Pharaonic Inscriptions from the Southern Eastern Desert of Egypt 9781575065922

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Pharaonic Inscriptions from the Southern Eastern Desert of Egypt

Pharaonic Inscriptions from the

Southern Eastern Desert of Egypt

Russell D. Rothe, William K. Miller, and George (Rip) Rapp

Winona Lake, Indiana Eisenbrauns 2008

ç Copyright 2008 by Eisenbrauns. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

www.eisenbrauns.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rothe, Russell D. Pharaonic inscriptions from the Southern Eastern Desert of Egypt / Russell D. Rothe, William K. Miller, and George (Rip) Rapp. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-57506-147-4 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Inscriptions, Egyptian—Egypt—Eastern Desert. I. Miller, William K. II. Rapp, George Robert, 1930– III. Title. PJ1526.E37R67 2008 493u.1—dc22 2008009893

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. †‘

To those who have gone before, the giants on whose shoulders we have stood.

Table of Contents Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

x

Chapter 1.

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1

Chapter 2. Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi

Qena Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abu Wasil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bueib . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ºIsa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meniah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Qash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16 17 24 31 44 90

Chapter 3. Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi

Edfu Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abu Muawad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barramiya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Batur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dagbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kanayis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shalul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sigdid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Umm Higlig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Umm Salim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

94 96 109 184 186 200 210 218 234 239 243

Chapter 4. Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi Wadi

Kom Ombo Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bezeh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dunqash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Midrik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mueilha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shaªit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

246 247 280 329 344 370

Chapter 5. Other Wadis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382 Wadi Abu Agag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382 Wadi al-Alam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391 Chapter 6. Appendix A.

GIS Analysis and Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396 Paleography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407

Appendix B. Indices and Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index of Inscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index of Personal Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index of Titles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index of Royal Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index of Divine Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index of Place Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index of Wadis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

482 482 489 494 499 499 500 500 501

Preface The background of the project that led to this volume is given in chapter 1. It should be noted that the massive detail we have presented has entailed special problems with coordination, consistency, and accuracy. The authors are alone responsible for all errors that were incorporated. We also realize that some spellings have not been standardized so we have accepted common spellings and aimed at consistency. We have attempted to incorporate all of the important references but we have not attempted an exhaustive bibliography. We have added bibliographic items to a combined References and Bibliography. For the area of the Egyptian Eastern Desert covered by our project we have illustrated and discussed all of the hieroglyphs recorded by us or by others, whether or not they have been translated. We have visited all of the sites recorded by others in our project area, thus this volume is an up to date corpus of inscriptions from this region. Note that all of the photographs we have included are our own.

Acknowledgments It is impossible to undertake a project the size of the University of Minnesota Egyptian Eastern Desert Expedition without large amounts of help and support, both financial and moral. It is also impossible to name everyone who has helped in any way. To those unnamed, our thanks and our apologies for their omission.

In Egypt Although academic and professional help from both colleagues and officials of the Egyptian government has been indispensable, pride of place must go to two Bedouin colleagues. Seliim Abdul Gaddis, our driver, cook, repairman, and my (Rothe) close personal friend for ten years. His skill and resourcefulness and his unflagging good nature have seen us through hard and dangerous as well as good times. From the first season, when I spoke no Arabic and he spoke no English, we have learned to communicate and he has become one of the few people in Egypt who can understand my Arabic. “Haage” Tofiik Ali, our guide for seven years, and another close friend. At 86, he seemed to remember every rod and wadi he has ever traveled, and every gebel he has ever seen. He taught

Preface The background of the project that led to this volume is given in chapter 1. It should be noted that the massive detail we have presented has entailed special problems with coordination, consistency, and accuracy. The authors are alone responsible for all errors that were incorporated. We also realize that some spellings have not been standardized so we have accepted common spellings and aimed at consistency. We have attempted to incorporate all of the important references but we have not attempted an exhaustive bibliography. We have added bibliographic items to a combined References and Bibliography. For the area of the Egyptian Eastern Desert covered by our project we have illustrated and discussed all of the hieroglyphs recorded by us or by others, whether or not they have been translated. We have visited all of the sites recorded by others in our project area, thus this volume is an up to date corpus of inscriptions from this region. Note that all of the photographs we have included are our own.

Acknowledgments It is impossible to undertake a project the size of the University of Minnesota Egyptian Eastern Desert Expedition without large amounts of help and support, both financial and moral. It is also impossible to name everyone who has helped in any way. To those unnamed, our thanks and our apologies for their omission.

In Egypt Although academic and professional help from both colleagues and officials of the Egyptian government has been indispensable, pride of place must go to two Bedouin colleagues. Seliim Abdul Gaddis, our driver, cook, repairman, and my (Rothe) close personal friend for ten years. His skill and resourcefulness and his unflagging good nature have seen us through hard and dangerous as well as good times. From the first season, when I spoke no Arabic and he spoke no English, we have learned to communicate and he has become one of the few people in Egypt who can understand my Arabic. “Haage” Tofiik Ali, our guide for seven years, and another close friend. At 86, he seemed to remember every rod and wadi he has ever traveled, and every gebel he has ever seen. He taught

Acknowledgments

ix

me much about the lore of the ºAbabda Bedouins and about the art of living in the desert. My knowledge and love of the desert comes from him and from Seliim. The Egyptian Antiquities Organization which granted our concession beginning in year three of our project, and its successor, the Supreme Council for Antiquities, currently under the direction of Dr. Zahi Hawass, which has renewed our concession in each of the succeeding years. The Edfu Inspectorate of the SCA, and its director, Mr. Fathy Abou Zaid Mahmad, as well as Mr. Ramadan Hassan Ahmed, our inspector for the last four years. Together they have worked out a program giving us the required amount of oversight while allowing us the flexibility needed for a project of this nature. The Egyptian Geological Survey and Mining Authority, and its director of the Geological Survey Division, Dr. Abdel Aziz A. Hussien, which sponsored our expedition for the first two years. Saad B. Muhammed, who has handled our administrative paperwork in Egypt. Chronologically, the roots of our efforts began in 1976 when Rapp was hosted by Rushdi Said and M. F. El Ramly of the Egyptian Geological Survey and Mining Authority on a project to investigate the antiquity of copper and tin mining in the Eastern Desert. A National Science Foundation Office of International Programs grant to Rapp using Foreign Currency funds funded this project.

In the U.S. Dr. James P. Allen of the Metropolitan Museum of Art read the manuscript and offered many helpful suggestions and corrections which have improved our readings of inscriptions in a number of instances. As we have said above, however, all readings and interpretations are the responsibility of the authors. Our very special thanks go to Edith Dunn who used her considerable artistic and graphic talents to assemble the Paleographic Appendix. She had some linguistic help in this from the late Doris Stoessel. Edward Wappes of the University of Toronto, a former student of Miller, read early versions of some of the inscriptions and provided good discussion and suggestions. Throughout the decade-long history of the University of Minnesota Egyptian Eastern Desert Expedition, Jeanne Hartwick managed our financial affairs very competently. Funding has come from the following: The Johnson Family Foundation The National Geographic Society The University of Minnesota Institute for International Studies McKnight International Travel Award Grants through The Graduate School of the University of Minnesota Nancy Smith The Cleveland Cliffs Foundation

Abbreviations BAR Bell Cerny CM Colin DF Eichler

G Green GSL JEA OHP PM

PN RILN RM Rothe RRM

Sinai WH

James Henry Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt: Historical Documents from the Earliest Times to the Persian Conquest. London: Histories and Mysteries of Man, 1988. Lanny Bell, Janet H. Johnson, and Donald Whitcomb, “The Eastern Desert of Upper Egypt: Routes and Inscriptions,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 43 (1984): 27–46. Jaroslav Cerny, “Graffiti at the Wadi El-Allaki,” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 33 (1947): 52–57. J. Couyat and P. Montet, Les Inscriptions Hieroglyphiques et Hieratiques du Ouadi Hammamat. Cairo: L’insitut francais d’archéologie orientale, 1912. Frederic Colin, “Les Paneia d’el-Buwayb et du Ouadi Minyah,” Bulletin de l’Institut francais d’archéologie orientale 98 (1998): 89–125. Hans Vanderkerckhove and Renate Müller-Wollermann, Die Felsinschriften des Wadi Hilal. 2 volumes. Turnhout, Belgium: Musée royaux d’art et d’histoire, 2001. Rosemarie Klemm and Eckhard Eichler, “Neue Expeditionsinschriften aus der Ostwüste Oberagyptens, Teil II: Die Inschriften,” Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Kairo 54 (1998): 250–266. Georges Goyon, Nouvelles Inscriptions Rupestres du Wadi Hammamat. Paris: Libraire d’amerique et d’orient Adrien-Maisonneuve, 1957. F. W. Green, “Notes on Some Inscriptions in the Etbai District,” Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, June 1909: 247–55. sign list from: Alan H. Gardiner, Egyptian Grammar. 3rd ed. Oxford: Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum, 1957. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology Hans Goedicke, Old Hieratic Paleography. Baltimore: Halgo, 1988. Bertha Porter and Rosalind L. B. Moss, eds., Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings. 7 volumes. Oxford: Clarendon, 1927–1951. 2nd edition in process. Hermann Ranke, Die Agyptischen Personennamen. 3 volumes. Holstein: J. J. Augustin, 1935. Z. Zaba, The Rock Inscriptions of Lower Nubia. Czechoslovak Institute of Egyptology Publications 1. Prague, 1965. Russell D. Rothe and William K. Miller, “More Inscriptions from the Southern Eastern Desert,” Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 36 (1999): 87–101. Russell D. Rothe, Human Activity in the Southern Eastern Desert of Egypt During the Pharaonic Period. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Minnesota, 1995. Russell D. Rothe, George R. Rapp, and William K. Miller, “New Hieroglyphic Evidence for Pharaonic Activity in the Eastern Desert of Egypt,” Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 33 (1996): 77–104. Alan H, Gardiner, T. Eric Peet, and Jaroslav Cerny, The Inscriptions of Sinai. 2 volumes. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1955. Ashraf I. Sadek, The Amethyst Mining Inscriptions of Wadi el-Hudi, 2 volumes. Warminster: Aris and Phillips, 1985.

Chapter 1

Introduction

Purpose The southern Eastern Desert of Egypt probably has fewer people living and working in it now than at any time in the last 6,000 years. It is a land of stark beauty requiring care and planning by those who would exploit its resources but fully capable of supporting those who understand its eccentricities and idiosyncrasies. The ancient Egyptians fully understood this and for 3,000 years exploited the riches of the desert and utilized its routes to riches that lay even farther south. The Romans and the Muslims after them continued to exploit the mineral resources of the southern Eastern Desert for 2,000 years after the Pharaohs disappeared into history. It was only after the Suez Canal offered easier access to riches elsewhere and obviated the need for caravan routes from the Red Sea to the Nile that the southern Eastern Desert became a backwater peopled only by the nomadic Bedouins and a few miners. In modern times, a few hardy travelers have crossed the desert, mapped its trails and wadis, and exploited its resources. Some of those travelers have recorded, and a few have photographed, Pharaonic inscriptions that they discovered during their travels. (Wilkinson 1832; Green 1909; Weigall 1909; Murray 1925; Bell, et al., 1984; Zitterkopf and Sidebotham 1989. See also Cerny 1947, who writes about inscriptions discovered on a trip made by G. W. Murray and his wife in 1942.) The University of Minnesota Egyptian Eastern Desert Expedition is the first expedition to systematically survey a specific area of the southern Eastern Desert for evidence of Pharaonic activity. The area, some 60,000 km2, lies between the Nile and the Red Sea and 24°N to 26°N (Figures 1-1 and 1-1a). During ten seasons, each of at least three months duration, we have surveyed tens of thousands of kilometers of wadis and desert, most of it on foot. Figure 1-2 shows the routes we have traveled. Note its similarity to fig. 1-1, which shows the main and secondary wadis in the project area. Within this area we have catalogued not only inscriptions, but also mines and wells. The University of Minnesota Eastern Desert Expedition had its beginnings in 1975 when coauthor George (Rip) Rapp, T. H. Wertime, and J. D. Muhly visited cassiterite (tin ore) mines in the southern Eastern Desert. Near the westernmost of those mines they were shown a group of Pharaonic inscriptions by M. F. el-Ramly of the Egyptian Geological Survey and Mining Authority. The inscriptions were photographed and the photos were given to an Egyptologist to translate. As more pressing projects came to the fore, the inscriptions and the cassiterite data were allowed to languish until 1991 when senior author Russell D. Rothe read about the photos in a footnote in an unrelated article. After obtaining copies of the photos from Rapp, he, with the help of co-author William K. Miller and others, translated the inscriptions. (See RRM for some of the initial translations.)

Figure 1-1, Project Area

Introduction

Figure 1-1a, Location of the Project Area

3

In 1992–1993, while a research fellow at the American University in Cairo, the senior author made the first of many trips into the southern Eastern Desert. With the help of the Egyptian Geological Survey and Mining Authority, he relocated and photographed the “Mueilha” inscriptions, as they came to be known. During that same season, following leads from an article by Cerny (1947), Rothe and Rapp discovered nearly 30 previously unknown inscriptions at a site known as Bir Dunqash (chapter 4). Among those inscriptions, we discovered some bearing names and titles known to us from the Mueilha inscriptions. In the course of subsequent discussions, we came to realize that nothing short of a systematic survey of a large area of the southern Eastern Desert would solve the mysteries of the identities and purpose of the people who left these inscriptions. We enlisted the help of Miller, a philologist and co-author of this volume and for the next nine seasons walked and rode the trackless rods and wadis of the southern Eastern Desert in search of evidence of Pharaonic activity. This book is the outgrowth of those seasons of fieldwork.

Geography The project area is large enough to have a diverse physical geography and, to some degree, climatic regime. While the area is certainly dry enough to qualify as desert, it is not the desert as popularly stereotyped. The Western Desert across the Nile from the project area is covered with windblown quartz sand from the Precambrian Nubian Sandstone that underlies much of northeastern Africa. There, aeolian forces play the larger role in the shaping of landforms. By contrast, nearly all of the landforms of the Eastern Desert have been shaped by tectonic, weathering, and alluvial processes. The Nile River divides these two starkly contrasting geomorphic regimes. Most of this difference can be attributed to weather patterns in the area. Such moisture as exists here has as its source the Red Sea. In the autumn, the easterly winds off of the sea are orographically uplifted as they flow inland and drop their moisture in short, fierce thunderstorms of a few minutes or at most a few hours duration. Except for a 30 to 50 km wide strip along the Red Sea Coast, nearly all of the southern Eastern Desert is drained by wadis flowing eventually into the Nile. Most of the rain that falls in the Eastern Desert falls west of this divide and drains eventually into the Nile, although the rainfall itself only rarely reaches the Nile valley and almost never the Western Desert. The Nile Valley along the western edge of the project area has been downcut about 100 m through the Nubian Sandstone, and hundreds of small wadis that have backcut into the bluffs

Figure 1-2, Wadis Examined

Introduction

5

serve to drain the infrequent storm runoff from the western edge of the plateau thus formed. Supplementing these short, steep wadis are a few large ones, up to several kilometers wide near their mouths, which have well developed dendritic patterns. Each drains thousands of square kilometers of the central plateau. These wadis, all of which have gentle gradients and relatively flat bottoms, are the natural routes by which travelers, both ancient and modern, gained access to the plateau of the Eastern Desert. It is through one of these, the Wadi Abbad, that the modern paved highway from Edfu to Mersa Alam begins its initial climb out of the Nile Valley. This wadi is also the lowest wadi in the central of the three major drainage systems that make up three of the chapters into which this book is divided

Roads Although the project area is bordered on the west, north, and east by paved roads, there is only one paved road crossing the desert within its boundaries. That road, the Edfu–Mersa Alam road, is the southernmost of the Egyptian roads between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea. Forty km west of Mersa Alam, near a small group of structures known collectively as Sheik Salem, there is a branch of this road that runs 110 km south to Sheik Shazly. In all of the rest of the project area, some 60,000 km2, the wadis serve as roads as they have for millennia. Many of the major wadis have tire tracks worn in them and in the high desert those tracks serve to point the direction. Even where there are no tire tracks the going is usually comparatively easy. There are, nonetheless, many places showing ancient caravan tracks that are completely impassable to any type of wheeled vehicle. In our travels in the project area we have walked for many kilometers following caravan tracks on which walking was fast and easy, but because of the narrowness of the track or boulders strewn across the wadi, the tracks were impassable to vehicles. A short digression is in order here. The term ‘high desert’ as used above is one that we have adopted to define that area of the desert lying between the coastal mountains and the eastern edge of the heavily intruded metasediments about 34 oE. The area is relatively flat and consists primarily of the remains of very ancient geomorphic features that make up the surface of the Nubian Shield and the relatively young pink granite mountains intruding through them. The geology of this area will be discussed in greater detail below. Many of the caravan tracks follow the system of Roman roads through the project area (Murray 1925). Two major Roman roads enter the area, one from Coptos and one from Edfu, both on the Nile. They converge in the east-central part of the project area and continue to Berenice, a Red Sea port of Ptolemaic date (fig. 1-3). In addition, there are several roads of Roman or earlier date that go to the various mines and quarries in the Eastern Desert. All of these roads are characterized by the hydreumata (sing. hydreuma) that were set at more or less regular intervals along them (Zitterkopf and Sidebotham 1989). These fortified watering stations were, in most cases, almost certainly built over pre-existing wells (but see below) and probably along preexisting routes as well.

Water Resources Wells were then, as they are today, natural resting places for desert travelers. In the metasediments that comprise the eastern half of the project area, inscriptions are found only around the wells. For the researcher, unfortunately, this is not as straightforward as it seems. In the course of our research, we have visited all of the known wells in the project area as well as a few that were previously unknown or have been dry since ancient times, for example, Bir Mueilha

6

Chapter 1

Ea

W ester n

r ste n D t er es

Deser t

R ed Sea

N

Figure 1-3, Roman Roads in Upper Egypt where two of the Pharaonic travelers write that they dug wells (chapter 4). Bir al-Alam, 18 km from the Red Sea, is another example of a usually dry well on whose rocks are several inscriptions (chapter 5). A different kind of example is that of Bir Sigdid, a well that does not appear on any of the modern maps that we have seen. It is a reliable well, producing water when we visited it even after the autumn rains had failed for two consecutive seasons. On the rocks over the bir are several Old Kingdom inscriptions and in the wadi below the bir are several structures (chapter 5). As can be seen from figure 1-4, the southern Eastern Desert is dotted with wells. While many are seasonal and hold water for only a few months after the autumn rains, most of those shown are reliable, year-round sources of water. No matter how sporadic the rainfall coverage in a given year, the main wadis receive rainfall somewhere within their drainage basins nearly every year. Thus these wadis tend to contain the most reliable wells and furnish the most promising places to dig new ones. Some of the inscriptions in the following chapters, and some classical writers, bear this out (on this point, see also Ball 1942). As suggested above, these wadis also comprise the routes used to this day by the ‘Ababda Bedouins who live in the area, as well as by the ancient travelers who are the subject of this study. In our travels in the Eastern Desert, one of the most frequently seen rock-carved signs is the Bedouin sign for well, “bir” ( ). In many cases, there is no well evident. The flash floods that rage down these wadis often fill the wells with alluvium. But the Bedouins know, as the ancient travelers must also have known, that adjacent to these symbols it is only necessary in most years to dig through a meter or two of alluvium to find water. In January 1994, we saw several wells where the water was just below the surface of the

Figure 1-4, Wells within Project Area

8

Chapter 1

wadi, and in one place, in the Wadi Barramiya, we dug near a bir sign and found water about 10 centimeters below the surface. The assumption that every hydreuma had its own well is, in our opinion, wrong. The evidence indicates that in many cases the stations had systems of berms to collect and cisterns to store storm water runoff. It is possible that some of the more permanent Pharaonic structures such as the Seti I temple in Wadi Kanayis also employed such systems.

Population The southern Eastern Desert today probably has the lowest population density that it has had in recorded history (Ball 1942). The population density of the desert to the north of the study area is about one person for every 90 km2 (Hobbs 1989). The population density within the project area is somewhat higher due to mining and quarrying activity, primarily along the Edfu– Mersa Alam road. Those population centers (only the most imaginative could call them towns) rely almost exclusively on resupply from the Nile Valley. From the Nile Valley to the heavily metamorphosed and igneous rocks that form the north-south trending mountain range at 34 o00’E, of which Gebel Hagar Dunqash and Gebel el-Mueilha are a part, the desert is virtually unpopulated. But the broad flat area between that range and the Red Sea hills, the high desert, is far more hospitable than would first be believed. In November 1992, during the thunderstorm season, we stood under a clear blue sky and watched a tongue of water 15 cm deep and a few hundred meters wide roll across a relatively flat desert about as fast as one could walk, its source in the distant mountains. In December we have seen the first green shoots support a few goats, and in late February we have seen mixed herds of goats and sheep numbering in the hundreds grazing on the grass of the high desert. These herds are tended by extended family groups of Bedouins numbering fifteen to thirty people (personal communication with our guide, Haage Tofiik Ali). By mid-summer the heat and dryness have split the extended families into smaller groups who have taken their herds into the mountains to the east of the high desert where the areas around the remaining wells can still support small herds. Most of the wells in the area remain reliable even when the autumn rains fail. The limiting factor, however, becomes the vegetation. By continuously moving their herds, the Bedouins can find adequate forage for their sheep and goats. When the autumn rains fail, however, they must move to the eastern slopes of the Red Sea Mountains, where the rain is more reliable and where there is often morning dew to sustain plant life. In February 1996, assisted by a grant from the National Geographic Society and accompanied by two donkeys and their Bedouin owner, the senior author walked 306 km from the Nile to the Red Sea to learn first hand the logistics of ancient desert travel. We found that it was unnecessary to carry either food or water for the animals, provided that we walked no more than eight hours per day. They needed water only every second day and the wells were never more than two days apart. Given adequate time to rest and forage, they did very well on the sparse vegetation available to them. What this meant in terms of the Pharaonic travelers, in whose footsteps we have been traveling, is that in all except the southernmost part of our project area, donkeys were as good as camels. A glance at fig. 1-4, showing the distribution of wells in the area, makes this clear. Chapter 6, which deals with geographical information systems, (GIS), will graphically demonstrate the relationship between wells and inscriptions.

Introduction

9

Climate Most scholars now accept that by 15,000 b.p. northeastern Africa was already as dry or dryer than it is now (Butzer 1961). While there have been wetter and drier periods in the interim, the climate has remained, on the whole, stable. One of the wet periods, usually referred to as the “Neolithic Wet Phase” (NWP), began about 7,000 b.c. and ended around 2350 b.c. (Butzer 1966). Throughout the Holocene, Egypt has been arid, so climatic changes in Egypt proper have little effect on the Nile valley. Egyptians have always depended on the Nile and the annual inundations to support their agriculture. The year-round flow of the Nile is supported by the White Nile, which rises in central Africa. The inundations are supported by summer monsoons in the East African highlands that feed the Blue Nile and by the Atbara river that rises in the highlands of Ethiopia and also depends on the summer monsoons. The Eastern Desert and the project area in particular have throughout historic times supported a relatively large nomadic population. Unlike the Nile Valley, this area would be very sensitive to local climatic changes. Petroglyphs from the study area depict many animals that require a far different climatic regime than that of the present. There are many petroglyphs that depict ostriches and a few that depict giraffes. Butzer (1961) has used relative frequencies of the appearance of these animals in petroglyphs to gauge the changing climate. This evidence fits well with the three OK inscriptions, at least one of which is from the reign of Pepy II, which tell of digging wells (inscriptions DN28, ML01, ML12). While it is possible that these people could be simply pioneering a new route, it seems more likely that the old sources of water were drying up. Additional weight is given to the latter argument by a passage from a document known to Egyptologists as the “Admonitions of Ipuwer,” which describes conditions during the First Intermediate Period. At one point the ancient writer says, “The tribes of the desert have become Egyptians (lit., people) everywhere” (Simpson 1972). Almost certainly, this is an indication that the Bedouins of the Eastern Desert and the Libyans of the Western Desert were being forced from their territory into the Nile valley. When, several decades later, at the beginning of the Middle Kingdom, the Nile inundations stabilized at something near their previous average, the rains did not revive significantly in the Eastern Desert (Butzer 1958). At that point, ca. 2160 b.c., the Eastern Desert probably looked pretty much as it does today, except there are now probably fewer trees (Hobbs 1989). Given the distance between the source of moisture for the Eastern Desert and the source of water for the Nile, it seems fairly safe to conclude that the climatic desiccation then taking place was fairly widespread. Some authors have suggested, albeit tentatively, that the ending of the Neolithic Wet Phase (NWP) was simultaneous over an area considerably larger than just Northeastern Africa (e.g., Bell 1971).

Geology of the Southern Eastern Desert The geomorphology and the lithology of rocks outcropping in the project area bear directly on the opportunity for preserved inscriptions and also govern travel and mineral exploitation. The easternmost part of the project area is comprised of progressively higher terraces of marine sediment and coral reefs. The highest, along the Edfu-Mersa Alam road about 10 km inland from the current coastline, is 238 m above sea level (Ball 1912). Only the lowest of these terraces are considered to be of Quaternary age (Butzer and Hanson 1968), with the rest growing progressively older as one moves inland.

10

Chapter 1

To the west, averaging 6–10 km inland, the coral and sea floor sediments abut metamorphic rocks that are part of the Nubian Shield (Meshref 1990). These rocks, are “heavily intruded by a vast array of granite intrusions ranging in composition from quartz diorite to alkali feldspar granite” (el-Gaby et al. 1990). These intrusions form the mountains of the coastal range and are themselves intruded by quartz veins and numerous mafic igneous dikes and sills. The entire area is rich in minerals, including cassiterite and gold. Many of these deposits were worked in Pharaonic times and were no doubt the destination for some of the travelers whose inscriptions are the subject of this work. In these coastal mountains to the north of the Edfu-Mersa Alam road, at Igla, Nueiba, and Abu Dabbab, the granite is cut by veins containing cassiterite. These deposits were all worked earlier in this century. The deposits at Mine Mueilha will be discussed below. The west edge of the coastal range marks the watershed divide, with short, steep wadis running east to the Red Sea and well developed dendritic drainage patterns running west to the Nile Valley. From 24o north to the Edfu-Mersa Alam road, west of the coastal range, for a distance of about 40 km, the Nubian Shield is quite flat with only a few high granite mountains. This area, the ‘high desert’, is characterized by very shallow wadis up to several kilometers wide, known as “rods” (pronounced “roads”). It was in one of these rods, the Rod el-Liqah, that the flash flood referred to above occurred. The most characteristic formations here are the long spiny ridges formed by the weathering of softer country rock around igneous dikes. There are also many low hills of metamorphic rock, which are the easternmost extension of the Precambrian Nubian Sandstone formation (el-Ramly and el-Far 1955). This formation in its original or altered form covers nearly all of the southern Eastern Desert west of the Nubian shield. The high desert ends quite abruptly along an almost north-south line at 34 o05uE, in a row of metamorphic and granitic mountains that rise to as much as 400 m above the desert floor. By far the most outstanding landmark in this area is the pink granite boss of the Gebel el-Mueilha, (el. 704 m), to the south of the slightly higher but rather plain looking peaks of Urf Umm Rashid (el. 814 m) and Gebel Hagar Dunqash (el. 768 m). Unlike the peaks to the north, Gebel el- Mueilha is surrounded by relatively low, spinebacked, graywacke ridges (fig. 1-5), which make this mountain even more striking. There is no doubt that this mountain was an important landmark to the ancient travelers of the Eastern Desert. In an unnamed wadi that passes by the west side of the Gebel el-Mueilha are the inscriptions noted by author Rapp (Rapp et al. 1975) that were the starting point for this research. Three kilometers farther north in the same wadi is an outcropping of cassiterite (tin ore), Mine Mueilha, which might account for the presence of Old Kingdom travelers in this wadi. Mine Mueilha was worked by the British beginning in 1939, when they were cut off from their Indonesian sources of tin, until 1945 when those sources again became accessible. It was worked again by the Egyptians from 1950 to 1955, when market forces and its relative remoteness led to its demise. It is our belief that this mine may have been the destination of at least some of the OK travelers who left their inscriptions at Bir Mueilha, and that Eastern Desert cassiterite was used during Egyptian Bronze Age. Gebel el-Mueilha is one of several mountains which mark the western edge of the “high desert.” To the east of this line, roughly 34oE, the Nubian shield is pierced only occasionally by the pink granite mountains of which Gebel el-Mueilha is one. To the west the pink granite disappears completely, giving way to rugged mountains and hills of metasediment, the whole of it cut by numerous dikes and sills and quartz veins. Bir Dunqash, itself a working gold mine for as many as 5,000 years, is in the center of this zone. There are perhaps 50 gold mines within a 20 km radius of the bir. Nearly all were worked

Introduction

Figure 1-5

11

12

Chapter 1

in antiquity and most in the Pharaonic period (Klemm and Klemm 1994). We have recorded 44 Pharaonic inscriptions in the vicinity of Bir Dunqash (chapter 3). Five km west of Bir Dunqash is what may be a fault line (Meshref 1990). The fault starts a few kilometers southeast of the junction of Wadi Mueilha and Wadi Shaªit and trends, roughly paralleling the Red Sea, in a nearly straight line northwest where it crosses the Edfu-Mersa Alam road just west of Mine Barramiya. From there it continues northwesterly until it exits the project area about 60 km east of Qena. This line, whether it represents a fault or not, clearly divides the metasediments to the east from the unaltered Nubian Sandstone to the west. Wherever this line crosses a major wadi, that wadi widens out to several kilometers. In every case, from Wadi Kharit on the south to Wadi Abu Wasil on the north, when the wadi narrows again to the west the metasediments have given way to the sandstone of the Nubian Formation, which then continues all the way to the Nile and beyond. Although there are a few inscriptions in this general area, the majority occur in the geologic feature described next. Paralleling the fault line described above and roughly 10 km east of it is what appears to be a fault block, rising in places as much as 100 m above the surrounding rock (fig. 1-6). This block, averaging 10–20 km between its eastern and western escarpments, runs from at least as far south as Wadi Kharit (~24o10uN) to beyond the northern extent of our project area. Most of the major wadis are as much as 1 km wide as they approach this escarpment from the east. Where they have cut through the escarpment they have narrowed to a few hundred meters at most, and usually less than half that. They are enclosed by high, vertical sandstone walls from which blocks, some as large as houses, have fallen. Although the going can be very rough, and in some cases impassable to motor vehicles, these wadis offer shade, walls on which one can write, and in many cases are the only route through the area. It is, therefore, not surprising that from Wadi Shaªit (~24o30’N) to the northern edge of the project area we have found inscriptions in every major wadi that cuts this feature, in the case of Wadi Barramiya, more than 70. Overall, the sandstone walls within this feature hold fully half of the inscriptions that appear in this book. The sandstone walls between the western escarpment and the Nile valley account for only a dozen or so, the majority of those on the walls around the rock cut temple at Bir Kanayis, (chapter 3). The remaining inscriptions, about a third of those appearing in this work, are grouped around wells located near mining areas. When the wadis that cross the sandstone block exit to the west, sometimes quite abrubtly, they widen out again and remain quite wide with only a relatively few vertical faces suitable for writing occurring along the outsides of bends. At one such location, Bir Kanayis, there are both a Roman hydreuma and a rock-cut temple attributed to Seti I of the Nineteenth Dynasty. On the sandstone walls around the temple are several inscriptions some of which predate the temple (chapter 3). In the central and southern parts of the project area, except for the extreme south, the sandstone continues all the way to the Nile. North of Elkab, it gives way to the limestone into which so many of the Theban tombs are cut. In the extreme southwest of the project area, near Aswan, the tectonic activity that resulted in the formation of the first cataract has left an area composed primarily of granite and metamorphic rock. The main cultural feature here is the amethyst mining area in the Wadi el-Hudi, just south of our project area (Sadek 1985). Wadi Abu Agag, into which Wadi el-Hudi drains, meets the Nile just to the north of Aswan. In this wadi we discovered 2 single inscriptions and a group of at least 4. All are carved in granite. The foregoing is a thumbnail sketch of a very complex geologic regime and perforce contains many generalizations. To the reader who is interested in a more detailed description of the

Figure 1-6, Approximate Eastern Edge of the Sandstone Fault Block

14

Chapter 1

area,, we strongly recommend the pertinent chapters in The Geology of Egypt, either in the 1937 3-volume set by W. F. Hume or the 1990 edition edited by Rushdi Said.

Organization of This Volume In a book containing this number of inscriptions, it is necessary to organize them into somewhat arbitrary divisions. Thus, chapters 2 through 4 represent inscriptions found in the three main watersheds in the project area. The Qena watershed is the northernmost and is presented in chapter 2. It should be pointed out that although the Wadi Hammamat road is our northern boundary, we have chosen not to include the inscriptions along that road in this volume because they are adequately presented elsewhere (e.g., Weigall 1909; Couyat and Montet 1912; Goyon 1957). It should be further pointed out that although this road marks our northern boundary, it runs through the center of the watershed and fully half of the watershed is outside of the project area. Chapter 3 is comprised of those inscriptions in the Edfu watershed. This watershed is contained entirely within the project area and nearly the entire watershed is north of and along the Edfu-Mersa Alam road. The water drains into the Nile through Wadi Abbad whose mouth is opposite Edfu. In chapter 4 we present the inscriptions found within the Kom Ombo watershed. This is by far the largest of the three watersheds within the project area. Wadi Shaªit is the northernmost of three major wadis that drain directly on to the Kom Ombo plain and contains the southernmost inscriptions in this watershed. Although we have spent weeks searching the other two wadis, Wadi Natash and Wadi Kharit, and their environs, we have found no inscriptions south of Wadi Shaªit. In chapter six we will examine possible reasons for this lack of inscriptions. Chapter 5, titled “Other Wadis,” contains inscriptions from locations that do not comfortably fit into one of the three main watersheds. This will include Wadis Abu Agag and al-Alam. It is important to note that the watersheds are interconnected by a system of ancient trails and roads. Thus, for example, people from Elkab or Edfu, in the Edfu watershed, could easily work and service the mines around Bir Dunqash and Bir Mueilha, both of which are in the Kom Ombo watershed. The inscriptions are numbered as the Pharaonic travelers would have first witnessed them, from west to east, up-wadi. For the sake of simplicity, the wadis themselves are arranged within the chapter in alphabetical order. Each of the inscriptions contains references to all of the other inscriptions in the project area in which a particular name/title combination appears. However, to save much repetition, only the first occurrence within this book annotates the known occurrences documented elsewhere in Egypt. We have noticed an occasional tendency among scholars to ignore inscriptions which they are unable to translate. We have chosen to include all of the Pharaonic material we found, regardless of whether we could make sense of it. Thus, some of the photographs have little or no commentary accompanying them. Chapter 6 is the GIS chapter. In it we pull together the data presented in chapters 2 through 5 and use it to examine the spatial distribution of various aspects of the inscriptions, such as names and titles. More importantly, we show graphically how that distribution changed over time and how climate and water resources affected the distribution. Each chapter contains numerous maps showing the location of the watershed within the project area and the locations of the various wadis within the watershed. There is a sub-chapter

Introduction

15

for each wadi that includes, along with the inscriptions, a map of the wadi showing the locations of inscriptions, wells, and major mining areas. In addition there are several maps showing what we believe to be the routes used by the ancient traveler to reach specific areas. Although the search for evidence of ancient mineral resources played a large part in our project, evidence of mining activity will be mentioned herein only as it pertains directly to the inscriptions. Appendix A is a paleography. It includes virtually all of the signs from all of the inscriptions, grouped according to the Gardiner sign list. We have dated most of the inscriptions based on philology, personal names, and titles. Those dates have been carried through to the signs in the paleography. In addition to the date, each sign contains a number referring to the inscription from which it came. Appendix B is the database that was used in the GIS chapter.

Chapter 2

Qena Watershed

This watershed enters the Nile through Wadi Qarn, near Qift, the same wadi that holds the western end of the modern Qena-Qusir road and the Roman roads to both Qusir and Berenice. The route was an important link to the Red Sea throughout history and lost importance only with the advent of the Suez Canal. As noted above, although the Wadi Hammamat road is our northern boundary, we have chosen not to include the inscriptions along that road in this volume because they are adequately presented elsewhere (see p. 14).

Geology The cross section described here is along the Qus-Qusir road. Unlike the other two major watersheds in the project area, the western end of the Qena watershed is comprised of limestone. The wadis that cut the limestone are very difficult walking, for the most part, because of the makeup of the limestone and the way in which it weathers. The limestone here has many inclusions of chert, of a quality that made it highly prized for tools and weapons by the ancients. One of the qualities of the chert that made it prized is its hardness and resistance to weathering. The limestone that holds the chert, however, weathers chemically and relatively quickly in the nearly annual flash floods, typical of the southern Eastern Desert. The result is wadi floors littered with chert nodules ranging from cobbles to boulders. The ancient route from Luxor to Bir Shalul runs through a series of such wadis for the first 40 km of its length. Because of the weathering and boulders littering the wadi floor these routes were avoided by the ancients whenever possible. We found no inscriptions in the areas of limestone. About 40 km east of the Nile, along a line running south-southeast, the limestone changes over to the Nubian Sandstone that characterizes the entire western half of the project area further south. Here the walking is easy in the sandy bottomed wadis and the sandstone walls of the wadis offer smooth, nearly vertical surfaces on which the ancients could leave their grafitti while resting in the cool shade or, less often, in the warmth of the sun. Nearly all of our inscriptions from this watershed occur in this formation. The possibly upfaulted block described in chapter one, only about 2 km wide at this point, crosses the highway here at approximately 49–51 km from the Nile. It is in this general area that the inscriptions first published by Redford and Redford (1989) occur. About 80 km east of the Nile the wadi widens and when it narrows the sandstone has changed over to the metamorphic/igneous Nubian Shield. A short distance east of here, along the road, are the Hammamat inscriptions (Weigall 1909; Couyat and Montet 1912; Goyon 1957). The fault line that divides the sandstone and metasediments continues south-southeast through this watershed and the two to the south until it exits the project area.

Qena Watershed

17

Near Bir Beida, about 20 km from the Red Sea, atypically, sandstone and limestone outcrops are encountered again overlying the metasediments. After these disappear, the ancient beach ridges begin stepping their way down to the sea.

Geography and Resources There are nineteen wells in that portion of the study area north of 25o30uN, most of which are in the Qena watershed. We visited all of them in January to April 2000. Except for Bir Meniah and a suspected ancient well in Wadi ‘Isa, none had inscriptions near them. The wells are for the most part reliable, based on the fact that they had water after three consecutive years without rain. A notable exception is Bir Dadymus, a major Roman hydreauma, which has been dry for decades. Based on the number of wells and their reliability and distribution, this section of the project area would be considered reasonably well watered for the southern Eastern Desert. This part of the study area is bounded on the north by the Qift-Qusir road, on the west by the Nile valley highway, and on the east by the coast road. Other than these and a few small spurs, there are no modern roads in the area.

Wadi Abu Wasil Traveling into the desert from the Nile valley near the modern city of Qena, the traveler enters the mouth of Wadi Abu Wasil from Wadi Bueib a few kilometers west of the Roman station at Bir Dadymus. There are no inscriptions or likely places to put them until about two-thirds of the way up the wadi. The right or western branch of the wadi has no inscriptions but it does have one interesting archaeological site. In the upper reaches of this western branch of the wadi, it turns NE/SW and cuts through nearly continuous high sandstone walls. At N25o30u47U/E33o30u26U, a high sand dune blocks the entire wadi. Behind the dune the wadi floor is at least 3 m higher than the floor below the dune. Investigation showed that the dune acts as a dam during the periodic flash floods. It appears that the artificial lake so formed was as much as 3 km and on several occasions overtopped the dune and washed it away. There are about 40 structures on the west side of the wadi immediately below the dam and perhaps 20 additional ones in side wadis above the dam. The few sherds we found suggest, however tentatively, a Roman/Coptic date for at least a part of the occupation. There are no mines and almost certainly no economic minerals here in the sandstone so one is tempted to believe that the residents here were seasonal pastoralists. Above the upper reaches of the lake are rockshelters that contain rock art and stone tools suggesting a predynastic presence in the area. The first two inscriptions in the wadi are in the eastern branch only a few hundred meters from where it separates from the western branch. The six inscriptions in Wadi Abu Wasil east suggest that this was an alternate route to the goldfields to the southeast, bypassing Bir Meniah. Two suggestions come to mind regarding the question of why the ancient travelers would want to bypass the very reliable well at Bir Meniah. First and most likely is the same reason that the Roman road parallels Wadi Meniah on the northeast side, because Wadi Abu Wasil west does on the south side. The wadi above Bir Meniah is very rough and difficult for pack animals, probably impossible for the heavily loaded camels of the Romans. In (relatively) wet years the ancients would have preferred this wadi, which offers a much easier trail to Bir Shalul.

18

Chapter 2

The second reason has to do with the structures at Bir Meniah. It is possible that there were times when there was friction between the Pharaonic travelers and the local residents at the bir. During those times the travelers may have found it more practical to simply bypass this well. None of the six inscriptions in Wadi Abu Wasil east sheds any light on the question.

