Heqt of Herur,
her fep aa en Mahez Baqt sa Khety
Great Chief of the Orjrx nome, Baqt's son Elhety.
The scenes are arranged in six rows of varying height.
Eow 1. Hunting in the desert with netting (the network is much faded) [C, D, E]. Compare
this row with Row 1 on the corresponding wall of Tomb No. 15 (see PI. iv.).
Row 2. The barber Jthaq, " shaving " [F]. The eahu en henket, " master of the linen,'' and linen
manufacturers [G]. Spinners [H]. Net-making [I], and weaving [J, K]. Compare this row
with Row 2 on the corresponding wall of Tomb No. 15 (see PI. iv.).
Row 3. Occupations of women. Spinning and weaving superintended by the mer tet,
''Superintendent of the weavers'' [L, M]. Female acrobats and women playing at ball
[N, O]. Compare this row with Row 3 on the corresponding wall of Tomb No. 15
(see PI. iv.).
Row 4. Procession of the statues of Khety and his wife in a naos drawn by seven men [P] . In
front are four male dancers pirouetting, and four men clapping their hands to beat time [Q] ;
three girls clapping hands to beat time [R]; and six female dancers [S]. It is headed by ten
men, who are bringing the funerary outfit of clothing, ornaments, weapons, &c. [J]. Compare
this row with Row 1 on the South wall of Tomb No. 15 (see PI. vii.).
Row 6. A sculptor and a painter at work [U]. Carpenter at work [V]. Painters at work [W].
Two couples playing at draughts [X]. A game (fa water-bowl and skin, cp. PL vii.) [T].
Men engaged in straightening rods of wood [Z]. The remaining scenes in this row are cut
away.
Row 6. Much mutilated, and the east end entirely broken away. At the west end is the upper
part of a scene showing men catching fish with a net [a] . In the centre are the remains of
a scene representing five men engaged in catching birds with a clap-net [&], whilst to the right
are traces of a series of birds [c]. Compare this row with Row 6 on the corresponding wall of
Tomb No. 15 (see PI. iv.).
I
58
BENI HASAN.
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tioni
(corU.)
North Wall : East half. (See Key plan C-P, and PL xiv.)
UJ
FRIEZE
Q.
<
Id
FRIEZE 1
A
_B_
J
K 1
c
L
M
D
C
r
E
H
1
N
S
T
•
p
Q
R
»
(a) Western pilaster (see Key plan G^ and diagram of wall).
Upon this pilaster is painted a vertical line of faneifnl and semi-comic hieroglyphs^ bordered at the
top and sides by the usual pattern of rectangles. So far as they can be deciphered they read as follows : —
uas nek tef cmkh
Wealth to thee^ stability [and] life.
mer^eh hehu \en\ hemut
Mayest thou love millions of groups of women.
,8ept bau-ek
rekh seten Khety mer set dbtet (?)
the royal acquaintance, Khety^ Administrator of the Eastern Desert (?)
an khert ah seten mery Hem he R ekh yt Khety,
bringing the desire of the heart of the Eing^ beloved of Horus> Smiter of the Bekhyt^ Khety.
Between the two pilasters (see Key plan D) are painted various scenes, including a large standing
figure of Khety and a smaller one of Khnemhotep (his wife). Immediately below the frieze is a line of
painted hieroglyphs [A, B], giving the name and titles of Khety. Among the latter are : —
meh db en seten em qemau and d/rer mer mesha em set-nebt 8heta[t]
filling the heart of the King in the south, he who performs [the oflSce of] captain of the
host in every difficult place.
Below is a hunting scene, showing men lassooing animals in a tract of desert enclosed with nets [G] .
The paintings in the lower part of the wall show Khety standing, holding in his right hand a staff and
in his left a baton of office [D]. In front of him are three dogs [G]. Behind is a figure of Khnemhotep
(Khety's wife), holding buds and full-blown flowers of the lotus in her hands [E]. Above her is a
horizontal line of painted hieroglyphs, reading : —
cmakkyt kAer Het-heru nebi Neferus Khnemhetep
" The devoted one towards Hathor, the Lady of Neferus, Khnemhotep.''
Above again [at F] are depicted two male and two female musicians. Enclosing these paintings
are two vertical lines of hieroglyphs and one horizontal, giving titles and name of Khety. Between the
right-hand vertical line and the eastern pilaster are shown two bird-traps [H], and a papyrus and lotus
marsh [I], beyond which is a piece of the usual coloured rectangle border.
BENI HASAN.
59
Seenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(cont.)
(b) Eastern pilaster (see Key plan E, and diagram of wall).
Down the middle of the pilaster is painted a vertical line of fanciful and semi-comic hieroglyphs,
bordered at the top and sides by the nsoal coloured rectangle pattern. So far as they can be deciphered,
they read as follows : —
Hi
m
The Ao-prince,
8ahu bdti
sahu of the King of Lower Egjrpt,
semer uat%
confidential friend of the King^
wri NeMen (? ?) mery nut-ef (?) hesy en hesept-ef
He who belongs to the city of Nekhen (f ?), beloved of his townspeople (P), praised of his countrypeople,
Khety
Ehety. (For the erased sig^ vide Lepsius^ DenkmaUr, Abth. ii., Bl. 143 b.)
At the east end of the wall the paintings are divided into seven rows of varying height Immediately
below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs [J, E] giving the name and titles of Ehety.
Bows 1 and 2. Men carrying baskets and water-skins^ and three men armed with bows and arrows
[L, M].
Row 3. Metal-workers and a scribe writing [N].
Row 4. Herdsmen with domesticated gazelles [0].
Row 5. Oryxes [P].
Row 6. A flock of geese [Q].
Row 7. A flock of cranes [R].
On the left-hand side of the lower portion of the wall, and occupying in height Rows 4-7, are shown
a tree [S] with birds flying (one of which is a conventionalized hawk carrying an egg (?) in its claws),
and below it two bird-traps [T].
East Wall. (See Eey plan G, and PI. xv.).
FRIEZE
A
B
c
D
E
F
C
R
1
_ H
K
L
7
M
N
s
T
P
Q
Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs [A, B], mutilated at the beginning
and end, giving the Td hetep seten formula (P) to Anubis, together with the name and titles of Ehety.
The scenes are arranged in eight rows of varying height. Compare these with the similar scenes on the
corresponding wall of Tomb No. 15 (see PI. v.).
I 2
60
BENI HASAN.
Scenes and
Iniorip-
tions
Bows 1-5. Wrestling. One hundred and twenty-two groups, showing as many attitudes [C-G.]
N.B. — ^The match is between two Egyptians, both coloured the same tint in the original, but
for the sake of distinctness in the Plate, one of each pair has been drawn in outline. For the
cursive inscriptions over the groups lettered A-J see PL ziz.
Bows 6-7. Battle scene [I-N] showing soldiers attacking a fortress [H].
Bow 8. An encounter between foot-soldiers on the plain [0-Q].
On the right-hand side of Bows 5-7 is depicted a scene showing a statue of Khety in a naos [S],
men sacrificing an ox, baskets of provisions and jars of wine [T]. Above is a name-list of one
hundred and twelve offerings [B].
South Wall : East half. (See Key plan H-!^, and PI. xvi.).
FRIEZE
B
H
K
M
ui
5
Q. LL
<o.
or
Ul
5
(a) East end.
The upper part of the wall is divided into two sections, separated by a vertical line of coloured
rectangles.
Section I. At the top^ immediately below the frieze^ is a line of painted hieroglyphs [A]| reading
^ giving the name and titles of Khety. Below are three rows of scenes.
Bows 1 and 2. A vintage scene, grape gathering. Sec. [C, D].
Bow 3. Tree with birds and bird-traps. The bird to the right appears to be caught in a noose [E].
Section II. At the top, immediately below the frieze^ is a line of painted hieroglyphs [B]^ reading
, giving the name of Khety. Below are representations of games, one group in each row.
Bow 1. A man being carried by two others [¥].
Bow 2. A game [G].
Bow 3. A game [H].
Upon the lower part of the wall is painted a large figure of Khety clad in a leopard-skin garment,
and holding in his right hand a staff and in his left a baton of office [I]. In front of him is a hawk-
headed monster named sak, wearing a collar as if tame [L]^ and at his feet a dog [&i]. Behind him is a
large standing figure of hemUef mert-ef Khnemhetepi ''his wife, his beloved one, Khnemhotep'^ [J]; above
her are two musicians and a woman (? a nurse) with a male child at her breast [K]. Behind her is painted
a lotus-bud column.
BENI HASAN.
61
Soenei and
Inscrip-
tions
{cont.)
The horizontal line of hieroglyphs above the large standing figure of Khety gives his usual titles and
others in fanciful hierogljrphs, which may be interpreted —
aq hatiper peh (?)
entering first, going out lasf
€€
(?)
The vertical line in front gives his name and titles.
(a) Eastern Pilaster (see Key plan I, and diagram of wall).
Upon this pilaster are painted, in eight groups, scenes representing games and diversions, in rows one
above another. Compare the games depicted on the South wall of Tomb No. 15 (see PI. vii.).
Between the two pilasters (Key plan J) is painted a colossal figure of Khety^ who holds in his left
hand a staff and in his right a b&ton of office [N]. Behind him stands a man holding a parasol over his
head [O]; the mer henket, ^'superintendent of the washing of linen'' [P] ; an attendant [Q] ; and
the saJ^t (?) l[Aer thebti, "sandal-bearer'' [B]. Beneath are two dwarfs, nemu and zeneb [S, T]. At
Khety's feet are three dogs and a baboon [X]. The horizontal and vertical lines of inscription [U-W]
give the name and titles of Ebety, among which latter is dr menu nu neheh em het net&r Khnem neb
Herur, " making monuments of eternity in the temple of Khnem, Lord of Herur."
