Illustration
showing the Deir el-Bahri Temple of Mentuhotep II
Mentuhotep
II was the king who united Egypt and succeeded Intef III
on the throne at Thebes. It is thought that he was the Theban king
for fourteen years before the final stage of the war between Thebes
and the Herakleopolitan dynasty came to a head. The Herakleopolitan
king,
Merykara, died prior to Mentuhotep`s arrival at
Herakleopolis. In a rock cut tomb found at Deir el-Bahri,
near to Mentuhotep II`s mortuary temple, the remains of sixty soldiers
thought to have been killed in this conflict have been found. Despite
the fact that non of the bodies had been mummified they were well preserved
due to their dehydration in the tomb.
Mentuhotep
II reduced the power of the nomarchs (local governors) while his authority
greatly increased again. Numerous expeditions outside Egypt`s
borders were made during his reign restoring its influence over it`s neighbours.
During his 51 year reign the building of many new temples was undertaken,
e.g. at Aswan, Karnak, Dendera, Abydos, Gebelein,
Tod,
Elkab
and Armant. Mentuhotep`s mortuary temple is the most
impressive of his projects, its design being completely different to the
tombs and chapels built immediately before or after it. It contained
some new features including terraces, walkways, and a tree lined causeway.
Not much of the temple still remains but some fragments of its art have
been discovered. The link between the king and the god,
Osiris,
and his divine powers are evident in remaining artwork.
The
next 11th dynasty king was Mentuhotep III whose reign was
much shorter than the previous king. He built a temple at Medinet
Habu containing a triple sanctuary similar in style to those built
later in the 18th dynasty for
"family triads" He also constructed
a temple in the Valley of the Kings on its highest peak, the "hill of
Troth". This contains the remains of one of the earliest "temple
pylons" and another triple shrine. Wonderful raised relief carved
scenes were constructed on the walls of these temples. Mentuhotep
III sent an expedition to Punt in eastern Africa to bring
back incense.
Little
is known about Mentuhotep IV. An incident that occurred during
a quarrying expedition led by Mentuhotep IV`s vizier, Amenemhat,
is known by an inscription in the Hatnub quarry.This records two
omens seen by the party. The first was that of a gazelle calf being
born on the stone that had been chosen for the king`s sarcophagus lid.
The second was the appearance of a well following a terrific rain storm
in a very barren area. It is this vizier that became the first king
of the 12th dynasty.
To be continued
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