DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49517#0675
HISTORICAL REVIEW
551
proved. But the conclusions as to the character of the expedition, or expeditions, and to
the conditions prevailing in Ethiopia, are not greatly affected, whether there were one or
two or three journeys of the king to Ethiopia. The fact remains that he did proceed to
Ethiopia to exert force on the tribes, that he harried the desert tribes to little purpose; that
he built at least three fortresses (2, 4, and 6 of the list in the papyrus); and that he did main-
tain the supply of precious metals, and probably of other products, from Ethiopia. I find
in the documents no trace of a revolt of the riparian Ethiopians, nor of a conquest of their
land, but clear proof that Sesostris III consolidated the protective works along the road
and increased the military posts so as to place the traffic in comparative safety.
From the rest of the reigns of Dynasty XII (Amenemhat III, Amenemhat IV, and
Sebekneferuw) the references to Ethiopia are extremely scanty. There are nine graffiti
at Assuan dated to Amenemhat III, several at Semna, and the long series of Nilometer
inscriptions at Semna begins with the year 3 of Amenemhat III. The Nilometer inscrip-
tions as now known are from the following kings:
Dynasty XII. Amenemhat III 12 inscriptions.
Amenemhat IV 1 inscription.
Sebekneferuw none.
Dynasty XIII. Sekhemrakhuwtauwy 4 inscriptions.
In an inscription at the quarries of Wady Hammamat, an official named Amenemhat in
the laudatory part of his record calls himself — “one smiting the negroes, opening the door
of the land of the Tehennuw (A’amuw?), trampling all foreign lands.” To these is added
now the stela of Yentef son of Semib, found at Inebuw-Amenemhat, dated in the year 33
of Amenemhat III, and recording that Yentef was sent to Kerma by that king.
Curiously enough, among the papyri of royal accounts preserved to us, there are some
which record the rations issued to an embassy of the Ethiopian tribe, the Mazay, during
the latter part of the Middle Kingdom. Unfortunately the king’s name is not given in con-
nection with the dates, and we cannot be sure to which dynasty they refer, but they un-
doubtedly represent the conditions prevailing as early as the time of the First Semna Stela
of Sesostris III.1
T (27) “Year 3, third month of the second season, day 2.
Expenses on this day according to [order]
They . . . upon (or for) the private apartment.
Mazay-tribesmen come to give submission.
Various kinds of bread . 100 loaves
Beer. 2 jars
Date-wine. 2 jars.”
T (29) “Year 3, third month of the second season, day 3.
Received in (my?) presence, that which was brought.
The scribe of the vizier, Samenthuw.
List of the Mazay
who arrived at the Southern City (Thebes) in the third month of the second
season, day 2.
1 The text is given by Mariette, Pap. egypt. du musee du Boulaq II, Pls. 14, 15; the translation has been made
by Borchardt, Archaeologische Zeitung, XXVIII, pp. 65-103.
551
proved. But the conclusions as to the character of the expedition, or expeditions, and to
the conditions prevailing in Ethiopia, are not greatly affected, whether there were one or
two or three journeys of the king to Ethiopia. The fact remains that he did proceed to
Ethiopia to exert force on the tribes, that he harried the desert tribes to little purpose; that
he built at least three fortresses (2, 4, and 6 of the list in the papyrus); and that he did main-
tain the supply of precious metals, and probably of other products, from Ethiopia. I find
in the documents no trace of a revolt of the riparian Ethiopians, nor of a conquest of their
land, but clear proof that Sesostris III consolidated the protective works along the road
and increased the military posts so as to place the traffic in comparative safety.
From the rest of the reigns of Dynasty XII (Amenemhat III, Amenemhat IV, and
Sebekneferuw) the references to Ethiopia are extremely scanty. There are nine graffiti
at Assuan dated to Amenemhat III, several at Semna, and the long series of Nilometer
inscriptions at Semna begins with the year 3 of Amenemhat III. The Nilometer inscrip-
tions as now known are from the following kings:
Dynasty XII. Amenemhat III 12 inscriptions.
Amenemhat IV 1 inscription.
Sebekneferuw none.
Dynasty XIII. Sekhemrakhuwtauwy 4 inscriptions.
In an inscription at the quarries of Wady Hammamat, an official named Amenemhat in
the laudatory part of his record calls himself — “one smiting the negroes, opening the door
of the land of the Tehennuw (A’amuw?), trampling all foreign lands.” To these is added
now the stela of Yentef son of Semib, found at Inebuw-Amenemhat, dated in the year 33
of Amenemhat III, and recording that Yentef was sent to Kerma by that king.
Curiously enough, among the papyri of royal accounts preserved to us, there are some
which record the rations issued to an embassy of the Ethiopian tribe, the Mazay, during
the latter part of the Middle Kingdom. Unfortunately the king’s name is not given in con-
nection with the dates, and we cannot be sure to which dynasty they refer, but they un-
doubtedly represent the conditions prevailing as early as the time of the First Semna Stela
of Sesostris III.1
T (27) “Year 3, third month of the second season, day 2.
Expenses on this day according to [order]
They . . . upon (or for) the private apartment.
Mazay-tribesmen come to give submission.
Various kinds of bread . 100 loaves
Beer. 2 jars
Date-wine. 2 jars.”
T (29) “Year 3, third month of the second season, day 3.
Received in (my?) presence, that which was brought.
The scribe of the vizier, Samenthuw.
List of the Mazay
who arrived at the Southern City (Thebes) in the third month of the second
season, day 2.
1 The text is given by Mariette, Pap. egypt. du musee du Boulaq II, Pls. 14, 15; the translation has been made
by Borchardt, Archaeologische Zeitung, XXVIII, pp. 65-103.