Khnumhotep & Niankhkhnum
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Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum are speculated to be the first recorded male couple in history. They shared the title of Overseer of the Manicurists in the Palace of King Niussere during the Fifth Dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs, and are listed as "royal confidantes" in their joint tomb.
The tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum was discovered by Egyptologist Ahmed Moussa in 1964, in the necropolis at Saqqara, Egypt. It is the only tomb in the necropolis where men are displayed embracing and holding hands. In addition, the men's names are combined in a linguistic reference to their closeness. In a banquet scene, Niankhkhnum and Khnuhotep are entertained by dancers, clappers, musicians and singers; in another, they oversee their funeral preparations. In the most striking portrayal, the two embrace in the most intimate pose allowed by canonical Egyptian art, surrounded by what would appear to be their heirs.
In counter, it is postulated that the men were brothers, perhaps even twins (the men are shown together and also with their wives and children).
