The Cosmos of Khnumhotep II at Beni Hasan

First published in 1999. High in a cliff at the remote site of Beni Hasan in Middle Egypt, thirty-nine ancient tombs line a narrow ledge above the Nile River. These tombs were cut into the rock face, with pillars of living rock often left standing inside the echoing chambers. The tomb of Khnumhotep II dates to the early 12th Dynasty, primarily to the reign of Amenemhet II. The owner was a high official of the ancient administrative area in which Beni Hasan was located, the Oryx (XVIth Upper Egyptian) none or province. His primary title was Overseer of the Eastern Desert, a title which he held from Year 19 of Amenemhet II (c. 1910 B. C.) until at least Year 6 of Senwosret II (c. 1891 B. C.). This monument is the latest of the large Beni Hasan tombs, and represents the culmination of the series. The detailed analysis of this complex tomb necessarily comprises most of this volume.

CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION THESIS STATEMENT; THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN CONCEPTION OF THE COSMOS, COSMOGONY AND COSMIC PROCESS; COSMOGRAPHY, HIERARCHY OF BEINGS, THE ARCHITECTURAL ENVIRONMENT; CHAPTER II: BACKGROUND: HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, AND ARCHITECTURE AT BENI HASAN; GENERAL HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EARLY DYNASTY; GEOGRAPHY OF THE BENI HASAN AREA; MORTUARY REMAINS; SETTLEMENTS; GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF TOMB 3; MAIN CHAMBER; AUTOBIOGRAPHY; BURIAL SHAFTS; SHRINE; ARCHITECTURAL MODELS; CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY AND PREVIOUS SCHOLARSHIP; TRADITIONAL METHODOLOGY; NEW APPROACHES, ANALYSIS OF THE TOMB CHAPEL OF KHNUMHOTEP II, INTERPRETATION OF MICROSCENES, SUMMARY OF WALLS, SYNTHESIS OF THE TOMB CHAPEL AS A WHOLE, CHAPTER IV: DECORATION OF TOMB 3 WEST WALL, OVERVIEW OF WEST WALL AS A WHOLE NORTH WALL, OVERVIEW OF NORTH WALL AS A WHOLE EAST WALL, OVERVIEW OF EAST WALL AS A WHOLE SOUTH WALL, OVERVIEW OF SOUTH WALL AS A WHOLE SHRINE, OVERVIEW OF SHRINE AS A WHOLE, CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS: TOMB AS A COSMOGRAPH