DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6640#0020
6
BUBASTIS.
Bubastis. In one case it was at the end of a
vertical column (pi. xxxii. c), in the other it is
above the standard which surmounted the first
cartouche (pi. xxxii. d). The name is unfortu-
nately damaged in the upper part, but can be
easily restored. It is not identical to that of
Tanis. There Pepi calls himself simply the son
of Hath or, the goddess of Denderah. Here he
comes forward as the son of Turn, the god of
Heliopolis, and of Hathor, the goddess of Den-
derah. It is a way of indicating that his sove-
reignty extends over both parts of Egypt. For
the names of Heliopolis and Denderah must not
be taken in a literal way as referring to those
two cities; they are the emblems of the two
divisions of the realm in which they were
situated.
Pliny informs us that Pepi raised an obelisk
at Heliopolis. Thus he was a worshipper of
Turn. But he seems to have been a more
fervent adorer of Hathor. The same crypt of
the temple of Denderah in which occurs the
name of Cheops, mentions also Pepi in the
following text; " The great foundation in
Denderah was found on decayed rolls of skins
of kids of the time of the followers of Horus.
It was found in a brick wall on the south side,
in the reign of the king, beloved of the Sun,
son of the Sun, Lord of diadems, Pepi, living
established and well, like the Sun for ever." 8
Thus a temple, which in its present form is one
of the most modern of Egypt, has succeeded to
much more ancient buildings which the tradi-
tion attributed to Cheops and Pepi.
It would not be extraordinary if the con-
struction of Denderah was connected in some
way with the expeditions of those two kings to
the Sinaitic Peninsula. Like Cheops, Pepi
made war with the tribes of Sinai, and the
records of his campaigns are engraved in the
same place as those of Cheops, in the Wadi Mag-
8 Cf. Bunsen, Egypt, v. p. 723. Marietta, Denderah,
p. 55, vol. iii. pi. 78.
harah.0 The chief attraction of the Egyptians
towards that region were the mines of a mineral,
on the true nature of which there has been much
discussion, but which, according to the latest
researches of Lepsius,1 seems "to have been
emerald or malachite. It was called mafeJe or
ma flat k^U" li^^U^* an(i from it
the whole region where it was found, and of
which Hathor was the goddess, derived its name
of Mafkat, ^\U^2 It is
quite possible that as a token of gratitude for
successful campaigns in Sinai, Cheops and Pepi
founded or enlarged the sanctuary of the
goddess at Denderah. A proof of it lies in the
fact that among the sacred objects which
Thothmes III. executed according to the pre-
scriptions of the documents, appears an emblem
of the goddess under the form of a sistrum of
mafkat, four palms high.3
I do not believe, however, that the mines of
mafeh were the only inducement which attracted
the Pharaohs towards the Siuaitic Peninsula.
Undoubtedly, mafek was a precious stone which
was valuable either as an ornament, or for sacred
uses, or as a means of exchange at a time when
there was no coin, but the kings must have had
other purposes in view. They had to defend
themselves against the invasions of the nomads
of the east, such as are described in the campaign
of the general Una against the Amu and the
Heruscha; besides, it seems to me likely that
one of the objects of their conquests was the
possession of quarries which have not been
found again, but which must exist somewhere
in the peninsula.
This brings me to a question which has not yet
received a satisfactory answer. Where did the
Egyptians get all the stones of which they made
such a considerable use ? The quarries of some
11 Leps. Denkm. ii. pi. 116.
1 Leps. Metalle, p. 79, tf.
2 Leps. Denkm. ii. 137.
3 Mariette, Denderah, i. pi. 55.
BUBASTIS.
Bubastis. In one case it was at the end of a
vertical column (pi. xxxii. c), in the other it is
above the standard which surmounted the first
cartouche (pi. xxxii. d). The name is unfortu-
nately damaged in the upper part, but can be
easily restored. It is not identical to that of
Tanis. There Pepi calls himself simply the son
of Hath or, the goddess of Denderah. Here he
comes forward as the son of Turn, the god of
Heliopolis, and of Hathor, the goddess of Den-
derah. It is a way of indicating that his sove-
reignty extends over both parts of Egypt. For
the names of Heliopolis and Denderah must not
be taken in a literal way as referring to those
two cities; they are the emblems of the two
divisions of the realm in which they were
situated.
Pliny informs us that Pepi raised an obelisk
at Heliopolis. Thus he was a worshipper of
Turn. But he seems to have been a more
fervent adorer of Hathor. The same crypt of
the temple of Denderah in which occurs the
name of Cheops, mentions also Pepi in the
following text; " The great foundation in
Denderah was found on decayed rolls of skins
of kids of the time of the followers of Horus.
It was found in a brick wall on the south side,
in the reign of the king, beloved of the Sun,
son of the Sun, Lord of diadems, Pepi, living
established and well, like the Sun for ever." 8
Thus a temple, which in its present form is one
of the most modern of Egypt, has succeeded to
much more ancient buildings which the tradi-
tion attributed to Cheops and Pepi.
It would not be extraordinary if the con-
struction of Denderah was connected in some
way with the expeditions of those two kings to
the Sinaitic Peninsula. Like Cheops, Pepi
made war with the tribes of Sinai, and the
records of his campaigns are engraved in the
same place as those of Cheops, in the Wadi Mag-
8 Cf. Bunsen, Egypt, v. p. 723. Marietta, Denderah,
p. 55, vol. iii. pi. 78.
harah.0 The chief attraction of the Egyptians
towards that region were the mines of a mineral,
on the true nature of which there has been much
discussion, but which, according to the latest
researches of Lepsius,1 seems "to have been
emerald or malachite. It was called mafeJe or
ma flat k^U" li^^U^* an(i from it
the whole region where it was found, and of
which Hathor was the goddess, derived its name
of Mafkat, ^\U^2 It is
quite possible that as a token of gratitude for
successful campaigns in Sinai, Cheops and Pepi
founded or enlarged the sanctuary of the
goddess at Denderah. A proof of it lies in the
fact that among the sacred objects which
Thothmes III. executed according to the pre-
scriptions of the documents, appears an emblem
of the goddess under the form of a sistrum of
mafkat, four palms high.3
I do not believe, however, that the mines of
mafeh were the only inducement which attracted
the Pharaohs towards the Siuaitic Peninsula.
Undoubtedly, mafek was a precious stone which
was valuable either as an ornament, or for sacred
uses, or as a means of exchange at a time when
there was no coin, but the kings must have had
other purposes in view. They had to defend
themselves against the invasions of the nomads
of the east, such as are described in the campaign
of the general Una against the Amu and the
Heruscha; besides, it seems to me likely that
one of the objects of their conquests was the
possession of quarries which have not been
found again, but which must exist somewhere
in the peninsula.
This brings me to a question which has not yet
received a satisfactory answer. Where did the
Egyptians get all the stones of which they made
such a considerable use ? The quarries of some
11 Leps. Denkm. ii. pi. 116.
1 Leps. Metalle, p. 79, tf.
2 Leps. Denkm. ii. 137.
3 Mariette, Denderah, i. pi. 55.