Paddle dolls They were unique mortuary accessories in the form of painted, flat wooden figures with elaborate hairdos composed of string, Nile mud, faience, or golden beads. The strings were interwoven with straw, copying the wigs fashionable in the Middle Kingdom (2040-1640 B. C.E.). Paddle dolls were discovered in some Eleventh Dynasty (2040-1991 b. c.e.) burial sites. Their role in the mortuary regalia is not understood, but it is possible that these dolls were provided as sexual companions for the deceased, as the paddle dolls were always feminine in form.
See also mortuary rituals.
Pa duat This was a popular and often used tomb chamber that dates to early historical periods and served as residences for the patron deities of the gravesites. mon-TUHOTEP II (r. 2061-2010 b. c.e.) had a pa duat designed into the upper court of his mortuary complex on the western shore of thebes at deir-el-bahri. Within the pa duat, priests dressed, anointed, and scented the images of the deity serving as the patron of the mortuary complex.
Pa’hemmetcher (fl. 12th century b. c.e.) Cavalry official of the Twentieth Dynasty
He served ramesses iii (r. 1194-1163 b. c.e.) as the Master of Horse. The Egyptian cavalry was an important element of the nation’s military response, gaining a reputation in neighboring lands. Extensive breeding programs were instituted as well to insure ever-improved stocks. Pa’hem-metcher would have commanded cavalry units as well as the breeding programs. He was depicted in a shrine near ABU SIMBEL, honored there for his labors during Ramesses Ill’s reign.
See also kamose; military.
Paheri (fl. 15th century b. c.e.) Mayoral official of the Eighteenth Dynasty
He served tuthmosis iii (r. 1479-1425 b. c.e.) as the mayor of Nekheb (modern elkab), and luny (modern esna). Paheri had to concern himself with the agricultural activities in his district. His gravesite near modern Elkab was on the western shore of the Nile. Rock-cut and large, the tomb had animated low-relief paintings depicting agricultural scenes and contemporary figures. Paheri’s charioteer, Khenmen, is shown caring for the horses being used. These steeds are called “the excellent team of the mayor beloved. . . about whom the mayor boasts to everyone.” Paheri’s wife, Henutreneheh, is also shown in the tomb. A statue of her was discovered there, and she is depicted as making offerings in a wall painting. Festival scenes in the tomb include a female harpist and a piper, as well as the required funerary images.
Paibek’khamon (fl. 12th century b. c.e.) Harem conspirator of the Twentieth Dynasty
He was involved in the harem revolt directed at ramesses III (r. 1194-1163 B. C.E.). Paibek’khamon was the chief steward of the royal residence and plotted with tiye (2), a lesser-ranked consort who wanted to place her son, Prince pentaweret, on the throne. Paibek’khamon carried messages to Queen Tiye’s allies outside the palace. When the harem revolt was attempted, all of the plotters were arrested. Paibek’khamon was judged guilty and was allowed to end his own life.
Pakhenti The religious shrine district south of thebes, dating to early historical periods, Pakhenti was associated with the cult of the god amun. Shrines were erected there for rituals celebrating Amunite festivals and holy days. Pakhenti was a small village beside opet, the suburb of Thebes dedicated to Amun.
See also luxor.
Pakhet A lioness deity, listed also as Pakht, and called “She Who Scratches,” she was the patroness of the living and the dead in all eras. A shrine was erected by hat-SHEPSUT (r. 1473-1458 b. c.e.) near Minya in the faiyum region, and seti i (r. 1306-1290 b. c.e.) renovated this shrine. The goddess also appears in a burial chamber of Seti I, depicted with a lion head and an erect serpent, “spitting fire.” Pakhet guarded the PERO, the royal residence, and cared for deceased Egyptians. Her shrine was adopted by the Greeks in the Ptolemaic Period (30430 b. c.e.) and was renamed the speos artemidos, associating Pakhet with the Greek deity Artemis. Originally a desert huntress known for her ferocity against Egypt’s enemies, Pakhet was depicted as a woman with a lion’s head.
Palermo Stone A fragment of diorite anfibolica, considered a reliable source of information from the earliest historical periods of Egypt, it is 17 inches high and nine and three-quarters inches wide, originally part of a six and one-half foot to seven-foot monument. The Palermo Stone, so named because it is in the Palermo Museum in Sicily, contains a king list from the Fifth Dynasty (2465-2323 b. c.e.). Smaller fragments are in the Egyptian Museum of cairo and in the Petrie Museum of the university college of London. The Palermo Stone records Predynastic (before 3000 b. c.e.) rulers and dynastic pharaohs, through kakai (r. 2446-2426 b. c.e.) Some 125 rulers are listed. The stone is inscribed on both sides and includes information about ceremonies, taxes, wars, and the inundation of the Nile.
