In his tomb at El Kab, Ahmose Son of Ebana left his life story. It survives today and has been recorded and studied many times.
Ahmose, a military man, fought for his country under Ahmose I (founder of the 18th Dynasty), Amenhotep I and Thutmose I. Interestingly enough during this time Ahmose witnessed the fall of the Hyksos (and with it the Second Intermediate Period) and the birth of the New Kingdom.
Ahmose actually killed two Hyksos (soldiers?) in Avaris (the Hyksos Delta capital) which he was rewarded for. Not only would he see the end of the Hyksos, but he would live to tell the tale, surviving long enough in years perhaps to influence those later Pharaohs who he fought under, or perhaps even further?
I wonder if Hatshepsut had heard tales of the Hyksos from someone who bore witness to the events. Perhaps even Ahmose Son of Ebana (although not necessarily so). He was not an unknown man- he was a decorated and very important man in his lifetime and known by Hathshepsut's father. No doubt his tale- and those of his contemporaries were very well known, not just in Thebes, but all over Egypt.
Perhaps the Hyksos stories were still prominent during this time. People still talked of their brave ancestors who expelled the foreign kings. Not only royalty, but all of those whose families stories survive via word of mouth. It was still in living memory.
Hatshepsut's mention of the Hyksos wasn't something her father, Thutmose I wrote about. This was Hatshepsut's precedent. So, why now? Could it be that she was the first Pharaoh with the time and resources since the Hyksos expulsion to restore the areas mentioned? Or, was it to show her worth as Lord of the Two lands, in comparison to those of the distant past?
Speos Artemidos Inscription of Hatshepsut, from Reshafim:
http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/hatshepsut_inscription.htm
Ahmose Son of Ebana Biography, from Reshafim:
http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/hatshepsut_inscription.htm
Ahmose Son of Ebana Biography, from Reshafim:
Photo of Ahmose Son of Ebana, from Oltau on Wikipedia:
Regards,
Stuart
If you think of it Hathsepsut's generations's relationship to the Hyksos wars would have been somewhat similar to that of children and grandchildren of the World War II generation today.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't all that long ago. Ahmose didn't get into full fledged invasion of Hyksos held territory until well into his 25 year reign, around year 10 or so. His son reigned for 21 years. Ahmose Son of Ebana was an active soldier/sailor right up to Thutmose I's Syria campaign some 25 years after Ahmose's death.
Hatshepsut would have almost certainly known Ahmose I's queen Ahmose Nefertari, her predecessor as God's Wife of Amon who lived into the reign of her father. Ahmose Pen-Nekhbet, who was one of the tutors of Neferure was a veteran of the last stages of the Hyksos wars and served under Thutmose II in the Sinai. It's possible too that her father may even have gained early military experience under Ahmose in the Hyksos wars.
Maybe restoring these temples was something that Thutmose I wanted to do but never lived to complete.
Hi dgriffinsadel - thanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteIt may well be that Thutmose I did indeed restore/ intend to restore temples, etc (ruined during the Hyksos era).
Perhaps the damage was so severe it took several reigns to acquire the necessary resources to carry out such tasks to completion.
Or maybe, as Hatshepsuts reign (unlike Thutmose I, Amenhotep I) seems less militarily lead, she had more opportunity to build and restore whilst Thutmose III was training with the army.
More questions than answers...
Thanks again,
Stuart
Hi stuart, it's been a while since I commented on this but I've been reading some more about the Hyksos and post Hyksos period and perhaps one of the answers might be that this was an area where the ruling class at least was allied with the Hyksos. Kamose sacked Nefrusi, an Egyptian town. The rulers of Hermopolis seem to have been Hyksos allies as well. The rebel Teti-en who Ahmose had to fight late in his reign probably came from this area as well. In short the Thebans may not have been greeted as liberators in this part of Egypt.
ReplyDeleteIt could be that the rulers of the early 18th dynasty were not exactly motivated to restore temples in this area. Sure it was a long time ago but old hatreds die hard. In parts of the American south to this day you'll hear our Civil War described as "The War of Northern Aggression".
Could Hatshepsut's Pakhet temple been a veiled threat aimed at Middle Egyptian separatists as well as an expression of piety? Sort of a "Look at all these great things I'm doing in your neighborhood but don't you *%@# with me. You *%@# with me you *%@# with Pakhet and she's not a goddess you want to make an enemy of.
Debbie
Hi Debbie- good to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteIts not something i had considered, but would make sence. The Hyksos were not as distant memory as i had originally assumed.
Motivation before Hatsheput (to restore temples in the area)seems to have been somewhat different to Hatshepsuts own time.
I am sure there are moments of history which archaeology hasnt uncovered.
If Hatsheosuts words at Beni Hasan were the billboard restoration texts we see elsewhere in Egypt, there may well have been stela erected to accompany the temple inscriptions. A discovery of such
could give us more to the tale of the Hyksos aftermath.
Rather than a spurr of the moment decision- i would expect Hatshepsut's restoration work to have been planned.
Perhaps, under Hatshepsut there may have been a clearing of Middle Egypt of seperatists and this may have been a trigger point for the Beni Hasan inscriptions. I'm not sure it can be ruled out completely
Stuart