(b) Western Pilaster (see Key plan K^ and diagram of wall).
Upon this pilaster are painted six groups of foot-soldiers carrying arms.
South Wall : West half. (See Key plan L, M, and PI. xvii.)
FRIEZE.
ft
A
c
D
E
F
c
H
1
J
K
L
N
M
P
Q
«
R
S
T
Immediately below the frieze is a line of painted hieroglyphs [A, B], reading <<-« , giving the name
and titles of Khety. He is noted as mery neUef, ''beloved of his townsmen;" hesy en hesept-ef,
"favoured of his countrjrpeople ;" dau Nekht em set neb^ hetepu neteru em drert[ef] dm^ikhet Khety ^
" heir of Nekht in every place, by whose deeds the gods are pacified."
The scenes are arranged in five rows of varying height.
Row 1. Procession of the statue of Khety in a naos [C]. In front are three men dancing, with three
others clapping hands to beat time [D] ; three female dancers and three women beating time [E].
The procession is headed by an officer, to whom a number of men are bringing joints of meat
and other viands [F] .
Bow 2. Herdsmen leading and driving cattle [O].
Scenes and
Inscrip-
tions
(cont,)
62 BBNI HASAN.
Bow 3. Men sacrificing oryxes and a bull [H]. Others driving donkeys saddled with panniers [I]
towards a superintendent^ and five men who are reaping [J]. To the right is depicted a granary,
with men at work filling and carrying sacks of corn [E] ; three tables laden with boxes^ sacks
(such as are used for the more precious stibium and other valuable minerals and metals), and
sheaves of arrows (?) [L].
At the eastern end of this wall, and occupying Rows 3-6 in height, is a large seated figure of
Ehety [M] with a scribe and a priest burning incense in a censer before him [N].
Before Khety is a large altar laden with offerings [O], and to it^ in Bows 4 and 6, men are bringing
offerings of food, lotus flowers, &c. [P, Q].
At the western end of Bows 4 and 5 the space is sub-divided into three parts. The upper sub-division
shows men gathering flax [B]; the centre and lower one, men ploughing with oxen [S, T]. In the
centre of the wall, from the middle of Bow 4 to the bottom of Bow 6^ there is a recess^ roughly cut
at a later period through the paintings : on the east side of this excavation Ghampollion has inscribed his
initials.
Aeohitbavbs.
Upon the architraves are painted four inscriptions, a hand copy of which may be found on PI. xviii.
(a) Western architrave.
1. Beading i»— ^, gives the name and titles of Khely ; among the latter are — dr hetep neter en
neteru neb en Mahez, " making divine offerings to all the gods of the Oryx nome.^'
2. Beading <<-« , gives the name and titles of Khety with an qemau md qef-ef, " pillkr of the entire
south;" ur rem% "great of fishes/* asha apfu, ''abundant of wild fowl;" mery Sekhet nebt heb,
*' beloved of Sekhet, mistress of hunting;" drer ren[efher] menu nu zet dn soref day-ef Khefy^ ''one
whose name is written upon monuments of eternity by his son and heir, Khety."
(6) Eastern architrave.
1. Beading i»— ^^ gives the f^ hetep seten formula to Anubis and Osiris, together with the name and
titles of Khety.
2. Beading <<-«i^ gives the Td hetep eeten formula to Anubis for a good burial and the prayer for a
good burialj with the titles of Khety. The inscription is upfinished.
THE
GEEEK AND COPTIC GEAFFITI.
THE
GREEK AND COPTIC GEAFFITI.
The following is a list of the Greek and Coptic
Graffiti on the walls of the tombs at Beni Hasan.
Several of those from Tomb No. 15 were copied by
Ghampollion and published in the Monuments de
VEgypte et de la Nubie, Notices descriptives,
Tome ii.j f. 384. Prof. Sayce has also published a
list of the Coptic Graffiti, but it is far from com-
plete ; it may be found in the fourth volume of the
Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology
(pp. 117-121). The Greek inscriptions record the
names of visitors to the tombs. The Coptic graffiti
consist principally of the names of the Trinity and of
saints and holy men of the Old and New Testament,
as well as of hermits who probably dwelt in the
tombs. In Tomb No. 23 is a curious table of the
Greek alphabet, written by a Copt (see PI. xxv..
Ay B, C). He has first written it out in correct
order, then inverted it, and thirdly, arranged the
letters so that the first is next to the last, the second
to the last but one. Below these alphabets are
syllables, first of one consonant ^nd a vowel (see
PI. XXV., D, E), then of a vowel between two con-
sonants (F-H). At e are noted the six additional
letters of the Coptic alphabet.
ToxB No. 2.
Near the top of the first left-hand column of the
Main Chamber : — ^
1. TTTOA€
MAIOC
AHOA
AC0NIO[Y]
[H]Ka)//////
////////////////
«* I, Ptolemy,
the son of
Apollonius,
have come."
Tomb No. 3.
On the right jamb of the entrance to the Main
Chamber : —
2. ATTATTICOT (scratched)
On the East wall (south side) : —
3. M€N*OIBAMMC0NnA[iaHP]€ (in black
4. ICAKKOY€i (in black ink) ^^^^^
5. niCOTnjaH€P€n€nN^?v€/////////A/////////
[SAMHN. ►f (in red ink)
Tomb No. 13.
On the left-hand door-post : —
6. AnAnAHNOYTC (scratched)
Tomb No. 14.
On the North wall : —
7. €IC e€OC (in red ink) *• One God."
Tomb No. 15.
On the North wall (all are written in red ink) :•
8. nOYMHNAg
MOYCi*
i(0&ANNHC
9. |T]ANIIH?v
10. AHANOYTC
11. €N(OX
gAMCOC
lAKGJB
12. AHA
♦IN€AC
OCH€ l(OH?v
AHANOYTC
K
66
BENI HASAN.
13. (0^
(ON
HP
r€
14. AHAgUP
15. i(OB N(Og€
lllllllim\Mr
nxlAgMO
16. Na}g€MNAkiHa)S?s4'ZAN€
17. ^INGAC
18. €N(OX
MNNa)6€
19. MAPeH
20. O<rH€l(0H?^ SAMWC TAN 1 1 H?^
€P€nNOYT€CYH€POK
l(0KBiCKAAV€'lAnA$^OI
21. ni(0Tn}^€P€n€nN€YMA€TOYAAB
[MAPIAMAPe€
"The Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, Mary
and Martha."
22. ATTA
23. ATTO?^?\(0
24. n2£0€iC
26. Ncoge
26. TTATTA
27. XMI
28. (U^ANNHC
29. nAY?\OC
30. TAHANOYTT
31. >5Mr
32. AHAgajP
33. AnAgtOP
34. AnAn<HBAa)N nAYC^OC
ABPAgAM>[lCA]K> lAKCOB | HANOY
nAniYBAUN
nAnH}4inAY^€ nA^oeic
35. XHAHNMuil
n
361 AHABHCA
l(OCH^ I HAY^OC I ANTP€C
AY(0nANOYT€ lUgANNHCineTPOC
n<w?\€nnoc
37. n€POC {tic) nAnocTo?^oc
eWMAC HAY^^C nAY7\OC
BA?\eo2sOMeoc
38. AnAnANOYT€nATtf^AM€C
AHAeC^eN N AnAB€CA
ANTP€cn*i?s€nnoc
39. ?l TTX
AHAnAgMO
AnAGYOTP
AHAeWPCIHCH
XMr
lOJgANHC
40. APT€Ma)NH
41. nxO€IC nNOYT€
42. AnAABP^PHI^APOJN
43. nd
44. KOCH*
nANOYH
nAnNOYT€
46. MOJYCHC I :€IHCOYCni^H€NNAYH
" Joshua the son of Nun."
On the North wall : —
46. nATAYPl.N
47. n^O€IC
48. ni(OT
49. TTATf^sT^CO
50. TTi^£0€ICnU
51. u}OI
^?\H^€3t(OI
62. BIKTCOP
53. COY//////PCYC
54. IAK(OB
I^IAKCDB
<(
Pray for me."
BENI HASAN.
67
56. MINA
MINNA
On the West wall :—
56. 4>IAOCHPOC
AnOJAAO
57. nAAOCrvriTCTA
Tomb No. 17.
On the left-hand door-post (scratched) : —
68. CWCTPATOY
e€l(0MHTOY
On the West wall (scratched) : —
69. LKe M€X€IPR? "Theyear86,the...dayof
AHMHTPIOC Mechir. Demetrius,
60. APT€MIAOPOY the son of Aitemidoms."
61. T(0NA4»€PMOYnO?\O€(dC {tie)
" Of those from Hermopolis."
On the North wall (scratched) : —
62. ni(OTn$<yHP€
nHnNCVT MA€AN
On the Soath wall (in red ink) : —
63. AMM(dN€
AHAPHNH
TouB No. 18.
On the West wall (scratched) : —
64. HAMMCONI
66. AHMHTPI
Tomb No. 19.
On the East wall (in black ink) : —
66. n[i(tfTinjyHP€:n€nFre
[€TO]YAAB////////////////////////////
TouB No. 21.
On the North wall (in red ink) : —
67. AHAiCAK niP€MnBH(£l€N
" Father Isaac of Beshen."
On the East wall (in black ink) : —
68. [B]IKT(0PKOYiAPITAKAn€APinAM€Y
[€NT€NOYT€€POIC. €POIgAMHN
" Little Victor, love and remember me, that Qod
may watch over me, Amen."
