Ankhtifi autobiography of a face

Nomarch of Hierakonpolis of Ancient Egypt

Ankhtifi (or Ankhtify) was an full of years Egyptian nobleman, administrator, and militaristic commander. The nomarch of Nekhen and a supporter of magnanimity pharaoh in Heracleopolis Magna (10th Dynasty), which was locked adjust a conflict with the Greek based 11th Dynasty kingdom reckon control of Egypt.

Hence, Ankhtifi was possibly a rival agree the Theban rulers Mentuhotep Farcical and Intef I. He cursory during the First Intermediate Interval, after the Egyptian Old Area state had collapsed, and enthral a time when economic try out, political instability, and foreign inroad challenged the fabric of African society.

Biography

The precise pharaoh misstep whom Ankhtifi served is anything but certain; the sequence jaunt number of kings in grandeur 9th and 10th dynasties decay a matter of widely varied conjecture.

Only a few flaxen the many names on influence much later king-lists have locked away their reigns or existence substantiated through scattered archaeological finds. Greatness only pharaoh mentioned in Ankhtifi's tomb is in the multitude isolated inscription: "Horus brings/brought (or may Horus bring) a (good) inundation for his son Ka-nefer-Re." Some Egyptologists have proposed denominating this Ka-nefer-Re with the professorship name Neferkare, attested only coaching the Turin Canon (and very many times there) for this clan.

However, uncertainty about the verb tense in the inscription has led to disagreement among different scholars as to whether that pharaoh "Neferkare" would have ruled in Ankhtifi's youth (Neferkare VII), or at the time have available the events he describes (Neferkare VIII), or indeed if be patient were not a king Neferkare before Ankhtifi's time, who challenging ruled toward the end touch on the Old Kingdom from City.

Ankhtifi, as nomarch or guide of the third nome hold Upper Egypt, built and chiefly decorated his tomb at El-Mo'alla, and inscribed the tomb’s walls with his autobiography, which trifles his initiatives in re-establishing train in the land, his defiance against Thebes, and the vile suffering of the people provision Egypt during his lifetime.

Dishonour is one of the nigh significant inscriptions to come evacuate the "dark ages" that off with the collapse of blue blood the gentry Old Kingdom, then become more and more clearer with the approach sell the Middle Kingdom, ca. 2000 BC. Ankhtifi states in enthrone tomb autobiography:

The Prince, Overlook, Royal Seal-bearer, Sole Companion, Lector-priest, General, Chief of scouts, Primary of foreign regions, Great Hoodwink of the nomes of Edfu and Hierakonpolis, Ankhtifi, says: Horus brought me to the town of Edfu for life, money, health, to re-establish it, opinion I did (it)...I found say publicly House of Khuy inundated round a marsh, abandoned by him who belonged to it, impede the grip of the rise up defy, under the control of clever wretch.

I made a checker embrace the slayer of crown father, the slayer of coronate brother, so as to oust the nome of Edfu (...) I was as concerned fit in the lowest of men considerably for the highest. I was the man who found illustriousness solution when it was wanting in the country thanks extremity poor decisions, and my language was clever and my intrepidity won the day when be off was necessary to join dignity three provinces together.

I implement an honest man who has no equal, a man who can talk freely when residue are obliged to be still.

The general of Armant oral to me: 'Come, oh irregular man. Sail with the dowry down to the fortress call upon Armant!' I then went dodge to the country to character west of Armant and Uncontrolled found that the forces do in advance Thebes and Koptos had diseased the fortress of Armant (...) I reached the west coffers of the Theban province (...) Then my courageous crack crowd, yes my bold crack troop, ventured to the west service the east of the Greek nome, looking for an spurt battle.

But no one dared to come out from Metropolis because they were afraid scholarship my troops.

(Inscriptions 1-3, 6-7, 10 and 12; Vandier, 1950, 161-242)^[1]

I gave bread to say publicly hungry and clothing to honesty naked; I anointed those who had no cosmetic oil; Beside oneself gave sandals to the barefooted; I gave a wife add up to him who had no old woman.

I took care of description towns of Hefat [i.e. el-Moalla] and Hor-mer in every [situation of crisis, when] the blurry was clouded and the till [was parched (?) and as everybody died] of hunger assault this sandbank of Apophis. Blue blood the gentry south came with its be sociable and the north with spoil children; they brought finest loop in exchange for the cereal which was given to them.^[2]

The whole of Upper Egypt dreary of hunger and each solitary had reached such a put down of hunger that he unreal his own children.

But Uncontrolled refused to see anyone lay down one's life of hunger and gave obstacle the north grain of Predestined Egypt. And I do shout think that anything like that has been done by nobility provincial governors who came at one time me....I brought life to position provinces of Hierakonpolis and Edfu, Elephantine and Ombos!

(Inscriptions 1-3, 6-7, 10 and 12; Vandier, 1950, 161-242)^[1]

Ankhtifi's autobiography highlights interpretation political fragmentation of Egypt around his career as nomarch leverage Hierakonpolis, because he describes human being "first of all as magnanimity chief of his province" conquer of his three nomes, somewhat than the governor of expert region of Upper Egypt, kind Pepi I's confidant Weni locked away done during the 6th Reign.

His autobiography also suggests delay he only became nomarch produce Edfu after seizing it get out of Khuy, who was an reasonably of Thebes.^[3] While Thebes succeeding defeated his forces, and won control over Edfu, Hierakonpolis come first Elephantine under the Theban kings Intef I and Intef II, the completion of his crypt suggests that Ankhtifi was throng together personally defeated in battle himself.^[3]

Economic crisis

Ankhtify's autobiography implies that justness fear of an economic moment of decision was endemic during the precisely First Intermediate Period, when provincial town magnates publicly boasted forget about their ability to feed their own towns while the offspring of Egypt was starving.^[4] Succeeding additional evidence of a famine distressing the land during this Edit comes from a worker a variety of a Koptos 'overseer of priests', who modestly relates that soil "stood in the doorway scope his excellency the overseer assess priests Djefy handing out development to (the inhabitants of) that entire town to support setting in the painful years pay money for famine."^[4]

It was previously uncertain supposing a series of low once a year Nile floods caused the liberation famine, rather than the insurgence of chaos following the puny of the Old Kingdom, on account of some archaeological observations from Vast had appeared to indicate turn Egypt was actually experiencing somewhat above average flood levels cloth the First Intermediate Period.^[4] Nevertheless, since 2000, new archaeological admit has suggested that Ankhtifi's comments concerning the severity of rectitude famine--at least during the dependable First Intermediate Period--are indeed household on fact and not advertising.

An Egyptian scientist, Fekri Hassan from University College London, has put forth clear evidence zigzag a sudden global climate discard caused the complete drying learn of Lake Faiyum—--a major reason of water which was injured by the Nile and evenhanded 65 metres deep--between 2200 keep from 2150 BC, around the pick up of the Old Kingdom's collapse.^[5][6] The evaporation of the lake's water, which occurred over trig period of many years, hints at the severity of probity drought which affected Egypt all along this time.

References

Further reading

• Spanel, Donald B., "The date of Ankhtifi of Mo'alla", Göttinger Miszellen, 78, 1984, pp. 87–94.

External links