The Island Sehel - An Epigraphic Hotspot

How to explore the Rocks of Sehel
A Guide to the Pharaonic Rock Inscriptions and Archaeological Remains on the Island
01 Large Tableau belonging to the viceroy of Kush, Huy. During the New Kingdom,
Kush was an Egyptian province in Lower Nubia that was governed by a viceroy, who
was appointed by the Egyptian king. Huy, who lived in the 19th Dynasty and served
under king Ramesses II (1279-1213 BCE), is shown in the lower part of the relief, his
hands uplifted in adoration. In the upper part, his master, Ramesses II, offers wine
to the local gods Khnum, Satet and Anuket, who form the Triad of Elephantine. The
text underneath his elbow reads: “Giving wine to his father (i.e. Khnum)”.
02 Most inscriptions’ owners have themselves depicted with insignia of office
and rank. In this case, Payamen, with shaven head and short apron, carries an armshaped
censer, in which he is burning incense grains in front of the cartouche of
Amenophis II (18th Dynasty, 1428-1397 BCE). His handling of the ritual instrument
as well as his dress both illustrate the titles of Payamen mentioned in the accompanying
text. He was an 'offerer of Amun', 'scribe of the god’s offering' and 'bearer of
the arm-shaped censer of this perfect god', all of which are priestly titles.
01
02
05
03
06
04
03 Anuket was the most revered goddess and the main recipient of the cult on
Sehel. Hence, she is often depicted and appealed to in the local rock inscriptions.
But only rarely is the adoration of a statue of Anuket shown - e.g. in the tableau of
the 'chief portrait sculptor in the Temple of Ra', Amenemipet (New Kingdom, 19th
Dynasty). Here, the sculptor, who himself was responsible for the carving of temple
statues, is adoring a statue of the island’s goddess, which is placed on a pedestal
and holding a papyrus scepter (wadj-sign) as well as a symbol of life (ankh-sign).
04 Unlike Amenemipet (03), who was probably from Thebes and just inspecting
the quarries of Aswan, Khnumemwesekhet was mayor of Elephantine and, thus, belonged
to the administrative elite of the region. He and his wife Hener, a chant-euse
of Khnum, the lord of Elephantine, are shown worshipping a seated statue of
Anuket. Furthermore, the inscription attests to the ancient practice of damnatio
memoriae, i.e. the erasure of the name and the symbolic damaging of the face and
hands of a person who has fallen from grace and should not be remembered.
05 Throughout antiquity, Aswan was famous for its extensive red granite quarries,
where many of Egypt’s great monuments such as obelisks were cut. In this context,
a great number of officials who supervised works in the quarries commemorated
themselves in rock inscriptions. One of them, Amenhotep, not only held the title
of 'director of works in the great house of granite' during the reign of Hatshepsut
(c. 1479-1458 BCE), but also was appointed high priest of Anuket. That is why, in his
tableau, he is wearing a leopard’s skin, which is part of the high priest’s sacred robe.
06 Besides the Triad of Elephantine (Khnum, Satet and Anuket), in
Bakenkhons’ inscription also Amun, 'king of the gods' and main god
of the New Kingdom, as well as Ramesses VI (20th Dynasty, c. 1142-
1134 BCE) are venerated. Bakenkhons is known from the so-called
Turin Indictment Papyrus (“Elephantine scandal”). There it is reported
that other priests had plotted to prevent him from being promoted
to the position of high priest of Khnum by manipulating the oracle’s
decision. But they failed and, eventually, their scheme was exposed.
07 In front of Ramesses II (19th Dynasty, 1279-1213 BCE), one of his officials, Khnumemhab,
is depicted on a smaller scale in the act of adoration. While his right hand is
lifted, his left holds either a scribe’s palette or a papyrus roll. The attribute refers to
his profession as a 'chief archivist in the two royal treasuries', 'chief scribe in the temple
of Amun', and 'overseer of sealed goods in the southern foreign lands'. Particularly
the latter title links Khnumemhab to the extraction and delivery of gold from
Nubia’s eastern desert, which were, at this time, under the control of Amun’s temple.
09 The epigraphic usage of Sehel’s landscape started already in the Old Kingdom.
The Inscriptions of that period are concentrated especially near the southern bay
and, for the most part, only give the name and title of the inscription’s owner. Lacking
further information, it is difficult to determine why people commemorated
themselves in this place. However, it can be assumed that Sehel played an important
role in the control of the border region at the First Cataract. Furthermore, it is
likely that already early in the island’s history it was viewed as a religious site.
10 The prominent, high-lying rock features three inscriptions from different times.
In the upper part, the viceroy of Kush Sethy is shown kneeling and adoring the cartouches
of king Siptah (19th Dynasty, c. 1194-1186 BCE). Beneath it, the depiction
and name of another viceroy, Usersatet (temp. Amenophis II, 1428-1397 BCE), who
somehow must have fallen into disgrace, are partly erased. At his feet, three small
male figures of varying colours probably represent the deities Petempamentes, Petensetis
and Petensenis, who were venerated on Sehel Island in the Ptolemaic era.
12 In ancient times, the First Cataract was considered the gateway to Nubia and
in order to travel southwards, both trade expeditions as well as military troops had
to pass through it. The importance of this route is illustrated by a group of texts
located along the eastern hillside of Bibi Tagug. Among them, a tableau dating from
the reign of Senwosret III (c. 1872-1853 BCE) commemorates the king’s campaign
against Nubia and his command to clear out a navigation channel near Sehel, that
was hence named “Beautiful are the ways of Khakaure (Senwosret III) eternally”.