Palette A rectangular piece of wood or stone, called mestha by the Egyptians and used in daily routines, they were fashioned from eight to 16 inches long and two to three inches thick, with oval hallows at one end to accommodate ink, paint, or cosmetic pots. A groove cut out of the center, sloping at one end, held reeds. Some grooves had sliding corners, others used slats of wood glued across the grooves. Such palettes were normally inscribed with prayers to thoth, the deity of wisdom. Several palettes were viewed as historical documents. Some of the more famous of these are
Ashmolean Palette depicts animal groups, including a lute-playing fox and other fantastic beasts. It is now in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford.
Battlefield Palette showing Libyans in a war with Egyptians, also depicts standards and groups of prisoners. The Herakleopolitan deity horus is portrayed with the lion and the vulture.
Bull Palette depicts the bull (the symbol of royal power) goring northern prisoners. Standards are also displayed. The verso shows a conquered city with crenellated walls. it is now in the Louvre in Paris.
Hunter’s Palette depicts an expedition to hunt animals. Armed men, a shrine, and a bull are also shown.
Libya Palette depicts the irrigation and hydraulic systems of Egypt, vital to the agricultural base of the nation. This is also called the cities Palette and is in the British Museum in London.
Narmer Palette an elaborate instrument now in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. narmer is depicted on both sides of the palette and is called nar, fish, and mer, a chisel. On the recto side he is wearing the red crown of the Delta, proclaiming victory in the north. A bull, a depiction of Narmer, is shown destroying a city Standards and the horus symbol add to the design. On the verso side, Narmer is shown in a kilt, wearing a false beard. He is carrying a macehead. A falcon accompanies his destruction of a city.
Ostrich Palette depicts Egyptians herding groups of animals. This is now in the Manchester Museum in England.
Scorpion Palette a large instrument used for grinding antimony. Hollow on one side, the palette was decorated with votive designs. scorpion i, a ruler of a region before the unification in 3000 b. c.e., is depicted in animal forms destroying cities. Scorpion is portrayed as a falcon and a lion. Seven cities are shown being destroyed, or one city is shown being attacked seven times.
Pami (Userma’atre’setepenre’amun) (d. 773 b. c.e.) Ruler of the Twenty-second Dynasty
He reigned from 783 b. c.e. until his death. His brother and successor was shoshenq v. An obscure pharaoh, Pami was called “the cat.” He ruled in tanis.
Pan-graves They are elaborate burial sites found throughout Upper Egypt, south of Cusae, and Upper NUBIA (modern Sudan) dating to the Seventeenth Dynasty of Thebes (1640-1550 b. c.e.). These graves are closely related to the medjay units employed by kamose when he began his assaults on the hyksos and their Asiatic allies, c. 1555 B. C.E. They also reflect a period of migration by Nubians, during the Second Intermediate Period (16401550 b. c.e.).
The graves are between ten inches and six feet long and are usually shaped like a pan, shallow and oval or circular in design. The bodies placed inside were found clad in leather garments and bearing primitive jewelry. Pottery included in the graves dates to the C-Horizon (Nubian) variety—rough brown with patterns of oblique lines or undecorated. Painted skulls of horned animals were placed in nearby offertory pits, and the graves also held Egyptian axes and daggers. The pan-graves culture depicts cattle herders. The skulls, horns, and leather kilts reflect active nomadic lifestyles.
The pan-graves found in Lower Nubia date to the same period and were probably dug by immigrants to the region or by the Medjay, who settled in that territory as Egyptian allies or as an occupation force. Pan-graves pottery has also been found in elkab and quban, an indication that the Medjay units garrisoned these positions for the Egyptians. There was some conflict between the Med-jay and the local populations in Nubian districts in the past, and the troops would have been a reliable occupation force.
Panhesi (Panhey) (fl. 14th-12th centuries b. c.e.) Clan of public officials serving in the New Kingdom (15501070 B. C.E.).
The first Panhesi was an official of the Eighteenth Dynasty, serving akhenaten (r. 1353-1335 b. c.e.). He was a member of the temple of aten during the ’amarna Period. His tomb portrays him as an elderly, heavyset man. The second Panhesi was an official of the Nineteenth Dynasty, serving ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b. c.e.) as a scribe and director of the nation’s gold stores. He was superintendent of the gold shipments from nubia. This Panhesi was buried in thebes.
The last known Panhesi, an official of the Twentieth Dynasty, served Ramesses XI (r. 1100-1070 b. c.e.). He was the viceroy of nubia, involved as well in military affairs. When a revolt against the high priest of amun took place in Thebes, Panhesi gathered up military units and marched to the area. There he put down the rebellion, dismissing the truant prelate. Returning to his administrative center on the elephantine Island, Panhesi left one man in charge of the city This man, herihor, made himself high priest of Amun and began a process of divided rule in Egypt.
