Integridad

1 From Urkunden des ägyptischen Altertums, Abteilung IV: Urkunden der 18. Dynastie, eds. K. Sethe and W.

Helck, Leipzig and Berlin, 1906-1958; 650-9/10, lines 33 and 34. "It" refers to mṯn, "road", in line 33-"One road, behold, it is excellent for our lord." Line 34-"It emerges at Taanach." In this section of the Annals of Thutmoses III (18-6, 1504-1450), the generals are trying to persuade the king to go north and south around the mountain range, rather than over it, to attack the city of Megiddo. Instead, he led his army on a narrow path over the mountains, surprised the enemy which was deployed at both ends of the Megiddo valley to defend the city, and defeated the army of the prince of Kadesh, who had come to the aid of the king of Megiddo. After a seven month siege, Megiddo surrendered.

149 B

BB

B:::: In translating the expression

r b3k r b3k r b3k r b3k⋅⋅⋅⋅f nb f nb f nb f nb

, "more than any [other] servant of his", note that the Egyptians did not use the word "other" as in English, rather it was implied.

C C C

C:::: Note the use of the preposition

rrrr

to indicate motion towards a place , e.g. in

spr spr

spr spr⋅⋅⋅⋅nnnn⋅⋅⋅⋅n r n r n r n r ẖẖẖẖnw nw nw nw

, "we reached home", lit. "we reached to home".

D D D

D:::: In the expression

st nt sn st nt snḏḏḏḏm st nt sn st nt sn m m m

, "dwelling place", lit. "place of dwelling", note the unusual use of A17, the seated child as a determinative.

E EE

E:::: Note also the reversal of

t3 t3 t3 t3

^{, (not} ), in ,

t3`n3k t3`n3k t3`n3k t3`n3k

. This might occur if the original text were columnar and the

tttt

normally would precede the

3333

. It might also occur if the text were horizontal but the artist felt that the space would be more aesthetically filled by placing the

tttt

over the shoulder of the vulture.

FFFF:::: O29 , the biliteral sign for

'3 '3'3 '3

ⁱⁿ

'rwn3 'rwn3 'rwn3 'rwn3

, stands only for the alphabetic sign

'''' .

Such a situation, where a biliteral is transliterated as a single alphabetic, i.e. a uniliteral, is called GROUP WRITINGGROUP WRITINGGROUP WRITINGGROUP WRITING....

Group Writing is found very often in foreign words and place names. Sometimes the same word was spelled differently in the same text, e.g. the town of Taanach is written in TTTTHE HE HE HE AAAANNALS OF NNALS OF NNALS OF NNALS OF TTTTHUHUHUHUTMOSTMOSTMOSTMOSEEEESSSS IIIIIIIIIIII in line 34 as and in line 63 as .²²²² The difference in spelling may be explained by the fact that the Egyptians were not able to accurately portray how they heard the pronunciation of Taanach by the local citizenry. In transcription, while the three root letters

tttt

^,

nnnn

^,

kkkk

^, might be written correctly, we cannot determine accurately what the vocalization was due to the variance in the vowels and their placement. Thus,

t3'n3k t3'n3k t3'n3k

t3'n3k

,

t'n3k t'n3k t'n3k t'n3k

,

t3'n3k t3'n3k3333 t3'n3k t3'n3k

^, etc. might be correct. References to Taanach are found in the Old Testament and so provide another basis for the possible pronunciation of the word. The name has survived to the present day as Taanach in Hebrew and as Tell Ti'innik in Arabic.³³³³

G G G

G:::: A foreign country was considered feminine, even if its name was written with no final

tttt

^{, e.g.}

hhhhrw pf n nhrn rw pf n nhrn rw pf n nhrn rw pf n nhrn hhhh____st st st st

, "that enemy of vile Naharin". Naharin, also known as Mitanni, was located east of the Euphrates River in what is today eastern Syria, Northern Iraq, and southern Turkey. This cited text is also from TTTTHE HE HE HE AAAANNALS OF NNALS OF NNALS OF NNALS OF TTTTHHHHUTHUTHUTHOSEUTHOSEOSEOSES S S S IIIIIIIIIIII,⁴⁴⁴⁴ "The Campaign to the Euphrates", Urk, IV, 697,9. Note also the use of Group Writing in the spelling of

nhrn nhrn nhrn nhrn

^.

