109 Original Article a STELA from QEFT (QEFT R. N169, TT33)

id6563500 pdfMachine by Broadgun Software - a great PDF writer! - a great PDF creator! - http://www.pdfmachine.com http://www.broadgun.com Egyptian Journal of Archaeological and Restoration Studies "EJARS" An International peer-reviewed journal published bi-annually Volume 6, Issue 2, December - 2016: pp: 109-124 www. ejars.sohag-univ.edu.eg Original article A STELA FROM QEFT (QEFT R. N169, TT33) El-Werdany, R.1 & Sayed Ahmed, R.2 1 Egyptology dept., Faculty of Archaeology, South Valley Univ., Qena, Egypt. 2 Egyptology dept, Faculty of Archaeology, Aswan Univ., Aswan, Egypt. E-mail: [email protected] Received 9/5/2016 Accepted 22/9/2016 Abstract The Stela of Qeft (Qeft R. N169, TT33) perhaps was erected at Dendera, and it moved to the storehouse museum of Qeft from chest number 6 in (TT33) at AL-Assassif, west bank of Thebes (Modern Luxor). It probably dedicated to Hor-Behdity and Hathor in a religious occasion at Dendara or elsewhere. The stela has a rectangular round top and divided into three registers with sacred symbols, scenes and empty cartouches in the first and second parts with no texts. Giving a date and determining the era to this stela will depend basically on the artistic styles and studying the empty cartouches after the general description of the stela and its components. Keywords: Stela, Qeft, Hor-Behdity and Hathor, Empty Cartouches, offering of the Field (Hnq-sxt) 1. Introduction This stela perhaps originally their sacred marriage(a) [1]. Source: It was erected at Dendera with no certain is also preserved under number (217) possible evidence. Currently, it is kept in and is placed in a box labeled Qena Qeft's storehouse museum under Inspection of Antiquities, chest number number 169. Dedication: Being found 6 from the 33rd storehouse at AL-Assassif in a place near Dendera, it is strongly (TT33), west bank of Luxor, with no suggested that this stela was one of date. many stelae dedicated to Hor-Behdity and Hathor in the festival or feast of 1.1. Description of the stela It is a rectangular round topped(b) smooth. There are only few scratches [2] stela that is made of sandstone. It, and chippings on the edges. The design also, has a lost part. It is 45 cm height is well-conceived and executed. Additio- and 33.5 cm width. It is divided into nally, no hieroglyphs texts are carved or three registers; the first and the second inscribed on this stela. The upper register is are occupied with sunk-relief decorations ornamented with the winged sun-disk and and scenes, but the third one is empty. It two suspending cobras. On the second is a well-executed and attractive stela; the register, there is a scene that shows a king craftsmanship is good but, unfortunately offering sxt-sign or the “field-offering" unfinished. It is in a good condition; the to the god Horus and the goddess Isis. surface is carefully cut, prepared and There are also two empty cartouches in a 109 vertical position and the name of These empty cartouches and the name (c) Horus in front of the king’s face as the of Horus refer to the ruler king [3]. only and unique hieroglyph sign . 1.2. Detailed description of the decorations and scenes The detailed study of the stela is divided into three unequal-spaced proved that it is carved on one-face and parts, fig (1-a, b, c), as follows: a b c --- Figure (1-a, b, c) Shows the stela of Qeft 1.2.1. The upper part This part, fig. (2-a) occupies the (on the right side) is a serpent wearing same round-topped space of the stela. the white crown of Upper Egypt Here is a decoration of the so-called (South) (g) 7]. It is the (d) HDt, Sma.s, wrr [ ; [4], “The winged-disk“ sacred symbol of the goddess Nekhbet, (e) (h) apy [5] representing the mistress of Nekheb (El-Kap) [8]. The victory of Hor-Behdety over his enemies second (on the left side) is a serpent (See comment no. 1), fig. (2-b). From wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt the central part of this decoration (the (North) (g) [7]. It is sun-disk itself), two symbols are dSrt, mH(w).s, nt the sacred symbol of the goddess hanging down or suspending: . They Wadjet, mistress of Buto (Tall Al- are, also, written: ; ; ; ; Faraeen)(i) [9]. Below there is a two (d) [4]. All of these signs could be lines-frieze to separate this part from read nswt-bity “king of Upper and the next one. (f) Lower Egypt“ [6]. The first symbol a b Figure (2) Shows a. the first upper part of the stela shows the decoration of the winged disk, b. decoration of the winged sun-disk, symbol of Hor-Behdity's victory over his enemies. Sauneron, Esna II, P.5. 