Neskhons
Encyclopedia
Neskhons once more commonly known as “Nsikhonsou”, was a noble lady of the Twenty-first dynasty of Egypt
.
She was the daughter of Smendes II
and Takhentdjehuti, and wed her paternal uncle
, High Priest Pinedjem II
, by whom she had four children: two sons, Tjanefer and Masaharta, and two daughters, Itawy and Nesitanebetashru
. These are named on a decree written on a wooden tablet, which was placed in her tomb in order to ensure her well-being in the afterlife and to prevent her doing harm to her husband and children. This suggests family problems around the time of her death.
She predeceased her husband and her mummified corpse was placed with that of Pinedjem II in Tomb DB320
in the Theban Necropolis
, in which it was rediscovered in 1881
. She was buried in the 5th regnal year of Siamun
in coffins that were originally made for Pinedjem's sister and first wife Isetemkheb. Both the inner and outer coffins were found, but one of them was reused for the reburial of Ramesses IX
. It is unknown whether her coffin was reused after her death or that she donated it to the reburial of Ramesses. The former theory is supported by the fact that she also donated linens for the rewrapping of his mummy; the latter is indicated by the fact that apparently no attempt has been made to redecorate the coffin for a male mummy.
The corpse was partially unwrapped by Gaston Maspero
on 27 June 1886; twenty years later, G. Elliot Smith removed the remainder of the wrappings. Neskhons did not have any gray hairs, so it is likely that she died young; according to Smith, she was either pregnant or giving birth at her death. The gold decoration of her coffin has been stolen in antiquity; her heart scarab was stolen by the Abd-el-Rassul family of grave robbers, but has been recovered and taken to the British Museum
.
DNA tests confirm that Neskhons was a descendant of Piankh, which makes her part of one of the oldest family trees in the world, The Piankh Family Tree.
Her titles were: First Chantress of Amun; King's Son of Kush.
Twenty-first dynasty of Egypt
The Twenty-First, Twenty-Second, Twenty-Third, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Fifth Dynasties of ancient Egypt are often combined under the group title, Third Intermediate Period.-Rulers:...
.
She was the daughter of Smendes II
Smendes II
Nesbanebdjed II, or in Hellenized form, Smendes II, was a High Priest of Amun at Thebes in Ancient Egypt. He governed from about 992 BC to 990 BC....
and Takhentdjehuti, and wed her paternal uncle
Uncle
An uncle is a type of familial relationship.Uncle may also refer to:* Uncle , by J. P. Martin* U.N.C.L.E., a fictional organization in the TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E....
, High Priest Pinedjem II
Pinedjem II
Pinedjem II was a High Priest of Amun at Thebes in Ancient Egypt from 990 BC to 969 BC and was the de facto ruler of the south of the country. He was married to his sister Isetemkheb D and also to his niece Nesikhons, the daughter of his brother Smendes II...
, by whom she had four children: two sons, Tjanefer and Masaharta, and two daughters, Itawy and Nesitanebetashru
Nesitanebetashru
Nesitanebetashru was the name of two ancient Egyptian ladies. The name means “belonging to the lady of the ashru”; the ashru or isheru was a crescent-shaped sacred lake around the temples of solar goddesses, here it refers to Mut.Nesitanebetashru of the 21st dynasty was a daughter of Pinedjem II,...
. These are named on a decree written on a wooden tablet, which was placed in her tomb in order to ensure her well-being in the afterlife and to prevent her doing harm to her husband and children. This suggests family problems around the time of her death.
She predeceased her husband and her mummified corpse was placed with that of Pinedjem II in Tomb DB320
DB320
Tomb DB320 is located next to Deir el-Bahri, in the Theban Necropolis, opposite modern Luxor contained an extraordinary cache of mummified remains and funeral equipment of more than 50 kings, queens, royals and various nobility.-Usage of tomb:The tomb is thought to have initially been the last...
in the Theban Necropolis
Theban Necropolis
The Theban Necropolis is an area of the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes in Egypt. It was used for ritual burials for much of Pharaonic times, especially in the New Kingdom of Egypt.-Mortuary Temples:* Deir el-Bahri** Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut...
, in which it was rediscovered in 1881
1881 in archaeology
The year 1881 in archaeology involved some significant events.-Finds:* March - Augustus Pitt Rivers finds palaeolithic flints in concreted gravels of the Nile terraces near Thebes.-Other events:...
. She was buried in the 5th regnal year of Siamun
Siamun
Neterkheperre or Netjerkheperre-setepenamun Siamun was the sixth pharaoh of Egypt during the Twenty-first dynasty. He built extensively in Lower Egypt for a king of the Third Intermediate Period and is regarded as one of the most powerful rulers of this Dynasty after Psusennes I...
in coffins that were originally made for Pinedjem's sister and first wife Isetemkheb. Both the inner and outer coffins were found, but one of them was reused for the reburial of Ramesses IX
Ramesses IX
Ramesses IX was the eighth king of the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt. He was the third longest serving king of this Dynasty after Ramesses III and Ramesses XI...
. It is unknown whether her coffin was reused after her death or that she donated it to the reburial of Ramesses. The former theory is supported by the fact that she also donated linens for the rewrapping of his mummy; the latter is indicated by the fact that apparently no attempt has been made to redecorate the coffin for a male mummy.
The corpse was partially unwrapped by Gaston Maspero
Gaston Maspero
Gaston Camille Charles Maspero was a French Egyptologist.-Life:Gaston Maspero was born in Paris to parents of Lombard origin. While at school he showed a special taste for history, and by the age of fourteen he was already interested in hieroglyphic writing...
on 27 June 1886; twenty years later, G. Elliot Smith removed the remainder of the wrappings. Neskhons did not have any gray hairs, so it is likely that she died young; according to Smith, she was either pregnant or giving birth at her death. The gold decoration of her coffin has been stolen in antiquity; her heart scarab was stolen by the Abd-el-Rassul family of grave robbers, but has been recovered and taken to the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
DNA tests confirm that Neskhons was a descendant of Piankh, which makes her part of one of the oldest family trees in the world, The Piankh Family Tree.
Her titles were: First Chantress of Amun; King's Son of Kush.