Social Status of Elite Women of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt: a Comparison of Artistic Features
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Social status of elite women of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt: A comparison of artistic features. By Anette Olivier Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA Supervisor: Prof PS Vermaak June 2008 Declaration I, Anette Olivier, herewith declare that “Social status of elite women of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt: A comparison of artistic features” is my own work and that all the sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. …………………………………………… ………………………. Anette Olivier Date Student Number: 04804716 Supervisor: Prof PS Vermaak Acknowledgements I wish to express my gratitude to all those who afforded me the possibility to conduct this research and complete this dissertation. In particular, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to: • My supervisor, Prof Fanie Vermaak, Head of the Department of Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, University of South Africa, who rendered invaluable guidance, assistance and important support throughout this work. • The University of South Africa for providing me with financial support during this study. • Mrs Rosalind Janssen, former curator of the Petrie Museum, University College, London, who has assisted me greatly in my studies. She gave me excellent advice during the research and proof reading of this manuscript. • Dr Neal Spencer and Dr Richard Parkinson of the Department of Egypt and Sudan, British Museum, London, for their friendly help during our valuable discussions at various private viewings held at the British Museum. • Prof Peter F. Dorman of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago for sharing his unpublished research on the harem with me. Finally, I would like to thank my husband Daan and our children, on whose constant encouragement, support and love I have relied on throughout my research. In memory of my late mother. Summary Representational artistic works were researched as visual evidence for the social, political, religious and economic lifestyles of the ancient Egyptian elite. The aims were to comprehend the status of elite women and to challenge the hypothesis that during the New Kingdom they enjoyed an increased social status in comparison to that of their predecessors. Many artistic works were analysed (tomb and palace wall scenes, statues, obelisks and personal artefacts), on the quest for evidence for the roles of elite women in events, practices and rituals at the time when the objects were created. Various international museums were visited and personal observations are correlated with expert publications. The study concludes that the status of elite women in the New Kingdom was both significantly different and exalted in comparison with the status of their counterparts during earlier dynasties. Key Terms New Kingdom; elite women; ancient Egyptian art; queens; roles; profiles; Hatshepsut; Nefertiti; Nefertari, El Amarna; Deir el-Bahri; Thebes. Social status of elite women of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt: A comparison of artistic features. Table of Contents Chapter 1 .............................................................................................................5 Introduction .............................................................................................................5 1.1 Hypothesis ............................................................................................................ 6 1.2 Methodology.......................................................................................................... 6 1.3 Sources ................................................................................................................. 7 1.4 Composition .......................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2 ...........................................................................................................11 Artistic overview of ancient Egyptian art ...............................................................11 2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Sources for ancient Egyptian Art......................................................................... 19 2.3 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 35 Chapter 3 ...........................................................................................................37 Chronological history of ancient Egyptian Art ......................................................37 3.1 Predynastic Egypt (ca 5000-3100BC)................................................................. 37 3.2 The Early Dynastic Period (ca 3100-2686BC; Dynasties I – II)........................... 38 3.3 Old Kingdom (ca 2686-2181BC; Dynasties III-VI)............................................... 42 3.4 First Intermediate Period (ca 2181-2040BC; Dynasties VII - X)........................ 55 3.5 Middle Kingdom (ca 2040-1650BC; Dynasties XI – XIII)..................................... 58 3.6 Second Intermediate Period (ca 1750-1550BC; Dynasties XIII – XVII) .............. 72 3.7 New Kingdom (ca 1550-1069BC; Dynasties XVIII – XX) .................................... 73 3.8 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 102 Chapter 4 .........................................................................................................105 The roles of elite women of the New Kingdom....................................................105 4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 105 4.2 King’s Wife ........................................................................................................ 112 4.3 Female Pharaoh................................................................................................ 118 4.4 Co-Regent......................................................................................................... 120 4.5 King’s Mother .................................................................................................... 121 4.6 King’s Secondary Wife ...................................................................................... 122 4.7 King’s Daughter................................................................................................. 123 4.8 King’s Sister ...................................................................................................... 125 4.9 Religious Roles ................................................................................................. 126 4.10 Roles of elite women during festivals and rituals .............................................. 132 4.11 Elite women in War ........................................................................................... 134 4.12 Diplomatic Roles ............................................................................................... 136 4.13 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 137 Page 1 Social status of elite women of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt: A comparison of artistic features. 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Chapter 5 .........................................................................................................139 Profiles of elite women of the New Kingdom.......................................................139 5.1 Ahhotep............................................................................................................. 139 5.2 Ahmose-Nefertari .............................................................................................. 141 5.3 Ahmose-Merytamun.......................................................................................... 145 5.4 Ahmose ............................................................................................................. 146 5.5 Hatshepsut ........................................................................................................ 147 5.6 Neferura ............................................................................................................ 155 5.7 Tiaa ................................................................................................................... 156 5.8 Mutemwiya ........................................................................................................ 157 5.9 Queen Tiye........................................................................................................ 157 5.10 Nefertiti (Nefertiti-Neferneferaten)..................................................................... 161 5.11 Ankhesenamen (Ankhesenpaaten)................................................................... 168 5.12 Kiya ................................................................................................................... 169 5.13 Mutnodjmet ....................................................................................................... 170 5.14 Tuya, Mother of Ramsses II .............................................................................. 172 5.15 Nefertari ...........................................................................................................