354:, and they were an important burial place for the rulers of the fourteenth Nome. When it was excavated by Aylward Blackman, it was given the letters A–E in order to signify the various rock-cut tombs. The tombs were cut out into a hillside and laid out from North to South. This site holds approximately seventy five tombs with interior decoration and countless others that have been pillaged or damaged through the years. Below the main rock-cut tomb site is a cemetery dedicated to the members of the city who were not nomarchs. Not much excavation was accomplished on this particular ‘commoner’ cemetery, there is essential no information regarding that site in any of the volumes of work done by any of the main excavators of Meir.
397:,’ ‘Superintendent of the Priests of Hathor’ and many more. The undisturbed tomb – the largest found at the cemetery of Meir – was discovered by Ahmed Bey Kamal's workmen in March 1913. Similar to the other tombs at Meir, the tomb of Pepyankh the middle had beautiful examples of daily life reliefs. There are countless descriptions of the various reliefs, one passage says “All the walls of room C are covered with painted reliefs, the brilliance of which was greatly enhanced by the dark slate-grey to indigo background… as is usually the case with the productions of the sixth-dynasty provincial craftsmen, the technique of these reliefs is somewhat crude.”
326:(1901–1902), and Sha’ban (1903), spent a decent amount of time excavating the Meir site. The reports from these excavations strictly focus on the great tombs, but even still are poorly published with limited detail. Finally, between the years 1912–1950 Aylward Blackman spent time excavating Meir and eventually released six volumes describing the various rock-cut tombs at the site. Unfortunately, Blackman focused on the more elaborate and complete tombs, leaving the less extravagant to stay unexcavated and unpublished. This is where
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419:
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410:.’ In addition to the titles, there are also depictions of ceremonies relating to Hathor in the reliefs on the walls. One example of this can be found in the tomb of Senbi's son Ukh-hotp. In a relief found in his tomb there is a ceremonial picture of two bulls fighting to the death, and it is believed that this is related to winning the honor of being with the goddess cow, Hathor.
389:.” Upon excavation of the tombs, it was discovered that Pepyankh the middle was the son of Sebkhotpe (Hepi) and Pepkhernefert (Bebi) and that his wife was Hewetiaah. Together Pepyankh the middle and Hewetiaah had six sons and three daughters. From the tomb, it was also noted that titles held by Pepyankh the middle included: ‘Confidant of the King in his Every Place,’ ‘
405:
In all of the decorated tombs in Meir it is evident that the goddess Hathor was an important element in the lives of the people of Cusae. In
Volumes I–VI of Blackman's books, it is evident that just about all of the nomarchs, as well as their various family members, held positions relating to Hathor.
296:
was the primary excavator of the site and as a result he published six volumes of work pertaining to his findings. The tombs are laid out North to South along a hillside and
Blackman labeled the chapel-tombs A–E. Meir is known to have one of the richest sources of Middle Kingdom tombs. It is also
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Before any archaeologists could excavate Meir, many of the tombs were pillaged for timber. Later in time, fragments and incomplete tombs were burned in giant bonfires after being deemed ‘worthless and in the way.’ In 1890
490:
D2. Pepy-‘ankh-hir-ib (Neferka/Heny/Pepyankh the Middle) (During Pepi II): Nomarch; Vizier; Outline-draughtsman; Overseer of prophets of Hathor
Mistress of Cusae; Overseer of Upper Egypt in the central
292:. Proof of Hathor worshiping was found on inscriptions on the walls of the rock-cut tombs, which included numerous mentioning of the priestesses of Hathor as well as numerous depictions of cows.
297:
known for the tombs having extremely detailed reliefs illustrating daily life scenes. Examples of well excavated tombs of this site include the tombs of Ukh-Hotep and
Pepyankh the Middle.
288:
lies a cemetery that is specifically for the more common folk. The rock-cut tombs only functioned for nomarchs of the city of Cusae, which was a cult center for the
Egyptian deity
436:
A2. Pepy-ankh the youngest (Heni-kem) (During Pepi II): Overseer of the duckpool; Chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt; Overseer of prophets; son of Ni’ankh-Pepy-kem.
