The Decree

222. 41Now, it is these my children who make the mortuary offerings to the king's-confidant, Khenuka, his father, his mother, and all his house, at the feast of Wag, the feast of Thoth, and every feast-day.

III. NEKONEKH'S WILL

223. The document is largely lost; the fragments beside the statues are possibly not parts of it, but are relevant, as showing Nekonekh's own enactments regarding these persons.

Introduction

224. The steward of the Palace, king's-confidant, Nekonekh, revered; the king's-confidante, Hezethekenu; — said ➖➖➖ [to] his children, while he was upon his two feet, alive before the king

225.

By Two Statues of Henhathor

the scribe of the king's records, Henhathor (Hn-Ḥthr) is my heir upon my seat, and lord of all my possessions.

---

hera eldest son, honored of his father, scribe of the king's records, Henhathor.

-property; they shall deliver to this my heir, as they did [to] myself. 'given to her [for] the ration of bread and beer as property, [while upon my seat, as property. May they deliver the [ration of] bread and beer to this my heir, as they did [to] myself.

IV. NEKONEKH'S MORTUARY PRIESTHOOD

Scene

226. The deceased Nekonekh sits before a table of foodofferings, while his eight mortuary priests approach from behind in pairs, each pair being designated as under the authority of one of Nekonekh's sons.b

aThis figure is doubtless beside the mother, the other beside the father. Fraser's description is not explicit in this particular.

bOnly one pair is perfectly preserved, and one is entirely lost, but the remains indicate that all four pairs were alike.

The Decree

227. [These mortuary priestsa] are under the authority of these my children. I have not empowered [any] person to take them for any forced labor, save to make mortuary offerings which are divided in this house these mortuary priests. As for these my children, who shall do any work with these mortuary priests, and as for any man who shall violate (this will), I will enter into judgment with him.

V.

NEKONEKH'S MORTUARY STATUE

228. A man and woman, the latter the daughter of Nekonekh, had three statues made, representing Nekonekh and themselves. The inscriptions are these:

Dedication

229. His daughter and his son, who made this for him, according to his honor with him.

Over the Three Figures

230. The revered by Hathor, king's-confidante, Ikhnoubet (Y'h-nb't);

Inferior scribe of the king's records, king's-confidant, Nonekhsesi (N-nh-ssy).

Nekonekh, revered by the great god.

TESTAMENTARY ENACTMENT OF SENUONEKH, REGULATING HIS MORTUARY PRIESTHOOD

231. Senuonekh was a priest of Userkaf and Sahure. This decree from his tomb closely resembles and, in some parts, is identical with the decree of Khafre's unknown official (§§ 200-209), but it is better preserved, and also clearer in the wording.

"Sethe's very probable restoration.

bThe connection renders Sethe's restoration certain.

From his tomb; published by Mariette, Mastabas, 318; Sethe, Urkunden, I, 36 f.

Installation of Priests and Descendants

232. 'These mortuary priests of the endowment, and their children and further the children of their children whom they shall bear forever, are

Entailment of Endowment

233. 'I have not empowered them [to give] (it)a in payment as property to any person; but they shall give (it) to their children, entitled to the division of [it with any mortuary priest of these mortuary priests].b

Transfer of a Priest

234. As for any mortuary priest among them who shall 'default', or who shall be taken for other service, everything which I have given to him shall revert to the mortuary priests who are in his (priestly) order. I have not em[powered]

Endowment not Involved in Suits

235. 4As for any mortuary priest among them who shall institute legal proceedings against his fellow, everything which I have given to him shall be taken away, and shall then be given to the mortuary priest against whom he instituted legal proceedings. I have not empowered

aThe mortuary endowment.

bWith this compare the similar precautionary clause of the unknown official of Khafre (§ 203, ll. 8, 9), and see also explanatory note, ibid.

<See similar clause in decree of an unknown official under Khafre (§ 205).

REIGN OF SAHURE

SINAI INSCRIPTIONSa

Relief

236. King in the crown of Upper Egypt, smites kneeling Bedwi as in §§ 168, 169.b

The texts, as in §§ 168, 169, and 176, contain only names and titles of the king:

Horus: Lord of Diadems; King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Sahure (Shw-R); who is given life forever.

Smiter of all countries.

The Great God smites the Asiatics (mnțw) of all countries.

TOMB STELA OF NENEKHSEKHMET

237. The stela is a well-executed false door of Turra limestone, contrasting strikingly with the poor material and mediocre workmanship of the modest tomb to which it belonged. The cause of this contrast is indicated in the inscription, viz., that the stela was a gift from the king.

The Request

238. The chief physician, Nenekhsekhmet (Shmt-n-nh) spoke before his majesty: "May thy person, beloved of Re, command that there be given to me a false door of stone for this my tomb of the cemetery."

aCut into the rocks of the Wadi Maghara in the Peninsula of Sinai. Text and relief: Lepsius, Denkmäler, II, 39, a; Laval, Voyage dans la Péninsule Arabique, insc. hiér., Pl. 2, No. 2; Laborde, Voyage de l'Arabie, 5, No. 3; Brugsch, Thesaurus, VI, 1494 (inscriptions only); Sethe, Urkunden, I, 32; Weill, Sinai, 106. bTwo gods stand behind the king.

From a mastaba at Sakkara, excavated by Mariette; text: Mariette, Monuments divers, 12, 203, 204; Sethe, Urkunden, I, 38-40. Erman's manuscript copy collated with original; Maspero, Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archæology, XI, 309. Translated by Maspero (ibid.), with discussion of architectural terms; treated by Erman, Aegypten, 431.

King's Compliance

239. His majesty caused that there be brought for him two false doors a from Troja (R->w) of stone, that they be laid in the audiencehallo of the house (called): "Sahure-Shines-with-Crowns," and that the two high priests of Memphis and the artisans of the - be assigned to them, that the work on them might be done in the presence of the king himself. The stone-work went on every day; there was an inspection of that which was done on them in the court daily. His majesty had 'color] put on them, and had them painted in blue.

Presentation of the Gift

240. His majestyd said to the chief physician Nenekhsekhmet: "As these my nostrils enjoy health, as the gods love me, mayest thou depart into the cemetery at an advanced old age as one revered." I praised the king greatly and lauded every god for Sahure's sake, for he knows the desire of the entire suite. When anything goes forth from the mouth of his majesty, it immediately comes to pass. For the god has given to him knowledge of things that are in the body, because he is more august than any god. If ye love Re, ye shall praise every god for Sahure's sake, who did this for me. I was his revered one; never did I do anything evil toward any person.

TOMB INSCRIPTION OF PERSEN

241. This inscription is over a scene showing people in the act of bringing mortuary offerings of food for Persen's tomb. According to the inscription, these offerings are

a Erman suggests that a double false door is meant. The same reference to a double false door is found in the tomb of Debhen (Dbḥn). This is the same word (rwty) used later for a temple façade, which would explain the dual.

bDdw, see 501, 1. 2.

cRead št, which I have rendered “quarry-service” in the Empire (II, 935, l. 6). In the Old Kingdom it retains its literal meaning, "stone-cutting." There was an "overseer of stone-cutting," or quarry service, in the Old Kingdom (§ 343).

dThe following is the presentation of the false doors by the king.

"Of anyone else, "body" or "belly" being the seat of the mind, as we use "heart." f Limestone slab in Berlin (15004); published by Mariette, Mastabas, 300; Schaefer, Aegyptische Inschriften aus dem Königlichen Museum zu Berlin, I, 22.