Panopolis This is a site northeast of akhmin, noted for a monument to the god min. The original chapel for Min dates to the reign of tuthmosis iii (1479-1425 b. c.e.). This was part of a complex erected originally by Nakht-min, the first prophet of Min, in the reign of aha (Menes; c. 2920 b. c.e.). Reliefs in the structure portray Tuthmosis III making offerings before the god Min, amun, and other deities. ptolemy ii philadelphus (r. 285-246 b. c.e.) is also portrayed there. Harma’kheru, the high priest of Min during Ptolemy Il’s reign, added to the shrine as part of the duties of his office.
Papyrus A plant, cyperus papyrus, once common throughout the Nile valley and now being reintroduced, the Egyptians called the plant djet or tjufi. The modern term is probably derived from pa-p-ior, which is translated as “that which is from the river.” The ancient variety, cyperus papyrus, is a type of sedge, growing to a height of 25 feet, probably from eight to 10 feet in ancient periods. The plant was found throughout the Nile valley, especially in the Delta region, and was the emblem of Lower Egypt.
A papyrus roll was called a tchama or a djema. The preparation of the papyrus by priests and scribes involved cutting the stem into thin strips, which were laid side by side perpendicularly, with a resin solution poured over the strips. A second layer of papyrus strips was then laid down horizontally and the two layers were pressed and allowed to dry. Immense rolls could be fashioned by joining the compressed sheets. one roll, now in the British Museum, measures 135 feet in length. The usual size was nine to 10 inches long and five to five and one-half inches wide. The rolls used in the temple or in state courts were 16 to 18 inches long.
Papyri were originally made for religious documents and texts, with sheets added to the rolls as needed. The sides of the papyrus are the recto, where the fibers run horizontally, and the verso, where the fibers run vertically. The recto was preferred, but the verso was used for documents as well, allowing two separate texts to be included on a single papyrus. Papyrus rolls were protected by the dry climate of Egypt. one roll discovered in modern times dates to c. 3500 b. c.e.
The color of the papyrus varied from dark to a light brown. In the Ptolemaic Period (304-30 b. c.e.), the rolls were cream colored, yellow, or nearly white. Rolls were kept tightly secured by cords or strips of linen tied with knots. Papyri used for official functions sometimes had clay seals that designated their origin and contents. Papyri of importance were kept in wooden boxes.
The major papyri recovered from sites on the Nile include the following:
ABBOTT PAPYRUS AMHERST PAPYRUS ANASTASI PAPYRUS ANI PAPYRUS
BEATTY PAPYRUS IV, CHESTER BERLIN PAPYRI EBERS PAPYRUS GHUROB SHRINE PAPYRUS HARRIS PAPYRUS HEARST PAPYRUS HUNEFER PAPYRUS JUDICIAL PAPYRUS OF TURIN KAHUN PAPYRUS LANSING PAPYRUS LONDON PAPYRUS NEBSENI PAPYRUS ORBINEY, PAPYRUS D’
PRISSE PAPYRUS RAMESSEUM PAPYRI RHIND PAPYRUS SALLIER PAPYRI SATIRICAL PAPYRUS ST. PETERSBURG PAPYRUS SMITH PAPYRUS, EDWIN TURIN MINING PAPYRUS VINDAB PAPYRUS 3873 WESTCAR PAPYRUS WILBOUR PAPYRUS
Papyrus scepter An amulet called the wadj or uadj, or the papyrus column, the papyrus scepter was believed to impart vigor, vitality, abundance, and virility to the wearer. Made of glazed ware and decorative stones, the amulet was shaped like a papyrus stem and bud. The robust growth of the papyrus represented the heartiness that was bestowed upon the wearer of the papyrus scepter.
Par A divine form of the god amun, popular in thebes as a fertility symbol, Par was called “the Lord of the Phallus.” He was brought to the fields in various agricultural FESTIVALS to insure good harvests.
Paradise This was the eternal abode available to the deceased Egyptians judged worthy of eternal bliss by the deity OSIRIS and the FORTY-TWO JUDGES of the JUDGMENT HALLS of OSIRIS. The goddess ma’at and the god thoth aided in this determination. Such deceased Egyptians were denoted as ma’at kheru, “true of voice.” The eternal paradises of the Egyptians always contained water, breezes, refreshments, and repose. Such edenic realms were called the Lake of Flowers, the Lake of Reeds, A’aru, Amenti, or Ma’ati. Ma’ati was the site beyond the grave where the deceased buried scepters of crystals containing flames of fire.
Paraetonium This was a harbor site on the Mediterranean Sea, west of ALEXANDRIA, the modern MERSA MATRUH. Ptolemaic (304-30 b. c.e.) in origin, Paraetonium was built near a fortress dating to ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b. c.e.), now called Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham.
Parasites (fl. fifth century b. c.e.) Royal woman of Persia She was the consort of darius ii (r. 423-405 b. c.e.). A noble woman, Parasites was recorded as politically ambitious and wealthy. She was Darius Il’s half sister. While he was only the son of artaxerxes i and a concubine, Parasites aided him in usurping the throne.
