41. Cylinder Seal of Heqanefer, Chief of Miam

A cylinder seal is a type of administrative stamp rolled on clay to produce a rectangular print. This one was probably made in the Wawat region, being faience-glazed stone (a Nubian technique). It belonged to Heqanefer, an elite who administered the region of Wawat based at Aniba (ancient Miam). The inscription reads: ‘The great one [chief] of Miam, Heqanefer’. His tomb at Toshka East also revealed his titles, including ‘child of the nursery (kap)’ (a child page in the royal court, applicable to people of Egyptian and other descents) and ‘chief of oarsmen’. Heqanefer chose to depict himself as an Egyptian in his tomb, as is the case with his ushabti representations. However, he is portrayed differently in the tomb of Huy, who was Tutankhamun’s viceroy of Kush and as such in charge of Heqanefer's domain. In the scene from Huy's tomb he is represented as a stereotyped kneeling ruler leading a tribute procession. His 'othered' representation performatively asserted Huy’s power as viceroy of Kush. Heqanefer’s story is similar to Amenemhat’s (no. 35). It demonstrates the contingencies of social and cultural identity, the role of art in self-definition, and the politics of constructing other people's identity through visual culture. Scan the brown QR code below to see different representations of Heqanefer.