Khnumet

Chnumet in hieroglyphics
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Khnumet was an ancient Egyptian princess of the 12th Dynasty ( Middle Kingdom ). Jacques de Morgan found her undisturbed grave in Dahshur in 1895 .

The grave

Jewelry of Khnumet, Egyptian Museum Cairo (JE 31113)

The grave of Khnumet was found in a gallery grave next to the pyramid of Amenemhet II. The grave complex consisted of an underground passage leading off from two chambers, in each of which a princess was buried. There were three of these gallery graves with six burials near the pyramid . Four burials, including that of the Khnumet, were not robbed.

The burial of the Khnumet was by far the richest. The princess was buried in a sarcophagus . In it stood a wooden coffin covered with gold and there was an inner human-shaped (anthropoid) coffin, the face of which was gilded.

In addition to the sarcophagus, various ceramic vessels , a canopic box and a box with ointment vessels were found in the burial chamber .

The mummy of the Khnumet was provided with weapons and royal insignia and particularly richly decorated with pieces of jewelry. This includes arm and leg jewelry, a crown and a neck collar . Particularly noteworthy are the golden pieces of jewelry, which, according to their style and manufacture, were probably produced in the Aegean region.

Identity and dating

Because of the location of her grave next to the pyramid of Amenemhet II , it was usually assumed that Khnumet was his daughter. Accordingly, the grave was also dated under this ruler. However, recent studies show that the grave was probably under Amenemhet III. is to be dated. Her father must therefore remain uncertain, even if it does not seem impossible that she was a daughter of Amenemhet II, who died long after her father's death.

literature

Jacques de Morgan et al .: Fouilles a Dahchour 1894-1895 . Volume 2, Holzhausen, Vienna 1903, pp. 55-68.

Web links

Pyramid Complex of Amenemhet II Intact burials

Individual evidence

^ Dorothea Arnold : The Fragmented Head of a Queen Wearing the Vulture Headdress. In: E. Czerny, I. Hein, H. Hunger, D. Melman, A. Schwab (Eds.): Timelines, Studies in Honor of Manfred Bietak. Leuven, Paris, Dudley 2006, ISBN 90-429-1730-X , p. 47, footnote 3.

personal data
SURNAME	Khnumet
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	ancient Egyptian princess of the 12th dynasty
DATE OF BIRTH	19th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH	19th century BC BC or 18th century BC Chr.

[1] Dorothea Arnold : The Fragmented Head of a Queen Wearing the Vulture Headdress. In: E. Czerny, I. Hein, H. Hunger, D. Melman, A. Schwab (Eds.): Timelines, Studies in Honor of Manfred Bietak. Leuven, Paris, Dudley 2006, ISBN 90-429-1730-X , p. 47, footnote 3.