1. Beni Hasan Tombs of the 12th Dynasty
This presentation follows a logical tour order.
The Pictorial Library of Bible Lands provides PowerPoint files in addition to individual jpg images. The PowerPoint files are organized in logical sequence and may provide a quicker option for copying slides into other presentations. The PowerPoint files also include annotations about the sites and images that are not available elsewhere.
The images in the PowerPoints are approximately 1024x768 pixels, the maximum size displayed by many projectors. Users will particularly benefit from accessing the individual higher-resolution jpg images if (1) they have a projection system higher than 1024x768; (2) they want to zoom in on a particular portion of an image; or (3) they want to crop, edit, adapt, or print an image.
Tombs of the 12th Dynasty

2. Pictorial Library Vol. 7: Egypt
This map is intended to help users locate the places which appear in the photographs in this presentation. The map therefore does not represent or label every geographic feature, and the sites are a mixture of modern and ancient place names.
Pictorial Library Vol. 7: Egypt

3. Beni Hasan upper necropolis tombs from below
Location and Description
Beni Hasan is the site of a large necropolis of about 930 tombs on the east bank of the Nile River. It is located north of the modern village of Beni Hasan el Shuruq, about 18 miles (29 km) north of Tell el-Amarna and about 135 miles (217 km) south of Memphis. The tombs are located at the edge of the desert, cut into a steep slope at the base of cliffs which parallel the river valley.
Located about two miles (3 km) south of Beni Hasan is the site of Speos Artemidos, an unfinished rock-cut temple built by Queen Hatshepsut ( BC) to the lion goddess Pakhet. An inscription above the entrance records that Hatshepsut restored order and peace after the chaos of the Hyksos rule. In this same area are tombs from the Late Period, the Ptolemaic period, and the Roman period. tb

4. Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles
History of Excavations
Percy E. Newberry and George W. Fraser excavated the upper necropolis in 1890–1891.
In , John Garstang excavated the lower necropolis.
adr
Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles

5. Beni Hasan upper necropolis tombs
Beni Hasan consists of an upper necropolis and a lower necropolis. The lower necropolis consists of about 890 tombs, which are either pits or L-shaped shafts cut into the hillside. These tombs date from the late-6th Dynasty through the first half of 12th Dynasty.
The upper necropolis consists of 39 tombs cut into the hillside. These tombs belonged to nomarchs and other civil and military officials of Egypt’s Nome XVI, the Oryx nome. Twelve of the tombs have inscriptions which date them to the 12th Dynasty. Other tombs in the upper necropolis may date to the 11th Dynasty. The tombs are rectangular chambers with either vaulted roofs or roofs supported by lotus-bud columns. The walls are decorated with paintings which “depict a wide variety of everyday activities, such as brewing, baking, butchering, cooking, wine making, hunting, fishing, fowling, harvesting, irrigating, laundering, pottery making, stone working, weaving, dancing, singing, and game playing” (Spanel 2001: ). Some of the paintings also depict battle scenes. The best paintings come from the tombs of the nomarch Amenemhat or Ameni (BH 2), the nomarch Baqet III (BH 15), the nomarch Kheti (BH 17), and the Overseer of the Eastern Desert Khnumhotep II (BH 3). tb

6. Beni Hasan upper necropolis tombs exteriortb

7. Beni Hasan upper necropolis tomb 11tb

8. Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles
The prestigious tombs in the upper necropolis share a similar pattern, with an exterior court leading to a room cut directly into the limestone. Many of the tombs have shafts in the main hall that were used for burial.
adr
Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles

9. Beni Hasan upper necropolis tomb of Amenemhet interior
Amenemhet (Ameny) served under Senusret I. The walls of his tomb are decorated with athletic, military, and common-life scenes. tb

10. Beni Hasan upper necropolis tomb of Amenemhet wall painting
This scene depicts farmers and hunters going about their daily tasks. The second row depicts acrobats. tb

11. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II
Khnumhotep II was a noble who lived during the reigns of Amenemhat II and Senusret II. Among the other tombs in the upper necropolis, his seems to have held special prominence.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II