Tomb No. 22.
On the South wall (in red ink) : —
69. ATTA (ten times repeated)
Tomb No. 24.
On the North wall (in red ink) : —
70. C!optic Alphabet or charm. See Plate
On the East wall (in red ink) : —
(1)
(ji
(»)
71. n€YOYo////jan€
nNOY:T€:MnA
72. Eleven lines, viz. : —
..THPO....
nAJMn////T€eNAN
m'UmeKN////
AgAgA
n
AH6€^^AN(dC€(tf T€P(Oi
'*' nx:OCI..nANOYT€A...Pa)POIgN:T
[//// PA . . . NnxOEIC inPANH
'" THP) . . . O* . . . [C] . . . HP . . . eCAnacO .
^'CCT I [€ICTTANOYT€
AgAg . . . T . . . T . . . ACWMHCC . . . n€X
[. . . €.C
<" ABC////t>n€NAlNOi ... €1 I ZY
'"H2s|A^ HK|OYTiNAN[AY] OY€n€POY
TT3C
[////// -oeic I PANnxoeic
'•' €/////(OANn I //////A€/////////€POirAX . . .
[AB€BOC
('•' AJ . . . PHru
<"> € . . . uANnAe
73. nCNHAC/////
N///////(0///////
/////^HNAPiBAIBO^M€l€ || KOgMeie
74. ABPAS///////A:€NAnA/////An
k2
68
BENI HASAN.
76. NtOg[€] ABRAHAM l[CA]K
[lAKUDB iOICH^ l€Y€C
/////////CeCNH IWeANNHC
AANIH?^ AN AN i AC
MICA[E?v]AZ[A]PI AC (?)
76. I10KA[B]
77. nAXCTOC
nAnANOYT€
78. lAKCOB
Tomb No. 32.
On the left-hand door-post (scratched) : —
79. AHMHTPI
80. nAMM€NHCnAMM€NOYHKnHOTA
[YNIN
Tomb No. 33.
On the South wall (in black ink) : —
81. AHAgajPnPM
n€M^€AqM
TONMMOqN
COYMHTN€
MjyiPgNOY€
IPHNHgAMHN
APITAFAniHAPI
n€qM€Y€
OYCNNIM6T
///////OJWMnCq
///////TAN
82. AHAMiXAHTv
" Father Hor,
the man of Pemje
(Oxyrhynchus),
fell asleep on the
tenth day of Mechir in
peace. Amen !
Love and
remember him.
n
Fib. 6.
Fraomknt or LmisTOHi Stela with Dioication fob omb op the Ptolsxiss.
Found in exoarating the well of Tomb No. 82 : now in the Mnsenm of Qhizeh.
[Soale 1 : 4.] [Tide p. 81.]
APPENDIX.
ME. G. WrLLOUGHBY FEASEB'S EEPOET
ON THB
TOMBS AT BENI HASAN.
Mb. G. WILLOUGHBY FBASEE'S EEPOET
ON THB
TOMBS AT BENI HASAN/
I. NOTES ON THE ARCHITECTURE.
Thb tombs at Beni Hasan are grouped in two ranges^
facing west^ the upper range alone having chambers still
remaining over the tomb-shafts. The lower range con-
sists only of sunken shafts {vide Sketch Survey^ Beni
Easa/n, Ft. I., PI* ii«j where the lower range is marked
"mummy-pite").
Tomb Ifo. 1. Beginning at the northern end of the
upper range^ the first tomb is unfinished and^ in fact^
barely commenced.
Tomb Ho. 2. (Beni Hasan, Pt. I., PL iv.) The
tomb of Amenemhat is one of the largest^ and in general
proportions perhaps the finest in the whole group.
It is composed of an open courts a portico^ a main
chamber^ and a shrine. The open court presents no
peculiarities; it is merely the result of cutting back
into the cliff in order to obtain a face of rock sufficiently
high for the excavation of the portico. This portico is
formed by two octagonal columns supporting an archi-
trave, above which are the remains of two dentils, the
rest having disappeared. The columns have bases and
abaci^ the width of which is the same as that of the
architrave which they support. Inside the portico the
roof is arched^ and has a maximum height of 276
^ The general survey and plans of Tombs Nob. 1 — 14 are
pablished in Bern Hasan^ Pt. I., the remainder of the plans
are in the present volome.
inches. The whole is unfinished^ the floor being rough ;
is it not possible that the columns were intended to
be sixteen-sided, though the work never got beyond the
octagon stage ?
The great doorway in the centre of the eastern wall of
the portico has been more carefully finished. The height
of 199*6 inches and the width of 72*5 inches seem to point
to a cubit of 20*8 inches being used to lay it out. This
would give a height of 9*5 cubits and a width of 3'6
cubits. The door itself (Pt. I.^ PI. va) opened inwards^
and was made in a single leaf to the full height of
the doorway. It was pivoted above in a wooden lintel-
beam, the lower pivot resting on a hard heel-stone, which
was let into a quadrant socket cut in the floor of the
main chamber. The jambs of the door, i.e., the thick-
ness of the wall separating the portico and the main
chamber^ form a kind of entrance passage. The main
chamber was almost square^ the average length of the
side walls being 467 inches, and the greatest variation
in the length of the different sides being ± 1 inch.
This would make a square of 21*97 cubits (or, roughly,
22 cubits), taking the cubit with which it yras set out
at 20*8 inches. The southern wall appears in every
way better finished than the others ; the lower portions
of the walls and the floor itself are rough.
The colunms, of which there are four (see Pt. I., PI. v.),
are sixteen-sided, slightly fluted, the depth of the flute
varying from 0*42 to 0*26 inch. Those sides, however^
which directly face the east and west centre line of the
72
BENI HASAl^.
tomb have been left flat^ probably to receive an inBcrip-
tion. The columns taper sligbtly from the base to the
top, which is surmounted by a square abacus of the
same width as the architrave. The sides average 7*78
inches at the top, 7 '82 inches at the centre, and 8*23
inches at the base.
The architraves supported by these columns divide
the roof into three parts, consisting of flat arches
springing from the upper edges of the architraves. The
greatest height from the floor to the inirados or summit
of the arch is 264 inches or 12*5 cubits, whilst the walls
average 242*4 inches or 11*6 cubits. The height from
the floor to the under-side of the architraves is 212
inches.
A doorway in the centre of the eastern wall, 129
inches (6*2 cubits) high, admits to the shrine, the floor
of which is raised above the level of the main chamber.
The door (Pt. I., PI. va) had two leaves closing in the
centre ; the lintel was a wooden beam let in above the
doorway, and quadrant sockets cut in the sill held the
heel-stones.
The shrine itself, a small chamber 104 inches wide
and 86*5 inches long, contained the great Ea-statue of
Amenemhat, seated, with his wife standing on his
right, and his mother on his left hand. The right hand
of the statue of Amenemhat was found below on the hill,
and has been replaced in the shrine. It is closed and
grasps a yellow tie; it measures 8 inches across the
knuckles, so that if we take a human hand to measure
about 3*6 inches at the same place, this would indicate
that the statue was almost two and a half times the
natural size. To judge from this fragment, the work-
manship of the statue must have been coarse and rough,
but to conceal this defect it may have been highly
coloured. There are two sepulchral shafts in this tomb,
which are on the southern side of the main chamber,
but it was not considered desirable to have them cleared.
The dimensions of this tomb will be further dealt
with when comparing it with the following one.
Tomb Ho. 3. The tomb of Khnemhotep II. (Pt. I.,
PI. zxii.), though smaller than that of Amenemhat and
possibly not so well proportioned, is of much superior
work.
To begin with the portico (which is preceded by an
open court, as in the tomb of Amenemhat), the dentils
above the architrave are almost complete, and the two
sixteen-sided colunms are finished. The average width
of the sides is 5*5 inches at the top and 6*3 at the
bottom. Inside the portico we again find an arched
roof, the height to the intrados measuring 212*7 inches.
The great doorway has an average height of 142*76
inches and a width of 66*5 inches, which gives as nearly
as possible 7 cubits of 20*6 inches for the height, and
2*74 cubits for the width. The wall separating the
portico and main chamber has a thickness of 40*03
inches or 1*94 cubit.
The doorway itself was closed by a wooden door
pivoted above in a timber lintel let into the wall, and
below, resting on a pivot block let into a quadrant
socket. The jambs of the doorway proper are not
parallel, the stone having been more cut away on the
south side, so that the passage widens inwards; this
would give the idea of a door of considerable thickness
and fitting well.
From an example found in the small tomb No. 34,
the heel-stone of the great doors appears to have been
a roughly shaped hard stone, such as dolerite, with a
shallow depression on the upper surface for the door-post
to work in.
The main chamber in the tomb of Khnemhotep is
not quite square, the length averaging 377*26 inches,
while the breadth averages 382*06 inches, showing a
difierence of 4*8 inches. The breadth seems to be in-
tended for 18*6 cubits, whilst the length may have been
set out with a cubit rather worn, about '26 of an inch
too short.
The roof is arranged in three flat arches, with a height
of 282*8 inches or 11*2 cubits from the inirados to the
floor. The columns were sixteen-sided, but without
fluting; they have all been cut clean away, even the
bases having gone. The height from the floor to the
under-side of the architraves averages 192*96 inches or
9*3 cubits, so that the columns themselves must have
been about 9 cubits high.
