Největší z lékařů : Hrobka Šepseskafancha, lékaře Horního a Dolního Egypta

• Authors: Bárta Miroslav

Title variants

EN

The greatest of physicians. The tomb of Shepseskafankh, chief physician of Upper and Lower Egypt

• Languages of publication: CS

Abstracts

CS

Zájemci o starý Egypt a archeologické výzkumy v Egyptě a Súdánu se často ptají, jak dlouho trvá učinit archeo - logický „objev“. Tento článek se bude zabývat jedním z takových „objevů“, a to hrobkou lékaře a kněze Šep - seskafancha. Rok 2013 byl v mnoha ohledech přímým pokračováním archeologických aktivit v jižním Abúsíru z roku 2012. Archeologické práce se soustředily i nadále na komplex kněze Neferinpua a princezny Šeretnebtej z poloviny 5. dynastie. Tento soubor hrobek (kombinace skalních hrobek a klasických mastab), postavený ve třech výškových úrovních, představuje i nadále, přes veškeré naše dosavadní úsilí, oblast, jejíž poznávání není ani zdaleka ukončeno, a archeologická překvapení se vynořují jedno za druhým. Na úvod je třeba ještě uvést, že než jsme se k této hrobce dopracovali, uplynulo od počátku výzkumu v těchto místech lokality více než deset let.

EN

In September 2013 the Czech Institute of Egyptology started its fall excavation season in Abusir South. The Institute resumed work in the area in the immediate vicinity of the tombs of princess Sheretnebty and Nefer which have become famous, among other things, owing to the large numbers of unique stone statuary and the stela of Nefer, discovered and publicised world-wide only last year. In order to understand the complete history of this particular family cemetery which originated sometime during the reign of Niuserre and continued into the reign of Djedkare, the excavation moved to the northeast area where the entrance to the whole complex was uncovered. One of the oldest tombs discovered in this area of the cemetery so far belongs to the chief physician of Upper and Lower Egypt, Shepseskafankh. He had a rather impressive tomb built, of about 22 × 11.50 m in size, with limestone walls preserved to a height of about 3 m. A long corridor chapel with a unique monumental false door built of several blocks of limestone is located in the eastern part of the superstructure. The importance of the discovery lies in the fact that Shepseskafankh was one of very few, so far known, top-ranking physicians of the pharaohs of the third millennium BC Egypt. His titles detail Shepseskafankh as a friends of the House, chief physician of Upper and Lower Egypt, priest of Ra in the sun temple of Userkaf, Neferirkare and Niuserre, priest of Khnum “in front of Both Mansions of Life”, a priest of Magic, priest of Hathor in all her places, wab-priest of the king, keeper of secrets of His Lord, physician of the Great House, overseer of the foodofferings of the Great House, priest of Horus of Shenwet, Anubis, foremost of Sepa(-district), priest of the Red crown, priest of Khnum, foremost of the House of Life and the House of Protection – a designation which indicates his knowledge and the extraordinary position and respect he enjoyed at the royal court. Unfortunately, all burial chambers of the complex were heavily robbed and provided but a meagre amount of human remains. The historical importance of this discovery lies in the fact that Shepseskafankh belonged to a very few highest ranking physicians known from the era of the Old Kingdom pyramid builders who had a very close relationship with the ruling king. At the same time, his is already the third physician tomb discovered at the same cemetery in Abusir.

Keywords

EN

Shepseskafankh; Fifth Dynasty; mastaba; Abusir; Old Kingdom; Ancient Egypt

Discipline

• ARCHAEOLOGY: ARCHAEOLOGY

• Publisher: Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Arts, Czech Republic
• Journal: Pražské egyptologické studie (Prague Egyptological Studies)
• Year: 2014
• Issue: 12
• Pages: 3-10

Contributors

author

Bárta Miroslav

• Český egyptologický ústav FF UK, Celetná 20, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic