Khnumhotep III
Encyclopedia
Khnumhotep was an Ancient Egyptian vizier
of the Twelfth Dynasty.
Khnumhotep was the son of the local governor Khnumhotep II, known from his tomb at Beni Hasan
(tomb 3). Khnumhotep was promoted as a young man, under Senusret II
to the royal court and was sent on several missions, one of them to the Red Sea, another one to Byblos
. He became high steward and finally vizier. Khnumhotep is known from inscriptions in the tomb of his father, from a stela found at the Red Sea and mainly from his mastaba
at Dahshur
, next to the pyramid of Senusret III
. The tomb was first excavated by Jacques de Morgan
around 1894. He found several inscriptions. New excavations after 2000 found several further biographical inscriptions, including those mentioning an expedition to Byblos
and Ullaza.
The mastaba was solid, without inner rooms. It was built of mud bricks covered with fine limestone. The outside was decorated with a palace façade and with the biographical inscription.
Vizier (Ancient Egypt)
The vizier was the highest official in Ancient Egypt to serve the king, or pharaoh during the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. Vizier is the generally accepted rendering of ancient Egyptian tjati, tjaty etc, among Egyptologists...
of the Twelfth Dynasty.
Khnumhotep was the son of the local governor Khnumhotep II, known from his tomb at Beni Hasan
Beni Hasan
Beni Hasan is an Ancient Egyptian cemetery site. It is located approximately 20 kilometers to the south of modern-day Minya in the region known as Middle Egypt, the area between Asyut and Memphis.While there are some Old Kingdom burials at the site, it was primarily used during the Middle...
(tomb 3). Khnumhotep was promoted as a young man, under Senusret II
Senusret II
Khakeperre Senusret II was the fourth pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled from 1897 BC to 1878 BC. His pyramid was constructed at El-Lahun...
to the royal court and was sent on several missions, one of them to the Red Sea, another one to Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
. He became high steward and finally vizier. Khnumhotep is known from inscriptions in the tomb of his father, from a stela found at the Red Sea and mainly from his mastaba
Mastaba
A mastaba, or "pr-djt" , is a type of ancient Egyptian tomb in the form of a flat-roofed, rectangular structure with outward sloping sides that marked the burial site of many eminent Egyptians of Egypt's ancient period...
at Dahshur
Dahshur
Dahshur , is a royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile approximately 40 kilometres south of Cairo...
, next to the pyramid of Senusret III
Senusret III
Khakhaure Senusret III was a pharaoh of Egypt. He ruled from 1878 BC to 1839 BC, and was the fifth monarch of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. Among his achievements was the building of the Sisostris Canal...
. The tomb was first excavated by Jacques de Morgan
Jacques de Morgan
Jean-Jacques de Morgan was a French mining engineer , geologist, and archaeologist. He was the director of Antiquities in Egypt during the 19th century , and excavated in Memphis and Dashur, providing many drawings of many Egyptian pyramids...
around 1894. He found several inscriptions. New excavations after 2000 found several further biographical inscriptions, including those mentioning an expedition to Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
and Ullaza.
The mastaba was solid, without inner rooms. It was built of mud bricks covered with fine limestone. The outside was decorated with a palace façade and with the biographical inscription.