Parennefer (fl. 14th century b. c.e.) Palace official of the Eighteenth Dynasty
He served akhenaten (r. 1353-1335 b. c.e.) as “the Royal Butler, Clean of Hands.” Parennefer knew Akhenaten from childhood and followed him to ’AMARNA (Akhe-taten), the new capital, north of thebes. Parennefer had two tombs prepared, in ’Amarna and in Thebes. He was buried in his Theban tomb, which contains depictions of his honors and rewards.
Paser (1) (fl. 15th century b. c.e.) Military official of the Eighteenth Dynasty
Paser served amenhotep ii (r. 1427-1401 b. c.e.) as a troop commander of the nation’s army. This role was an ongoing military command, as Amenhotep II was militarily active, maintaining the imperial gains of his father, TUTHMOSIS III. Paser was buried with honors at thebes.
Paser (2) (fl. 13th century b. c.e.) Aristocratic and high-ranking official of the Nineteenth Dynasty He served seti i (r. 1306-1290 b. c.e.) and ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b. c.e.) as vizier. Paser’s father was neben-TERU, a high priest of amun, and his mother was an official of the god’s wife of amun. He was a hereditary prince and count and the overseer of the city of THEBES. In his later years he succeeded his father as high priest of Amun and oversaw the building of Seti I’s tomb. A statue of Paser is in the British Museum in London, and a ScARAB pectoral bearing his name was found on the mummy of an apis bull in saqqara. Reliefs in his tomb enumerate the duties of vizier, giving daily transactions in some instances.
Paser (3) (fl. 12th century b. c.e.) Official of the Twentieth Dynasty who brought grave robbers to justice Paser served as the mayor of thebes for ramesses ix (r. 1132-1112 b. c.e.). In this capacity he investigated the rampant vandalism and desecration of necropolis sites, charging Prince pawero, the chief of necropolis sites, with criminal activity. Paser suffered harassment, threats, and abuse as a result, but he proved his accusations, bringing about Prince Pawero’s fall. The AMHERST PAPYRUS and Abbott papyrus document Paser’s faithful service and the ordeals that he endured to put an end to the rampant tomb robberies and desecration of the dead.
See also tomb robbery trial.
Pat A social caste of ancient Egypt, associated with the god HORUS from early historical periods, the pat maintained hereditary titles, properties, and ranks and were considered true aristocrats, normally part of vast nome clans. The pyramid texts of the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties (2465-2150 b. c.e.) depict the pat and Horus, their patron.
Patenemheb (fl. 14th century b. c.e.) Priestly official of the Eighteenth Dynasty
He served akhenaten (r. 1353-1335 b. c.e.) and then HOREMHAB (r. 1319-1307 b. c.e.). Patenemheb was the high priest of re who witnessed the rise of the cult of aten and the subsequent fall of ’amarna. He retained his rank during Akhenaten’s reign because solar cults were not suppressed. When ’Amarna collapsed, Patenemheb received the patronage of Horemhab and aided in the restoration of the traditional temple rites in the Nile Valley.
Pawara (fl. 14th century b. c.e.) Egyptian diplomat of the Eighteenth Dynasty who was murdered He served akhenaten (r. 1353-1335 b. c.e.) and was murdered while in Amurru, a vassal city-state on the Levantine coast ruled by King aziru. Pawara was the legate of Egypt when he was slain by Aziru’s agents. Egypt was forced to evacuate Amurru as a result of the death. Akhen-aten did not charge Aziru and did not retaliate for the death of his faithful servant. The Egyptian Empire was imperiled by such inactivity during the ’amarna period.
Pawero (fl. 12th century b. c.e.) Prince and count of the Twentieth Dynasty, convicted of tomb robbery Pawero prospered during the reign of ramesses ix (1131-1112 b. c.e.) but was then brought to trial on charges of conspiracy and robbery. He was the chief of the necropolis police in thebes during a period of increasing tomb vandalisms. paser (3), the mayor of Thebes, accused Pawero of involvement in a ring of tomb invaders, and Pawero retaliated with threats and abuse. Paser, however, took the case to Ramesses ix, and Pawero was arrested. He and his gang of thieves were allied to high officials, thus causing a serious scandal.
The ABBOTT PAPYRUS and amherst papyrus give accounts of the affair, in which lesser individuals confessed, implicating Pawero and others. A series of court hearings was held to express the criminal elements, and the convicted individuals received sentences of whippings, mutilations, exile, and even death. sacrilege and blasphemy were part of such criminal activities, resulting in severe penalties for the guilty
Pay Lands This is the original site where the gods came into being on the “first occasion,” the moment of creation according to cosmological traditions over the centuries. The deities associated with the primeval MOUND formed the Pay Lands with their sacred utterings. These unique sites were called Djeba and Hareoty, the Blessed islands, and were depicted in tomb reliefs in the temple of edfu. ptah, as Nefer-her, rose on the Djeba, and re’s cosmological traditions involved a similar emergence. The falcon or hawk, the symbol of horus, was the lord of these abodes.
