Hormeni
Hormeni (also Harmone[1]) was an ancient Egyptian dignitary who officiated at the beginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty.
| Hormeni Prince of Nekhen | |
|---|---|
 Funerary stela of Hormeni (Florence 2549) | |
| Dynasty | Eighteenth Dynasty |
| Wife | Djiat |
| Children | Hormeni, Ahmose, Ahhotep |
| Burial | possibly Burg el Hamman, Nekhen |
Biography
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| Hormeni Ḥr-mnj in hieroglyphs |
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Details about Hormeni's life are known thanks to his funerary stela that probably came from El Kab. It was found by Ippolito Rosellini in approximately 1829 and currently, it is exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum in Florence (inv. no. 2549). On it, Hormeni is depicted along with his wife Dijat and their three daughters Hormeni, Ahmose, and Ahhotep.[1]
A scribe since his early career, Hormeni also managed to become haty-a ("prince" or "mayor") of Nekhen, the capital of the third Upper Egyptian nome. He also had authority in Wawat (Lower Nubia) and he spent many years there, being in charge of collecting annual tributes for the pharaoh.[1] After him, this task was assigned to the newly created office of Viceroy of Kush, a position first occupied by Ahmose called Si-Tayit.[2]
Possible tomb
Hormeni's tomb may be a rock-cut tomb in Nekhen that is located on the upper terrace of the Burg el Hamman. The tomb has not been published officially, but is mentioned in a field report. The tomb's decorations are difficult to see, but not impossible. The tomb owner, Hormini, is shown before Horus of Nekhen, who is depicted as a falcon-headed man. Isis, sometimes described as the mother of Horus, is present in the scene as well and she is depicted crowned with a scorpion. It might be the earliest representation of Hedetet.[3]Hathor also was described as his mother, especially in earlier texts. During changes within the culture over the centuries, many of these associations blended or changed.
The texts also mention Thutmose I, possibly providing another link to associate the artifact with the eighteenth dynasty official. Tentatively, the owner of this tomb has been identified with the owner of the stela in Florence.[4]
References
- Bosticco, Sergio (1965). Museo Archeologico di Firenze. Le Stele Egiziane. Vol II: Nuovo Regno (in Italian). Rome: Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato. pp. 22–24.
- Edwards, I.E.S. (1973). "Egypt: from the Expulsion of the Hyksos to Amenophis I". In Edwards, I.E.S. (ed.). The Cambridge Ancient History (3rd ed.), vol. II, part 1. Cambridge University Press. p. 299. ISBN 0 521 082307.
- Compare: Betsy M. Bryan: Scorpion stone, in: Erik Hornung, Betsy M. Bryan (editors): The Quest for Immortality, Treasures of Ancient Egypt, Munich, London, New York, 2002 ISBN 3791327356, p. 183, no. 90
- Renee F. Friedman, Amy Maish, Ahmed G. Fahmy, John C. Darnell and Edward D. Johnson: Preliminary Report on Field Work at Hierakonpolis: 1996-1998, in: Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt Vol. 36 (1999), pp. 1-35
Further reading
- Breasted, James H. (1906). Ancient Records of Egypt. Vol II. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press., §§ 47–48, for an English translation of the funerary stela.
- Free english translation by Mark-Jan Nederhof.
- George A. Reisner, The Viceroys of Ethiopia (Continued), The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Apr., 1920), pp. 78. For a short discussion about the territory that Hormeni oversaw.