Stela of King Ahmose I

Stela of King Ahmose I

F   Historical background about Ahmose I:

The founder of the 18^th Dynasty is less well known to the general public, but with major importance to Egyptian history. He was Ahmose I, during whose reign Egypt was finally and completely liberated from the Hyksos.

He probably became ruler of Egypt around 1550 BC at the age of 10, and ruled for a period of about 25 years before his death (examination of his well preserved mummy suggests that he was about 35  years old when he died).

Ahmose I (Amosis to the Greeks) was given the birth name IaH ms (the moon is born) or (Son of the moon). His throne name was Nb-PHty-Ra (Lord of the strength of Rea).

He was probably a boy when he ascended the throne having lost his father Seqenenrea and his brother Kamose within three years of each other. His mother was Queen IaH-Htp, (the moon is satisfied) a powerful woman who was perhaps his co-regent during his early years Also you can enjoy Cairo Day tours 

The Egyptologists believe that during his very early reign, little was probably accomplished and perhaps the Hyksos may have even gained some ground recapturing Heliopolis. However by the end of his first decade in power, we know from the autobiography of Ahmose, son of lbana, a naval officer from El Kab, that he laid siege on Avaris (the tomb of Ahmose Pennekheb, another soldier also records the campaigns). Afterwards, he attacked the southwest Palestinian fortress of Sharuhen in a six year siege that would finally put an end to Hyksos control of Egypt.

Next he turned his attention to Nubia (Kush) and, Kamose his predecessor have gained some ground before his death. Ahmose I pushed the boundaries south to the second cataract. Here, he established a new civil administration at Buhen.

Apparently while Ahmose I was in Nubia, former Hyksos allies again attempted a few uprising in the north, but Ahmose's I mother Ahhotep, was probably responsible for putting down the rebellion and for this she was awarded the gold flies, an award for valor that was found oh her mummy in her tomb at Thebes. After Ahmose I's campaign in Nubia, he once again returned to Palestine during his 22^nd year of his reign and may have fought his way as far as the Euphrates, according to information on a stela of Tuthmose I

§  His Family:

Ahmose I married his sister, Ahmose Nefertari, who became Egypt's first great god's wife of Amun, and had a number of children including:

Merytamun, eldest daughter of Ahmose Nefertari who died young, Satamun, 2^nd daughter bf Ahmose Nefertari (died infant), Sepair eldest son of Ahmose Nefertari (died young),  Amenhotep I 3^rd son of Ahmose Nefertari (King) and Ahmose Merytamun (Queen).

§  His Administration:

We also know from Ahmose, son of Ibana that Ahmose I supported his reign and rewarded local princes who had supported the Theban cause during the Second Intermediate period by gifts of land.

§  His achievements:

We also know that he started the construction of some temple building projects, notably at Abydos. However, through we know that he reopened the Tura limestone quarries; little survives of his construction apart from a few additions to the temples of Amun and Montu at Karnak.

However, a recent Dutch-Egyptian team of archaeological believes that discovered the remains of Ahmose's palace in the Al-Dabaa area in the Sharqiya Governorate of' Egypt [at the East of Delta], a location that was probably the ancient capital of the Hyksos.

He was buried in the Draa Abu El Naga area, on the west of Thebes, but this tomb has yet to be found. His actual mummy was found in Deir el Bahari cache. He did have a cenotaph at south Abydos, consisting of a cliff temple, a pyramid and temple on the edge of the Nile valley. The pyramid, which measures 70 meters square is the last known royal example built in Egypt. Some battle scene decorations within the pyramid may have depicts his wars with the Hyksos. In these scenes there are some of the earliest representations of horses in Egypt.

F  Material:

It is made of painted limestone, called in hieroglyphs inr-HD "the white stone", quarried from Tura, Masarah and Moqattam hills.

F  Place of discovery:

It was discovered at the mortuary monument which King Ahmose I built at Abydos to commemorate the memory of his grandmother Teti-sheri.

F  Date:

It dates back to the New Kingdom, 18^th Dynasty, reign of King Ahmose I.

F   Importance:

The importance of this stela is due to the fact that it represents King Ahmose, the founder of the New Kingdom, who already has little remaining monuments.

The stela contains a wonderful story of a grandson (the king) and a granddaughter (the queen) who are discussing what they have done for their ancestors, especially their grandmother Teti-sheri and their mother Queen Ahhotep.

