Amenhotep I

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Persondata
NAME	Amenhotep I
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	{{{Alt}}}
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Pharaoh of Egypt
DATE OF BIRTH	{{{Birth}}}
PLACE OF BIRTH	Ancient Egypt
DATE OF DEATH	{{{Death}}}
PLACE OF DEATH	Ancient Egypt

Preceded by:
Ahmose I

Pharaoh of Egypt
18th Dynasty

Succeeded by:
Thutmose I

Amenhotep I

Image:Amenhotep I Stele.jpg

Reign

1526 BC to 1506 BC
(though disputed)

Praenomen

<hiero>M23-L2</hiero><hiero><-N5-D45-D28-></hiero>
Djeserkare
Holy is the soul of Re

Nomen

<hiero>G39-N5</hiero><hiero><-i-mn:n-R4:t*p-></hiero>
Amenhotep
Amun is Satisfied

Horus name

Image:Srxtail2.GIF

Kanaftau
Bull who subdues the lands

Nebty name

Aaneru
Who inspires great fear

Golden Horus

Uahrenput
Enduring of years

Consort(s)

Ahmose-Meritamon

Issues

Amenemhat (died young),
possibly Ahmes

Father

Ahmose I

Mother

Ahmose-Nefertari

Died

1506 BC or 1504 BC

Burial

Mummy found in Deir el-Bahri
cache, but was likely originally
buried in Dra' Abu el-Naga'
or KV39

Djeserkare Amenhotep I (d. 1506 BC or 1504 BC) was the second Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt. He inherited the kingdom formed by the military conquests of his father, and maintained dominance over Nubia and the Delta, however probably did not attempt to keep power in Syrio-Palestine. He continued to rebuild temples in upper Egypt, and revolutionized mortuary complex design by separating his tomb from his mortuary temple, setting a trend which would persist throughout the entire New Kingdom. His reign is generally dated from 1526 to 1506 BC or 1525 to 1504 BC.<ref>Jürgen von Beckerath, Chronologie des Pharaonischen Ägypten, Verlag Philipp von Zabern. (1997), p.189</ref>

1 Family
2 Dates and Length of Reign
3 Foreign Policy
4 Cultural and Intellectual Developments
5 Building Projects
- 5.1 Mortuary Complex
6 Mummy
7 References
8 See also

[edit] Family

Amenhotep I was the son of Ahmose and Ahmose-Nefertari. His elder brother, the crown prince Ahmose Sapair, preceded him in death, thus clearing the way for his ascension to the throne.<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. p. 201. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> Amenhotep probably came to power while he was still young himself, and his mother appears to have been regent for him for at least a short time.<ref>Shaw, Ian; and Nicholson, Paul. The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. p. 28. The British Museum Press, 1995.</ref> This is evidenced because both he and his mother are credited with opening a worker village at the site of Deir el-Medina.<ref>Shaw, Ian; and Nicholson, Paul. The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. p. 28. The British Museum Press, 1995.</ref> Amenhotep took for his Great Royal Wife Ahmose-Meritamon, his sister, and had one son, Amenemhat, with another wife, Ahhotep II.<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. p. 190. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> Amenemhat, however, died while still very young, and with no living heirs, Amenhotep was succeeded by his military commander Thutmose I, whom he married to his sister, or possibly daughter, Aahmes.<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. p. 190. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref>

[edit] Dates and Length of Reign

In the ninth year of Amenhotep I, a heliacal rise of Sothis was observed on the ninth day of the third month of summer.<ref>Grimal, Nicholas. A History of Ancient Egypt. p.202. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> Modern astronomers have calculated that, if the observation was made from Memphis or Heleopolis, such an observation could only have been made on that day in 1537 BC. If the observation was made in Thebes, it could only have taken place in 1517.<ref>Lexikon der Ägyptologie I, Wiesbaden: 969</ref> The latter is usually accepted as correct, and Amenhotep I is given a reign beginning in 1526,<ref>Grimal, Nicholas. A History of Ancient Egypt. p.202. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> although the possibility of 1546 is not entirely dismissed.
Manetho's Epitome states that Amenhotep I ruled Egypt for 20 Years and 7 Months or 21 Years, depending on the source.<ref>Manetho's King List Accessed July 31</ref> While Amenhotep I's highest attested official date is only his Year 10, Manetho's data is confirmed by information from a passage in the tomb autobiography of a Magician named Amenemhet. This individual explicitly states that he served under Amenhotep I for 21 Years.<ref> Ludwig Borchardt, Altägyptische Zeitmessung (Die Geschichte der Zeitmessung und der Uhren, I [Berlin and Leipzig, 1920] Pl.18</ref> <ref>D. Redford, The Chronology of the Eighteenth Dynasty, JNES 25(1966), pp.114</ref>Thus, in the high chronology, Amenhotep I is given a reign from 1546 to 1526 BC and, in the low chronology, from 1526 to 1506 BC or 1525 to 1504 BC.

