Identifying a Lost Stela of Dedusobek

Back in June 2019, I posted a blog about the reconstruction of a Middle Kingdom stela in the Egypt Centre collection. At the time, EC1848 consisted of around forty fragments, the largest of which I’d been able to group together to reveal some names and titles. Since then, the stela fragments were sent to Cardiff Conservation Department where it was treated and joined, as best as possible, by Seren Kitchener. Seren was able to make considerable improvements to my reconstruction (fig. 1). This helped to determine that the upper inscription contained at least four lines of hieroglyphs. Below this is a pictorial scene depicting a seated figure on the left before a large table of offerings in the centre. This is followed in the third register by the partial remains of at least two people. The named individuals on the stela include Bebi, who seemed to be the mother of the deceased (upper inscription), and two sons named Sahathor (lower right) and Khuniwtef (lower left). A further fragment, not joined, contained the partial name of a daughter, which likely read as Sathathor. 

Fig. 1: EC1848 after conservation

Just a few weeks after the stela returned to the Egypt Centre (September 2022), I was in London to examine the unpublished Catalogue of Egyptian Antiquities (six volumes) of objects in the Wellcome collection, which had been compiled by William St Chad Boscawen (1854–1913) between 1907–1912 (Horry 2015). I’d been very excited to finally see these since Anna Garnett, the Curator at the Petrie Museum, rediscovered them in August 2021. The manuscripts did not disappoint as they included descriptions, often with drawings, of approximately 4,000 objects, many of which are now in the Egypt Centre. This included objects purchased by Wellcome at auction from the collections of Robert de Rustafjaell (1906 & 1907), Hilton Price (1911), Martin Kennard (1911), Lady Meux (1911), and other miscellaneous sales. The manuscripts also included lists of objects purchased by Wellcome in Cairo (1911) and Luxor (1912). Finally, five collections of antiquities from Garstang’s excavations at Meroe (1909–1914), which were presented to Wellcome annually, were catalogued (fig. 2). Since Boscawen died in 1913, the latter additions were recorded in a different hand by an unidentified person.

Fig. 2: Sample page from Boscawen manuscript vol. V
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

So what have these manuscripts got to do with EC1848? Well, while transcribing volume 2, which contained objects purchased from the 1907 Rustafjaell sale, I noticed that entry number 1360 mentioned a “Mistress of the House, Bebi”. While Bebi is a very common name, with 297 entries on the Persons and Names of the Middle Kingdom (PNM) database, I decided to compare the four-page entry with EC1848. To my great surprise, the upper inscription matched, as did the description of the stela layout and the names of the children. The main difference is that the stela, when recorded by Boscawen in 1907–8, was complete rather than fragmentary. Thanks to Boscawen’s transcription, I was able to identify to owner of the stela as the “Chief of Tens of Upper Egypt, Dedusobek” (Quirke 2004, 87). Additionally, I was even able to place a further three fragments (fig. 3)! Unfortunately, unlike many of the other descriptions in the manuscripts, the measurements aren’t recorded. Given the importance of Boscawen’s entry for this stela, I present the description in full:

Fig. 3: EC1848 with additional fragments photoshopped in

“Large lime stone stela - rude drawing but carved as is also the inscription (fig. 4). It is divided into four tiers. In the upper are two [drawing] utchat eye. The two eyes of Horus and between them the sign [drawing] ‘eternity’ (sen). In the second is the inscription. In the third, the deceased [drawing] Sebek tattu is represented seated at a table altar. On which are spread palm leaves & a very large goose or duck. Beside it are loaves of bread and a beer jar. Before him is his daughter who holds a lotus flower in her hand. Her name is [drawing] his daughter Hathor Sat deceased. The wifes name does not appear.”

Fig. 4: Page from Boscawen manuscript vol. II
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

“The names of members of the family are preserved in the lower tier (fig. 5). We have here two sons and a daughter:

A. [drawing] Of which only a tentative translation can be given ‘his eldest son’.

B. Kneeling youth before whom is the inscription [drawing] ‘Her son Hathor-Sa’ deceased.

C. Seated female with lotus above whom is the inscription [drawing] She lady of the house. Deceased.”

“The work is good and of the period between the XIIth + XVIII dynasties.”

Fig. 5: Page from Boscawen manuscript vol. II
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

“Inscription [drawing].” (fig. 6)

Fig. 6: Page from Boscawen manuscript vol. II
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

“Translation (fig. 7).

1) Give a royal offering in Tattu to Osiris dwelling in Tattu. 2) Funeral offerings of bread, beer, oxen, fowl, linen, wax and all good and pure things 3) May he give the sweet (wind) breath of life, glory in heaven, power on earth, triumph in the Underworld 4) to the Ka of Sebek-tattu born of Hat-Heru-ma-Kha ... deceased & born of the Lady of the house Beba deceased.”

Fig. 7: Page from Boscawen manuscript vol. II
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

While there are a few errors with Boscawen’s reading of the text, some of which are purely down to the accepted readings of personal names a century ago, the transcription does show that he was quite competent in reading ancient Egyptian. One important correction is that the name of Dedusobek’s father should be read as the “Governor, Horemkhawef” instead of “Hat-Heru-ma-Kha …”, a name which is attested on several monuments according to the PNM database.

With the names of Dedusobek’s parents and children known, is it possible to identify him on other monuments? While further research is still needed, it is possible that he is the same Dedusobek as recorded on a stela from Edfu (current location unknown), which was published by Alliot (1935, p. 30, pl. XVI.3). On this stela, the owner is identified as the “Chief of Tens of Upper Egypt, Dedusobek”, as found on the stela in Swansea. He is described “made by (i͗r-n) Bebi”. While the filiation i͗r-n is most commonly used in identifying the father, the writing of “the justified” in the feminine form (mꜣꜥt-ḫrw rather than mꜣꜥ-ḫrw) would imply Bebi is actually his mother (fig. 8). The problem occurs with the other names mentioned on the stela from Edfu, which do not match those on the stela in Swansea (there is a Satsobek, but she is listed as a “Mistress of the House” and not as “his daughter”).

Fig. 8: Transcription of the Edfu stela (Alliot 1935, 30)

It is unknown when the stela of Dedusobek was broken, but since around 50% of it is now missing, it is likely to have been before the Wellcome collection arrived in Swansea in 1971. Perhaps the remaining fragments went to one of the other museums that received Wellcome material and await identification. Further research is needed, with a full publication of the stela being prepared. This blog post highlights the importance of archival work in museums, with much potential from the Boscawen manuscripts for our understanding of Wellcome’s early Egyptian material!

Bibliography:

Alliot, Maurice 1935. Rapport sur les fouilles de Tell Edfou (1933). Fouilles de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale 10 (2). Cairo: Imprimerie de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale.

Horry, Ruth 2015. Assyriology at the margins, the case of William St. Chad Boscawen (1855–1913). Iraq 77/1, 107–128.

Quirke, Stephen 2004. Titles and bureaux of Egypt, 1850–1700 BC. Egyptology (Golden House) 1. London: Golden House.