Herumakhet (๐ ๐๐ ) was an ancient Nubio-Kemetic Prince and High Priest of Amun under the reign of King Taharqa and Tanutamani during the Kushite renaissance era of the the 25th Dynasty. Prior to this time period Kemet ๐๐ ๐๐ had been invaded and occupied by Libyan usurpers who ruled for a century, during which they robbed the royal coffers and tombs. It was this reason the rulers of the Kingdom of Kush ๐ก ๐ฟ๐๐ rode north into Kemet to expel these Libyan invaders and rebuild Kemetic civilization with an emphasis on Old Kingdom principals and practices.
Herumakhet was named after the Great Sphinx who indigenous name was also Herumakhet which translates to "Heru on the Horizon". The Kushites claimed direct lineage to the Old Kingdom Pyramid builders which may be why he was named after this great monument.
Statue of the High Priest of Amun Haremakhet, son of pharaoh Shabaka. Reign of Tanutamani, late 25th Dynasty, Third Intermediate Period. Found in Karnak cachette, formerly in Cairo Museum (CG 42204 / JE 38580), now in the Nubian Museum of Aswan.
Side Note: The Great Sphinx known as "Heru on the Horizon" is facing Leo rising 14,500 years ago at the beginning of the age of Leo. This suggest date of 14,500 and the age of Leo was held in great importance. "The Horizon" is used in ancient Kemetic culture to symbolize the beginning. Once can theorize the meaning behind the phrase "Heru on the Horizon" may allude to the beginnings of the ancient Kemetic civilization , given the fact that the House of Heru ๐ were said to be the progenitors of this ancient society. The depiction of Heru, son of the Virgin Mother Auset (Isis) as a man with the body of a lion lets us know that Heru was associated with the age of Leo, potentially pushing the date of construction of the Sphinx back some thousands of years.
Herumakhet was the son of nsut-bjtj ๐ฅ (pharaoh) Shabaka and his wife Tabaktenamun. He was appointed by his father as the High Priest of Amun in the city of Waset ๐๐๐ , which translates to "City of the Scepter" (Thebes). The God's Wife of Amun, a position of the most highest spiritual and political importance at the time of Haremakhet was held by Shepenupet II, daughter of King Piye and then Amenirdis I daughter of King Kashta.
Herumakhet is mainly known from a statue discovered in the Great Temple at Karnak inedginouly known as Nsut Towi which translates to "Throne of Two Lands" and later known as "Ipet-isu" meaning "The Finest of Seats". It is the sole Nile Valley artifact ever discovered wearing the highly revered symbol of eternal life, the "Ankh" as a neckless. Formerly exhibited at the Cairo Egyptian Museum (CG 42204 / JE 38580) and now at the Nubian Museum of Aswan, on the statue, he is referred as,
"Kingโs son of Shabaka, justified, who loves him, Sole Confidant of king Taharqa, justified, Director of the palace of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt Tanutamani, may he live for ever."
After his death, Herumakhet was succeeded by his son Harkhebi, who is known to have been in charge as High Priest of Amun at the time when the Kushite/Upper Kemite coalition was at war with Psamtik I and the Sais chieftains of the Delta who alined themselves with the Assyrian and Greek mercenaries. After the defeat of the Kushites, King Piye's daughter Amenirdis I would hold her position as Gods Wife of Amun and the Kushites power and influence within the Priesthood of Amun would endure long into the Greco-Roman era.
"Master of the Land of the South,
Lord of the Matchau, Governor of Punt, King of heaven,
first-born son of earth, Lord of Truth, father of the gods,
They love the essence of him, when he cometh from Punt,
Maker of all things celestial & terrestrial, he illumineth Kemet,
Prince of the dew, he traverseth the lands of the Nubians.
Beautiful of face, he cometh from the Land of the Gods."
- Victory Stele of King Piye, Kushite King of the 25th Dynasty
Purchase Merch to Support our Efforts:
"I have not spoken angrily or arrogantly. I have not cursed anyone in thought, word or deeds." ~35th & 36th Principals of Ma'at
Comments