High Priest of Heliopolis

The high priest in Heliopolis was one of the highest and most important priesthoods in ancient Egypt . He was one of the most important religious figures, especially in the New Kingdom , alongside the high priest of Ptah in Memphis and the high priest of Amun in Thebes . His most important title was Wer-mau (Wr-m3w) - the great one of the viewers . In Heliopolis are Re and Atum was worshiped whose priests of Who-mau was. The title itself has been attested since the Old Kingdom , but it is unclear whether it referred to the office of high priest at that time. The exact reading and translation of the title is controversial in research. It was suggested that the title should first be read Maau-wer ( M33w-wr ) or Maa-wer ( M33-wr ) - who is allowed to look at the big ones ) and refer to officials at the very beginning in the 1st to 3rd dynasties related in the closest royal circle, who had a close relationship with the Sedfest . In the following Old Kingdom it was probably the title of expedition leaders who also had a priestly function, although the priestly function only became the most important function of the title in later times. Expeditions to Sinai and Gebel el-Ahmar began in Heliopolis. Only in the 5th dynasty did the title become a pure priestly title.

In the New Kingdom, the title Wer-mau is also attested in other places, so that the high priest in Heliopolis often bore the title Wer-mau-em-Iunu ( Great One of the Seeers in Heliopolis ) to distinguish him from the other priests. During this time the office was often occupied by royal sons.

List of high priests

Old empire

King Userkaf , referred to as high priest in the Westcar papyrus
Issichaef
Ibi
Chuienhor ( 6th Dynasty )

First split

Meru
Sebeki
Sebeki (Bi)

Middle realm

Chaikaureemhutaat (late 12th dynasty )
Chentichetihotep
Re ( 13th Dynasty )
Maacherureemhutaat

New kingdom

Sennefer (about Hatshepsut to Thutmose III. )
Ahmose (about Thutmose III to Amenhotep II )
Amenemhat ( Amenhotep III. )
Pawah ( Akhenaten )
Sainheret ( 18th dynasty )
Paraemhab ( haremhab )
Amenemipetus ( Ramses II )
Meriatum (Ramses II.)
Bak (Ramses II.)
Rahotep (Ramses II)
Ramses Meriatum ( Ramses III. )
Nebmaatre ( Ramses IX. )
Ankhwas

Third intermediate time

Schedsunefertem ( 22nd Dynasty )
Djedptahiuefanch
Radjaa

Late period

Pawen
Harwa
Horwedja
Harsies
Iriri
Smendes
Usirwer
Bakennefi

literature

Dietrich Raue : Heliopolis and the house of Re. A prosopography and a toponym in the New Kingdom (= treatises of the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo department. Egyptological series. Vol. 16). Achet-Verlag, Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-9803730-6-1 , pp. 42-46.
Bettina Schmitz : High Priest of Heliopolis. In: Wolfgang Helck , Eberhard Otto (Hrsg.): Lexikon der Ägyptologie. Volume 2: Harvest Festival - Hordjedef. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1977, ISBN 3-447-01876-3 , pp. 1249-1254.

Individual evidence

^ Dilwyn Jones: An Index of ancient Egyptian titles, epithets and phrases of the Old Kingdom (= BAR international Series. Vol. 866, 1). Volume 1. Archaeopress, Oxford 2000, ISBN 1-84171-070-9 , p. 386, No. 1428.
↑ ^a ^b Bettina Schmitz: High Priest of Heliopolis. In: Wolfgang Helck, Eberhard Otto (Hrsg.): Lexikon der Ägyptologie. Volume 2: Harvest Festival - Hordjedef. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1977, ISBN 3-447-01876-3 , p. 1250
↑ Wolfgang Helck: Investigations on the official titles of the Egyptian Old Kingdom (= Ägyptologische Forschungen. H. 18, ISSN 0933-338X ). Augustin, Glückstadt et al. 1954, pp. 95–97.

[1] Dilwyn Jones: An Index of ancient Egyptian titles, epithets and phrases of the Old Kingdom (= BAR international Series. Vol. 866, 1). Volume 1. Archaeopress, Oxford 2000, ISBN 1-84171-070-9 , p. 386, No. 1428.

[Schmitz-2] Bettina Schmitz: High Priest of Heliopolis. In: Wolfgang Helck, Eberhard Otto (Hrsg.): Lexikon der Ägyptologie. Volume 2: Harvest Festival - Hordjedef. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1977, ISBN 3-447-01876-3 , p. 1250

[3] Wolfgang Helck: Investigations on the official titles of the Egyptian Old Kingdom (= Ägyptologische Forschungen. H. 18, ISSN 0933-338X ). Augustin, Glückstadt et al. 1954, pp. 95–97.