The Season of the Hyaena (Ancient Egyptian Mysteries) (56 page)
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Authors: Paul Doherty
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Historical Note
We know a great deal about Mahu from his unoccupied tomb at El-Amarna (the City of the Aten), dug deep into the ground against potential tomb-robbers. The paintings in his tomb are hastily executed but do show Mahu’s great achievement, the frustration of a very serious plot against Akenhaten (N. de G. Davies,
The Rock Tombs of El-Amarna: Tombs of Pentju, Mahu and Others
, Egypt Exploration Society, London, 1906). Archaeologists have also found both his house and the police station in what is now known as El-Amarna; even the fact that he kept an armoury close at hand (see Davies, above). The character, opulence and decadence of the period are well documented and accurately described by the historian Joanne Fletcher in her excellent book
Egypt’s Sun King: Amenhotep III
(Duncan Baird, London, 2000). The rise of the Akhmin gang is graphically analysed by a number of historians, including Bob Briers and Nicholas Reeves, as well as myself in my book
Tutankhamun
(Constable and Robinson, London, 2002). Queen Tiye’s control of Egypt, particularly of foreign affairs, is apparent in what is now known as the ‘Amarna Letters’.
The Rock Tombs of El-Amarna: Tombs of Pentju, Mahu and Others
, Egypt Exploration Society, London, 1906). Archaeologists have also found both his house and the police station in what is now known as El-Amarna; even the fact that he kept an armoury close at hand (see Davies, above). The character, opulence and decadence of the period are well documented and accurately described by the historian Joanne Fletcher in her excellent book
Egypt’s Sun King: Amenhotep III
(Duncan Baird, London, 2000). The rise of the Akhmin gang is graphically analysed by a number of historians, including Bob Briers and Nicholas Reeves, as well as myself in my book
Tutankhamun
(Constable and Robinson, London, 2002). Queen Tiye’s control of Egypt, particularly of foreign affairs, is apparent in what is now known as the ‘Amarna Letters’.
The collapse of Akenhaten’s reign, apart from the outbreak of a virulent plague, is, however, clouded in mystery. The Museum of Berlin holds the famous statue of Nefertiti which reflects her haunting beauty, but it also holds a statue of her when she was much older, and when that beauty had begun to fade. Most historians argue that a serious breach occurred between Akenhaten and Nefertiti, and the cause, as Mahu says, was possibly the birth of Tutankhaten, Akenhaten’s only son by the Mitanni Princess Khiya. Nicholas Reeves, in
Egypt’s False Prophet: Akenhaten
(Thames and Hudson, London, 2001), cites other sources, and has developed the theory that Nefertiti regained power, acted as her husband’s co-regent and even ‘re-invented’ herself as the mysterious Smenkhkare, only to fall abruptly and inexplicably from power.
Egypt’s False Prophet: Akenhaten
(Thames and Hudson, London, 2001), cites other sources, and has developed the theory that Nefertiti regained power, acted as her husband’s co-regent and even ‘re-invented’ herself as the mysterious Smenkhkare, only to fall abruptly and inexplicably from power.
My book
Tutankhamun
contains the evidence for a great deal of what Mahu says. Horemheb’s tomb at Sakkara, with all its inscriptions, depicts Horemheb as Egypt’s great saviour, patronised by Horus of Henes. My book also explains the emptying of the tombs at Amarna and their frantic reburial in different, or hastily dug tombs, in or around the Valley of the Kings. Indeed, the recent discovery of Nefertiti’s corpse, reported in the press during the late summer of 2003, attests to the fact that not all these reburials have been discovered or analysed. For the first two years of Tutankhamun’s reign, the young prince did live a sheltered life in the City of the Aten whilst the work of recovery took place. One of the Restoration stelae (proclamations carved in stone), which has been found, starkly summarises the parlous state of Egypt at the end of Akenhaten’s reign and what had to be done. Two centres of power emerged, at Thebes and Memphis, but the peace was maintained whilst Tutankhamun lived. Ay’s supremacy is clearly indicated; that gold strip depicting him as the war God Montu does exist and is analysed in my recent research on Tutankhamun. Ankhesenamun’s influence is also verifiable. Many of the paintings from Tutankhamun’s tomb show the young Pharoah kneeling or resting, gently tended by his ever-present, beautiful wife. The possibility that Tutankhamun had a half-brother is no mere conjecture but a possible solution to the remains found in Tomb 55 of the Valley of the Kings. The young man buried there was certainly linked by blood to Tutankhamun. As for the mystery of the ‘Watchers’ and the Apiru? I am sure the final part of Mahu’s confession will clear the murky, bloody politics which surround the dramatic conclusion to the magnificent Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt.
Tutankhamun
contains the evidence for a great deal of what Mahu says. Horemheb’s tomb at Sakkara, with all its inscriptions, depicts Horemheb as Egypt’s great saviour, patronised by Horus of Henes. My book also explains the emptying of the tombs at Amarna and their frantic reburial in different, or hastily dug tombs, in or around the Valley of the Kings. Indeed, the recent discovery of Nefertiti’s corpse, reported in the press during the late summer of 2003, attests to the fact that not all these reburials have been discovered or analysed. For the first two years of Tutankhamun’s reign, the young prince did live a sheltered life in the City of the Aten whilst the work of recovery took place. One of the Restoration stelae (proclamations carved in stone), which has been found, starkly summarises the parlous state of Egypt at the end of Akenhaten’s reign and what had to be done. Two centres of power emerged, at Thebes and Memphis, but the peace was maintained whilst Tutankhamun lived. Ay’s supremacy is clearly indicated; that gold strip depicting him as the war God Montu does exist and is analysed in my recent research on Tutankhamun. Ankhesenamun’s influence is also verifiable. Many of the paintings from Tutankhamun’s tomb show the young Pharoah kneeling or resting, gently tended by his ever-present, beautiful wife. The possibility that Tutankhamun had a half-brother is no mere conjecture but a possible solution to the remains found in Tomb 55 of the Valley of the Kings. The young man buried there was certainly linked by blood to Tutankhamun. As for the mystery of the ‘Watchers’ and the Apiru? I am sure the final part of Mahu’s confession will clear the murky, bloody politics which surround the dramatic conclusion to the magnificent Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt.
Finally, readers have asked about the validity of my descriptions of Ancient Egyptian life. I have always had a deep fascination for such a culture even before I studied, in depth, Ancient Middle Eastern literature during my three year course at Ushaw College, Durham. This fascination has never been dimmed. What is surprising is how advanced the Egyptians were in their observation of all forms of natural phenomena. I could provide many examples of this. One of the most obvious is the making of ice. Egypt is a hot country but it has its seasons and it does have freezing nights! The Egyptian writer Athenaeus provides a colourful description of their ice-making process, which can be found in that marvellus book by Peter James and Nick Thorpe,
Ancient Inventions
, London: Michael O’Mara Books, 1995, p. 323.
Ancient Inventions
, London: Michael O’Mara Books, 1995, p. 323.
Dr P C Doherty
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