474:): Nomarch; Overseer of prophets of Hathor Mistress of Cusae; Director of every divine office; Lector of the Great Ennead; son of Ukhhotep (A3) and Mersi.
464:(During Senusret I): Nomarch of the Atef-nome; Chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt; Overseer of prophets of Hathor Mistress of Cusae; son of Senbi (B1).
705:. In Richards, Janet E. and Mary Van Buren (eds), Order, legitimacy, and wealth in ancient states, 21–35. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
711:
406:
Many of the nomarchs held the title, ‘Overseer of prophets of Hathor’ or ‘Priest of Hathor’ and a lot of the important women had the title, ‘
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took over the gauntlet of excavating the site, during the years 1910–1914, in an effort to excavate the less prestigious (incomplete) tombs.
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sparked interest for the archaeologist community by paying a visit to the Meir site. A short time later, a number of archaeologists such as
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situated some 5 kilometers to the northeast of the cemetery and some 7 kilometers southwest of el-Qusiya (ancient Cusae).
691:"The self-presentation of Pepyankh the Middle at Meir: Scandal, Religious Institutions and Participation, the Next World"
665:
The
Digital Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Statues, Reliefs, and Paintings, volume 4
264:
Meir was the functioning cemetery for Cusae, located in Egypt, approximately thirty to forty miles north of the city of
620:
The rock tombs of Meir: Part IV: The tomb-chapel of Pepi'onkh the middle son of
Sebkhotpe and Pekhernefert (D, no. 2)
311:
750:
674:
Chests of Life: A study of the typology and conceptual development of Middle
Kingdom standard class coffins
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E1. Meni (Menia): Inspector of prophets; First under the King; Friend of the house of the royal favourites.
379:
The Rock Tombs of Meir Vol. IV: The Tomb-Chapel of Pepi’onkh the Middle son of
Sebkhotpe and Pekhernefert.”
37:
327:
373:
The tomb of
Pepyankh the Middle (D2.), known sometimes as Heny the Middle, dates back to the time of
611:
The rock tombs of Meir: Part. III: The tomb-chapel of Ukh-Hotp son of Ukh-Hotp and Mersi: (B, no. 4)
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390:
273:
219:
177:
690:
467:
B3. Senbi (During Senusret I): Hereditary prince; Overseer of prophets; son of Ukh-hotp (B2).
457:): Nomarch; Overseer of prophets; Chancellor of the King of the Lower Egypt; son of Ukh-hotp.
447:
119:
695:
Lotus and Laurel: Studies on Egyptian language and religion in honour of Paul John Frandsen
377:. Blackman published his findings on Pepyankh the Middle's tomb in 1924 in a book called, “
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8:
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450:): Overseer of Upper Egypt; Chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt; Overseer of prophets.
433:): Overseer of Upper Egypt; Chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt; Overseer of prophets.
503:
E4. Thetu: Overseer of the Thentet-cows, First under the King; Inspector of prophets.
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601:
The rock tombs of Meir: Part II: The tomb-chapel of Senbi's son Ukh-Hotp: (B, no. 2)
293:
599:
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319:
168:
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C2. Kha’kheperre-sonb (Iy) (During Senusret II): Nomarch; Overseer of prophets.
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published a follow-up book on the tomb of Pepyankh the middle called, “
481:): Nomarch; Overseer of prophets; son of Ukhhotep and Heny the middle.
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The rock tombs of Meir: Part I: The tomb of Pepyankh the middle
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194:'cemetery of Mayr/Meir') is an archaeological site in
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The Cemetery of Meir: Vol. 1 The tomb of Pepyankh the Middle
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The cemetery of Meir II: The tomb of Pepyankh the Black
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The cemetery of Meir I: The tomb of Pepyankh the Middle
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697:, Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, pp. 19–43
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225:The cemetery is named after the village of Meir at
500:E3. Pepy-‘ankh (During Pepi II): Intimate; Lector.
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429:A1. Ni’ankh-Pepy-kem (Sebkhotp/Hepi-kem) (During
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443:): Nomarch; Overseer of Sealers; son of Iam.