In this tomb the floor of the shrine is on the same
level as that of the main chamber, but there is a raised
threshold in the doorway. The shrine doorway has an
average height of 109*22 inches or about 5*3 cubits, and
a width of 43*7 inches or 2*1 cubits. The ^terior of
the shrine is far better finished than that in the tomb of
Amenemhat. It measures 121*86 inches in length and
91*62 inches in breadth, with an average height of
114*9 inches, giving respective cubit measures of 5*8, 4*4,
and 5*5 cubits. It contained a large seated figure of
Khnemhotep ; a portion of the face of which was found
lying, like the hand of Amenemhat, on the hill side ;
but the figure is too mutilated to admit of any exact
BBNI HASAN.
73
estimate of its original size^ and the fragments obtained
from the clearing of the well^ thoagh they show that it
was painted a brilliant red^ do not help us any further.
This was the only statue in the shrine, the other figures
being merely incised and painted on the walls.
The door was made in two leaves ; a beam about 5
inches square formed the lintel^ and there was the usual
arrangement of quadrant sockets to take the lower ends
of the door-posts.
The architectural work of this tomb is better than
any other in the whole range. The walls are cut in a
good stratum free from boulders, and the floors of the
main chamber and shrine are carefully worked flat;
this seems to show that the tomb was really finished^
which is rarely the case with any of the others.
Of tomb-shafts there are four, two on the southern
wall finished, one only marked out on the floor, and one
in front of the shrine doorway cut to a maximum depth
of 26 inches ; this latter may perhaps be of a later date
than the tomb, as it is roughly cut, and is not set out
square with any wall of the tomb.
WHen the central shaft on the south side of the tomb
was cleared (see Pt. I., PI. xxiii.. Figs. 1 — 3), it was
found that it descended vertically for 260 inches, and
that the floor was then roughly stepped down to the
chamber some 110 inches lower. The chamber or vault
itself consisted of a central passage, about 3 feet wide
and 8 feet high, with excavations along the sides form-
ing aisles, the roofs of which were some 60 inches lower
than the roof of the central passage. The chamber
measured 115 inches in length and 108 inches in
breadth, and at the southern end was a further chamber
or passage, 80 inches long, 40 inches wide, and 50
inches high, the floor of which sloped slightly down-
wards. The whole of the lower portion was unfinished,
but the scheme in this and other similar vaults at Beni
Hasan seems to have been, a central passage between
two aisles or receptacles for the great wooden sarcophagi.
I am inclined to think that the further passage con-
tained the foundation deposit of the tomb placed in a
small well in the floor. The sarcophagus of the original
owner of the tomb possibly stood in this passage, while
those of his sons or descendants were placed in the aisles
of the outer chamber, the central passage remaining
clear.
As might be expected from their position, these tombs
have in most cases been completely plundered. The
Coptic and late Roman pottery found in the wells, and
in this case even in the chamber, affords evidence that at
the time of Coptic residence in this tomb the shafts
were almost empty, and probably the top of the entrance
to the vault was visible.
There is, however, no evidence that they were ever
re-used for burials in the later dynasties. The only
pottery found, which cannot certainly be attributed to
late Roman times, is distinctly of the materials and
forms of the Xllth Dynasty, so far as we know them,
and the remains of the earlier burials have never been
removed.* We found numerous fragments of the
sarcophagi, which were made of wood 2*0 inches thick,
and painted in panel patterns, the colours used being
blue, red, black, and yellow : also a very roughly made
table of offerings painted red (see Pt. I., PI. xxiii..
Fig. 4), and the apex of a small obelisk in limestone,
which probably was one of a pair standing on either
side of the table of offerings.
The shaft itself has the unusual feature of a chamber
cut in the eastern side of it, 44 inches wide and 47
inches high, extending the full length of the side of the
shaft; the object of this chamber is not clear. The
shaft was carefully closed at a depth of 48 inches by
means of stone beams let into grooves cut in the
eastern and western walls ; the grooves did not extend
the whole length of the sides, the opening thus left at
one end being probably closed by a loose slab (see Pt I.,
PI. xxiii. Fig. 2). Clean chips laid on these beams
probably formed a bed for the great slab which closed
the whole mouth of the well at floor level. A tomb-
shaft which I cleared at El-Lahun in 1889 showed a
similar arrangement, the beams being there still in
position.
About one-sixth part of one of the interior columns
was foimd in the large well ; it weighed about a ton
and a quarter, and gave Mr. Blackden and myself con-
siderable trouble to raise it the 28 feet to the floor. It
is valuable as it enables us to restore these columns, the
form of which was quite unknown. It was painted
like the dado in imitation of granite (Pt. I., PI. xxiiL,
Fig. 5).
Before proceeding to describe the other tombs, it
is desirable to g^ve some accoimt of the method of
excavating employed by the makers of the tombs, and
to compare the accuracy of the work in the two great
tombs just described*
The method of excavating would appear to have been
' See below, p. 79, for a description of the antiquities found
here.
74
BENI HASAN.
somewhat as follows : they first drove an open heading
in the slope of the hill^ until the vertical face was high
enough to leave a certain thickness of solid rock above
the intradoa of the roof arches. Occasionally^ as in
Tomb No. 29, a sufficient thickness was not provided, with
the result that the roof has in part fallen in. To judge
by the shape of the cuts and the traces of copper, the
excavations were made with bronze chisels. In the wall
of Tomb No. 4 (Khnemhotep IV.) we find in a face of 42
inches 10 chisel marks, each of 1*6 inch wide; and in
another place 9 chisel cuts, each of 1*7 inch, in 40
inches of face. In this instance the marking showed
that the roof had been formed by chisel cuts 0*4 inch
wide.
It is difficult to say where the stone chisels ^ (chipped
off from the hard and compact boulder stones here so
common) were used. Great numbers of them are found
at Beni Hasan, El-Bersheh, the alabaster quarries behind
Tell Beni Amaran (Tell el-Amama), and at Asydt, and
they are probably to be found wherever these boulders
occur. They may have been used to partly dress the
surfaces which had been roughly hewn out with bronze
chisels or adzes.
To return to the excavation. The necessary face
having been obtained, the pillars were rough hewn and
the door cut through; after which one gang would
probably work outside, while others, in the first instance,
faced the interior western wall, working from the roof
downwards, and afterwards completed the remainder of
the chamber. To judge by the unfinished Tomb No. 6,
the stone was taken out in blocks, the workmen proceed-
ing from the roof downwards over the surface of the floor.
In this case the blocks average about 60 inches by 20
inches in length and breadth, and 22 inches in depth.
In one block, of a mean depth of 14 inches and ^ length
of 61 inches, there are 31 chisel-holes along the back,
running horizontally, and made with an edge of 0*4
inch, with the object of prising up the stone from its
bed.
The jambs of the door have been left rough below to
prevent damage to them by the passage of the blocks
which had been cut out and the traffic of the workmen.
^ Large rough chisel- and adze-shaped implements of hard
limestone, very coarsely flaked, the cutting edge more carefully
formed by braising. They are roughly oval in section, aboat
8 inches X 2} in diameter, and 10 inches long. One is 11 inches
in length, some are smaller, and a well-shaped specimen,
circnlar in section, is about 2} inches in diameter and 8 inches
long. It has been braised all over into a neat chisel form.
In preparing and cutting the columns with sixteen
sides the following method appears to have been
adopted : —
1st. To hew out a rough square pillar.
2nd. To cut off its comers, thus forming an octagon.
8rd. To cut off the corners of the octagon, thus
getting sixteen sides, the planes of which were some-
times afterwards fluted.
An example of this occurs in Tomb No. 4 (Ft. I.,
PL xl., Fig. 1), where an unfinished column still shows
the setting out of the octagon near the base. When the
columns were fluted, as in Tomb No. 2, this was probably
done with a crescent-shaped grinder of hard stone.
The fluting varied in depth and was comparatively
shallow : thus, in the example (Pt. I., PL v., Fig. 2)
from the tomb of Amenemhat, the depth of fluting at
the top is 0*427 inch, while that of the corresponding
column is only 0*261 inch.
As to the accuracy with which these columns were
formed, the off-sets given in Pt. L, PL v.. Fig. 2, show
that apart from the mean diminution or taper from the
bottom to the top, which averages about 1 inch in
122 inches on a flat surface, there are errors of work-
manship which diverge considerably from that average.
Thus, instead of diminishing from the off-sets 60 inches
to 60 inches, there is an increase of 0*2 inch instead
of a decrease as there should be (see Table I.).
We have next to consider the degree of accuracy
shown in forming the main chambers.
In Tomb No. 3, the measurements between the north
and south walls are at floor level.
West end 382*4 inches
Centre 883-08
East end 381-80
in a length from west to east of 377*6 inches, showing
a contraction at the rate of 1 inch in 147 inches from
the centre to the east.
Again, the distance in plan between the north wall of
the same tomb and the southern edge of the adjacent
architrave is —
At west end 1 36*3 inches
Centre 135*5
East end 135*5
the work in this instance, as in others, showing a
tendency to correct itself as it progressed.
We next come to questions of the workmanship in
producing the plane surfaces in the walls.
With this object very numerous and accurate plumb-
ic
»»
V
99
BEm HASAN.
76
bob measurements were made. These are illustrated by
record-tables^ of which Tables I. to IV. are examples^ and
by diagrams, as in Pt. I., PI. v., Pig. 3, PI. xxiii.. Pigs. 6
and 7^ where the off-set measurements are on a scale
ten times that of the longitudinal or vertical dimen-
sions.
The diagram, PI. xxiii., Fig. 6, with Table IV.,
illustrates the straightness of the north and south walls
in the tomb of Khnemhotep 11.^ at about 8 feet 6 inches
above floor level. The north wall^ it will be seen,
diverges more from the straight line (joining it some-
times) than the south wall^ the maximum divergence
being 0*4 inch in the north and O'S inch in the south
wall.