[edit] Foreign Policy

Amenhotep I's Horus and Two Ladies names, "Bull who conquers the lands" and "He who inspires great terror," are generally interpreted to mean that Amenhotep I intended upon dominating the surrounding nations.<ref>Grimal, Nicholas. A History of Ancient Egypt. p.202. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> Two tomb texts indicate that he led campaigns into Nubia. According to the tomb texts of Ahmose, son of Ebana, Amenhotep later sought to expand Egypt's border southward into Nubia and he led an invasion force which defeated the Nubian army.<ref>Breasted, James Henry. Ancient Records of Egypt, Vol. II p. 17-18. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1906.</ref> The tomb biography of Ahmose Pen Nekhbet says he also fought in a campaign in Kush,<ref>Breasted, James Henry. Ancient Records of Egypt, Vol. II p. 18. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1906.</ref> however it is quite possible that it refers to the same campaign as Ahmose, son of Ebana.<ref>Grimal, Nicholas. A History of Ancient Egypt. p.202. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> Amenhotep built a temple at Saï, showing that he had established Egyptian settlements almost as far as the third cataract.<ref>Shaw, Ian; and Nicholson, Paul. The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. p. 28. The British Museum Press, 1995</ref>

A single reference in the tomb of Ahmose Pen Nekhbet indicates another campaign in Iamu in the land of Kehek.<ref name="Cambridge 2:1 310">James, T.G.H. Egypt: From the Expulsion of the Hyksos to Amenophis I. in The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. 2, part 1, ed. Edwards, I.E.S, et al. p. 310. Cambridge University Press, 1965.</ref> Unfortunatly, the location of Kehek is unknown. It was long believed that Kehek was a reference to the Libyan tribe Qeheq, and thus it was postulated that invaders from Lybia took advantage of the death of Ahmose to move into the western Nile Delta.<ref>Steindorff, George; and Seele, Keith. When Egypt Ruled the East. p.33. University of Chicago, 1942</ref> Unfortunatly for this theory, the Qeheq people only appeared in later times, are Kehek's identity remains unknown. Nubia is a possibility, since Amenhotep did campaign there, and the western desert and the oases have also been suggested, since these seem to have fallen under Egyptian control once again.<ref name="Cambridge 2:1 310"/>

Egypt had lost the western desert and the oases during the second intermediate period, and during the revolt against the Hyksos, Kamose felt it necesarry to garrison them.<ref name="Cambridge 2:1 311">James, T.G.H. Egypt: From the Expulsion of the Hyksos to Amenophis I. in The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. 2, part 1, ed. Edwards, I.E.S, et al. p. 311. Cambridge University Press, 1965.</ref> It is uncertain when they were fully retaken, but on one stele, the title "Prince-Governor of the oases" was used,<ref>Grimal, Nicholas. A History of Ancient Egypt. p.203. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> which means that Amenhotep's reign forms the terminus ante quem for the return of Egyptian rule.<ref name="Cambridge 2:1 311"/>

There are no recorded campaigns in Syrio-Palestine during Amenhotep I's reign, however there is a curious record on the Tombos Stela of Thutmose I, his successor, which says that when Thutmose led a campaign into Asia all the way to the Euphrates, he found no one who fought against him.<ref>Breasted, James Henry. Ancient Records of Egypt, Vol. II p. 30. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1906.</ref> If Thutmose did not lead a campaign which has not been recorded into Asia before this recorded one, it would mean that the preceding pharaoh would have had to pacifiy Syria instead,<ref>Breasted, James Henry. Ancient Records of Egypt, Vol. II p. 28. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1906.</ref> which would indicate a possible Asiatic campaign of Amenhotep I. Two references to the levant potentially written during his reign might be contemporary witnesses to such a campaign. One of the candidates for Amenhotep's tomb contains a reference to Qedmi, which is somewhere in Canaan or the Transjordan, and Amenemhet's tomb contains a hostile reference to Mitanni.<ref name="Cambridge 2:1 309">James, T.G.H. Egypt: From the Expulsion of the Hyksos to Amenophis I. in The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. 2, part 1, ed. Edwards, I.E.S, et al. p. 309. Cambridge University Press, 1965.</ref> However, neither of these references necesarrily refer to campaigning, nor do they even necesarrily date to Amenhotep's reign. The location of Amenhotep's tomb is not certain, and Amenemhet lived to serve under multiple kings who are known to have attacked mitanni.<ref name="Cambridge 2:1 309"/> Records from Amenhotep's reign are simply altogether too scant and too vague to reach a conclusion about any Syrian campaign.