12. Beni Hasan upper necropolis tomb of Khnumhotep II exterior
In its prime, the tomb’s courtyard would have been surrounded by mudbrick barriers and protected by a roof. tb

13. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II
The inscription above the door includes a list of Khnumhotep’s honorific names and a calendar for memorial ceremonies.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II

14. Beni Hasan upper necropolis tomb painting of Asiatics arriving
The tomb of Khnumhotep II contains a lengthy inscription with his autobiography. Of great interest is a painting with a scene depicting a caravan of Semites (or Asiatics). The painting covers the entire wall of the tomb, but just the scene with the Semites measures eight feet long and one and a half feet tall (2.5 x 0.5 m). They are portrayed as pastoralists and traders. The caravan consists of eight men, four women, and three children which are being led by two Egyptian officials. See the next slide for labels. tb

15. Beni Hasan upper necropolis tomb painting of Asiatics arriving
caption
caravan of Asiatics
docket
The tomb of Khnumhotep II contains a lengthy inscription with his autobiography. Of great interest is a painting with a scene depicting a caravan of Semites (or Asiatics). The painting covers the entire wall of the tomb, but just the scene with the Semites measures eight feet long and one and a half feet tall (2.5 x 0.5 m). They are portrayed as pastoralists and traders. The caravan consists of eight men, four women, and three children which are being led by two Egyptian officials. tb
Egyptian officials

16. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Asiatic traders
See the next slides for close-ups and labels.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Asiatic traders

17. caravan of Asiatic traders
Egyptian
official
leader of
Asiatics
caravan of Asiatic traders
scribe
Khnumhotep II
The Egyptian hieroglyph captions above the two Egyptians say, “The Royal Documents Scribe Nefer-hotep” and “The Overseer of Hunters Khety.” The caption above the Semite chief says, “The Ruler of a Foreign Country Ibsha. The arrival, bringing stibium, which thirty-seven Asiatics brought to him.” The docket held by the scribe records: “Year 6, under the majesty of the Horus: Leader of the Two Lands; the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Kha-kheper-Re. List of the Asiatics whom the son of the Count Khnum-hotep brought on account of stibium, Asiatics of Shut (?). List thereof: thirty-seven” (John A. Wilson in ANET 229). The expression “ruler of foreign country” is ḥḳ3 ḫ3swt in Egyptian, and from this comes the Greek name Hyksos.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Egyptian scribe presenting Asiatic traders

18. scribe
docket recording
caravan of Asiatics
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Egyptian scribe presenting Asiatic traders

19. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Asiatic traders
leader of Asiatics
“The men are wearing kilts or long garments that cover the chest and one shoulder. Their clothes are multicolored and fringed on the bottom, and they wear sandals on their feet. Each man is shown with a full head of hair, a short beard, but no mustache. The women also wear multicolored garments, but theirs are longer. Their foot wear appears to be a type of slipper sock, and headbands decorate their long hair. The painting also depicts some weaponry: spear, bow and arrow, ax, and sword. Two of the men carry waterskins(?) on their backs, and another plays the lyre. The donkeys transport two objects, perhaps bellows, which would mean that these people worked with metal” (Hoerth 1998: 94).
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Asiatic traders

20. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Asiatic traders
Some have suggested the multi-colored robes can give us an idea of what Joseph’s coat looked like. The meaning of the Hebrew expression ketonet passim, often translated as “richly ornamented robe” or “robe of many colors,” however, is uncertain (Gen 37:3).
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Asiatic traders

21. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Asiatic traders
Asiatic with lyre
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, Asiatic traders

22. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, desert bow hunt
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, desert bow hunt

23. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, hunt with shield and canines
See the next slide for labels.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, hunt with shield and canines

24. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, hunt with shield and canines
cow-hide
shield
adr
blind
net with fowl
men hiding
pull rope
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, hunt with shield and canines

25. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, bow hunt
The large, bow-wielding figure depicts Khnumhotep II himself. He is shown hunting in the desert alongside an entourage.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, bow hunt

26. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, various kinds of fowl
In addition to the Asiatic scene, this tomb also enjoys modern fame for its detailed depiction of plant and animal life.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, various kinds of fowl