Inscription AW01 Location: N25o34u12U/E33o28u07U, north side of the wadi where it divides Description: one line of text

Transliteration: sk hnmt.sn . . . Translation: . . . excavating their well Commentary: There does not seem to be a name or title present. The next inscription (AW02) is only about a meter to the left of this inscription. Perhaps they are connected.

Qena Watershed

19

Inscription AW02 Location: N25o34u12U/E33o28u07U, north side of the wadi where it divides Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡m¡(?) Translation: Imi(?) Commentary: The name Imi is attested in Ranke (PN I, 25.17). The large appendages to the reed leaves are either faults in the rock or later additions. The space between the m and the second reed leaf causes some hesitancy. For an owl drawn similarly, see SL13.

20

Chapter 2

Inscription AW03 Location: N25o32u26U/E33o31u55U, west side on a ~1 meter diameter boulder near the wadi floor Description: one line of text

Transliteration: t¡-k·-nfr Translation: Tikanefer Commentary: The name is not attested in Ranke.

Qena Watershed

Inscription AW04 Location: N25o32u26U/E33o31u55U, on the brow of a rockshelter, 10 m left of the previous inscription Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ºw w·r Translation: the foreign worker War Commentary: This name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 72.24).

21

22

Chapter 2

Inscription AW05 Location: N25o31u45U/E33o32u30U, north side on a detached boulder Description: one column of text

Transliteration: shp w¡ ntr Translation: May god lead me. Commentary: This does not seem to be a name. Perhaps a vocative phrase.

Qena Watershed

23

Inscription AW06 Location: N25o31u45U/E33o32u30U, north side on a detached boulder Description: one column of text

Transliteration: htmty ntr (¡my-r?) smnty(w) hw¡ Translation: expedition leader (and overseer?) of prospectors Khui Commentary: Because we do not have any other instances of adjunct titles with htmty ntr, we suggest that the title is ¡my-r smntyw with the ¡my-r omitted; for another instance of ¡my-r smntyw, see MD03. Khui is known from many inscriptions, in all of which he is titled htmty ntr (“expedition leader”) as here; in Barramiya (BR33, BR66), the name Khui occurs with the title htmty ntr but not with the other title, so identity cannot be established. A htmty ntr Khuiwi is attested in MN11, again identical? He may also be the same Khui who has his tomb at Aswan (de Morgan 157–58). If he is that person, he could well be on his way to the Red Sea and ultimately to Punt as suggested by inscriptions in his tomb, dated to the reign of Pepy II. This name found commonly in our inscriptions is attested in Ranke (PN I, 267.12) and in numerous other desert settings. In CM47,14 it appears written with the arm-with-flail sign and the title hrp k·wt, a title not attested in any of our examples. In G, hwy’s are found in three inscriptions (20,21,27) with titles of hry tp nswt, ¡my-r bn(r)wt(?), ¡my-r s, ¡my ¡rty, s˙q, sps nswt, ¡my-r ºw. In WH3, a hwyw is titled ˙ry-tp n pr nb.f. In Sinai, the name is attested in 33, 8 with the title ¡rtºt n pr º· and in 512 as a patronymic. In RILN25, the name appears in a list without title. In DF, the name is attested frequently, though with only a very limited number of titles, suggesting we are dealing with only a few, or perhaps one, person. In no instance, however, is the title represented in our inscription attached to the Khui’s of Wadi Hilal.

24 N13(?) N39 N73 N104 N115 N119 N178 N251 N275 O49 O56 O63 O87 O97 O215 O227 O277 O283 O290 O297

Chapter 2 ˙m ntr ˙m-ntr, ˙ry sst· n htmty-ntr m ˙wt-ntr ˙m-ntr hry tp nswt, ss ˙wt-ntr ˙m-ntr, ˙ry sst· n htmty-ntr ˙m-ntr, ˙ry sst· n htmty-ntr m ˙wt-ntr ˙rt ˙m ntr ˙m ntr ˙m ntr hry tp nswt, ˙m-ntr hry tp nswt, ss ˙wt-ntr hry tp nswt, ss ˙wt-ntr ss ˙wt-ntr ss ˙wt-ntr ˙m-ntr, ˙ry sst· n htmty-ntr hry tp nswt, ss ˙wt-ntr ˙m-ntr, ˙ry sst· hry tp nswt, ss ˙wt-ntr hry tp nswt, ss ˙wt-ntr (named twice in this inscription, the second time with only ss ˙wt-ntr) hry tp nswt, ss ˙wt-ntr

Wadi Bueib This is a short wadi connecting Wadis Abu Wasil and Meniah to Wadi Zaydun. This is the wadi through which the Roman road from Qena to Berenice runs between Bir el-Qata and Bir Daydamus. The route was clearly used by Pharaonic travelers from the area around Coptos to gain access to the mineralized areas to the south and east. The wadi runs for its entire length through the Nubian sandstone formation. The terrain here is very flat with only a few low hills to the north and a low ridge marking the south side of the wadi. All of the Buieb inscriptions are located in a low rockshelter along this ridge at N25o48u13U/E33o20u55U. These inscriptions have been published by Frederic Colin (1998). The photographs are ours.

Figure 2-4, Wadi Bueib in the Qena Watershed

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Inscription BB01 Location: N25o48u13U/E33o20u55U, south side in rockshelter Description: Horus falcon with a double crown facing the following inscription. Note that both the falcon and the inscription face left.

Transliteration: (1) nby sºnh n ¡mn (2) . . . ¡mn Translation: (1) the goldworker and sculptor of Amun (2) . . . amun Bibliography: Colin 12

Qena Watershed

Inscription BB02 Location: N25o48u13U/E33o20u55U, south side in rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡st mwt ntr mnw k· nb pt ¡r.n ss . . . Translation: to Isis, mother of the god, and Min, lord of heaven. Made by the scribe . . . Bibliography: Colin 13 Commentary: For a discussion of the demotic inscription above, see Colin 13.

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Inscription BB03 Location: N25o48u13U/E33o20u55U, south side in rockshelter Description: Horus falcon wearing double crown facing a cartouche

Transliteration: (mn-hpr-rº) Translation: Menkheperre Bibliography: Colin 11

Qena Watershed

29

Inscription BB04 Location: N25o48u13U/E33o20u55U, south side in rockshelter Description: Horus falcon with flail or double crown facing a group of signs

Commentary: Colin doesn’t deal with this inscription. It is possible that the group reads simply “Horus, lord of heaven,” but the presence of what could be a city determinative (n¡wt) keeps us from certainty.

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Inscription BB05 Location: N25o48u13U/E33o20u55U, south side in rockshelter Description: drawing of Min or Amun

Bibliography: Colin 15

Qena Watershed

31

Wadi ºIsa This short (~15 km) wadi may have been part of an alternate route from the Nile to the Red Sea (Bell et al. 1984, who originally published all of the inscriptions from this wadi). It is certainly part of a route to the gold fields to the south. A few kilometers after leaving the Wadi Hammamat road, the track crosses a height of land and descends into Wadi ºIsa which it follows to Wadi Atshan and down that wadi to Wadi Qash. From there the route goes south and east. About 1.5 km above the point at which it enters Wadi Atshan the wadi narrows to only a few meters as it goes between high granite walls for a distance of no more than 500 m. At the bottom of that gorge the wadi turns sharply westward to miss another high rock cliff. The point at which the wadi turns is geologically a good place for a well, and we suspect that this explains the inscriptions in the gorge above. All of the photographs used here were taken when we visited the site in January 2000. Note on the numbering: we have numbered these inscriptions as they appeared in Bell. We were unable to find his Inscription 1, which we believe may now be lying in the pile of rubble below the main group

32

Figure 2-5, Wadi ºIsa in the Qena Watershed

Figure 2-6, Location of Inscriptions in Wadi ºIsa

Chapter 2

Qena Watershed

33

Inscription IS02 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, east side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration:(1) hry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw (2) ¡d¡ Translation: the chamberlain and overseer of the scribes of the crew Idi Bibliography: Bell 2 Commentary: An Idy, spelled with a double reed leaf and bearing the title, sps nswt ¡my-rº ºw, appears four times in our inscriptions, DN38, DN39, ML09, and ML15. This name is known from several sites in the Wadi Hammamat. In CM39, it appears with the titles ss and ¡my-r mqw, in CM126 with title ¡my-r nww, in CM149 with titles, htmty b¡ty, smr wºty, s˙q ˙m ntr, ˙ry sst· n htmty ntr, and in CM152 with titles smr wºty, ¡my-r k·w. In G21, the name appears with title ¡my-r ºw, in G29 and G74 without

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titles. In Zaba, there is one attestation, RILN53, in a patronymic without a title. In two attestations, WH9 and WH47, the name appears in patronymics without titles. In DF, the name Idi is attested with the titles indicated: N34 N50 N142 O78 O122 O155

˙m-ntr hry tp nswt s·b ºq-mr, ˙m-ntr hry tp nswt ˙m-ntr hry tp nswt, ˙m-ntr, ˙ry sst· n htmty-ntr

Qena Watershed

35

Inscription IS03 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, east side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw (2) ¡n-k(·).f Translation: captain of the ship’s crew Inkaf Bibliography: Bell 3 Commentary: An Inkhaf also appears in a Wadi Meniah inscription (MN25) where he is listed as the son of a man named Fetekti and the father of another Fetekti (as noted by Bell, p. 34, and earlier by Greene). Bell restores the title of that Inkhaf as htmty b¡ty. From our experience, htmty ntr is more commonly seen in desert inscriptions and we restore the title as such in MN25. Inkhaf’s son, Fetekti, is titled hry tp nswt. The name is also attested in the Wadi Hammamat, once with the title s˙q (CM 211) and again with the title s˙q smnty(w) (G2).

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Inscription IS04 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, east side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw (2) ntr-˙tp Translation: the captain of the ship’s crew Netjerhotep Bibliography: Bell 4

Qena Watershed

37

Inscription IS05 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, east side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡my-r msº (2 ) hnw nswt nfr(w) Translation: the general and oarsman of the king Nefer(u) Bibliography: Bell 5 Commentary: Bell notes the s˙q nfrw Nefer(u) in CM208, and the ¡my ¡rty ºprw hºw gnwty Mery with the “good name” Neferu in G29. A Nefer is named in Sinai87 with the title wdpw(?). Several versions of the name Neferi/y appear in DF: nfr¡ N61 N109 N173 N216 N241 N261

˙m-ntr in a genealogical list without title without title ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr (the name and tile written twice) ˙m-ntr

nfry N101

the name written twice in a genealogical list without title

38

Inscription IS06 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, east side Description: Horus falcon

Bibliography: Bell 6

Chapter 2

Qena Watershed

Inscription IS07 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, west side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: [¡my-r] wpwt ¡my-r msº hnw nswt nfr(w) Translation: (the overseer) of (com)missions, general, and oarsman of the king Neferu Bibliography: Bell 7 Commentary: The ¡my-r at the beginning of the line is restored by Bell.

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Inscription IS08 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, west side Description: cartouche

Transliteration: nswt b¡ty (hpr-k·-rº ) ºnh m¡ rº Translation: the King of Upper and Lower Egypt Kheperkare, may he live like Re. Bibliography: Bell 8

Qena Watershed

Inscription IS09 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, west side Description: two vertical columns of text

Transliteration: s·b ss mnw-˙·-¡st[.f ] Translation: the senior scribe Minhaishtef Bibliography: Bell 9

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Inscription IS10 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, west side Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) s·b ss (2) mnw-˙·-¡st.f Translation: the senior scribe Minhaishtef Bibliography: Bell 10

Chapter 2

Qena Watershed

43

Inscription IS11 Location: N25o53u39U/E33o39u21U, west side Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw (2) s·b ¡my-r ss (3) ftk-t¡ Translation: (1) captain of the ship’s crew (2) senior overseer of scribes (3) Fetekti Bibliography: Bell 11 Commentary: As also noted by Bell, CM69 records a Fetekti in the Wadi Hammamat with the titles ˙ry tp nsw ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw, htmty ntr, ¡my-r msº, and ¡my-r smntyw.

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Wadi Meniah This wadi, which is in the Qena watershed, was an important route from earliest times. As can be seen from the map, it offers easy access to the mineral rich metasediments of the southern Eastern Desert. The Roman road from Qena to Berenice follows the wadi from its mouth as far as Wadi Khawr el-Jir where it turns east in that wadi. The Roman station called Aphrodito by the Romans and Meniah in later texts is in fact in Khawr el-Jir. Shortly after the sandstone turns to metamorphics, in a narrow gorge, is Bir Meniah where thirty-two of the forty-one inscriptions occur. This is one of the most reliable wells in our project area, containing as it does, a good supply of water after five years without rain. The wadi above Bir Meniah is narrow and rocky and is impassible to vehicles and camels and in fact requires some climbing over dry waterfalls in the area of Bir Hamaam. This probably explains why the Roman road bypasses Bir Meniah in spite of its reliability. There is a narrow rocky wadi which enters Wadi Meniah from the south at the Bir. That wadi has a track that is passable by people and donkeys though not by camels. Following that track takes one eventually to Bir Shalul from where there is a track to Bir Dagbag where it again joins the Roman road. The inscriptions at Bir Meniah indicate that the route was in more or less continuous use from at least the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty through the Eighteenth Dynasty. Inscriptions, both Greek and Latin, in the lower wadi indicate that the portion through which the Roman road runs was in constant use through early modern times, ending perhaps only with the advent of the Suez Canal. Most of the inscriptions at the bir were first published by Green, and those in the lower wadi were published by Colin. As always, all of the photographs, including those of several previously unpublished inscriptions, are our own.

Figure 2-7, Wadi Meniah in the Qena Watershed

Figure 2-8, Location of Inscriptions in Wadi Meniah

Figure 2-9, Location of Inscriptions at Bir Meniah

Qena Watershed 47

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Inscription MN01 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: ¡my ¡rty msy Translation: the ship’s captain Mesey Bibliography: Green 17 Commentary: The name is attested in this form in Ranke (PN I, 165.8). It is the only attestation of the name in our eastern desert inscriptions. A Mes is attested in DFW3 with the title wºb.

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Inscription MN02 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) hry tp nswt (2) tty-ºnh Translation: (1) the chamberlain (2) Tetiankh Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke, (PN I, 384.16). This name is attested in DF as given below, though there the first element appears in a cartouche. Ranke suggests that the name in a cartouche dates from the Old Kingdom, while those without date to later.

50 N39 N104 N115 N119 N122 N131 O4 O49 O116 O162 O215 O277 O297

Chapter 2 as the father of hw¡ without title as the father of hw¡ with title smr as the father of hw¡ with title smr wºty in a genealogical list as the father of hw¡ with title smr smr as the father of a second tt¡-ºnh with title smr; the second tt¡-ºnh with titles ˙m-ntr, ˙ry-sst· n htmty-ntr as the father of ¡ntf with titles smr wºty, qºst(¡) in a genealogical list as the father of hw¡ with title smr wºty s˙q pr-º·, s·b ºq-mr pr-º·, hry tp nswt (pr-º·), qºst(¡) hry tp nswt pr-º·, qºst(¡) as the father of hw¡ with title smr as the father of hw¡ with title smr wºty, ¡my-r pr-snº as the father of hw¡ with title smr

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Inscription MN03 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡my-r ss º· (2) ¡dd Translation: (1) the overseer of scribes of donkeys (2) Ided Bibliography: Green 22 Commentary: Both the title and name are offered somewhat tentatively. The sign we would take as a ss in some instances appears to be a ss (SL13) but in other instances we have taken it as the well sign. (See similar signs at ML01.) The presence of the animal here might be taken as the goat skin for hnw but the animal sign does seem to have a head, which would mitigate against that reading. An “overseer of scribes of donkeys” might be a more plausible title for a desert expedition that an “*overseer of wells,” though there certainly are wells in the desert that would be important to a cross-desert trek. On the name, the absence of an initial reed-leaf is troublesome, but not unparalleled for these names beginning ¡d (cf. Ranke, PN I, 54.3, 54.4, 54.8, 54.10).

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Inscription MN04 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) smr w·ty htmty ntr (2) nb-sn Translation: (1) the sole friend and expedition leader (2) Nebsen Bibliography: Green 24 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 186.13). The name, without title, is also attested in DN01. Parallels to the name are found in CM179, with the title ¡my-r [?]. The name also appears in DFW2, as nb-sny, with the title wºb.

Qena Watershed

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Inscription MN05 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: one column of text

Transliteration: (mn-hpr-rº) sbk ˙r Translation: Menkheperre, Sobek, Horus Bibliography: Green 18 Commentary: The cartouche with Menkheperre is clear. The two deities posited are less so, but Sobek is the patron of the Qena nome and given the proximity of Wadi Meniah, strengthens the suggestion.

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Inscription MN06 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) ss . . . (2) rh-nswt ˙·ty-º ¡mn-nht Translation: (1) the scribe . . . (2) the king’s acquaintance, the mayor Amunnakht Commentary: Based on the thickness of the signs, we believe that these two inscriptions were made by separate hands and are not related. In the first column, little can be made out except the initial scribe sign and perhaps a seated man determinative at the end.

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Inscription MN07 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) [ir].n ˙m ntr tpy n ¡mn-rº nswt ntrw (2) sw m (?) ¡mn-m-˙·t Translation: (1) (made) by the first prophet of Amun-Re’, King of the Gods (2) (?) Amunemhat Bibliography: Green 13, bottom Commentary: The translation of the inscription seems clear, except for the top of the second line. The signs, however, are indistinct, especially the rº in the first line. This is perhaps the High Priest of Amun, Amunemhat, attested at the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Other instances of the name include the following. CM43 CM87 CM110B CM113 CM192 CM205 G75 G86 RILN4 RILN32 RILN72

¡my-r mnftyw s˙q smsw in a patronymic without title t·ty (the famous gazelle inscription) s˙q s˙qw shm rw t·t(y) n ˙r m hºw.f ¡ry pºt ¡my-r n¡wt t·ty ¡my-r k·wt nswt n m˙-¡b ¡ry pºt ¡my-r niwt t·ty smsw smsw smsw in a patronymic without title in a patronymic without title

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Inscription MN08 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) htmty ntr ¡r[y] s· (2) htmty ntr ¡r¡ s· (3) htmty ntr mnw Translation: (1) the expedition leader Ir(y)’s son, (2) the expedition leader Iri’s son, (3) the expedition leader Menew Bibliography: Green 13, top Commentary: A multi-generational inscription, all with title htmty ntr. It seems that the names in the first two lines are both Iry, but written differently. For names using the seated figure with knife, see Ranke (PN I, 41.23, 41.24, 41.26, 41.28, 41.29, 42.1, 42.3, 42.7). In the last name, the terminal w is clear. The other signs seem to best fit a reading mn with a nw-pot. The name with this orthography is attested in Ranke (PN I, 151.9). A ss mn(¡?) attested in WH56A is the only parallel with this orthography. There are several instances of the name written with the divine standard. Bell names an Iry in their Inscription 1, but we could not find this inscription when we visited Wadi Isa. The name Iry reminds one of the Aswan inscription of Harkhuf where he states that he made his first journey to Nubia in the company of his father Iry. The name Iry also appears in our BR23 with the title ¡my-r ºw and DG09 without title.

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Inscription MN09 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: ¡mn-˙tp (?) Translation: Amunhotep Commentary: The name Amunhotep appears in our inscriptions BT01, MN20, MN27, the last two with the title nby n ¡mn, MN37, and SL14 with the titles ˙·ty-º hrp skw n h·swt nbw. An Amunhotep is also attested in CM235 with the title ss. The name appears once in DFF12 without title. There seems to be a second inscription to the right, but aside from a bird at the top of the line (a Horus falcon?) which may be the begining of a text or a drawing, nothing else can be read.

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Inscription MN10 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ss s·-¡mn (2) s· nb-ms Translation: (1) the scribe Sa-Amun (2) son (of) Nebmose Commentary: Though not visible in the photo, we restore the first line based on our field observations. The mn is clear, the rest more tenative. If this is the same as the other frequently attested scribes with the name Sa-Amun, and if the much damaged first line is correctly read, this is the first instance in which he gives a filiation. The scribe Sa-Amun is named in MW04, BZ08, BZ13, DG04. In BR09, BR43, and MI01, Sa-Amun is titled, ss ˙sb nbw. The name Sa-Amun also occurs in two other inscriptions: BZ07 where he is titled smsw n s·-nswt [n ks], Merymose, and in BZ16 without any title. The name Nebmose is attested in only one other location: DN10, with the titles, ˙m-ntr, ˙·ty-º, [¡my-r] ms·(w) nbw. Given the difference in title with this Nebmose, it is impossible to say whether they are one and the same.

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Inscription MN11 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: one column of text

Transliteration: hw(¡)-w(¡) Translation: Khuiwi Commentary: One other attestation of this name spelled with two w’s is from Meniah (MN29; published by Green.) There he is titled htmty ntr. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 266.3). Two instances of the name Khui, with a reed leaf replacing the second w, are attested in BR33 and BR66. Both of those inscriptions also have the title htmty ntr. Though Ranke cites these as separate names (PN I, 267.12), we are possibly seeing the same individual in all instances with mutable spellings. For other attestations of this name, see AW06.

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Inscription MN12 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two lines of text

Translation: wtst ˙r Translation: nome of Edfu. Commentary: The signs seem clear, and it is equally clear that no other signs or a name are present. At first glance, Wadi Meniah would not seem a natural route to or from Edfu, since its runs tangentially to the northeast of that city. It would be more on the route from Qena.

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Inscription MN13 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: three lines and one column of text

Transliteration: (1) nswt b¡ty (2) (nfr-k·-rº) (3) ºnh qt (4) s˙q q· Translation: (1) the King of Upper and Lower Egypt (2) Neferkare (3) living forever, (4) the inspector Dja Bibliography: Green 15 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 404.7,8). This is the only attestation of this name in the eastern desert inscriptions, and it is the only instance in which the title s˙q appears without any adjunct. Given the orientation of the quadraped to the left of the s˙q, we assume that it is unrelated to the inscription rather than a title “*inspector of cattle(?)” or something similar. The reference to Neferkare would seem to securely date the inscription to the reign of Pepy II. A qº¡ is possibly attested in CM155 with the title hrp ºpr(w) nfr.

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Inscription MN14 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: ˙tp ºw(w) ¡bw p·-msº Translation: an offering by the foreign worker(s) Ibu (and) Pamesha Bibliography: Green 14 Commentary: Probably the same name Ibu appears in MW03. The name Ibu appears in Ranke (PN I, 20.23) though the orthography is different. The name Pamesha is attested in Ranke (PN I, 105.15), but is not attested in any other desert inscriptions.

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Inscription MN15 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: overview

Inscription MN16 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) prt ¡dnw n ˙·ty-º ¡¡-ntr s· (2) ˙r(y)-pr ·bbw(?) Translation: (1) going forth by the deputy of the mayor Iy-netjer’s son, (2) the steward Abbu (?) Bibliography: Green 23 Commentary: The inscription seems clear through the name Iy-netjer. The end of the first line, after the name, is offered somewhat more tentaively. The name Iy-netjer is not attested in Ranke, though many others with initial ¡y- are attested (PN I, 8.10–11.5), including the name Iy-nefer attested in our DN07, DN08, and DN09. The end of the second line is too indistinct to suggest a reading.

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Inscription MN17 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: sm (?) . . . Translation: going (?) . . . Bibliography: Green 23 Commentary: Another in this group of difficult inscriptions that defy translation.

Inscription MN18 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (?) ºnh qt (?) mn¡ Translation: King (?) . . . living forever, Meni Bibliography: Green 23 Commentary: This very unclear inscription perhaps begins with a name in a cartouche, followed by ºnh qt. Perhaps the name Meni is present at the end. This name is attested in Ranke, (PN I, 151.2).

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Inscription MN19 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: s¡ nswt rd¡-sbk Translation: King’s son Redi-Sobek Commentary: Though very indistinct, the first signs can be read confidently, the last more tentatively, including whatever sign is under the elevated r. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 228.9). For obvious reasons, Green did nothing with this during his visit to Wadi Meniah.

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Inscription MN20 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah (see map) Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) nby n ¡mn ¡mn-˙tp (2) nby n ¡mn Translation: (1) the goldworker (of) Amun Amunhotep, (2) the goldworker of Amun Bibliography: Green 25 Commentary: The only one in this group of inscriptions that can be reasonably read. The title appears to have been repeated.

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Inscription MN21 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ºw sbk-˙tp Translation: the foreign worker Sobekhotep Bibliography: Green 21 Commentary: The orthography seems straight forward, but what seems to be an extraneous or misplaced p is problematic. Green interpreted this the same way. Numerous attestations of this name appear in desert inscriptions. Sinai16b s˚d ºpr(w) RILN58 in a family list without title Sinai27 bry-º htmty RILN82 ¡my-r ºw Sinai28 bry-º htmty RILN125 in a patronymic without title Sinai57 in a patronymic RILN129 without title Sinai116b htmty ntr RILN177 ºfty Sinai211 ss nsw WH20 wb· Sinai218 ss nsw WH23A wºrtw(?) Sinai220 ss nsw WH23B t·w-n-ss Sinai302 ¡my-r pr-˙q nbw ˙q WH148 ¡my-r s· n brty-ntr Sinai405 htmty ntr kf·-¡b DFN6 in a genealogical list with titles bry G82 without title tp nsw, s˙q ˙m-ntr RILN28 in a family list without title DFN269 as the father of s·bni with titles s˙q RILN37 in a family list without title ˙m-ntr, bry tp nsw RILN50 in a patronymic without title DFO167 ¡my-r ºbnwty, hrp

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Inscription MN22 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: serekh and cartouche

Transliteration: (1) ˙r wsr-¡b hº.f-rº (2) (hº.f-rº ) Translation: (1) the Horus “Strong of Heart”, Khafre (2) Khafre Bibliography: Green 11 Commentary: Securely dated to the Fourth Dynasty.

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Inscription MN23 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (snfrw) Translation: Sneferu Bibliography: Green 19 Commentary: The inscription appears to be isolated with no other name, title, or text accompanying it. This was noted by Green in his PSBA article but he could not read it.

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Inscription MN24 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: ºw nb-n-t·-tm (?) Translation: the foreign worker Nebentatem (?) Commentary: The title seems clear as does the personal determinative. The reconstruction of the name is offered on the basis of a parallel with BR38 and BR56, but only very tenatively. In those two inscriptions, the name is Nebtatem and bears a different title. We have seen the ºw sign written with the ticks on top at Wadi Barramiya (BR40), Wadi Umm Higlig (HG01), and Wadi Abu Wasil (AW04).

Qena Watershed

Inscription MN25 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: four lines of text

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Transliteration: (1) . . . nb-n-nw s· (2) . . . ftk-t¡ s· (3) htm[ty ntr?] . . . ¡n-k·.f s· (4) . . . hry [tp nswt] ftkt¡ Translation: (1) . . . Nebenu’s son, (2) . . . Fetekti’s son, (3) the expedition leader (?) Inkaf’s son, (4) the chamberlain Fetekti Bibliography: Green 11 Commentary: This four-generation inscription was published by Green but misread in a number of particulars. What looks like a nb-sign leads the first line with a nw-pot and w phonetic complement. A name such as *Nebenu might be posited but no such is attested in Ranke. Each line ends with a s·-sign which Green took as an ·. Line 2 contains the personal name Fetekti. This name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 142.26 and II, 359.) A Fetekti is also mentioned in Wadi Isa as noted by Bell (11). Line 3 possibly begins with the title htmty ntr; the loop of the seal is just barely visible. Following is the personal name Inkhaf also noted in a Wadi Isa inscription (IS03), but not the same one mentioning Fetekti. Finally, line 4 seems to begin with the title bry tp nswt and concludes with the writer of the inscription, another Fetekti. If the partially missing titles in this inscription are properly restored, they are different from those used by the like-named individuals in Wadi Isa. Nevertheless, given the unusual nature of the names and the proximity of the two wadis in the eastern desert, we may well be dealing with the same individuals.

Qena Watershed

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Inscription MN26 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: five lines of text

Transliteration: (1) hry tp nswt ¡my-r (2) ss(w) ºprw (?) (3) ˙r-wr (?) (4) hry tp nswt ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw (5) Translation: (1) chamberlain and overseer (2) of scribes of the crew (3) Hor-wer, (4) chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew (5) (?) Commentary: There are additional signs at the end of line 2, which might be a seated man determinative and plural strokes, but are too indistinct to decide. The name Hor-wer is attested in Ranke (PN I, 246.18), written both with the leaning man sign and the wr-bird, though the examples cited do not include one with the phonetic complement r following the Horus falcon. A s· might be expected at the end of line 3, but no sign is evident. The translation of line 4 is suggested as a parallel with line 1. There are traces of what should be a name in line 5, but nothing can be made out except possibly the same standing figure as at the end of line 3. The name Hor-wer appears in CM225 and possibly 226, but there it is written with the wr-bird. No titles accompany these names.

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Inscription MN27 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two irregular columns of text

Transliteration: (1) . . . . . . nby n ¡mn ¡mn-˙tp (2) ¡my ¡rty ºnh¡ Translation: . . . . . . the gold worker of Amun Amunhotep, (2) the ship’s captain Ankhi Bibliography: Green 11 Commentary: An Amunhotep with title ˙·ty-º hrp skw n h·swt nbw is known from SL14. Sinai83 names a ¡my-r s· n hrty-ntr ºnh . . . with the last part of the name lost. A wpwty nswt ºnh¡ is named in CM105. An ºnh . . . again missing the last part of the name is in CM102 with the title dw·t ntr ¡mn. There are numerous “Ankh’s” and “Ankhu’s” in eastern desert venues, but none with the title that appears here. For the title nby n ¡mn cf. Ward 825. We have translated this more generically as “gold worker” rather than Ward’s “goldsmith”. For Ankhi, see Ranke (PN I, 68.3). For Amunhotep, see Ranke (PN I, 30.12). The name Amunhotep points to a New Kingdom date for that inscription. Zaba (RILN, p. 37) and Bell (p. 36) note that the title ¡my ¡rty drops out of use by the Middle Kingdom. So these two inscriptions may be widely separated in date. There seems to be an inscription above these two, but too little remains to deal with it.

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Inscription MN28 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) htmty ntr ¡dw s· (2) htmty ntr ¡dw s· (3) htmty ntr ¡n . . . Translation: (1) the expedition leader Idu’s son, (2) the expedition leader Idu’s son, (3) the expedition leader In . . . Bibliography: Green 11 Commentary: A multi-generational inscription, the first two with identical titles and names. For Idu, see Ranke (PN I, 54.10), listed as an Old Kingdom name. Just a few meters away, a htmty ntr Inkhaf is named in another multi-generational inscription (MN25). But there, Inkhaf is named as the son of and father of two Fetekti’s, the second presumably the writer of the inscription. It seems, therefore, that we cannot equate our partial name here with that Inkhaf, though that remains a possible restoration naming a different individual. The absence of any traces behind the one surviving initial glyph makes further speculation about the restoration difficult. In DF01, a bry tp nsw, ss ˙wt-ntr ¡dw is named in a genealogical inscription as a son of an Ankhu, brother of Fereri. The same inscription also lists a s˙q ¡ny.

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Inscription MN29 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: htmty ntr hw(¡)-w(¡) Translation: the expedition leader Khuiwi Bibliography: Green 12 Commentary: The name attested in Ranke (PN I, 266.3). This Khuiwi is possibly identical with the individual without title in MN11; the name is discussed in greater detail there.

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Inscription MN30 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡dnw (n) ˙·ty-º (2) ˙m-ntr ˙r Translation: (1) the deputy of the mayor (and) (2) priest Hor Bibliography: Green 23* Commentary: The title ¡dnw n ˙·ty-º is attested in Ward (577). Hor is attested as name in Ranke (PN I, 245.18). The names Hor and Hori appear in numerous places: Hor: CM25 CM215 CM218 WH63

without title ¡(·)kw (n) pr ¡mn ˙ry ¡ry ssw ºnh n tt ˙˚·

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WH143

htmty b¡ty smr wºty ¡my-r ssw ¡my-r pr-˚b˙w(y) ¡my-r ºb w˙mt swt nsmwt

Hori: Sinai36 Sinai85E(?) Sinai85N Sinai90Wb Sinai105N Sinai112S Sinai243 Sinai412N Sinai412N CM12 CM131 CM253 G105 RILN111 RILN112 RILN113

ms-º·t without title(?) ¡my-r t·-m˙w k·w w·q wb· wb· with title missing ¡ry-ºt s n q·t ss sºnh wr without title ˙ry smsw s·-nswt n ks s·-nswt n ks

Qena Watershed

Inscription MN31 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: overview

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Inscription MN32 Location: N25o33u30U/E33o36u25U, Bir Meniah Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) hry tp nswt (2) ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw (3) . . . Translation: (1) the chamberlain, (2) overseer of scribes of the crew (3) . . . Bibliography: Green 20 Commentary: Not enough of the third line remains to restore a name. Other hry tp nswt, ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw’s in the eastern desert include Kar, Idy and Intef, but the indistinct traces do not seem to fit any of these names.

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Inscription MN33 Location: N25o33u28U/E33o33u42U, northeast side on a detached boulder Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡my ¡rty ¡my-r ss(w) ¡n-k(·).[ f ] Translation: the ship’s captain, overseer of scribes Inka(f) Commentary: Other ¡my-r ss(w)’s with this title alone include Kar (BR64) and Weseru (BR32). An Inkhaf is known from Wadi Isa (Bell 3, our IS03) with the titles ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙·w, MN25 with the title htmty ntr, and possibly in MN28 with the same title. The chip in the rock below the k makes the restoration of the name plausible. From the titles and parallels we assume an Old Kingdom date.

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Inscription MN34 Location: N25o39u42U/E33o29u09U, west side on the face of a small rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss s·-¡b-sk Translation: the scribe Saibshek Bibliography: Colin 1 Commentary: This name appears also in our inscriptions BR42 (with the title ss ˙sb nbw), BR49 (with the title ss nbw n h·st), and BZ29 (with the title ss, as here). BR49 was published by Zaba (RILN16). In all three of those instances the name is spelled s·-¡b-sk without the terminal y. In this form, the name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 280.16), citing Roeder, translated as “der Sohn von Abusimbel,” and, therefore, dated to the New Kingdom. A Saibshek is also attested at Gebel Dosha (PM VII, 167).

Qena Watershed

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Inscription MN35 Location: N25o39u42U/E33o29u09U, west side on the face of a small rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡r.(n) ¡my-r ng(·)w n ¡mn k·y Translation: made by the overseer of cattle of Amun Kay Bibliography: Colin 2 Commentary: A k·y is cited in Sinai100 with the title ºw but it is there spelled with the k-basket and aleph bird. The name k·¡ appears several times in CM: 163, 166, 167, all with the title s˙q srw; and, 165 with titles hrp ºpr(w) nfr ¡my-r mqw(t?). The name appears in a genealogical list in G52. In WH93, a mn¡w tsmw k·i is included in a list of servants, several of whom bear the same title. In RILN40, the name appears with orthography as here without title but naming a Minhotep as his father. The reference to Amun signals a New Kingdom date.

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Inscription MN36 Location: N25o39u42U/E33o29u09U, west side in a small rockshelter Description: drawing with miscellaneous text

¶ detail of lower left

detail of cartouches at upper right §

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Transliteration: (1) ntr nfr nb t·wy (qsr-k·-rº) (2) s· rº (¡mn-˙tp) (3) d¡ ºnh qt (4) n-w·˙ (?) (5) sntr . . . ? Translation: (1) the good god, the Lord of the Two Lands, Djeserkare, (2) the Son of Re, Amunhotep (3) given life forever, (4) offering (?) (5) incense . . . ? Bibliography: Colin 5,6 Commentary: The royal names seem very clear. What follows is a good deal more difficult. If there were simply *w·˙ sntr present, the phrase “offering incense” would fit very nicely. It does look as if the king is holding something as he gestures to the ithyphallic Amun. The presence of the other signs causes problems. Is the sign above the w·˙ an n or an s? Is the determinative the city sign? Is this some unknown place name? The sntr seems clear to us and fits the scene, but how should the following signs be explained?

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Inscription MN37 Location: N25o39u42U/E33o29u09U, west side in a small rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: sqm-ºs n pr ˙q n ¡mn ¡mn-˙tp Translation: servant of the treasury of Amun Amunhotep Bibliography: Colin 4 Commentary: We essentially follow Colin’s rendering here, but with less confidence about what should be restored following the pr ˙q.

Qena Watershed

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Inscription MN38 Location: N25o39u42U/E33o29u09U, west side in a small rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ss n ¡my-r sb(t) (2) n˙sy Translation: (1) the scribe of the overseer of the expedition (2) Nehesy Bibliography: Colin 3 Commentary: The name is cited in Ranke (PN I, 209.4) with several spellings including the one here. These are the only attestations of this title and name in our desert inscriptions.

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Inscription MN39 Location: N25o44u31U/E33o23u51U, south side of the wadi directly south of the Roman station at Bir Dadymus Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ntr nfr mn . . . (?) Translation: the good god, Men . . . (?) Commentary: The remaining signs seem clear with the exception of the bottom one. With the initial ntr nfr we would expect a royal name to follow, one beginning with Men . . . But the indistinct sign that follows does not help to establish what name that might be, and the absence of a cartouche is problematic. A ntr nfr Menkheperre is attested at DG05, but there the royal name is in a cartouche. While Ranke cites personal names beginning with ntr (PN I, 214.9–215.3), an unattested personal name *Netjernefermen . . . seems unlikely.

Qena Watershed

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Inscription MN40 Location: N25o44u31U/E33o23u51U, south side of the wadi directly south of the Roman station at Bir Dadymus Description: one column of text

Transliteration: [¡n?] nb t·wy s˙q s Translation: It is (?) the Lord of the Two Lands who brightens it. Commentary: A plausible reconstruction for the initial signs of the inscription is hard to create. Neither a name or title is associated with the inscription.

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Wadi Qash This wadi rises in the metasediments of the high desert just above Bir Qash at N25o51u06U/ E33o39u21U. It runs almost straight east for 50 km before emptying into Wadi Zaydun. All but the upper 10 km is in sandstone. Notwithstanding, we found only one site with Pharaonic material. Bell suggests that the upper wadi and the bir might have been part of an alternate route between the Nile and the Red Sea. While it is possible, the southern route they propose does not have the water resources of the Wadi Hammamat route. It seems more likely that Wadi Qash was part of a route from Wadi Hammamat to the gold fields to the south.

Figure 2-10, Wadi Qash in the Qena Watershed. Circle shows the location of the rockshelter containing inscriptions QS01–QS03.

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Inscription QS01 Location: N25o50u04U/E33o23u59U, south side in a grotto formed by a mass of falling rock Description: drawing of ithyphallic Amun

Commentary: The divine figure stands on a plinth or dais. One arm is raised behind him in the typical pose. The expected arm extended in front is difficult to discern exactly as well as whatever might be held in that arm. From the presence of a plumed headdress, the figure would seem to be the ithyphallic Amun.

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Inscription QS02 Location: N25o50u04U/E33o23u59U, south side in a grotto formed by a mass of falling rock Description: Horus falcon standing on an unreadable cartouche

Commentary: The Horus falcon stands on what seems to be an oval (a stela or cartouche rather than a serekh?). What seems to be a standing figure is to the left of the oval, but, given the large number of petroglyphs in this area, may not be associated with the Horus falcon.

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Inscription QS03 Location: N25o50u04U/E33o23u59U, south side in a grotto formed by a mass of falling rock Description: Horus falcons on serekhs

Transliteration: ˙r nºr-(mr) Translation: the Horus Nar(mer) Commentary: The reference to Narmer makes this the earliest datable example in our eastern desert inscriptions. On the orthography of Narmer’s name written with just the nºr sign, see Toby A. H. Wilkinson, Early Dynastic Egypt, Routledge, 1999, p. 67, where he notes the name is “usually abbreviated to a single sign, the catfish,” and his article in JEA 86, p. 25. For the presence of “empty” serekhs, see Wilkinson above and Beatrix Midant-Reynes, The Prehistory of Egypt, Blackwell Publishers, 2000, p. 247–248. This inscription was noted by Winkler, Rock Drawings of Southern Upper Egypt, in 1938. While Narmer is attested in the Delta and as far away as Palestine, this is apparently the only reference to Narmer in the eastern desert.

Chapter 3

Edfu Watershed

The Edfu watershed enters the Nile through Wadi Abbad, across from Edfu. This watershed drains about 25% of our project area and contains well over half of the inscriptions, as well as most of the mines. Interestingly, although the Edfu-Mersa Alam road starts at Edfu and runs straight east up Wadi Abbad and across the desert to the Red Sea, nearly all of the watershed is north of the road.

