Kawit (Ancient Egypt)

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Kawit was a royal lady in ancient Egypt around Mentuhotep II (approx. 2000 BC). So far she is only known from her burial in the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II in Deir el-Bahari . She bore the title "Priestess of Hathor", "who adorns the king" and "beloved king consort". Kawit is best known for its richly decorated sarcophagus .

In the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II there were six burials of royal women, which stood in a row and each consisted of a decorated chapel and a grave shaft behind it. The chapels were only found in fragments and were decorated on the outside with reliefs that show the ladies together with the king, alone or while drinking milk. The latter scene is usually found in connection with the depiction of a cow, which in turn probably represents Hathor . The status of these women and thus also the status of Kawit are controversial. The title " King Wife " can only be found on the chapel, but not on the sarcophagus, where she usually appears as the "Priestess of Hathor".

literature

  • Édouard Naville : The XIth Dynasty Temple at Deir el-Bahari / Part I . K. Paul, London 1907, panel XI, XX.
  • Silke Roth: The royal mothers of ancient Egypt . Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 2001, ISBN 3-447-04368-7 , p. 429.
personal data
SURNAME Kawit
BRIEF DESCRIPTION royal lady in the environment of Mentuhotep II.
DATE OF BIRTH 21st century BC BC or 20th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 21st century BC BC or 20th century BC Chr.