This beautiful 𓄤 limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is titled by the MET as “Stela of the Overseer of the Fortress Intef.”
This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is dated to Dynasty 11 of the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000-1988 B.C.E.) and we know this because the cartouches of Mentuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (credited with reunifying Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖) appear as a dedication from Intef 𓏎𓈖𓏏𓆑, the owner of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. Intef 𓏎𓈖𓏏𓆑 was an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 and “overseer of the fortress” – a title that could’ve only been given to him after the reunification of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! While I would love to translate the whole thing for all of you, there is too much text to fit in an Instagram description, and it’s hard to see some of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on my picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏! so I will do as much as I can! Below are the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 from the first half of top panel of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! I want to translate the other readable parts for you all too so I will do that soon!
𓅃𓄥𓇿𓇿 – Horus, Uniter of the Two Lands
𓅒𓄥𓇿𓇿- Two Ladies, Uniter of the Two Lands
𓅉 – Horus of Gold
𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt
(𓇳𓎟𓊤) Nebhapetra (throne name)
𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra
(𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪) Mentuhotep II (given name)
𓋹 – Life
𓇳𓏇 -Like Ra
𓆖 – Forever
Here it is all together: 𓅃𓄥𓇿𓇿𓅒𓄥𓇿𓇿𓅉𓆥(𓇳𓎟𓊤)𓅭𓇳(𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪)𓋹𓇳𓏇𓆖
“Horus, “Uniter of the Two Lands,” Two Ladies “Uniter of the Two Lands,” Falcon of Gold, King of Upper and Lower Egypt Nebhepetre, Son of Ra, Mentuhotep, alive like Ra forever.”