The traditions of Re’s cult denoted the Pay Lands as being associated with that deity’s coming to his eternal mansion, called the Hinterland of WARET, the island of Fury, the Mansion of Shooting, the Mansion of the Mystery, the House of Combat, and the Seat of the Two Gods. These sites were not geographically identified but maintained powerful connotations as spiritual domains of Re.
In other traditions, the Pay Lands, called “the Place of the Ghosts” in some eras, were held to be gardens and marsh areas, sacred to the seats of several gods. The enemies of Egypt could not enter the Pay Lands because they were annihilated there. The Pay Lands were also eternal paradises commemorating creation. The Pay Lands revered throughout Egypt included
Mound of the Radiant One The Island of Re The Djed Pillar of the Earth The High Hill The Oil Tree Land Behdet (Edfu)
He-Who-Is-Rich-in Kas
The Great Seat Where Enemies Are Slain
The Throne
The Praise of Re
The Territory of Re’s Circuit
The Hinterland of waret
The island of Fury
The House of combat
The seat of the Two Gods
The Egyptian traditions normally designated specific spiritual realms as the source of their theological concepts and other sites as the destination of deceased humans. The Pay Lands thus added a mythological basis to the various cultic rituals and by their existence in the various traditions rooted the beliefs of each new generation in a quasi-historical reality The custom of maintaining older traditions alongside newer revelations was bolstered by the celebration of such historical sites and events as the Pay Lands.
See also cosmogony.
Peak of the West This is the modern site of sheikh abd’ el qurna on the western shore of the Nile at thebes. Identified as the peak of the west in a deir el-medina stela, the site was the home of the goddess meresger (1), called “the Lover of Silence” and “the Lady of Heaven.” The Peak of the West is a spur of the hill that faces Thebes.
Pebatma (fl. eighth century b. c.e.) Royal Nubian woman of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty
She was the consort of kashta (r. 770-750 b. c.e.) and the mother of piankhi (1), shabaka, abar, and, possibly,
AMENIRDIS I, a Divine Adoratrice of Amun. Pebatma was queen of meroe, in Kush, or nubia (modern Sudan), and she apparently did not accompany her husband or sons to Egypt. Meroe was a sumptuous Nubian city, steeped in pharaonic and Amunite traditions.
Pectoral An elaborate form of necklace, fashioned out of FAIENCE, stones, or other materials and worn in all historical periods in Egypt, they were normally glazed, with blue-green designs popular in most eras. Most royal pectorals were decorated with golden images that honored the cultic traditions of the gods, with deities and religious symbols being incorporated into dazzling designs. Pectorals have been recovered in tombs and on mummified
Pediese (fl. seventh century b. c.e.) Prince of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty, known for his elaborate tomb He was a son of psammetichus i (r. 664-610 b. c.e.) and was buried with beautiful mortuary regalia and decorations. Pediese’s tomb is located at the base of a deep shaft beside the step pyramid of djoser (r. 2630-2611 b. c.e.) in SAQQARA. Beautifully incised hieroglyphs on the walls of the tomb depict mortuary formulas and funerary spells to aid Pediese beyond the grave. Stars also decorate the ceiling. The prince’s sarcophagus is massive and beautifully decorated. Djenhebu, Psammetichus I’s chief physician and an admiral in the Egyptian navy, rested in another Twenty-sixth Dynasty tomb nearby
Pedisamtawi (Potasimto) (fl. sixth century B. C.E.) Military commander of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty He served psammetichus iii (r. 526-525 b. c.e.) as an army general. Pedisamtawi led his troops to the temple of RAMESSES II at ABU SIMBEL and left an inscription there, written in Greek. He was on a campaign against rebels in NUBIA (modern Sudan) at the time.
Pedubaste (d. 803 b. c.e.) Founder of the Twenty-third Dynasty
He reigned from 828 b. c.e. until his death, a contemporary of SHOSHENQ III (r. 835-783 b. c.e.) of the Twenty-second Dynasty Pedubaste was at leontopolis. He raised his son, Iuput, as his coregent, but Iuput died before inheriting the throne. Pedubaste is commemorated in KARNAK inscriptions. He served as the high priest of Amun at thebes in the reign of takelot ii and then fashioned his own dynasty. Pedubaste was succeeded by SHOSHENQ IV at Leontopolis.
Pedukhipa (fl. 13th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Hittites in the reign of Ramesses II
She was the consort of the hittite ruler hattusilis iii. Pedukhipa wrote to Queen nefertari, the beloved wife of RAMESSES II (r. 1290-1224 b. c.e.) and also received messages from the pharaoh, an indication of her political power. The letters were discovered in Boghazkoy (modern Turkey), the site of Hattusas, the Hittite capital. Queen Pedukipa’s daughter, probably ma’at hornefrure, married Ramesses II in the 34th year of his reign as a symbol of the alliance between Egypt and the Hittites.
