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The Offering Formula in the First Intermediate Period

Article  in  The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology · January 1990

DOI: 10.2307/3822017

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The Offering Formula in the First Intermediate Period
Author(s): Ronald J. Leprohon
Source: The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology , 1990, Vol. 76 (1990), pp. 163-164
Published by: Sage Publications, Ltd.

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.com/stable/3822017

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I990 BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS I63
E 749
749 was
was made
madesosothat
thatthe
thefit
fit
could
could
be be
tried
tried
in in
Cairo,9
Cairo,9
andand
a drawing
a drawing
of the
of base
the base
of the
ofstatue
the statue
is is
given
given here
here with
withthe
thecorner
cornerfragment
fragment
from
from
Liverpool
Liverpool
added
added
to itto(fig.
it (fig.
2). 2).
There
There is
is no
no indication
indicationininthe
thepreliminary
preliminary
report
report
of of
thethe
work
work
of Garstang
of Garstang
and Jones")
and Jones")
that they
that they
dug
dug in
in the
the part
partof
ofthe
thetemple
templearea
area
at at
Hierakonpolis
Hierakonpolis
that
that
Quibell
Quibell
called
called
the 'Citadel',
the 'Citadel',
that is,
thatthe
is,five-
the five-
chambered
chambered mud
mudbrick
brickbuilding
buildingwithin
withinthethe
oval
oval
stone
stone
revetment
revetment
where
where
he found
he found
the slate
the slate
statuestatue
of of
Khasekhemwy
Khasekhemwyin inthe
thenorthernmost
northernmost chamber,
chamber, together
together
with
with
the the
pottery
pottery
lion lion
(Ashmolean
(Ashmolean
E I89)E I89)
and
and the
the copper
copperstatues
statuesofofPepi
PepiI and
I and
Merenre
Merenre
(Cairo
(Cairo
JE JE
33034-5).
33034-5).
It isItmost
is most
likely
likely
that that
thesethese
deposits
deposits were
wereplaced
placedininthe
thechambers
chambers during
during rebuilding
rebuilding workwork
in the
in the
earlyearly
MiddleMiddle
Kingdom,11
Kingdom,11and and
that
that there
there were
wereother
othersuch
suchdeposits
deposits in inthethetemple
templearea,
area,
which
whichcontained
contained
ceremonial
ceremonial
objectsobjects
and and
statuary
statuary dating
datingfrom
fromthetheProtodynastic
Protodynastic andandEarly
Early
Dynastic
Dynastic
periods,
periods,
notably
notably
the cache
the cache
calledcalled
the the
Main
Main Deposit.
Deposit.ItItisisknown
knownthatthatJones
Jones trenched
trenched about
about
under
underthe the
wallswalls
in the
in area
the area
of theofMain
the Main
Deposit,
Deposit, where
wherehe hefound
foundthe
thehead
head ofofthethelapis
lapis
lazuli
lazuli
statuette
statuette
in I906
in I906
(n. 3(n.
above),
3 above),
and aandpattern
a pattern
of of
site
site numbering
numberingisisnow nowemerging
emerging which
which seems
seemsto to
group
group
the the
objects
objects
retrieved
retrieved
fromfrom
the temple
the temple
area area
separately
separately from
fromthose
thosefound
foundinin thethe
town
town excavations
excavations during
during
the the
firstfirst
season.
season.
Unfortunately,
Unfortunately, the the
statue
statue fragment
fragmentininquestion
questiondoes
doesnotnot
have
have a site
a site
number;
number;it seems
it seems
unlikely
unlikely
that that
it wasit found
was found
in thein the
chamber
chamber where
wherethe thegreywacke
greywacke statue
statuewaswasdiscovered,
discovered, forfor
thisthis
had had
beenbeen
well well
excavated
excavated
by Quibell
by Quibell
and
and Green.12
Green.12An Anarchive
archivephotograph
photograph in in
thethePetrie
Petrie
Museum
Museum showsshows
that,that,
afterafter
excavation
excavation
in 1898-9,
in 1898-9,
the
the statue
statue itself
itselfwas
waskept
keptininthe
theBritish
British basebase
camp,
camp,a New
a NewKingdom
Kingdomtomb tomb
in thein Burg
the Burg
el Hamman
el Hamman
hill,
hill, approximately
approximately2 2km kmalong
alongthethegreat
great wadi.
wadi.It is
It most
is most
likely
likely
thatthat
the chip
the chip
was found
was foundin thein the
temple
temple area,
area,probably
probablynear
nearthetheMain
Main Deposit,
Deposit, if not
if not
actually
actually
in what
in what
remained
remained
of itofin it
1905-6.
in 1905-6.
This This
would
would seem
seem totoconfirm
confirmthatthatthetheobjects
objectsplaced
placed
in the
in the
citadel
citadel
chambers
chambers
did not
did originate
not originate
there,there,
but but
were
were buried
buriedat
atthe
thesame
sametime
timeasas
the
the
other
other
caches
caches
from
from
the the
Early
Early
Dynastic
Dynastic
temple.
temple.

