485

Daressy #: 174

Owner: TT 34 Montuemhat

Reasons: Inscription

Transliteration: Hm-nTr 4 nw jmn jmj-rA Smaw mnTw-m-HAt mAa-xrw sA=f wr n Xt=f Hm-nTr jmn rx-nswt ns-ptH jr.n nbt pr ns-xnsw mAat-xrw

Translation: Fourth prophet of Amun, overseer of Upper Egypt, Montuemhat justified, his eldest son of his body, prophet of Amun, king's acquaintance, Nesptah, born of the mistress of the house, Neskhons justified.

Date: 25th Dynasty Taharqa to 26th Dyn. Psamtik I.

Length: 20.0cm (After the one housed in the World brick Museum, Kyoto. Personal communication between Kento Zenihiro and the staff of the museum. 3rd Apr. 2011.)

Colours: Thick white. Some of other Montuemhat cones (# 418, # 419, # 420, # 461, # 472, # 486, and # 604) also exhibit a similar thick white layer. This practice was not exclusive to Montuemhat, but was also observed in the cases of other Late Dynasty officials, including TT 36 Ibi (# 450, # 451, # 610, and # 641/B.14), TT 410 Mutirdis (# 48, # 387, # 603, and # 608. # 48 and # 603), TT 196 Padihorresnet (# 515), and TT 279 Pabasa (# 92, # 468, and # 469). The presence of a thick white layer on the cones of these individuals suggests a potential influence from Montuemhat, who was the earliest active and powerful figure among the five.

Findspots:

• One from TT 34 (Nasr 1997: 218-219).

Remarks: 

• The ascribed owner is identical to that of # 409, # 410, # 411, # 418, # 419, # 420, # 449, # 460, # 461, # 472, # 473, # 486, # 604, and # 656/B.29.

• Of the 15 known types of seal impressions, 11 (# 411, # 418, # 419, # 420, # 449, # 461, # 472, # 485, # 486, # 604, and # 656/B.29) are certain to be authentic and to have existed. The dimensions, design, textual content, and inscription style of # 411, # 418, # 419, # 420, # 449, # 461, # 472, # 485, and # 486 suggest that the maker of them is the same indivisual. However, it is unclear whether they were produced simultaneously or at different points in time. Montuemhat is known to have had three wives, each of whom is represented by a cone # 418, # 419, # 420, # 472, and # 485. If Montuemhat married the three wives simultaneously, it is possible that these cones were made at the same time. However, if he married the three wives sequentially, it is possible that each cone was created in the order of the marriages, or they might have been made simultaneously after he married the third wife.

• See also 01-212 in Davies's notebook, 05-066 & 076 in Macadam's DALEX file 1, and 06-061, 064, 065, 068, 085, 101, & 111 in his DALEX file 2.

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