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703:Society and Individual in Early Egypt
693:, in Nyord, Rune; Kim Ryholt (eds.),
636:Blackman, A.M.; Apted, M.R. (1953b).
627:Blackman, A.M.; Apted, M.R. (1953a).
640:. London: Egypt Exploration Society.
631:. London: Egypt Exploration Society.
622:. London: Egypt Exploration Society.
613:. London: Egypt Exploration Society.
604:. London: Egypt Exploration Society.
593:. London: Egypt Exploration Society.
589:Blackman, A.M.; Apted, M.R. (1914).
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276:(6th–12th Dynasty) cemetery for the
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346:The tombs at Meir date back to the
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16:Archaeological site in Middle Egypt
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654:Kanawati, N.; Evans, L. (2014).
645:Kanawati, N.; Evans, L. (2012).
422:Inside of the tomb of Senbi (B1)
202:located on the west bank of the
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638:The rock tombs of Meir: Part VI
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629:The rock tombs of Meir: Part V
487:D1. Pepi: Royal scribe; Judge.
1:
507:
206:. Here are the graves of the
658:. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.
649:. Oxford: Aris and Phillips.
497:E2. Nenki: Intimate; Lector.
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284:. Below the hillside of the
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312:Georges Émile Jules Daressy
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667:. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
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280:of the fourteenth Nome of
214:from the ancient Egyptian
676:. Leiden: Ex Oriente Lux.
537:Kanawati & Evans 2012
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609:Blackman, A.M. (1915b).
598:Blackman, A.M. (1915a).
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268:. Meir functioned as an
210:, mayors and priests of
672:Willems, Harco (1988).
618:Blackman, A.M. (1924).
391:Overseer of Upper Egypt
701:O'Connor, David 2000.
423:
343:
308:Émile Gaston Chassinat
727:27.40889°N 30.71056°E
689:Baines, John (2015),
663:Porter, B.; Moss, R.
477:C1. Ukhhotep (During
470:B4. Ukhhotep (During
448:Merenre Nemtyemsaf II
446:A4. Hepi-kem (During
439:A3. Ukhhotep (During
421:
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149: • Summer (
85:27.40889°N 30.71056°E
19:Place in Asyut, Egypt
751:Cemeteries in Egypt
723: /
408:Priestess of Hathor
369:Pepyankh the Middle
342:Meir tombs, group A
316:Alessandro Barsanti
240: /
81: /
732:27.40889; 30.71056
453:B1. Senbi (During
424:
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165:necropolis of Meir
90:27.40889; 30.71056
573:Porter & Moss
395:Hereditary Prince
301:Early excavations
244:27.450°N 30.750°E
200:Asyut Governorate
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57:Location in Egypt
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362:Main article:
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286:rock-cut tombs
274:Middle Kingdom
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249:27.450; 30.750
220:Middle Kingdom
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66:Coordinates:
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525:Willems 1988
472:Amenemhat II
425:
404:
386:
381:and in 2012
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352:12th Dynasty
345:
304:
263:
224:
196:Middle Egypt
184:Maqābir Mayr
164:
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730: /
479:Senusret II
462:Ukhhotep II
455:Amenemhat I
364:Ukhhotep II
324:Jean Clédat
282:Upper Egypt
270:Old Kingdom
247: /
120:Governorate
88: /
718:30°42′38″E
715:27°24′32″N
508:References
441:Senusret I
76:30°42′38″E
73:27°24′32″N
414:Tombs A–E
178:romanized
173:مقابر مير
132:Time zone
745:Category
401:Religion
322:(1900),
314:(1900),
278:nomarchs
260:Overview
208:nomarchs
375:Pepi II
235:30°45′E
232:27°27′N
198:in the
192:
180::
101:Country
491:nomes.
431:Pepi I
290:Hathor
169:Arabic
110:
334:Tombs
266:Asyut
212:Cusae
137:UTC+2
125:Asyut
113:Egypt
460:B2.
218:and
204:Nile
190:lit.
163:The
51:Meir
26:Meir
348:6th
216:Old
151:DST
141:EST
747::
515:^
318:,
222:.
187:,
175:,
171::
157:+3
575:.
350:–
272:–
167:(
153:)
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139:(
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