BARBARA ADAMS

The offering formula in the First Intermediate Period

Following Gardiner's analysis of the htp di nsw formula, two different translations of the opening phrase of
the formula have been customary: using parallel clauses to introduce the king and god(s) for Old Kingdom
texts, and using a dative construction to introduce the god(s) for texts of Middle Kingdom date and later.
However, the palaeographic variation in the writing of the word 'Anubis' by the late Old Kingdom-a
change-over from the jackal over a htp-sign to a jackal on a stand-suggests that the transformation of the
formula had already occurred by that time.

GARDINER'S analysis of the htp di nsw formula argued that the construction of the phrase changed
between the Old and Middle Kingdoms.! The Old Kingdom formula ran: 'An offering that the king
gives, (and) an offering that Anubis (gives)...', using a parallel construction to introduce the king
and the god(s) as donors of the offerings. By the Middle Kingdom, the formula had been re-
interpreted, with the god(s) introduced by a preposition, usually n but also hr,2 usually unwritten:
'An offering that the king gives (to) Anubis/Osiris, that he [i.e. the god] may (in turn) give
invocation-offerings to ...'. Thus, the offerings were given by the king to the god, who passed these
on to the recipient.3

10J. Garstang, ASAE 8 (I907), I36-7. Jones continued work at Hierakonpolis in the winter of I905-6
when Garstang had gone further south.
11B. J. Kemp, Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilization (London, 1989), 75. 12 Op cit. I, 44.
1 The Tomb ofAmenemhet (London, 1915), 79-93; EG3, Excursus B.
2 See now G. Lapp, Die Opferformel des Alten Reiches (Mainz, 1986), 32-3, ??50-1.
3 This is not the place to argue the merits of Gardiner's interpretation over that of W. Barta, Aufbau und
Bedeutung der altagyptischen Opferformel (Gliickstadt, I968), 26I-70, who proposed that the formula never
actually changed. However, both H. G. Fischer in Inscriptions from the Coptite Nome (Rome, I964), 15, n. i,
and Lapp, op. cit. 38, ?58, also argue in favour of Gardiner's rendering.

