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Ahhotep in hieroglyphs

Ahhotep I (alternatively spelled Ahhotpe or Aahhotep), an Ancient Egyptian queen who lived circa 1560- 1530 BCE, during the early New Kingdom. A member of the Seventeenth dynasty of ancient Egypt, she was the daughter of Queen Tetisheri (Teti the Small) and Tao I, and likely the sister/wife of the pharaoh Tao II.

Life

She is considered by some historians to be the founder of the eighteenth dynasty, although this is debatable. Her husband, the pharaoh Tao II, had been the pharaoh of only Upper Egypt; at that time the invaders in the intermidiate period, the Hyksos, controlled Lower Egypt. It is thought that after his death in battle against the Hyksos, Ahhotep played a crucial role in government and guidance of Upper Egypt. Ahhotep's sons, Ahmose and Kamose, managed to unite Upper and Lower Egypt by expelling the Hyksos. They assumed full power over the country, and when Kamose, like his father, died before they were able to defeat the Hyksos Ahmose assumed the throne. However, evidence suggests that this occurred when Ahmose I was too young to rule, and hence Ahhotep became regent. Ahhotep lived until she was about 90 years old and was buried beside Kamose at Thebes. Evidence suggests that she played an important role in politics during the unsettled second intermediate period and was influential in driving the Hyksos invaders out of Egypt, following the death of her husband. She was buried with, among other things, three "golden fly" medals (awarded in ancient Egypt for military service) and a ceremonial dagger. She was also presented with the Order of Valour, and a stela in the temple of Amun-Re praises her military accomplishments.

Family

Ahhotep I was the daughter of Tao I and Queen Tetisheri. She was the wife of the 17th Dynasty king Tao II; he is believed to have been her brother, following the ancient Egyptian tradition of royals marrying their siblings to keep royal blood within the family. Ahhotep is believed to be the mother of Kamose and Ahmose, who succeeded their father after he was killed in a battle against the Hyksos.

Military activity

It is possible that Ahhotep led troops into battle herself against the Hyksos. Evidence such as the weaponry and jewelry found in her tomb, along with an ambiguous sentence on a stela devoted to her, indicates that she may have rallied troops:

She is the one who has accomplished the rites and taken care of Egypt... She has looked after her soldiers, she has guarded her, she has brought back her fugitives and collected together her deserters, she has pacified Upper Egypt and expelled her rebels.

Tomb

Ahhotep's tomb was discovered nearly intact in AD 1859 in Dra Abu el-Naga at Thebes.

Ahhotep's mummy was found badly decayed in a gilded coffin, containing many weapons and pieces of jewelry. These artifacts consisted of bracelets, collars, pendants, a necklace, a ceremonial axe, and dagger, as well as two model ships of silver and gold.

Sources

• Lawless, Jennifer Studies in Ancient Egypt
• Callender (1995) The eye of Horus
• Grimal, Nicholas (1994) A history of Ancient Egypt, Oxford
• Eternal Egypt

• Seventeenth dynasty of Egypt
• Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt
• Queens regnant
• Regents
• Women in ancient Egyptian warfare
• Ancient Egyptians