The Cosmos of Khnumhotep II at Beni Hasan

Scholars often assume that elite, or high-status tomb chapels of the Egyptian Old and Middle Kingdoms featured decorations in order to provide for the eternal needs of the deceased. This book offers a detailed study of the tomb chapel of Khnumhotep II, charting the various levels of meaning buried in the scenes, ornaments, and texts that adorn it. First published in 1999. High in a cliff at the remote site of Beni Hasan in Middle Egypt, thirty-nine ancient tombs line a narrow ledge above the Nile River. These tombs were cut into the rock face, with pillars of living rock often left standing inside the echoing chambers. The tomb of Khnumhotep II dates to the early 12th Dynasty, primarily to the reign of Amenemhet II. The owner was a high official of the ancient administrative area in which Beni Hasan was located, the Oryx (XVIth Upper Egyptian) none or province. His primary title was Overseer of the Eastern Desert, a title which he held from Year 19 of Amenemhet II (c. 1910 B.C.) until at least Year 6 of Senwosret II (c. 1891 B.C.). This monument is the latest of the large Beni Hasan tombs, and represents the culmination of the series. The detailed analysis of this complex tomb necessarily comprises most of this volume.