Peftjau’abast (fl. 740-725 b. c.e.) Ruler of the Twenty-third Dynasty
He reigned in herakleopolis 740-725 b. c.e. and married irbast’udjefru, a niece of takelot iii and the daughter of RUDAMON. When piankhi (1) of nubia (modern Sudan) began to move northward to claim Egypt, Peftjau’abast joined a coalition of petty rulers and marched with them to halt the Nubian advance. Piankhi, however, crushed the Egyptians at herakleopolis. Peftjau’abast surrendered to Piankhi but remained in his city as a vassal governor.
Pega This was a site in abydos that formed a gap in the mountains and was considered the starting point for souls on their way to eternal life. A well was dug near Pega and there the Egyptians deposited offerings for the dead. Such gifts were transported through the subterranean passages to amenti, the netherworld.
See also mortuary rituals; paradise.
Pekassater (fl. eighth century b. c.e.) Royal Nubian woman of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty
She was the consort of piankhi (1) (r. 750-712 b. c.e.) and the daughter of alara, the Nubian (modern Sudanese) king. Pekassater resided in napata, the capital near the fourth cataract of the Nile. There is some indication that Queen Pekassater was buried at abydos.
Pelusium A site on the most easterly mouth of the NILE, near Port Sa’id, the modern Tell Farama, the Egyptians called the city Sa’ine or Per Amun. Pelusium served as a barrier against enemies entering the Nile from Palestine. In 343 B. C.E., ARTAXERXES III OCHUS defeated NECTANEBO II at Pelusium, beginning the second Persian Period (343-332 b. c.e.) in Egypt.
Penne (Penno, Penni Pennuit) (fl. 12th century B. C.E.) Governor of the Twentieth Dynasty, a powerful “King’s Son of Kush”
He served ramesses iv (r. 1163-1156 b. c.e.) as the governor of nubia (modern Sudan) and was honored with the title of the “King’s Son of Kush.” Penne was also the mayor of aniba. His tomb in Aniba, south of ASWAN, contains reliefs that depict Penne being honored by Ramesses IV as “the Deputy of wawat,” a district of Nubia. He was the superintendent of the quarries of the region. Penne erected a statue of the pharaoh and received two vessels of silver in return.
His Aniba tomb is now on the west bank of the Aswan High Dam.
Depicts his career, honors, and closeness to the royal household.
Penreshnas (fl. 10th century b. c.e.) Royal woman of the Twenty-second Dynasty
A lesser ranked consort of shoshenq i (r. 945-924 b. c.e.), she is commemorated as the daughter of a great chieftain of the period. Prince Nimlot was probably her son.
Pentaur, Poem of An inscribed text found in thebes, KARNAK, and ABYDOS and contained in the sallier papyri, the poem describes the battle of kadesh and the exploits of RAMESSES II (r. 1290-1224 b. c.e.). Pentaur, or
Pentaware, is believed to have been a scribe in the reign of MERENPTAH, Ramesses Il’s son and heir. It is possible that he copied the document from an earlier version. Not a true poem, the work treats various stages of the Kadesh campaign. Other details were contained in bulletins and reliefs.
The battle of Kadesh was decisive in returning Egypt to the international stature that it had enjoyed during the Eighteenth Dynasty, establishing Ramesses II as one of the nation’s greatest pharaohs and Egypt as a military power among its contemporaries. Pentaur described the campaign in poetic terms, providing a sense of drama to the scene when the pharaoh realizes that he has been ambushed. Ramesses II rallies his forces, which include the Regiments of re, ptah, sutekh, and amun. With the pharaoh in the lead, the Egyptians battled their way free. The HITTITES and their allies had hoped to destroy Ramesses at Kadesh but were forced to accept a stalemate. A treaty with the Hittites, however, did not come about for many years.
Pentaweret (Pentaware) (fl. 12th century b. c.e.) Prince of the Twentieth Dynasty involved in a harem conspiracy
He was the son of ramesses iii (r. 1194-1163 b. c.e.) and a lesser-ranked consort, named tiye (2). Queen Tiye entered into a harem conspiracy to assassinate Ramesses III and to put aside the heir, ramesses iv, in order to place her son on the throne. All of the plotters were arrested, including judicial officials, and all were punished with death, disfigurement, or exile. Pentaweret was to commit suicide as a result of his conviction in the trial conducted by the court. His death had led to conjectures that his remains are those of “prince unknown” or Man E. Queen Tiye was believed to be one of the first to be executed.
Pentu (fl. 14th century b. c.e.) Medical official of the Eighteenth Dynasty
He served akhenaten (r. 1353-1335 b. c.e.) at the new capital of ’amarna (Akhetaten). Pentu was the royal physician. His tomb, fashioned near Akhenaten’s capital,
Pepi I (Meryre) (d. 2255 b. c.e.) Second ruler of the Sixth Dynasty
He reigned from 2289 b. c.e. until his death. Pepi I was the son and successor of teti and Queen iput (1), who served as his regent in his first years. An unknown royal figure, userkare, possibly served as a coregent before Pepi I inherited the throne.