Roads The Edfu-Mersa Alam road is the only modern road in the Edfu watershed and is one of only two modern roads in the project area, the other being the road from Sheik Salem to Sheik Shazely. The Roman Road from Berenice to the Nile traverses the watershed, as do several routes dating from the Pharaonic period. The Roman road bifurcates in the Kom Ombo watershed just northwest of the station at Dweig. The northern branch crosses the upper reaches of Wadi Mia and runs through Wadi Dagbag, where there are several gold mines dating to at least Roman times, and then it runs on to the Nile near Qena. The southern branch of the Roman road runs through the Kom Ombo watershed, passing stations at Seyhrig, Rod el-Liqah, Bir Samut, and Abu Midrik, before entering the Edfu watershed near Bir Abu Rahul, on the Edfu-Mersa Alam road. Between that point and Edfu there are two more Roman stations, at Bir Kanayis and Bir Abbad, the latter some 26 km from the Nile. There are two starting points for the primary Pharaonic route: Edfu and the one from which we started our walk across the Eastern Desert, Elkab. The routes meet at Bir Abbad, where both Green and Weigall (Travels) reported seeing a sandstone block with a cartouche of Tutankhamun inscribed on it. A comfortable day's walk beyond is the Roman station and rock cut temple of Seti I at Bir Kanayis. Shortly beyond, the Pharaonic route enters Wadi Barramiya where there are sixty-seven known inscriptions in the next 40 km, all but six of them occurring within a 20 km stretch. At 93 km from Edfu the route leaves Wadi Barramiya and turns southeast and crosses high desert, entering Wadi Bezeh in the Kom Ombo watershed near its junction with Wadi Dunqash.

Figure 3-1, Wadis in and near the Edfu Watershed

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Wadi Abu Muawad We first traveled this wadi in 1997, while following the itinerary of F. W. Green. While we were unable to find any of the inscriptions published by Green, we did find 13 others. We later located all of his inscriptions in Wadi Shalul, which roughly parallels this wadi about 10 km north. Wadi Abu Muawad has its beginnings in the igneous/metamorphic rock of the high desert to the east of the fault line described in Chapter 1. There are many gold mines in the wadi in that area, which date back at least to New Kingdom times (Klemm and Klemm, 1994). The writer of one of the inscriptions in this wadi takes the title of ss ˙sb nbw, “scribe who counts the gold” (MW12), which makes it likely that at least some of the travelers who used this wadi were bound either to or from those mines. Shortly after the metasediments give way to the Nubian sandstone, the wadi begins winding through to upfaulted block described in Chapter 1, emerging 12 km later into the flat desert to the west. All of the Abu Muawad inscriptions are located on the high sandstone walls of this section of the wadi. Five km after the wadi opens out it empties into Wadi Batur. Wadi Batur and Wadi Shagub empty into Wadi Abbad just above Bir Abbad so it is possible that these wadis comprise the route used to get from Edfu or Elkab to the mines in Wadi Abu Muawad.

Figure 3-2, Wadi Abu Muawad in the Edfu Watershed

Edfu Watershed

Figure 3-2, Wadi Abu Muawad in the Edfu Watershed

Inscription MW01 Location: N25∞14u57uu/E33∞33u04uu nw side Description: drawing (Sobek?)

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Inscription MW02 Location: N25∞15u32uu/E33∞33u25uu, southeast side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙ry ¡ry n (¡)kwy n ¡mn ss n k·t nt n¡wt bnm-nht Translation: chief of the stoneworkers of Amun and scribe of the workers of the city Khnumnakht Commentary: The name Khnumnakht is also in BR04, BR51, BZ03, and BZ27, but in each of these inscriptions the title is ss. This same title appears in BR05. An ¡kwy n pr-˙q (n) ¡mn is in BZ06. The title ¡kwy is in Ward (570d). A title similar to the one here, ¡ry s· ikwyw is in Ward (540).

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Inscription MW03 Location: N25∞15u41uu/E33∞33u27uu, northwest side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ºw ¡b(w) . . . Translation: the foreign worker Ib(u) . . . (?) Commentary: Probably the same name (and person?) as in MN14; see that inscription also for the reading of the second sign as ¡b.

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Inscription MW04 Location: N25∞16u27uu/E33∞34u06uu, southeast side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss s·-¡mn Translation: the scribe Sa-Amun Commentary: The name Sa-Amun is known from numerous locations: with the title ss, BR03, BZ08, BZ13, DG04, MN10, MW12; with the title ss ˙sb nbw, BR09, BR43, MI01; and without title in BZ16. The name is also attested as smsw n s·-nswt, Merymose at BZ07.

Edfu Watershed

Inscription MW05 Location: N25∞16u38uu/E33∞34u35uu, south side on detached boulder Description: drawing, height 30 cm

Commentary: A Horus falcon wearing a double crown before an offering stand.

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Inscription MW06 Location: N25∞16u34uu/E33∞34u35uu, southeast side in a rockshelter Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) s· ss nfr-wº (2) wºb ..(3) [?] k· Translation: (1) the son of the scribe Neferwa, (2) the wab priest (3) Ka Commentary: The name Neferwa appears also in MI03. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 338.16).

Edfu Watershed

Inscription MW07 Location: N25∞16u34uu/E33∞34u35uu, southeast side in a rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) smsw nb t·wy (2) p·-˙m-ntr Translation: (1) the retainer of the Lord of the Two Lands (2) Pahemnetjer Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 115.16).

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Inscription MW08 Location: N25∞16u34uu/E33∞34u35uu, southeast side in a rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss m·¡ ¡r n ˙m-ntr ˙r-ms Translation: the scribe Mai, born of the priest Hormose Commentary: Both names appear in Ranke, Mai (PN I, 144.1), Hormose (PN I, 249.1). A m¡ with the title ¡ry-ºt n pr-º· is cited in Sinai 421. A m· written with the sickle but without a title is in RILN227. A ˙r-ms is cited in RILN231 with the title rwqw and a ˙r-msw in a patronymic without title in RILN107.

Edfu Watershed

Inscription MW09 Location: N25∞16u34uu/E33∞34u35uu, southeast side in a rockshelter Description: drawing

Commentary: Ithyphallic Amun facing a Horus falcon.

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Inscription MW10 Location: N25∞16u41uu/E33∞35u18uu, southeast side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ˙m-ntr ..[?].. ˙tp-mn Translation: the priest [?] Hetepmen Commentary: The position of the signs is very confusing. A ˙m-ntr seems off to the right. The initial signs in the left column are very tentative. The inscription seems to conclude with what may be a personal name, possibly Hetepmen. No such name is attested in Ranke, but he does cite a Hetepamun (PN I, 258.1). He also cites a Netjerhetep (PN I, 214.20). Possibly Netjerhetepmen?

Edfu Watershed

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Inscription MW11 Location: N25∞17u05uu/E33∞35u31uu, north side on a long smooth nearly vertical wall Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡º˙-ms Translation: Ahmose Commentary: This is the first of five inscriptions including this name. Interestingly, we’ve seen it written left to right as here, in DG06 with the title ss, and in SL04 with the title wºb. It is written right to left in DN22 with the title ˙ry, and top to bottom in DG12. The sign standing alone to the right of the photograph may be a ms. The name is attested in Ranke, (PN I, 12.19). The name appears once in DFF8, also without title there.

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Inscription MW12 Location: N25∞16u52uu/E33∞35u37uu, south side on a loose boulder Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ˙sb nbw s·-¡mn Translation: the scribe who counts the gold Sa-Amun Commentary: The inscription is pecked rather than incised, poorly done, but easily readable. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 280.22). Another Sa-Amun, with the title simply ss, is named in MW04.

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Inscription MW13 Location:N25∞16u41uu/E33∞35u51uu, south side on low wall Description: drawing

Commentary: A rather poorly pecked Horus falcon standing before an offering stand.

Wadi Barramiya From the standpoint of the sheer quantity of inscriptions, Wadi Barramiya is the most important wadi in the southern Eastern Desert. It contains 67 known inscriptions, over 20% of our total. It rises in the metamorphic/igneous mountains of the high desert a few kilometers and runs almost straight west for 50 km before joining Wadi Kanayis. Less than 10 km west of Mine Barramiya the metasediments give way to the Nubian Sandstone and the easternmost of the inscriptions occur. At km 133 from Mersa Alam, the wadi makes a sharp left turn and begins to wind through the uplifted fault block discussed in the section on geology. Between here and km 151, where the wadi exits the uplifted block and opens out into the wide desert, are fifty-six of the sixty-seven known inscriptions. A word about the naming conventions is in order here. Often in the Eastern Desert when two wadis join, the resulting wadi takes yet a third name. Thus when Wadi Barramiya joins with Wadi Mia, the resulting wadi is Wadi Kanayis, and when Wadi Kanayis joins with Wadi Shagub, the resulting wadi is called Wadi Abbad. Wadi Abbad empties into the Nile river.

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Figure 3-4, Wadi Barramiya in the Edfu Watershed

Figure 3-5, Location of Inscriptions in Wadi Barramiya With the above in mind, it is clear from the map that the Wadi Barramiya system provides a nearly straight route from the Nile into the heart of the southern Eastern Desert. We followed this entire system in 1996 when we walked from the Nile to the Red Sea. The Edfu-Mersa Alam road follows this entire system before going overland from the very top of Wadi Barramiya, and the Roman road also follows it as far as Bir Abu Rahul, about 80 km from Edfu, before turning southeast. It is clear that a major Pharaonic route also follows this system, with various tracks branching both north and south as the track approaches the mineralized area of the high desert. Twenty-nine of the inscriptions from this wadi were first noted by Zbynek Zaba in appendix A of RILN. These 29 inscriptions have his numbers noted in the commentary section. As with all of the inscriptions appearing in this book, the photographs are ours and the translations we use may differ slightly from those of Zaba.

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Inscription BR01 Location: N24∞59u50uu/E33∞25u35uu, south side on a low rock face Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss w(¡) Translation: the scribe W(i) Bibliography: RM A1 Commentary: This inscription is about 1.2 m above the wadi floor, just a comfortable working height. It is quite clear and not too badly weathered. It is possible that there is a t above or after the w, but its color, which is somewhat lighter than the rest of the inscription, leads us to believe that it is simply a chip off the rock. Both spellings, (w(¡) and wt) are attested in Ranke (PN I, 74.23, 87.25).

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Inscription BR02 Location: N24∞59u50uu/E33∞25u35 Description: one line of text on the south side of wadi on a low rock face

Transliteration: ˙3ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr dnrg(¡) Translation: the mayor and overseer of priests Denregi Bibliography: RM A2 Commentary: This inscription is a meter to the left of BR01. The use of the ns tongue for ¡my-r is evidence that this inscription is of New Kingdom or later date. In every inscription that we’ve been able to date by other means, has been used for ¡my-r in Old Kingdom inscriptions while has been used for those from the New Kingdom. There is a “scribe of the fields of Horus” of this name known from Edfu and ascribed to the Eighteenth Dynasty (Urk. IV, 31, 15). The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 400.14). This exact title appears in our DN05, DN09, and DN13 albeit with a different name.

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Inscription BR03 Location: N25∞01u12uu/E33∞32u35uu Description: a drawing of a Nile boat and one line of text on the south side of the wadi above a ledge some 4 m above the wadi floor

Transliteration: ss s·-¡mn Translation: the scribe Sa-Amun Bibliography: RM B10 Commentary: For the name, see Ranke (PN I, 280.22). The scribe Sa-Amun is known to us from several other locations; see MW04 for all attestations.

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Inscription BR04 Location: N25∞01u12uu/E33∞32u35uu Description: one line of text, south side of the wadi 3 m above wadi floor

Transliteration: ss bnm-nht Translation: the scribe Khnumnakht Bibliography: RM B11 Commentary: We have seen several inscriptions at Elkab by a man named Ni-Ankh-Khnum. Because names compounded with that of the god Khnum are fairly common throughout the Pharaonic period, we don’t believe that name dates the inscription. Philologically, this inscription can probably be dated to the New Kingdom based on Ranke (PN I, 276.1). Zaba has a scribe Khnumnakht in his RILNA14; he also lists a New Kingdom date. The figure adjoining the inscription shows the writer wearing a leopard kilt and holding a staff of office. A Khnumnakht who is also a scribe is known to us from BZ03 and BZ27. A ˙ry (¡)kwy n ¡mn ss n k·t nt n¡wt Khnumnakht is known from MW02. A ¡ry ºt Khnumnakht is cited in Sinai90W.

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Inscription BR05 Location: N25∞01u12uu/E33∞32u35uu, south side of the wadi Description: seated figure surrounded by three columns of text

Transliteration: (1) ˙ry ¡ry (n) ¡kwy n (2) ¡mn ˙3ty-º n p· nbw p·y (3) mnw ¡st Translation: (1) master of stoneworkers of (2) Amun, foremost of the gold, Pay. (3) (To) Min (and) Isis. Bibliography: RM B12 Commentary: For the name, see Ranke (PN I, 129.4). There is a ˙ry ¡ry n (¡)kwy n ¡mn known from MW02, and several (¡)k(w)y’s from Wadi Bezeh, BZ06, BZ10, and BZ14. A ss Pay is noted in RILN111.

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Inscription BR06 Location: N25∞01u13uu/E33∞32u58uu, south side, on a 1x3m rock face holding this and the next seven inscriptions Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ˙·ty Translation: the scribe Haty Commentary: This is very likely the Haty who left his name in eight separate locations at Bir Kanayis (compare the terminal reed-leaf with the Kanayis inscriptions). A ˙ºt(?) is listed in a genealogical inscription in RILN179. Also in RILN are three instances of a ˙ºti·, 94 with title ˙m-ntr, 197, 198 both with title smsw, referring to the same person.

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Inscription BR07 Location: N25∞01u13uu/E33∞32u58uu on the same rock face as BR06 Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ss sp·t q˙wty-ms n (2) m¡ºm Translation: (1) the scribe of the nome Thutmose of (2) Miuam Bibliography: RM B13 Commentary: This is one of three inscriptions in this wadi to mention Miºam, a town in lower Nubia about 45 km north of Abu Simbel. One is the following inscription, BR08; the other, BR59, was published by Zaba, RILNA5. This town is also mentioned in RILN194. The name Thutmose is also known from several other inscriptions in RILN: in 93 with the title ˙m ntr, in 96 with the title ss, and in 114, 194, and 205 in genealogical listings without title. At Elkab, the name appears twice, DFO27, with the titles ss t· and DFW5 with the title wºb n nhbt. A New Kingdom date seems secure.

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Inscription BR08 Location: N25∞01u13uu/E33∞32u58uu on the same rock face as BR06 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: sr rdi-pw-rº n m¡·m Translation: the nobleman Redipure of Miºam Bibliography: RM B16 Commentary: The construction of this inscription parallels BR07, where we have (title)+(PN)+of Miºam, though the toponym is spelled slightly differently. A sr n m¡ºm is cited in BR59.

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Inscription BR09 Location: N25∞01u13uu/E33∞32u58uu on the same rock face as BR06 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡rtyw n h·st, ss ˙sb nbw s·-¡mn Translation: . . . blue mineral of the hill country, the scribe who counts gold Sa-Amun Bibliography: RM B15 Commentary: The rendering of the signs would suggest that the h·st-sign is the end of a separate inscription, with a second inscription beginning with the scribe sign. The first inscription seems to be talking about blue minerals from the hill country or foreign land (see Faulkner, p. 28). The scribe SaAmun of the following inscription could well be the same person as the writer of BR03 and BR43 as well as MI01. For a discussion of this title, see Zaba and JEA 33, p. 55, no. 27. For a full attestation, see MW04. Again, the use of the name Amun makes this likely to be a New Kingdom inscription. Further, all the inscriptions we have found which mention gold are of New Kingdom date. Thirteen km up the wadi is an inscription of one Saibsheky, who also uses the title ss ˙sb nbw. We assigned him a New Kingdom date based on Zaba doing the same for a man of the same name in this wadi (Rothe, Rapp, and Miller 1996).

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Inscription BR10 Location: N25∞01u13uu/E33∞32u58uu, south side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙·ty-º . . . ˙sby Translation: the mayor . . . Heseby Bibliography: RM B17 Commentary: We are treating Heseby as a personal name here although it is entirely possible that we are looking at a mayor who is reckoning something (based on previous inscriptions, probably gold) and his name starts with y or ¡¡. In any case, this is the second inscription in this group with the three circles. Their use with the sign in other inscriptions seems to indicate some sort of mineral, perhaps gold, from the “foreign land” of the Eastern Desert. The name Heseby is unattested in Ranke.

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Inscription BR11 Location: N25∞01u13uu/E33∞32u58uu on the same rock face as BR06 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss wry Translation: the scribe Wery Bibliography: RM B14 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 82.20). Although he ascribes this personal name to the Old and Middle Kingdoms, we believe that the title ss standing alone, as it does here, marks this as a New Kingdom inscription (see BR01 above). The name wr appears in Sinai85N, with the title ˙ry ˙rw wr and in CM104 in a patronymic without title. The name wr¡, written with one terminal reed-leaf and with the title ss appears in CM198 and G9.

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Inscription BR12 Location: N25∞01u13uu/E33∞32u58uu on the same rock face as BR06 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr n ˙r-wr Translation: the mayor and overseer of priests of Horus the Elder Commentary: Titles only seem to be preserved and a personal name is missing either at the end of the inscription or in a line below it. While the personal name Hor-wer is attested in Ranke (PN I, 246.18), the presence of the genitive below the ˙mw-ntr, would mitigate against that here. Although Wadi Barramiya is on the most direct route from Edfu to mining areas, the title strongly suggests a connection to Kom Ombo, Horus the Elder being one of the patron deities of that city.

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Inscription BR13 Location: N25∞01u13uu/E33∞32u58uu on the same rock as BR06 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: smsw . . . . . Translation: the retainer . . . . . Commentary: The title and the seated determinative seem clear, but what should be the personal name is broken away. The remains of two (?) vertical signs seem to be present. Names with this title in other eastern desert inscriptions do not suggest any good reconstructions.

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Inscription BR14 Location: N25∞01u10uu/E33∞33u32uu north side of wadi on a large detached boulder Description: drawing

Commentary: A Hathor cow on a processional bark resting on an altar stand with falcon above. The photo on the right is a close up of the falcon.

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Inscription BR15 Location: N25∞01u10uu/E33∞33u32uu, north side. There are several loose boulders here. This inscription is on the roof of a rock shelter formed by the overhang on the north side of one of them. Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss mrw Translation: the scribe Merew Bibliography: RILNA29 Commentary: The name Merew appears in a number of inscriptions with titles as indicated: Sinai81 [¡my-r] ºbnwtyn hpr-k·-rº Sinai151a ¡my-r ºbnwty Sinai131c htmty ntr Sinai151b ¡my-r ºbnwty Sinai146W ¡my-r ºbnwty Sinai511 ºw The name mrw is cited in CM228 without title and spelled with the lion sign. With the same spelling it appears in a patronymic in G111. Spelled as here, the name appears in G65 with the title ¡ky n gbtyw(?). Variants of the name are cited in RILN, in patronymics in 8 and 28, with the title wºb in A11 and A23, a ¡dnw in 123, and without title in 172. At Elkab, the name appears twice, in DFO14 and O185, both times with the title s˙q ˙m-ntr and writen with the lion determinative.

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Inscription BR16 Location: north side, N25∞01u10uu/E33∞33u32uu below BR15 Description: one column of text

Transliteration: htmty ntr gng Translation: the expedition leader Geneg Bibliography: RM B18

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Commentary: The wadi here badly undercuts the sandstone wall and as a result of this undercutting and subsequent falling away, there are many blocks here the size of small houses. These blocks are covered with drawings of animals, boats, and men. There are also “bir” signs in the area so it is possible that this was a well used as a stopping point as early as Predynastic times. This inscription is only about 10 cm above the wadi floor and Zaba did not see it, perhaps because it was covered with drifted sand at the time. This name and title is known to us from ML13. As Gardiner notes, the same hieratic sign is used for both and (GSL, p. 526). We have used Goedicke’s reading of the name in preference to our first suggestion (RRM, inscription M5). As he notes, a feminine Gngt is attested in Ranke (PN II, 323.14). At Bir Mueilha (ML13) this same name appears as the “good name” of a Neferkare-nakht. In that inscription also he bears the title htmty ntr “expedition leader”. This name appears three times at Elkab, DFN78, N111, and N123, in all of them named as the father of ¡yn¡, once given the title bry tp nswt.

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Inscription BR17 Location: N25∞01u10uu/E33∞33u32uu, north side of wadi on east side of the large boulder holding inscriptions BR15 and BR16 Description: one line of text continued vertically below the leftmost sign

Transliteration: (1) w(?) . . . ¡mn . . . (2) s· nht(?) Translation: . . . amun . . . son (of) Nakht (?)

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Commentary: Only individual elements of this badly eroded inscription can be made out and then only when the sun is oblique. It begins with a w(?) and seems to have the theophoric element Amun. A s· seems to be followed by an arm, perhaps nht(?). The name Nakht is attested in Ranke (PN I, 209.16) and in numerous eastern desert contexts: Sinai23b ¡ry-ºt Sinai85W,II ¡my-r s· Sinai94a without title Sinai105N without title Sinai105N wb· Sinai136Wb ˙ry-pr Sinai168 without title Sinai168 without title Sinai181 ss Sinai183 ss Sinai184 without title Sinai191 ss Sinai257 wpwty nswt ˚n n ˙m.f CM122 ¡my-r bnw(?) CM207 without title (?) CM254 brty-ntr WH39 without title WH65 ¡my-r mn¡w tsmw WH67 without title WH68 without title WH93 mn¡w tsmw RILN9 in a genealogical list, without title RILN28 in a genealogical list, without title RILN72 mn¡w tsmw RILN78 in a genealogical list, without title RILN99 ss RILN137 in a patronymic, without title

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Inscription BR18 Location: N25∞01u05uu/E33∞35u38uu, south side on edge of rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡my ¡rty ˙ºw (2) ºpr(w?) ¡ntf Translation: (1) the ship’s captain and pilot (2) Intef Textual Notes: With the ship, one would expect the usual ºpr(w) ˙ºw, but if there is an ºpr, it is the indistinct sign at the beginning of the second line. Bibliography: RRM B1 Commentary: The name Intef is known from many of our inscriptions in the eastern desert. Often it is accompanied by what we have called his “monogram” (see BR21 for list and discussion). That enigmatic sign is not present here; perhaps we have a different individual. The name Intef is attested in Ranke (PN I, 34.1) and in numerous eastern desert contexts:

Edfu Watershed IS85W,II IS126b CM199 CM205 CM206 G29 G53 G58 G66 G72 G74 G80 WH1 WH2 WH3 WH4 WH4 WH4 WH4 WH4 WH4 WH6 WH7 WH26 WH28 WH37 WH40 WH43/44 WH48 WH49 WH53 WH54 WH66 WH71 WH90A WH148 RILN7 RILN9 RILN9 RILN10B RILN14 RILN16 RILN18 RILN19A RILN19B RILN26 RILN28

in a list of q·mw nfrw in a genealogical list, without title ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙m-ntr mnw wpwty nswt ¡my-r snºw s˙q pr-º· ¡my-r nww h·swt(?) in a genealogical list mn¡w tsmw(?) ˙·ty-º without title in a genealogical lsit ¡my-r nfrw mntw ¡my-r ºw ¡my-r ºw ¡my-r ºw htmty ¡my-r pr ¡my-r ºw n ¡my-r ºww ¡my-r pr htmty ntr hrpw(?) ¡my-r ºw in a genealogical list without title ¡my-r ˚·wt ¡my-r ºw in a genealogical list without title ¡my-r ºw in a genealogical list without title brty-ntr bry-˙b ¡my-r s· bry-˙b ˙˚· ˙wt ˙˚· ˙wt bry-˙b ¡my-r pr in a list of names without title ¡ry (?, possibly mn¡w tsmw) ºnh n bnw ˙˚· in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title smsw in a genealogical list without title without title in a genealogical list without title in a list on names without titles

RILN30 RILN36 RILN37 RILN37 RILN39 RILN42 RILN42 RILN43 RILN45 RILN46 RILN47A RILN47B RILN49 RILN54 RILN57 RILN57 RILN61A RILN64 RILN64 RILN67 RILN69 RILN77 RILN79 RILN79 RILN83 RILN125 RILN137 RILN150 RILN174 RILN192 RILN201 DFF1 DFF10 DFN45 DFN87 DFN130 DFN135 DFN149 DFN151 DFO4 DFO31 DFO54 DFO153 DFO258 DFO263 DFO276 DFO281

131 in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title wºrtw in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title ºnhw in a genealogical list without title in a genealogical list without title wºrtw n tt ˙˚· n¡wt s˙q º˙t (?) (n) pr-º· in a genealogical list without title without title ss without title bry tp nswt, ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr smr smr bry tp nswt, ˙m-ntr, ¡my-r tºst n(t) ntrt bry tp nswt, s˙q ˙m-ntr smr s·b ss pr-º· ˙m-ntr, ˙ry sst· without title bry ˙b

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Inscription BR19 Location: N25∞01u08uu/E33∞35u35uu, north side on a sloping rock face Description: two columns of text with a presumably unrelated glyph to the right

Transliteration: (1) ssmw w·wt nfr(w)t (2) ¡my ¡rty ¡m·i Translation: (1) the guide to the good ways, (2) the pilot Imai(?) Bibliography: RILN A27 Commentary: Zaba dates the inscription to the late Old Kingdom. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 25.12). Sadek cites an i·mw (WH150) with a similar orthography but without any title.

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Inscription BR20 Location: N25∞01u08uu/E33∞35u35uu, north side next to BR19 Description: two confused lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ntr nfr nb t·wy (2) º·-hpr-k·-rº mry imn Translation: (1) the good god, lord of the two lands, (2) Akheperkare, beloved of Amun Bibliography: RILNA28 Commentary: As Zaba notes, the orientation of the signs is somewhat confusing, but we have retained his reading, which he credits to Cerny.

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Inscription BR21 Location: N25∞01u48uu/E33∞36u47uu, south side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: htmty ntr ¡ntf Translation: the expedition leader Intef Bibliography: RRM B5 Commentary: The name Intef is a relatively common one throughout the Pharaonic age (see Ranke, PN I, 34.1), and there are numerous attestations in the Eastern Desert. In addition to this inscription, see summary list below. We believe we can identify a particular individual from this list of names, a traveler destined to become well known to us along this route. Here and at DN42, this Intef left his name and the title htmty ntr, and a curious initial sign which we have called his “monogram,” perhaps a stylized Nekhbet nome standard. In three inscriptions, DN30, DN40, and ML12, the name Intef appears with the title hry tp nswt, ¡my-r ss ºprw, and the same “monogram.” In two other inscriptions, HG02 and ML10, these titles are present but without the “monogram,” (though possibly present in the last). We take all these inscriptions to represent the same individual, a htmy ntr Intef, promoted at some point in his career to bry tp nswt, (for discussion of the ranking of these titles, see Klaus Baer, Rank and Title in the Old Kingdom, University of Chicago, 1960, pp. 23ff.). Based on several factors, primarily the association of this person’s inscriptions with those of known Old Kingdom date at Bir Dunqash and Bir Mueilha, we believe this inscription dates to the end of the Old Kingdom. For a discussion of the title htmty ntr see Bell and, more recently, Fischer, “The reading of in titles,” in Egyptian Studies III: Varia Nova, 1996. BR18 BR21

no monogram monogram

BR67 DN30 DN40 DN42 HG02 ML04 ML10 ML12

no monogram monogram monogram monogram no monogram no monogram no monogram monogram

¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw btmty ntr sps nswt bry tp nswt, ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt, ¡my-r ss ºprw btmty ntr bry tp nswt, ¡my-r ss ºprw none bry tp (nswt), ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt, ¡my-r ss ºprw

Wadi Barramiya Wadi Barramiya

OK/IP1 OK

Wadi Barramiya Wadi Dunqash Wadi Dunqash Wadi Dunqash Wadi Umm Higlig Wadi Mueilha Wadi Mueilha Wadi Mueilha

OK/IP1 OK OK/IP1 OK OK OK OK

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Inscription BR22 Location: N25∞01u41uu/E33∞37u07uu, south side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙·ty-º ˙r-sri Translation: the mayor Horshery Bibliography: RRM B2 Commentary: The reading of the name follows Goedicke. The distinction between the wr-bird and the “evil” bird is, of course, a fine one, subject to interpretation. Both this reading and Hor-wer are attested in Ranke (PN I, 245.19 and 246.18–20). The absence of well-defined swallow tail in the admittedly well-carved but ambiguous sign here tilts in favor of Horshery. Ranke dates Horshery to the New Kingdom; Hor-wer is found throughout the pharaonic period according to Ranke. There is a Horshery in SL13 with a different title; there are several citations in eastern desert inscriptions of the name Hor, (see MN30), but none matching this precisely.

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Inscription BR23 Location: N25∞01u54uu/E33∞37u13uu, north side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡my-r ºw ¡r¡ Translation: overseer of the foreign gang Iri Bibliography: RRM B6a Commentary: We suspect that an additional title precedes ¡my-r, but the rock is too weathered here to make it out. Two Iris, father and son, are named in our MN08, but there they both bear the title htmty ntr so it is impossible to know if this Iri is named there. The two Iris of MN08 are in a genealogical inscription of a Menew. It is possible that he gives the highest title of his father and grandfather and this inscription might represent one of them earlier in his career. Because the name Iri is a common one in the Old Kingdom (see Ranke PN I, 41.1), we assign an Old Kingdom date to this inscription. The name is also common in the eastern desert. A htmty ntr Iri is in Wadi Isa (Bell 1). Three occurrences, two from Lower Nubia, and one from the Wadi el-Arab, all bear the title sps nswt ¡my-r ºw (Weigall, Report, pl. 58, nos. 7, 12, and RILN100). It is entirely possible that this is the full title of our Iri. A person named Iri is known from G24 with the title ¡my-r (¡)˚d ¡nb(w), and from G57 with the title ¡my-r ˙mwt. An Irw is cited in RILN220 without title, and an Irr without a title is included in a list of names in WH76.

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Inscription BR24 Location: N25∞01u54uu/E33∞37u13uu, north side, below the previous inscription Description: one line of text

Transliteration: . . . ¡ . . . ·¡ . . . ¡my-¡rty Translation: the . . . ay, the ship’s captain . . . Bibliography: RRM B6b Commentary: This inscription appears to consist of references to two individuals, the first missing a title (or titles) with a personal name, perhaps incomplete, following, and then titles followed by an illegible personal name. The name Ay is attested in Ranke (PN I, 1.1), if that is the complete name. Further, Ranke gives a name Iay (PN I, 6.1), spelled with the man-with-hand-to-mouth following the initial reed-leaf and a double reed leaf ending. Ranke dates the name to the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom. The second half of the inscription includes another of the many “ship’s captains” found along this route. One might expect an ºprw ˙ºw with this title, and an ºpr-sign can plausibly be made out, though the accompanying signs are unintelligible and would seem out of place. The signs also permit a reconstruction of the title hry tp nswt, except no trace of the nswt seems to be present. What is no doubt a personal name follows but, again, it is too weathered to read.

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Inscription BR25 Location: N25∞01u52uu/E33∞37u13uu, south side in long narrow rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ¡mn-ms Translation: the scribe Amunmose Commentary: This is a rare instance of an inscription which reads left to right. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 29.8) and also appears in two inscriptions in the Wadi Barramiya (BR37 and BR53), also with the title ss. In those instances, the inscription is the more usual right to left. From the presence of the theophoric element, a New Kingdom date seems secure. An Amunmose in an inscription dated to year 36 of Amenhotep III is cited in Sinai211 with the title ss and the nickname Memay. In CM12, an Amunmose bears the titles º· n st and ˙·ty-º n n¡wt. In G98, the name appears with the title ˙ry pqt n pr-¡mn and in G104, with the possible title º· (n) st n pr-¡mn.

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Inscription BR26 Location: N25∞01u52uu/E33∞37u13uu, south side of the wadi in a small rock shelter Description: drawing

Commentary: A falcon wearing the crown of Lower Egypt, which is rare, standing in a boat.

139

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Inscription BR27 Location: N25∞02u02uu/E33∞37u26uu, south side of the wadi in a small rock shelter Description: drawing?

Commentary: The signs seems clear: a Horus falcon, possibly wearing a crown, and a nfr-sign. But whether a personal name, vocative wish or doodle, we are uncertain. Ranke cites a personal name Hor-nefer (PN I, 249.9), which he dates principally to the New Kingdom, but if a name, one would expect the theophoric element to be placed first.

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Inscription BR28 Location: N25∞02u02uu/E33∞37u26uu, south side of the wadi in a small rock shelter Description: drawing

Commentary: A Horus falcon wearing a double crown and standing on a standard (?).

141

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Inscription BR29 Location: N25∞01u57uu/E33∞37u41uu, south side in large rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ss p·˙w (2) s· wºb mry Translation: (1) the scribe Pahu, (2) son of the wab-priest Mery Bibliography: RILN A23 Commentary: In the early 1960s, when Zaba saw and published these inscriptions, this well-carved inscription was unencumbered by the overlay of modern graffiti. Nonetheless, the inscription can still be made out. Both names are attested in Ranke (PN I, 115.13, 160.1), Pahu dating from the New Kingdom. For parallels to Mery: Sinai32 ¡my-r ¡mnw Sinai513 brty-ntr s·b Sinai85W, II in a list of qºmw nfrw CM11 ss Sinai106N ¡ry ºt n wrs(w) CM19 hrp k·wt w˙m n ºrryt Sinai112Sb w˙· CM33 with an illegible title(?) Sinai231B ss G29 ºprw ˙·w ¡my ¡rty gnwty

143

Edfu Watershed DFN55 DFN59 DFN62 DFN86 DFN97 DFN132 DFN134 DFN152

˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr without title smr ˙m-ntr without title without title without title

DFN235 DFO106 DFO147 DFO148 DFO152 DFO237 DFO302

˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr ˙m-ntr

The name Mer appears as the father and son of an Ineny in RILN8 and 28.

Inscription BR30 Location: N25∞ 01u57uu/33∞37u41uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: drawing

Bibliography: RILNA24 Commentary: This drawing of Horus and Nekhbet flanking an offering stand was also published by Zaba.

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Inscription BR31 Location: N25∞ 01u57uu/E33∞37u41uu south side, in large rockshelter Description: drawing

Bibliography: RILNA25 Commentary: This drawing of a Horus falcon with sun disk before an offering stand enclosed in a rectangle was also published by Zaba.

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Inscription BR32 Location: N25∞01u57uu/E33∞37u41uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: two vertical columns of text

Transliteration: (1) [¡my?] ¡rty ¡¡w (2) ¡my-r msº Translation: (1) the pilot and overseer of the expedition (2) Iiu Bibliography: RILNA26 Commentary: This inscription was published by Zaba and we follow his reading. As he notes, the expected ¡my in the first title appears to be missing. The sign taken as the msº is very poorly rendered and the reading is provisional. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 7.28). Zaba dates this inscription to the First Intermediate Period.

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Inscription BR33 Location: N25∞01u56uu/E33∞37u46uu, north side on a detached boulder in the road ditch Description: three rows of text

Transliteration: (1) wtst ˙r (2) htmty ntr (3) hw¡ Translation: (1) nome of Edfu (2) the expedition leader (3) Khui Bibliography: RILNA22 Commentary: Our reading is somewhat different from Zaba’s. This is probably the same Khui who left his inscription a few kilometers up the wadi (BR66) and at Elkab. These parallel inscriptions lead us to what we believe is this improved reading. He may also be the same Khui who has his tomb at Aswan (de Morgan 157–58). At all three locations he takes to himself the title htmty ntr as he does here. If he is that person he could well be on his way to the Red Sea and ultimately to Punt as suggested by inscriptions in his tomb, dated to the reign of Pepy II.

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Inscription BR34 Location: N25∞02u28uu/E33∞37u57uu, north side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ˙mw-ntr ·nw (2) nfr-˙·t Translation: (1) the third-priest (2) Neferhat Commentary: The name Neferhat, if correctly read here, is attested in Ranke (PN I, 198.1).

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Inscription BR35 Location: N25∞02u05uu/E33∞37u57uu, north side Description: one badly weathered line of text

Transliteration: ¡my-r ss ºw(?) wºb (?) Translation: overseer of scribes . . . Commentary: An initial ¡my-r seems clear and wºb at the end seems likely, though it seems an unlikely order.

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Inscription BR36 Location: N25∞02u28uu/E33∞37u59uu, south side, in a small cleft in the rock wall Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡r¡ s˙q . . . n pr n p· nbw ˙·ty-º h(r)w-nfr Translation: keeper of inspectors of . . . of the house of The Gold, the mayor Herunefer Bibliography: RRM B7 Commentary: The first part of this inscription is nearly illegible and the transliteration we suggest as far as the p3 is tentative. “The Gold” is a reference to Hathor. The name hrw-nfr is attested in Ranke (PN I, 231.4). It appears in RILN106 with the title ss, and in RILN111 with the title ˙m-ntr, but both with a different orthography (see also BR47, RILN A18). The name hrw appears in IS13 with the title hrp ºprw (n) nfr(w) and in CM256 in a genealogical inscription without title.

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Inscription BR37 Location: N25∞02u28uu/E33∞37u59uu, south side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) nfr-˙b (2) ss ¡mn-ms Translation: (1) Neferheb, (2) the scribe Amunmose Bibliography: RRM B4 Commentary: The name nfr-˙b is attested in Ranke (PN I, 198.2) and ¡mn-ms also (PN I, 29.8). A scribe Amunmose is known from this wadi at BR25 and BR53.

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Inscription BR38 Location: N25∞02u28uu/E33∞37u59uu, south side Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) w˙m n msº (2) nb-(n)-t·-tm Translation: (1) the herald of the army (2) Neb(en)tatem Bibliography: RRM B3 Commentary: Our interpretation of this inscription is based on the exact parallel found just a few kilometers up the wadi, BR56, published by Zaba. We differ from Zaba’s reading of that inscription in several respects. We see neither the m nor the man-with-hand-to-mouth determinative that he suggests but instead simply see the genitive with the archer. Despite the name not being attested in this form in Ranke, the presence of a parallel, nb-n-t3-nb (PN I, 185.15), and the existence of two identical inscriptions inclines us to believe this is a personal name, rather than an instance of a title without a name in two locations. This inscription, somewhat clearer than BR56, lends credence to the reading of that inscription.

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Inscription BR39 Location: N25∞02u28uu/E33∞37u59uu, south side Description: Horus falcon wearing sundisk at altar

Commentary: This is one of several such drawings of Horus falcons with offering stands found in the Eastern Desert.

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Inscription BR40 Location: N25o02u26uu/E33o38u39uu, north side Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) ºw (2) ¡·th Translation: (1) the foreign worker (2) Iath Commentary: Though this inscription is well-carved and distinct, the organization of the signs is somewhat confusing and we offer this reading tentatively. The oversized is clear; parallels appear at Bir Meniah (MN21, MN24) and Wadi Umm Higlig (HG01). For the orthography of the sign, see the palaeography in RILN and OHP, 9–35b. Regarding the somewhat unusual name, Ranke has a name ¡·t. . . (PN I, 7.7). He takes this as a feminine name, but given the absence of the final radical, that interpretation can be challenged. Ranke gives a Middle Kingdom date. For the title, see Ward (591).

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Inscription BR41 Location: N25o02u31uu/E33o38u49uu, south side Description: falcon(?) at altar and the name Amun

Transliteration: ¡mn Translation: Amun Commentary: Another example of a Horus falcon before an offering stand. The name Amun seems carved by the same hand. A New Kingdom date seems obvious.

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Inscription BR42 Location: N25∞02u13uu/E33∞38u49uu, south side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ˙sb nbw s·-¡b-sky Translation: the scribe who counts the gold Saibsheky Bibliography: RRM B9, Eichler 2 Commentary: See MN34 for discussion and parallels to this name.

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Inscription BR43 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side on loose boulder just west of Zaba’s major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ˙sb nbw s·-¡mn Translation: the scribe who counts the gold Sa-Amun Commentary: The name Sa-Amun is common in our corpus of eastern desert inscriptions appearing in no less than nine locations (MW04, BZ07, BZ08, BZ13, BZ16, BR03, BR09, BR43, MI01). With this title, the name appears three times, in Wadi Mi’a (MI01) and twice in Barramiya (BR09, BR43). The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 280.22). A New Kingdom date is indicated by the theophoric element and other attestations of the title.

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Inscription BR44 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter. Inscriptions BR44 through BR61, numbered here from west to east (the reverse of Zaba) are all in this rockshelter. Description: drawing of kheper beetle

Bibliography: RILNA21 Commentary: There is no question about what is being here depicted, but whether it represents a name, an incomplete name, or a vocative inscription is a complete guess. Zaba believed it to be an abbreviation of Menkheper, an individual attested three times in the Wadi Shalul (SL06, SL08, SL11). (Green’s placement of two of these three in the Wadi “Umm ºAwad” was incorrect. The correct name of that wadi is Abu Muªawad. We have found six inscriptions there, but not the one cited by Zaba. That inscription is in the Wadi Shalul [SL08].) Additionally, a Menkheperre is attested in the Wadi Shalul (SL03). Arguing against Zaba is the fact that in all those inscriptions the mnsign is written first. If this is an abbreviation of Menkheper, one would have to assume that its second sign was written first for some reason. All the other attestations also include a title, seemingly written before the personal name.

