Lot Essay
The columns of hieroglyphs read as follows: (R-L)
(Back col.1) [A-boon-which-the-king gives that Neith] the great, the Divine Mother may grant funerary offerings of bread, beer, oxen and fowl, and every good thing which cometh forth upon her altar daily for the Ka of the Hereditary Prince, the Governor, the Seal-bearer of the King of Lower Egypt, Sole Friend, High Steward... (col.2) Overseer of the Gateway to the Foreign Lands and Sea (i.e. the Mediterranean), Nakht-Hor-Heb, born of Nes-en-per-Mut. He says: "O every priest who enters the Temple, and every waab-priest who shall officiate, as the King of Upper Egypt loves you, and as the King of Lower Egypt praises you, may you endure a long life before your gods, so long as you speak my good name every day and praise me for ever, for I am indeed of excellent character, an official free from fault, loyal and straightforward, without evil intent. I pursued that which I myself thought would be beneficial to the gods. I provisioned their altars everywhere as his Majesty commanded.
His Majesty appointed me Overseer of the Gateway to the Foreign Lands and Sea. I found the offerings for the gods neglected in this place which saddened me greatly. Then I sought every way of endowing them and took control over them for ever, as his Majesty commanded. I gave precedence to the offerings for Sais over the others, up until now no-one else providing what I had thought of. Abundant were its consecrated offerings each day. I have loved serving the Divine Mother and may every one of her prophets who serves her love me and beg for good things before their god each day.
O Divine Mother of him who created the beginning and the end, behold what I have done may it remain for ever. Cause it to be a success so that it might endure. Grant that the Son of Re, Iahmes (Amasis) might achieve a heb-sed (festival after 30 years' reign) upon the throne of Horus. Grant that he leads me in peace into a ripe old age, being praised, free from reproach on his part. Therefore say you who come hereafter: 'Follow Neith in order to attain beatitude".'
PROVENANCE:
Formerly in the collection of M. Mathieu Varille of Lyon
PUBLISHED:
Abbé Paul Tresson, "Sur deux monuments Egyptiens inédits de l'epoque d'Amasis et de Nectanebo Ier", Kêmi, Paris, 1930; G. Poesner, Revue de Philologie de Literature et d'histoire ancienne, 3rd series, 21, 1947, pp. 121-131; Ramadan el-Sayed, Documents relatifs à Sais et ses divinités, Appendix, in B d'E, 69, 1975 of IFAO, Cairo, p. 256, section 40
This statue is important not only for its epigraphy and orthography, but as a historical and social biography. The philhellene Amasis captured the throne from Apries and opened up Egypt to foreign trade and mercenaries, especially Greeks, so that the control of the frontiers, particularly the sea, was important. Greek traders were settled in Naukratis, whilst mercenaries attached to the Egyptian army were stationed at Memphis. The capital was at Sais in the delta, of which Neith, the mother of Re, was the tutulary deity. The office of Controller of the gateway of foreign lands and the Mediterranean was centred at Sais. The text alludes to the cessation of offerings (paid for) by customs dues at Mediterranean entry points which used to go to the temples of Sais. These were re-established under Amasis. Something of the divorce between the old traditions and religous practices and the new 'foreign' ideas can be discerned in Nakht-Hor-Heb's biographical inscription.
Evidence of the earlier political and social upheavals can also be detected in Nakht-Hor-Heb's plea to the Divine Mother that he might live to enjoy a ripe old age, beyond the King's reproach.
(Back col.1) [A-boon-which-the-king gives that Neith] the great, the Divine Mother may grant funerary offerings of bread, beer, oxen and fowl, and every good thing which cometh forth upon her altar daily for the Ka of the Hereditary Prince, the Governor, the Seal-bearer of the King of Lower Egypt, Sole Friend, High Steward... (col.2) Overseer of the Gateway to the Foreign Lands and Sea (i.e. the Mediterranean), Nakht-Hor-Heb, born of Nes-en-per-Mut. He says: "O every priest who enters the Temple, and every waab-priest who shall officiate, as the King of Upper Egypt loves you, and as the King of Lower Egypt praises you, may you endure a long life before your gods, so long as you speak my good name every day and praise me for ever, for I am indeed of excellent character, an official free from fault, loyal and straightforward, without evil intent. I pursued that which I myself thought would be beneficial to the gods. I provisioned their altars everywhere as his Majesty commanded.
His Majesty appointed me Overseer of the Gateway to the Foreign Lands and Sea. I found the offerings for the gods neglected in this place which saddened me greatly. Then I sought every way of endowing them and took control over them for ever, as his Majesty commanded. I gave precedence to the offerings for Sais over the others, up until now no-one else providing what I had thought of. Abundant were its consecrated offerings each day. I have loved serving the Divine Mother and may every one of her prophets who serves her love me and beg for good things before their god each day.
O Divine Mother of him who created the beginning and the end, behold what I have done may it remain for ever. Cause it to be a success so that it might endure. Grant that the Son of Re, Iahmes (Amasis) might achieve a heb-sed (festival after 30 years' reign) upon the throne of Horus. Grant that he leads me in peace into a ripe old age, being praised, free from reproach on his part. Therefore say you who come hereafter: 'Follow Neith in order to attain beatitude".'
PROVENANCE:
Formerly in the collection of M. Mathieu Varille of Lyon
PUBLISHED:
Abbé Paul Tresson, "Sur deux monuments Egyptiens inédits de l'epoque d'Amasis et de Nectanebo Ier", Kêmi, Paris, 1930; G. Poesner, Revue de Philologie de Literature et d'histoire ancienne, 3rd series, 21, 1947, pp. 121-131; Ramadan el-Sayed, Documents relatifs à Sais et ses divinités, Appendix, in B d'E, 69, 1975 of IFAO, Cairo, p. 256, section 40
This statue is important not only for its epigraphy and orthography, but as a historical and social biography. The philhellene Amasis captured the throne from Apries and opened up Egypt to foreign trade and mercenaries, especially Greeks, so that the control of the frontiers, particularly the sea, was important. Greek traders were settled in Naukratis, whilst mercenaries attached to the Egyptian army were stationed at Memphis. The capital was at Sais in the delta, of which Neith, the mother of Re, was the tutulary deity. The office of Controller of the gateway of foreign lands and the Mediterranean was centred at Sais. The text alludes to the cessation of offerings (paid for) by customs dues at Mediterranean entry points which used to go to the temples of Sais. These were re-established under Amasis. Something of the divorce between the old traditions and religous practices and the new 'foreign' ideas can be discerned in Nakht-Hor-Heb's biographical inscription.
Evidence of the earlier political and social upheavals can also be detected in Nakht-Hor-Heb's plea to the Divine Mother that he might live to enjoy a ripe old age, beyond the King's reproach.