Newberry, Percy E. : Beni Hasan (Band 2) (London, 1893)

16

BENI HASAN.

southward," and went beyond the limits of
the land hitherto known to the Egyptians.

" I brought the tribute of my lord," he
continues, " my praise it reached up to
heaven. His majesty arose and proceeded
in peace. He overthrew his enemies in the
vile land of Ethiopia. I returned following
his majesty as a man ready for any emergency.
There was no loss among my soldiers." 1

The second expedition was undertaken to
obtain gold for Usertsen I. This time
Amenemhat, with a band of 400 picked men
of his army, accompanied the King's eldest
son, who is here called Ameny, but was after-
wards known as the King Amenemhat II.
The precise destination of the expedition is
not recorded.2

" I sailed up the river," he says, " to bring
treasures of gold to the majesty of the King
Usertsen I., living eternally, for ever.

"I sailed up with the hereditary prince, the
eldest son of the King, Ameny, life, wealth,
health to him ! I sailed up in number 400
men consisting of every chosen man of my
army. Returning back in peace they had
not decreased. I brought the gold appointed
to me. I was praised for it in the house of
the King, and the King's son praised God
for me." s

The third and last expedition mentioned
in this interesting record was to the city of
Coptos a few miles to the north of Thebes,
and this time Amenemhat appears to have
been accompanied by another royal personage,
possibly the future Usertsen II.

" I arose, I sailed up the river to bring
treasures to the City of Coptos with the here-

1 Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. viii., lines 8-11, p. 25.

2 It was perhaps to Nubia. There is an inscription
upon a stela in the British Museum (No. 569, Sharpe,
Eg. Insc), of nearly the same period, which records
the expedition of a certain Hathorsa to Nubia in search
of gold.

3 L.c, lines 11-14, pp. 25-26.

ditary prince, governor of the royal town, the
wezir, Usertsen, life, wealth, health to him !
I sailed up in number 600 men, consisting of
every valiant man of the Oryx nome. I
returned in peace, my army safe and sound ;
I accomplished all that I was ordered to do." 4

In the inscriptions at Beni Hasan we have Dated
met with the names of several Kings of the
Xllth Dynasty. The following conspectus
of dateable events will be found useful:—

Khnemhotep I. is created
Great Chief of the
Oryx Nome and Prince
of Menat-Khufu, by -

Nekht I. inherits his
father Khnemhotep
I.'s titles, which are
ratified by - - - -

Amenemhat begins to
rule in the Oryx nome
in ------ -

Amenemhat I.

Usertsen I.

and dies in -

- -{

18 Usertsen I.

43 Usertsen I.
1 Amenemhat II.

Khnemhotep II. inherits
his grandfather's
princedom of Menat-
Khufu in the - - -
which he still retains I
in the

Nekht II. inherits his
maternal grandfather's
princedom of the
Jackal Nome, which
is confirmed to him

by......

19 Amenemhat II.
38 Amenemhat II.
6 Usertsen II.

Usertsen II.

§ 8. At a very early period the land of geo-
Egypt was divided into two great principali-
ties : the southern one was called Qemau,
" the South land," or Upper Egypt; the

4 Beni Hasan, Part I., PI. viii., lines 14-15, pp. 26.