2 Urk. IV. Line 34 is 650, 10 and line 63 is 653, 11.

3 The word "tell" or "tel" in Arabic indicates a mound or small hill, which in Egypt and the Near East often represents the accumulated remains of one or more ancient settlements.

4 By the end of the 20^th Century C.E., most scholars preferred Thutmose or Thutmoses to Tuthmosis or Thutmosis.

150

Royal decrees, contracts, wills, bills of sale, and the transactions of special courts of inquiry from ancient Egypt have survived to the present day. The tomb of the vizier Rekhmire displays on its walls the duties of the position of vizier which included that of chief judge of the judicial system. Yet, to date, no written Egyptian Code of Laws has been found. The codes of laws of Mesopotamian societies have been preserved in individual cuneiform tablets as well as carved into multiple stone stelae. Such stelae were customarily erected throughout the countries so that all who could read might know the law. Nevertheless, no such stelae have been found in Egypt, although some royal decrees have been preserved.

Laws of the ancients were concerned not only with the relationship of man-to-man but also of man-to-god.

So too in Egypt, crimes against a god or a god's property were treated most severely. In the Old Kingdom, the god and pharaoh were theoretically one. He ruled by divine decree, and his word was the law of the land, both religiously and temporally. One of the earliest surviving decrees from the OK is from the reign of Neferirkare (5-3, 2473-2463) regarding the exemption of certain priests in Abydos from the corvée:

"("("("(IIII) The Horus: User ) The Horus: User) The Horus: User) The Horus: User----khau.khau.khau.khau. I do not permit that any man have the right to I do not permit that any man have the right to

I do not permit that any man have the right to CCCC take away any prophets (5) who are in the nome take away any prophets (5) who are in the nome take away any prophets (5) who are in the nome take away any prophets (5) who are in the nome in which you are, for the corvée, as well as any construction w

in which you are, for the corvée, as well as any construction w in which you are, for the corvée, as well as any construction w

in which you are, for the corvée, as well as any construction work of the nome, except to do ork of the nome, except to do ork of the nome, except to do ork of the nome, except to do service for his god who is in the temple in which he is, and to conserve the temples in which they service for his god who is in the temple in which he is, and to conserve the temples in which they service for his god who is in the temple in which he is, and to conserve the temples in which they service for his god who is in the temple in which he is, and to conserve the temples in which they are; priestly service by any prophets;;;;

(17) take away any serfs who are thereon for the corvée, as well as any construction work of the (17) take away any serfs who are thereon for the corvée, as well as any construction work of the (17) take away any serfs who are thereon for the corvée, as well as any construction work of the (17) take away any serfs who are thereon for the corvée, as well as any construction work of the nome.

(II) They are exempt in the length of eternity by command of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: ) They are exempt in the length of eternity by command of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: ) They are exempt in the length of eternity by command of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: ) They are exempt in the length of eternity by command of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt:

Nefer Nefer Nefer

Nefer----iriiriiriiri----kakakaka----Re. Re. Re. YouRe. YouYou have no title to them in any (kYou have no title to them in any (k have no title to them in any (k have no title to them in any (kind of) service.ind of) service.ind of) service.ind of) service.

As for any man of the nome who shall take away (20) any prophets who are As for any man of the nome who shall take away (20) any prophets who are As for any man of the nome who shall take away (20) any prophets who are

As for any man of the nome who shall take away (20) any prophets who are ononon god's fields on on god's fields on god's fields on god's fields on which they do priestly service in this nome, (26) or the serfs who are on god's fields

which they do priestly service in this nome, (26) or the serfs who are on god's fields which they do priestly service in this nome, (26) or the serfs who are on god's fields

which they do priestly service in this nome, (26) or the serfs who are on god's fields CCCCCCCC (22) for (22) for (22) for (22) for the corvée, as well as any construction work of

the corvée, as well as any construction work of the corvée, as well as any construction work of

the corvée, as well as any construction work of the nome the nome the nome C the nomeCCCCCCC you shall send him to the you shall send him to the you shall send him to the you shall send him to the law courtlaw courtlaw court, , , , law court he being placed ...

he being placed ...

he being placed ...

he being placed ...laborlaborlaborlabor...plowing....plowing....plowing....plowing.