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Inscription BR45 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side in large rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ˙·t¡w Translation: the scribe Hatiu Bibliography: RILNA20 Commentary: Our reading accords with that of Zaba. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 233.4). Zaba believes that Ranke gives numerous variants of this name (PN I, 233.1–7 a). Zaba cites several variants of this name in RILN: a ˙·t listed in a genealogical inscription (179); and three instances of a ˙·t¡·, one with the title ˙m-ntr (94) and two of the same person with the title smsw (197, 198). Zaba also noted five instances of this name at Bir Kanayis (referred to by Zaba and Weigall incorrectly as Wadi Miyah). We found an additional three at that location plus another attestation in Wadi Barramiya (BR06) that also includes the title ss.

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Inscription BR46 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: three columns of text with a figure to their left

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Transliteration: (1) ss n s·-nswt (n ks) mry-ms (2) ˙3ty-º ·bw (3) wsr Translation: (1) the scribe of the viceroy (of Nubia) Merymose, (2) the mayor of Elephantine (3) Woser Bibliography: RILN A19 Commentary: Another of the inscriptions published by Zaba, as is the next one (RILN A18). We take his interpretation of the inscription and its meaning. The Viceroy of Nubia Merymose also left inscriptions at Bir Kanayis (KN04, KN05) (Weigall, Travels). We have found an additional inscription of the Viceroy of Nubia Merymose in Wadi Bezah (BZ09). The Viceroy of Nubia Merymose is securely dated to the reign of Amenhotep III; he includes this king’s cartouche in one of his Kanayis inscriptions. The name wsr appears in a badly weathered stela published in Sinai96 and in two inscriptions in WH, 13 with the title ˙ry ˙ryw and 149 as a female name in a genealogical inscription. Zaba also cites an example of a wsry in RILN229B. The name appears once at Elkab, DFO209, with the title ˙m-ntr.

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Inscription BR47 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: five lines of text with a box around them

Transliteration: (1) ss n (2) s·-nswt (3) mry-(ms) (4) hrw- (5) nfr Translation: (1) the scribe of (2) the Viceroy (of Nubia) (3) Mery(mose) (4) Heru (5) nefer Bibliography: RILNA18 Commentary: This was published by Zaba. This is clearly the same Merymose from Bir Kanayis, Wadi Barramiya and Wadi Bezah. Herunefer is attested in Ranke (PN I, 231.4). The name also appears in two other inscriptions published by Zaba: RILN106 with the title ss and in RILN111 with the title ˙m-ntr. A hrw is included in a list of hrp ºprw nfr(w) in Sinai13.

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Inscription BR48 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: one vertical line of text on edge above three vertical lines of text in a divided box

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Transliteration: (1) ss mº˙ (2) ss n nbw t·wy mº˙ w˙m ºnh (3) wºb n ˙r nb h·st p·-rº-m- (4) ˙b wm˙ ºnh s· n sbk-ms w˙m ºnh Translation: (1) the scribe Meh, (2) the scribe of the gold of the two lands Meh, may he repeat life, (3) the wab priest of Horus, lord of the hill country Pre-em- (4) heb, may he repeat life, son of Sobekmose, may he repeat life. Bibliography: RILNA17 Commentary: This inscription was published by Zaba, whose interpretation we follow. All the names are attested in Ranke (Meh PN I, 163.13; Preemhab PN I, 163.13; Sobekmose PN I, 304.13). Meh is perhaps the same person as the Meh known from Wadi Allaki (see Zaba’s discussion of RILN A17). The inscription is dated by Zaba to the Eighteenth Dynasty, probably to the reign of Amunhotep III. A m˙y is cited in Sinai93W without title. The name Pre’emhab or Re’emhab appears in a number of inscriptions, many naming the vizier during the reign of Seti II: Sinai240(?) one of two men in a stela adoring Hathor CM46 ¡ry pºt ˙·ty-º ¡ry nhn ˙m-ntr m·ºt ¡my-r n¡wt t·ty CM129 ˙ry k·(w)t CM221 ˙ry k·(w)t CM239 ¡ry pºt ˙·ty-º s·b t·yty ¡ry nhn ˙m-ntr m·ºt ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr n ntrw nbw ¡my-r n¡wt t·ty n t·smºw(?) t·-m˙w CM246 ¡ry pºt ˙·ty-º ¡ry nhn ˙m-ntr m·ºt ¡my-r n¡wt t·ty CM247 ˙ry k·(w)t G95 ¡ry pºt smr wºty ¡my-r n¡wt t·ty G96 ˙ry k·(w)t G98 w·b n ·st G99 ˙ry k·(w)t

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Inscription BR49 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ss nbw n h·st s·-ib-sk Translation: scribe (of the) gold of the hill country Saibshek Bibliography: RILN A16 Commentary: This is probably the same Saibshek(y) who has left an inscription elsewhere in Wadi Barramiya (BR42), Wadi Meniah (MN34), and Wadi Bezah (BZ29). At Barramiya, he is a ss ˙sb nby and uses the terminal y in his name. At Bezah and Meniah, he is simply a ss without the terminal y. As this inscription is broken at the bottom, it is impossible to establish what spelling he uses here.

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Inscription BR50 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: two rows of text

Transliteration: (1) ss s˙ (-ntr) ¡mny (2) (n) ˙r Translation: (1) the scribe of the (divine) booth Ameny (?) (2) (to) Horus Bibliography: RILNA15 Commentary: The title is not attested in Ward. The name Ameny is also known from BR54. Ameny is attested in Ranke (PN I, 31.13). This inscription is dated by Zaba to the New Kingdom. There are 21 attestations of this name in Sinai, 13 of which include a title as follows: Sinai24 wb· Sinai24A ˚·w n brty-ntr

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Sinai28 ¡my-r ºbnwty wr n pr-˙q Sinai92W ºw Sinai95F ¡dnw n ¡my-r pr-wr Sinai96 ¡dnw n ¡my-r pr-wr Sinai97 ¡dnw n ¡my-r pr-wr Sinai98 ¡dnw n ¡my-r pr-wr Sinai98B ¡dnw n ¡my-r pr-wr Sinai105 htmty b¡ty Sinai112 ¡my-r s· Sinai142 ¡my-r ºbnwty wr n pr-˙q Sinai402 ¡dnw n ¡my-r pr-wr Attestations without a title are Sinai85W, 94, 105, 157, 170, 412N, 501, 521. Other attestations are: CM217 in a list of names without title CM225 without title G61 w˙mw WH6 in a patronymic without title WH81 without title WH94 smsw ˙˚· ˙wt(?) wºrtw(?) There are six attestations of the name in RILN, but none have titles: 13, 16, 23, 56, 151, 171. The name is attested once in the Elkab inscriptions without a title (DFO6).

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Inscription BR51 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ss nb-ºnn-sw (2) ss hnmw-nht Translation: (1) the scribe Neb’anensu, (2) the scribe Khnumnakht Bibliography: RILNA14 Commentary: The name Neb’anensu is attested in Ranke (PN I, 183.25). Khnumnakht is known from BR04, BZ03, BZ27 (titled ss), and MW02 (with titles ˙ry ¡ry n (¡)kwy n ¡mn and ss n k·t nt n¡wt).

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Inscription BR52 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡t-ntr ˙ry sst· b·y Translation: the god’s father and master of the secrets Bai Bibliography: RILNA12 Commentary: This inscription was dated by Zaba to the New Kingdom. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 89.19) who also ascribes a New Kingdom date. The titles are attested in Ward (570e and 1004). This is the first (and so far only) instance of these titles in the eastern desert.

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Inscription BR53 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ss ¡mn-ms (2) wºb mry Translation: (1) the scribe Amunmose, (2) the wab-priest Mery Bibliography: RILN A11 Commentary: Six other wab-priests are known from our eastern desert inscriptions (BT01, BR48, BZ19, MW06, SL04, ST06). The name Amunmose suggests a clear New Kingdom date, as Zaba indicates. Scribes named Amunmose are known from four other locations, BR25, BR37, MI04, and MI05, likely the same person as named here.

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Inscription BR54 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: drawing and name

Transliteration: ¡mn(y) (n) ˙r Translation: Amen(y) (to) Horus Bibliography: RILN A10 Commentary: This inscription was also dated by Zaba to the New Kingdom. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 26.18). See BR50 for a full attestation.

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Inscription BR55 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: hnsw Translation: Khonsu Bibliography: RILNA9 Commentary: Another inscription published by Zaba and dated by him to the New Kingdom. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 270.16). This is the only attestation of this name in our inscriptions. CM220 names a Khonsu with the title ˙ry k·wt.

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Inscription BR56 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) w˙m n msº (2) nb-(n)-t·-tm Translation: (1) the herald of the army (2) Neb(en)tatem Bibliography: RILNA8 Commentary: This inscription was published by Zaba but we differ in our reading due to the benefit of the parallel inscription BR38 of which he was unaware (see discussion there).

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Inscription BR57 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: drawing

Bibliography: RILNA7 Commentary: An offerant in adoring posture before an altar stand in front of the hippopotamus goddess Tweret. We suggest a New Kingdom date.

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Inscription BR58 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: one row of text with a seated figure beneath

Transliteration: ss nfr Translation: the scribe Nefer Bibliography: RILNA6 Commentary: This inscription was published by Zaba, but we offer a different reading. Zaba took the first sign to be a crook and read the name *Heka-nefer. From personal examination, we prefer the first sign as a ss with a denuded top and read the following name simply as Nefer. The name Nefer is abundantly attested (see Ranke PN I, 194.1) and the title ss is found in many of our eastern desert inscriptions.

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Inscription BR59 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) sr n m¡ºm (2) ¡my-r tbw ˙˚·-nfr º· w·w·t(?) Translation: (1) the nobleman of Miºam, (2) overseer of sandlemakers Hekanefer, magnate of Wawat(?) Bibliography: RILNA5 Commentary: Zaba’s reading almost entirely; see his commentary for additional citations. Miºam is mentioned in BR07 and BR08.

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Inscription BR60 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: Horus falcon wearing double crown facing two columns of text

Transliteration:(1) b˙dt ntr º· nb pt (2) ¡r.n sdm pr-˙tp (n) ¡mn ˚b.f Translation: (1) the Behedite, the great god, lord of heaven (2) made by the servant of the house of offerings of Amun Kebef Bibliography: RILNA4 Commentary: On the reading of sqm, see WB V, 389, 10, cited by Zaba. The reference to the Behedite ties the writer to Edfu.

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Inscription BR61 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u20uu, south side, in large rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙ry nbw (n) pr-˙tp ¡mn-¡pt ˚b.f Translation: chief of the goldsmiths of the house of offerings of Amun of Luxor Kebef Bibliography: RILNA3 Commentary: Obviously by the same writer as BR60. See Zaba’s commentary on use of stool sign in place of the ¡pt and his reading. Note the use of the pt sign here.

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Inscription BR62 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u28uu, south side, 200 m above large rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss (2) ¡˙y Translation: (1) the captain of the ship’s crew and senior overseer of scribes (2) Ihy Bibliography: RRM B8, RILNA2 Commentary: Another inscription originally published by Zaba; see his commentary for discussion of titles and orthography. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 44.22). An Ihy with identical titles is named in our inscription ML17. These exact titles with an illegible name occur in DN36. An ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw Ihy is known from Sinai16, from Sinai125 without title, and Sinai405 with the title ¡my-r s·. The name Ihy is also cited in CM107 in a list of workers with the title s·b smsw and G21 with the title ºw(?).

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Inscription BR63 Location: N25o02u14uu/E33o39u28uu, south side, 200 m above large rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡my-r hrp smntyw ssmw wºwt nfr(w)t ˙sy-mnw Translation: the overseer of leaders of the gangs of prospectors(?), the guide to the good ways Hesymin Bibliography: RILNA1 Commentary: For the orthography of the ssm, see discussion in GSL, p. 515. For an inscription with the title ¡my-r smntyw, see MD03 and possibly AW06. Another reading for the initial title, suggested by Dr. James Allen, is wr hrp ˙mwt, attested in Ward (729). The name Hesymin appears in G5 with the titles rht nswt hrp ºpr.

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Inscription BR64 Location: N25∞02u00uu/E33∞41u10uu, K130.0, south side of the road about 50 m from the highway on a vertical cliff running perpendicular to the road Description: one line of text

Transliteration: wtst ˙r ¡my-r ss ˚·r Translation: nome of Edfu, overseer of scribes Kar Textual Note: A nearly identical inscription is at DN02. This name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 333.9, 10). As attested there, the sign below the final r is a bag of linen, (GSL V34), however GSL T12, notes that the bowstring, , can be used as a phoenetic determinative to the group, . Although it looks more like a bowstring here, we think it looks more like a bag of linen in DN02. The two signs seem to be interchangeable in this name. Given the striking similarity of the two inscriptions and the same personal name, we believe that both inscriptions are the work of the same person. Bibliography: RM B19, Eichler 1 Commentary: The name was not known to us from elsewhere along the route until February 1996, when the nearly identical inscription in the lower Wadi Dunqash (DN02) was found during the walk from the Nile to the Red Sea. Idy, whom we know from several locations in the eastern desert, as well as from Elkab, has left the same “Nome of Edfu” orthography on his inscription at Bir Mueilha (ML15). In addition, Khui, writer of BR33, has left an inscription near the km 135 marker in which he uses the same orthography. That plus the ¡my-r ss, which is a standard title in Old Kingdom inscriptions from the eastern desert, dates this inscription to the Old Kingdom. It seems likely that this Kar is the same as the Kar known from his tomb at Edfu (PM, V, p. 200), where he cites his “good name” Meryrenefer and claims the titles of “Nomarch of Edfu” and “Overseer of the Crown Tenants of Pepy.” That Kar lived in the reigns of Teti, Pepy I, and Merenre I, and was sent by Merenre to Edfu as nomarch. An unfinished tomb in the Teti cemetery at Sakkara had a false-door inscribed with the names Meryrenefer-Kar (Egyptian Archaeology 23, Autumn 2003), presumably this same Kar from his earlier Sakkara career. A Kar appears in two Wadi Hammamat inscriptions, but with different titles: CM85 ¡my-r nht ˙mwt pr-º· sps nswt CM107 ¡my-r nht ˙mwt(?)

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Inscription BR65 Location: N25∞02u05uu/E33∞41u27uu, south side Description: one line of text, possibly two inscriptions

Transliteration: ºnh-¡r.¡-m· ss ˙·ty-s(b)y Translation: Ankhirima, the scribe Hatise(b)y Bibliography: RM B20 Commentary: The reading of these indistinct inscriptions is offered very tentatively. For the first name, if read correctly, one can cite parallels in Ranke (PN I, 62.25–63.1) though the last sign is troublesome, and perhaps not really part of the name. The Ankhiemma’ef of AG01 and AG05 also comes to mind. The second name, again if we are correct in the reading of it, is unattested in this form. The individual elements are however attested (PN I, 233.3, 295.23).

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Inscription BR66 Location: N25∞02u04uu/E33∞42u25uu, south side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: htmty ntr hwi Translation: the expedition leader Khui Bibliography: RM B21 Commentary: This is probably the Khui who left his inscription a few kilometers down the wadi (BR33). See our discussion there for a date in the reign of Pepy II.

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Inscription BR67 Location: N25∞02u31uu/E33∞42u58uu, north side Description: one(?) line of text

Transliteration: . . . ..sps nswt wp-w·wt . . . . . . . . . tf ffw (?) ¡ntf Translation: king’s noble, (to) Wepwawet . . . . . . . . . (tf?) Intef Bibliography: RM B22 Commentary: The orthography and transliteration are primarily taken from our field notes because the signs are by no means as clear as the printing here makes them look. The sequence and relationship of the signs is also confusing. The inscription perhaps begins with an invocation to Wepwawet and the title sps nswt with the personal name Intef at the end. To muddy the waters even more, Intef is spelled with a different orthography than we have seen hitherto, with no n phonetic compliment, although this orthography is attested in Ranke (PN I, 34.1).

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Wadi Batur This wadi runs northeast from Wadi Abbad from a point just east of the Roman station at Bir Abbad. After about 30 km it turns east and continues for another 30 km before turning north and northwest. Wadi Abu Muawad enters it at the point where it turns north and a few kilometers north of that point, Wadi Shalul enters. We found only one inscription in this wadi, but it seems the most direct and logical route to Wadis Abu Muawad and Shalul, both of which are rich in inscriptions and both of which afford access to the gold mines to the east. Geologically, the wadi is in a frangible, poorly-bedded sandstone for its entire route and has few satisfactory walls for inscriptions.

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Inscription BT01 Location: N25∞14u04uu/E33∞19u20uu, south side, on a west facing rock face Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) wºb ntr-ms (2) ss ¡mn-ms Translation: (1) the wab priest Netjermose, (2) the scribe Amunmose Commentary: This very weathered inscription is the only one we’ve found in this wadi, perhaps because of the poor quality of the sandstone here. The first line is reasonably clear until the seated man determinative. The second line is more tentative. An Amunmose also with the title ss is known from BR25. The name Netjermose is attested in Ranke (PN I, 214.15).

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Wadi Dagbag The Roman road from Qena to Berenice runs through this north-south wadi for about 6 km. There is evidence of mining for nearly the entire distance with two heavy concentrations of structures, one to the north near which are the northernmost inscriptions at N25∞24u58/ E33∞48u54uu, containing perhaps fifty structures. Evidence indicates heavy mining activity, though there are only a few grinders here. The southernmost concentration, near the current bir is a Roman station. This station contains the remains of what we believe to be two animal driven grinders. We believe that is the reason we find almost no grinders at the northern site: the ore was hauled to the station for grinding and separation. Just south of the station, on the wall above the current well is the second group of inscriptions. The entire wadi is in igneous/metamorphic rock. Given the time required to carve even a simple inscription on this material, it seems likely that those who left their inscriptions were staying here for an extended period of time.

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Inscription DG01 Location: N25o23u31uu/E33o49u10uu, west side above the bir Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss k·-nht Translation: the scribe Kanakht Commentary: There is an exact duplicate of this inscription in Wadi Dunqash (DN20). The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 338.7). This and the Dunqash inscription are the only attestations of this name among our eastern desert inscriptions. The name is common throughout Egyptian history and so establishing a likely time period is conjectural. At Dunqash, accompanying inscriptions are more firmly dated to the New Kingdom.

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Inscription DG02 Location: N25o23u31uu/E33o49u10uu, west side above the bir, below DG01 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ºnh-¡mn Translation: the scribe Ankh-Amun Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 62.24). This is the only attestation of this name that we have found in the eastern desert. There are no exact parallels to the name in other eastern desert inscriptions, the closest parallel being an Ankhkhnum cited by Zaba (RILN243).

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Inscription DG03 Location: N25o23u31uu/E33o49u10uu, west side above the bir, below DG02 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss mn-hpr Translation: the scribe Menkheper Textual Note: The scribe sign is much abraded but is confirmed by personal observation. The looped line just before the mn-sign was at first mistaken for a htmty-seal, but is in fact part of a drawing of a camel, which overrides the inscription. Commentary: This name is known to us from three inscriptions in Wadi Shalul, (SL06, SL08, SL11) where he also carries the title ss. Wadi Shalul is a direct route to the mines at Bir Dagbag so the presence of these names and titles in both locations is understandable. See also the discussion in Zaba (RILNA21). The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 150.13).

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Inscription DG04 Location: N25o23u31uu/E33o49u10uu, west side above the bir, to the right of DG03 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss s·-¡mn Translation: the scribe Sa-Amun Commentary: The scribe Sa-Amun (if one individual) is known from numerous locations (see BR03 for listing). In three instances he adds to the title, “. . . who counts the gold.” The date is definitely New Kingdom.

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Inscription DG05 Location: N25o24u58uu/E33o48u54uu, west side of the wadi above a dry bir Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) mn-hpr-rº ntr nfr (2) (ºnh ?) qt Translation: (1) Menkheperre, the good god (2) (may he live) eternally Commentary: Menkheperre Thutmose III is the most frequently attested New Kingdom monarch in our eastern desert inscriptions.

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Inscription DG06 Location: N25∞24u58uu/E33∞48u54uu, on the west side of the wadi in a natural outside curve bir (no water) Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ¡º˙-ms Translation: the scribe Ahmose Commentary: The name Ahmose is known in a number of other eastern desert inscriptions: DN22 (with title bry), SL04 (with title w·b-priest?), MW11 and DG12, the last two without titles. Without a title in this inscription, it is difficult to tell whether we’re dealing with the same or different individuals. Curiously, unlike any other name, the attestations of Ahmose appear written right to left as well as left to right and vertically. The scribe sign is not at all clear. Indeed it might be taken for an s were it not out of place, but given the curious variability in the writing of this name, might the writer simply be confused? If the reading of the scribe sign is correct, this inscription is similar to DG12 just up the wadi in lacking a phonetic complement s. The name appears in an inscription published by Zaba (RILN136) without title or any other text.

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Inscription DG07 Location: N25∞24u58uu/E33∞48u54uu, this inscription and the next five are on a granite wall on the east side of the wadi Description: one column of text

Transliteration: n(?) ¡mn-rº Translation: to (?) Amun-Re’ Commentary: Perhaps the beginning of a votive inscription, though the distance between the Amun-Re’ and the n, as well as its placement at the “end” of the inscription might suggest that the n is unrelated. A reading as the personal name Pa-en-amun (PN I, 106, 8) was considered, but the presence of the stroke would mitigate against reading the preceding sign as a p. The reference to Amun-Re’ clearly dates this to the New Kingdom.

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Inscription DG08 Location: N25∞24u58uu/E33∞48u54uu, to the right of DG07 Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡pw Translation: Ipu Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 23.6) occurring frequently in the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom. No title accompanies the name and the name is attested nowhere else in our eastern desert inscriptions. There are other numerous attestations of Ipu and related forms (Ipy/ Ipep/Ippi) in other published texts. With exactly this orthography it appears in Sinai90W with the title ˚·w, in Sinai105N with the title ¡my-r msº, and in Sinai412N with the title sd w˙ºwt. Variants include: ¡p¡ CM40 rht nswt ¡my-r ˙mwtyw gnwty gnwtyw ˙rw ˙ryw m º·t nbt spsst nt pr-nsw ˙mww º·t nbt CM169 ºprw ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty G54 ¡my-r ˙mwtyw gnwtyw ˙rw ˙ryw m ºnt ¡wnw ts¡ ˙r n sspw G56 ˙mwty(?) WH57 ms º·t DFN112 bry tp nswt DFN123 named twice as the father of Iby and Hetep DFN140 as the good name of the ˙ry tp nsw pr-º· Ptahhotep DFO57 q·st¡, father of Sawikai DFO77 q·st¡, father of Sawikai DFO145 q·st¡, father of Sawikai DFO158 bry tp nswt DFO163 q·st¡, father of Sawikai

196 DFO256 DFO270 DFO293 DFO299 ¡pp Sinai112Sb ¡ppi Sinai112Sb Sinai117E

Chapter 3 q·st¡, father of q·st¡, father of q·st¡, father of q·st¡, father of

Sawikai Sawikai, father of Sawikai junior Sawikai Sawikai

brty-ntr psy ¡ry-ºt pr-˙q

Inscription DG09 Location: N25∞24u58uu/E33∞48u54uu, to the right of DG08 Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡ry Translation: Iry Commentary: This seems to be a personal name without a title or personal determinative. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 41.23) with this spelling. The title ¡ry is not written with full phonetic complements and so it would seem precluded here. The name is also attested in BR23, but with a different orthography. That Iri is titled ¡my-r ºw. Another sign (a t or a seated determinative?) may be present in the weathered area following the double stroke. In addition to the different spelling, Ranke describes Iri as Old Kingdom in date while the Iry represented here is described as New Kingdom primarily.

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Inscription DG10 Location: N25∞24u58uu/E33∞48u54uu, to the right of DG09 Description: one column of text

Transliteration: nfrw-rº Translation: Neferure Commentary: A personal name Neferure is attested in Ranke (PN I, 204.1) but most names beginning with nfrw are listed as feminine. The absence of a title or personal determinative does not help to reach a conclusion. A further enigma is represented by what might be additional hieroglyphs below, but they are unintelligible.

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Inscription DG11 Location: N25∞24u58uu/E33∞48u54uu, to the right of DG10 Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡my-¡rty ºprw ˙ºw Translation: captain of the ship’s crew Commentary: It is very badly weathered, but there is enough to reconstruct this common Eastern Desert title. No name can be discerned, however.

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Inscription DG12 Location: N25∞24u58uu/E33∞48u54uu, to the right of DG11 Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡º˙-ms Translation: Ahmose Commentary: See DG06 for other attestations of this name and discussion.

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Wadi Kanayis When the ancient route leaves Edfu, it follows Wadi Abbad nearly straight east. At the point at which Wadi Shagub enters from the north, the main wadi becomes Wadi Kanayis. It keeps this name until Wadi Mia enters from the northeast, at which point it becomes Wadi Barramiya. It is important to emphasize here that, although it changes names three times, it is the same wadi and climbs straight east for nearly half the distance from the Nile to the Red Sea. With an approximately equal number of mines to the north and south of the track, it is easy to understand why this route has so many inscriptions. Along the stretch in which the wadi is called Wadi Kanayis, at N25∞00u25uu/E33∞18u40uu, on the south side is Bir Kanayis. Near the bir are a Roman station and a rock cut temple of Seti I of the Nineteenth Dynasty. The temple is well documented elsewhere so the drawings and inscriptions from the temple proper are not dealt with here. The graffiti dealt with in the following pages are all inscribed on the sandstone wall into which the temple is cut. Most of the inscriptions predate the temple and, in fact, some of them are partially covered by the sandstone blocks which make up the temple façade. Most of the inscriptions have been published by Weigall (Travels), and many other travelers have mentioned them. Again, all of the photographs are our own.

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Inscription KN01 Location: Bir Kanayis Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡r n ˙rw-nhbt Translation: made by Heru-Nekhbet Commentary: The name is not attested in Ranke but parallels with Heri-Hor (PN I, 253.10). An alternate reading suggested by Dr. James Allen would be Heru-mut (PN I, 252.2). Given the proximity of Kanayis to Elkab, and Nekhbet’s patronage of ancient Elkab, we have preferred the reading as Nekhbet. This inscription is not published in Weigall. This is a rare example of a left-facing inscription. There appear to be additional signs at the bottom of the inscription but if related are unreadable.

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Inscription KN02, KN03 Location: Bir Kanayis, N25∞00u25uu/E33∞18u40uu Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙·ty Translation: Haty Bibliography: Weigall 3 Commentary: These are a sampling of about eight graffiti with this name, several noted by Weigall. This is perhaps the same person as the writer of BR06 where he takes the title of ss. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 233.3). We ascribe a New Kingdom date.

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Inscription KN04 Location: Bir Kanayis, N25∞00u25uu/E33∞18u40uu, on a vertical face 15 m above the wadi floor Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡r.n s· nswt mry-ms Translation: made by the viceroy (of Nubia) Merymose Bibliography: Weigall 7 Commentary: Presumably the famous Merymose, therefore dating to the reign of Amenhotep III. Confirmed by presence of cartouche of Amenhotep III immediately below.

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Inscription KN05 Location: Bir Kanayis, N25∞00u25uu/E33∞18u40uu, below KN04 Description: one line of text below a cartouche

Transliteration: (nb-m·ºt-rº ) (1) ¡r.n s· nswt mry-ms Translation: (Nebmaºatre) (1) made by the viceroy (of Nubia) Merymose Bibliography: Weigall 6 Commentary: See discussion in KN04.

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Inscription KN06 Location: Bir Kanayis, N25∞00u25uu/E33∞18u40uu, on the rock face east of the temple Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ˙ry ¡ry n w˙m(w) nswt bnmw Translation: scribe and leader of king’s heralds Khnum Bibliography: Weigall 8 Commentary: For Khnum, see Ranke (PN I, 275.5). Parallels to the name Khnum occur in Sinai40 in a patronymic without title, Sinai92W with the title ¡ry ºt n pr-º·, Sinai112Sb in a list of workers without title, RILN4 with the title smsw, and in RILN224 with the title n¡s(w) mq.

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Inscription KN07 Location: Bir Kanayis, N25∞00u25uu/E33∞18u40uu Description: one line of text

Transliteration: . . . wk . . . ˙r(?) Translation: ? Bibliography: Weigall 4 right Commentary: The bird with the flail is, perhaps, a Nekhbet instead? What we take as a k, Weigall sees as a nb.

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Inscription KN08 Location: Bir Kanayis, N25∞00u25uu/E33∞18u40uu, immediately to the right of the temple, with the left part of the inscription covered by the temple façade Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙ry smsw mn-hpr . . . p·-sr Translation: master of retainers Menkheper, . . . .Paser Bibliography: Weigall 4 left Commentary: The title is attested in Ward (1044). The seated man (with something on his head?) following Menkheper is perhaps part of Paser’s title rather than personal determinative of Menkheper. Although the terminal characters of the inscription are visible, they are behind the wall of the temple, indicating that the inscription predates the temple. For parallels to Paser, see Sinai255 which refers to the vizier of Ramesses II.

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Inscription KN09 Location: Bir Kanayis, N25∞00u25uu/E33∞18u40uu, behind modern dwelling; this is the westernmost of the inscriptions in the vicinity of Bir Kanayis Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss msº n nb t·wy p·-n-rº Translation: the scribe of the soldiers of the lord of the two lands Paenre Bibliography: Weigall 5 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 109.13).

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Inscription KN10 Location: Bir Kanayis, N25∞00u25uu/E33∞18u40uu, this is the easternmost of the Bir Kanayis inscriptions Description: cartouche

Transliteration: (nb-m·ºt-rº) Translation: (Nebmaatre) Commentary: This is one of two cartouches of Amenhotep III at Kanayis.

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Wadi Mia This wadi rises in the Red Sea hills at the foot of 1079 m Gebel el Atawi. The wadi runs through the granite intrusions and metasediments which make up the Nubian Shield for nearly all of its length before turning to sandstone for the last 15 km and emptying into Wadi Kanayis just above Bir Kanayis. Along its length are many small gold workings, including a rather large mine near the mouth of Wadi Bakariya, N25∞14u23uu/E33∞45u29uu. The Roman road from Qena to Berenice crosses the wadi just below Bir Harbaya, N25∞17u35uu/E34∞00u55uu. Shortly after the wadi enters the sandstone there is a fairly large multiroom structure, whose purpose is unknown, on the north side of the wadi at N25∞07u25uu/E33∞34u07uu. The inscriptions in this wadi are along both sides of the wadi in this area.

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Inscription MI01 Location: N25o09u39uu/E33o38u21uu, on a detached boulder, southeast side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ˙sb nbw s·-¡mn Translation: the scribe who counts the gold Sa-Amun Commentary: This name is known to us from many places in the southern eastern desert: MN10, BR03, BR09, BR43, BZ07, BZ08, BZ13, BZ16, MW04, MW12, and DG04. With this title, no doubt the same person, he is known from BR09 and BR43, MW12. There is a Saibshek(y) who claims this title known from BR42.

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Inscription MI02 Location: N25o09u39uu/E33o38u21uu, on a detached boulder, southeast side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: bnm(w)-ºnh Translation: Khnumankh Commentary: Nothing but this bare name is written and there are no traces of there ever being any additional signs. It is heavily overwritten with modern Arabic inscriptions. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 275.8). A name in Sinai17 read there as ºnh.f, was read by Sethe as bnm(w)-ºnh.f (see note g).

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Inscription MI03 Location: N25o09u49uu/E33o38u40uu, northwest side on detached boulder Description: one line of text

Transliteration: nfr-wº Translation: Neferwa Commentary: Incredibly, this inscription seems to be written from the bottom up. Confirmation of this sportive writing is seen in Wadi Abu Muawad (MW06), where an exact parallel of this name accompanies the title ss. A Horus falcon without inscription is to the right of the name, possibly a votive.

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Inscription MI04 Location: N25o09u49uu/E33o38u40uu, northwest side on detached boulder Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ¡mn-ms Translation: the scribe Amunmose Commentary: We have two other occurrences of this name in our database, one from Wadi Barramiya and one other from Wadi Mia. In BR25, he has this same title, in MI05 the name appears without any title.

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Inscription MI05 Location: N25∞09u49uu/E33∞38u40uu, north side on a large boulder Description: one column of text rather poorly done

Transliteration: ¡mn-ms Translation: Amunmose Commentary: Though here without title, presumably the same writer as in the previous inscription (MI04) given the proximity.

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Inscription MI06 Location: N25∞09u40uu/E33∞38u11uu, south side on a vertical wall Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙r-dnw (?) Translation: Hor-denew (?) Commentary: Despite the inclination from parallels to see this as “the Behedite,” the signs seem clearly to read dnw. Perhaps a personal name *Hor-denew? For a name Dn.i but written with the nw-pot, see Ranke (PN I, 400.9). The First Dynasty king Den comes to mind, but this seems a very strange writing. No similar name appears in other eastern desert inscriptions.

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Wadi Shalul This wadi rises northeast of the granite massif of Gebel Shalul at N25∞29u30uu/E33∞42u30uu and runs straight south through metasediments until it meets Gebel Shalul. There it runs in a narrow gorge through the mountain. Bir Shalul, a sporadic well dug through the alluvium, is in this gorge, as is the last of the Shalul inscriptions, carved on the granite wall just above the well. Below the bir, the wadi runs through metasediments for another 10 km before widening out. When it narrows again it is in the sandstone and in a few kilometers the walls are high and continuous. Although the walls continue and furnish good writing surfaces for the next 10 km, only SL12 and SL13 are located here. SL03–SL11 are located in a rockshelter where the walls are intermittent and SL01 and SL02 are located just below them. About 2 km below SL01–SL02 the wadi enters Wadi Batur. We have found no evidence of mining in this wadi, but it may have been an alternate route to the mines clustered around Bir Dagbag. Some credence is given to this possibility by the presence at both locations of inscriptions by one Menkheper (SL06, SL08, SL11, and DG03). All but three of the inscriptions in this wadi were first discovered by Green. When we visited Wadi Abu Muawad in December 1996, we were looking for these inscriptions based on Green’s statement that they were located in that wadi. We found 13 inscriptions there while searching in vain for those published by Green. A month later, in January 1997, we found his “Wadi Abu Muawad” inscriptions and 3 more while exploring this wadi on our way to Bir Meniah. The mistake is understandable: the wadis empty into Wadi Batur about 5 km apart and run roughly parallel for most of their length. Additionally, Green didn’t have the high quality maps available today or access to GPS.

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Inscription SL01 Location: 0.5 km north of junction with Wadi Batur Description: This is the top part of a detached boulder. The bottom is the Horus falcoln shown on the next page. The rock is broken along the crack to the right of the figure and the right side of the rock has dropped about 40 cm and rotated clockwise. The photo has been reconstructed using AdobePhotoshop.

Before Reconstruction

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Transliteration: (1) ¡mn (2) ss q˙wty-rº Translation: (1) (to) Amun (2) the scribe Djehutyre Commentary: The name Djehutyre is attested in Ranke (PN I, 408.10), dated to the Middle Kingdom. The figure of Amun might suggest Middle Kingdom or New Kingdom.

Inscription SL02 Location: below SL01 Description: drawing of seated falcon-headed figure wearing double crown

Commentary: The drawing depicts a well-executed anthropomorphic Horus wearing the double crown. While we have other drawings of a Horus falcon wearing a double crown, this is the only seated anthropomorphic Horus. A standing anthropomorphic Horus wearing the double crown is known from Bir Dunqash (DN27).

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Inscription SL03 Location: N25o17u36uu/E33o31u27uu, south side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ºfty n nswt-b¡ty (mn-hpr-rº) Translation: the brewer of the king (Menkheperre) Bibliography: Green 7 Commentary: The title is in Ward (595). Given the presence of the seated man after the cartouche, we take this as the personal name of the brewer, rather than the king. We ascribe a New Kingdom date.

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Inscription SL04 Location: N25o17u36uu/E33o31u27uu, south side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡º˙ms (2) wºb Translation: (1) Ahmose (2) the wab priest Bibliography: Green 6 Commentary: The name is known to us from four other locations (DG06, DG12, DN22, MW11), often written curiously and improperly. Here it is written left to right, extremely rare in our group of inscriptions, but note that the s is reversed. In MW11 and DG06, it is also written left to right, without a title, and with the title ss respectively. In DN22, he has written it right to left, and in DG12, he has written it top to bottom, always without title. It does not appear that the wºb was drawn by the same hand. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 12.19).

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Inscription SL05 Location: N25o17u36uu/E33o31u27uu, south side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: w˙mw n ˙·ty-º bb Translation: the herald of the mayor Beb Bibliography: Green 6 Commentary: Beb is attested in Ranke (PN I, 95.8). The name might also be Kek (PN I, 336.27). A bb¡ with the title ¡my-r ºw appears in G60. The same version of the name appears in RILN16, 72, 144, and 219. Only RILN144 is accompanied by a title, ºnh n n¡wt. A bby is in RILN153 in a patronymic without title. Variants of the name appear frequently in WH: WH14 in a patronymic without title WH25 ss wr n t·ty WH19 in a patronymic without title WH56B without title WH23B with title ˙r n tm WH63 in a patronymic without title WH23B wºrtw n gbtyw

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Inscription SL06 Location: N25o17u36uu/E33o31u27uu, south side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ss mn-hpr Translation: the scribe Menkheper Commentary: The scribe Menkheper has left this name and title three times in this rockshelter (SL08 and SL11 in addition to this), and in Wadi Dagbag (DG03). The name also appears at Kanayis with the title ¡my-r smsw (KN08). There is a “Kheper” attested in BR44, which Zaba believes is an abbreviation of Menkheper. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 150.13).

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Inscription SL07 Location: N25o17u36uu/E33o31u27uu, south side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: smsw n ˙·ty-º m-˙b Translation: the retainer of the mayor Emheb Bibliography: Green 5 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 143.8). Ranke’s example shows the ˙ and b phonetic complements in addition to the sun determinative. This is the only attestation of this name in the eastern desert. For the orthography of the sign as written in this inscription, see Goedicke, OHP, p. 44b.

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Inscription SL08 Location: N25o17u36uu/E33o31u27uu, south side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ss n ˙·ty-º mn-hpr Translation: the scribe of the mayor Menkheper Bibliography: Green 3 Commentary: See SL06 for discussion.

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Inscription SL09 Location: N25o17u36uu/E33o31u27uu, south side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: nfrt-¡r¡ ˙mt ˙·ty-º mº¡ Translation: Nefertiri, wife of the mayor Mai Bibliography: Green 2 Commentary: This is the only reference to a wife in any of our eastern desert inscriptions. Both names are attested in Ranke, Nefertiri (PN I, 201.16 ), and Mai (PN I, 143.25). The May attested in numerous other inscriptions (AL01, AL03, ST05, ST09) typically spells his name with two reed leaves, so whether this is the same individual is not certain. Further, all of May’s inscriptions clearly associate him with Kom Ombo and are found on routes from there, unlike this inscription.

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Inscription SL10 Location: N25o17u36uu/E33o31u27uu, south side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: nby n˙y Translation: the gold worker Nehy Bibliography: Green 1 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 207.19). This is the only attestation of the name in our eastern desert inscriptions. The name is attested once at Elkab, DFO59, with the title ˙m-ntr following the name. Other attestations do occur in Sinai: Sinai32 ºw Sinai103W ¡my-r ºbnwty ¡my-r t·-m˙w (with a second name rn.f-ºnh) Sinai105E same as 103W Sinai105S same as 103W

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Inscription SL11 Location: N25o17u36uu/E33o31u27uu, south side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ss mn-hpr Translation: the scribe Menkheper Bibliography: Green 4 Commentary: A Menkheper is known from DG03 (with the title ss), KN08 (˙ry smsw), SL06 (ss), and SL08 (ss n ˙·ty-º). A Kheper in BR44 without a title is suggested by Zaba to be an abbreviation for Menkheper. Wadi Shalul is said by our bedouin guide to be the normal route to Bir Dagbag, so it is plausible to connect the Menkhepers in those two wadis at least. This inscription was not noted by Green in his PSBA article.

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Inscription SL12 Location: N25o20u06uu/E33o33u06uu, SE side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr rnny hft ¡t (2 ) r ¡rt b˙(s) r ¡nt nbw Translation: (1) the mayor and overseer of the priests of Nekhbet Renny, on the occasion of coming (2) in order to quarry stone and bring gold Textual Note: The word following ¡rt in line 2 seems to be written with just a b and an ˙. The sense we have ascribed would require something like b˙s “Art Stein” (WB I,469) or b˙nw “basalt” (Faulkner 84), or, less likely geologically, b¡t “alabaster” (WB I, 433). Bibliography: Green 8 Commentary: Green said this was well carved so the hacking is probably post-Green. We are unsure how to interpret the three circles at the end of line 2; possibly a redundant determinative? A tomb of a Renny is known from Elkab, the capital of the Nekhbet nome, so we are probably dealing with the same individual. There is a beautifully carved and preserved inscription in Wadi Umm Salem (SM01), which can probably be ascribed to this individual.