Pepi I ruled with a certain vigor and was militarily innovative. He used General weni to conduct campaigns in NUBIA and in the sinai and Palestine with mercenary troops from Nubia (modern Sudan). Weni drove off the sinai Bedouins and landed his troops on the Mediterranean coast, having transported them there on vessels. Pepi I’s vessels were discovered in byblos in modern Lebanon, and he sent an expedition to punt. During these campaigns Pepi I was called Neferja-hor or Nefersa-hor. He took the throne name Meryre or Mery-tawy soon after. His wives are listed as neith (2), iput (2), Yamtisy, WERET-IMTES (2), and Ujebten. Later in his reign he married two sisters, ankhnesmery-re (1), and ankhnesmery-re (2).
Pepi I built at abydos, bubastis, dendereh, elephantine, and HIERAKONPOLIS. Copper statues fashioned as portraits of him and his son merenre i were found at Hierakonpolis. A harem conspiracy directed against him failed, but one of his older wives disappeared as a result. His sons, born to Ankhnesmery-Re (1) and (2) were Merenre I and Pepi II. His daughter was Neith (2).
Pepi I’s pyramid in saqqara was called Men-nefer, “Pepi Is Established and Beautiful.” The Greeks corrupted that name into Memphis. The complex contains Pyramid Texts, popular at that time, and his burial chamber was discovered empty The sarcophagus had disappeared, and only a canopic chest was found.
Pepi II (d. 2152 b. c.e.) Fourth ruler of the Sixth Dynasty, Egypt’s longest ruling pharaoh
He reigned from 2246 b. c.e. until his death and was the son of PEPI I and ankhnesmery-re (2). Pepi II was only six years old when he inherited the throne from his brother Merenre. His mother served as his regent during his minority, and his uncle, the vizier Djau, maintained a stable government.
Pepi II married neith (2), iput (2), wedjebten, and probably ankhnes-pepi. During his 94 year reign, the longest rule ever recorded in Egypt, Pepi II centralized the government. He sent trading expeditions to nubia and PUNT and he had a vast naval fleet at his disposal as he established trade routes.
While still a child, Pepi II received word from one of his officials, a man named harkhuf, that a dwarf had been captured and was being brought back to Memphis.
He dispatched detailed instructions on the care of the small creature, promising a reward to his official if the dwarf arrived safe and healthy. Pepi II also notified the various governors of the cities en route to offer all possible assistance to Harkhuf on his journey The letter stresses the importance of 24 hour care, lest the dwarf be drowned or injured.
Pepi I’s pyramidal complex in southern saqqara has a large pyramid and three smaller ones. A mortuary TEMPLE, a causeway, and a valley temple are also part of the complex design. The valley temple has rectangular columns, decorated and covered with carved limestone. The causeway, partially destroyed, has two granite doorways. The mortuary temple has passages and a vestibule. A central court has an 18-pillar colonnade, and the sanctuary is reached through a narrow antechamber that is decorated with scenes of sacrifices. A wall surrounds the complex that is dominated by the pyramid called “Pepi Is Established and Alive.” Constructed out of limestone blocks, the pyramid has an entrance at ground level on the north side. A small offering chapel leads to a rock-cut burial chapel and a star-decorated vestibule with pyramid text reliefs. The extensive mortuary complex drained Egypt’s treasury and set in motion a series of weaknesses that brought the Old Kingdom to an end.
Pepi-Nakht (fl. 23rd century b. c.e.) Noble official of the Sixth Dynasty
He served in the reign of pepi ii (2246-2152 b. c.e.). Pepi-Nakht was the Old Kingdom equivalent of the VICEROY of Nubia (modern Sudan), serving as the governor of the lands below the first cataract. He was originally from the elephantine. His cliff tomb at Aswan gives detailed information about his expeditions into Nubia to put down a rebellion of local tribes there. He slew princes and nobles of the Nubian tribes and brought other chiefs back to MEMPHIS to pay homage to the pharaoh.
Pepi-Nakht also traveled to the Red Sea to bring back the body of an official slain in the coastal establishment (possibly kuser), where the Egyptians had ships built for expeditions to punt. Kuser was the port used by the Egyptians in most eras. Pepi-Nakht bore the title of “Governor of Foreign Places.” He was deified locally after his death and had a shrine at ASWAN.
See also deification.
Per-Ankh An educational institution throughout Egypt, called “the House of Life,” the Per-Ankh was erected in many districts and cities and was a depository for learned texts on a variety of subjects, particularly MEDICINE. The first reference to the Per-Ankh dates to the Old Kingdom (2575-2134 b. c.e.). The institution continued in other historical periods, flourishing in the Nineteenth Dynasty (1307-1196 b. c.e.) and later eras. Reportedly, two of the officials condemned in the harem plot against ramesses iii (r. 1194-1163 b. c.e.) were from the Per-Ankh.