(28) Any official, royal intimate, or agricultural officer who shall act contrary to this which my (28) Any official, royal intimate, or agricultural officer who shall act contrary to this which my (28) Any official, royal intimate, or agricultural officer who shall act contrary to this which my (28) Any official, royal intimate, or agricultural officer who shall act contrary to this which my majesty has decreed, which has been delivered to the law court, the ho

majesty has decreed, which has been delivered to the law court, the ho majesty has decreed, which has been delivered to the law court, the ho

majesty has decreed, which has been delivered to the law court, the house, fields, people, and use, fields, people, and use, fields, people, and use, fields, people, and everything that is in his possession shall be removed, he being put on any (kind of) corvée.

everything that is in his possession shall be removed, he being put on any (kind of) corvée.

everything that is in his possession shall be removed, he being put on any (kind of) corvée.

everything that is in his possession shall be removed, he being put on any (kind of) corvée.

The royal person was present at the sealing. Second month of the third season, day 24+."The royal person was present at the sealing. Second month of the third season, day 24+."The royal person was present at the sealing. Second month of the third season, day 24+."The royal person was present at the sealing. Second month of the third season, day 24+." ⁵⁵⁵⁵

5 K. Baer in J.B. Pritchard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts, p. 672. Prophet = ḥm-nṯr priest. The numbers in brackets, e.g. (17), indicate the line number in the original text. The + sign indicates that the date was at the very least, day 24, and possibly later.

151

As for everything which this official, the Vizier, shall do while holding hearings in the Hall of the l, the Vizier, shall do while holding hearings in the Hall of the l, the Vizier, shall do while holding hearings in the Hall of the l, the Vizier, shall do while holding hearings in the Hall of the Vizier

Vizier Vizier

VizierCCCCCCCChe shall sit upon a he shall sit upon a he shall sit upon a he shall sit upon a judgmentjudgmentjudgmentjudgment----chair, with a matting on the floor, a chair, with a matting on the floor, a chair, with a matting on the floor, a chair, with a matting on the floor, a matting overmatting overmatting overmatting over him, a him, a him, a him, a cushion under his back and a cushion under his feet, a [

cushion under his back and a cushion under his feet, a [ cushion under his back and a cushion under his feet, a [

cushion under his back and a cushion under his feet, a [capecapecapecape] upon him, a sceptre at ] upon him, a sceptre at ] upon him, a sceptre at ] upon him, a sceptre at his hand, his hand, his hand, his hand, and the forty leather

and the forty leather and the forty leather

and the forty leather strapsstrapsstrapsstraps spread out in front of him, the Chiefs of the Southern Tens on two spread out in front of him, the Chiefs of the Southern Tens on two spread out in front of him, the Chiefs of the Southern Tens on two spread out in front of him, the Chiefs of the Southern Tens on two sides in front of him, the Overseer of the Cabinet on his right hand, the Supervisor of Clients on sides in front of him, the Overseer of the Cabinet on his right hand, the Supervisor of Clients on sides in front of him, the Overseer of the Cabinet on his right hand, the Supervisor of Clients on sides in front of him, the Overseer of the Cabinet on his right hand, the Supervisor of Clients on his left hand, and the scribe of the Vizier beside him, one

his left hand, and the scribe of the Vizier beside him, one his left hand, and the scribe of the Vizier beside him, one

his left hand, and the scribe of the Vizier beside him, one cccconfrontingonfrontingonfrontingonfronting, another, with every man , another, with every man , another, with every man , another, with every man opposite him.

opposite him.

opposite him.

opposite him.⁷⁷⁷⁷

The tomb scene shows forty tubular objects lying before Rekhmire on a mat. Originally, some scholars believed them to be cases holding papyrus rolls containing the laws of the land, but more recent research has suggested that they were probably whips by which the law would be carried out.