27. See the next slide for labels.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, carpenters building boat and furniture

28. tools
man with
saw
man with
adze
adr
boat
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, carpenters building boat and furniture

29. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, feeding cattle
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, feeding cattle

30. The eastern wall of the main room has an opening into the inner burial chamber. This opening is flanked by depictions of Khnumhotep II hunting in a marsh. Because of their prominent location, it has been suggested that these hunting scenes have symbolic significance pertaining to the afterlife.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, hunting fowl in marsh with throw stick

31. adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, hunting fowl in marsh with throw stick

32. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, spearing fish from skiff
See the next slide for labels.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, spearing fish from skiff

33. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, spearing fish from skiff
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, spearing fish from skiff

34. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, making textiles with loom
See the next slide for labels.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, making textiles with loom

35. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, making textiles with loom
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, making textiles with loom

36. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, plowing with cattle
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, plowing with cattle

37. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, sail boat
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, sail boat

38. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, tending gazelles or oryxes
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, tending gazelles or oryxes

39. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, trapping fish with net
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, trapping fish with net

40. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, trapping fish with net
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, trapping fish with net

41. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, trapping fowl in net
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, trapping fowl in net

42. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, trapping fowl in nets
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, trapping fowl in nets

43. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, transporting fowl
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, transporting fowl

44. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, gathering okra in baskets
It appears that ancient Egyptians were among the first people to cultivate okra.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, gathering okra in baskets

45. Reliefs such as this one attest to the fact that Egyptians had tamed monkeys for use in harvesting fruit from trees. See the next slide for labels.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, harvesting figs from tree with monkeys

46. monkey
monkey
monkey
basket of figs
Reliefs such as this one attest to the fact that Egyptians had tamed monkeys for use in harvesting fruit from trees.
adr
basket of figs
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, harvesting figs from tree with monkeys

47. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, using jars to irrigate fields
See the next slide for labels.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, using jars to irrigate fields

48. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, using jars to irrigate fields
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khnumhotep II, using jars to irrigate fields

49. Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles
adr
Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles

50. Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles
adr
Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles

51. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety
Khety lived during the 11th Dynasty. His tomb has enjoyed less fame than some of its neighbors, but it still offers some unique depictions of trees and Egyptian games.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety

52. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety

53. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety

54. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, wrestlers
These wrestlers are shown engaged in practice matches, their progressive movements rendered in an almost filmlike manner.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, wrestlers

55. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, dancers
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, dancers

56. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, dancers
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, dancers

57. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, herd of cattle
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, herd of cattle

58. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, bringing animals for offerings
Scenes of funeral offerings are common among the Beni Hasan tombs. In this case, animals are being brought as sacrifices on Khety’s behalf.
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, bringing animals for offerings

59. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, Nile marsh scenes
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, Nile marsh scenes

60. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, marriage and wedding night
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, marriage and wedding night

61. Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, spearing fish
adr
Beni Hasan, tomb of Khety, spearing fish

62. Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles rock cuttings
adr
Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles rock cuttings

63. Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles and Nile Valley
Beni Hasan’s location is something of an oddity. The west bank of the Nile was considered Osiris’s territory, making it a symbolic land of the dead; most ancient Egyptian tombs are found there. The tombs of Beni Hasan break with custom by standing, instead, on the east bank. This was probably motivated by the rock cliffs on this side of the river (compare also with el-Kab and el-Amarna). But excluding its location, this cemetery is otherwise a useful guide to standard Middle Kingdom practice.
adr
Beni Hasan, tombs of nobles and Nile Valley

64. Beni Hasan, lower necropolis
Helpful Sources on Beni Hasan
ANET = Pritchard, James B., ed.
1969 Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament. 3rd ed. with suppl. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Coogan, Michael D.
Great Finds. Biblical Archaeology Review 21/3: 36–47.
Hoerth, Alfred J.
1998 Archaeology and the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker.
Spanel, Donald B.
2001 Beni Hasan. Pp. 175–77 in Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, vol. 1. Ed. D. B. Redford. New York: Oxford University Press.
adr
Beni Hasan, lower necropolis