The Middle Kingdom

Dynasties 11-13

ca. 2040-1640 BCE

The End of Chaos• Nehepetra MontuhotepNehepetra Montuhotep (Dynasty 11) unifies

Egypt

• Ends 1st Intermediate Period, establishes Middle Kingdom

• Changes his Horus name to Sematawy (he who unifies two lands)

• ThebesThebes now dominate city

• Initiates a new artistic style:• Access to Memphis area• Distances himself from previous chaos• Signals return to centralized state• Intentionally links himself to Memphite style• Constant tension between tradition & innovation

Pre-unification StylePre-unification Style Post-unification StylePost-unification Style

Intentional Reference to Old Kingdom Memphite StylesIntentional Reference to Old Kingdom Memphite Styles

Deir el-BahriDeir el-Bahri, western Thebes

ThebesThebes

Wahankh Inyotef II

ThebesThebes

Thebes: El-QurnThebes: El-Qurn

Mortuary Temple of MontuhotepMortuary Temple of MontuhotepDeir el-Bahri, Dynasty 11, ca. 2030 BCE

6’ 9”

Statues of Mentuhotep I forecourtStatues of Mentuhotep I forecourtMortuary Temple of MontuhotepDeir el-Bahri, Dynasty 11, ca. 2030 BCE

6’ 9”

Mortuary Temple of MontuhotepMortuary Temple of MontuhotepDeir el-Bahri, Dynasty 11, ca. 2030 BCE

Mortuary Temple of MontuhotepMortuary Temple of MontuhotepDeir el-Bahri, Dynasty 11, ca. 2030 BCE

Battle Scene reliefBattle Scene reliefMortuary Temple of MontuhotepDeir el-Bahri, Dynasty 11, ca. 2030 BCE

Montu Embracing Montuhotep reliefMontu Embracing Montuhotep reliefMortuary Temple of MontuhotepDeir el-Bahri, Dynasty 11, ca. 2030 BCE

Montuhotep Statue in Burial ChamberMontuhotep Statue in Burial ChamberMortuary Temple of MontuhotepDeir el-Bahri, Dynasty 11, ca. 2030 BCE

Dynasty 12:Dynasty 12:

Kings rule from MemphisBuried at Lisht

Pyramid Complex of Senwosret IPyramid Complex of Senwosret ILisht, Dynasty 12, ca. 1930 BCE

Pyramid Complex of Senwosret IPyramid Complex of Senwosret ILisht, Dynasty 12, ca. 1930 BCE

Sahura, AbusirSahura, AbusirSenwosret I, LishtSenwosret I, Lisht

Mummiform statue of Senwosret IMummiform statue of Senwosret IPyramid Complex of Senwosret ILisht, Dynasty 12, ca. 1930 BCE

Dynasty 12 Temples

• Great period of temple building

• Rebuilt, adorn, and build new temples at HeliopolisHeliopolis and KarnakKarnak

• Most mudbrick with stone elements

Jubilee Shrine of Senwosret IJubilee Shrine of Senwosret IKarnak, Dynasty 12, ca. 1940 BCE

Function:Function:Jubilee festival kioskHeld double throne of Senwosret I

After death: Transformed into a way station for the barq of Amun

Jubilee Shrine of Senwosret I: pillar reliefsJubilee Shrine of Senwosret I: pillar reliefsKarnak, Dynasty 12, ca. 1940 BCE

Amun-Ra Atum

Jubilee Shrine of Senwosret I: relief pillarJubilee Shrine of Senwosret I: relief pillarKarnak, Dynasty 12, ca. 1940 BCE

Montu Amun-Ra

Jubilee Shrine of Senwosret I: relief pillarJubilee Shrine of Senwosret I: relief pillarKarnak, Dynasty 12, ca. 1940 BCE

Senwosret IIISenwosret IIIDynasty 12, ca. 1850 BCE

Papyrus with a fragment of the Instructions of Amenemhat I

Dynasty 12: Royal Instruction TextsDynasty 12: Royal Instruction Texts

“Trust none as brother. Make no friend.

Create no intimates - it is worthless…”

Dynasty 12: Royal Instruction TextsDynasty 12: Royal Instruction Texts

“…I myself was maker of crops beloved of Nepri.

The Nile Flood honored me at every embrace.

None hungered in my years, none thirsted then.

Men rested through what I had done, and told tales of me.

All I had decreed was in its correct place.”

Dynasty 12: Royal Instruction TextsDynasty 12: Royal Instruction Texts

Amenemhat IIIAmenemhat IIIDynasty 12, ca. 1800 BCE

Amenemhat III as SphinxAmenemhat III as SphinxDynasty 12, ca. 1800 BCE

Beni Hasan TombsBeni Hasan Tombs

Tomb of AmenemhatTomb of AmenemhatBeni HasanDynasty 12, ca. 1850 BCE

Tomb of AmenemhatTomb of AmenemhatBeni HasanDynasty 12, ca. 1850 BCE

Tomb of Kheti, Beni Hasan

Tomb of Amenemhat, Beni Hasan

Tomb of KhnumhotepTomb of KhnumhotepBeni Hasan, Dynasty 12, ca. 1890 BCE

Tomb of Khnumhotep:Tomb of Khnumhotep:Khnumhotep Bird trappingKhnumhotep Bird trappingBeni HasanDynasty 12, ca. 1890 BCE

Tomb of Khnumhotep: Feeding oryxesTomb of Khnumhotep: Feeding oryxesBeni HasanDynasty 12, ca. 1890 BCE

Tomb of Khnumhotep: Fig pickingTomb of Khnumhotep: Fig pickingBeni HasanDynasty 12, ca. 1890 BCE

The HyksosThe Hyksos

Tomb of Khnumhotep: Procession of ForeignersTomb of Khnumhotep: Procession of ForeignersBeni HasanDynasty 12, ca. 1890 BCE

c.2500 BC

c. 2050 BC

Grave of Osiris

Abydos: Cult of OsirisAbydos: Cult of Osiris

Offering formula

Sahathor at offering table

Block statue

Stela & Block Statue of SahathorStela & Block Statue of SahathorAbydosDynasty 12, ca. 1900 BCE

Kahun: Pyramid TownKahun: Pyramid TownDynasty 12

Middle Kingdom

Funerary Developments

Sarcophagus of Princess KawitSarcophagus of Princess KawitDynasty 11

Wadjet-eye“Eyes of Horus”

Interior of Coffin of SeniInterior of Coffin of SeniBersha, Dynasty 12

Pyramid TextPyramid TextCoffin TextCoffin Text

Faience shabtisFaience shabtisMiddle Kingdom

Tomb of Meketra and Tomb of Wah, Thebes

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Tomb of DjashaDynasty 5

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Tomb of MerirahahetefDynasty 6

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Scribes from the granary model

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Assessing the cattle

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Assessing the cattleTomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Tomb of Meketra

44”

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)

Tomb of Meketra (Dynasty 11)