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Some Ramesside Appropriations of Ancient Memphis

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Some Ramesside Appropriations of Ancient Memphis SOME RAMESSIDE APPROPRIATIONS OF ANCIENT MEMPHIS Steven Snape Archaeology, Classics & Egyptology, University of Liverpool Abstract: This paper examines some of the ways in which the monumental landscape of Old and Middle Kingdom Memphis was relevant to Egyptians of the New Kingdom, particularly the Ramesside Period. It will address the ways in which contemporary Ramesside views of 'the past' influenced elite culture, as reflected in the different ways in which that ancient monumental landscape was appreciated, interacted with, and adapted. Although the activities of Khaemwese, High Priest of Ptah at Memphis and son of Ramesses II, are the best evidenced example of an interaction with ancient royal monuments at Memphis (because of the particular position of Khaemwese as a quasi-royal figure), it will be seen that such concerns were also shared and acted upon by other members of the New Kingdom literate elite, both royal and non-royal. Key words: Memphis, Ptah Temple, Khaemwese, graffiti, sphinx, Giza, identity One of the things which unites a modern Kamutnakht has his writing kit slung over Egyptologist and an educated scribe living his shoulder, perhaps as an indication of in Memphis during the Ramesside Period his status and also a practical preparation is a fascination with ancient Egypt, its for the activities which the pair are monuments, and the kings who built them. planning to undertake at their destination. Of course, with a terminus ante quem of The object of their devotion is the god the observer’s lifetime, our conception of Horemakhet, made manifest in the physical ‘ancient Egypt’ is rather broader than that presence of the Great Sphinx at Giza. The of a Ramesside scribe; while we have the identity of the sphinx is made very clear by whole of pharaonic history to observe and depicting it in its monumental setting at study, for the Ramesside Memphite scribe Giza by the device of also showing two of ‘ancient’ meant, to a substantial degree, the the Giza pyramids - perhaps those of monuments of the Old and Middle Khufu and Khaefre. It is also worth noting Kingdoms, of which there was no lack in that the specific identity of the sphinx the environs of Memphis, especially the depicted here as the Great Sphinx at Giza extended desert-edge royal and private is emphasised by the presence on the stela necropolis stretching from Abu Roash in of a depiction of the New Kingdom royal the north to Meidum in the south. In this statue2 standing immediately in front of the paper I would like to look at some of the sphinx. Apart from being a marvellous and ways in which ‘ancient’ Memphis was rare example of an Old Kingdom relevant to, and used by, some members of monumental landscape in the New the Ramesside intelligensia. Kingdom (and note what one has to A good starting point is a stela (figure 1), assume is the ideal steep gradient of found by Hassan during his excavations pyramids), this stela is a prime example of around the Great Sphinx at Giza in 1935- the interaction of Ramesside private 36 (for the location of this findspot see individuals with Old Kingdom royal ‘Sphinx Temenos’ on figure 2).1 It is a monuments - monuments which are very typical New Kingdom private votive stela, relevant to those Ramesside individuals divided into two with the upper part albeit in ways which were not originally depicting the object of devotion and the lower part showing and naming the 2 Zivie-Coche notes that the style of the stela means devotees who, in this case, are the scribes that it could date to the first half of the Eighteenth Montuher and Kamutnakht. Note that Dynasty - a terminus post quem could be provided by the identity of the New Kingdom royal statue, on 1 Hassan 1953: 62-63. For this stela see Zivie- which there is no agreement but might be Coche 2002: 61 (fig. 12); Shedid 2002. Amenhotep II (see Zivie-Coche 2002: 60-63). intended by their builders. The stela was ones, like your person (sic), by the scribe excavated by Hassan as part of a scattered of the Treasury of the Lord of Two Lands, collection of New Kingdom objects, Hednakhte, justified, and the scribe especially stelae, left as ex-votos by private Panakhte.3 individuals in the 'Sphinx Temenos', an In another graffito, from the pyramid of area for cultic deposition chiefly to the Khendjer at South Saqqara, a visit by north of the Great Sphinx itself. another scribe is recorded, probably also during the reign of Ramesses II: New Kingdom Graffiti on Old Kingdom There came the scribe Nashuy to the Monuments at Memphis neighbourhood of the Pyramid of (King) Other ways in which connections were Teti Beloved of Ptah, and the Pyramid of made by Ramesside individuals with Old Djoser, Discoverer of Stone(working). Kingdom royal monuments in the He says to all the gods of the West of Memphite necropolis include graffiti Memphis, “Be kind, be kind! I am close to written in ink by visitors to those you. I am your servitor. monuments, especially royal pyramids. Year 34, 4th Month of Shemu, Day 24, day Two examples, among the many which of the festival of Ptah South of his Wall, have been recorded, will make the point. In Lord of Ankh-Tawy, when he appeared the following graffito the Step Pyramid of outside the Temple(?)