Amanitakaye
Amanitakaye (c. 6th century BCE) was a Nubian royal woman, likely a queen, who was part of the royal family of the kingdom of Kush.[1] She is only known from her burial in the royal cemetery of Nuri (Nuri 26), located in modern-say Sudan.[2] She was perhaps the mother of king Malonaqen, but this is only a guess, although supported by objects with that king's name in her burial.[3] It has been suggested that she may have the daughter of Aspelta and sister-wife of Aramatle-qo.[1][4]
She bears the titles king's mother and king's sister.[5][6]
Amanitakaye's burial consisted of a pyramid with a chapel and underground burial rooms. In the chapel there was still standing a stela. There was a staircase going underground and leading to the two burial chambers. The burial was found robbed, but fragments of at least 89 shabtis were found. They bear the name and the title of the queen. Several vessels were also found, as well as faience plaques with her name and with the name of king Malonaqen. This might indicate that she was his mother. Another object, an electrum cylinder, also bore her name, as well as giving her the title king's sister.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Török, László (2015-11-02). The Kingdom of Kush: Handbook of the Napatan-Meroitic Civilization. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-29401-1.
- ^ Welsby, Derek A. (2023-12-14). Gematon: Living and Dying in a Kushite Town on the Nile, Volume I: Excavations at Kawa, 1997-2018. Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-80327-677-9.
- ^ Eide, Tormod (1994). Fontes Historiae Nubiorum: From the eighth to the mid-fifth century BC. University of Bergen, Department of Classics. ISBN 978-82-991411-6-1.
- ^ The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology. Egypt Exploration Fund. 1949.
- ^ Dows Dunham and M. F. Laming Macadamː Names and Relationships of the Royal Family of Napata, in The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology˞, Vol. 35 (Dec., 1949), p. 142, pl. XV (no. 10)
- ^ Lohwasser, Angelika (2001). Die königlichen Frauen im antiken Reich von Kusch: 25. Dynastie bis zur Zeit des Nastasen (in German). Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3-447-04407-3.
- ^ Dows Dunhamː The Royal cemeteries of Kush, vol. II, Boston 1955, pp. 145-128, 263 (fig. 207), pls. XLIV B, CIX online