Global Journal of Human Social Science, D: History, Archaeology and Anthroplogy, Volume 23 Issue 3

Volume XXIII Issue III Version I 46 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 D © 2023 Global Journals A Ramesside Stela Fragment with Unusual Offerings (Cairo Agricultural Museum, No.4286) pomegranate flowers were incised next to the vessel on each side 9 (Cf. fig.4), taking into account the rules of perspective in the drawing so that one of the two flowers on each side hides a part of the other according to the rules of perspective. The perspective was also taken into account in the libation vessel which is located between the deceased and the altar where a part of the deceased's garment covered part of the vessel. The symmetry was also observed in the drawing of pomegranate flowers on each side. The word n ḥḥ “eternity” is engraved at the top of the offering son both sides. It seems that the writer repeated the sign (G N5) twice for the symmetry. All offerings are covered with an outer cover. The offering stand 10 stands to the right of offering table. Alibation vessel 11 on a wickerwork stand 12 is carved between the seated man and the altar. III. T he I nscription The text (figs. 1-2) has been composed over and between the head of the owner and the offering table, with vertical dividing lines. It runs right to left. r ˁ ……..( ȝḫ ) i ḳ rt………. m ȝˁ - ḫ rw? ḫ r The text is broken except for a word at the end of the first line on the right r ˁ “Re” which one would expect to be anteceded by ȝḫ ỉḫ r n giving a reading of “The able spirit of Re”; Cf. stela of Khamuy Pennub ḫȝ mw ( y ), Pn-nwb, 19 th Dynasty, Deir el-Medina 13 and stela of Panakht Panekhu P ȝ - n ḫ w , 19th-20 th Dynasty from Deir el- Medina. 14 One would also expect to be anteceded by a ḥ tp-d ỉ -nsw giving a reading of “A boon which the king gives (to) Re”. Cf. limestone offering-table of Ahmose, the Late 18 th or Early 19 th Dynasty, Deir el-Medina. 15 The author prefers the second reading ( ḥ tp - d ỉ - nsw ) because there is ( ȝḫ ) ỉḳ rt was incised in another line on the stela and it is not common to find ȝḫ ỉḳ rt t wice on a single stela in the same text of the deceased. One can also read ( ȝḫ ) ỉḳ rt " the able spirit " 16 which one would expect to be followed by the name of the deceased, cf. limestone offering table of Ahmose, the Late 18 th or Early 19 th Dynasty, Deir el-Medina 17 , and stela of Semet from Deir el-Medina, Cincinnati Art Museum I947.55 18 .( ȝḫ ) ỉḳ rt can also be followed by n r ˁ to give the full epithet ( ȝḫ ) ỉḳ rt n r ˁ "the able spirit of Re ", cf. fragment of stela of Pa, from the collection of the Egypt Centre, Swansea, A232, 19 th Dynasty 19 . On the extreme left of the stela, there are remains of hieroglyphic signs that can be read ( m ȝˁ ḫ rw ?), the Justified? 20 ; they are followed by ḫ r "before" which one would expect to be followed by the name of the god Osiris giving a reading of ‘the Justified before Osiris’ and the inscription would thus give the name of the deceased followed by the 9 Cf. the gold necklace, MFA, Inv. No. 48.59.See: Terrace, Edward L.B., Jul. 1963, 272, pl. 56, fig.14, n.27. 10 Cf. Fischer, Henry G., 1973, "Offering Stands from the Pyramid of Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 7, 124-125, figs. 1-6. 11 Cf. Demarée, R.J., 1983, 15 Pls VIII(A28), XIII(A50); Roehrig, Catherine H. 2002, "Life along the Nile: Three Egyptians of Ancient Thebes" , BMMA, 60, No. 1 ,21, figs. 25, 29. 12 This style of the wickerwork stand points to the late Eighteenth or more probably the early 19 th dynasty, stela is known from Deir el-Medina: Stela of Semet, Cincinnati Art Museum I947.55., see: Martin, Geoffrey T., 1982, 81, 84, Pl. IX (2). 13 Demarée, R.J., 1983, 102, pl.X, B38. 14 Demarée, R.J., 1983, 46, pl.V A14. 15 Demarée, R.J., 1983,146. 16 See: Martin, Geoffrey T., 1982, 83n.16, Griffin, K. 2007, 137-148, figs.1-2; http://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa23790; for the epithet ȝḫỉḳ r see:Wb.I,16(3), and for the writing of ỉḳ r see: Wb.I,137; Demarée, R.J., 1983, 197. For a full study of the epithet see: Demarée, R.J. 1983, The ( ȝḫ ) ỉḳ rt n Ra- stelae on Ancestor Worship in Ancient Egypt , Leiden. 17 Demarée, R.J., 1983,145. 18 See: Martin, Geoffrey T., 1982, 81, 84, Pl. IX (2). 19 In this stela the complete epithet ȝḫ ỉḳ r n r ˁ was mentioned and it was followed by the name of the deceased. See: Griffin, K., 2007, 137-148, figs.1-2; http://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa23790 20 The inscription of m ȝˁ - ḫ rw in our fragment is typical of the Ramesside Period and Deir el-Medina style. Cf. stela of Kaha, region of Ramses II, Deir el-Medina. Clére, J.J.1929, 'Monuments Inédits des Serviteurs dans la Place de Vérité', BIFAO 28, 188, fig. 2; Demarée, R.J., 1983, 185.