| Ramessesnakhte | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Ramesses is Strong" | ||||||||||
 Statue of Ramessesnakhte presenting the Theban Triad.© | ||||||||||
| Predecessor: Bakenkhonsu II |
High Priest of Amun | Successor: Amenhotep | ||||||||
| Dynasty | 20th Dynasty | |||||||||
| Pharaoh(s) | Ramesses IV — Ramesses IX | |||||||||
| Titles | High Priest of Amun Nomarch of Waset Mayor of Thebes | |||||||||
| Father | Merybastet | |||||||||
| Spouse(s) | Adjedet-Aa | |||||||||
| Issue | Amenhotep, Nesamun, Tamerit | |||||||||
| Burial | TT293 | |||||||||
- For other pages by this name, see Ramessesnakhte.
Ramessesnakhte (ancient Egyptian: rꜥ-ms-s-nꜣḫt.w, "Ramesses is Strong") was an ancient Egyptian high official of the Twentieth Dynasty during the New Kingdom, serving approximately three decades as High Priest of Amun.
Family[]
Ramessesnakhte was the son of Merybastet, who was Chief Steward of the pharaoh. Ramessesnakhte was married to Adjedet-Aat, the daughter of Setau, High Priest of Nekhbet at Eileithyiaspolis (modern el-Kab). Ramessesnakhte is depicted in his father-in-law's tomb at Eileithyiaspolis.
Ramessesnakhte and Adjedet-Aat had at least two sons; Amenhotep and Nesamun, and a daughter named Tamerit. His son Amenhotep would succeed him in office and there is evidence that, at least for a while, his son, the Second Prophet of Amun Nesamun also acted as High Priest of Amun.[1] His daughter Tamerit married Amenemopet, the Third Prophet of Amun and grandson of the High Priest of Amun Bakenkhonsu I who served under Ramesses II, tying these two prominent priestly families through marriage.
Biography[]
As High Priest, Ramessesnakhte personally led a massive mining expedition to the rock quarries of Wadi Hammamat in Year 3 of Ramesses IV. According to a rock-cut stela recording the event,[2] the expedition consisted of 8,368 men alone; including 5,000 soldiers, 2,000 personnel of the Amun temples, 800 Apiru and 130 stonemasons and quarrymen.[3] Ramessesnakhte also secured gold and galena (for eye paint) under Ramesses VII and IX.[4]
Theban Graffito 1860a[]
For a time it was believed that there might have been two High Priests of Amun called Ramessesnakhte.[5] This was based on an incorrect reading of Theban graffito 1860a. This graffito was dated to an anonymous Year 8 and seemed to mention, besides Ramessesnakhte, a Royal Butler and the Mayor of Thebes Amenmose, a Chief Workman of the Necropolis called Amennakhte. Bierbrier suggested to identify this Amennakhte with the Chief Workman of that name who was active in Year 3 of Ramesses X.[6] This would make the Ramessesnakhte of the graffito into the second High Priest of this name. However, Bierbrier's hypothesis would also imply that Ramesses X reached a hitherto unattested Year 8. At the time this seemed to be confirmed by a theory of Richard Parker who, on solely astronomical grounds had postulated a Year 9 for Ramesses X.[7][8] Parker's theory has since been abandoned, and Lanny Bell has shown that the graffito actually mentioned a certain "Pamose, son of the Chief Workman Amennakhte" and not the workman himself.[9] Bell suggested that Theban graffito 1860a actually belonged to Year 8 of the reign of Ramesses VI. Although his hypothesis introduces a hitherto unknown Chief Workman Amennakhte, this is a far more economical solution than having to postulate a second High Priest Ramessesnakhte, a new Mayor Amenmose and some five otherwise unattested years for Ramesses X.[10]
Death and Burial[]
Surrounding the date of his death and burial there is some controversy. The highest attested date for Ramessesnakhte so far stems from Year 2 of Ramesses IX.[11] In a text stemming from the reign of Ramesses XI,[12][13] the High Priest of Amun, Amenhotep, refers to the burial of his father "in year ..... [year lost] of Pharaoh".[14] Since, during this period, in official texts the mere term "Pharaoh" was normally used only to refer to the living king,[15][16] and since Amenhotep is first attested in office in Year 9 of Ramesses IX,[17] Ramessesnakhte must have died under this king.
Ramessesnakhte was buried in his TT293 rock-cut tomb at Dra' Abu el-Naga', which forms part of the greater Theban Necropolis.
References[]
- ↑ Thijs 2009.
- ↑ Hayes 1978, p. 371.
- ↑ KRI, VI, 12-14.
- ↑ Peden 1994.
- ↑ Bierbrier 1972, p. 195-199.
- ↑ Bierbrier 1972, p. 197.
- ↑ Parker 1951, p. 163-164.
- ↑ Bierbrier 1975, p. 251.
- ↑ Bell 1980, 7-27.
- ↑ Bell 1980, 8.
- ↑ Helck 1967, p. 135-151.
- ↑ Wente 1966, p. 73-87.
- ↑ Polz 1998, p. 283.
- ↑ Wente 1966, p. 78.
- ↑ Wente 1966, p. 82
- ↑ Thijs 2004, p. 90-92.
- ↑ Helck 1984, 245
Bibliography[]
- Bell, L., 1980: Only One High Priest Ramessenakht and the Second Prophet Nesamun his Younger Son. Serapis, Vol. 6.
- Bierbrier, M.L., 1972: A Second High Priest Ramessesnakht? Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 58.
- Bierbrier, M.L., 1975: The Length of the Reign of Ramesses X. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 61.
- Hayes W.C. 1978: The Scepter of Egypt: A Background for the Study of the Egyptian Antiquities in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vol. II.
- Helck, W., 1967: Eine Briefsammlung aus der Verwaltung des Amuntempels. Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, Vol. 6.
- Helck, W., 1984: Der Anfang des Papyrus Turin 1900 und 'Recycling' im Alten Ägypten. CDÉ 59.
- Parker, R.A., 1951: The Length of the Reign of Ramesses X. RdÉ 11.
- Peden, A.J., 1994: Egyptian Historical Inscriptions of the Twentieth Dynasty. Aegyptiaca. Paul Åströms förlag, Jonsered.
- Polz, D., 1998: The Ramsesnakht Dynasty and the Fall of the New Kingdom: A New Monument in Thebes. Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur (SAK), Vol. 25.
- Thijs, A., 2004: "My father was buried during your reign", The burial of the High Priest Ramessesnakht under Ramses XI. Discussions in Egyptology, Vol. 60.
- Thijs, A., 2009: The Second Prophet Nesamun and his claim to the High-Priesthood. Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur (SAK), Vol. 38.
- Wente, E.F., 1966: The Suppression of the High Priest Amenhotep. Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 25.
| Predecessor: Bakenkhonsu II |
High Priest of Amun 20th Dynasty |
Successor: Amenhotep |