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Inscription SL13 Location: N25o20u18uu/E33o33u33uu, NW side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡my-r ss ˙r-sr¡ Translation: the scribe Hor-shery Commentary: The name is paralleled in BR22, there with the title ˙·ty-º. Our reading of the first three signs is tentative. See Wadi Mueilha (ML01) and Bir Meniah (MN03) for signs similar to the third sign, here taken to be a ss.

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Inscription SL14 Location: Bir Shalul, on granite wall on the west side of the chute Description: one line to the right of two columns of text

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Transliteration: (1) ˙·ty-º hrp skw (2) n h·swt nbw ¡mn-˙tp s· (3) ¡ry-pºt w·˙ Translation: (1) the mayor and leader of gangs (2) of the gold country Amunhotep, son of (3) the hereditary prince Wah Bibliography: Green 10 Commentary: For the title hrp skw, see Ward (1173). We have four other attestations of the name Amunhotep in our inscriptions, all in Wadi Meniah, MN09 (without title), MN20 and MN27 (both nby n ¡mn), and MN37 (sqm-ºs n pr ˙q n ¡mn). All of the Meniah Amunhoteps are perhaps the same person, advancing in a career at the Amun temple. Despite the title here which also relates to goldworking, postulating an identity is more speculative. The name Wah is not attested in any other eastern desert inscriptions, but is attested in Ranke (PN I, 228.21) and in two instances in CM, 81 and 224.

Wadi Sigdid Wadi Sigdid is a relatively short (~20 km) wadi that rises in the metasediments in the northeast part of our project area and runs nearly straight south until entering the upper reaches of Wadi Mia. About 2 km from its mouth the wadi makes a sharp bend, resulting in the expected vertical rock faces along the outside of the bend. Bir Sigdid is at the base of the wall about halfway around the bend. It is a reliable well by the standards we are using, in that it contained water after four years without rain. The inscriptions are on the wall above the well. The wadi makes another bend just below the inscriptions, and the rock walls end at that point. From that point for the next 200 m there are the remains of 40 to 50 small structures lining both sides of the wadi. We found no grinders and only a few pieces of ceramics. These are probably the inscriptions first noted by Ernest Ayscoghe Floyer (1893), although he suggests the

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titles in the inscriptions are those of a Royal Scribe and Inspector of Mines and we have found no such titles in these inscriptions. The route Floyer suggests from the Nile to the bir, and one that he and we have traveled from Edfu, is up Wadi Abbad and Wadi Kanayis to Wadi Mia, and up that wadi to Wadi Sigdid, a total distance of perhaps 150–180 km, all easy walking. It is slightly farther to start from Qena and follow the Roman road to Bir Daydimus then Wadi Zaydun to Wadi Indiya, but it is still a good route. Near the top of Wadi Indiya there is a trail that runs up a short, unnamed wadi then overland to the top of Wadi Sigdid. While the narrowness of the trail renders it unusable by motor vehicle, it is easily walkable and we walked it. The entire wadi is in the hard rock igneous and metasediments of the high desert and the only inscriptions are at the bir, which is entirely in keeping with our previous observations.

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Inscription SG01 Location: N25o27u37uu/E34o04u42uu, above the bir Description: five lines of text

Transliteration: (1) htmty ntr nfr-˙r-n-nswt s· (2) bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw (3) brdw-ºnh s· (4) bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw (5) nswt Translation: (1) the expedition leader Neferhorennisut’s son, (2) the chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew (3) Chereduankh’s son, (4) the chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew (5) Nisut Bibliography: Floyer 1887 Commentary: For the name Neferhorennisut, see the parallel constructions in Ranke (PN I, 198.9 and 10); also in CM103 and G21 (Neferhorenptah), G31 (Neferetennisut) and WH6 (Neferhor). For Chereduankh, see Ranke (PN I, 277.17). Ranke does not cite simple Nisut as a personal name, but does give several names with this as a first element (PN I, 212.26–213.4).

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Inscription SG02 Location: N25o27u37uu/E34o04u42uu, above the bir to the right of SG01 Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) bnmt .. ? .. ˙·ty-º (2) .. shpr s¡b(?) Translation: (1) a well . . . ? . . . the mayor (2) . . . created . . . . the thirsty? Commentary: It is very difficult to derive anything coherent from this, which is unfortunate, given what seems to be a reference to a well created for the thirsty or to relieve thirst. The digging of wells in the desert is also mentioned in DN28, ML05, and ML19.

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Inscription SG03 Location: N25o27u37uu/E34o04u42uu, above the bir to the right of SG02 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: bnmt .. ? .. ˙tp (?) Translation: a well . . . ? Commentary: Apparently, another reference to a well; see the previous inscription.

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Wadi Umm Higlig Wadi Umm Higlig enters into Wadi Barramiya near the 143 km from Mersa Alam milepost. The inscriptions are located about 0.6 km up the wadi from this point. Presumably, the wadi was a short cut to the Umm Higlig track, which in spite of its name does not run through this wadi. We have walked this wadi from Wadi Barramiya to where it crosses the Umm Higlig track and while there are no other inscriptions in this wadi, there are at least 40 in Wadi Barramiya above the mouth of this wadi. That and the twists and turns in this wadi lead us to believe that this wadi was rarely used as a short cut. The Umm Higlig track is an overland route that was used by Old Kingdom travelers between Wadi Barramiya and Wadi Dunqash. It is also part of a Ptolemaic/ Roman road from Qena to the Roman Station at Bir Samut.

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Inscription HG01 Location: N25o00u58uu/E33o36u17uu, southwest side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ºw ˙tp-k[·.¡] Translation: the foreign worker Hetep-ka’i Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 259.19). For the ºw sign, see Zaba’s palaeography in RILN, S25, and Goedecke OHP, p. 9, 35b, and our MN14, MN21, MN24, and BR40. For the title, see Ward (591).

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Inscription HG02 Location: N25o00u59uu/E33o36u09uu, northeast side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss (2) ºprw ¡ntf Translation: (1) chamberlain and overseer of scribes (2) of the crew Intef Commentary: These titles and Intef are frequently attested in the eastern desert inscriptions; with exactly these titles in DN30, DN40, ML10, and ML12.

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Inscription HG03 Location: N25o00u59uu/E33o36u09uu, northeast side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: nb Translation: Neb Commentary: For the name, see Ranke (PN I, 183.1). An ¡my-r bn(r)wt Neb is cited in G20. A Neb-sen is known to us from Wadi Dunqash (DN01) and Bir Meniah (MN04).

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Wadi Umm Salim This is a relatively short wadi running south of and paralleling Wadi Abu Muawad and apparently acting as an alternate route for that wadi. Although we have found more Pharaonic inscriptions in Wadi Abu Muawad, there are far more predynastic inscriptions in this wadi, probably indicating that this was an important route at a very early date. The entire wadi is in the upfaulted block of Nubian Sandstone.

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Inscription: SM01 Location: N25º15u05uu/E33º34u58uu, south side in a covered and nearly sealed rockshelter Description: two columns of beautifully carved hieroglyphs, perfectly preserved

Transliteration: (1) b·ty-º n nhb (2) ˙m-ntr tpy n nhbt (3) rnn· Translation: (1) mayor of Nekheb, (2) chief priest of Nekhbet (3) Renna Commentary: Given the similarity of titles, we take this writer to be the same as the Renny of SL12; see there for discussion.

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Inscription SM02 Location: N25º14u49uu/E33º36u42uu, north side Description: drawing

Commentary: A Horus falcon, without a crown, somewhat unusually, facing left. The ºnh sign is probably a later addition.

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Kom Ombo Watershed The Kom Ombo watershed is by far the largest of the three major watersheds in our project area, comprising perhaps two-thirds of it. The northern part of the watershed is relatively well watered while the southern parts, all the way south to 24o, are almost without wells. Wadi Shaªit, the northernmost of the three major wadis, rises within 40 km of the Red Sea and has several reliable wells along its length. At least one traveler who tells us he is from Kom Ombo, traveled the full length of this wadi and left inscriptions at Bir al-Alam, within 20 km of the Red Sea (ST05, ST09, AL01, AL03). To the south, Wadi Kharit and Wadi Natash are even longer. We have traveled both wadis, walking a good share of the distance but have failed to find any evidence of pharaonic activity. There are no wells in either wadi and we know of no mines either ancient or modern that are easily reached from them. Geologically, the watershed is in the Nubian sandstone for the western two-thirds after which it is in the metasediments and granites of the high desert. Some of the major mines of the southern Eastern Desert are in this watershed, including Mine Dunqash, Mine Mueilha, Umm Dalalil, and Umm Huqab. The Roman road from Edfu to Berenice is in this watershed from shortly north of Hydreuma Midrik to the Red Sea hills. The Roman road from Qena is in this watershed from north of the modern Edfu-Mersa Alam road to its junction with the Roman road from Edfu just above Hydreuma Dweig.

Figure 4-1, Wadis in and near the Kom Ombo Watershed

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Wadi Bezeh The upper reaches of this wadi are in the igneous and metamorphic rocks of the high desert. The Roman road from Qena to Berenice crosses the wadi at the uppermost of the two birs that take their name from this wadi. At that bir are the remains of a Roman station. The wadi crosses the Edfu-Mersa Alam road at milepost km 110 from Mersa Alam, where the lower Bir Bezeh is located. At three separate locations between that point and the beginning of the sandstone are groups of ancient structures and grinders of a type which we believe dates to the pharaonic period. These are the grinders referred to as “type one” in the senior author’s dissertation. The locations are as follows: • • •

N25o02u55U/E33o52u00U, north side; approximately 20 structures and two type one grinders N25o00u55U/E33o48u56U, north side, twenty-five structures, another five on the south side; evidence shows working of the quartz veins in the area 1.5 km down wadi from the previous location; four structures on the north side.

Below the last site, the wadi widens out and when it narrows again it is in sandstone where it remains until it empties into Wadi Shaªit.

Figure 4-2, Wadi Bezeh in the Kom Ombo Watershed

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At N24o54u43U/E33o45u54U, the track from Wadi Barramiya crosses the wadi and goes over a small pass and down into Wadi Dunqash. On the south side of the wadi where the track leaves it are the easternmost of the inscriptions in this wadi, BZ32, BZ33. Two km below this point Wadi Dunqash enters from the south, and just below that, the wadi turns sharply west and plunges into a cleft in the uplifted sandstone block. All of the remaining inscriptions are written on the high sandstone walls of the wadi over the next 20 km as it traverses this block. When the wadi widens out after exiting the uplifted block, there are few if any places where an inscription could be carved between that point and the point at which it enters Wadi Shaªit, or for that matter between that point and Kom Ombo. The evidence indicates that this wadi was an important route from Kom Ombo into the gold fields of the southern Eastern Desert, especially those in the vicinity of Bir Dunqash.

Figure 4-2, Wadi Bezeh in the Kom Ombo Watershed

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Inscription BZ01 Location:N24o45u26U/E33o36u23U, SE side Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw ntr n (2) sbk ˙r-wr p·-sr Translation: (1) the mayor and overseer of priests of (2) Sobek and Horus the Elder Paser Commentary: The name Paser is attested in Ranke (PN I, 117.13). The date of the inscription is unarguably New Kingdom. While this is a frequently attested name in New Kingdom inscriptions, this is the only attestation in our inscriptions. A Pawer is named in our DN17. If the last figure is perceived to be leaning on his staff, that name could be read here, but the titles in the two inscriptions are completely different. Both the location of the inscription and the presence of the two gods tie this inscription to Kom Ombo. A similar title appears with the name Iy-nefer in DN05 and DN09. An exact parallel of this title without a name appears in DN13.

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Inscription BZ02 Location:N24o45u26U/E33o36u23U, SE side Description: drawing of a baboon

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Inscription BZ03 Location: N24o47u03U/E33o38u54U, SE side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss bnm-nht Translation: the scribe Khnumnakht Textual Notes: A w may follow the t under the strong arm. Commentary: The name is in Ranke (PN I, 276.1). Scribes with the name Khnumnakht are known from another inscription in Wadi Bezah (BZ27) and in Wadi Barramiya (BR04). A Khnumnakht with the titles ˙ry ¡ry n (¡)kwy n ¡mn and ss n k·t nt n¡wt is known from Wadi Abu Muªawad (MW02).

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Inscription BZ04 Location: this and the following 12 inscriptions are located at N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: Horus falcon and one line of text

Transliteration: sr ˙m-nfr n nb.f Translation: the nobleman Hemnefer, to his Lord. Commentary: The title is attested in Ward (1317). The name is not attested in Ranke. We have read the last part of the inscription as a vocative to the Horus figure, based on the parallel of the title and name in BZ17.

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Inscription BZ05 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: standing figure and one line of text

Transliteration: nfr-ssrw? Translation: Nefersesherew? Commentary: The name, which is the barest of guesses, is unattested in Ranke. Note the various meanings of ssrw/ssrw: utter, express, linen, corn. Eichler, Expeditionwessen, treats these signs as a title rather than a personal name. While we’re not sure which it is here, we have found in the eastern desert far more names without titles than titles without names.

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Inscription BZ06 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡k(w)y n pr ˙q (n) ¡mn ˙tp-wsy ¡n ¡nr s(?) h·swt rsy Translation: the stoneworker in the treasury of Amun Hetepwesy (who) brings the stone (of?) the southern lands Commentary: One of the confusing things about this inscription is the mixture of hieroglyphic and hieratic signs. Stoneworkers or their supervisors are known from a number of inscriptions: BR05, BZ10, BZ14, MW02. Although no exact parallel exists for this personal name, names compounded with ˙tp are ubiquitous and the name wsy is attested in Ranke (PN I, 84.17).

Inscription BZ07 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡r.n smsw n s·-nswt (n ks) mr(y)-ms s·-¡mn Translation: made by the retainer of the viceroy (of Nubia) Merymose Sa-Amun Commentary: The name Sa-Amun is ubiquitous in our desert inscriptions, attested no fewer than twelve times. In addition to this inscription, the name appears at BR03, BR09, BR43, BZ08, BZ13, BZ16, DG04, MI01, MW04, MW12, and MN10. Further, a Sa-Amunrekh is attested at BZ15. The wellknown Merymose, Viceroy of Nubia under Amunhotep III, is mentioned in three other inscriptions: BR46, BR47, BZ09, plus two inscriptions at Kanayis, KN04 and KN05.

Kom Ombo Watershed

Inscription BZ08 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss s·-¡mn Translation: the scribe Sa-Amun Commentary: See the previous inscription for other attestations of Sa-Amun.

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Inscription BZ09 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) s· nsw(t) [n ks] mry (2) ..y-ms ¡mn Translation: (1) Viceroy [of Nubia] Mery . . . (2) . . . ymose, (to) Amun Commentary: We would like it better if we could see a mry before the double-reed leaves in the second line. Then we might have two columns of texts reading, “*Viceroy [of Nubia], Merymose, beloved of Amun.” Unfortunately, we see no such traces. The proposed translation attempts to conform to the rendering of the signs, but requires an assumption that the scribe inadvertently repeated the double reed leaves in switching lines. For discussion of the King’s Son of Kush Merymose, see BZ07.

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Inscription BZ10 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text enclosed by a box

Transliteration: (¡)kwy q·bs s3.f ˙·py-nht Translation: the stoneworker Djabes, his son Hapy-nakht Commentary: Both names are attested in Ranke: Djabes (PN I, 405.1), Hapy-nakht (PN I, 234.7–9). For other attestations of the title ¡kwy, see BZ06. Note also the different orthography of the title. A qb·s is cited in RILN126 in a patronymic without title.

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Inscription BZ11 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙r(-wr?), sbk, mnw(?), ˙·t Translation: (to) Horus (the Elder?), Sobek, and Min, Hat Commentary: Seemingly a votive inscription to three gods, Horus (Hor-wer?), Sobek, and either Min or the ithyphallic Amun, by an untitled individual named Hat (PN I, 232.13). The name is perhaps an abbreviation for Haty, as we have no other attestations of this name, and numerous of Haty with one or two reed leaves following. The presence of two determinatives following the name is unusual.

Kom Ombo Watershed

Inscription BZ12 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: drawing of a crocodile, probably Sobek, wearing a double plumed headdress

Commentary: Compare this to a similar drawing without the crown from Wadi Abu Muawad (MW01).

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Inscription BZ13 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡r.n ss s·-¡mn Translation: made by the scribe Sa-Amun Commentary: See MW04 and BZ07 for other attestations of Sa-Amun.

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Inscription BZ14 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: (¡)kwy ·bd Translation: the stoneworker Abed Commentary: While spellings that use initial k are not attested in either Ward or Worterbuch, we see no evidence of a sign preceding the k. Alternate spellings are known beginning with the figure (see BZ10). The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 1.28 for various spellings; see also GSL N11). An ·bdw is known from Sinai13 with the title hrp ºprw (n) nfr(w) and from two instances in Sinai16, one with the title s˙q w¡· and another with the title ¡my-r msº.

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Inscription BZ15 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: s·-¡mn-rh Translation: Sa -Amunrekh Commentary: The name ¡mn-rb is attested in Ranke (PN I, 30.2). There is no evidence of a title accompanying the name.

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Inscription BZ16 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡r.n s·-¡mn Translation: made by Sa-Amun Commentary: The reading of the name as Sa-Amun seems defensible despite the presence of extraneous lines at the bottom of the inscription. For a full attestation of this name, see MW04 and BZ07.

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Inscription BZ17 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: sr ˙m-nfr Translation: the nobleman Hemnefer Commentary: Presumably the same individual as BZ04. While many names beginning with the element ˙m are attested in Ranke, this particular name is not. The title sr is attested in Ward (1317). We take the sr as being this title. Names beginning with an initial sr are attested in Ranke (PN I, 316.26– 317.3), but are usually combined with a theophoric element.

Kom Ombo Watershed

Inscription BZ18 Location: N24o48u33U/E33o41u37U, SE side in major rockshelter Description: drawing of Bes

Commentary: Probably New Kingdom or Late Period in date.

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Inscription BZ19 Location: N24o50u55U/E33o43u00U, NW side, on loose boulder Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) wºb (n) ˙r (2) w¡ (3) ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr smr wºty Translation: (1) the wab-priest of Horus (2) Wi (3) overseer of ˙m-priests, sole friend Commentary: The first two lines seem reasonably clear, including what seems to be the man-with-hand-tomouth used instead of the regular seated man personal determinative. The last line is more speculative. If read correctly, it is hard to say whether these are additional titles of Wi added as an afterthought or the beginning of a second unfinished inscription. The names Wi and Wii are attested in Ranke (PN I, 75.23, 76.5) though not identical orthographically. The name Wi/Wii is also attested in our BR01 and BZ31, once spelled without a reed leaf and once with two. Wab priests are known from at least five other of our desert inscriptions (BT01, BR29, BR48, BR53, ST05) and possibly a sixth (SL04).

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Inscription BZ20 Location: N24o50u55U/E33o43u00U, NW side, on loose boulder Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ˙r (2) s·-wr Translation: (1) the mayor and overseer of priests of Horus (?) (2) Sa-wer Commentary: The translation is offered somewhat tentatively. The titles seem clear, but the Horus falcon, if connected to the priest-title is written out of line, perhaps because of the nature of the rock. That the name consists of bird-signs is also clear. The translation Sa-wer has the benefit of being attested in Ranke (PN I, 281.17).

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Inscription BZ21 Location: N24o50u55U/E33o43u00U, NW side, on loose boulder Description: one line of text with a small group above

Transliteration: (1) r ¡mn nby (2) sbk r(?) bnw ¡·s· Translation: (1) to Amun, the Golden, and (2) Sobek from (?) the sailor Iasa Commentary: Portions of this inscription are overwritten with later additions. The thick vertical strokes at the top of the image are the legs of an elephant. We take this as a votive to Amun, Hathor, and Sobek. Was Hor-wer at the beginning of the bottom line? The title is attested in Ward (1188) and known from our inscriptions BZ24 and IS07. The interpretation of the second bird in the name is problematic and so the reading of the name is tentative. It doesn’t seem to fit a w; perhaps a s·, but the orthography is not usual and there are no attestations of such a name in Ranke.

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Inscription BZ22 Location: N24o50u55U/E33o43u00U, NW side Description: Horus falcon on gold standard wearing double crown with text to left

The writing is an enlargement of the inscription in the upper left of the photo on the left.

Transliteration: b˙dt Translation: (to) the Behedite Commentary: A votive offering to Horus of Edfu. Two falcons are inscribed, one, an earlier (?) pecked figure accompanying the inscription, and the second and larger, more neatly incised to its right. Both wear the double crown.

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Inscription BZ23 Location: N24o50u55U/E33o43u00U, NW side Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss wsr Translation: the scribe Woser Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 85.6). The name Woser with identical orthography, except for the strong arm determinative, appears twice in Sinai96, though in one instance it cannot be established if it is a complete name or the end of a name. In both cases, titles are absent or not extant. A Wosery without title is cited in RILN229A. A Woser with the title ˙ry ˙rww is in WH13. In these last two examples also, the orthography is the same as our inscription with the exception of the strong arm determinative.

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Inscription BZ24 Location: N24o53u02U/E33o43u58U, NW side on the brow of a low rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: bnw . . . ss ˙·t-¡w(?) Translation: the sailor . . . , the scribe Hatiw Commentary: The hn sign seems fairly certain and is one of only three attestations of this sign in the eastern desert. One is also in Wadi Bezah (BZ21), but there no phonetic complements follow. The other is IS07. Very tentatively, we might suggest the circular sign following is the nw-pot, but the resultng orthography with double reed leaves is not attested in Ward (1188). A ˙·.t.¡wj(?) is attested in Ranke (PN I, 233.5) but with a different orthography. Again, mere guesses on the signs.

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Inscription BZ25 Location: N24o53u02U/E33o43u58U, NW side on the brow of a low rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: smsw ¡wpp¡ Translation: the retainer Iuppi (?) Commentary: The smsw seems reasonably secure. What should be the personal name is a good deal more tentative. A name ¡wp¡ is attested in Ranke (PN I, 16.31).

Inscription BZ26 Location: N24o53u02U/E33o43u58U, NW side on the brow of a low rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: Translation: Commentary: This inscription is slightly below the previous inscription. So far we are unable to read it. Perhaps two birds with an ayin arm between them: m’m, m’w (see Ranke, PN I, 146.23–25).

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Inscription BZ27 Location: N24o53u02U/E33o43u58U, NW side on the brow of a low rockshelter Description: one line of text43

Transliteration: ss bnmw-nht Translation: the scribe Khnumnakht Commentary: The scribe Khnumnakht is also known from BR04 and BZ03. As noted in BZ03, a Khnumnakht with titles ˙ry ¡ry n (¡)kwy n ¡mn and ss n k·t nt n¡wt from Wadi Abu Muawad (MW02) may or may not be the same individual. For the very abstract writing of the seated man determinative, see Zaba’s palaeography in RILN. (The last sign on the left is the first sign of the next inscription.)

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Inscription BZ28 Location: N24o53u02U/E33o43u58U, NW side on the brow of a low rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ·sy Translation: the scribe Asy Commentary: This is the left half of the previous inscription in what seems a different hand. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 3.16) though with a different orthography.

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Inscription BZ29 Location: N24o53u02U/E33o43u58U, NW side on the brow of a low rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss s·-ib-sk Translation: the scribe Saibshek Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 280.16) and is known from our inscriptions BR42, BR49, and MN34 (also cited by Zaba), presumably the same individual. In BR42, he bears the title ss ˙sb nbw and in BR49, he is a ss nbw n h·st. The only other instances of the title ss ˙sb nbw are all associated with the name Sa-Amun (BR09, BR43, MI01). This name, translated as “Son of Abu Simbel,” is obviously New Kingdom.

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Inscription BZ30 Location: N24o53u02U/E33o43u58U, NW side on the brow of a low rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙m ntr w¡·(?) d¡-sbk(?) Translation: the priest of the w¡·-bark (?) Di-Sobek (?) Commentary: A t is possibly written above the boat sign, in which case the reference might be to the nsmt-bark. These titles are attested in Jones (142–46). The name, if correctly read, is attested in Ranke (PN I, 397.10) dating to the Middle Kingdom. Sinai cites several instances of a hrp º˙ named DeduSebekhotep-renefseneb (27, 51, 409). A Ded(u)sobek also appears in RILN52 in a genealogical list without title.

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Inscription BZ31 Location: N24o53u02U/E33o43u58U, NW side on the brow of a low rockshelter Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙·ty-º w¡¡ Translation: the mayor Wii Commentary: The name, spelled with two reed leaves as here, is attested in Ranke (PN I, 76.5). This name, in variant forms, is known from two other inscriptions, one from Wadi Barramiya (BR01) and the other also from Wadi Bezeh (BZ19). In the first, Wi, spelled with just a w and no reed leaf, bears the title ss. In the second, spelled with a single reed leaf, the titles are wºb and smr wºty.

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Inscription BZ32 Location: N24o54u43U/E33o45u54U, south side on a rock shelf ~10m above the wadi floor Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡my-r ss wsrw Translation: the overseer of scribes Weserew Bibliography: RM WB1, Cerny 41 Commentary: Despite the absence of the expected wsr-sign, the name seems clear, though unattested in Ranke. The closest parallels are wsr.i (PN I,86.21,22) and wsr-tw (PN I, 86.25). The only similar name among our inscriptions is BZ23, Woser, written with the wsr-sign. The name written with the wsrsign also appears in Sinai96, WH13:8, and RILN229B, but in none of these instances with the title ¡my-r ss.

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Inscription BZ33 Location: N24o54u43U/E33o45u54U, south side on a rock shelf ~10 m above the wadi floor Description: two lines of text; BZ32 is directly above this inscription but apparently not related

Transliteration: (1) w˙m pr-nsw(t) tst ny-sw-˙r (2) brt.f . . . htmty ntr Translation: herald of the troops of the palace Nysu-Hor, (2) Chert(y?)ef . . . expedition leader Bibliography: RM WB1, Cerny 41 Commentary: This inscription is written on a rock face conveniently above a shelf that accommodated the writers. The shelf is about 10 m above the wadi floor and is accessible by climbing the talus piled against the rock. We are assuming that the htmty ntr is connected with the first part of line two, although why it is written last is an open question. The name ns-˙r(w) is attested in Ranke (PN I, 178.7). A personal name with a parallel construction, Nysu-Montu, is attested in WH (9, 85) and RILN (6,10,14,28,38,68). Names similar to brt.f are attested in Ranke (PN I, 276.20– 277.12).

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Wadi Dunqash This relatively short wadi is one of the most important in the southern Eastern Desert. It rises in the metasediments at the foot of Urf Umm Rashid and travels nearly straight west for 25 km before emptying into Wadi Bezeh where that wadi enters the upfaulted block. For the first half of its length Wadi Dunqash runs through the igneous/metamorphic rock that characterizes the high desert. The most important feature here is Bir Dunqash (see map). All but the first five inscriptions from this wadi are clustered around the bir and the gold mine. The mines around the bir have been in nearly continuous production from at least the Old Kingdom to the first half of the last century. Additionally, a 15 km circle centered on Bir Dunqash would encompass as many as 30 ancient gold workings of various sizes. The Old/Middle Kingdom inscriptions are centered around the bir and a few hundred meters west of it, while the New Kingdom inscriptions are across the wadi from the structures, 1 km west of the bir. There are no inscriptions east of the bir although there are several ancient structures up a side wadi there, and the British workings are about 500 m east of the bir up the same side wadi. Several of the inscriptions around the bir have parallels at Bir Mueilha, a day's walk east, or in Wadi Barramiya, two days walk northwest. About 7 km below the bir, the wadi widens out and when it narrows again 2 km west, the metasediments have given way to sandstone. On the north side of the wadi where it narrows are DN03, DN04, and DN05. From this point to the mouth of the wadi, the walls are covered with petroglyphs. About 3 km below the previous three inscriptions on the south side are DN01 and DN02, and about 3 km below that the ancient route from Wadi Barramiya enters from the north. The Roman road between the station at Bir Midrik and the one at Bir Samut crosses the wadi between the ancient route and the mouth of the wadi. From the foregoing it is clear that this wadi and its bir were a focal point for activity from predynastic through modern times.

Figure 4-4, Wadi Dunqash in the Kom Ombo Watershed

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Figure 4-5, Location of Inscriptions in Wadi Dunqash

Figure 4-6, Vicinity of Bir Dunqash

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Inscription DN01 Location: N24o54u34U/E33o46u45U Description: two columns of text on detached boulder on the south side of the wadi

Transliteration: (1) nb-sn (2) sh·-nswt Textual Notes: Line 1: the first n and the b are phonetic compliments for the nb Translation: (1) Nebsen, (2) Sekha-Nesut Bibliography: RM LD1 Commentary: It seems likely that the two personal names are not related. The name Neb-Sen is in Ranke (PN I, 186.13); Sekha-Nesut is not, but Ranke does list several names with the first element (PN I, 319.2–319.5). The name Neb-Sen is present at Wadi Umm Higlig (HG03) and Bir Meniah (MN04). The name Neb-Sen also appears in Wadi Hammamat (CM 179) and with a different orthography in Nubia (RILN15).

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Inscription DN02 Location: N24o54u34U/E33o46u45U, a few meters east of DN 01 Description: two lines of text on a detached boulder on the south side of the wadi

Transliteration: (1) wtst ˙r ¡my-r ss ºprw (2) ˚·r Textual Notes: See BR64 for discussion of the phonetic determinative for the group ·r. Translation: (1) nome of Edfu, overseer of scribes of the crew (2) Kar Bibliography: RM LD2 Commentary: There is a natural depression here that makes the location a good place for a seasonal well. The rocks in the vicinity are covered with petroglyphs and there are several “bir” signs. This is almost certainly the Kar of BR64, since in both inscriptions he has designated his starting place or home as the Horus nome; see there for discussion.

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Inscription DN03 Location: N24o54u37U/E33o48u12U, 4k up Wadi Dunqash from the previous inscriptions on the north side just before the wadi widens out Description: on an east facing sandstone wall at a comfortable working height for a person standing on the wadi floor

Transliteration: sms(w) hº Translation: the retainer Kha Bibliography: RM LD3 Commentary: The name is attested from both the Middle and New Kingdoms (PN I, 263.7).

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Inscription DN04 Location: N24o54u37U/E33o48u12U Description: on an east facing sandstone wall at a comfortable working height for a person standing on the wadi floor

Transliteration: . . . s·.f ss ˚dwt s·-rº Textual Notes: the writer’s title is preceded by s·.f and a seated man determinative may precede that but we cannot make out anything of the presumed initial name. Translation: [?], his son, the draftsmen Sare Bibliography: RM LD4 Commentary: For this common name, see Ranke (PN I, 283.9). The title is attested in Ward (1444). RILN200 notes a Sare, son of Kheper, but with a different title.

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Inscription DN05 Location: N24o54u37U/E33o48u12U Description: one row of text on a sandstone face in a deep cleft in the north wadi wall

Transliteration: ˙·ty-º ¡my-rº ˙mw ntr ss ¡(¡)-nfr Textual notes: Unusually, it appears the ns-tongue has an r phonetic compliment. Translation: the mayor and overseer of priests, the scribe I(y)nefer Commentary: An identical name and title appear in three other inscriptions at Bir Dunqash (DN07, DN08, DN09) a few kilometers up the wadi. The only other parallel we have discovered is a female version of the name in CM79:2. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I,10.5). The use of the ns-tongue suggests a New Kingdom date.

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Inscription DN06 Location: N24o56u14U/E33o51u34U Description: north side of the wadi on a rock face; this is the westernmost of the inscriptions in the Bir Dunqash group

Transliteration: (1) ss . . . (2) ¡ry-(º·) n ˙wt-ntr . . . mn-ms Translation: (1) the scribe [?], (2) the doorkeeper of the temple [?] Minmose Bibliography: Eichler 4 Commentary: The top and bottom lines are not necessarily related. The name Minmose is attested in Ranke (PN I, 152.4). It appears in Sinai 233 with the titles ¡my-r pr-˙q, brp . . ? . . (n) ˙mt ntr, ss.

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Inscription DN07 Location: 75m east of DN 06 Description: two lines of text on quartzite wall

Transliteration: (1) ¡dnw n s·-nswt ˙·ty-º ˙m-ntr (2) n bnm st¡t ºn˚t ss ¡(¡-)nfr Translation: (1) the deputy of the viceroy of Nubia, the count and ˙m-priest (2) of Khnum, Satet and Anuket Iy-nefer Bibliography: RRM D19, Eichler 5 Commentary: A section of the rock wall has spalled off at the end of the second line leaving what appears quite definitely to be a name ending with the sign nfr and a personal determinative. The initial sign in the name appears to be a single vertical sign, which we reconstruct as a reed-leaf given the presence of the name Iy-nefer at DN05, DN08, and DN09.

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Inscription DN08 Location: on the same rock face as DN07 Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡dnw n s·-nswt ºr (2) s·.f ¡dnw n ss ¡(¡)-nfr Translation: (1) the deputy of the Viceroy of Nubia ºAr, (2) his son, the deputy of the scribe Iy-nefer Bibliography: Eichler 7 Commentary: For the name ºAr, see Ranke (PN I, 70.17, 70.19). The name Iy-nefer appears in DN05 and 07, above, and DN09, below, but with different titles. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 196.6).

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Inscription DN09 Location: on the same rock face as DN07 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ¡(¡)-nfr Translation: the mayor and overseer of priests Iy-nefer Bibliography: RRM D20, Eichler 8 Commentary: The same name and titles appear in DN05, and this is probably the same person. With less surety because of the different title, the same person may be represented in DN08. Eichler takes the name here (and in DN07 and DN08) as Sen-nefer, but the exact parallel with DN05, where the name is clearly written with a reed leaf, inclines us to take all of these names as the same. Eichler cites our DN07, DN08, and DN09, but not DN05, which seems the clearest reading.

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Inscription DN10 Location: on same rock face as DN07 Description: two(?) irregular lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ˙m-ntr ˙·ty-º (¡my-r ?) ms·(w) (2) nbw sms nb-ms Textual Notes: a combination of rather carefully executed hieroglyphic signs (e.g., the forequarter of the lion and the ms·-sign) with hieratic signs on irregular baselines Translation: the priest, mayor and (overseer of?) the troop of goldworkers, the retainer Nebmose Bibliography: RRM D21a, Eichler 6 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 185.8).

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Inscription DN11 Location: on the same rock face as DN07 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss ˙wy Translation: the scribe Huy Bibliography: RRM D21b, Eichler 3 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 233.18). Persons named Huy are also attested in G (94) and Sinai (422; 524). In only the last of these is a title indicated and it is not the same as our inscription.

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Inscription DN12 Location: 10m east of DN11 Description: A very confused group of signs on a relatively small vertical surface. The two signs that can be made out indicate that this is one of the very few left facing inscriptions we have found.

Transliteration: ˙r nbw nb(?) . . . Translation: Horus of Gold, Lord . . . (?) Bibliography: RRM D18 Commentary: With so little present, any interpretation would be very tentative. The balance of the “inscription” hardly even looks like hieroglyphic. What appear to be animal petroglyphs are present, including a camel to the immediate right of the Horus falcon.

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Inscription DN13 Location: 45 m east of DN12 Description: one line of text remains

Transliteration: (1) ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr n sbk ˙r-wr (2) (?) Translation: (1) the mayor and overseer of priests of Sobek and Horus the Elder . . . (2) ? Bibliography: Eichler 10 Commentary: Eichler takes the last two signs, ˙r-wr, as the name of a priest of Sobek. But we have several other instances where the two gods are named together, either in the title “priest of Sobek and Horus the Elder” or in an offering formula (BZ01, DN15, ST05). We, therefore, believe that there is no personal name associated with the title. What appears to be a crude start of a second line below the first probably represents a name now lost or, better, never completed. The reference in the title to the two patron gods of Kom Ombo ties the inscription to that place and suggests that Kom Ombo was a major embarkation point for eastern desert expeditions. It is probably New Kingdom in date.

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Inscription DN14 Location: 10 m east of DN13 Description: five lines of text with drawings above

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Transliteration: (1) rnpt 13 ·bd 2 smw hr (2) ˙m n nsw-b¡ty (mn-hpr-r) ºnh qt (3) ¡st tw.tw gm mw ¡m.s (4) sm pw ¡r.n . . . (5) mw tswt.s Translation: (1) Year 13, month 2 of summer, day 1 under (2) the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Menkheperre, living forever. (3) . . . when one found water in it. (4) What . . . did was to go . . . (5) . . . the troops Bibliography: Eichler 19 Commentary: The translation of this very difficult inscription is obviously very tentative and full of lacunae; Eichler describes the rest as “kaum lesbar.” The sense, however, seems to be a reference to a well containing water which was dug for workers or soldiers active in the desert.

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Inscription DN15 Location: 3 m east of DN14 Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ˙·ty-º hºw (2) ¡mn nbw (3) sbk ˙r-wr Translation: (1) the mayor Khau (2) (to?) Amun of the Gold, (3) Sobek, and Horus the Elder Bibliography: RRM D17, Eichler 11 Commentary: The proposed translation is tentative given the confused nature of the inscription. The personal name Khaº is attested (see Ranke, PN I, 253.7) but so is a name Amenkhau (PN I, 30.19), which might leave a votive reference to “The Golden One,” a manifestation of Hathor along with the patron gods of Kom Ombo; an inscription in the Wadi Shaªit (ST05) names these three gods. In any event, the connection to Kom Ombo seems secure, as in DN13. A New Kingdom date also seems likely.

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Inscription DN16 Location: this and the following ten inscriptions (DN17–DN26) are all located on a sloping rock surface 5 m east of DN15; see overall view Description: two (?) horizontal lines of texts

Transliteration: (1) s· (?) (2) ss hº-m-w¡· Translation: (1) [X’s] son (?), (2) the scribe Khaemwia Bibliography: RRM D16a, Eichler 12 Commentary: The name Khaemwia is attested in Ranke (PN I, 263.20) as principally a New Kingdom name. This is the only appearance of this name among our inscriptions. What appears to be a s· appears at the top of the inscription, though with no adjoining inscription or name present, we are unable to determine its purpose.

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Inscription DN17 Location: see DN16 Description: two confused lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ss p·-wr (2) n ¡my-r (n) pr-¡mn Textual Notes: the figure leaning on the staff is clearly bent over Translation: (1, 2) the scribe of the overseer of Per-Amun Pawer Bibliograhy: RRM D16b, Eichler 13 Commentary: What seems quite definitely the personal name, Pawer, follows the initial scribe title. We conclude that the second line is an addendum to the title. The name is in Ranke (PN I, 104.4) dating from the New Kingdom as evidenced by the presence of the definite article in the name. Cerny notes a “scribe Pesiur” among the inscriptions from the Wadi al-’Allaki which he published in JEA XXXIII (1947). Given the mutability of the standing figure signs, the common occurrence of the name and the geographical distance between these two wadis, it is difficult to assert a connection between these inscriptions.

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Inscription DN18 Location: see DN16 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: sb· (?) p·-˙r(y) Translation: the instructor (?) (or priest?) Pahery Bibliography: RRM D16f, Eichler 14 Commentary: The title is attested in Ward (1282). The appearance in the desert of this title seems strange, but there seems nothing else included in this inscription. The alternative sb·y “apprentice” would seem to need to be connected to some other title. Ward notes a title dw·t “a priestess” (1599). This would be the masculine equivalent noted in Worterbuch (426). The name is in Ranke (PN I, 115.24).

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Inscription DN19 Location: see DN16 Description: two lines of text with a figure below

Transliteration: (1) ss p·- (2) ˙ry Translation: (1) the scribe Pa- (2) hery Bibliography: RRM D16c, Eichler 18 Commentary: The signs are not well executed, but perhaps it is the same individual as in DN18, though with a different title. The standing figure at the bottom of this photo may or may not be related to this inscription, possibly as a personal determinative. But the iconography is so strange that we cannot be definitive.

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Inscription DN20 Location: see DN16 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss k·-nht Translation: the scribe Kanakht Bibliography: RRM D16e, Eichler 15 Commentary: An exact parallel of this title and name appears at Bir Dagbag (DG01). The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 338.7).

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Inscription DN21 Location: see DN16 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss nb-nht Translation: the scribe Nebnakht Bibliography: RRM D16d, Eichler 16 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 191.14) but as a female name.

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Inscription DN22 Location: see DN16 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙ry(?) ¡º˙-ms(?) Translation: the overseer (?) Ahmose (?) Bibliography: RRM D16d, Eichler 17 Commentary: The reading is offered only very tentatively. The name, of course, is attested in Ranke (PN I, 12.19) and is known from our inscriptions DG06, DG12, MW11, and SL04. In these examples, the orthography is very variable, in three of the four written left to right and the fourth written vertically. For examples of the theophoric element written with the moon sign turned sideways, see Ranke (PN I, 12.14, 12.19, 13.4, 13.7, 13.10).

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Inscription DN23 Location: see DN16 Description: one column of text; the sign to the left of the seated figure at the bottom is probably not related to this inscription

Transliteration: ˙ry nby(?) . . . ntr Translation: the overseer Neby . . . netjer(?) Commentary: Very little can be made of this with surety and the proposed translation is offered only very tentatively and incompletely.

