Stela of Horhetep

Round-topped stela of limestone from Esna, grave 267 E’06, described by Dorothy Downes as ”'the most handsome of the stelae found at Esna” (1974, 80). The stone is broken across the middle and held together within a wooden frame. The lowest register shows a single scene depicting the deceased, Horhotep, standing to the left with his arms by his sides. Opposite him at the right is his brother, Senebsuma, who holds a censer towards Horhotep in outstretched arms. Both of the men wear traditional short, pointed kilts. Above this scene are six horizontal lines of hieroglyphic text, which read: “A boon which the king gives to Geb and the Ennead, greatest of great, [and to] Osiris, Foremost of the Westerners, Lord of Abydos, that they might give invocation offerings of bread and beer, oxen and fowl, alabaster and clothing, and everything good and pure on which a god lives, for the Ka of the ‘security official of the estate guard’ (?) [jmy-xt sAw-pr ?], Horhotep, true of voice, born of Serukhib, son of the Citizen, Montusa, true of voice. It is his brother who causes his name to live, ‘chief of tens of Upper Egypt’ [wr mdw Sma], Senebsuma”. Top of the stela (front) marked in pencil "267 E'06". Back of stela is a rough surface. CONDITION NOTE 1998: Broken into two pieces with loose fragment, surface loss, worn, chipped, suface dirt.