From The Glyph Project
The Stele of Irtysen is dated to the Middle Kingdom, 11th Dynasty, during the reign of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep. (2033-1982 BC) The name, Mentuhotep, can be made out in the cartouche.
The stele comes from a chapel in Abydos.
Transcription
- [?] Indicates a missing sign.
- ? Indicates a sign that couldn't be made out from the chicken scratch provided by the source.
- Aa0 Indicates a sign that was clear enough to make out, but couldn't be identified as a known sign.
- [...] Indicates a missing block of signs.
- ... Indicates a work in progress.
Main Text
Footer Text
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Translation
Main Text
| Row
| Transliteration
Translation
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| 1
| ˁnḫ ḥrw zmȝ tȝwj nbtj zmȝ tȝwj nswt bjtj rˁ zȝ mnṯwḥtp ˁnḫ ḏt
The living Horus, uniting the two lands, the Two Ladies, uniting the two lands, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Son of Ra Mentuhotep, may he live eternally.
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| bȝk.f mȝˁ n st jb.f jrr ḥzzt.f nbt m ẖrt rˁ nt rˁ nb jmȝḫy ḫr nṯr ˁȝ jrtjsn
His true servant of the seat of his heart, giving all his praise in lying under the day and belonging to every/all day, and honored by the great God, Irtysen.
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| ḥtp dj nswt wsjr nb ḏd(w) ḫnt jmnt nb ȝbḏw m swt.f nbt nfrt wˁbt
A royal offering by Osiris, lord of Busiris, foremost of the westerners, lord of Abydos, on all his good and clean thrones
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| prt-ḫrw m t kȝ ḥnqt ȝbd šsrw ḫt nb(t) nfr(t) wˁbt n ḥsb ḥ...
invocation offering in the capacity of bread, cattle, beer, birds, linen, and every good and pure thing without count, ...
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| nb ȝbḏw ḏsrtw ḥḏt ḥzȝt mrrt ȝḫ wn jm n jmȝḫy ḫr wsjr
lord of Abydos, strong ales, white. The sacred cow, which the Achs love ... honored by Osiris
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| ḫr jnpw nb tȝ ḏsrt jmy r ḥmw ... jrtjsn ḏd jw rḫ
and by Anubis, Lord of the Sacred Land, overseer of artisans ... Irtysen saying, "yea, I know
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| kw sšt(sswt?) n nṯr sn...
... of god ...
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Footer Text
The text in the footer is grouped loosely into columns, with each person in the scene below being identified by a set of columns above. Many of the columns are designed to be read in retrograde fashion as the direction of the symbols seems to have been kept consistent throughout, but it is the individual the column describes, who's image determines the direction of reading. (ie. for the two figure on the left, facing right, read right to left, while for the other figures on the right, facing left, read left to right.)
- Columns 1-3
- zȝ.s mry.s ṯȝnn mȝˁ ḫrw
- Her son, her beloved, Tchenen, justified.
- The suffix pronoun here is interesting and would seem to imply that this boy is not Irtysen's son. Based on how the rightmost figures all seem to be joined by holding hands, it would seem that this is the son of Qemunet, who would be the daughter-in-law of Irtysen through his son Mentusa.
- Columns 4-6
- zȝt.f mrt.f qmwnt
- His daughter, his beloved, Qemunet.
- Columns 7-8
- zȝ.f mry.f mnṯwzȝ mȝˁ ḫrw
- His son, his beloved, Mentusa, (son of Mentu) justified.
- Columns 9-12
- zȝ.f mry.f mnṯwḥtp mȝˁ ḫrw
- His son, his beloved, Mentuhotep, (Mentu is satisfied) justified.
- Columns 13-17
- zȝ.f wr.f mry.f wsrtzjn
- His son, his eldest, his beloved, Wesretzin.
- Columns 18-19
- jmȝḫy.f jrtjsn
- His honorable Irtysen.
- Columns 20-22
- ḥmt mrt.f mȝˁt ḥ?pw ḫrw
- His beloved wife H???pu, justified.
Sources
External Resources