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Inscription DN24 Location: see DN16 Description: four irregular lines of text

Transliteration: (1) n ˙tp nhbt (2) t·¡-¡mn (3) ss nfr (4) s· Translation: (1) an offering to Nekhbet (2,3) (by) the scribe Tja-amun-nefer, (4) son of . . . Commentary: Another possible translation of the first line might be a personal name, Ny-hetep-Nekhbet, (see PN I, 173.5,6,9 for parallels), but without any title. A name Tjai-amun-imew is attested in Ranke (PN I, 387.14) and the name Amun-nefer is attested (PN I, 29.18) but nothing which combines all these elements. Given the differences in the orthography, it might also be possible that the ssand s·-signs are a second, unfinished inscription.

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Inscription DN25 Location: see DN16 Description: drawing

Commentary: The drawing depicts a solitary standing figure with arms raised in adoration.

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Inscription DN26 Location: this is the last of the inscriptions sharing the rock face described in DN 16 Description: drawing

Commentary: A Horus falcon (with crown?) enshrined in the baldachin of a boat is shown.

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Inscription DN27 Location: 65 m east of the group at DN 16 Description: a standing anthropomorphic Horus wearing the double crown, holding a w3s- scepter and name underneath

Transliteration: b˙dt Transliteration: the Behedite Bibliography: RRM D14 Commentary: The figure is well drawn and detailed. The glyphs are less so. If any other text originally accompanied the drawing it is not now visible. The name ties this inscription securely to Edfu. Scenes showing the Horus falcon are relatively numerous in the eastern desert inscriptions; ten are in Wadi Barramiya alone. Another anthropomorphic Horus is SL02. Scenes which name Horus as the Behedite appear in BR60 (RILNA4), and BZ22.

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Inscription DN28 Location: 65 m east of DN27 Description: five lines of text

Transliteration: (1) bnwt (2) w·.s r qw pn m˙ 22 (3) h·wt.s (4) ¡rt.n sps nswt ¡my-r ºw (5) nqw Translation: (1) a well, (2) it is distant from this mountain 22 cubits, (3) its descent (4) is what the king’s noble and overseer of the foreign gang (5) Nedju made Textual Note: see ML05 for a discussion of our reading of this name Bibliography: RRM D15, Eichler 20 Commentary: This inscription is located on the north side of the wadi, 0.9 km down the wadi from the present Bir Dunqash, where it is in a geologically suitable spot for a well. The mountain referred to is the quartzite hill on whose nearly vertical face this inscription occurs. In addition, there are bedouin bir signs in the area. Note that, except for its being singular, the orthography for “well” is the same as that in our ML19 from Bir Mueilha. Twenty-two cubits is approximately 11.5 m. The wadi at this point is about 100 m wide, so the well was on the side nearer the inscriptions. In ML05 an identically-named person also describes building a well. We take this as the same person, also named in DN32, ML11, and ML18. In ML16, Nedju says that this is his “good name,” the full name being Kaiemnedju. The full name is also given in ML08. We take all these inscriptions as referring to the same person. We date these inscriptions to the Old Kingdom based on the reference to Pepy II in ML18.

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Inscription DN29 Location: east of DN28 on the north side of the wadi at N24o56u29U/E33o51u46U Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡my-r ºw n nbw (2) hº-nfr Translation: (1) overseer of the foreign gang of gold workers (2) Kha(?)nefer Bibliography: RRM D13, Eichler 29 Commentary: The title is fairly clear, but the name is the barest of guesses, based on a rising sun at the top and what are probably an f and an r at the bottom. In addition, there is part of a vertical line between the top and bottom that could be part of a nfr. A somewhat similar name of Middle Kingdom date is attested in Ranke (PN I, 254.13). That and the use of the title ¡my-r ºw suggest a date of Middle Kingdom or earlier.

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Inscription DN30 Location: 0.2 km east of DN29 on the north side of the wadi at N24o56u28U/E33o51u52U Description: two lines of text with a “monogram” above

Transliteration: (1) bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw (2) ¡ntf Translation: (1) the chamberlain and overseer of the scribes of the crew (2) Intef Bibliography: RRM D12 Commentary: This is undoubtedly the Intef of BR21, DN40, DN42, and ML12, as he has left his unique monogram in all these inscriptions. The name Intef appears in other eastern desert inscriptions, but in the absence of this identifying mark or any filiation, it cannot be established whether these are the same or different persons. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription DN31 Location: 50 m west of DN30, north side of wadi Description: one column of text

Transliteration: sps nswt ¡my-r ºw ˙mw Translation: king’s noble, overseer of the foreign gang Hemew Bibliography: RRM D11 Commentary: An identically-titled individual with this name, presumably the same person, is attested at Bir Mueilha, ML07. A ˙mw with a different orthography is in Sinai17, see II, p. 64. The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 240.2), dated to the Old Kingdom.

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Inscription DN32 Location: 55 m east of DN 31 Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) sps nswt ¡my-r ºw (2) k(·.¡)-m-nqw Translation: (1) king’s noble and overseer of the foreign gang (2) Kaiemnedju Bibliography: Eichler 21, 22 Commentary: As Kaiemnedju says his “good name” is Nedju in ML16, we take both names as representing the same individual with identical titles known from this inscription, DN28, and five inscriptions at Bir Mueilha (ML05, ML08, ML11, ML16, ML18), in one of which he specifically names Pepy II. Though this name is not attested in Ranke, there are many examples of names beginning with the formula k(·.i)-m . . . (PN I, 339.14–340.1). In the other attestations, the orthography is clear and sharp in execution, leaving little doubt as to the reading of the signs in all these examples. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription DN33 Location: 40 m east of DN32, the easternmost of the inscriptions on the north side of the wadi Description: two horizontal lines of text

Transliteration: (1) smr wºty bry-˙b (2) htmty ntr ºnws Translation: (1) sole friend, lector priest, (2) the expedition leader Anews Commentary: The name (without the terminal s) is attested in Ranke (PN I, 62.10; II, 270.14). The same person has left his name and title on an inscription across the wadi from this one (see DN34). The name with the title ss appears in Wadi Mueilha (ML19). RILN76 cites an ºnw without a title, and a terminal w instead of the three nw-pots. The name is attested numerous times in DF: M6 ˙m-ntr, son of Ankhnebef M8 without title N123 ˙m-ntr, father of Miniu N14 bry tp nswt pr-º· N136 without title N84 ˙m-ntr, son of Iku N143 bry tp nsw, s˙q (˙m-)ntr N117 in a genealogical list without title N148 ˙m-ntr, son of Ankhnebef

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Chapter 4 bry tp nswt, ˙m-ntr, son of Ankhnebef bry tp nswt, ˙m-ntr, son of Ankhnebef bry tp nswt, son of Ipti

O104 ˙m-ntr O200 without title

From the genealogical references, we are obviously dealing with more than one individual bearing this name. Date: Old Kingdom

Inscription DN34 Location: south side of the wadi at N24o56u20U/E33o52u07U; this is the westernmost of the inscriptions on the south side of the wadi Description: two horizontal lines of text

Transliteration: htmty ntr ºnws Translation: the expedition leader Anews Bibliography: RRM D9, Eichler 23 Commentary: This is probably the same person as the writer of the previous inscription (DN33) and of ML19, where he invokes the name of Pepy II. From that, we take the dating of these inscriptions as late Sixth Dynasty. (We are grateful to Professor Hans Goedicke who suggested the reading of the name.) Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription DN35 Location: at the bir, N24o56u17U/E33o52u09U Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss Translation: captain of the ship’s crew and senior overseer of scribes . . . Bibliography: RRM D3, Eichler 28 Commentary: Although there is adequate room, no trace of a personal name remains. This same grouping of titles is present at Mueilha (ML17) and Wadi Barramiya (BR62). In both these inscriptions, the writer is named Ihy, so attributing this inscription to him as well is a reasonable surmise. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription DN36 Location: at the bir, 5 m east of DN35 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡my-r ºw ntr-mr(?) Translation: overseer of the foreign gang Netjer-mer (?) Bibliography: Cerny 43 Commentary: This inscription, DN37, and DN40, were discovered in 1941 by Mrs. G. W. Murray. They were published by Cerny in 1947 ( JEA 33, pp. 52ff.). What looks like a cartouche may follow the ºw. The difference in execution of the two parts of the inscription may indicate that they are not related. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription DN37 Location: next to DN36 Description: two lines of text, probably unrelated

Transliteration: (1) smsw p·-º·-˙w(?) (2) ss ˙tp-ºnh(w?) . . . Textual Notes: the bird following the smsw perhaps p·, though hn (see Ranke, PN I, 269.27), tn (PN I, 391.13) might also be possible Translation: (1) the retainer Paa’ahu (?), (2) the scribe Hetep-ankhew Bibliography: Cerny 43, Eichler 30, 31 Commentary: Probably two separate inscriptions given the difference in hand. The reading of the first name is offered tentatively. No such name appears in Ranke, but Paa’a (PN I, 102.11) and Pahu (PN I 115.13) are cited. We have taken the second name as Hetep-ankh, for which see Ranke (PN I, 258.2). Ward also cites the title ss ˙tpw (1406), so this title with the name Ankhu is also possible.

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Inscription DN38 Location: at the bir Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) wtst ˙r (2) sps nswt ¡my-r ºw (3) ¡dy Translation: (1) nome of Edfu (2) king’s noble, overseer of the foreign gang (3) Idy Bibliography: RRM D4 Commentary: This is probably the same Idy as the writer of our inscriptions DN39 below and two inscriptions from Bir Mueilha (ML09, 15). In all these locations the name appears with identical titles; at

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ML15 he also mentions the Edfu nome as well. The name is spelled differently here, but it is entirely possible that the last reed leaf is too faint to see. Both spellings are fairly common in the Old Kingdom (see Ranke PN I, 53.25–54.7). An Idy left an inscription in the eastern desert in the Wadi Isa (IS02) near the Wadi Hammamat, but he bore a different title than our Idy. Ranke cites the name as principally Old and Middle Kingdom in date.

Inscription DN39 Location: just below and to the right of DN38 Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) sps nswt ¡my-r ºw (2) ¡dy Translation: (1) king’s noble, overseer of the foreign gang (2) Idy Bibliography: RRM D5 Commentary: This is probably the same Idy from DN38, ML09, and ML15; see discussion in DN38. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription DN40 Location: 10 m east and above DN39 Description: four lines of text, two horizontal and two vertical, plus “monogram”

Transliteration: (1) bry tp nswt (2) ¡my-r ss ºprw (3,4) ¡ntf Translation: (1) chamberlain, (2) overseer of the scribes of the crew (3,4) Intef Bibliography: RRM D6, Cerny 42, Eichler 24 Commentary: This inscription, published by Cerny, was our reason for going to Bir Dunqash. Cerny was working from a sketch made in 1941 by Mrs. G. W. Murray while on a motor trip with her husband, then Director of the Topographical Survey. The writer bears the same name and title as the Intef of inscriptions ML10, ML12, and DN30. An Intef has left his name, albeit with a different title, in this group of inscriptions, DN42, as well as in the Wadi Barramiya, BR21. That it is the same Intef in all the inscriptions is nearly certain, since all but one (ML10) include the same “monogram” device at the beginning of the inscription; see discussion in BR21. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription DN41 Location: 5 m east of DN40 Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: htmty ntr ˙rw Translation: the expedition leader Horu Bibliography: RRM D8, Eichler 25 Commentary: The name is attested in Ranke (PN I, 245.18). If the name is correct, it has an Old Kingdom date.

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Inscription DN42 Location: next to DN41 Description: one column of text

Transliteration: htmty ntr ¡ntf Translation: the expedition leader Intef Bibliography: RRM D7, Eichler 26 Commentary: Although not visible in this photo, this inscription contains the “monogram” for which this Intef is noted. There can be little doubt that this is the same Intef who is the author of BR21, DN30, DN40, ML10, and M12. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription DN43 Location: on the rock face directly above the bir Description: two horizontal lines of text

Transliteration: (1) wtst ˙r (2) smr wºty (ppy)-ºnh Translation: (1) nome of Edfu (2) the sole friend Pepy-Ankh Commentary: The personal name securely dates this to late Sixth Dynasty or First Intermediate Period. A PepyAnkh is known from G27 either without a title or possibly a non-specific ¡my-r. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription DN44 Location: directly above the bir next to DN43 Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) rnpt 10 (+X?) (2) Mn-[hpr]-rº (?) Translation: (1)Year 10 (+X?) (of) (2) Men[kheper]re (?) Commentary: A large rnpt seems clear and the numeral 10. Whether any other numerals followed cannot be determined. A cartouche also seems clear containing a mn. Just down the wadi is a dated inscription of Thutmose III. Perhaps he is represented here again with a very poorly executed rº-sign and the hpr all but obliterated. Date: New Kingdom

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Wadi Midrik This wadi rises in the upper reaches of the Nubian sandstone, a few kilometers above the Roman station known as Abu Midrik. This station is located where the Roman road crosses the wadi at N24o55u10U/E33o40u00U. About 5 km below the station the wadi makes a sharp turn and drops through a cleft in the fault block through which so many of the wadis run. Eleven of the 13 inscriptions occur between this point and the point at which the wadi opens out at the western escarpment of the block, 8 km below. The wadi between these two points is impassible to motor vehicles and very difficult on foot. It is only the lack of other direct routes between Kom Ombo and the gold mines to the northeast that make this wadi and Wadi Bezeh well traveled routes. The wadi walls along this entire stretch are covered with petroglyphs, indicating that this was an important route at least as early as Predynastic times. There is a rise on the north side of the wadi where it exits the gorge, on which are remains of at least thirty huts. The oval shape and construction technique of these huts are similar to structures which have been identified elsewhere as predynastic. Below this point the wadi is accessible by motor vehicle. The wadi continues through relatively flat country with only intermittent sandstone walls until emptying into Wadi Shaªit just east of Kom Ombo.

Figure 4-7, Wadi Midrik in the Kom Ombo Watershed

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Figure 4-8, Location of Inscriptions in Wadi Midrik

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Inscription MD01 Location: N24o43u04U/E33o20u46U, southeast side Description: one line of text(?)

Transliteration: Translation: Commentary: Not much can be made of this. The first signs possibly a ss, combined with a ˙m-ntr?

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Inscription MD02 Location: N24o43u04U/E33o20u46U, southeast side 50 m below MD01 Description: one column of text

Transliteration: Translation: Commentary: As problematic as the preceding. While one could posit a bird on an s-pool, with an f on the bottom, it doesn’t help in making any sense of the inscription, if it is an inscription.

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Inscription MD03 Location: N24o51u04U/E33o33u24U, northwest side on detached boulder in rockshelter Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) smr wºty btmty ntr (2) ¡my-r msº ¡my-r smntyw (3) br˙i Translation: (1) the sole friend, expedition leader, (2) overseer of soldiers and overseer of prospectors (3) Cherhi Commentary: For a smnty n wnt, see Ward (1298a) and Faulkner, p. 228. For names similar to Cherhi, see Ranke (PN I, 277. 2,4,6). See also RILNA1, citing Gardiner-Peet-Cerny.

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Inscription MD04 Location: N24o51u10U/E33o34u09U, northwest side in rockshelter above wadi floor Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ºpr ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty mry Translation: captain of the ship’s crew Mery Commentary: For the title, see Jones (86). An example of the ºpr and ˙ºw transposed, as in this inscription, is in IS03 (Bell, Inscription 3).

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Inscription MD05 Location: N24o51u10U/E33o34u09U, southeast side in rock shelter above wadi floor Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ¡my-r msº d¡-n.¡-pt˙-ppy bry.ty-ntr (?) Translation: the general Dieniptahpepy, the stoneworker (?) Commentary: The first name we read as d¡-n.¡-pt˙-ppy, “Ptah gave me Pepy.” Individually these elements have analogies in Ranke. For the construction d¡-n.¡., see PN I, 396.21–397.3. For the construction rd¡n + N, see PN I, 228.3 (Redinyptah). For d¡(w) + divine name, see PN I, 397.16 (Diamun), 397.17 (Dikhonsuiry). For Ppy + divine name, see PN I, 132.10 (Pepy-sobek), 132.12 (Pepy-seth). For the title bry.ty-ntr, see Ward (1227).

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Inscription MD06 Location: N24o51u10U/E33o34u12U, southeast side on boulder just off wadi floor Description: beautifully done drawing with one line of text above, approximately 10Ux12U

Transliteration: ˙r-wr nb (n) nbyt, ¡r bnm(w)-(?) nbt pr b(?) Translation: (to) Horus the Elder, Lord of Kom Ombo, made (by) Khnum-(?) and the lady of the house Bi(?) Commentary: For a woman’s name Bi, see Ranke (PN I, 93.7), though here without the reed leaf Ranke includes.

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Inscription MD07 Location: N24o51u10U/E33o34u12U, on same boulder as MD06 Description: drawing and one line of text

Figure at left is inscription from upper right in figure above.

Transliteration: ˙m-ntr b˙dt Translation: the priest . . . the Behedite (to Horus and Nekhbet?) Commentary: Probably beginning with hm-ntr. The writer of this inscription has apparently transposed the tusk and the hand.

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Inscription MD08 Location: N24o51u21U/E33o34u33U, southeast side under overhang Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡my ¡rty ºpr(w) ˙ºw m¡ Translation: the captain of the ship’s crew Mi Commentary: Analogs to the name in Ranke are a feminine Mit (PN I, 145.24) and Mii (PN I, 145.23). A Mii spelled with two reed leaves is attested in CM92 with the titles ¡my-r k·t, tºty dating from the Late Period.

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Inscription MD09 Location: N24o51u21U/E33o34u33U, southeast side under overhang Description: one column of text

Transliteration: Translation: Commentary: This sign seems to be the same as in MD07. Possibly a nb-basket over a phonetic complemnt b. But why then the nb-collar (if that’s what it is)?

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Inscription MD10 Location: N24o51u21U/E33o34u33U, southeast side under overhang Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡my ¡rty ºpr(w) ˙ºw (?) Translation: the captain of the ship’s crew . . . ?

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Inscription MD11 Location: N24o51u21U/E33o34u33U, southeast side under overhang Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡my ¡rty [ºprw] ˙ºw Translation: the captain of the ship’s (crew) . . . Commentary: Undoubtedly the often attested nautical title, though here the ºprw is either missing or obscured. A large circle appears to be overwritten on part of the inscription giving the impression of an ºnh sign. There does not seem to be any name attached to the title unless the figure below, probably a scorpion, is intended as a name.

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Inscription MD12 Location: N24o51u21U/E33o34u33U, southeast side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: bn-n-sbk Translation: Chenuensobek(?) Commentary: The signs seem clear though unusual in facing left. Perhaps a name, Chenuensobek, analogous to Ranke’s bn.t-nfr (?) (PN, I 275.4) .

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Inscription MD13 Location: N24o51u21U/E33o34u33U, southeast side Description: drawing

Commentary: Two birds facing each other, the right one presumably a Horus falcon. The left is more enigmatic. A poorly drawn Nekhbet? Amun’s goose? The name Sa-Hor (PN I, 283.25) exists, but why is it facing different directions?

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Wadi Mueilha This wadi rises in the high desert a few kilometers east of the granite massif of Gebel Mueilha, where it is formed from the junction of Wadis Hafia and Gerf. Through all but its lower reaches it flows through granites of varying ages and the metamorphic country rock surrounding them. The group of inscriptions that make up the “Mueilha group” is in an unnamed wadi that runs north from Wadi Mueilha at a point just above Bir Mueilha. About 3 km north of the inscriptions is a cassiterite mine. While the only evidence of working the mine dates from the middle of the last century, ceramic evidence indicates that the mine site was visited at least as early as Roman times. While there is no evidence to indicate that the Mueilha inscriptions are connected to the cassiterite deposits 3 km north, the possibility cannot be dismissed out of hand, especially considering the lack of information about the source of ancient tin in Egypt. There are also two major gold mines within two hours walk from the Mueilha group, Umm Dalilil and Umm Huqab, both of which are dated by Klemm and Klemm (1994) to the Pharaonic period. The Roman road from Edfu to Berenice crosses Wadi Mueilha at the point where Wadi Samut empties into it. A few hundred meters up that wadi is Bir Samut and adjacent to it, a large Roman hydreuma. Interestingly, when we visited the station in 1996 we found evidence of iron smelting there in the form of partially reduced hematite. We found no indication of the source of the ore. A few kilometers below Bir Samut the country rock turns to sandstone, and 8 km below that, where Wadi Sabrit enters, is the first of the inscriptions in the sandstone. Five km below that, the wadi enters Wadi Shaªit. Although this wadi is relatively easy traveling, it does not seem to have carried the traffic that Wadis Bezeh and Midrik carried. Nearly all of the people who left inscriptions in the Mueilha group have clear ties to Edfu and have left additional inscriptions at either Bir Dunqash, Wadi Barramiya or both. We have walked the route they walked from Edfu to Bir Mueilha (and beyond) and know it is an easy, relatively well-watered route.

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Figure 4-9, Wadi Mueilha in the Kom Ombo watershed.

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Figure 4-10, location of inscriptions in Wadi Mueilha.

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Inscription ML01 Location: N24o38u22U/E33o47u43U, SE side on a loose boulder Description: one line of text and several apparently unattached signs

These signs are present in inscriptions at both Wadi Shalul (SL13) and Bir Meniah (MN03).

Kheper? Transliteration: ss ˙m-[ntr?] Translation: the scribe and priest (?) . . . Commentary: The vertical strokes at the beginning of the inscription would seem to be a ss-sign followed by a ˙m-ntr; the tuft at the top of the ss can be seen. A number of disconnected signs have also, in another inscription, been interpreted as ss-signs (SL13) but also as the well (GSL N41) in a Bir Meniah inscription (MN03). Their position here does not help with interpretation.

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Inscription ML02 Location: N24o38u22U/E33o47u43U, SE side on a loose boulder Description: unorganized signs

Commentary: Although the signs are unorganized, they are clearly pharaonic and as such are important because of their location.

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Inscription ML03 Location: N24o38u22U/E33o47u43U, SE side on a loose boulder Description: standing figure facing one column of text

Transliteration: nby ¡rr Translation: the goldsmith Irer Commentary: The determinatives following the nb-sign are a little tenative, but the sense seems clear. The name Iry appears in MN08, BR23, DG09, but Irer in no other inscriptions. The name Irer is attested in Ranke (PN I, 39.15).

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Inscription ML03a Location: N24o39u07U/E33o49u14U, east side, about 300 m south of Wadi Sabrit Description: one line of text

Transliteration: s·b ¡my-r ss ˙ss(¡) Translation: chief overseer of scribes Hessi Commentary: A little difficult to discern given the petroglyphs overwriting the inscription. Ranke cites the names Hessi (PN I, 255.16) and Hessy (PN I, 255.17). Though no reed leaves are written, this is presumably an abbreviation of one of them.

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Inscription ML04 Location: N24o52u25U/E33o59u50U, on a detached boulder on the west side of the wadi Description: possibly two columns of text

Transliteration: ¡ntf . . . Translation: . . . Intef . . . Commentary: The only part of the inscription that seems reasonably clear is the personal name Intef. The two reed leaves and the reed leaf and foot below them are fairly certain, but just how they fit in is not clear.

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Inscription ML05 Location: This and all of the following Mueilha inscriptions are located at ancient Bir Mueilha N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, in an unnamed side wadi 1.5 km above its junction with Wadi Mueilha. With the exception of this inscription which is on a detached boulder on the west side of the wadi, all of the inscriptions are on the west wall. All are within a space of 100 m. Description: ten lines of text shaped to fit the rock face

Transliteration: (1) sps nswt (2/3) ¡my-r ºw nqw (4) qd.f ¡nk (5) sd bnwt tn (6) ˙nº k·wt nt wtst ˙r (7) m˙ 10 (8,9) w·.s r ss (10) pn Translation: (1) king’s noble, (2/3) overseer of the foreign gang Nedju, (4) he says, “I am the one who (5) dug this well, (6) together with a labor force of the nome of Edfu. (7) It is ten cubits (8,9) distant from this inscription (10).” Textual Note: A comment is necessary regarding our reading of this name and the same or similar names in DN28, DN32, ML08, ML11, ML16, and ML18 as “Kaiemnedju” and an abbreviated version “Nedju.” Our reading of these names is unusual and the name in some of these inscriptions has been read as Kaiemsenew (see Eichler 20,21,33,36,39,42). Although the names as we read them are not attested in Ranke, several of these inscriptions are so finely inscribed as to be hieroglyphic in character (ML05, ML08, ML16). In those inscriptions, the three repeated signs, which we read as nqw, are

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clearly crosses with the cross bar below the top of the cross. In those inscriptions more hieratic in character (DN28, DN32, ML11, and ML18), the sign is written virtually the same way, as a cross with the crossbar definitely below the top of the cross. The sn-sign in hieratic is almost always written either with the crossbar at the top of the cross with no projection above, (see Zaba’s palaeography in RILN, T22) or is written with a hooked top (see Möller, Paläographie, 596, and Goedicke, OHP, pp. 38a and b). Of these standard works, only Möller gives a hieratic example of the nq-sign, and while it too is attested with the crossbar at the top, it is also written as a true cross. The nq-sign is regularly written with the nw-pot as a determinative; we take the w as the plural. Bibliography: RM M12 Commentary: This particular inscription is the only one of the group on a detached boulder, which accounts for the strange shape of the inscription (it is shaped to fit the rock face) as well as for its weathered condition, which allowed it to escape our detection for three seasons. This inscriber’s name is well known to us from this ancient route. As indicated above (DN28), given the reference to Nedju being the “good name” of Kaiemnedju in ML16, we take the references to Nedju in this inscription, DN28, ML11, and ML18, and the references to Kaiemnedju in DN32 and ML08, as referring to the same person. In the inscription at Bir Dunqash (DN28) as in this one, he says he dug or improved a well there. He also uses the same orthography when he describes the well as “twenty-two cubits distant from this mountain.” Here he says that the well is “ten cubits distant from this inscription.” Both make sense from a geologic point of view. The reference to Pepy II in ML18 securely dates Kaiemnedju/Nedju to the very end of the Old Kingdom. We have so far found no reference to this person in the Nile Valley.

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Inscription ML06 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: small group of text

Transliteration: ¡my ¡rty Translation: the ship’s captain . . . Bibliography: RRM M11 Commentary: We have three other inscriptions using only the title ¡my ¡rty without the accompanying ºprw ˙ºw. In MN01, the inscriber is named Mesey; in ML14 the name is Bihetep; in MN27, the name is Ankhi. Another ¡my ¡rty with the additional title ¡my-r ss(w) named Inkhaf is in MN33.

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Inscription ML07 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: sps nswt ¡my-r ºw ˙mw Translation: king’s noble, overseer of the foreign gang Hemew Bibliography: RRM M10, Eichler 32 Commentary: Hemew is attested in Ranke (PN I, 240.2) where he shows the orthography as using the club (GSL U36) as opposed to the flaxen ˙ shown by Eichler. We find the former to be more likely here. Date: Old Kingdom.

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Inscription ML08 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: two lines of text, neatly done

Transliteration: (1) sps nswt ¡my-r ºw (2) k·(.¡)-m-nqw Translation: (1) king’s noble, overseer of the foreign gang (2) Kaiemnedju Bibliography: RRM M9, Eichler 36 Commentary: No doubt this is the same person as in ML16 and at Wadi Dunqash, DN32. The inscriptions with the names Kaiemnedju and Nedju divide into two groups, one group written in a careful, precise, hieroglyphic hand as here and in ML16 and DN32, and tending to use Kaiemnedju, and the other more hieratic in character (DN28, ML05, ML11, ML18) tending to use Nedju. The reference in ML16 to Nedju as the “good name” of Kaiemnedju makes it likely that we are dealing with one individual, but whose inscriptions were written by two different hands. Did he in some instances carve inscriptions himself and in others direct a trained scribe to carve the inscription? Do the inscriptions represent different excursions into the desert? From the reference to Pepy II in ML18, we date all these inscriptions to that reign.

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Inscription ML09 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) sps nswt (2) ¡my-r ºw (3) ¡dy Translation: (1) king’s noble, (2) overseer of the foreign gang (3) Idy Bibliography: RRM M8, Eichler 35 Commentary: The circle in the middle of the inscription is the beginning of a bedouin sign indicating that there is a well here. Beneath that is another Idy. It is the same name and title as DN38 and DN39 from Bir Dunqash, and ML15. We take all these as representing the same person, even though the name is spelled with only one reed leaf in DN38. An Idi with one reed leaf is also attested in IS02, but there the title is ˙ry tp nswt, ¡my-r ss ºprw and so we cannot assert the identity of that Idi with this one. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription ML10 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) bry tp [nswt] (2) ¡my-r ss ºprw (3) ¡ntf Translation: (1) chamberlain, (2) overseer of the scribes of the crew (3) Intef Bibliography: RRM M7b, Eichler 34 Commentary: This is the frequently-encountered Intef, but the monogram which is an integral part of five other Intef inscriptions is missing, unless the faint sign preceding the tp is the monogram instead of the nswt. Since the nswt is also missing from this inscription, it is possible that they have both weathered away.

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Inscription ML11 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) sps nswt ¡my-r ºw (2) nqw (3) pr qt Translation: (1) king’s noble, overseer of the foreign gang (2) Nedju (3) of the funerary estate Bibliography: RRM M7a, Eichler 33 Commentary: This, of course, is the Nedju whose name and title appear in an inscription in Wadi Dunqash (DN28) and three other inscriptions in Wadi Mueilha (ML05, ML16, ML18) who we take to be the same as the Kaiemnedju of DN32, ML08 and ML16 (see discussion in DN28 and ML05). Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription ML12 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: five short lines of text plus a monogram

Transliteration: (1) bry tp nswt (2) ¡my-r ss (3) ºprw (4, 5) ¡ntf Translation: (1) the chamberlain and (2) overseer of the scribes of the (3) crew (4,5) Intef Bibliography: RRM M6, Eichler 37 Commentary: This is undoubtedly the ubiquitous Intef known from so many other locations in the eastern desert. Once again he has left his monogram so there could be no mistake.

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Inscription ML13 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) htmty ntr (nfr-k·-rº)-nht rn.f nfr (2) gng Translation: the expedition leader Neferkarenakht, his good name Geneg Bibliography: RRM M5, Eichler 38 Commentary: Although we are by no means sure about the personal names here, it seems clear that the first column contains a title and a personal name compounded of Neferkare and the second contains his “good name” ’ or nickname. For another attestation of Geneg, see BR16. Date: Old Kingdom

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Inscription ML14 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ¡my ¡rty (2) b¡-˙tp Translation: (1) the ship’s captain (2) Bihetep Bibliography: RRM M4c Commentary: See Ranke (PN II, 276.21) for a name he gives as bw-˙tp. For the title ¡my ¡rty alone, see ML06, ML14, MN01, and MN27. Date: Old Kingdom

Kom Ombo Watershed

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Inscription ML15 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) wtst ˙r (2) sps nswt ¡my-r ºw (3) ¡dy Translation: (1) nome of Edfu (2) king’s noble, overseer of the foreign gang (3) Idy Bibliography: RRM M4b, Eichler 40 Commentary: This is almost certainly the same Idy as our ML09, and probably the one from DN38 and DN39 as well. For some reason, he seems to have incised the inscription first lightly and then decided to move it to the right, written more boldly. Date: Old Kingdom.

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Inscription ML16 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: two lines of text

Transliteration: (1) sps nswt ¡my-r ºw k(·.¡)-m-nqw (2) rn.f nfr nqw ¡m·h ˙r nb.f Translation: (1) king’s noble, overseer of the foreign gang Kaiemnedju, (2) his good name Nedju, an honored one before his lord Bibliography: RRM M4a, Eichler 39 Commentary: The full name and title are known from ML08 and DN32. His “good name” with this title is known from ML05, ML11, ML18, and DN28. See discussion in DN28 and ML05. Date: Old Kingdom

Kom Ombo Watershed

Inscription ML17 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: one column of text

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Transliteration: ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss(w) ¡˙y Translation: captain of the ship’s crew and senior overseer of scribes Ihy Bibliography: RRM M3, Eichler 41 Commentary: This is probably the same Ihy that we know from BR62 and possibly DN35 where the titles are identical but the name is missing. Date: Old Kingdom.

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Inscription ML18 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: two columns of text above a single column

Transliteration: (1) nswt b¡ty (nfr-k·-rº) (2) ºnh qt (3) sps nswt ¡my-r ºw nqw Translation: (1) the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Neferkare, (2) living forever (3) king’s noble, overseer of foreign troops Nedju Bibliography: RRM M2, Eichler 42 Commentary: With this name, known to us from ML05, ML11, and DN28.

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Inscription ML19 Location: N24o52u30U/E33o59u50U, on the west side of the wadi Description: eight columns of text

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Transliteration: (1) nswt b¡ty (nfr-k·-rº) ºnh qt (2) ss ºnws dq.f (3) ¡r.n.(¡) sdt bnwt ptn (4) rd¡.n.¡ mw n ¡b (5) ¡ºw-r n ˙qr n rd¡ (6) hpr ˙bb nb ¡m (7) sk w(¡) s·i.k(wi) (8) ˙r nb.(¡) Translation: (1) King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Neferkare, living forever. (2) The scribe Anews, he says, (3) “By making the digging of these wells, (4) I have given water to the thirsty, (5) and breakfast to the hungry. I did not allow (6) any strife to occur therein (7) since I am wise (8) before my lord.” Bibliography: RRM M1, Eichler 43 Commentary: This name is known to us from DN33 where he takes the titles smr wºty and bry ˙b, and DN34 where he is a htmty ntr.

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Wadi Shaªit This is one of the longest wadis in this part of the desert, rising in the Red Sea hills within 30 km of the Sea and crossing nearly the entire breadth of the eastern desert before emptying out into the Kom Ombo plain 300 km west. The wadi is easy traveling along its entire route and with five wells must be considered reasonably well watered. While there are no mines along its route and indeed none at all in the project area south of Wadi Shaªit, there are several in the Red Sea hills on the east side of the watershed divide. One of these mines, Mine Sukkari, dates from at least Roman times and is still being worked today. A few kilometers east of Sukkari is an ancient gold working at N24o57u33U/E34o44u22U. There are several of our type one grinders there (Rothe 1995), and we found a hafted stone hammer there of a type clearly associated with Pharaonic workings. A few kilometers east of the mine is Bir al-Alam (see chapter 5), where there is an inscription clearly associated with Kom Ombo, and perhaps this mine (AL01). The wadi runs through the granite mountains and metasediments of the high desert for over half its length before entering the sandstone just above its junction with Wadi Mueilha. Five of the nine Shaªit inscriptions are located in a group on the northwest corner of this junction, including at least one (ST05) by the same person who wrote AL01. At the junction the wadi enters a gorge with high continuous walls on both sides, which continues for perhaps 3 km, perhaps the southern extent of the suspected fault block. The remaining four of the Shaªit inscriptions are located along this stretch. Below this gorge are only occasional hills to relieve the flat terrain. Twenty km below the gorge Wadi Bezeh enters from the north, and 45 km below that, just before the wadi enters the Kom Ombo plain, Wadi Midrik enters from the north.

Kom Ombo Watershed

Figure 4-11, Wadi Shaªit in the Kom Ombo watershed.

Figure 4-12, Locations of inscriptions in Wadi Shaªit.

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Inscription ST01 Location: N24o37u36U/E33o44u26U north side 3 m above the wadi floor Description: one column of text

Transliteration: ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw . . . . Translation: captain of the ship’s crew . . . Commentary: The enigmatic sign in the middle of the ºpr’s is troublesome. The “monogram” of Intef, possibly the standard of the Nekhbet nome, comes to mind but is inexplicable in this position. The end of the inscription presumably containing the name is very tentative.

Kom Ombo Watershed

Inscription ST02 Location: N24o36u56U/E33o41u56U, south side Description: one column of text

Transliteration: Translation: Commentary: We can posit readings for some of the signs, but not meaning.

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Inscripton ST03 Location: N24o37u08U/E33o43u07U, south side in small cleft between two boulders Description: one column of text

Transliteration: Translation: Commentary: Again, some possible signs, no possible meanings.

Kom Ombo Watershed

Inscription ST04 Location: N24o37u14U/E33o45u35U, south side 0.4 m above wadi floor Description: one column of text to the right of Thoth on a standard

Transliteration: ¡mn-m-˙·t q˙wty Translation: Amunemhet (to/for) Thoth Commentary: From the name, a probable Middle Kingdom date can be attached to the inscription.

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Inscription ST05 Location: N24o37u21U/E33o46u15U, northwest corner of the junction of Wadi Shaªit and Wadi Mueilha. ST05–07 are in a small embayment formed by the wall and a large boulder and ST08–09 are on the east face of that boulder. Description: four columns of text to the right of a standing figure

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Transliteration: (1) ˙tp d¡ nsw sbk ˙r-wr (2) b·t ¡npw ht nbt nfrt (3) wºbt n k· n wºb n [bnmw?] ˙·ty-º n nbyt (4) mº y . . ? . . r n˙˙ Translation: (1) an offering which the king gives and Sobek, Horus the Elder, (2) Bat and Anubis, every thing good and (3) pure for the ka of the wab priest of Khnum(?), the mayor of Kom Ombo (4) May . . . forever Textual Note: The second sign in Column 2 appears to be the Anubis fetish. Commentary: See AL01, AL03, and ST09 for other inscriptions with the name May.

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Inscription ST06 Location: N24o37u21U/E33o46u15U, to the left of ST05 Description: two columns of text to the right of a standing figure

Transliteration: (1) ˙tp d¡ nsw sbk ˙r-wr (2) n k· n ss . . . ˙tp Translation: an offering which the king gives and Sobek and Horus the Elder (2) for the ka of the scribe(?) . . . hetep Commentary: Note the curious orientation of the two columns of text, facing right, but the leftmost clearly being the first line. (Did the inscriber decide that there wasn’t enough room for the second line between the first line and the figure?)

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Inscription ST07 Location: N24o37u21U/E33o46u15U, to the left and below ST06 Description: two columns of text above and to the right of a standing figure

Transliteration: (1) k·wty(?) (2) w·q-ms Translation: (1) the worker (or porter?) (2) Wadjmose Commentary: The name Wadjmose is attested in Ranke (PN I, 74.18), dating to the New Kingdom. The title is attested in Ward (as k·wy “a kind of worker”, 1552; as k·wty “porter”, 1553). But whether it is connected with the personal name is not clear.

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Inscription ST08 Location: N24o37u21U/E33o46u15U, northwest corner of the junction of Wadi Shaªit and Wadi Mueilha on east facing wall Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ss n (?) . . . ¡mn-nht Translation: the scribe of (?) . . . Amunnakht Commentary: The presence of a tree just beside this rock makes photographing this inscription exceedingly difficult. The weathering of the inscription also makes it difficult to read. If the name is Amunnakht, a parallel appears in WH96, without a title but identified as son of Montuhotep, and in CM203, written without the man holding the stick and with titles ¡ry-pºt, h·ty-º, . . ? . . h·st n nbw.

Kom Ombo Watershed

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Inscription ST09 Location: N24o37u21U/E33o46u15U, northwest corner of the junction of Wadi Shaªit and Wadi Mueilha on east facing wall Description: one line of text

Transliteration: mº y Translation: May Commentary: Known to us from ST05, around the corner from this rock, and from Bir al-Alam (AL01, AL03) within 20 km of the Red Sea. The same conditions apply here as with the previous inscription, but this one is a little easier to read.

Chapter 5

Other Wadis

This chapter consists of two wadis which do not fit into the three major wadis that make up chapters 2 through 4. Wadi al-Alam is a short, steep, wadi that drains into the Red Sea at Mersa Alam, and Wadi Abu Agag is a somewhat longer wadi that drains into the Nile just below Aswan. See the individual sections of this chapter for a description of the geography of these wadis.

Wadi Abu Agag This wadi enters the Nile valley on the northern edge of the modern city of Aswan. For most of its length it is cut through the pink granite for which Aswan was famous in antiquity. All of the inscriptions we found are carved in this pink granite. While there are several hematite mines accessible from this wadi, we have seen no evidence of mining from the Pharaonic period. There is a road and a railroad in the wadi which date to the mid twentieth century. Both have fallen into disrepair since the iron mines closed. The wadi floor away from the roadbeds is boulder strewn and difficult walking. About 15 km above its mouth Wadi Abu Agag is joined by Wadi el-Hudi, the wadi which contains the amethyst mines of the Middle and New Kingdoms. The route to the mines does not utilize this wadi but instead runs southeast from Aswan, entering Wadi Hudi south of our project area. Notwithstanding, we walked Wadi el-Hudi south to 24oN without finding any inscriptions.

Other Wadis

Figure 5-1, Wadi Abu Agag.

