DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4202#0051
■aas
42
DESHASHEH.
CHAPTER IX.
THE INSCRIPTIONS.
By F. Ll. Griffith.
(50.) It is a grievous thing that the in-
scriptions of the Deshasheh tombs are in such
bad condition : all are of interest as being from
a new locality, and some have evidently been
of first-rate importance. No one is so skilful
as Professor Petrie in recognizing; faint traces
of sculpture upon a wall, and we may rest
assured that the most careful study and scrutiny
of the originals would reveal little more than
appears in these plates. Professor Petrie has
marked what was clear in full line, while restora-
tions of sculpture or inscrij^tion are given in
dots ; but for the dotted outlines there is more
or less authority in the originals. In studying
the copies philologically with the aid of photo-
graphs, I have, however, occasionally seen reason
to depart from the reading indicated by the
dotted lines.
Tomb or Anta.
PI. IV. The inscription accompanying the
scene of the capture of a fortress is so much
destroyed that hardly any information can be
The sign of a captive inside a
The figure of
a captive should doubtless be restored in the
second occurrence of the fortress sign, and
I v\ , Nedaa, or rather Ndif, preceding it
is in all probability the name of a foreign city.
The oval figure of the fortress is the same that
encloses the names in the lists of foreign cities
and villages captured by kings of the XVIIIth
Dynasty and later, and much the same appear
in two early carvings on slate published by
gained from it
fortress is new and interesting.
Steindorff in Ebers Festschrift, the originals of.
which are in the Gizeh Museum and the
Louvre.
PI. VI. The large figure leaning on his staff
is Anta himself. Facing him stands " the
director of (work on) the tomb," named Demz,
and kneeling before him are two persons named
Apa and Airnefer, Apa being a scribe. A man
named Khyt sits with his back to the cabin,
and at the stern, trimming the sails, is the
" superintendent of the /ja-servants, possessing
worthiness before ......... the director of work
on the tomb .........." Evidently the people
connected with the construction and service of
the tomb wished to be commemorated in the
scenes.
Anta has a variety of titles, viz.: —
1. rehh seten, "royal acquaintance," probably
indicating relationship to the king.
2. mer upt (cf. pi. viii.), a common title
in the Old Kingdom both in the Memphite
necropolis and elsewhere. It perhaps means
superintendent of apportioning work; but in
Siut, Tomb i., we have frequently a title
mer upt hetepu neter, " superintendent of
apportioning (?) divine offerings."
3. mer menu seten, " superintendent of the
monument (or monuments?) of the king."
This is a title which I do not recollect else-
where, but it is repeated on pis. viii., x., xii.,
and so is quite certain.
4. helca het, " ruler of a fortress " ; a well-
known title, meaning apparently the governor
of a city or district, with troops under him.
5. seshem ta, "leader of the land," or possibly
42
DESHASHEH.
CHAPTER IX.
THE INSCRIPTIONS.
By F. Ll. Griffith.
(50.) It is a grievous thing that the in-
scriptions of the Deshasheh tombs are in such
bad condition : all are of interest as being from
a new locality, and some have evidently been
of first-rate importance. No one is so skilful
as Professor Petrie in recognizing; faint traces
of sculpture upon a wall, and we may rest
assured that the most careful study and scrutiny
of the originals would reveal little more than
appears in these plates. Professor Petrie has
marked what was clear in full line, while restora-
tions of sculpture or inscrij^tion are given in
dots ; but for the dotted outlines there is more
or less authority in the originals. In studying
the copies philologically with the aid of photo-
graphs, I have, however, occasionally seen reason
to depart from the reading indicated by the
dotted lines.
Tomb or Anta.
PI. IV. The inscription accompanying the
scene of the capture of a fortress is so much
destroyed that hardly any information can be
The sign of a captive inside a
The figure of
a captive should doubtless be restored in the
second occurrence of the fortress sign, and
I v\ , Nedaa, or rather Ndif, preceding it
is in all probability the name of a foreign city.
The oval figure of the fortress is the same that
encloses the names in the lists of foreign cities
and villages captured by kings of the XVIIIth
Dynasty and later, and much the same appear
in two early carvings on slate published by
gained from it
fortress is new and interesting.
Steindorff in Ebers Festschrift, the originals of.
which are in the Gizeh Museum and the
Louvre.
PI. VI. The large figure leaning on his staff
is Anta himself. Facing him stands " the
director of (work on) the tomb," named Demz,
and kneeling before him are two persons named
Apa and Airnefer, Apa being a scribe. A man
named Khyt sits with his back to the cabin,
and at the stern, trimming the sails, is the
" superintendent of the /ja-servants, possessing
worthiness before ......... the director of work
on the tomb .........." Evidently the people
connected with the construction and service of
the tomb wished to be commemorated in the
scenes.
Anta has a variety of titles, viz.: —
1. rehh seten, "royal acquaintance," probably
indicating relationship to the king.
2. mer upt (cf. pi. viii.), a common title
in the Old Kingdom both in the Memphite
necropolis and elsewhere. It perhaps means
superintendent of apportioning work; but in
Siut, Tomb i., we have frequently a title
mer upt hetepu neter, " superintendent of
apportioning (?) divine offerings."
3. mer menu seten, " superintendent of the
monument (or monuments?) of the king."
This is a title which I do not recollect else-
where, but it is repeated on pis. viii., x., xii.,
and so is quite certain.
4. helca het, " ruler of a fortress " ; a well-
known title, meaning apparently the governor
of a city or district, with troops under him.
5. seshem ta, "leader of the land," or possibly