The verticality of these north and south walls in the
tombs of Amenemhat and Khnemhotep II. is illustrated
by diagrams (PI. v.^ Fig. 3^ and PI. xxiii.. Fig. 7) and
Tables II. and III. These show the superior finish and
accuracy of work in the latter tomb, where also th6 rock
lent itself much more favourably to the work.
In the case of Tomb No. 3^ only the western measure-
ments are reduced to in the diagram^ while for Tomb
No. 2 all are so reduced. '
From the tables and diagrams of Tomb No. 3 it will
be seen that the greatest divergence at the west, centre,
and east ends of the north walls are respectively 0*45
inch^ 0*3 inch^ and 0'2 inch, the maximum divergence
throughout being 0'4>6 inch. In the south wall the
greatest divergences at the west^ centre^ and east ends
are more considerable^ viz.^ 1*25 inch^ 0'17 inch, and
0*2 inch^ and the maximum divergence is J '25 inch.
On the whole^ the divergence from the straight de-
creases from the west^ where the work began^ to the
east.
In the case of the north and south walls of Tomb No. 2
(Amenemhat^ PI. v., Fig. 3^ and Table 11.)^ the greatest
divergences at the westj centre, and east of the north
wall are 2*9 inches, 0*9 inch, and 2*45 inches, the
maximum divergence being 2*45 inches from 0. In
the south wall, the divergence from west, centre, and
east are 1*95 inch, 0*65 inch, and 4*68 inches, the
last being the maximum divergence of the wall through-
out. This considerable divergence is, however, chiefly
due to the want of finish in the lower 30 inches of the
wall.
On the whole, in both tombs there is a tendency to
greater divergence from the floor upwards, but the curves
do not appear to show any fixity of purpose in these
deviations from the perpendicular.
In Tomb No. 6 we find an example of how the work
was set out.
At each of three corners of the chamber there is a
rectangular draft cut horizontally in the still unfinished
surface of the wall to the depth of about 1 inch, and a
similar draft at about 3 feet from the floor is carried
round upon the vertical face of an exterior side, then at
right angles along the vertical face of the entrance wall,
and again at right angles along the jamb of the door,
so as to fix the exact width of this latter.
Tomb Ho. 4. (See PI. xl.) The tomb of Khnem-
hotep IV., son of Khnemhotep II., is quite unfinished.
In style, it is the same as that of his father's, but it is
on a smaller scale. One of the columns supporting the
front architrave of the portico has been cut away ; the
other, already mentioned, shows us how the sixteen-sided
columns were worked up from the octagon stage.
A curious hole cut into the wall, just south of the
doorway, probably marks the place where a flaw occurred
in the stone, the recess being made to take a fresh piece
of sound stone.
Inside, we find the western wall begpin and partly
smoothed, the rest being still in the rough. Wedge-
marks appear distinctly on one portion of the eastern
wall, showing how the block was separated from the
wall. There were six wedges in a length of 40 inches
to split off a block 40 inches by 20 inches, and perhaps
12 inches thick ; the wedges were about 2 inches wide,
whether of bronze or wood is uncertain, but the latter
material is the more probable, as when wetted it would
swell and burst off the block.
Tomb Ho. 6. The method of cutting out a tomb is
still better shown in the next tomb, No. 5, which is
unfinished and without a name.
The columns are only roughed out, with sixteen
sides. Inside, the blocks remain standing all over the
floor in situ, having been cut but not split off from
their bases ; they are generaUy some 60 inches long, 18
inches wide, and 22 inches high.
The cutting edge of the Xllth Dynasty tools here
measured 0*5 inch, but the persons who later on
destroyed the architrave used a chisel of 0*4 inch, and
made a cut 4*5 inches deep to separate the stone, which
had a base of 22 inches in width.
The next tomb which calls for remark is No. 9.
Tomb Ho. 9. No trace of the original painting remains,
but the tomb has been carefully finished, and consists
h 2
76
BENI HASAN.
of the outer court (in this case 122 inches by 133 inches,
this space being almost entirely occupied by a tomb-
shaft)^ and the main chamber measuring 108*5 inches by
103*9 inches^ with a slightly arched roof and a small
shrine in the eastern wall above the floor level. The
shrine measures 47*3 inches by 51*9 inches high, and
contained a small figure^ now destroyed.
From No. 9 to No. 13 we have tombs all more or
less unfinished.
Tomb Ho. 13. (See Part I., PI. xli.) This tomb is
similar to No. 9^ but lacks the shrine and the well
in the outer court. On the front are inscribed the
titles and prayers of a royal scribe, Khnemhotep.
The chamber contained a small well, almost empty
when we arrived. This we cleared, and the sarcophagus
chamber was used as a photographic dark room until
we were driven out by bats.
This tomb brings us to the end of the Northern
Oroup. The return in the hill here forms to some
degfree a boundary line between the earlier and later
tombs.
Tomb Ho. 14. The first of the tombs in what may be
called the Southern Qroup is that of Khnemhotep I.
(Pt. I., PI. xliii.). It is small and of poor workmanship^
due perhaps to the fact that in the reig^ of Amenemhat I.^
after its stormy commencement, the nobles had not yet
reached that degree of wealth and power of which we
detect the evidence in the tombs of Amenemhat and
Khnemhotep II. Here we have no large outer court
and no portico ; the plan being limited to a single
chamber measuring 325 inches by 348 inches.
An architrave running north and south, formerly
supported by lotus-bud columns, which are now entirely
destroyed^ divided the chamber in the proportion of
one- third to the east of the architrave and two-thirds to
the west (see Part I., PL xliii.).
The general workmanship is poor, and owing to a
mistake in setting out their work, the masons, in order
to avoid making the north wall (which is separated
from the next tomb going north by a small gully) too
thin, were obliged to leave an unsightly buttress in the
north-west comer of the chamber.
Tomb Ho. 16. The next tomb to the south is that
of Baqt III. Here we have an outside courts in the
northern side of which are the remains of an ashlar
wall, separating it from the tomb of Khnemhotep I. (see
PI. ii. in this volume). After passing through a door-
way 182*5 inches high, the main chamber — the largest
at Beni Hasan — is reached ; it measures 657 inches by
472 inches, and averages 186 inches high.
An architrave formerly supported by two lotus-bud
columns, which have disappeared as usual, divides the
chamber in the proportion of one-third to the east of
the architrave and two-thirds to the westj and this
seems to be the general proportion in all the tombs made
on a plan similar to this one.
Near the eastern end of the southern wall there is a
small chamber, 57*8 inches by 83*1 inches, which contains
a table of ofierings and a false doorway cut in the
western wall.
Just outside this shrine is the mouth of a large tomb-
shaft (see PL iii.). It was cleared after considerable
labour, as it contained over forty tons of stones and
boulders, some of the largest of the latter weighing as
much as six cwt. The shaft descended to a depth of
957 inches or 79 feet 9 inches, at which point a doorway
on the northern side gave access to a chamber 145*5
inches by 127*5 inches. From the centre of this
chamber another well went down a further 240 inches
or 20 feet, and at the bottom, on the southern side, a
doorway led into a chamber which measures at floor level
144*4 inches by 100 inches. On each side benches 25
inches wide run the whole length of the chamber, at
about 32'5 inches above the floor ; on them were pro-
bably ranged the coffins and ofierings. Beyond this
large, roughly-finished chamber is a smaller chamber
or passage, sloping down from the fioor level of the
southern wall. It has been carefully finished, and
measures 158*5 inches by 56*5 inches, and 76*8 inches
high ; at the lower end is a small square hole 25*5 inches
deep and 25*5 inches by 24*8 inches on plan. This, I
imagine, contained a species of foundation deposit. The
level of the bottom of this small shaft is 306*8 inches
or 25 feet 6 inches below the bottom of the great shaft,
making thus a total depth of 1263 inches or 105 feet
3 inches below the fioor level of the chamber above.
This is, as far as I am aware^ the deepest shaft yet found
and cleared in Egypt.
Returning to the surface, the great doorway calls for
notice. Above the jamb, on the northern side, is a
curious hole in the wall, apparently intended to take a
wooden or bronze socket, which must have projected
from the wall and have held the door-post, as there is
no lintel. The door seems to have shut fiat against the
doorway^ and not to have fitted it as in most of the
tombs.
BENI HASAN.
77
Tomb Ho. 16. The next tomb^ No. 16 on the plan, is
an exact counterpart of the tomb of Khnemhotep I.
(No. 14). It served as our dwelling-house during the
time we were at Beni Hasan.
Tomb Ho. 17. The tomb of Khety (No. 17 on the plan
and PL ix.) is the second largest in the group. A plain
door-way 171 inches high leads into a chamber 625*7
inches long and 457 inches wide. On the northern side
of the doorway is a curious buttress projecting from the
western wall^ which has been partly destroyed, but was
formerly 62 or 63 inches high. On its southern face
are the remains of some carving, not unlike the back
leg of an Egyptian chair ; possibly there was a small
figure here ; but as the doorway has no sockets for the
door-post, and it is difficult to see how it can have been
closed, perhaps the buttress may have been connected
with the fastening of the door, rather than be the
remains of a seated figure.
Two architraves running noHh and south, and sup-
ported by six lotus-bud columns, of which the northern
one in the western architrave and the central one in
the eastern are still intact, give this tomb a more
finished appearance than that of Baqt (Tomb No. 15).
