Henuttawy C

For other ancient Egyptian women called Henuttawy, see Henuttawy.
Henuttawy C
Chantress of Amun

Coffins of Henuttawy C. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Dynasty 21st Dynasty
Pharaoh Siamun(?) and others
Father Menkheperre(?)
Mother Isetemkheb C
Children Isetemkheb E
Burial Deir el-Bahari, Tomb MMA 60

Henuttawy or Henettawy, was an ancient Egyptian princess[1] and priestess during the 21st Dynasty.

Biography

Henuttawy was probably a daughter of the Theban High Priest of Amun Menkheperre and of Isetemkheb C, herself daughter of pharaoh Psusennes I. She likely married her brother Smendes II who became High Priest of Amun after his father's death. The couple had at least a daughter, Isetemkheb E.[2]
She helds many titles such as Chantress of Amun, Mistress of the House, Chief of the Harim of Amun, Flautist of Mut, God's Mother of Khonsu.[3] Henuttawy died as an elderly woman around her 70s, and was buried in the Deir el-Bahari necropolis near the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. Her tomb (MMA 60) was plundered in antiquity, and was rediscovered in 1923-24 by an expedition led by Herbert E. Winlock. The jewelry was long gone but the mummy, coffins and part of the funerary equipment were taken to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where these are exhibited today.[3][4] Later, some of Henuttawy's coffin were given to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (acc. no. 54.639-40).[5]

According to Kenneth Kitchen, she is likely the same Henuttawy who is mentioned as the beneficiary of a decree carved on the Tenth Pylon of the Precinct of Amun-Ra at Karnak, and issued in years 5, 6 and 8 of an unnamed king – possibly Siamun – when the High Priest of Amun at Thebes was Smendes II's successor, Pinedjem II. The inscriptions did not mentions any title but from these is clear that Henuttawy and her daughter Isetemkheb inherited the property of a man named Smendes, likely the former's defunct husband (Smendes II).[6]

References

  1. ↑ Though Henuttawy C was daughter of a High Priest of Amun, she is often referred as princess likely due to the fact that her father Menkheperre held a kingly status within Karnak.
  2. ↑ Kenneth Kitchen, The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt (1100–650 BC), 1996, Aris & Phillips Limited, Warminster, ISBN 0-85668-298-5, § 46 (ii).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mummy board of Henettawy (C), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (see description)
  4. ↑ Porter, B. & Moss, R., Topographical bibliography of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic texts, reliefs and paintings. I. The Theban necropolis, part 2. 2nd edition, Oxford University Press 1964, p. 629.
  5. ↑ List of Henuttawy's artifact exhibited at the MFA
  6. ↑ Kenneth Kitchen, op. cit., § 389.