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Inscription AG01 Location: N24o07u27U/E32o55u18U, north side of the wadi on a granite face Description: one long horizontal line of text, which turns vertical on the left end

Other Wadis

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Inscription AG01 (Page two) Location: N24o07u27U/E32o55u18U, north side of the wadi on a granite face Description: continuation

Transliteration: rnpt 13 hr ˙m n (ny-mº·t-rº ) mntw-˙tp-ºnh.¡-m-m·.f ¡r.n s·t-˙wt-˙r s·t.f ˙pt ˙mt.f snt.f t·ntt-n.¡ Translation: year 13 under the Majesty of (Nyma’atre), Montuhetep-ankhiemma’ef, born of Sit– hathor, his daughter Hepet, his wife, his sister Taneteteni Commentary: The same individual is probably named in AG05 as Ankhiemma’ef. On the names in Ranke: no names with the compound . . . ºnh.¡-m-m·.f are attesed, but see AG05 for citations of the compound m·.f/s; a Montuhotepankh (PN I, 155.1); Sithathor (PN I, 291.14); Hepet (PN I, 239.1); Taneteteni (PN I, 364.9; II, 396). This exact name is attested elsewhere in the wadi in a text described as “now destroyed” in PM VII, p. 320.

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Inscription AG02 Location: N24o07u27U/E32o55u18U, north side of the wadi on a granite face (see lead photo) Description: six columns of text

Transliteration: (1) mrr hd (2) m ˙tp snb ºnh (3) r pr.f ¡b.f m ˙tp (4) qdt(¡).f(¡ ) tºw (5) nqm n m˙y n [fnq] (6) n k· n ¡m·hy Translation: Whoever wishes to fare downstream in peace, healthy and alive to his house, with his heart in peace, is he who will say, “The sweet breeze of the northwind to the nose,” for the ka of the honored one . . . Commentary: This inscription may use the personal name from AG01; the inscription may have been positioned so that it ends right at the location of that personal name.

Other Wadis

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Inscription AG03 Location: N24o07u27U/E32o55u18U, north side of the wadi on a granite face Description: one long horizontal line of text, followed by six (6) columns of text

Transliteration: (1) ? (2) s·t .. (3) ¡t.f .. (4) mwt.f s·t-˙wt-˙r (5) mwt.f-nb(t?).f ¡r (?) (6) ºnh rn (?) ¡r.n s·t˙wt-˙r Translation: (1) ? (2) (his?) daughter .. (3) his father .. (4) his mother Sithathor (5) Mutefnebetef , born of .. (?) (6) (may his ?) name live, born of Sithathor Commentary: Bits and pieces can be discerned in this weathered portion of the inscription, in large measure based on other parts of this group of inscriptions. The seated man in column 5 suggests a personal name compunded with Mut, though this particular suggestion is not present in Ranke.

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Inscription AG04 Location: N24o07u27U/E32o55u18U, north side of the wadi on a granite face Description: drawing of person (or god?) seated before offering table

Commentary: The figure is seated before an offering table which holds several jars. There is what appears to be a mr plow between the figure and the table.

Other Wadis

Inscription AG 1–4 overview Location: N24o07u27U/E32o55u18U, north side of the wadi on a granite face Description: shows relative location of inscriptions

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Inscription AG05 Location: N24o07u27U/E32o55u18U, north side of the wadi on a granite face 10 m east of AG04 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ºnh.¡-m-m·.f ¡r.n s·t-˙t-˙r Translation: Ankhiemma’ef, born of Sithathor Commentary: This is the same person as the author of AG01 and quite possibly of that whole group of inscriptions. The name is not attested in Ranke, but the very similar Ankh-ma’ is (PN I, 64.11); this name is probably a variant. For names compounded with . . . m3.f/s, see Ranke (PN I 156.18, and II 290.20). A nearly identical name, but with different orthograpy, is attested at Elkab. There the name is ºnh-m·.f. It appears seven times (DFN1, N197, N229, O9, O39, O42, O251) all with the title ˙m-ntr.

Inscription AG06 Location: N24o07u27U/E32o55u18U, north side of the wadi on a large granite boulder Description: one line of text

Transliteration: º˙·ty hsbwy Translation: the soldier Khesebwy Commentary: The title is attested in Ward (618). The exact name is not attested in Ranke, but a close parallel, Kheseby, is (PN I, 274.10). A Kheseb is cited in RILN60A without any title.

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Wadi al-Alam This is the only wadi east of the watershed divide in which we have found inscriptions, and it contains the farthest east inscriptions we have seen to date. The first two of the four near the ancient bir were discovered by Steven Sidebotham of the University of Delaware. Typical of wadis which drain into the Red Sea, Wadi al-Alam is relatively short and steep, and the lower 12 km carry the Edfu-Mersa Alam road to the Red Sea. Just above the bir there is an overland track which leads to the Roman/British mines at Bir Halmah and in Wadi Sukkari. About 3 km east of the Bir al-Alam inscriptions, along this track, at N24o57u33U/E34o44u22U, is an ancient gold working at which we found grinders and a hafted stone hammer which are of a type known to have been used in the Pharaonic period. It seems possible that this was the reason for the Pharaonic presence here. It is also possible that Mersa Alam with its natural harbor was the destination for the people who left their inscriptions above the bir here. What is known is that the writer of AL01 and AL03 was a resident of Kom Ombo and left identical inscriptions in Wadi Shaªit, nearly 200 km to the west of here, ST05 and ST09. Wadi Shaªit empties into the Nile at Kom Ombo and rises only about 20 km west of Bir al-Alam. Geologically, Wadi al-Alam rises in the igneous and metamorphic Red Sea mountains and after leaving the hills cuts through several successive ancient beach terraces in the last several kilometers of its course before emptying into the natural harbor at Mersa Alam.

Figure 5-2, Location of the Bir al Alam inscriptions.

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Inscription AL01 Location: N24o57u07U/E34o46u21U, on wall on east side of wadi Description: three lines of text

Transliteration: (1) ˙tp d¡ nswt ˙r-wr nb (2) nbyt n k· (n) ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr (3) mº y Translation: (1) an offering which the king gives and Horus the Elder, lord (2) of Kom Ombo for the ka of the mayor and overseer of priests (3) May Commentary: This inscription was discovered by Dr. Steven Sidebotham of the University of Delaware. It is nearly identical to ST05 from Wadi Shaªit. After May it seems to repeat ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr n ˙r-wr. Unlike ST05, this inscription doesn’t mention Sobek. This personal name, almost certainly the same person, is known from AL03, a few meters from this inscription, and in two instances at the same location in Wadi Shaªit, ST05 and ST09.

Other Wadis

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Inscription AL02 Location: N24o57u07U/E34o46u21U, on wall on east side of wadi, above AL01 Description: a group of very indistinct signs

Commentary: It is not entirely clear that these marks are Pharaonic in origin. We include them here because of their proximity to three clearly Pharaonic inscriptions.

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Inscription AL03 Location: N24o57u07U/E34o46u21U, on wall to the right of AL01 Description: one line of text

Transliteration: ˙·ty-º mº y Translation: the mayor May Commentary: See AL01 for discussion.

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Inscription AL04 Location: N24o57u07U/E34o46u21U, on wall 50 m to the right of AL03 Description: two columns of text

Transliteration: (1) [˙tp?] d¡ nsw mnw (2) n k· n tti Translation: (1) an offering which the king gives and Min (2) for the ka of Teti Commentary: The inscription begins with what seems to be a ˙tp d¡ nsw formula, though the ˙tp, which would be expected after the d¡ nsw, cannot be reconstructed from the very indistinct traces present. The phrase n k· n seems clear. The name might suggest an Old Kingdom date but the presence of the n k· n suggests Middle Kingdom (see Gardiner, Grammar, p. 172). Teti is attested in Ranke (PN I, 384.4). The name Teti is also known from CM196 with the title s˙q nfr(w), RILN152 with the title wr mqw smºw, and Sinai112Sb with the title brty-ntr.

Chapter 6

GIS Analysis and Conclusions

As we came to realize the massive amount of data this project would produce, we began placing names, titles, dates, and locations from the inscriptions into a spreadsheet. Additionally, we began digitizing various maps of the project area into a single base map. That map forms the basis for nearly all of the maps in the preceding chapters and is the base on which the data in this chapter are displayed. A group of inscriptions as large as this is a prime candidate for GIS-based studies. The methodology is relatively simple: queries are addressed to the database and the information thus produced is displayed on a map using a GIS program to connect map and database. In our case we used Arcview. These queries allow us to track individuals or people with similar names and titles, which can help us find destinations in the desert as well as starting points in the Nile valley. Not surprisingly, there are geographic and environmental factors that can skew the distribution of the inscriptions. The first of these is the geology of the Eastern Desert. In most of the project area, the Nubian Sandstone runs from the Nile to a point nearly halfway to the Red Sea before giving way to the igneous rock and metasediments of the high desert. Most of that sandstone is either beneath the surface as in the plateau east of Elkab, or in Precambrian formations that are too weathered to provide writing surfaces. The majority of the inscriptions are in the sandstone of the uplifted block described in chapter 1, with only a few on the sandstone to the west of that area. The balance are clustered around wells in the igneous rock and metasediments. Interestingly, only a few of the wells are collocated with the known Pharaonic mines in the project area, for example, Bir Dunqash and Bir Dagbag. Figure 6-1 shows the distribution of our inscriptions. Most of the locations shown have more than one inscription. The southeast trending line represents the eastern edge of the sandstone. The few inscriptions east of that line are grouped around wells. Our original working hypothesis was that we would see a rather small spatial distribution during the Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom periods and that distribution would increase in size over time until it reached its maximum Pharaonic extent near the end of the New Kingdom. The data did not bear that out. If we disregard the farthest east Old Kingdom inscription and the farthest east New Kingdom inscription, the remainder have about the same distribution. This may be an artifact of our mindset. We tend to think of Egyptian culture as beginning with two defining events: the unification and the invention of writing. In fact, there is no reason to believe that all or most of the other factors were not already in place. We believe that the exploitation of mineral resources in the Eastern Desert had its beginnings in the Predynastic period. Indeed there are far more drawings attributable to the Naqada period than there are Dynastic inscriptions. In any case, by the advent of written inscriptions, the ancient Egyptians were already traveling the

GIS Analysis and Conclusions

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Figure 6-1, Distribution of Inscriptions

wadis of the Eastern Desert and by the Old Kingdom, at latest, had expanded throughout our project area to roughly the maximum extent reached during the Dynastic period. Figures 6-2 and 6-3 show the distribution of Old Kingdom/Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom inscriptions. Only those inscriptions whose dates are reasonably secure are included. Figure 6-4 shows the main starting points in the Pharaonic period. Two of the major starting points for travel into the southern Eastern Desert were Qena and Edfu/Elkab. Both of these are well known. The route from Qena was one of the major routes to the Red Sea from earliest times to modern times. That route, through the Wadi Hammamat, was a major road in Roman times and also led to many of the well-known gold mines there. Another Roman road, the QenaBerenice road, leaves the Wadi Hammamat road at Bir Laqata and trends southeast to the Roman station at Bir Dadymus. Pharaonic inscriptions in Wadi Bueib, between Laqata and Dadymus, as well as directly south of Dadymus at the mouth of Wadi Meniah indicate that the Pharaonic route followed the same track as far as the group of inscriptions a few kilometers up Wadi Meniah, MN34–MN38. This is the group of inscriptions published by Frederic Colin. The Roman road turns more easterly here while the Pharaonic route continues up the wadi to Bir Meniah. There is evidence for an alternate track a few kilometers west in Wadi Abu Wasil, paralleling Wadi Meniah and bypassing the bir. The well at Bir Meniah is quite reliable so the reason

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Figure 6-2, Distribution of Old/Middle Kingdom Inscriptions

for the alternate route remains a mystery. It is possible that the well was bypassed during times when relations between the Egyptians and the locals were strained. Wadi Meniah is impassible to pack animals above this point so the Pharaonic route goes up a side wadi for about 5 km before crossing a watershed and enters the upper reaches of Wadi Shalul just above Bir Shalul, where there is an inscription carved in the granite wall, SL14. It is also possible that because of the difficulty of the side wadi, the alternate route was used in years when it was not necessary to use Bir Meniah. Figure 6.5 shows the Roman roads in the Eastern Desert. The mines in the vicinity of Bir Dagbag and their accompanying inscriptions were accessible from either Qena or Edfu/Elkab. A scribe Kanakht left duplicate inscriptions here and at Bir Dunqash (DG01 and DN20). Based on those two inscriptions, that person probably started at Edfu/Elkab and followed Wadi Abbad and Wadi Kanayis to Wadi Mia and up that wadi to its junction with Wadi Dagbag. As in the case of the mines near Bir Dagbag, the mines near Bir Sigdid and their inscriptions were accessible from the Barramiya track through Wadi Mia or from Qena through Wadi Zaydun. The Sigdid inscriptions are the farthest east of our Old Kingdom inscriptions. There are sufficient inscriptions in Wadi Mia to indicate that this was a relatively important route to the goldfields in the igneous and metamorphic rock that surrounds the upper reaches of that wadi.

GIS Analysis and Conclusions

399

Figure 6-3, Distribution of New Kingdom Inscriptions

Even though the inscriptions at Bir Sigdid are of Old Kingdom age, those in Wadi Mia appear to be New Kingdom, possibly indicating that the Old Kingdom travelers followed the northern route. (For locations of many of the mines see figure 6-9.) We are treating Edfu and Elkab as a single starting point here because the two routes join at Bir Abbad, a day’s walk east of Edfu. Weigall, Green, and Murray all report seeing a sandstone block with a cartouche of Tutankhamun near the Roman station at Bir Abbad so there may have been a shrine or small temple where those routes join. By the time Zaba visited the site in the early 1960’s, the block was gone (RILN). There are still several squared sandstone blocks there but none of them are decorated. While the Roman road leaves the ancient route at Bir Abu Rahul, a day’s walk east of Bir Kanayis, the ancient route continues up through Wadi Barramiya. The evidence for this is that there are no inscriptions along the Roman road, but there are sixtyone inscriptions in Wadi Barramiya between Bir Abu Rahul and the point at which the main track turns southeast where the wadi opens out above the gorge. There are four inscriptions in Wadi Barramiya above that point, indicating that at least some of the travelers continued east, probably to Mine Barramiya. One of those people, Kar (BR64), also made a trip at least as far as Wadi Dunqash, where he left an identical inscription (DN02). The evidence for most of the travelers turning south above the gorge, a route shown on modern maps as the “Umm Higlig

400

Chapter 6

Figure 6-4, Starting Points for Travelers to the Eastern Desert

Track,” is the existence of inscriptions with identical names and titles at Barramiya, Dunqash, and Mueilha. One of the unexpected bits of information that our research turned up was the existence of a third major starting point at Kom Ombo. Although there are some Old/Middle Kingdom inscriptions along the routes from that town, our best guess is that the route was used primarily in the New Kingdom/Late Period. From Kom Ombo the route to Barramiya and beyond went up Wadi Midrik, while the route to the mines at Bir Dunqash ran up Wadis Shaªit, Bezeh, and Dunqash. Several inscriptions, both along the route and at the mines, make reference to Sobek and Horus the Elder, the patron deities of Kom Ombo. An additional route continued east in Wadi Shaªit at least to its junction with Wadi Mueilha. While there is some evidence of travel in the lower Wadi Mueilha, the most compelling evidence indicates that most of the travelers probably continued eastward in Wadi Shaªit. First, all of the inscriptions at Bir Mueilha are of Old Kingdom/First Intermediate Period date. Secondly, all of the people who left their inscriptions at Bir Mueilha can be traced back to Bir Dunqash, Wadi Barramiya, or both, with some clearly traceable to Edfu and Elkab. Finally, one of the people who left inscriptions at junction Mueilha/Shaªit left duplicate inscriptions at Bir al-Alam, within 20 km of the Red Sea (ST05, ST09 and AL01, AL03). The route to Bir al-Alam goes up Wadi Shaªit to its beginning, within 40 km of the Red

401

GIS Analysis and Conclusions

Ea

W ester n

r ste n rt se De

Deser t

R ed Sea

N

Figure 6-5, Ancient and Roman Roads in the Eastern Desert

Sea, then across a divide and down Wadi Alam. Wadi Shaªit has several reliable birs so it was probably a good route to the Red Sea. About halfway between the upper end of Wadi Shaªit and Bir al-Alam are the remains of an ancient mine. We found a hafted stone hammer there of a type known to be present at other Pharaonic age gold mines. The inscriptions at Bir al-Alam, first noted by Steven Sidebotham, are the farthest east of our New Kingdom inscriptions. Many writers (e.g., Trigger 1983) have suggested that the trade with Sumer in the Predynastic, which is well documented, was through the wadis of the Eastern Desert. It is clear to any observant traveler in upper Egypt that one cannot simply turn east anywhere in upper Egypt and walk out into the Eastern Desert. It is generally only through the mouths of the major wadis that it is possible to gain access to the plateaus and wadis of the Eastern Desert. Our evidence clearly shows three or four major starting points for expeditions into the Eastern Desert, Qena, Elkab/ Edfu, and Kom Ombo, all of which were established before the beginning of the Dynastic period, and all of which offer easy access to the Eastern Desert. In addition to the starting points discussed here, we have discovered and followed routes from Luxor and Esna. The route from Esna is through Wadi Shuki while the Luxor route is overland from a point near the modern airport. While both offer easy access and both show evidence of relatively heavy use, there is no evidence that either was used during the Pharaonic period. Evidence we have found which is not directly related to this volume indicates very close ties between the dwellers of the Eastern Desert and the Naqada people of the Nile valley. There is little doubt that those ties and the cultural interchange between desert and river were through the wadis and tracks adjacent to the

402

Chapter 6

Figure 6-6, Location of Wells in the Project Area

major centers of upper Egypt. We believe it is likely that all of these towns were founded and prospered because of that access. Another very important aspect of the routes we are suggesting is the relative availability of water. At least three of our inscriptions mention the digging of wells DN28, ML05, and ML19. All three are of Old Kingdom age. This correlates very nicely with the climatic desiccation which it is suggested was taking place during the Old Kingdom (Barbara Bell 1971; Butzer 1961). It seems safe to assume that the purpose of the wells was to furnish water to those who were either exploiting the resources in the area or traveling along established routes to and from the Red Sea. Figure 6-6 shows the location of wells within our project area. The shaded routes are the three major routes into the Eastern Desert. During the Pharaonic period travel was almost exclusively through the major wadis so we have left most of the side wadis out of this figure. We have made a point of traveling all of the wadis shown here and have visited all of the wells in the project area. A glance at figure 6-6 shows at least one reason why the routes from Luxor and Esna were little used during the Pharaonic period. There are virtually no wells along those routes. Additionally, the routes are through limestone. When the limestone weathers, it leaves behind nodules of chert which are virtually indestructable. These nodules, varying from fist size to basketball size, litter the wadi floor and make walking very difficult.

GIS Analysis and Conclusions

403

Figure 6-7, Distribution of Inscriptions Containing the Word “Gold”

Two other things become obvious from the figure: water is scarce in the Nubian Sandstone between the Nile Valley and the metasediments of the high desert, and second, it is even scarcer in the sandstone south and east of Kom Ombo. The southernmost shaded route in the figure is Wadi Shaªit. We have found no inscriptions or mines south of that wadi and west of 34o30uE, although we have examined all the wadis shown in that figure. The only exceptions are the inscriptions in Wadi Abu Agag, on the outskirts of Aswan. There is little doubt that a good many of the people in the Eastern Desert during the Pharaonic period were there in some capacity or other connected to the mining of gold or other minerals. Those mines are ubiquitous in the igneous and metamorphic rock that makes up the central part of the southern Eastern Desert. For that reason it is instructional to examine the distribution of inscriptions that mention gold, figure 6-7. All of the inscriptions that mention gold are likely of New Kingdom age or later. However we do not believe that is necessarily indicative of what was happening. There is no reason to believe that the Old Kingdom people were not exploiting the mines of the southern Eastern Desert. There are no gold mines in the wadi in which the Mueilha inscriptions are located, but there are probably ten or more gold workings of varying size within a 10 km radius of those inscriptions. In the same wadi as the Mueilha inscriptions and about 4 km above them is a cassiterite (tin ore) mine. We have found late Roman pot-

404

Chapter 6

Figure 6-8, Distribution of Inscriptions Containing Variants of the Title “Ship’s Captain”

tery there but nothing earlier. We believe it is a mistake to disregard the possibility that the people responsible for the Mueilha inscriptions were there in conjunction with that mine. For a fuller discussion of ancient tin, see the senior author’s Ph.D. dissertation (Rothe 1995). One of the interesting things that becomes apparent from the figure is that nearly all of the inscriptions that mention gold are in the north half of the project area. While it is true that we have found no mines south of Wadi Shaªit, it is also possible that it is due in part to a linguistic inconsistency. Of the six inscriptions which claim “stoneworker” as part of their title, four are in the Kom Ombo watershed, and three of those are in Wadi Bezeh (shaded in the figure). It is not impossible that “stoneworker” was used on occasion to mean “miner”. Figure 6-8 shows the distribution of the title “ship’s captain” and variants of that title. We have ascribed the title “ship’s captain” to the Old and possibly Middle Kingdoms, (see Bell et al. 1984). Many authors, including us, have suggested that this title and its derivatives may have more to do with the organization of expeditions than with ships. (RRM, RM, RILN) We now believe that it is dangerous to rule out the possibility that these really were ships’ captains who were on their way to the Red Sea. The contemporary literature has many examples of expeditions to Punt that began with a trip through the Eastern Desert, for example, Hatshepsut’s expedition to Punt related on the wall of her funerary temple at Deir el Bahari and the adventures of

GIS Analysis and Conclusions

405

Figure 6-9, Location of Mines and Old/Middle Kingdom Inscriptions

Pepy Nakht related in his tomb at Aswan (BAR 360). There is also reason to believe that our Iry (BR23) may have made more than one trip to Punt, perhaps following the overland route. One Harkhuf, who has a tomb at Aswan, tells of making a journey to Yam in company with his father Iry (BAR, 333). Figures 6-9 and 6-10 are composites showing the locations of gold and cassiterite mines in relation to Old/Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom inscriptions respectively. Two things stand out clearly: most of the travelers were going to or through the mines, and Kom Ombo, whose ancient name means “city of gold,” was an apparent latecomer to the gold exploitation. Both figures clearly show mines at the end of the lines of inscriptions. Note that Wadi Bezeh, shaded in both figures, is empty of inscriptions during the Old Kingdom but becomes an arrow pointing at Mine Dunqash during the New Kingdom. The inescapable conclusion is that, while Qena and Edfu/Elkab were important starting points for the Eastern Desert throughout the Pharaonic period, the route from Kom Ombo became important only during the New Kingdom. No project of this nature can be looked on as the final word in its field. While we are certain that there are inscriptions within the project area that we have missed, we have a large enough database that we believe new discoveries of individual inscriptions are unlikely to change the interpretations we have set forth here.

406

Chapter 6

Figure 6-10, Location of Mines and New Kingdom Inscriptions

Appendix A

Paleography

We have been immensely aided in our work by the paleographies of Zbynek Zaba in his book, The Rock Inscriptions of Lower Nubia (Prague, 1965) and Hans Goedicke, Old Hieratic Paleography (Baltimore: Halgo, 1988). In an effort to similarly aid future scholars, we have prepared this paleography of our Eastern Desert inscriptions. We have not attempted to reproduce all attestations of common signs but provide a representative sample from different locales and periods. Infrequent signs are often provided with all attestations. The letter and number for each sign refers to the inscription number. We again gratefully acknowledge the work of our artist, Edith Dunn, who drew all the signs in this paleography.

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Appendix B

Indices and Bibliography

Index of Inscriptions Watershed Insc. #

Name

Name #1

Listed in the order in which they appear in the text. Qena AW01 Qena AW02 ¡m¡(?) Imi Qena AW03 t¡-k·-nfr Tikanefer Qena AW04 w·r War Qena AW05 Qena AW06 hw¡ Khui Qena BB01 . . . ¡mn . . . amun Qena BB02 Qena BB03 (mn-hpr-rº) Menkheperre Qena BB04 Qena BB05 Qena IS02 ¡d¡ Idi Qena IS03 ¡n-k(·).f Inkaf Qena IS04 ntr-˙tp Netjerhotep Qena IS05 nfr(w) Neferu Qena IS06 Qena IS07 nfr(w) Neferu Qena IS08 (hpr-k·-rº) Kheperkare Qena IS09 mnw-˙·-¡st(.f) Minhaishtef Qena IS10 mnw-˙·-¡st(.f) Minhaishtef Qena IS11 ftk-t¡ Fetekti Qena MN01 msy Mesey Qena MN02 tty-ºnh Tetiankh Qena MN03 ¡dd Ided Qena MN04 nb-sn Nebsen Qena MN05 (mn-hpr-rº) Menkheperre Qena MN05 sbk Sobek Qena MN05 ˙r Horus Qena MN06 ¡mn-nht Amunnakht Qena MN07 ¡mn-m-˙·t Amunemhet Qena MN08 ¡r(y) Iri Qena MN08 ¡r¡ Iri Qena MN08 mnw Menew Qena MN09 ¡mn-˙tp Amunhotep Qena MN10 s·-¡mn Sa-Amun Qena MN10 nb-ms Nebmose Qena MN11 bw(¡)-w(¡) Khuiwi

Title (or description)

Date

text

ºw text htmty ntr (¡my-r?) smnty(w) nby sºnh n ¡mn ss drawing drawing bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw ¡my-r msº bnw nswt drawing (¡my-r) wpwt ¡my-r msº bnw nswt nswt b¡ty hpr-k·-rº ºnh m¡ rº s·b ss s·b ss ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss ¡my ¡rty bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss º· smr w·ty htmty ntr

ss rh nswt ˙·ty-º ˙m-ntr tpy n ¡mn-rº nswt ntrw sw? htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr ss

OK OK NK

OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK/MK OK OK NK dyn 18 NK dyn 18 NK dyn 18 OK/MK NK OK OK OK NK NK NK OK

483

Indices and Bibliography Index of Inscriptions (cont.) Watershed Insc. # Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Qena Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu

MN12 MN13 MN13 MN14 MN14 MN15 MN16 MN16 MN17 MN18 MN19 MN20 MN21 MN22 MN22 MN23 MN24 MN25 MN25 MN25 MN25 MN26 MN27 MN27 MN28 MN28 MN28 MN29 MN30 MN31 MN32 MN33 MN34 MN35 MN36 MN37 MN38 MN39 MN40 QS01 QS02 QS03 BR01 BR02 BR03 BR04 BR05 BR06 BR07 BR08 BR09 BR10 BR11 BR12 BR13 BR14

Name

Name #1

Title (or description) text s˙q

q· (nfr-k·-rº) ¡bw p·-msº

Dja Neferkare Ibu Pamesha

¡¡-ntr ·bbw(?)

Iy-netjer Abbu(?)

mn¡ rd¡-sbk ¡mn-˙tp sbk-˙tp wsr-¡b hº.f-rº (hº.f-rº) (snfrw) nb-n-t·-tm(?) nb-n-nw ftk-t¡ ¡n-k·.f ftk-t¡ ˙r-wr ºnh¡ ¡mn-˙tp ¡dw ¡dw ¡n . . . hw(¡)-w(¡) ˙r

Meni Redi-Sobek Amunhotep Sobekhotep Woserib Khafre Khafre Sneferu Nebentatem(?) Nebenu Fetekti Inkaf Fetekti Hor-wer Ankhi Amunhotep Idu Idu In . . . Khuiwi Hor

¡n-k(·).(f) s·-¡b-sk k·y (qsr-k·-rº) (imn-˙tp) ¡mn-˙tp n˙sy

Inka(f) Saibshek Kay Djeserkare Amunhotep Amunhotep sqm-ºs n pr-˙q n ¡mn Nehesy ss n ¡my-r sb(t) royal name? text drawing drawing Nar(mer) W(i) ss Denreg(i) ˙3ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr Sa-Amun ss Khnumnakht ss Pay ˙ry ¡ry (n) ¡ky(w) n ¡mn ˙3ty-º n p· nbw Haty ss Thutmose ss sp·t Redipure sr n m¡·m Sa-Amun ss ˙sb nbw Heseby ˙·ty-º . . . Wery ss ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr n ˙r-wr smsw drawing

nºr-(mr) w(¡) dnrg(¡) s·-¡mn bnm-nht p·y ˙·ty q˙wty-ms rd¡-pw-rº s·-¡mn ˙sby wry

ºw ºw overview ˙·ty-º ˙r(y)-pr text

nby n ¡mn ºw ˙r ˙r wsr-¡b ºw

htmty ntr bry [tp nswt] bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw ¡my ¡rty nby n ¡mn htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr ¡dnw n ˙·ty-º ˙m-ntr overview bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw ¡my ¡rty ¡my-r ss(w) ss ¡my-r ng(·)w n ¡mn

Date OK dyn 6 OK dyn 6 OK OK

NK OK OK dyn 4 OK dyn 4 OK OK OK OK OK OK NK NK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK NK NK NK NK OK

OK OK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK

484

Appendix B Index of Inscriptions (cont.)

Watershed Insc. # Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu

BR15 BR16 BR17 BR17 BR18 BR19 BR20 BR21 BR22 BR23 BR24 BR24 BR25 BR26 BR27 BR28 BR29 BR29 BR30 BR31 BR32 BR33 BR34 BR35 BR36 BR37 BR37 BR38 BR39 BR40 BR41 BR42 BR43 BR44 BR45 BR46 BR46 BR47 BR47 BR48 BR48 BR48 BR48 BR49 BR50 BR51 BR51 BR52 BR53 BR53 BR54 BR55 BR56 BR57 BR58 BR59

Name

Name #1

mrw gng . . . ¡mn nht ¡ntf ¡m·¡ º·-hpr-k·-rº ¡ntf ˙r-sr¡ ¡r¡ . . ·¡

Merew Geneg . . . amun Nakht Intef Imai? Akheperkare Intef Horshery Iri . . ay

¡mn-ms

Amunmose

p·˙w mry

Pahu Mery

¡¡w hw¡ nfr-˙ºt

Iiu Khui Neferhat

˙(r)w-nfr ¡mn-ms nfr-˙b nb-(n)-t·-tm

Herunefer Amunmose Neferheb Neb(en)tatem

¡·th ¡mn s·-¡b-sky s·-¡mn

Iath Amun Saibsheky Sa-Amun

˙·t¡w wsr mry-ms mry-(ms) hrw-nfr mº˙ mº˙ p·-rº-m-˙b sbk-ms s·-¡b-sk ¡mny nb-ºnn-sw bnmw-nht b·y ¡mn-ms mry ¡mn(y) hnsw nb-(n)-t·-tm

Hatiu Woser Merymose Merymose Herunefer Meh Meh Preemhab Sobekmose Saibshek Ameny Neb’anensu Khnumnakht Bai Amunmose Mery Ameny Khonsu Neb(en)tatem

nfr ˙k·-nfr

Nefer Hekanefer

Title (or description) ss htmty ntr

¡my ¡rty ˙ºw ºpr(w?) ssmw w·wt nfr(w)t ¡my ¡rty ntr nfr nb t·wy htmty ntr ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ºw ¡my-¡rty ss drawing drawing? drawing ss wºb drawing drawing [¡my?] ¡rty ¡my-r msº htmty ntr ˙mw-ntr ·nw ¡my-r ss ¡r¡ s˙q . . . n pr n p· nbw ˙·ty-º ss

Date NK late OK NK NK OK/FIP OK NK OK OK OK OK OK NK

NK Pt Pt OK/FIP OK OK NK

w˙m n msº drawing ºw ss ˙sb nbw ss ˙sb nbw drawing ss ss n s·-nswt (n ks) ˙3ty-º ·bw s·-nswt (n ks) s·-nswt (n ks) ss n s·-nswt (n ks) ss ss n nbw t·wy wºb n ˙r nb h·st ss nbw n h·st ss s˙(-ntr) ss ss ¡t-ntr ˙ry sst· ss wºb

w˙m n msº drawing ss sr n m¡ºm ¡my-r tbw º· w·w·t

NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK

485

Indices and Bibliography Index of Inscriptions (cont.) Watershed Insc. # Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu

BR60 BR61 BR62 BR63 BR64 BR65 BR65 BR66 BR67 BT01 BT01 DG01 DG02 DG03 DG04 DG05 DG06 DG07 DG08 DG09 DG10 DG11 DG12 HG01 HG02 HG03 KN01 KN02 KN03 KN04 KN05 KN05 KN06 KN07 KN08 KN08 KN09 KN10 MI01 MI02 MI03 MI04 MI05 MI06 MW01 MW02 MW03 MW04 MW05 MW06 MW06 MW07 MW08 MW08 MW09 MW10

Name

Name #1

˚b.f ˚b.f ¡˙y ˙sy-mnw ˚·r ºnh-¡r.¡-mº ˙·ty-s(b)y hw¡ ¡ntf ntr-ms ¡mn-ms k·-nht ºnh-¡mn mn-hpr s·-¡mn (mn-hpr-rº) ¡º˙-ms ¡mn-rº ¡pw ¡ry nfrw-rº

Kebef Kebef Ihy Hesymin Kar Ankhirima Hatise(b)y Khui Intef Netjermose Amunmose Kanakht Ankh-Amun Menkheper Sa-Amun Menkheperre Ahmose Amun-re’ Ipu Iry Neferure

¡º˙-ms ˙tp-k(·.¡) ¡ntf nb ˙rw-nhbt ˙·ty ˙·ty mry-ms mry-ms (nb-m·ºt-rº) bnmw

Ahmose Hetepka’i Intef Neb Heru-Nekhbet Haty Haty Merymose Merymose Nebma’atre Khnum

mn-hpr p·-sr p·-n-rº (nb-m·ºt-rº) s·-¡mn bnm(w)-ºnh nfr-wº ¡mn-ms ¡mn-ms ˙r-dnw(?)

Menkheper Paser Paenre Nebma’atre Sa-Amun Khnumankh Neferwa Amunmose Amunmose Hor-denew(?)

bnm-nht ¡b(w) s·-¡mn

Khnumnakht Ib(u) Sa-Amun

nfr-wº k· p·-˙m-ntr m·¡ ˙r-ms

Neferwa Ka Pahemnetjer Mai Hormose

˙tp-mn

Hetepmen

Title (or description) sqm pr-˙tp (n) ¡mn ˙ry nbw (n) pr-˙tp ¡mn-¡pt ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss ¡my-r hrp smntyw ssmw wºwt nfr(w)t ¡my-r ss ss htmty ntr sps nswt wºb ss ss ss ss ss ntr nfr ss

Date NK NK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK NK NK NK NK OK NK NK NK NK OK

¡my-¡rty ºprw ˙ºw

OK

ºw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw

OK NK

s·-nswt (n ks) s·-nswt (n ks) ss ˙ry ¡ry n w˙m(w) nswt

NK dyn 18 NK dyn 18 NK dyn 18 NK

˙ry smsw ss msº n nb t·wy ss ˙sb nbw

ss

drawing ˙ry ¡ry n (¡)kwy n ¡mn ss n k·t nt n¡wt ºw ss drawing ss wºb smsw nb t·wy ss ˙m-ntr drawing ˙m-ntr

NK NK dyn 18 NK

NK NK

NK NK NK NK NK NK NK

486

Appendix B Index of Inscriptions (cont.)

Watershed Insc. # Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo

MW11 MW12 MW13 SG01 SG01 SG01 SG02 SG03 SL01 SL01 SL02 SL03 SL04 SL05 SL06 SL07 SL08 SL09 SL09 SL10 SL11 SL12 SL13 SL14 SL14 SM01 SM02 BZ01 BZ02 BZ03 BZ04 BZ05 BZ06 BZ07 BZ08 BZ09 BZ10 BZ10 BZ11 BZ12 BZ13 BZ14 BZ15 BZ16 BZ17 BZ18 BZ19 BZ20 BZ21 BZ22 BZ23 BZ24 BZ24 BZ25 BZ26 BZ27

Name

Name #1

Title (or description)

¡º˙-ms s·-¡mn

Ahmose Sa-Amun

brdw-ºnh nswt nfr-˙r-n-nswt

Chereduankh Nisut Neferhorennisut

q˙wty-rº ¡mn

Djehwtyre Amun

(mn-hpr-rº) ¡º˙-ms bb mn-hpr m-˙b mn-hpr mº¡ nfrt-¡r¡ n˙y mn-hpr rnny ˙r-sr¡ ¡mn-˙tp w·˙ rnn·

Menkheperre Ahmose Beb Menkheper Emheb Menkheper Mai Nefertiri Nehy Menkheper Renny Hor-shery Amunhotep Wah Renna

p·-sr

Paser

bnm-nht ˙m-nfr nfr-ssrw(?) ˙tp-wsy s·-¡mn s·-¡mn mry-ms q·bs ˙·py-nht ˙·t

Khnumnakht Hemnefer Nefersesherew Hetepwesy Sa-Amun Sa-Amun Merymose Djabes Hapy-nakht Hat

s·-¡mn ·bd s·-¡mn-rh s·-¡mn ˙m-nfr

Sa-Amun Abed Sa-Amunrekh Sa-Amun Hemnefer

w¡ s·-wr ¡·s·

Wi Sa-wer Iasa

wsr

Woser

˙·t-¡w ¡wpp¡

Hatiw Iuppi

sr drawing wºb (n) ˙r ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr smr wºty ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ˙r bnw drawing and text ss bnw ss smsw

hnmw-nbt

Khnumnakht

ss

ss ˙sb nbw drawing bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw htmty ntr text text ss drawing ºfty n nswt-b¡t wºb w˙m n ˙·ty-º ss smsw n ˙·ty-º ss n ˙·ty-º ˙·ty-º ˙mt ˙·ty-º nbty ss ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr nhbt ¡my-r ss ˙·ty-º hrp skw n h·swt nbw ¡ry-pºt ˙·ty-º n nhb ˙m-ntr tpy n nhbt drawing ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw ntr n sbk ˙r-wr drawing ss sr ¡k(w)y n pr ˙d (n) ¡mn smsw n s· nswt (n ks) ss s· nsw(t) (n ks) (¡)kwy

drawing ss (¡)kwy

Date NK OK OK OK OK OK NK NK NK

NK NK

NK OK

NK NK

NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK

NK

NK

487

Indices and Bibliography Index of Inscriptions (cont.) Watershed Insc. #

Name

Name #1

Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo

BZ28 BZ29 BZ30 BZ31 BZ32 BZ33 BZ33 DN01 DN01 DN02 DN03 DN04 DN05 DN06 DN07

·sy s·-¡b-sk d¡-sbk(?) w¡¡ wsrw ny-sw-˙r brt.f nb-sn sh·-nswt ˚·r hº s·-rº ¡(¡)-nfr mn-ms ¡(¡-)nfr

Asy Saibshek Di-Sobek (?) Wii Weserew Nysu-hor Chert(y?)ef Nebsen Sekha-Nesut Kar Kha Sare I(y)nefer Minmose Iy-nefer

Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo

DN08 DN08 DN09 DN10 DN11 DN12 DN13 DN14 DN15 DN15 DN15 DN15 DN16 DN17 DN18 DN19 DN20 DN21 DN22 DN23 DN24 DN25 DN26 DN27 DN28 DN29 DN30 DN31 DN32 DN33 DN34 DN35 DN36 DN37 DN37 DN38 DN39 DN40 DN41 DN42

ºr ¡(¡)-nfr ¡(¡)-nfr nb-ms ˙wy

‘Ar Iy-nefer Iy-nefer Nebmose Huy

(mn-hpr-rº) hºw ¡mn nbw sbk ˙r-wr hº-m-w¡· p·-wr p·-˙ry p·-˙ry k·-nht nb-nht ¡º˙-ms nb(?) . . . ntr t·¡-¡mn-nfr

Menkheperre Khau Amun of the Gold Sobek Horus the Elder Khaemwia Pawer Pahery Pahery Kanakht Nebnakht Ahmose Neb(?). . . netjer Tja-amun-nefer

b˙dt nqw hº-nfr ¡ntf ˙mw k(·.¡)-m-nqw ºnws ºnws

the Behedite Nedju Khanefer Intef Hemew Kaiemnedju Anews Anews

ntr-mr ˙tp-ºnh(w?) p·-º·-˙w(?) ¡dy ¡dy ¡ntf ˙rw ¡ntf

Netjer-mer Hetep-ankhew Paa’ahu Idy Idy Intef Horu Intef

Title (or description) ss ss ˙m ntr w¡· (?) ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ss w˙m pr-nsw(t) tst / htmty ntr htmty ntr

¡my-r ss ºprw sms(w) ss ˚dwt ˙·ty-º ¡my-rº ˙mw ntr ss ss . . . ¡ry-(º·) n ˙wt-ntr . . . ¡dnw n s·-nswt ˙·ty-º ˙m-ntr n bnm st¡t ºn˚t ss ¡dnw n s· nswt ¡dnw n ss ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ˙m-ntr ˙·ty-º (¡my-r?) ms·(w) nbw sms ss drawing and text (?) ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr n sbk ˙r-wr nsw b¡ty ˙·ty-º

ss ss n ¡my-r (n) pr-¡mn sb· ss ss ss ˙ry ˙ry nby ss drawing drawing sps nswt ¡my-r ºw ¡my-r ºw n nbw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw smr wºty bry-˙b htmty ntr htmty ntr ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss ¡my-r ºw ss smsw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw htmty ntr htmty ntr

Date NK NK NK OK

OK OK OK

NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK/late NKyr 13 Thutmose III NK/late NK/late NK/late NK/late NK NK NK NK NK

NK

NK OK/dyn 6/FIP OK/MK OK/FIP OK OK OK/dyn 6 OK/dyn 6 OK OK NK OK OK OK O/MK OK/FIP

488

Appendix B Index of Inscriptions (cont.)