These institutions contained training services and resources in the various sciences. Most incorporated a Per-Medjat, a House of Books, as well. clinics and sanatoria were attached to the Per-Ankh in abydos, akhmin,
’AMARNA, EDFU, ESNA, KOPTOS, MEMPHIS, and THEBES. Priests in these institutions studied art, magic, medicine, funerary rituals, sculpture, painting, the writing of sacred books, theological texts, mathematics, embalming, ASTRONOMY, and MAGICAL DREAM INTERPRETATION.
Major scholarly documents were maintained in these institutions and copied by scribes. The Per-Ankh also served as a workshop where sacred books were composed and written by the ranking scribes of the various periods. It is possible that many of the texts were not kept in the Per-Ankh but discussed there and debated. The members of the institution’s staff, all scribes, were considered the learned men of their age. Many were ranking priests in the various temples or noted physicians and served the different rulers in many administrative capacities. The Per-Ankh probably existed only in important cities. Ruins of the House of Life were found at ’Amarna, and one was discovered at Abydos. Magical texts were part of the output of the institutions, as were the copies of the Book of the Dead.
Perdiccas (d. 321 b. c.e.) Greek contemporary of Alexander the Great who tried to invade Egypt Perdiccas was the keeper of the royal seal and a trusted military companion of ALEXANDER [iii] the great. He also aided Roxana, Alexander’s widow, after the death of Alexander in 323 b. c.e. Perdiccas then established his own empire and led a Greek force into Egypt, hoping to take possession of the Nile Valley ptolemy i soter (r. 304-284 b. c.e.) was satrap of the Nile at the time. The troops of Perdiccas were not committed to the necessary campaigns and feared such a rash move because of the inundation of the Nile River. As a consequence, Perdiccas was forced to withdraw and was subsequently murdered by his own mutinous officers.
Perfume Lavish scents were used by the Egyptians and contained in beautiful bottles or vials. A perfume vial recovered in Egypt dates to 1000 b. c.e. Perfumes were part of religious rites, and the Egyptians invented a form of glass to hold the precious substance. cones made of perfumed wax were also placed on the heads of guests at celebrations. As the warmth of the gathering melted the wax, the perfumes dripped down the head and provided lush scents. In the temples the idols of the gods were perfumed in daily rituals.
See also myrrh.
Peribsen (Set, Sekhemib, Uaznes) (d. c. 2600 b. c.e.) Fourth ruler of the Second Dynasty
He reigned in an obscure and troubled historical period in Egypt and was originally named Set or Sekhemib. He changed it to Peribsen, erasing his original name on his funerary stela at abydos. This name change possibly indicates a religious revolt that threatened him politically. Peribsen ruled Egypt for 17 years and was called “the Hope of All Hearts” and “Conqueror of Foreign Lands.”
Peribsen’s tomb in umm el-ga’ab was sunk into the desert and made of brick. The burial chamber had stone and copper vases, and storerooms were part of the design. The tomb, now called “the Middle Fort,” had paneled walls and a chapel of brick. Two granite stelae were discovered there. His cult at abydos and Memphis was very popular and remained prominent for several hundred years. Peribsen’s vases were found in saqqara. He was devoted to the god set at ombos.
Peristyle court An element of architectural design in Egyptian temples, peristyle courts were designed with a roofed colonnade on all four sides, resembling glades in the center of forests and adding a serene element of grandeur and natural beauty to shrines and divine residences. This style of architecture became famous throughout the world at the time.
Per-nefer This was the ancient site of Egyptian mummification rituals, designated as “the House of Beauty.” The royal funerary complexes of the pharaohs normally contained a chamber designated as the per-nefer. These were part of the valley temples, and the royal remains were entombed within the confines of these chambers. other sites were established for commoners who could not afford mummification at their tomb sites. The ritual and medical procedures at each per-nefer followed traditions and were regulated in all periods.
See also IBU.
Pero (per-wer, per-a’a) The royal residence or palace. The word actually meant “the Great House” and designated not only the royal residence but the official government buildings in the palace complexes as well. such centers were called “the Double House” or “the House of Gold and House of Silver,” an allusion to Upper and Lower Egypt. The administration of the two kingdoms of Egypt, in the north and in the south, was conducted in their respective buildings.
These royal residences were normally made of bricks and thus perished over the centuries, but the ruins of some palaces, found at ’amarna, deir el-ballas, per-RAMESSES, etc., indicate the scope of the structures and the elaborate details given to the architectural and artistic adornments. In the reign of tuthmosis iii (1479-1425 b. c.e.) of the Eighteenth Dynasty, the term pero began to designate the ruler himself, and later pharaohs employed the word in cartouches.
World History