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 I64 BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS JEA 76
A more
more precise
precisedating
datingfor forthis
this
transition
transitionis furnished,
is furnished,I believe,
I believe,
by thebypalaeographic
the palaeographic
variation
variation
in in
the
the name
name'Anubis'.
'Anubis'.This
Thischanges
changes from from thethe
standard
standard
Old Old
Kingdom
Kingdom formform
of Anubis
of Anubis
with the
withhtp-sign
the htp-sign
below
below it,
it, totothethetall
tallstand
stand under
under thethejackal,
jackal,
a writing
a writingthatthat
appears
appears
in theinlate
theOldlateKingdom
Old Kingdom
and is and is
common
common thereafter.4
thereafter.4The Theimportance
importance of of
thisthis
is that
is that
the htp
the under
htp under
the jackal
the jackal
is actually
is actually
an integral
an integral
part
part of
of the
thewriting
writingofofthe the
offering
offering formula,
formula,which
which
reads reads
htp di
htp nsw,
di nsw,
htp (di)
htp'Inpw,
(di) 'Inpw,
'an offering
'an offering
that that
the
the king
king gives,
gives,andandananoffering
offering thatthatAnubis
Anubis
(gives)'.
(gives)'.
There,
There,
the relative
the relative
form form
dior rdi
dior
is written
rdi is written
(when
(when it it isiswritten
writtenatatall) all)
after
afterthethe group
groupof Anubis
of Anubis overover
htp, htp,
and the
andhtp-sign
the htp-sign
is actually
is actually
the the
substantive
substantive'offering'
'offering'inin the
thephrase
phrase 'an 'an
offering
offering
thatthat
AnubisAnubis
gives';gives';
it serves
it serves
much much
the samethepurpose
same purpose
in
in the
the first
firstphrase
phrase'an'anoffering
offering thatthatthethe
kingking
gives'.
gives'.
I suggest
I suggest
that that
this palaeographic
this palaeographic
distinction
distinction
is is
how
how thethe Egyptians
Egyptiansshowed showed the the
change-over
change-over fromfrom
the theearlier
earlier
rendering
rendering
with thewithparallelism
the parallelism
between
between kingkingand andgodgodtoto thethenewer
newer re-interpreted
re-interpreted formula
formulawithwith
the preposition
the preposition
introducing
introducing
the the
god
god (albeit
(albeitwithout
withoutwriting
writing thethe
preposition).
preposition).

RONALD
RONALD J.
J.LEPROHON
LEPROHON

Smash
Smash not
notsieve:
sieve:Heqanakhte
HeqanakhteII, II,
rt.rt.
30 30

Demotic
Demotic lexicography
lexicographyand and
Semitic
Semiticparallels
parallels
suggest
suggest
thatthat
nqrwnqrw
m nqr m in
nqr
Heqanakhte
in Heqanakhte
II, rt. 30
II, should
rt. 30 should
be trans-
be trans-
lated
lated 'smash
'smash(the
(theclods)
clods)with
with
a smashing',
a smashing',
'harrow
'harrow
withwith
a harrowing',
a harrowing',
and not
and'sieve
not 'sieve
with thewith
sieve'.
the sieve'.

