The Expedition to the Land of Punt.

The Expedition to the Land of Punt.

Introduction:

1-    These five limestone fragments [1] display a scene from the famous trading expedition sent by Queen Hatshepsut to the land of Punt.

2-    The land of Punt [2] was located in eastern Africa on the Red Sea [3] and it is thought to be a place in Ethiopia or Eretria or Somalia nowadays. From Punt the Egyptians used to bring precious products like gold, silver, electrum which is a mixture between gold and silver, black wood, ebony, ivory, incenses, panther skins, and myrrh as well as unique plants, wild animals, baboons and monkeys.

3-    The expedition was sent in the 9^th year of the reign of queen Hatshepsut [4]. The queen said that she sent the expedition according to the well of her father god Amun. The expedition lasted for about three years and it consisted of five ships and included for about 240 persons [5].

Remarkable Features in the Scene in Fragments:

4-    The first fragment represents the leader of Punt called Parhu and his fat wife named Ati standing to salute the Egyptians.

5-    Parhu is shown with normal hair and a long pointed beard and he is wearing a kilt with two frontal tassels. He is holding a stick referring to his position as lord of Punt.

6-    The lady of Punt Ati is represented with abnormal fatness in her body with bulging belly and heavy hips and legs. She appears as a kind lady because she is placing her open hand upon her heart as if showing her tender and resptect to the Egyptians.

7-    She is wearing a long hair wig with a knot a necklace and a gown.

8-    Behind the wife is a servant who is carrying certain product.

9-    Looking to the third fragment there is a donkey led by three persons. The donkey is accompanied with text written above it mentioning that this donkey carries the fat wife Ati.  This indicates that the artist was having sense of homer that felt petty to the donkey that suffered from carrying the heavy weight Ati the wife of the Punt leader. The text is read as:

, aA fAi Hmt.f, The donkey which carries his wife.

10-            The second fragment depicts two servants while carrying products for the Egyptians. They are wearing kilt with two tassels. The accompanied texts mention the names of the products.

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Thanks and with my best regard

D. Hesham Ezz Eldin

Appendix 1

·        Further Notes of the Expedition to Punt:

-         Introduction:

(1)    Punt was called tA NTr which means the land of the god by the ancient Egyptians.It is located in the east of Africa which could be part of Ethiopia, Eritrea or Somalia.

(2)    Punt was source of gold, black wood, ebony, ivory, wild animals, baboons, monkeys, incense and myrrh.

(3)    Many expeditions had been sent to Punt, the earliest recorded one was during the time of king Sahure from the fifth dynasty. Also king Thutmose III sent an expedition to Punt.

(4)    The importance of the expedition of Hatshepsut is because itsdetails were displayed and registered on the southern walls of the second terrace in the mortuary temple of the queen at Deir Al-Baharin in Luxor.

-         The Expedition of Hatshepsut to the Land of Punt:

(1)    This trading expedition was sent in the 9^th year of the reign of queen Hatshepsut to bring gold, silver, electrum, panther skin, incense, plants beside animals like monkeys and baboons.

(2)    Queen Hatshepsut mentioned that she while she was presenting offerings to god Amun she received an order in the form of an oracle that the roads to the land of Punt shall be opened for her expedition.

(3)    The duration of the expedition was for about three years and it was led by a high official called PA-nHsy (The Nubian).

(4)    The expedition composed of five ships and included for about 240 persons.

(5)    Concerning the route of the expedition, it sailed in the Nile from Thebes to a city called Coptos. Then, it passed through the Eastern Desert to a Port known as Al-Kusir nowadays. From Al-Kusir the expedition sailed in the Red Sea till reaching Punt. It is known that the expedition sailed in the Red Sea, because in the scenes, there are two types of fishes which live in water with high percentage of salt. This high amount of salts could only be found in the red sea not in the Mediterranean Sea.

(6)    The scenes of the expeditions were depicted on the southern wall of the middle terrace in the mortuary temple.

(7)    Among the scenes are :

a-  The sailing of the Egyptian ships in the sea towards Punt;

b- The chief of Punt and his fat wife receive the Egyptians;

c-  Scenes of environment of Punt represented in its huts made on high lands to be far from the course of the rain water, cattle and birds on trees;

d- Egyptian armies in tents;

e-  An Egyptian is exchanging Egyptian products like jewelry and daggers with products from Punt like myrrh, ointments, incense and others;

f-   Egyptian sailors are loading their ships with the products. One man is warning the other to watch his steps. Two men mention that the trees would be planted in the temple at Deir Al-Bahari.

g-    The returning of the expedition to Thebes and it was received by Hatshepsut with the high officials and the priests

Scene of loading the Egyptian ships with the products of Punt and there are various fish species in the red sea.

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[1] These fragments were originally located on the southern wall of the middle terrace in the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir Al-Bahari. These fragments are now replaced by replica in their original places.

[2] Punt was called in ancient Egypt tA NTr that means the land of the god.

[3] It is known that the expedition sailed in the Red Sea, because the scenes displayed two types of fishes which live in water with high percentage of salt like the Red Sea not in the Mediterranean Sea.

[4] Many expeditions had been sent to Punt, the earliest recorded one was during the time of king Sahure from the fifth dynasty. Also king Thutmose III sent an expedition to Punt.

[5] The expedition was led by a high official called PA-nHsy whose means the Nubians.Concerning the route of the expedition, it sailed in the Nile from Thebes to a city called Coptos. Then, it passed through the Eastern Desert to a Port known as Al-Kusir nowadays. From Al-Kusir the expedition sailed in the Red Sea till reaching Punt.