[edit] Cultural and Intellectual Developments

Image:Amenhotep I.jpg

Due to the fact that almost all sculptures of Amenhotep I are part of his posthumous funerary cult, it is impossible to tell exactly how the arts developed during his reign.<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. pp. 203. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> However, during this period a prolific amount of literature was created or edited into its final form. During this period, the Book of What is in the Underworld, the funerary texts used in the New Kingdom, is believed to have come into its final form.<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. pp. 206. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> The Ebers papyrus, which is the main source for information on ancient Egyptian medicine, also dates to this time. Also on this papyrus is the mention of the Heliacal rise of Sothis by which the early New Kingdom chronology is usually calculated.<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. pp. 206. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> It was also in this time that the first water clock was invented, although the oldest surviving waterclock dates to the reign of Amenhotep III.<ref>Helk, Wolfgang. Historisch-biographische Texte der 2. Zwischenzeit und neue Texte der 18. Dynastie. pp. 111-112. Wiesbaden, 1975.</ref>

[edit] Building Projects

Amenhotep commissioned the architect Ineni to expand the Temple of Karnak.<ref>Breasted, James Henry. Ancient Records of Egypt, Vol. II p. 19. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1906</ref> Ineni's tomb biography indicates that he created a 20 cubit gate of limestone on the south side of Karnak.<ref>Breasted, James Henry. Ancient Records of Egypt, Vol. II p. 20. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1906</ref> He constructed a Sacred Barque of Amun out of alabaster and a copy of the White Chapel of Senusret III, however they were disassembled by Amenhotep III to fill his third pylon.<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. pp. 203. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> It is also possible that the eighth pylon, which is usually attributed to Hatshepsut, was simply userped by her and that Amenhotep was its original constructor (though it could also have been Thutmosis I).<ref>Steindorff, George; and Seele, Keith. When Egypt Ruled the East. p.162. University of Chicago, 1942</ref> Karnak also contains structures which were apparently built for his Sed festival, but he died before he could use them.<ref>Amenhotep I Accessed August 1, 2006</ref> At Deir el-Bahri, he constructed a mudbrick chapel to Hathor<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. pp. 206. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref>, and he also built a temple at Saï.<ref>Shaw, Ian; and Nicholson, Paul. The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. p. 28. The British Museum Press, 1995</ref> He also built structures in Upper Egypt at Elephantine, Kom Ombo, Abydos, and the Temple of Nekhbet, but did not build anything in Lower Egypt, like his father.<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. pp. 206. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref>

[edit] Mortuary Complex

Amenhotep I was the first king of Egypt to separate his mortuary temple from his tomb, probably to keep tomb robbers from finding his tomb as easily. He built a mudbrick mortuary temple at the north end of Deir el-Bahri, however it and the shrine to hathor which he built there were totally demolished when Hatshepsut built her mortuary temple at the site.<ref>Shaw, Ian. Exploring Ancient Egypt p. 136. Oxford University Press, 2003.</ref> The location of Amenhotep's tomb is as of yet unidentified. The tomb was known to be intact during the reign of Ramses IX, but its location was not disclosed.<ref>Shaw, Ian; and Nicholson, Paul. The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. p. 28. The British Museum Press, 1995</ref> There are two possible sites for the location of Amenhotep I's undiscovered tomb, one high up in the Valley of the Kings, KV39 and the other at Dra' Abu el-Naga', ANB.<ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. p.202. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref> Tomb ANB is considered the more likely possibility, because it objects bearing his name and the names of some family members.<ref>Shaw, Ian. Exploring Ancient Egypt p. 136. Oxford University Press, 2003.</ref> Excavation at KV 39 has indicated that instead it was used instead as a previos storage area for the Deir el-Bahri cache<ref>KV 39, The Tomb of Amenhotep I? Accessed July 31</ref> and Dra' Abu el-Naga' ANB is considered the more probable location.<ref>Shaw, Ian; and Nicholson, Paul. The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. p. 28. The British Museum Press, 1995</ref><ref>Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. pp. 189, 206. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988</ref>

[edit] Mummy

Image:Amenhotep I Cartonnage.jpg

Amenhotep I's body was found in the Deir el-Bahri Cache above the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut<ref>Shaw, Ian; and Nicholson, Paul. The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. p. 28. The British Museum Press, 1995</ref> and is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. His mummy had apparently not been looted by the 21st dynasty, and the priests who moved the mummy took cares to keep the Cartonnage intact. Because of that exquisite face mask, the mummy is the only royal mummy which has not been unwrapped and examined by modern Egyptologists.<ref>Shaw, Ian; and Nicholson, Paul. The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. p. 28. The British Museum Press, 1995</ref>