Watershed Insc. # Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo

DN43 DN44 MD01 MD02 MD03

Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo

MD04 MD05 MD05 MD06 MD06 MD07 MD07 MD08 MD09 MD10 MD11 MD12 MD13 ML01 ML02 ML03 ML03a ML04 ML05 ML06 ML07 ML08 ML09 ML10 ML11 ML12 ML13 ML13 ML14 ML15 ML16 ML16 ML17 ML18 ML18 ML19 ML19 ST01 ST02 ST03 ST04 ST04 ST05 ST05 ST05 ST05 ST05 ST06 ST06 ST06

Name

Name #1

Title (or description)

Date

ppy-ºnh (mn-hpr-rº)

Pepy-Ankh Menkheperre

smr wºty

OK NK NK

br˙¡

Cherhi

OK

mry d¡-n.¡-pt˙-ppy

Mery Dieniptahpepy

b(?) bnm(w)-

Bi(?) Khnum-(?)

smr wºty htmty ntr ¡my-r msº ¡my-r smntyw ºpr ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty ¡my-r msº bry.ty-ntr nbt pr

b˙dt m¡

the Behedite Mi

OK OK OK

˙m-ntr b˙dt

bn-n-sbk

¡my ¡rty ºpr(w) ˙ºw

OK

¡my ¡rty (ºprw) ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty (ºprw) ˙ºw

OK OK

Chenuensobek

¡rr ˙ss(¡) ¡ntf nqw

Irer Hessi Intef Nedju

˙mw k(·.¡)-m-nqw ¡dy ¡ntf nqw ¡ntf (nfr-k·-rº)-nht gng b¡-˙tp ¡dy k(·.¡)-m-nqw nqw ¡˙y nqw (nfr-k·-rº) ºnws (nfr-k·-rº)

Hemew Kaiemnedju Idy Intef Nedju Intef Neferkarenakht Geneg Bihetep Idy Kaiemnedju Nedju Ihy Nedju Neferkare Anews Neferkare

¡mn-m-˙·t q˙wty mº y sbk ˙r-wr ¡npw b·t sbk ˙r-wr . . . ˙tp

Amunemhet Thoth May Sobek Horus the Elder Anubis Bat Sobek Horus the Elder . . . hetep

drawing ss ˙m-ntr drawing and text (?) nbwy s·b ¡my-r ss

wºb n bnmw (?) ˙·ty-º n nbyt

OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK NK OK/MK OK/MK NK

ss (?)

NK

sps nswt ¡my-r ºw ¡my ¡rty sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw bry tp [nswt] ¡my-r ss ºprw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw htmty ntr htmty ntr ¡my ¡rty sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss(w) sps nswt ¡my-r ºw nswt b¡ty ss nswt b¡ty ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw

489

Indices and Bibliography Index of Inscriptions (cont.) Watershed Insc. #

Name

Name #1

Title (or description)

Date

Kom Ombo

ST07

w·q-ms

Wadjmose

k·wty (?)

NK

Kom Ombo Kom Ombo others others

ST08 ST09 AG01 AG01

¡mn-nht mº y (ny-mº·t-rº) mntw-˙tp-ºnh.¡-m-m·.f

ss n . . .

NK NK MK dyn 12 OK/MK

others others others others others others others others others others others others others others others others others

AG01 AG01 AG01 AG02 AG03 AG03 AG03 AG04 AG05 AG05 AG06 AL01 AL01 AL02 AL03 AL04 AL04

s·t-˙t-˙r ˙pt t·-ntt-n.¡

Amunnakht May Nyma’atre Montuhetep-ankhiemma’ef Sithathor Hepet Taneteteni

s·t-˙wt-˙r mwt.f-nbt.f s·t-˙wt-˙r

Sithathor Mutefnebetef Sithathor

ºnh.¡-m-m·.f s·t-˙wt-˙r hsbwy ˙r-wr mº y

Ankhiemma’ef Sithathor Khesebwy Horus the Elder May

mº y mnw tt¡

May Min Teti

OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK

text

drawing

º˙·ty ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr

NK NK NK

˙·ty-º

Index of Personal Names Name ·bbw (?) ·bd ·sy ¡·th ¡¡w ¡(¡)-nfr ¡(¡)-nfr ¡(¡)-nfr ¡(¡)-nfr ¡¡-ntr ¡º˙-ms ¡º˙-ms ¡º˙-ms ¡º˙-ms ¡º˙ms ¡wpp¡ ¡bw ¡b(w) ¡pw ¡m·¡ ¡m¡(?) ¡mny ¡mn(y) ¡mn-m-˙·t ¡mn-m-˙·t ¡mn-ms ¡mn-ms

Name #1 Abbu(?) Abed Asy Iath Iiu Iy-nefer Iy-nefer Iy-nefer I(y)-nefer Iy-netjer Ahmose Ahmose Ahmose Ahmose Ahmose Iuppi Ibu Ibu Ipu Imai? Imi Ameny Ameny Amunemhet Amunemhet Amunmose Amunmose

Title ˙r(y)-pr (¡)ky ss ºw [¡my?] ¡rty ¡my-r msº ¡dnw n ss ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ¡dnw n s·-nswt ˙·ty-º ˙m-ntr n bnm st¡t ºn˚t ss ˙·ty-º ¡my-rº ˙mw ntr ss ˙·ty-º ss

˙ry wºb smsw ºw ºw

Date NK NK OK/FIP NK NK NK

NK

OK

ssmw w·wt nfr(w)t ¡my ¡rty

OK

ss s˙(-ntr)

NK NK NK OK/MK NK NK

˙m-ntr tpy n ¡mn-rº nswt ntrw sw? ss ss

Insc. # MN16 BZ14 BZ28 BR40 BR32 DN08 DN09 DN07 DN05 MN16 DG06 DG12 MW11 DN22 SL04 BZ25 MN14 MW03 DG08 BR19 AW02 BR50 BR54 MN07 ST04 BT01 BR25

490

Appendix B Index of Personal Names (cont.) Name

Name #1

Title

Date

Insc. #

¡mn-ms

Amunmose

ss

NK

BR37

¡mn-ms ¡mn-ms ¡mn-ms ¡mn-nht ¡mn-nht ¡mn-˙tp ¡mn-˙tp ¡mn-˙tp ¡mn-˙tp ¡mn-˙tp ¡n . . . ¡n-k(·).(f) ¡n-k(·).f ¡n-k·.f ¡ntf ¡ntf ¡ntf ¡ntf ¡ntf ¡ntf ¡ntf ¡ntf ¡ntf ¡ntf ¡r¡ ¡r¡ ¡ry ¡r(y) ¡rr ¡˙y ¡˙y ¡d¡ ¡dy ¡dy ¡dy ¡dy ¡dw ¡dw ¡dd ºnws ºnws ºnws ºnh¡ ºnh.¡-m-m·.f ºnh-¡mn ºnh-¡r.¡-mº ºr w·r w·˙ w·q-ms w¡ w(¡) w¡¡ wry wsr

Amunmose Amunmose Amunmose Amunnakht Amunnakht Amunhotep Amunhotep Amunhotep Amunhotep Amunhotep In . . . Inka(f) Inkaf Inkaf Intef Intef Intef Intef Intef Intef Intef Intef Intef Intef Iri Iri Iry Iri Irer Ihy Ihy Idi Idy Idy Idy Idy Idu Idu Ided Anews Anews Anews Ankhi Ankhiemma’ef Ankh-Amun Ankhirima Ar War Wah Wadjmose Wi W(i) Wii Wery Woser

ss ss

NK NK NK OK/MK NK OK NK NK NK

BR53 MI04 MI05 MN06 ST08 MN27 MN37 MN09 MN20 SL14 MN28 MN33 IS03 MN25 BR18 DN40 DN42 BR21 BR67 DN30 ML04 ML10 ML12 HG02 MN08 BR23 DG09 MN08 ML03 ML17 BR62 IS02 DN38 DN39 ML09 ML15 MN28 MN28 MN03 DN33 DN34 ML19 MN27 AG05 DG02 BR65 DN08 AW04 SL14 ST07 BZ19 BR01 BZ31 BR11 BR46

ss rh nswt ˙·ty-º ss n . . . nby n ¡mn sqm-ºs n pr-˙q n ¡mn nby n ¡mn ˙·ty-º hrp skw n h·swt nbw htmty ntr ¡my ¡rty ¡my-r ss(w) ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw htmty ntr ¡my ¡rty ˙ºw ºpr(w?) bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw htmty ntr htmty ntr sps nswt bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp [nswt] ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw htmty ntr ¡my-r ºw htmty ntr nbwy ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss(w) ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw htmty ntr htmty ntr ¡my-r ss º· smr wºty bry-˙b htmty ntr htmty ntr ss ¡my ¡rty ss ¡dnw n s· nswt ºw ¡ry pºt k·wty(?) wºb (n) ˙r ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr smr wºty ss ˙·ty-º ss ss n s·-nswt (n ks) ˙3ty-º ·bw

OK OK OK OK/FIP OK OK/FIP OK OK OK/FIP OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK/dyn 6 OK/dyn 6 OK NK OK/MK NK NK OK NK NK NK NK

491

Indices and Bibliography Index of Personal Names (cont.) Name

Name #1

Title

Date

Insc. #

wsr

Woser

ss

NK

BZ23

wsrw b(?) b·y b¡-˙tp bb p·y p·-º·-˙w(?) p·-wr p·-msº p·-n-rº p·-rº-m-˙b p·˙w p·-˙m-ntr p·-˙ry p·-˙ry p·-sr p·-sr ppy-ºnh ftk-t¡ ftk-t¡ ftk-t¡ m·¡ m¡ mº¡ mº y mº y mº y mº y mº˙ mº˙ mwt.f-nbt.f mnw mnw mnw-˙·-¡st(.f) mnw-˙·-¡st(.f) mn-ms mn-hpr mn-hpr mn-hpr mn-hpr mn-hpr (mn-hpr-rº) mntw-˙tp-ºnh.¡-mm·.f mry mry mry mry-ms mry-ms mry-ms mry-ms mry-(ms) mrw m-˙b msy

Wesrew Bi(?) Bai Bihetep Beb Pay Paa’ahu Pawer Pamesha Paenre Preemhab Pahu Pahemnetjer Pahery Pahery Paser Paser Pepy-Ankh Fetekti Fetekti Fetekti Mai Mi Mai May May May May Meh Meh Mutefnebetef Min Menew Minhaishtef Minhaishtef Minmose Menkheper Menkheper Menkheper Menkheper Menkheper Menkheperre Montuhetep-ankhiemma’ef Mery Mery Mery Merymose Merymose Merymose Merymose Merymose Merew Emheb Mesey

¡my-r ss nbt pr ¡t-ntr ˙ry sst· ¡my ¡rty w˙m n ˙·ty-º ˙ry ¡ry (n) ¡ky(w) n ¡mn ˙3ty-º n p· nbw smsw ss n ¡my-r (n) pr-¡mn ºw ss msº n nb t·wy wºb n ˙r nb h·st ss smsw nb t·wy sb· ss ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw ntr n sbk hr-wr

OK

BZ32 MD06 BR52 ML14 SL05 BR05 DN37 DN17 MN14 KN09 BR48 BR29 MW07 DN18 DN19 BZ01 KN08 DN43 IS11 MN25 MN25 MW08 MD08 SL09 AL01 AL03 ST05 ST09 BR48 BR48 AG03 AL04 MN08 IS09 IS10 DN06 DG03 KN08 SL06 SL08 SL11 SL03 AG01

smr wºty ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss bry [tp nswt] ss ¡my ¡rty ºpr(w) ˙ºw ˙·ty-º ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ˙·ty-º wºb n bnmw (?) ˙·ty-º n nbyt ss ss n nbw t·wy

NK OK NK NK OK NK NK NK

NK NK OK OK OK OK NK OK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK OK/MK

htmty ntr s·b ss s·b ss ss . . . ¡ry-(º·) n ˙wt-ntr . . . ss ˙ry smsw ss ss n ˙·ty-º ss ºfty n nswt-b¡t

OK OK OK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK OK/MK

wºb wºb ºpr ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty s·-nsw(t) (n ks) s·-nswt (n ks) s·-nswt (n ks) s·-nswt (n ks) s·-nswt (n ks) ss smsw n ˙·ty-º ¡my ¡rty

NK NK OK NK NK NK dyn 18 NK dyn 18 NK NK late OK

BR29 BR53 MD04 BZ09 BR46 KN04 KN05 BR47 BR15 SL07 MN01

492

Appendix B Index of Personal Names (cont.) Name

Name #1

ny-sw-hr

Nysu-hor

nb nb-ºnn-sw nb-ms nb-ms nb-n-nw nb-nht nb-n-t·-tm(?) nb-(n)-t·-tm nb-(n)-t·-tm nb-sn nb-sn nfr nfr(w) nfr(w) nfr-wº nfr-wº nfrw-rº nfr-˙·t nfr-˙b nfr-˙r-n-nswt nfr-ssrw(?) (nfr-k·-rº)-nht nfrt-¡r¡ n˙y n˙sy nht nswt ntr-mr ntr-ms ntr-˙tp nqw nqw nqw nqw nqw rnn· rnny rd¡-pw-rº rd¡-sbk ˙·py-nht ˙·t ˙·t¡w ˙·t-¡w ˙·ty ˙·ty ˙·ty ˙·ty-s(b)y ˙wy ˙pt ˙mw ˙mw ˙m-nfr ˙m-nfr ˙r ˙rw

Neb Neb’anensu Nebmose Nebmose Nebenu Neb-nakht Nebentatem(?) Neb(en)tatem Neb(en)tatem Neb-sen Neb-sen Nefer Neferu Neferu Neferwa Neferwa Neferure Neferhat Neferheb Neferhorennisut Nefersesherew Neferkarenakht Nefertiri Nehy Nehesy Nakht Nisut Netjer-mer Netjermose Netjerhotep Nedju Nedju Nedju Nedju Nedju Renna Renny Redipure Redi-Sobek Hapy-nakht Hat Hatiu Hatiw Haty Haty Haty Hatise(b)y Huy Hepet Hemew Hemew Hemnefer Hemnefer Hor Horu

Title

Date

w˙m pr-nsw(t) tst htmty ntr ss ˙m-ntr ˙·ty-º (¡my-r?) ms·(w) nbw sms

ss ºw w˙m n msº w˙m n msº smr w·ty htmty ntr ss ¡my-r msº bnw nswt (¡my-r) wpwt ¡my-r msº bnw nswt ss

NK NK OK NK OK NK OK OK NK OK OK NK

˙mw ntr ·nw htmty ntr htmty ntr ˙mt ˙·ty-º nbty ss n ¡my-r sb(t) bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw ¡my-r ºw wºb ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr tpy n nhbt ˙·ty-º n nhb ˙m-ntr nhbt sr

ss ss ss

ss ss sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sr sr ¡dnw n ˙·ty-º ˙m-ntr htmty ntr

Insc. # BZ33

NK OK OK

OK NK OK OK NK OK OK/dyn 6/FIP OK OK OK OK OK OK NK NK NK NK NK

OK NK OK/MK OK OK

OK OK/MK

HG03 BR51 DN10 MN10 MN25 DN21 MN24 BR38 BR56 DN01 MN04 BR58 IS05 IS07 MW06 MI03 DG10 BR34 BR37 SG01 BZ05 ML13 SL09 SL10 MN38 BR17 SG01 DN36 BT01 IS04 DN28 ML05 ML11 ML16 ML18 SM01 SL12 BR08 MN19 BZ10 BZ11 BR45 BZ24 BR06 KN02 KN03 BR65 DN11 AG01 DN31 ML07 BZ04 BZ17 MN30 DN41

493

Indices and Bibliography Index of Personal Names (cont.) Name

Name #1

Title

˙(r)w-nfr

Herunefer

¡r¡ s˙q . . . n pr n p· nbw ˙·ty-º

˙rw-nfr ˙rw-nhbt ˙r-wr ˙r-ms ˙r-sr¡ ˙r-sr¡ ˙r-dnw(?) ˙sy-mnw ˙sby ˙ss(¡) ˙k·-nfr ˙tp-ºnh(w?) ˙tp-wsy ˙tp-mn ˙tp-k(·.¡) hº hºw hº-m-w¡· hº-nfr hw¡ hw¡ hw¡ hw(¡)-w(¡) hw(¡)-w(¡) hnsw hsbwy bnmw bnm(w)bnm(w)-ºnh bnmw-nht bnmw-nht bnm-nht bnm-nht bnm-nht bn-n-sbk br˙¡ brt.f brdw-ºnh s·-¡b-sk s·-¡b-sk s·-¡b-sk s·-¡b-sky s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn-rh

Herunefer Heru-nekhbet Hor-wer Hormose Horshery Hor-shery Hor-denew(?) Hesymin Heseby Hessi Hekanefer Hetep-ankhew Hetepwesy Hetepmen Hetepka’i Kha Khau Khaemwia Khanefer Khui Khui Khui Khuiwi Khuiwi Khonsu Khesebwy Khnum Khnum-(?) Khnumankh Khnumnakht Khnumnakht Khnumnakht Khnumnakht Khnumnakht Chenuensobek Cherhi Chert(y)ef Chereduankh Saibshek Saibshek Saibshek Saibsheky Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-amun Sa-Amunrekh

ss n s·-nswt (n ks) bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw ˙m-ntr ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ss ¡my-r hrp smntyw ssmw wºwt nfr(w)t ˙·ty-º s·b ¡my-r ss sr n m¡ºm ¡my-r tbw º· w·w·t ss ¡k(w)y n pr ˙q (n) ¡mn ˙m-ntr ºw sms(w) ˙·ty-º ss ¡my-r ºw n nbw htmty ntr htmty ntr (¡my-r?) smnty(w) htmty ntr htmty ntr

Date NK NK OK NK OK

OK OK NK NK NK NK

NK/late NK OK/MK OK OK OK OK OK NK

º˙·ty ss ˙ry ¡ry n w˙m(w) nswt

NK

ss ss ˙ry ¡ry n (¡)kwy n ¡mn ss n k3t nt n¡wt ss ss

NK NK NK NK NK

smr wºty htmty ntr ¡my-r msº ¡my-r smntyw htmty ntr bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw ss nbw n h·st ss ss ss ˙sb nbw ss ss ss ss ˙sb nbw ss ˙sb nbw ss ˙sb nbw smsw n s· nswt (n ks) ss ss

OK

ss ˙sb nbw ss

Insc. # BR36

OK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK NK

BR47 KN01 MN26 MW08 BR22 SL13 MI06 BR63 BR10 ML03a BR59 DN37 BZ06 MW10 HG01 DN03 DN15 DN16 DN29 BR66 AW06 BR33 MN11 MN29 BR55 AG06 KN06 MD06 MI02 BZ27 BR51 MW02 BZ03 BR04 MD12 MD03 BZ33 SG01 BR49 BZ29 MN34 BR42 BR03 BZ13 MW04 MW12 BR43 BR09 BZ07 BZ08 DG04 BZ16 MI01 MN10 BZ15

494

Appendix B Index of Personal Names (cont.) Name

Name #1

Title

s·-wr

Sa-wer

˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ˙r

s·-rº s·t-˙wt-˙r s·t-˙wt-˙r s·t-˙wt-˙r s·t-˙t-˙r sbk-ms sbk-˙tp sh·-nswt ˚·r ˚·r ˚b.f ˚b.f k· k(·.¡)-m-nqw k(·.¡)-m-nqw k(·.¡)-m-nqw k·y k·-nht k·-nht gng gng t·-ntt-n.¡ t¡-k·-nfr tt¡ tty-ºnh t·¡-¡mn-nfr d¡-n.¡-pt˙-ppy d¡-sbk dnrg(¡) q· q·bs q˙wty-ms q˙wty-rº . . . ·¡ . . . ¡mn . . . ¡mn . . . -ntr . . . ˙tp

Sare Sithathor Sithathor Sithathor Sithathor Sobekmose Sobekhotep Sekha-Nesut Kar Kar Kebef Kebef Ka Kaiemnedju Kaiemnedju Kaiemnedju Kay Kanakht Kanakht Geneg Geneg Taneteteni Tikanefer Teti Tetiankh Tja-amun-nefer Dieniptahpepy Di-Sobek (?) Denreg(i) Dja Djabes Thutmose Djehwtyre . . . ay . . . amun . . . amun . . . netjer . . . hetep

ss ˚dwt

Date

Insc. # BZ20

OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK OK/MK NK OK OK OK OK NK NK NK OK OK OK NK NK NK OK OK OK/MK

ºw ¡my-r ss ºprw ¡my-r ss sqm pr-˙tp (n) ¡mn ˙ry nbw (n) pr-˙tp ¡mn-¡pt wºb sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw ¡my-r ng(·)w n ¡mn ss ss htmty ntr htmty ntr

bry tp nswt ss ¡my-r msº ˙m ntr w¡· (?) ˙3ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr s˙q (¡)kwy ss sp·t ss

OK/MK NK OK NK NK OK dyn 6 NK NK NK

nby sºnh n ¡mn

NK NK

˙ry nby ss (?)

NK

DN04 AG03 AG03 AG05 AG01 BR48 MN21 DN01 DN02 BR64 BR60 BR61 MW06 ML16 DN32 ML08 MN35 DG01 DN20 BR16 ML13 AG01 AW03 AL04 MN02 DN24 MD05 BZ30 BR02 MN13 BZ10 BR07 SL01 BR24 BB01 BR17 DN23 ST06

Index of Titles Title ¡my-¡rty ¡my ¡rty ¡my ¡rty ¡my ¡rty ¡my ¡rty [¡my?] ¡rty ¡my-r msº ¡my ¡rty ¡my-r ss(w) ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw ¡my-¡rty ºprw ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw

Title (translated) ship’s captain ship’s captain ship’s captain ship’s captain ship’s captain pilot and overseer of the expedition ship’s captain, overseer of scribes captain of the ship’s crew captain of the ship’s crew captain of the ship’s crew captain of the ship’s crew

Name

b¡-˙tp msy ºnh¡ ¡¡w ¡n-k(·).(f) ¡n-k(·).f ntr-˙tp

Insc. # BR24 ML06 ML14 MN01 MN27 BR32 MN33 IS03 IS04 DG11 ST01

495

Indices and Bibliography Index of Titles (cont.) Title ¡my ¡rty ºpr(w) ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty ºpr(w) ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty (ºprw) ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty ºpr ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss ¡my ¡rty ºprw ˙ºw s·b ¡my-r ss(w) ¡my ¡rty ˙ºw ºpr(w?) ¡my-r ºw ¡my-r ºw ¡my-r ºw n nbw (¡my-r) wpwt ¡my-r msº bnw nswt ¡my-r msº ¡my-r msº bnw nswt ¡my-r ng(·)w n ¡mn ¡my-r hrp smntyw ssmw wºwt nfr(w)t

Title (translated)

Name

captain of the ship’s crew

captain of the ship’s crew captain of the ship’s crew captain of the ship’s crew, senior overseer of scribes captain of the ship’s crew, senior overseer of scribes captain of the ship’s crew, senior overseer of scribes captain of the ship’s crew, senior overseer of scribes ship’s captain overseer of the foreign gang overseer of the foreign gang overseer of the foreign gang of goldworkers (the overseer) of (com)misions, general, and oarsman of the king general general, oarsman of the king overseer of cattle of Amun overseer of leaders of the gangs of prospectors(?), guide to the good ways ¡my-r ss overseer of scribes ¡my-r ss overseer of scribes ¡my-r ss overseer of scribes ¡my-r ss overseer of scribes ¡my-r ss º· overseer of scribes of donkeys ¡my-r ss ºprw overseer of scribes of the crew ¡r¡ s˙q . . . n pr n p· nbw ˙·ty-º keeper of inspectors of . . . . of the house of The Gold, mayor ¡ry pºt hereditary prince (¡)kwy stoneworker (¡)kwy stoneworker ¡k(w)y n pr ˙q (n) ¡mn stoneworker in the treasury of Amun ¡t-ntr ˙ry sst· god’s father, master of secrets ¡dnw n ˙·ty-º ˙m-ntr deputy of the mayor, priest ¡dnw n s·-nswt deputy of the viceroy of Nubia ¡dnw n s·-nswt ˙·ty-º ˙m-ntr n bnm st¡t ºn˚t ss deputy of the viceroy of Nubia, mayor, ˙m-priest of Khnum, Satet, and Anuket ¡dnw n ss deputy of the scribe ºw foreign worker ºw foreign worker ºw foreign worker ºw foreign worker ºw foreign worker ºw foreign worker ºw foreign worker ºw foreign worker ºpr ˙ºw ¡my ¡rty captain of the ship’s crew ºfty n nswt-b¡t brewer of the king º˙·ty soldier wºb wab priest wºb wab priest wºb wab priest wºb wab priest wºb wab priest? wºb (n) ˙r ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr smr wºty wab priest of Horus, overseer of ˙m-priests, sole friend wºb n ˙r nb h·st wab priest of Horus, lord of the hill country wºb n (bnmw?) ˙·ty-º n nbyt wab priest of Khnum, mayor of Kom Ombo w˙m pr nsw(t) tst htmty ntr herald of the troops of the palace, expedition leader w˙m n msº herald of the army w˙m n msº herald of the army

Insc. # MD10

¡hy ¡ntf ¡r¡ ntr-mr hº-nfr nfr(w) d¡-n.¡-pt˙-ppy nfr(w) k·y ˙sy-mnw

MD08 MD11 IS11 BR62 DN35 ML17 BR18 BR23 DN36 DN29 IS07 MD05 IS05 MN35 BR63

˚·r wsrw ˙r-sr¡ ¡dd ˚·r h(r)w-nfr w·˙ q·bs ·bd ˙tp-wsy b·y ˙r ºr ¡(¡)-nfr

BR35 BR64 BZ32 SL13 MN03 DN02 BR36 SL14 BZ10 BZ14 BZ06 BR52 MN30 DN08 DN07

¡(¡)-nfr w·r ¡·th ˙tp-k(·.¡) ¡bw p·-msº sbk-˙tp nb-n-t·-tm ¡b(w) mry (mn-hpr-rº) hsbwy mry mry ntr-ms k· ¡º˙-ms w¡ p·-rº-m-˙b mº y ny-sw-˙r nb-(n)-t·-tm nb-(n)-t·-tm

DN08 AW04 BR40 HG01 MN14 MN14 MN21 MN24 MW03 MD04 SL03 AG06 BR29 BR53 BT01 MW06 SL04 BZ19 BR48 ST05 BZ33 BR38 BR56

m¡ ftk-t¡ ¡˙y

496

Appendix B Index of Titles (cont.) Title

Title (translated)

Name

w˙mw n ˙·ty-º

herald of the mayor

bb

nby n ¡mn nby n ¡mn nby sºnh n ¡mn nbwy nbt pr nbty ˙·ty-º ˙·ty-º ˙·ty-º ˙·ty-º ˙·ty-º ˙·ty-º ˙·ty-º ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ˙3ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr n ˙r-wr ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr n sbk ˙r-wr ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr n sbk ˙r-wr ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr nhbt ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw-ntr ˙r ˙·ty-º ¡my-r ˙mw ntr ss ˙·ty-º n nhb ˙m-ntr tpy n nhbt ˙·ty-º hrp skw n h·swt nbw ˙m ntr ˙m ntr ˙m ntr w¡·(?) ˙m-ntr b˙dt ˙m-ntr ˙·ty-º (¡my-r?) ms·(w) nbw sms ˙m ntr tpy n ¡mn nswt ntrw ˙mw-ntr ·nw ˙mt ˙·ty-º ˙ry (?) ˙ry ¡ry (n) ¡ky(w) n ¡mn ˙3ty-º n p· nbw ˙ry ¡ry n (¡)kwy n ¡mn ss n k3t nt n¡wt ˙r(y)-pr ˙ry nby ˙ry nbw (n) pr-˙tp ¡mn-¡pt ˙ry smsw htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr

goldworker of Amun goldworker of Amun goldworker and sculptor of Amun goldworker lady of the house goldworker mayor mayor mayor mayor mayor mayor mayor mayor, overseer of priests mayor, overseer of priests mayor, overseer of priests mayor, overseer of priests of Horus the Elder mayor, overseer of priests of Sobek and Horus the Elder mayor, overseer of priests of Sobek and Horus the Elder mayor, overseer of priests of Nekhbet mayor, overseer of priests of Horus mayor, overseer of priests, scribe mayor of Nekheb, first prophet of Nekhbet mayor, leader of gangs of the gold country priest priest priest of the w¡·-bark priest of the Behedite priest, mayor, (overseer of) the troop of goldworkers, retainer first prophet of Amun-Re’, King of the Gods third priest wife of the mayor overseer master of stoneworkers of Amun, foremost of the gold chief of stoneworkers of Amun, scribe of the workers of the city steward overseer of goldworkers chief of the goldsmiths of the house of offerings of Amun of Luxor master of retainers expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader

¡mn-˙tp ¡mn-˙tp . . . ¡mn ¡rr b n˙y mº y ˙sby ˙r-sr¡ w¡¡ hºw ¡¡-ntr mº¡ mº y dnrg(¡) ¡(¡)-nfr

Insc. # SL05

MN20 MN27 BB01 ML03 MD06 SL10 AL03 BR10 BR22 BZ31 DN15 MN16 SL09 AL01 BR02 DN09 BR12 DN13 p·-sr BZ01 rnny SL12 s·-wr BZ20 ¡(¡)-nfr DN05 rnn· SM01 ¡mn-˙tp SL14 ˙r-ms MW08 ˙tp-mn MW10 d¡-sbk BZ30 MD07 nb-ms DN10 ¡mn-m-˙·t MN07 nfr-˙·t BR34 nfrt-¡r¡ SL09 ¡º˙-ms DN22 p·y BR05 bnm-nht MW02 ·bbw(?) MN16 . . . ntr DN23 kb.f BR61 mn-hpr KN08 ¡ntf BR21 gng BR16 hw¡ BR33 hw¡ BR66 brt.f BZ33 ºnws DN34 ˙rw DN41 ¡ntf DN42 (nfr-k·-rº)-nht ML13 gng ML13 ¡n-k·.f MN25 ¡r¡ MN08 ¡r(y) MN08 mnw MN08 ¡dw MN28 ¡dw MN28

497

Indices and Bibliography Index of Titles (cont.) Title

Title (translated)

Name

htmty ntr

expedition leader

¡n. . .

htmty ntr htmty ntr htmty ntr (¡my-r?) smnty(w) bnw bnw bry tp nswt bry [tp nswt] bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp [nswt] ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw bry tp nswt ¡my-r ss(w) ºprw bry.ty-ntr s· nswt [n ks] s·-nswt [n ks] s· nsw(t) (n ks) s· nswt [n ks] s· nswt [n ks] s·b ¡my-r ss s·b ss s·b ss sb· smr wºty smr wºty htmty ntr smr wºty htmty ntr ¡my-r msº ¡my-r smntyw

expedition leader expedition leader expedition leader, overseer of prospectors sailor sailor chamberlain chamberlain chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew chamberlain and overseer of scribes of the crew stoneworker viceroy (of Nubia) viceroy (of Nubia) viceroy (of Nubia) viceroy (of Nubia) viceroy (of Nubia) chief overseer of scribes senior scribe senior scribe instructor (?) (or priest?) sole friend sole friend, expedition leader sole friend, expedition leader, overseer of soldiers, overseer of prospectors sole friend, lector priest, expedition leader nobleman nobleman nobleman of Miºam nobleman of Miºam, overseer of sandlemakers, magnate of Wawat(?) inspector scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe

hw(¡)-w(¡) nfr-˙r-n-nswt hw¡ ¡·s·

smr wºty bry-˙b htmty ntr sr sr sr n m¡·m sr n m¡ºm ¡my-r tbw º· w·w·t(?) s˙q ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss

Insc. # MN28

MN29 SG01 AW06 BZ21 BZ24 tty-ºnh MN02 ftk-t¡ MN25 ¡ntf DN30 ¡ntf DN40 ¡ntf HG02 ¡d¡ IS02 ¡ntf ML10 ¡ntf ML12 brdw-ºnh SG01 nswt SG01 ˙r-wr MN26 MN26 MN32 MD05 mry-ms BR46 mry-(ms) BR47 mry-ms BZ09 mry-ms KN04 mry-ms KN05 ˙ss¡ ML03a mnw-˙·-¡st(.f) IS09 mnw-˙·-¡st(.f) IS10 p·-˙r(y) DN18 (ppy)-ºnh DN43 nb-sn MN04 br˙¡ MD03 ºnws ˙m-nfr ˙m-nfr rd¡-pw-rº ˙˚·-nfr

DN33 BZ04 BZ17 BR08 BR59

q·

MN13 BB02 BR01 BR03 BR04 BR06 BR11 BR15 BR25 BR29 BR37 BR45 BR48 BR51 BR51 BR53 BR58

w(¡) s·-¡mn bnm-nht ˙·ty wry mrw ¡mn-ms p·˙w ¡mn-ms ˙·t¡w mº˙ nb-ºnn-sw bnmw-nht ¡mn-ms nfr

498

Appendix B Index of Titles (cont.) Title

Title (translated)

Name

Insc. #

ss

scribe

˙·ty-s(b)y

BR65

ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss . . . ¡ry-(º·) n ˙wt-ntr . . . ss msº n nb t·wy ss n ss n ˙·ty-º ss n ¡my-r (n) pr-¡mn ss n ¡my-r sb(t) ss n nbw t·wy ss n s·-nswt [n ks] ˙3ty-º ·bw ss n s·-nswt [n ks] ss nbw n h·st ss rh nswt h·ty-º ss ˙m-ntr ss ˙ry ¡ry n w˙m(w) nswt ss ˙sb nbw ss ˙sb nbw ss ˙sb nbw ss ˙sb nbw ss ˙sb nbw ss sp·t ss s˙(-ntr) ss ˚dwt ssmw w·wt nfr(w)t ¡my ¡rty sqm pr-˙tp (n) ¡mn

scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe scribe, doorkeeper of the temple scribe of the soldiers of the lord of the two lands scribe of . . . scribe of the mayor scribe of the overseer of Per-Amun scribe of the overseer of the expedition scribe of the gold of the two lands scribe of the viceroy of Nubia, mayor of Elephantine scribe of the viceroy of Nubia scribe of the gold of the hill country scribe, king’s acquaintance, mayor scribe, priest scribe, leader of the king’s heralds scribe who counts the gold scribe who counts the gold scribe who counts the gold scribe who counts the gold scribe who counts the gold scribe of the estate scribe of the (divine) booth draftsmen guide to the good ways, pilot servant of the house of offerings of Amun

¡mn-ms bnm-nht s·-¡mn s·-¡mn wsr ˙·t-¡w(?) bnmw-nht ·sy s·-¡b-sk k·-nht ºnh-¡mn mn-hpr s·-¡mn ¡º˙-ms ˙wy hº-m-w¡· p·-˙ry k·-nht nb-nht t·¡-¡mn-nfr ˙tp-ºnh(w?) ¡mn-ms ºnws s·-¡mn s·-¡b-sk s·-¡mn nfr-wº m·¡ q˙wty-rº mn-hpr mn-hpr . . . ˙tp mn-ms p·-n-rº ¡mn-nht mn-hpr p·-wr n˙sy mº˙ wsr hrw-nfr s·-¡b-sk ¡mn-nht

BT01 BZ03 BZ08 BZ13 BZ23 BZ24 BZ27 BZ28 BZ29 DG01 DG02 DG03 DG04 DG06 DN11 DN16 DN19 DN20 DN21 DN24 DN37 MI04 ML19 MN10 MN34 MW04 MW06 MW08 SL01 SL06 SL11 ST06 DN06 KN09 ST08 SL08 DN17 MN38 BR48 BR46 BR47 BR49 MN06 ML01 KN06 BR09 BR42 BR43 MI01 MW12 BR07 BR50 DN04 BR19 BR60

bnmw s·-¡mn s·-¡b-sky s·-¡mn s·-¡mn s·-¡mn q˙wty-ms ¡mny s·-rº ¡m·¡ kb.f

499

Indices and Bibliography Index of Titles (cont.) Title

Title (translated)

Name

Insc. #

sqm-ºs n pr-˙q n ¡mn

servant of the teasury of Amun

¡mn-˙tp

MN37

smsw smsw sms(w) smsw smsw n ˙·ty-º smsw n s· nswt smsw nb t·wy sps nswt sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps [nswt] ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw sps nswt ¡my-r ºw k·wty

retainer retainer retainer retainer retainer of the mayor retainer of the viceroy of Nubia retainer of the lord of the two lands king’s noble king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang king’s noble, and overseer of the foreign gang worker (or porter?)

¡wpp¡ hº p·-º·-˙w(?) m-˙b s·-¡mn p·-˙m-ntr ¡ntf nqw ˙mw k(·.¡)-m-nqw ¡dy ¡dy nqw ˙mw k(·.¡)-m-nqw ¡dy nqw ¡dy nqw k(·.¡)-m-nqw nqw w·q-ms

BR13 BZ25 DN03 DN37 SL07 BZ07 MW07 BR67 DN28 DN31 DN32 DN38 DN39 ML05 ML07 ML08 ML09 ML11 ML15 ML16 ML16 ML18 ST07

Index of Royal Names Name º·-hpr-k·-rº wsr-¡b hº.f-rº mn-hpr-rº ny-m·ºt-rº nºr-(mr) nb-m·ºt-rº nfr-k·-rº hpr-k·-rº snfrw qsr-k·-rº

Name #1 Akheperkare (Thutmose I) Userib Khafre Menkheperre (Thutmose III) Nyma’atre (Amenemhat III) Narmer Nebma’atre (Amunhotep III) Neferkare (Pepy II) Kheperkare (Senwosre I) Sneferu Djeserkare (Amunhotep I)

Dynasty 18 4 18 12 1 18 6 12 4 18

Insc. # BR20 MN22 BB03, MN05, DG05, DN14, DN44 AG01 QS03 KN05, KN10 MN13, ML18, ML19 IS08 MN23 MN36

Index of Divine Names Name ¡mn ¡mn ¡pt ¡mn nbw ¡mn-rº ¡npw ¡st ºn˚t wp-w·wt b·t b˙dt p· nbw mnw

Name #1 Amun Amun of Luxor Amun of the Gold Amun-Re’ Anubis Isis Anuket Wepwawet Bat The Behedite (Horus) The Gold (Hathor) Min

Insc. # BB01, MN20, MN35, MN37, MW02, BR05, BR20, BR41, BR60, SL01, BZ06, BZ21, DN17 BR61 DN15 MN07, DG07 ST05 BB02, BR05 DN07 BR67 ST05 BR60, MD07, BZ22, DN27 BR36, BZ21 BB02, BR05, BZ11, AL04

500

Appendix B Index of Divine Names (cont.)

Name

Name #1

Insc. #

nhbt ˙r ˙r-wr

Nekhbet Horus Horus the Elder

SL12, SM01, DN24 MN05, BR50, BR54, BZ20 BR12, BZ01, BZ11, DN13, DN15, MD06, ST05, ST06, AL01

˙r nbw bnmw sbk st¡t qhwty

Horus of the Gold Khnum Sobek Satet Thoth

DN12 DN07, ST05 MN05, BZ01, BZ11, BZ21, DN13, DN15, ST05, ST06 DN07 ST04

Index of Place Names Name

Name #1

Insc. #

·bw

Elephantine

BR46

w·w·t(?)

Wawat

BR59

wtst ˙r

nome of Edfu

MN12, BR33, BR64, DN02, DN38, DN43, ML05, ML15

pr-¡mn

estate of Amun

DN17

pr-˙tp n ¡mn

house of offerings of Amun

BR60

pr-˙tp n ¡mn ¡pt

house of offerings of Amun of Luxor BR61

m¡·/ºm

Miºam

BR07, BR08, BR59

nbyt

Kom Ombo

MD06, ST05, AL01

nhb

Nekheb

SM01

Index of Wadis Containing Inscriptions Wadi Name

Abbreviation

Watershed/Chapter

Abu Agag

AG

Others

Abu Muawad

MW

Edfu

Abu Wasil

AW

Qena

Al-Alam

AL

Others

Barramiya

BR

Edfu

Batur

BT

Edfu

Bezeh

BZ

Kom Ombo

Bueib

BB

Qena

Dagbag

DG

Edfu

Dunqash

DN

Kom Ombo

’Isa

IS

Qena

Kanayis

KN

Edfu

Meniah

MN

Qena

Mia

MI

Edfu

Midrik

MD

Kom Ombo

Mueilha

ML

Kom Ombo

Qash

QS

Qena

Shaªit

ST

Kom Ombo

Shalul

SL

Edfu

Sigdid

SG

Edfu

Umm Higlig

HG

Edfu

Umm Salim

SM

Edfu

Indices and Bibliography

501

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