Griffith, Francis Ll. [Hrsg.]; Newberry, Percy E. [Hrsg.]: El Bersheh (Band 2) (London, 1895)

16

EL BBRSHEH.

With regard to the dates here assigned, the
reign of Usertesen III. (38 years) was probably
long enough to see the end of the nomarchship
in the eighth generation. The reigns of
Amenemhat II. and Usertesen II., with part of
that of Usertesen III., would make perhaps
seventy yeai'S: between the date of Amenemhat's
inscription and the beginning of the reign of
Usertesen III. there would be about seventy-
five, filled probably by part of the nomarchship
of Tehutinekht, that of a regent (?), and that of
Tehutihetep. The forty-one years that elapsed
between the foundation of the Xllth Dynasty
and the date of Amenemhat's inscription would
be occupied by the nomarchship of JNTehera and
that of Tehutinekht. It is almost certain that
the dated inscriptions of Kay in the fourth
generation are earlier than the reign of
Amenemhat I. The first Kay must therefore
have stretched back far into the Xlth Dynasty.
What then is to be done with the Ahanekhts,
between whom and this family there seems to
be a considerable gulf as to the style both

of tomb-decoration and of hieratic writing?
Although the Xlth Dynasty covered several
centuries, it is difficult to see where the break
can have come historically, except between the
Heracleopolite and Theban supremacies. On
certain grounds, therefore, it would be easiest
to place the Ahanekhts in the period when the
Heracleopolites were triumphant (whether over
Memphites, over foreigners, or over general
disorder), and before the Thebans had asserted
their independence. We may hope that some
day the history of these obscure times will
be more clearly ascertained than it is at
present.1

1 Professor Petrie (History of Egypt from the earliest timet
to the XVIth Dynasty, ch. vi., vii.) has made a very bold
and apparently successful attempt to bridge tlie gaps between
the Vith Dynasty and the Xllth, There is nothing at El
Bersheh to conflict with the view that the Xth (Heracleopo-
lite) Dynasty was contemporary with the early part of the
Xlth (Theban). Professor Maspero's rapid sketch of the
period (The Dawn of Civilization = Histoire, Tome I.,
p. 440 ff.) has many points of agreement with Petrie's
detailed statements.

•Me,