461. The Turin Papyrus gives 213 years, 1 month, and

17 days, as the total length of the dynasty.

The Sothis date in the Kahun Papyri enables us to establish the date of the accession of Amenemhet I as 2000 B. C.a 462. We may then construct the following table:b

a Borchardt, Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache, 37, 99 ff.; Mahler, ibid., 40, 83; Meyer's calculation (Aegyptische Chronologie, 51, 52, 57, 58) has slightly modified the date as calculated by Borchardt and Mahler, without affecting the principle employed, carrying back the beginning of the dynasty to 2000 B. C.

bThis table differs considerably in the last four reigns from that given by Mahler (Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache, 40, 83-85, and Orientalistische Litteraturzeitung, June, 1902, 248 f.), as he unfortunately has overlooked the higher dates in the reigns of Sesostris III and Amenemhet III, found since the publication of Brugsch's and Meyer's tables, upon which Mahler depends.

The coronation of Amenemhet III as coregent with his father was narrated on the walls of a temple probably that of Crocodilopolis in the Fayûm. Fragments of the inscription are preserved in Berlin (Nos. 15801-4), and published in Aegyptische Inschriften aus den Königlichen Museen, III, 138. The coronation inscription of Hatshepsut at Der el-Bahri was copied from this of Amenemhet III. I am indebted for these facts to my friend, Mr. Alan H. Gardiner, who kindly called my attention to them.

dThe length of his coregency with his father is unknown, and hence not indicated in years.

The opposite table is as nearly correct as the astronomical data will permit, the most nearly accurate of all the Egyptian dynasties back of the Twenty-sixth, and the earliest series of absolute dates known in history, in spite of the margin of four years within which each date falls.

REIGN OF AMENEMHET I

INSCRIPTION OF KHNUMHOTEP Ia

463. Khnumhotep I was the first of the powerful Benihasan nobles in the Twelfth Dynasty of whom we have any account. He was evidently of service to Amenemhet I during that king's final and successful struggle for the mastery and the crown of Egypt. The text is in such a fragmentary state that much must be read between the lines. It is, however, clear that Khnumhotep accompanied the king on an expedition in which "20 ships of cedar" were engaged, which resulted in expelling a certain foe from Egypt (1. 5). This foe, referred to only by the pronoun "him," whom it was necessary to expel from Egypt, must almost certainly have been one of Amenemhet's rivals for the crown. Then follows the submission of foreign foes, the Asiatic in the North and the Negro in the South, and of highland and lowland alike ("the two regions, 1. 6). This accomplished, the king rewards his faithful adherents, and Khnumhotep is made "count of Menet-Khufu” (1.7) where he ruled to the complete satisfaction of the king. 464. His titles are:b Hereditary prince and count, wearer of the royal seal, sole companion, - great lord of the Oryx nome — —1, attached to Nekhen (judge)." This shows that he was later intrusted with the entire principality of the Oryx, in agreement with the statements of his grandson, Khnumhotep II, whose long inscription narrates the

aTomb No. 14 at Benihasan; first noticed and copied by Newberry and published by Newberry, Beni Hasan, I, Pl. XLIV; see also p. 84 and II, 7, 8. The text is painted on the west wall, and is exceedingly fragmentary.

bIbid., II, Pl. XLIV, l. 1.

same appointments of his grandfather and follows the history of the family (§§ 619 ff.) in this fief for several generations.

465. I came out from my city, I went to [my nome]. Never did I commit evil against a man. Then appointed me [my lord] the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, "Sehetepibre (Shtp-yb-R), Son of Re: Amenemhet (I) living forever and ever, to the office1- -1. I went down with his majesty to -1,a in twenty ships of cedar which he 'led', coming to He expelled him from the two regions (Egypt). "Negroes ——, Asiatics, fell; he seized the lowland, the highlands, in the two regions

people

remain in their positions ——

with the Then his majesty appointed me as count of Menet-Khufu. My administration was excellent in the heart of his majesty, pleasant in Then I — my city, I benefited my people. His majesty caused to be done for me, that which my mouth uttered - __18_ the were, the its taxpayers were the citizens were servants.

were

HAMMAMAT INSCRIPTION OF INTEFÜ

466. This inscription records the only official expedition of Amenemhet I to Hammamat of which we know anything. Only one block is mentioned, for which Intef spent eight days in a vain search, and only succeeded in finding it after propitiating the local gods.

*There must have been a geographical name here, which is corrupt in the original or has been imperfectly read.

bCut on the rocks of Wadi Hammamat; published by Lepsius, Denkmäler, II, 118, d= Golénischeff, Hammamat, VIII=Maspero, VIIIe Congrés International des Orientalistes, Section africaine, 50-54. I had also a collation of the Berlin squeeze, kindly loaned me by Gardiner. It is, like all the Hammamat inscriptions, strongly influenced by the hieratic; the graver, who did not know hieratic, has then so corrupted the scribe's sketch that much of it is unintelligible.

The other Hammamat inscription bearing his name (Golénischeff, Hammamat, II, 4= Maspero, ibid., 156), is incomplete; it does not record an official, but a private expedition, and the introduction, containing references to the safe conduct of the expedition (“I returned..... none missing, none dead") does not

467. Above is the full titulary of Amenemehet I, without further date. Then follow the titles of Intef:a "Hereditary prince and count, wearer of the royal [seal], sole companion, royal messenger, superior prophet of Min. After the conventional series of personal epithets (11. 2-6), his narrative then proceeds:

468. 6. My lord sent me to Hammamat, to bring this august stone; never was brought its like since the time of the god. There was no hunter who knew 7the marvel of it, none that sought it reached it. I spent 8 days searching this highland; I knew not the [place wherein it was. I prostrated myself to Min, to Mut, to Great-in-Magic, and all the gods of this highland, giving to them incense upon the fire. The land brightened at early morning,b I — — to go forth to the mountain — Hammamat, the - being behind me, and the-people scattered upon the mountains, searching this whole [desert]. Then I found it, and the - were in festivity, the 'entireld army was praising, it rejoiced with 'obeisance];e I gave praise to Montu.f

mention the name of the leader as usual. Then follows (1. 3): “Fourth month of the third season, day 3; came the wearer of the royal seal, sole companion, inferior prophet, privy councilor of the treasurer of the god, Idi (Ydy), (1. 4) to bring down stone for the merinuter priest, the hereditary prince, ritual priest, sole companion, superior prophet, governor of the South [superior prophet of Min] (restored from Golénischeff, Hammamat, III, 3, 1. 3), Putoker (Pɔwt-ykr) (1. 5). I brought down for him 2 blocks, each one (1. 6) 10 cubits (over 17 feet) in length, cubits in its width."

Idi has another inscription in the vicinity (Golénischeff, Hammamat, III, 3 Maspero, ibid., 157) as follows: "Year -1, third month of the third season, day -1; came the ....... (titles) Idi, to bring down stone for ..... (titles) Putoker. I brought down for him a block of 12 cubits (about 20 feet, 6 inches), with 200 men. I brought 2 oxen, 50 asses, [_". 5 It is clear that Idi is here executing the commissions of Putoker, an official of high rank, not those of the king.

According to 1. 6, his name may have been Sebeknakht, and his father's name Intef.

bRead dw dw, as in Sinuhe, 1. 248.

cSuggested by Gardiner.

dRead r dr'f?

eRead sn-t?

f The last line was omitted by Lepsius, and it is possible that even in Golénischeff's copy the conclusion is lacking, for the concluding phrase above is very abrupt.