For classes of comparable offenses, sentences in the Old Kingdom were less harsh than during the latter years of the New Kingdom. By that time, the pharaoh had lost much of his religious control, surrendering more and more of his political power to the priesthood. He was now more of a religious functionary, carrying out a great number of daily religious ceremonies as prescribed by the priests. In order to enforce his remaining authority, the decrees of the kings now authorized not only the lands, servants, and personal property of the miscreants to be seized, but also more cruel punishments, e.g. whipping until a prescribed number of wounds were opened, the cutting off of a nose or ear, or impalement on a stake. Banishment to border posts in the eastern Delta or to forced labor in the south in the Nubian mines was frequently ordered.

Examples of these punishments survive in the papyri describing a palace coup during the reign of Ramesses III (20-2, 1198-1166). Whether the plotters were successful or not in assassinating the king is not known, but his successor, Ramesses IV (20-3, 1166-1160) had the conspirators tried. In his instructions to the special court convened to try the accused, Ramesses IV charged the judges to try them and those individuals of noble rank who were found guilty were to die by their own hands. Servants and lower ranking functionaries were to be executed. The pharaoh wanted no knowledge of who the guilty were or what happened to them. The text recorded what happened, "They examined his crimes. They found him guilty.

They caused his sentence to overtake him".

6 Rekhmire was the vizier of Upper Egypt during the reign of Thutmosis III (18-6, 1504-1450).

7 Pritchard, ANET, p. 213. The "Chiefs of the Southern Tens" was a body of magistrates.

152

"[I acted] in the name of the king in the royal apartments and in The Six Great Houses". The chief judge of the Six Great Houses was the vizier while the nomarchs were the most important judges locally in their nomes. In addition, each of the "Thirty Great Men of the South" was also a judge in his home district. Individual judges were called a

s3b s3b s3b s3b

, "dignitary" or "worthy", or when prefixed to titles indicated "senior", as in

s3b ìry n s3b ìry nḫḫḫḫnnnn s3b ìry n s3b ìry n

, "senior warden for Nekhen". All judges were priests who served the goddess

m3`t m3`t m3`t m3`t

(Maat, the embodiment of truth, justice, and rightful order, see §13.4). The chief justice suspended a figurine of the deity from his neck as a badge of his office.

As there are references in some inscriptions to prior cases in lawsuits, there can be little doubt that extensive legal records were maintained and that a written code of law existed and was referred to by the judges. The Persian king and conqueror of Egypt, Cambyses 1, 525-522) and his successor, Darius I (27-2, 522-485) ordered a codification of the Egyptian laws. As was mentioned, to date, no written record has been found of that or any other codex.

31.5 DESCRIPTION OF 31.5 DESCRIPTION OF 31.5 DESCRIPTION OF

31.5 DESCRIPTION OF SIGNS ENCOUNTERED SIGNS ENCOUNTERED SIGNS ENCOUNTERED SIGNS ENCOUNTERED SIGN T

SIGN T SIGN T

SIGN TRANSLITERATIONRANSLITERATIONRANSLITERATIONRANSLITERATION DESCRIPTIONDESCRIPTIONDESCRIPTIONDESCRIPTION D38:

8 Note that the final glyph is G36 inside O6 to indicate "great house". These hieroglyphs are from a limestone stone slab and its inscription recounting the life of Weni, an OK vizier c. 2200. Cited in Urk. I, 99,6.

153 31.6 EXERCISES

31.6 EXERCISES 31.6 EXERCISES 31.6 EXERCISES

TRANSLITERATE AND TR TRANSLITERATE AND TR TRANSLITERATE AND TR

TRANSLITERATE AND TRANSLATE:ANSLATE:ANSLATE:ANSLATE:

154

Chapter 32

In document Diseno de las bases de datos para el proyecto Control de Acceso e Identificacion de la UCI. (página 95-99)