The columns were painted in alternate bands, 12*5
inches wide, of yellow and green (?) (now turned blue) .
the buds themselves, painted blue-green with white
stripes 0*75 inch to 1*0 inch wide, were fastened with a
binding alternately purple (originally red?) and blue-
green, the end of the tie which appears above the
binding being of a lighter blue than the bud, while thab
below it is red.
This large tomb contains only two mummy-pits, both
on the southern side.
Tomb Ho. 18, The next tomb requiring notice is
No. 18. Its interest lies in the plan, which will be
more readily understood from PI. xxi. than from a
description.
There are ten columns in various degrees of comple-
tion. Nine of these support three long architraves
running north and south ; the remaining one supports
a small architrave, which runs east and west, a con-
trivance which may well be an addition to the original
plan, and intended to hide the unsightliness of the
corner necessitated by the presence of a small tomb
of apparently earlier date immediately to the south
of the one we are treating of.
The greatest length of the chamber is 702 inches and
the greatest width 453 inches. It is entirely rough.
just as the workmen lefb it, excepting that several of
the columns have since then been destroyed. From
those that remain we see that the method employed in
shaping the lotus-bud columns was, first, to rough out
a pillar of square or diamond-shaped section : in the
centre of the sides of this V-shaped cuts were then
made, and gradually enlarged until the proper depth
between the stems was reached ; the four stems were
then shaped by narrow vertical cuts until the form was
sufficiently roimd to allow of the remaining irregu-
larities and comers being faced down with finishing
tools.
Though far from finished, this tomb contains five
burial-pits, none of which have been cleared.
Tomb Ho. 21. The tomb of Nekhta, No. 21 on the plan,
and PI. xxii., is exactly similar to that of Khnemhotep I.
It measures 868 inches by 330 inches, but is unfinished.
The work, so far as it has gone, is better than that of
most of the tombs in this group, and it has the advan-
tage of being executed in an excellent piece of rock, the
stratum in which the tombs are cut apparently varying
in quality. As will be seen from the section, the roof
slopes away on each side from the centre, in consequence
of which the architrave has a less flat appearance.
Every trace of the columns has gone, but they were
probably of the lotus-bud type.
The chamber contains two shafts on the south side,
and there is another just outside the door. The larger
of the interior shafts is peculiar, as the walls of rock
have been left standing 16 inches above floor level, thus
forming a parapet round the mouth of the shaft.
On the north side of the doorway there is a rough
buttress similar to that in the tomb of Khety, but as
the door is still quite rough it is difficult to express any
opinion as to its use.
Tomb Ho. 22. This tomb is unfinished, but has two
false doors ; it does not call for particular notice.
Tomb Ho. 23. The tomb of Netemekht, PL zxiii.
Again we have an unfinished tomb, the chamber being
354 inches by 327 inches; the architrave shows
scarcely a trace of the columns, and the floor none at
alL
The floor has been much cut over as a quarry in
later times, and the graffiti show that during the
Coptic period the chamber was used as a 8chool-room«
The roof, on the eastern side of the architrave, has
been painted in patterns, with a band of inscription
down the centre from north to south.
78
BENI HASAN.
The painted eastern wall seems to show clearly that
the painting^ of the tomb went on side by side with the
excavation.
Tomb Ho. 24. Outside this tomb, but now joined to
it by the partition wall having been cut away, there is
a small^ uninscribed tomb (No. 24), in the shaft of
which was found an undisturbed burial of the Xlth or
Xnth Dynasty.
This small tomb has an arched roof^ but is otherwise
not remarkable.
Tomb Ho. 27. The next noteworthy tomb (that of
Bemushenta^ PI. xxvi.) was simply a plain chamber^
measuring 355 inches by 856*5 inches. It never had
either architrave or columns, but seems to have been
carefully finished ; the average height of the roof above
floor level is 184 inches. On the southern half of the
western wall is a false doorway, which was left un-
finished. The chamber contained six burial shafts.
Tomb Ho. 29. This tomb, that of Baqt I., is re-
markable chiefly for its size (see PI. xxvii.). Here the
masons have got too high in the stratum, the result
being that they have had to leave the roof full of
boulders, in a very rough state ; moreover, they did not
allow enough thickness in the roof, so that parts have
fallen in, and the rest is cracked and liable to come
down in a few years' time, unless it is built up with
piers or in some other way supported. The chamber
measures 485 inches by 400 inches. Again we have
neither architrave nor columns ; the average height of
the roof above floor level being 150 inches. On the
outside the door has been so much cut away that its
real height cannot be determined.
The Coptic inhabitants of this tomb cut doorways
through the northern and southern walls into the
adjoining tombs.
Tomb Ho. 32. This tomb (PI. xxxiii.), unfortunately
without a name, brings us to an entirely different
style of architecture, for here we go back to the out-
side portico, with an arched roof, and an architrave
supported by two octagonal columns, similar to
Amenemhat's tomb in the Northern Group.
A doorway 144 inches high gives entrance into a
chamber 333 inches by 228 inches. On referring to the
Plate it will be seen that the floor level is 19 inches
above the door-sill, and that there is a great sloping
shaft occupying the entire breadth of the doorway.
This leads one to suppose that there were probably steps
placed at the entrance to reach the level of the floor,
and these would mask the opening to the tomb shaft.
Inside we find the roof made in three arches, divided
by two architraves running east and west, and formerly
supported by two columns, of which the sole remains
are the bases ; the height to the under side of the archi-
traves from floor level is, on an average, 160 inches, and
to the intrddos of the side arches 191*5 inches.
On the eastern wall we have another peculiarity : a
shrine doorway, standing above a species of pedestal
39'8 inches high, leads into a small shrine measuring
102*3 inches by 89'7 inches, on the eastern wall of
which are the remains of a small sculptured figure.
The doorway is 81*8 inches high ; there are no steps up
to this shrine, which was closed, as usual, with a wooden
door.
Besides the shaft in the doorway, there is a second
sloping shaft inside in the south-west comer, descend-
ing 366 inches, or 30*5 fjpet, at a slope of 1 to H, and
ending in a very small unfinished chamber.
Tomb Ho. 33. Next to Tomb No. 32, and joined to it
by a doorway cut through the dividing wall by the Copts,
is the tomb of Baqt II., No. 38 in the Sketch Survey,
and PI. xxxiv. It consists of a very plain chamber,
measuring 405*4 inches by 403*8 inches, entered by a
doorway 101*4 inches high and 43*3 inches wide, which
is too small to light it properly. The doorway has a
peculiarity in the socket, the door-post being on the
south or right-hand side of the door ; this is, I think,
the only case at Beni Hasan in which a door appears to
have opened to the right. The roof has an average
height of 133*2 inches at the four comers, but rises to
138*7 in the centre of the east wall. There were no
columns or architrave.
Along the eastern wall are three tomb-shafts, the
southernmost of which is the largest example of the
square type of shafts here ; it measures 62*5 inches by
62*7 inches, and was probably intended to be 3 cubits
square, the cubit in this case being 20*7 inches.
The six remaining tombs do not seem to merit
particular notice. They were measured, and their plftns
will be seen in PL xxxvii. of the present volume.
BBNI HASAN.
79
II. ANTIQUITIES FOUND IN THE
EXCAVATIONS.
As much time and care was spent in clearing the
tombs and some of the mummy-pits, it may be well to
give a short account of the results.
Tomb Ho. 3. As already mentioned, the clearing of a
shaft in the tomb of Khnemhotep II. yielded part of
one of the columns and a rough table of offerings. We
found also in pottery one small red clay pot, of the shape
of the alabaster kohl-pots so common in the Xllth
Dynasty tombs at El-Lah&n and Sakk&rah ; half of a
large circular clay stand for the pointed vases of the
period; two flat-bottomed dishes and one round-bottomed
dish, of red clay, rouge- faced ; and also one or two un-
broken and several broken offering-saucers, in rough
brown-red clay, similar to those found at Meidftm.
Besides these, we discovered a solid baked clay lid of a
canopic jar with human head. This differs slightly
from similar lids found in the Theban necropolis, which
are often hollow. These latter seem to date as early as
the beginning of the X Vlllth Dynasty, as I found one
in the tomb-well of a man named Amenemhat (his
mother's name being Antef); in the chamber above
there was an inscription dated 28th year of Thothmes
III., painted over an older inscription.
Besides the pottery, the tomb gave us the ends of a
necklace, one perfect, the other broken, made of blue
glazed pottery, showing holes along the edge for six
threads; a few beads and a pendant bead in similar
material probably belonged to this or similar neck-
laces.^
Three skulls were found and photographed, one being
remarkable for the general massive appearance and firm
square jaw. This skull bore traces of mummy cloth,
and may reasonably be supposed to have been that of
Khnemhotep himself. Acting on this belief, I carefully
re-buried it, after building up the door of the tomb
chamber with a stone wall.
In the small unfinished well in front of the shrine
there was a clay bottle of Coptic date. It was closed
with a leaden plug, but contained only clean sand.
Tomb Ho. 7. This tomb had a single shaft, which
when cleared was found to contain a large box coffin.
^ Two hawk's-heads of bine glazed ware, with details painted
black, from the ends of two different uaekh collars. One of the
beads is large and globular, of coarse blue glazed ware.
unfortunately rifled. The wood showed only traces of
a blue inscription. Two very small wooden figures 2*6
inches high, seated, with heavy black wigs, were found
in it. They resemble the figures found on model boats
of this age at Asw&n. Besides these, a wooden paddle,'
with the handle broken, was found and brought to
England.