F   Introduction about stelae in ancient Egypt:

a- The meaning of stela:

Stela is a slab of stone, wood or any other material that bear an inscription.

b- Kinds of stelae:

There are many types of stelae in ancient Egypt, they are classified into five categories according to the function and place as follows:

§    Boundary Stelae:

This kind of stelae was used to mark or determine the boundaries of a certain city or capital, like the boundary stelae of king Akhenaten, which were used to mark the boundaries of his famous capital Akhet-Aaten, nowadays Tell el-Amarna at Minia governorate.

§    Votive stelae

This type of stelae also called ex-voto stelae; it was usually placed inside sacred places and especially inside temples as a vow for the gods of this temple.

§    Royal or victory stelae:

They were restricted to kings, as they were used to commemorate and record the royal victories, such as the victory steal of King Merenptah well known as "Israel stela".

§    House stelae:                                                                         

This kind of stelae appeared during the reign of King Akhenaton, l8^th   Dynasty; it was usually depicted with scenes represent King Akhenaton together with his wife queen Nefertiti accompanied with their daughters, this sort of stelae was kept in private chapels inside the Amarna houses.  

§   Funerary Stelae:

This type of stelae is considered one of the most important and famous types of stelae in ancient Egypt, in most cases they are carved with a scene represents the deceased or the owner of the stela together with his wife- seated on a long bench and in front of them an offering table piled high with different kinds of offerings is depicted, they were usually accompanied with members of their family.

The funerary stela was usually inscribed with the magical offering formula; or the ''Htp di nswt" formula, to provide the deceased with indispensable offerings in the Afterlife. They had rounded top and sometimes they are rectangular in their shape like our funerary stela of Amenemhat. 

   

F   Description:

This form of stelae is called the round-topped stelae where the stela is divided into three parts: the lunette, the scene and the text.

§  The lunette:

The lunette is the upper curved part of the stela which is usually occupied with the representation of the winded sun-disc the symbol of god Horus Behdety or Horus of Edfu and two hanging uraei. 

§  The scene:

The main scene of the stela is decorated with a scene showing the king making offerings to the queen, who is seated on her throne.

Here is a symmetrical scene where it is similar to a mirror but with little variations.

·                                                                                 The King:

The King is represented in standing in the traditional offering attitude wears the ceremonial Shendyt-kilt which is provided with animal tail as a symbol of the strength of the king. Ahmose wears the upper Egyptian white crown ( HDt) on the left side while he wears the Double Crown ( pA-sxmty) on the right side. He holds a long staff and a ceremonial mace.

·         Queen Teti-Sheri:

Queen Teti-Sheri is shown seated on her low back throne. She wears a long garment and a wig which is covered with the vulture headdress, the favouable headdress for the queens of Egypt throughout the Egyptian history, surmounted by two feathers crown ( Swty-Crown), symbol of god Amun. She holds a floral scepter, the characteristic scepter of goddesses and queens.            

§  Hieroglyphic Texts:

The lower part of the stela is occupied with a hieroglyphic inscription which records the conversation between King Ahmose and Queen Ahmose-Nefertari, while seated in their Palace, about how they can pay homage to their ancestor in the festival days and when the Queen asked the King about how the idea came to him, he replied that he was thinking of "the mother of his mother, the mother of his father, the Great Royal Wife and Royal Mother, Queen Teti-Sheri". Finally they determined to construct a mortuary monument for Teti-Sheri in the sacred necropolis of Abydos, the city of the god of death, Osiris and the pilgrimage centre in Ancient Egypt. This monument consisted of a pyramid, a chapel with a lake and plantations.

Here is the translation of the titles of the King Ahmose and Queen Teti-Sheri inscribed in the central scene to find out the royal titles, epithets and cartouches of those distinguished personages.

1-   Under the winged sun-disc:

 BHdt nTr aA

Horus the Behdite, the great god.

2-   Above Queen Teti-Sheri:

Hmt-nswt mwt nswt tti-Sri anx .ti Dt

Wife of the King, Mother of the King, Teti-Sheri, may she live forever.

3-   Above King Ahmose:

Hr [kA-m-WAst] nTr nfr nb tAwy (nb-pHty-Ra) sA-Ra n Xt .f (IaH-ms) di anx Dt

Horus, Ka-em-waset (the bull in Thebes), the good god, lord of the Two Lands, Son of Rea of his body, Ahmose, given life forever.

4-   Behind the King:

sA-anx HA .f nb

All protection and life are behind him.

5-   Above the offering table:

dbH-Htp   

Funerary meal.