STELAE 2

(oi) No, that's not a martini Nakht's brother is offering him nor is that an empty glass Nakht (on the left) is holding, it's a water lily which he sniffs for the sweet odor. The museum label identifies this stela as coming from Medinet Habu and that this is an offering to Nakht's Ka, the part of him that would remain in contact with the living members of his family. I have to admit, I can't make much out of this stela. 1295-1069BCE (J3418-3644)

(oi) You can read the museum label. Deir el Medina was the special community built for (and to contain) the workers who built the tombs in the Valley of the Kings and their families. The community was walled off and isolated from the rest of Egypt. ca 1182-1151BCE (J3531-3562)

(ph) Ankhnefer is adoring the god Ptah the Mighty, Lord of Maat, who is standing in a booth. With Ptah is the goddess Sekhmet. The first line of the inscription is easy: An offering which may the king gives (to) Ptah, the mighty, Lord of Maat, may he give life, wealth, and health to the Ka of the incense (the museum tag says: attendant) for Ptah. Ankhnefer was proud of his job. He drew a line over its title at the beginning, (right end) of the second line. ca 1200BCE (~J3500)

(ph) Four pictures imperfectly stitched together but I want you to enjoy the entire piece. This is actually a lintel, not a stela. In it, Ankhefenmut adores the names of his King, Siamun. 984-959BCE (J3729-3754)

(ph) The museum tag tells us that Mery, superintendent of the Royal Treasury in Nubia, and his wife Tawerethertiy, Songstress of Amun are depicted here. In the second register they are receiving offerings from their children. That's Osiris in green, representing fecundity, in the top register attended by Isis. 1190-1075 BCE (J3523-3638)

(ph) For some reason, the first line honors the king:The good god, the Lord of the Two Lands, Aa-Kheper-ka-Ra (Djehutymes I), given life forever. Rensoneb is seated, enjoying the scent of a water lily, overlooking a table loaded with food. That's Rensoneb's name in front of him. The other figure is his brother Twfn? who causes his (Rensoneb's) name to live. 1526-1508BCE (J3187-3215)

(ph) A royal offering / (to) Anubis who is upon his mountain and in the place of embalming / an invocation of bread, beer, flesh, and fowl for the Ka of Beb. Below the inscription is a load of provisions for the afterworld. Beb's servant (the diminutive figure) offers him a refreshing drink. Beb carries a walking stick in his left hand and a badge of office in the other. The museum tells us the Beb called himself a "sole companion" of the king, but I don't see that anywhere. 2160-2000BCE (J2553-2713

(ph) Bebi and Bebi Jr. are featured here, the son offering his revered father a haunch of beef which is shaped just like the adze tool with which sem-priests revitalize the mummy. It also looks like the Big Dipper asterism which represents the "imperishable (circumstellar) stars" where the souls of the departed live forever. 2180-2000BCE (J2533-2713

(ph) This fragment comes from a mastaba tomb. These tombs take their Arabic name from a backless bench which this type of structure resembles. This example most probably dates from the First Intermediate Period (between the Old and Middle Kingdoms). 2180-2040BCE (J2533-2673)

(ph) The museum tag tells us that this is a stela for Khuynakht and his woman Hedjty. I can't find their names so some other piece must have led to this identification. What I do read is a standard royal offertory involving Osiris. Servants and/or family members provide food for Khuynakht and Hedjty from a table loaded with food. 2130-2000BCE (J2583-2713)

(ph) Shensetji and her son Rehwy are identified in the second line of this stela. Right below that, on the third line I read nfr nfrw, "The gods are good". And everything is good, Shensetji and Rehwy are provided for by their butler? in the next life. 2160-2000BCE (J2553-2713)

(ph) Compare the overall style of Sheryt's stela with that of Djed-Khonsu-iw-s-ankh, the 3rd image to the right of this one. Very similar, and these are by far not the only two to bear this general pattern. Woman in a lovely transparent dress (OK with me!) on the right side of the picture facing Ra-Horakhty on the left, with a pile of foodstuffs in between. ca 900BCE (~J3831)

(ph) This stela really should be imaged with side-lighting, which was not available to me. A much better image is found on p282 of Searching for Ancient Egypt, David P. Silverman, ed. In the top register Shumay is adoring Osiris, Isis, and Horus in pictures and in text. on the right-hand side of the second register Shumay is presenting offerings to his parents. On the left side we see the "Opening of the Mouth" ceremony revivifying Shumay's mummy. 1292-1190BCE (J3421-3523)

(ph) Weser-Maat-Em-Heb presents a handful of papyrus to the deceased king Men-kheper-Ra (Djehutymes I) and requests that the king, who is now one of the immortal gods, grants him life, prosperity, and health in the afterworld. Weser served as Chief of Police, and more importantly as a Keeper of the Harem, which must be a royal harem. (No, Weser wasn't a eunuch.) ca 1200BCE (~J3500)

(oi) A royal offering (to) Ra-Horakhty, the Great God, Lord of the Sky. May he give an invocation of bread, beer, offerings, and provisions for the Osiris (i.e. the deceased) Djed-Khonsu-iw-s-ankh (the God Khonsu says: she is alive), True of Voice, daughter of the priest of Amun, the keeper of the mysteries of the sacred accouterments, the man esteemed of the gods, Ser-Djehuty. 956-715BCE (J3757-3998)

(ph) The top line is a prayer for afterlife provisions from Osiris, the main inscription, which comes after the depiction of Irtiertjai adoring an assemblage of gods, particularly Isis with her enfolding wings of protection, invokes Ra-Horakhty the Great God of the gods who comes forth from the horizon and Atum, Lord of the Two Lands. Irtiertjai was a priest ("god's father") of Amun. His mother's name was Tjai-Hut-Hor-miu ("Hathor likes to hold her"). I think his father might have a sem-priest of the highest order. ca900BCE (~J3800)

(oi) This stela is different because it clearly indicates that it is the god who is supposed to do the granting, not the king, who is merely the intercedary. This is a prayer to Renenutet, a goddess. Here's my translation: A royal offering for Renenutet. May SHE give life, prosperity, and health to the Ka of the Lady of the House, Mer-Amun-Duat. Her picture at the bottom, showing her in the act of worship, is actually part of the text, serving as a determinative. 1182-1145BCE (J3531-3568)