The dimensions of the coffin, 58*2 inches long, 20'4>
inches wide, and 11 '5 inches deep, point to a body not
more than 4 feet 2 inches in length. The material was
a fibrous wood 1'8 to 2 inches thick.
Tomb Ho. 8. Tomb No. 8 contained two shafts by the
southern wall. The western one is 204 inches deep ;
the burial chamber (on the south side of the shaft
as usual) measures 98*5 inches long, 37*25 inches wide,
and about 38*5 inches high. The burial had been rifled,
but many of the offering jars remained; they were
carefully photographed, and consisted of small, rough,
red jars whitewashed, and sealed with a lump of clay,
exactly as the honey hallos are sealed at the present
day. It is worthy of notice that the jar which seems
to have been used for pouring libations, and which has
places for the fingers at the bottom to enable it to be
easily emptied, is here still pointed at the bottom, as in
the early dynasties, and has not yet reached the flat-
bottomed form, which is found in the constructions of
the XYIIIth or XlXth dynasty behind the Bamesseum
at El-Kumeh. Fragments of several of these jars were
found.
The tomb also contained a rough slab of alabaster, on
which had been cemented eight upright pieces, two of
which were recovered. They seem to be for some game,
but it is neither the well-known 3 by 10 game nor that
mentioned by Mr. Flinders Petrie (Kahuuj Ourob, and
Hawara, page 30).
Some five or six small coarsely-cut wooden figures,
with heavy black wigs, red bodies, and white waist-
cloths, and a pair of white-painted wooden sandals (one
of which was too much damaged to remove), complete
the list of objects found in this shaft.
The chamber had been closed by slabs of stone 46
by 16 by 8*5 inches. The coffin was too much destroyed
to afford any dimensions. The eastern shaft, 132 inches
deep, the chamber to the south being 94 inches long,
35 inches wide and 41*5 inches high, contained similar
' Blade 9 inches, handle (imperfect?) 18 inches, broken
across.
80
BENI HASAN.
pottery and an unbroken box^ the outside dimensions of
which were 24*5 by 15 inches and 14*2 inches deep.
The lid had battens pegged inside, and the box was
fastened by means of a small knob in the side^ corre-
sponding to a hooked peg on the lid (the same method
of fastening appears frequently in the wall-paintings of
Tomb No. 2 and others) ; the side pieces were morticed
and overlapped at the top. It was painted white inside,
with a thin plaster coat outside painted red. Inside
was the body of a baby. Below it lay a disturbed
coffin, measuring 73*9 inches long, 17*7 inches wide,
and 10*5 inches deep, the wood 0*8 inches thick. This
coffin would contain a body 5 feet 6 inches or 5 feet
8 inches long.
Tomb Ho. 9. Outside this tomb is a shaft occupying
almost the entire frontage space. This was carefully
cleared, and yielded two large red jars and two smaller
ones, a saucer and cup, and a broken offering-stand in
light red pottery white-faced. The shapes were dis-
tinctly of the Xllth Dynasty, and the material of the
saucer and cup was the same as that of the saucers and
cups which were so plentiful at Kahun. The shapes
can be seen in Mr. Flinders Petrie's book {Kahun,
Ouroh, and Hawara, PI. xii., Nos. 22, 27, 33 ; PI. xiii.,
62, 94). A small limestone eye for inlaying was also
found. The coffins had been destroyed, and only small
fragments of them were found.
Tomb Ho. 16. The tomb of Baqt III., with the
great shaft, gave us unfortunately next to nothings so
completely had it been rifled. One of the small wells
contained the remains of the burnt coffin, from which I
secured one fair-sized fragment with a hieratic inscrip-
tion on it, presumably from the Book of the Dead.
The great well gave us a few unbroken jars, of the
pointed-bottom form with finger places, and many
fragments of the short-necked wide-mouthed vessels
which seem to belong generally to the Xllth Dynasty.
One small kohl-pot in black clay was found, similar to
the red clay one from Tomb No. 8.
The wooden objects had entirely decayed, owing, no
doubt, to the fact that the chamber has been, on one
occasion at least, full of water. Several arms and
pieces of the small rough figures cut in wood, before
mentioned, were lying on the benches in the tomb
chamber, but the slightest touch turned them to
powder.
In the upper chamber, at the bottom of the great
shaft, we found a small cartouche-shaped saucer, in
syenite (?), and a small kohl-pot in a material resembling
marble more than alabaster. From the shaft itself we
recovered a portion of a rough table of offerings, in lime-
stone, painted red.
Tomb Ho. 22. In this unfinished tomb there is a
small shaft at the south-east comer, which contained
some of the ordinary jars and two saucers in very good
red-glazed ware, similar to the Keneh clay which is
extensively used for making ornamental vases and pipes
in the present day. One of these saucers had a foot to
it, which is a distinct advance on the ordinary flat-
bottomed pattern.
This burial also yielded the greater part of the blade
of a battle-axe in bronze.^ It appears to have been 15
inches long, and from 1*8 to 0*9 inches broad; it had
been attached to a handle by nine rivets, three at each
end and three in the centre, and the back of the blade
was beaten up and made to form a stiff ridge between
the centre and the end. This arrangement added
greatly to its strength, but the blade seems too narrow
and the whole too light for it to be a very deadly
weapon. Thie skull found was that of a young man,
probably he had been a soldier.
Tomb Ho. 24. As before mentioned, this tomb
proved to have an undisturbed burial ; the door of the
burial chamber was built up with stones and mud
bricks, the latter measuring 13*5 by 6*5 by 2 inches.
Unfortunately, the zeal of the workmen caused them
to get inside before telling me. However, I saw the
body lying, with head to north, in a plain wooden
coffin, on the lid and round the sides of which was an
inscription in blue paint ; a space had been left for the
name, which had been put in so roughly and in such
bad colour that I was unable to read it. The dimen-
sions of this coffin were length 74*1 inches, width
about 20 inches, depth 6*7 inches, and thickness of
wood 0*8 inch.
Thirteen stands for jars were found, but the jars
themselves were broken ; it is possible that there was
not room for them in the small tomb chamber, and so
they were left in the shaft, where they would be broken
by the falling of chips thrown in.
Tomb Ho. 28. In a shaft outside a disturbed burial
gave us some jars which look rather later than the
^ Weax>ou8 of the same type are seen in Pis. ziy. and rvi. of
the first part of this memoir.
BENI HA8AN.
81
Xllth Dynastyy and perhaps belong to the unsettled time
which succeeded it.
Three fragments of a stela were found in this shaft ;
it had been a good piece of stone carefully inscribed.
They were^ however^ at the request of the Ghizeh
Museum^ handed over to the native inspector^ together
with the jars.
Tomb Ho. 32. From the sloping shaft of Tomb No. 82
a fragment of a Greek inscription was recovered^ which
appears to bear the name of one of the Ptolemies.
This also was handed over to the museum authorities
(vide p. 68).
Tomb in Lower Bange. From the appearance of the
ground, I was led to imagine that one of the shafts
in the lower range of tombs at the southern end was
still intact. This proved to be the case^ and hence we
are able to show what a burial of the middle class kind
was like during the Xllth Dynasty.
The shaft itself was only some 16 feet deep; the
entrance to the burial chamber being, as usual, to the
south. The doorway had been built up carefully with
stones from below, and, apparently, a single row of
bricks above the stone wall; but the top was closed by
two large boulders, weighing some 4 cwts. each, which
appear to have been merely dropped into position. They
did not, of course, fit the door exactly, and crushed and
upset the bricks ; and through the interstices sand was
washed into the tomb by rains, until the weight of
it burst in the lid of the coffin and it half-filled the
tomb.
The coffin was found in place, but filled with sand ;
it measured 69 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 15 deep,
and had originally been covered with a thin yellow
stucco or paint, on which there had been a blue inscrip-
tion; but of this, unfortunately, only minute traces
remained. At the northern end, on the lid of the coffin,
were two wooden bars or stands, having places in each
for three figures, the remains of which, more or less
destroyed, were found inside the coffin; these figures
were represented standing, apparently with the arms
raised above the head, the body painted dark red, white
waist-cloths and heavy black wigs. Three of the
figures were in a slightly bent attitude, and there was
a seventh figure in a bent attitude, coloured yellow
instead of red, very much decayed. In the coffin were
found a small wooden bird, apparently the homed owl,
a wooden stand painted black and white, and pieces of
the model of an ox, made with a plaster head and horns
and wooden body painted with black spots on white.
These objects, too, seem to have been placed outside
the coffin, on the lid, and to have fallen into it.
Inside, the body was laid straight, with the head
north and bent to the east ; beside the head was a small
rough wooden pillow, with a flat fluted stem. There
were no ornaments on the body, but it had been
mummified, and fragments of the cloth, of a coarse
texture, remained on the skull.
Wedged between the coffin and the eastern wall
were four small jars, the clay sealings of which had been
omitted, and above them was a single larger jar ; all five
were in material and shape apparently of the Xllth
Dynasty.
This was evidently not the burial of a rich person,
but it appears from the other tombs that the nobles
had similar objects buried with them, only in greater
quantities; they also seem to have had the finer
alabaster jars, cups, and kohl-pots, which are found as
well as, but not instead of, the plain pottery and figures,
which perhaps formed part of the burial ceremonial of
everybody, from the king to the petty scribe.
Conolusions. To sum up the results of the clearance
of the shafts and the evidence to be gained from those
which were already open;^-one point appears clear,
namely, that the tomb chamber was to the south of the
shaft almost without exception.
The coffins were plain boxes or sarcophagi, those
of the nobles being highly painted in panel patterns,
with extracts from the Book of the Dead in hieratic;
the commoner ones were painted, or thinly stuccoed,
yellow with blue inscriptions.
