Aspelta
Encyclopedia
Aspelta was a ruler of the kingdom of Kush
(c. 600 - 580 BCE).
Aspelta used titles based on those of the Egyptian Pharaohs.
Horus name: Neferkha ("Whose Appearances are Beautiful")
Nebty Name: Neferkha ("Whose Appearances are Beautiful")
Golden Horus Name: Userib ("Whose heart is strong")
Prenomen: Merykare ("Re is one whose ka is loved")
Nomen: Aspelta
More is known about him and his reign than most of the rulers of Kush. He left several stelae carved with accounts of his reign. He was the son of Senkamanisken
and brother of Anlamani
, who immediately preceded him.
According to his inscriptions, Aspelta was selected as ruler by a committee of twenty-four religious and military leaders. He then set out north to Napata
to be selected as king by the gods and crowned. Another stele that might date from Aspelta's reign recounts how a group of priests were put to death, likely for conspiring against the king. In 592 BC, Kush was invaded by an Egyptian military expedition initiated by Pharaoh Psamtik II perhaps because Aspelta posed a threat to this pharaoh's authority over Upper Egypt. The invaders sacked Napata, and some historians believe that because of this attack, Aspelta decided to move the Nubian capital to the more secure city of Meroe
.
Aspelta's tomb was located at Nuri
and is the second largest burial structure here. His tomb was excavated by George A. Reisner in 1916 and many items were discovered within it, most of which are now in the Museum of Fine Arts
in Boston. The palace built by him and his brother was excavated by Reisner in 1920.
Kingdom of Kush
The native name of the Kingdom was likely kaš, recorded in Egyptian as .The name Kash is probably connected to Cush in the Hebrew Bible , son of Ham ....
(c. 600 - 580 BCE).
Aspelta used titles based on those of the Egyptian Pharaohs.
Horus name: Neferkha ("Whose Appearances are Beautiful")
Nebty Name: Neferkha ("Whose Appearances are Beautiful")
Golden Horus Name: Userib ("Whose heart is strong")
Prenomen: Merykare ("Re is one whose ka is loved")
Nomen: Aspelta
More is known about him and his reign than most of the rulers of Kush. He left several stelae carved with accounts of his reign. He was the son of Senkamanisken
Senkamanisken
Senkamanisken was a Nubian king who ruled from 640 to 620 BC at Napata.Senkamisken used titles based on those of the Egyptian Pharaohs.Horus name: Sehtawy...
and brother of Anlamani
Anlamani
Anlamani was a king of Nubia or Kush who ruled from 620 BC and died around 600 BC.Anlamani used titles based on those of the Egyptian Pharaohs.Horus name: Kanakht Khaemmaat...
, who immediately preceded him.
According to his inscriptions, Aspelta was selected as ruler by a committee of twenty-four religious and military leaders. He then set out north to Napata
Napata
Napata was a city-state of ancient Nubia on the west bank of the Nile River, at the site of modern Karima, Northern Sudan.During the 8th to 7th centuries BC, Napata was the capital of the Nubian kingdom of Kush, whence the 25th, or Nubian Dynasty conquered Egypt...
to be selected as king by the gods and crowned. Another stele that might date from Aspelta's reign recounts how a group of priests were put to death, likely for conspiring against the king. In 592 BC, Kush was invaded by an Egyptian military expedition initiated by Pharaoh Psamtik II perhaps because Aspelta posed a threat to this pharaoh's authority over Upper Egypt. The invaders sacked Napata, and some historians believe that because of this attack, Aspelta decided to move the Nubian capital to the more secure city of Meroe
Meroë
Meroë Meroitic: Medewi or Bedewi; Arabic: and Meruwi) is an ancient city on the east bank of the Nile about 6 km north-east of the Kabushiya station near Shendi, Sudan, approximately 200 km north-east of Khartoum. Near the site are a group of villages called Bagrawiyah...
.
Aspelta's tomb was located at Nuri
Nuri
Nuri is a place in modern Sudan on the south side of the Nile. Close to it, there are pyramids belonging to Nubian kings. Nuri is situated about 15 km north of Sanam, and 10 km from Jebel Barkal. All these remains belonged to the ancient city Napata, the first capital of the Nubian kingdom of...
and is the second largest burial structure here. His tomb was excavated by George A. Reisner in 1916 and many items were discovered within it, most of which are now in the Museum of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
in Boston. The palace built by him and his brother was excavated by Reisner in 1920.
External links
- Fragments Lost and Found (PDF) pp. 8–16 article by Timothy Kendall on the University of Boston's 'noseless' statue of Aspelta
- Objects from Aspelta's tomb
Preceded by: Anlamani Anlamani Anlamani was a king of Nubia or Kush who ruled from 620 BC and died around 600 BC.Anlamani used titles based on those of the Egyptian Pharaohs.Horus name: Kanakht Khaemmaat... |
Rulers of Kush | Succeeded by: Aramatle-qo Aramatle-qo Aramatle-qo or Amtalqa was a Nubian king. Dunham and Macadam claim that he used the throne name 'Neferibre'.Török mentions that Aspelta used the following prenomen and nomen:Prenomen: Wadjkare... |