ROYALTY 1

(ph) Narmer was the first? king of all Egypt, about 3100BCE (~J1600). This vase was found in the tomb of King Aha, a successor. The plaque below shows a sketch of the inscription on the vase. The inscription is just about invisible on this 5,000 year old vase.

(ph) A vase with an inscription of King Khasekhem, about 2754-2727BCE (J1959-1986). A drawing of the inscription and a closeup of the vase are shown below. It is possible the northern and southern Egypt split apart (again!) and that Khaskhem reunited the country by force.

(ph) The inscription reads: "The year of fighting and smiting the northerners." - Translation by the University of Pennsylvania. The country had been unified under a southern (Upper Egyptian) kingship. The old divisions of the country seem to have rumbled on for millenia.

(ph) A vase of King Qaa, the last king of dynasty 1. About 2860BCE (~J1840)

(oi) This is the cartouche of the king who built the great pyramid at Giza more than 4,000 years ago. About 2470BCE (J2243).

(ph) This fragment comes from a temple built by King Senwosret II, one of the great kings of the Middle Kingdom. About 1898-1879BCE (J2815-2834)

(ph) King Montuhotep II, one of the great kings of the Middle Kingdom, ruled from about 2061-2010BCE (J2652-2703). He was the first king to extend his rule over all of Egypt after the dissolution of the Old Kingdom about a century earlier.

(ph) Another fragment from the wall of a temple built by King Montuhotep II. I haven't translated it yet, probably won't get to it for a while. Egypt had been ruled by local, feudal overlords for about a hundred years before Montuhotep reunited the Two Lands under strong central authority.

(ph) More fragments from Montuhotep's mortuary temple. Traces of the original paint still decorate the stones. In the bottom fragment we can see most of his throne name, Nebhepetre, followed right at the bottom by glyphs which read "Son of Ra" which would then have been followed by his birth name, Montuhotep.

(oi) Reigned for at least 45 years, perhaps 20 of those as co-regent with his father, Senwosret III. His first pyramid, built at Dahshur, collapsed, He had time to build a second, this one at Hawara, which for its complexity was known to the Greeks more than a thousand years later as the Labyrinth. The last sole ruler of his dynasty was Sobekhotep, who may have been his daughter. Dyn 12, 1842-1797BCE (J2871-2916).

(ph) This king died fighting to reunite Egypt under his rule. An axe like the one on the right, when equipped with a handle, would have been used against him. A group of Canaanite immigrants called the Hyksos had seized control of northern Egypt and ruled it for more than a century until they were expelled by one of Seqenenre's successors. Some scholars think that the expulsion of the Hyksos may have played a part in forming the Exodus legend of later times.

(oi) Maat-Ka-Re Hatshepsut was a woman who became of King (that's right, King) of Egypt about 1472BCE (J3241). There was no position of "queen" as we understand it in ancient Egypt. A few other women ruled Egypt from time to time, but none in her own right as king and so successfully until Kleopatra VII almost 15 centuries later

(fm) An unamed female official in the service of Hatshepsut before she became king sits patiently awaiting her next instructions. Around her are the implements of her civilization, a scribe's writing materials at her feet at her right, a stone stela, inscribed, on her left. Traces of the original paint remain, particularly in her hair. About 1472BCE (J3241)

(fm) Hatshepsut's Prime Minister and possibly her lover/consort. Among other things he was entrusted with the care and education of her daughter Neferure. The two are shown here, the young princess in the elder courtier's lap. About 1472BCE (J3241)

(fm) A closup of the Senenmut and Neferure. His name means "Son of Mut", Mut being the mother goddess. Her name means "The wonders of Ra". About 1472BCE (J3241)

(fm) The child, Neferure, wears the typical hairdo of well-to-do Egyptians. Her head is shaved except for the long sidelock on the right side of her head. Notice also the diadem she wears on her forehead. About 1472BCE (J3241)

(fm) The cartouche on the bottom line of the statue shows Neferure's name. Each of the three vertical signs is read "nfr" (we don't have the vowels). In groups of three the signs form a plural, "nfrw", hence "wonders". The round sign on the right is the Sun, Re. Hence "nfrw-re", "Neferure". Yet the cartouche, and the rest of the writing is read from right to left, the symbol of the Sun-god coming first, in honor, but pronounced after the rest. About 1472BCE (J3241)

(ph) Hatshepsut served as regent for her younger half-brother Djehutymes III but soon elevated herself to the status of King, co-ruler with Djehutymes, although ruling alone until he came of age. Obviously, she couldn't have done this without support, yet the details of her intriguing are completely lost to history. A long time after her death, her part, on the left side of this stela, was hacked out.

(ph) After Hatshepsut's death, Djehutymes went on alone to become one of Egypt's great conqueror kings, campaigning as far north as the Euphrates River in northern Syria. Also known as Tuthmosis III (same name, different rendering), he has been called the "Napoleon" of Egypt. Perhaps Napoleon should be called the "Djehutymes of France". The Egyptian's king empire survived his death, Napoleon's didn't.

(ph) The son of Dhehutymes III. Physically very strong and energetic. He campaigned successfully in Syria and Nubia (modern Sudan). 1414 - 1388BCE (J3299-3325).

(ph) Two fragmentary jar stoppers bearing the names of this king, who ruled at the height of Egypt's New Kingdom glory. #15 bears his birth name, Amenhotep.#14 shows his throne name, Neb-maat-ra. The wall drawing below gives you a guide to the inscription on the stopper. Below and to the left is a scarab mounted showing the inscription in the mirror. It talks about a lion hunt conducted by Amenhotep. 1378-1339BCE (J3335-3374)