In the two burials, apparently of the Xllth Djmasty,
found intact, the bodies were mummified and laid
straight with the head to the north.
Further, it seems probable, but not actually certain,
that it was the custom to place wooden figures, such as
are described above, with the burials, and in these we
may perhaps see the beginning of the funereal figures,
or ushabtiuj afterwards so common.
BBNl HASAN.
TABLE I.-ToMB No. 3.
(See Pt. I., PL v., Fig. 2, and p. 74 of this Tolome.)
OfF-SBTB on TEX PUNl FaOB OV A I6-BIDKD COLOMN.
fi'i-
From Oailing Downwudl.
Inchei.
Ofliling.
0«S
10
1-66
20
1-56
30
1-25
40
loa
SO
115
60
0-95
70
1-16
80
0-96
90
0-96
100
0-86
110
0-93
120
0-76
130
0-85
140
0-76
160
0-7
160
0-56
170
■ 0-26
180
0-16
190
0-16
201
0-0
BBNI HASAN.
83
TABLE Il.-ToMB No. 2.
(See Part L, PL y., Fig., 3, and p. 75 of this yolame.)
Height.
Inohes.
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
^30
240
241-6
242-8
Off'SetB from yertioal to the North and Soath Walls from ceiling downwards.
Inohes.
North WaU.
South Wall.
West.
Centre.
East.
West.
Centre.
East.
2-4
0-9
1-5
00
0-65
4-6
2-32
0-8
1-6
005
0-6
4-55
2-4
0-8
1-6
0-33
0-59
4-68
2-38
0-88
1-5
0-45
0-6
4-42
2-3
0-72
1-48
0-46
0-6
4-45
2-3
0-65
1-45
0-58
0-5
•
4-4
2-1
0-68
1-5
0-45
0-6
4-55
2-3
0-55
2-45
0-75
0-4
4-3
2-2
0-6
1-4
1-05
0-5
4-5
2-05
0-65
1-7
M5
0-42
4-42
2-06
0-6
1-4
13
0-4
4-48
1
2-3
0-48
1-4
1-45
0-38
4-3
2-15
0-48
1-3
1-65
0-4
4-4
2-15
0-5
1-38
1-75
0-42
4-88 •
2-05
0-4
1-28
1-85
0-4
43
209
0-5
1-22
1-9
0-38
4-3
2-0
0-61
M6
1-95
0-35
4-2
2-05
0-45
112
0-65
0-32
4*35
2-06
0-48
M
0-77
0-28
4-25
2-9
0-48
1-2
0-7
0-25
4-25
1-88
0-42
M
0-73
0-2
3-8
2-45
0-5
095.
0-65
0-08
8-0
1-3
0-4
0-9
0-63
0-1
1-2
0-0
0-7
0-7
0-0
0-55
0-0
—
Floorunfinifihed
00
—
—
—
OK)
M 2
84
BENI HASAN.
TABLE III- Tomb No. 3.
(See Pt. I., PI. xxiii., Fig, 7, and p. 75 of this yolume.)
Height.
Off>8et8 from vertioal to the North and South Walls, from ceiling to floor.
Inches.
Inohes.
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
213-5
217-5
218-5
220
North Wall.
South Wall.
West.
Centre.
East.
West.
Centre.
East.
0-45
013
0-2
1-25
017
0-2
0-8
0-19
0-2
10
0-15
01
0-2
0-23
0*1
1-25
015
0-19
0-3
0-19
0-0
0-7
015
012
0-26
0-3
005
0-5
005
0-15
0-2
0-1
0-1
0-45
0-13
013
0-2
0-1
00
0-29
0-15
00
0-1
0-05
0-1
00
005
0-0
01
0-0
0-0
0-2
007
0-08
00
01
00
0-15
0-0
0-05
0-15
0-0
005
0-05
0-10
0-09
0-06
—
•
—
—
—
—
0-1
—
—
—
—
—
0-2
—
01
0-02
—
—
—
—
BENI HASAN.
TABLE IV — Tomb No. 3.
(See Pt L, PI, zxiii., Fig. 6, and p. 75 of this volume.)
I«Mth.
Off-iete from HorJiontal Line
to tlM Knirtli and Sonth Walla from
EMttoWMt.
LBngth.
Off-nta from Borizoulal Line
to the North and fioath Wklts from
Bait to Wett.
InohBi.
InahBB.
Inoha*.
North Wall.
Sonth W»1L
tnohei.
North Wall.
Sooth Wall.
0-89
0-69
200
Oil
019
10
0-11
0-90
310
0-31
0-10
20
O-09
0-60
220
0-29
012
30
OO
0-54
230
0-31
015
40
0-01
0-63
240
031
O'O
50
0-09
0-58
250
0-30
0-02
60
0-U
0-59
360
0-39
0-12
70
0-12
0-65
270
043
0-2O
80
0-21
0-60
380
0-43
013
90
0-30
0-50
290
0-43
012
100
0-31
0'48
300
0-40
018
110
0-U
0-45
310
0-51
0'02
120
010
0-50
330
0-53
006
130
0O5
039
330
0-41
-
140
0-09
O-40
340
0'49
008
150
010
0-30
360
0-ei
Oil
160
Oil
0'38
360
0-69
0O8
170
Oil
0-30
370
-
0-03
180
on
0-40
377-6
0-61
0-1 »
190
0-31
0-32
Tomb No. 16.
Beni Hasan.
Tomb No. 15.
PUi
Plan at A.B.
PLANS AND SECTION OF MUMMY-PIT A.
r-i
Plan at C.D.E.F.
f«0
Scale of inches.
"W*^
Section.
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Plate IX.
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Beni Hasan.
Tomb No. 17.
Beni Hasan. Tomb No. 17. Plate XVIII.
Western Architrave.
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SOUTHERN END.
Eastern Architrave.
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SOUTHERN END.
4-j3A^flTl BATJSl^igSSr^^^Si^il,"^
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NORTHERN END.
ARCHITRAVE INSCRIPTIONS.
{Band copy by P.E.N.).
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BENI HUAN.
Tomb No. 18.
A 3
/
Tomb No. 21.
Tomb No. 21.
Plat? XXIIa.
fr^:^4^^^fri3f^|u^;^^^^^
SOUTH WALL.
y J
Beni Hasan. Tomb No. 23. Plate XXill.
Tf
' V
\
o
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oc
Q
UJ
I- <N
z ^
< "^
Q. ^
O
<
Q.
z
o
lil
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f> li.
I
Looie sheet for reference.
THE EGYPTIAN ALPHABET,
WITH THE
CURRENT METHODS OF TRANSLITERATION.
I
Mr. Benonfs
Gmmnar.
= a
\ -
a
= a
X
u
ii =
^ =
^ -
D = i?
= /
k =
m
A/VWW
ra
:= 71
=s r
= ^
Beni Haaan,
PartL
>
t
y
w
f
fn
n
T
h
Beni Haaan,
PartIL
a
a
a
y
u
p
f
tn
n
i
Mr. Benouf 8 Beni Hasan, Beni Hasan,
Qrammar. Part I. Part II.
a= A ... A ... h
= X
P =
□O =
£ =
a
^ =
... ...
8
S
h
= k
= <
=: d
t
= ^ ... rf
f ... d
rkh
My early •<
8 ... «, early
/ ... sh
fc ...
«
8.
e
I early
fh
• • In the present volnme e is nsed as a connective when required, and the reader may neglect the
diaoritioal marks in pronunciation.
Tomb No. 23.
Plate XXIII.
o
itvff'V'ic'VT'vy'jff''^'^
yrtl-^-W'trv^'tV'VV^Vif'^yf'VV^'j[V^'t'il''^'i[^'W'^VT
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mmmmm
fvJo. 23.
^/='J^^~
Tomb No. 23.
HrftAH.iHS&PM'VHMfeKR
ffiT.
Tomb No. 27.
Plate XXVf.
r-
n
D
□
Section Front Elevation
PLAN AND SECTIONS.
Tomb No. 29.
Ojgi
FRONT Elevation
■ * ' ■ ' T
^•las*"
PLAN AND FRONT ELEVATION.
\
m
s
|2
s
i2
if
11
'///
A1AIA1A1AIAIAIA1AI/^IAL^IAIA1AI/\IA1A1A1AI/\1AIAIA1A]AIAIA1AI^
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II l[ II II II iF
-4^
A
I
o
s
Tomb No 32.
Plate XXXlll.
PLAN, ELEVATION AND SECTIONS.
i!
I'
!i
, c
i.
};
Beni Hasan.
Tomb No. 33.
Plate XXXIV.
§1
8
«-
Front Elevation
I..
%.
Tomb No. 33.
Plate XXXVI.
M^^^
'i.^Mj:-.-yv:»Vrjg^><<n^Mixiivii
Rf
^
14^
A.B.C. TOP ROW OF THE EAST WALL.
Thi lover nm are muck mutilated.
D. FALSE DOOR SCULPTURED ON THE WEST
WALL, SOUTH SIDE OF ENTRANCE DOORWAY
Beni Hasan.
Miscellaneous Tombs.
Plate XXXVi
Scale 1 : 50,
40
CO
o
z
K
O
O
o
Ul
CO
-I
<
00
CO
•
o
z
m
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co
6
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o
z
lO
CO
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o
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m
2
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co
Tomb No 32.
Plate XXXIII.
PLAN, ELEVATION AND SECTIONS.
V
BENI HA8AN.
Tomb No. 33.
Plate XXXIV.
8n
§
«
Front Elevation
'\
: :
I
w^
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