/Palace(?) at time of Djoser is visited by a pair of brothers or evening.4 colleagues during the reign of Ramesses II: From these two graffiti we can already see Regnal year 47, month 2 of Peret, day 25, a number of interesting things. Firstly, the there came the scribe of the Treasury visitors have a good, clear understanding Hednakhte, son of Sel/Sunero, his mother of what they are visiting and who built it. is Tawosre, to make a stroll and That is to say, they are well informed about amuse/invigorate himself, in the West of the ancient kings of Egypt (Djoser’s reign Memphis together with his is approximately 1,400 years earlier than brother/colleague and scribe Panakhte, of that of Ramesses II). Secondly, writing the vizier's office saying: All the Gods of graffiti - a short ink inscription recording Western Memphis, the Ennead, You who one's visit - is clearly not seen as reside in the sacred land, Osiris, Isis, all vandalism or behaving disrespectfully the Blessed Souls of the western Ankhtawy, towards an ancient monument, but quite give good lifetime serving to your kas, and 3 For translation and commentary see Navrátilová a good burial after a strong old age, in 2007: 108-111. sight of Western Memphis like the praised 4 Translation from Kitchen 2000: 312. the reverse as many graffiti express Kings and King-Lists on Royal and admiration and wonder at the works of Private Monuments of the Ramesside antiquity. Thirdly, although the graffiti- Period writers refer to 'taking a stroll' and First, though, it might be worth saying 'enjoying themselves'5 like any good something about the level of understanding tourists, they also ask for benefits for of the past in the Ramesside Period, which themselves from the blessed dead who I have already referred to. In terms of a inhabit the Memphite necropolis. These respect for, and appreciation of, the past, Ramesside visitors are not merely looking scholars have tended to focus on periods at the dead husks of ancient buildings, but where 'archaism' is an obvious strand of living monuments which are the home of cultural life. Dynasties 25 and 26, for active spiritual presences who are able to instance, are rich in examples where do good (or bad) to the living. These cultural models from the past - in tomb ancient monuments are not just interesting decoration for instance - have clearly been to their Ramesside visitors - as they are to deliberately sought out and used. Some of us - but they are also useful and relevant to the reasons for archaism are located in the their lived experience. Fourthly, as an desire to identify with the period being extension to this idea, we can note that 'copied'. The Ramesside Period is also a Nashuy's visit to the Memphite necropolis time when the past is deeply scrutinised - is linked to a contemporary festival not just as something to be admired, but procession concerning the god Ptah, taking something to be amalgamated within place in the city of Memphis. What exactly contemporary cultural practices, even if Nashuy is trying to do by bracketing these some of the aims of archaism, such as a Old Kingdom monuments in the same desire to associate oneself with the great graffito with a reference to religious kings of the past, are still present. festivals in contemporary Memphis is not On one level an understanding of the past, clear, but the relationship between Old in ancient Egyptian terms, is an Kingdom monuments of the Memphite understanding of the names and deeds of necropolis and the development of the long-dead kings. It is no coincidence that monumental core of the city of Memphis in the Ramesside Period has produced the the reign of Ramesses II is one which is majority of the (admittedly small) worth exploring a little further. collection of texts we refer to as king-lists.6 The Seti I kinglist in his cenotaph temple at Abydos is the best-known example but 5 For these terms see Navrátilová 2007: 110-111, 133. 6 Redford 1986. another of these lists, and one more statues of deceased rulers is not clear, directly relevant to the topic of this paper, although it is possible that such structures does not come from a royal monument, but did exist in the context of the monumental from elements of the Ramesside private landscape of New Kingdom Thebes at tomb of Tjuneroy at Saqqara.
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