1.2.2. The middle part The scene of this part, fig. (3-a) A king is (unknown) because his carto- begins from left to right as follows: 1- uches are empty. He wears the white 110 (g) crown, the royal beard and the royal skirt hand he seizes the anx-sign [7]. 3- (g) (kilt, apron) Sndyt, SnDwt [7]. The A goddess is standing behind Horus that royal personality raises his arms with is generally depicted in the appearance of hands in front of the face carrying a Hathor or Isis. She wears a garment and symbol of the field. It is the offering of a hair wig with an ear of a cow. This the field Hnq-sxt (See comment no. suggests that she is the goddess Hathor ( 2), fig. (3-b) j) [10]. 2- He presents this mistress of Dendera(l) [12]. She wears ( ) offering to the god Horus-Behdity k [11] her distinguished and famous crown in a human body with a falcon-head. (i.e., the sun-disk) between tow horns of Horus wears the double-crown of Upper a cow. On her front, there is a standing and Lower Egypt (g) [7] and a uraeus (cobra). She holds by her left sxmty (g) (g) hand the -scepter [7] and by short-skirt. He seizes wAs-scepter wAD [7] by his left hand and by his right her right hand she holds the anx-sign. a b Figure (3) Shows a. the second middle part of the stela shows the king offering sxt (the field)-symbol to Hor-Behdity and his counterpart Hathor, b. the King Ptolemy VI (Philomator) (170-164 B.C.) offers the fields to khnum and Nebtuu. Sauneron, Esna II, P.74. 1.2.3. The lower part: There is a single line that prepared to inscribe a hieroglyphic text separates this part and the upper part, as explaining for the above scenes and fig. (4), unfortunately, the last part is decorations. empty and unfinished. It was probably Figure (4) Shows the third empty lower part of the stela. 2. Dating by the distinctive artistic characters From the artistic characters of be dated back to the Ptolemaic era. In the scenes and the executive styles of the following pages, we try to give the the reliefs concerning the personages, reader a completed idea about the the facial features of the king and the empty cartouches on which we will goddess's; a detailed fat face and body, depend mainly before giving this stela suggest that the scenes of this stela may an accurate date. 111 2.1. The empty cartouches The first appearance and occurr- feathered crown which the king made ence of the empty cartouches (cartouches as a personification of himself with Shu of Akhenaten, 18th dynasty, New King- fig. (5-c). The incarnation of Akhenaten dom). The empty cartouches of Akhenaten as Shu is shown also on a stone in Berlin that were found on two stone columns Museum (Nr. 2045) and on the black from Amarna era are now in the Egyptian beetle in London Museum (Uc 2233). Museum; the first stone, fig. (5-a) The figures show Akhenaten bearing shows seven empty cartouches and the and raising up two cartouches to Atun, second shows Akhenaten and Nefertiti in a situation for Shu at lifting up the under the solar beams of Atun, there are sky, who raises the golden name of four empty cartouches above them in Horus wTs rn n Itn "Who raises names addition to the sun-disk of Atun, fig. (5- of Atun". This meaning has been copied b). Every empty cartouche represents a in arts. So the link between the empty king’s name and can be read rn instead cartouches and Shu was found since the of mnS and it has the importance of the (m) New Kingdom; writing name of Shu on ruler pr-aA [13]. Berlin Museum, also, an empty cartouche means "space". In holds two pillars with small empty addition, the empty space between sky cartouches and they are not suitable for and earth equals the empty part in the any king. They were made small and cartouche. The name of Shu was written empty for a certain purpose like in the Ptolemaic period with two empty personifying Akhenaten as Shu. It is cartouches or . Writing for the known that the close connection between rulers with two empty cartouches both Shu and the king is one of the most of them makes an effect on the other. usual connections in Amarna era because The connection between the king and the god Shu has played a vital role in Shu and the two empty cartouches has a Amarna texts.

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