IN
IN aa passage
passagetypical
typicalofofthe
the
terse
terse
andand
trenchant
trenchant
style
style
adopted
adopted
by Heqanakhte
by Heqanakhte
in sending
in sending
instructions
instructions
to
to his
his family,
family,four
fourimperatives
imperativesfollow
follow
oneone
another:
another:
.h; tn
.h;sptnsnspikn
sn4ht.
ikn i4ht.
nb(t)i nqrw
nb(t) m
nqrw
nqr m
bi nqr
m srt.
bi tn
m srt. tn
m
m kitkit (Letter
(LetterII,II,rt.
rt.30-I).
30-I).With
With only
onlyminor
minorvariations
variationsin the in choice
the choice
of words,
of words,
translators
translators
have inhave in
general
general followed
followedthe theeditio
editio princeps
princeps of of
James
James in rendering
in rendering 'Take'Take
greatgreat
care; hoe
care;allhoe
myall
land;
mysieve
land; sieve
with
with thethe sieve;
sieve;hack
hackwith
with your
your noses
nosesin the
in the
work'.1
work'.1The The
contents
contents
of the
ofletter
the letter
as a whole,
as a whole,
as well as
as well as
its
its probable
probablecloseness
closenessinin time
time to toLetter
Letter
I, show
I, showthatthat
it wasit was
written
written
in August
in August
or September,
or September,
during during
the
the season
seasonof ofthe
theinundation.
inundation. These
Theseinstructions
instructions shouldshouldrefer refer
to operations
to operations
requiredrequired
for thefor the
successful
successfulsowingsowingofofthe theseed
seedonceoncethethe
flood
flood
waterwaterhad had
draineddrained
fromfromthe fields.
the fields.
Tomb Tomb
scenes scenes
of of
Old
Old Kingdom
Kingdomdate datedepict
depict thethecovering
covering of of
thetheseedseed
to begin
to beginthe process
the process
of germination
of germinationby theby usethe use
of
of small
small cattle,
cattle,thetheplough
plough oror thethehoe.
hoe.
TheThe choice
choice
of method
of method wouldwould
dependdepend
upon the
upon condition
the condition
of of
the
the land
land and
andthetheavailability
availability ofofanimals
animalsandandmanpower.
manpower.
The
The expression
expressionnqrw nqrwmm nqr,
nqr, sandwiched
sandwiched between
between two twoimperatives
imperatives
concerned
concerned
with thewith sowing,
the sowing,
presents
presents somesomedifficulty
difficulty inin interpretation.
interpretation. TwoTwosuggestions
suggestions have have
been been
made made
to explain
to explain
the need thefor
need for
sieving
sieving at atthis
thistime.
time.ItItmight
might be beused
used
to clean
to cleanthe the
seedseed
corncornby allowing
by allowing
the inferior
the inferior
materialmaterial
and and
smallest
smallest particles
particlestotofall fall
through
through thethe
mesh.
mesh.TheThe larger
larger
grains,grains,
remaining
remaining
in theinsieve,
the sieve,
would bewould be
chosen
chosen to toensure
ensurevigorous
vigorous growth.
growth. ThisThis
seemsseems
to betothebe the
understanding
understanding
of Baer,
of Baer,
who translates
who translates
'hoe 'hoe
all
all my
my fields,
fields,sieve
sieve(the
(theseed
seedgrain?)
grain?)with
withthethesievesieve
and and
hackhack withwith
your your
noses noses
in thein work'.2
the work'.2
It may It may
be
be doubted
doubtedwhether
whetherthe theEgyptians
Egyptians possessed
possessed a sieve
a sieve
withwitha mesha mesh
fine enough
fine enough
for the forpurpose
the purpose
and and
the
the rare
rare representations
representationsofof
the
the
issue
issue
of of
thethe
seedseed
do not
do not
showshow
sieving.3
sieving.3
Goedicke
Goedicke understands
understandsikn ikn ;ht.
;ht.
i nb(t)
i nb(t)
as 'scoop
as 'scoop
up all
up my
all my
arable
arable
land' land'
and envisages
and envisages
the usethe
of use
a of a
kind
kind of
of shovel
shoveltotoremove
remove thethetoptop
layer
layer
of an
of area
an area
on which
on which
blownblown
sand has
sandgathered.
has gathered.
Once the
Once
topthe top
sand
sand is
is removed,
removed,the thesieve
sieveis is
used
used
to to
mixmixthoroughly
thoroughlythe surface
the surface
layer,layer,
still containing
still containing
a certain
a certain

4H.
4H. G.
G. Fischer,
Fischer,Dendera
Denderainin
the
the
Third
Third
Millennium
Millennium
B.C.B.C.
(New(New
York,York,
1968),1968),
84 (1 4);
84 Lapp,
(1 4); op.
Lapp,
cit.op.
8-9,cit.
? i8.
8-9, ? i8.

'T.
'T. G.
G. H.
H. James,
James,The
TheHekanakhte
HekanakhtePapers
Papers
andand
other
other
Early
Early
Middle
Middle
Kingdom
Kingdom
Documents
Documents
(New York,
(New 1962),
York,32
1962), 32
and 40.
2JAOS 83 (963), 8.
3Giza mastaba G 6020, PM Il2, I70: J. Vandier, Manuel d'archeologie egyptienne vi (Paris, 1978), 102, fig. 56:
Y. Harpur, Decoration in Egyptian Tombs of the Old Kingdom (London and New York, I987), 537, fig. 204;
G6oio Neferbauptah PM I2 I69, Vandier, op. cit. 27, fig. Io: Harpur, op. cit. 539, fig. 206. The tombs, father
and son, date from the middle to end of the Fifth Dynasty. On sieves and sieving, H. Wild, BIFAO 64 (1966),
95- I 2 ; Vandier op. cit. 175 ff, 178 ff and I 8. On the hardship of the work see comments of P. Halstead and
G. Jones in JHS o09 (1989), 44-6.

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