Brugsch, Heinrich: Egypt under the pharaohs: a history derived entirely from the monuments (London, 1891)

72 ARRIVAL OF AAMU VISITORS ch. iv.

people of the Aamu, had left their native land, in the
days of Usertsen II., and migrated to the banks of the
Nile. The immigrants numbered thirty-seven persons,
consisting of men, women, and children, who are repre-
sented as coming to Khnum-hotep begging for a gracious
reception and offering him a present of the eye paint
called mest'em.

Standing in the place of honour, the prince appears
at the head of the foreign race, the ' haq ' of the land
of Abesha, who approaches respectfully and offers to
Khnum-hotep a magnificent wild goat. Behind their
chieftain appear bearded men, armed with spears, bows,
and clubs, women in the bright-coloured dress of the
Aamu, with their children, and asses laden with the
goods and chattels of the immigrants, whilst a member
of the little band calls forth with the plectrum har-
monious tones from his antique lyre. The paint in
question was an article much in request, as the
Egyptians used it to blacken their eyebrows, &c.

Khnum-hotep's descendants appear to have received
many honours, his eldest son, Nekht, being made governor
of the Cynopolitan nome, situated to the north of the
nome of Mah, and also of the Southern land, which
apparently embraced several nomes.



Kha-kau-Ea otuuo

Usertsen III. was a name

of high renown in the most glorious period of the
Egyptian empire, for this king distinguished himself
above all his predecessors by his power and wisdom.
The Egyptians themselves believed that they honoured
the great king Usertsen III. best by regarding him as a
god, to whom they built temples and offered sacrifices.

His martial deeds began by expeditions directed
ao-ainst the inhabitants of the negro-land of Cush, in hopes
of placing an insurmountable barrier in the way of their