High priest of Ptah
| High Priest of Ptah in hieroglyphics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wer-cherep-hemut Wr-ḫrp-ḥmw.t Great head of craftsmen |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
Wer-cherep-hemut was an ancient Egyptian title and the name for the high priest of Ptah . "Wer-cherep-hemut" means " greatest of the leaders of the craftsmen ", which in turn alludes to the meaning of the god Ptah as the god of craftsmen. Important workshops were attached to the temple of Ptah , which was dominated by the high priest of Ptah.
As high priest in Memphis , one of the most important cities of ancient Egypt, this high priest often played an important political role nationwide. In the New Kingdom and in the third interim period , the office was mostly occupied by the sons of the king. In Ptolemaic times they were an important political force in the country and connected to the royal family through marriage.
background
The title “Wer-cherep-hemut” has been attested since the 2nd dynasty , but the exact reading and translation of the title is controversial. In the Old Kingdom the title does not seem to have been a high priesthood, but was the title of the head of the Memphite workshops. There were probably two incumbents at a time. It was not until the 6th dynasty that it became a priest, and the incumbents often also bear the title of Sem .
The title
The title is documented in various versions, especially in the Old Kingdom. The most common form is “ Greatest of the handicraftsmen's leaders ”, next to it appear the title variants “ Greatest of the handicraftsmen's heads in the two houses ”, “ Greatest of the handicraftsmen's heads in the two houses of the festival of Re ” (or “ Greatest of the head of the Craftsmen in the two houses on the day of the festival "), as well as" Greatest of the leaders of the craftsmen on the day of the festival ".
List of title holders
Old empire
- Neferdjedptah, (2nd or 3rd Dynasty)
- Nebu, (4th or 5th Dynasty)
- Ptahschepses (I.), (Mykerinos to Niuserre)
- Sabu, (Sahure)
- Ranefer , (5th Dynasty)
- Anchneferre, (5th Dynasty)
- Sabu Ibbi, (Teti, possibly son of Ptahshepses I)
- Ptahschepses (II.), (Teti to Phiops I), son of Sabu Ibbi
- Ptahshepses (III.), (6th Dynasty)
- Kanefer
- Sabukem, (6th Dynasty)
- Setjiu , (6th Dynasty)
- Sabu Tjeti, (late 6th dynasty)
- Anchu, (First Intermediate Period)
- Ptahschepses Impi, son of Anchu? (First split time)
Middle realm
- Ptahemhab
- Sesostrisanch
- Seetepibreanch
- Chakaureanch
- Nubkaureanch
- … Chet
- Sehetepibreanchnedjem
- Nebpu
- Sehetepibreanchscheri
- Sergem
- Senebui
- Sobekhotep Haku
New kingdom
- Mentu
- Paimred
- Sennefer
- Ptahmosis (I.)
- Ptahmosis (II.)
- Ptahmosis (III.)
- Thutmose
- Ptahmosis (IV.)
- Ptahmosis (V.)
- Pahemnetjer
- Penpanebes
- Wermer
- Ptahmeri
- Ptahemhat
- Hori
- Dedia
- Nebmehit
- Sokaremsaef
- Neteruihetep
- Pahemnetjer
- Sennefer
- Pahemnetjer
- Pahemnetjer
- Merenptah
- Hui
- Chaemwaset
- Rahotep
- Ptahmosis
- ... neschnacht
- Ptahemachet (I.)
- Neferrenpet
- Ptahemachet (II.)
- Chaemwaset
- Hori
- Yri
- Pahemnetjer
- Chaemwaset
- Nana
literature
- Dilwyn Jones: An Index of Ancient Egyptian Titles, Epithets and Phrases of the Old Kingdom (= BAR international Series. Vol. 866). 2 volumes. Archaeopress, Oxford 2000, ISBN 1-8417-1069-5 .
- Nicole Kloth : The (auto) biographical inscriptions of the Egyptian Old Kingdom. Studies on phraseology and development (= studies on ancient Egyptian culture. Supplements 8). Buske, Hamburg 2002, ISBN 3-87548-310-3 , p. 159 (also: Hamburg, Univ., Diss., 2001).
- Dietrich Wildung : High Priest of Memphis. In: Wolfgang Helck , Eberhard Otto (Hrsg.): Lexikon der Ägyptologie. Volume 2: Harvest Festival - Hordjedef. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1977, ISBN 3-447-01876-3 , pp. 1256-1263.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jones, Titles, pp. 391–395 (with further variants)