Ashayet or Ashait was a queen consort, and wife of Mentuhotep II in the 11th Dynasty. She shared a tomb with four other women in their twenties and a young girl, Henhenet, Kawit, Kemsit, Sadeh and Mayet three of which were her sister wives. The shrines and burials were found in Mentuhotep II's Deir el-Bahari temple complex. Her titles were: King's Great Royal Wife, Priestess of Het-Heru (Hathor), Great of Kas, Foremost in her places, and Lady of Dendera.
The nine shrines in total were built in the First Intermediate Period, prior to Mentuhotep II's reunification of Kemet (Egypt). She and three other women of the six bore queenly titles, and most of them were Priestesses of Het-Heru (Hathor). The location of their burial is significant to their titles as Priestesses of Het-Heru as the cliffs of Deir el-Bahri were sacred from the Old Kingdom onwards.
The artwork is a facsimile created by Charles K. Wilkinson in 1926 from the original painting on the inner, front side of the sarcophagus of Aashyt. In the image it depicts the Priestess Queen Ashayet on her throne smelling a lotus, and being presented with various offerings by her royal servants. The women on the right sitting on her throne is one of her various sister wives.
Sarcophagus of Aashit
Title: Painting on the inner front side of the sarcophagus
Accession Number: 48.105.32 Collection: The Met Museum
Reign: Dynasty 11, Reign of Mentuhotep II
Date: 2051–2030 BC
DESCRIPTION Object name/Title Facsimile, Aashyt, sarcophagus
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Dimensions: H. 14 5/16 in × W. 43 1/8 in.; Framed: H. 15 in. × 43 7/8 in.; Scale. 1:2
Medium: Tempera on paper
PLACES AND DATES
Place of Discovery: Thebes West, Deir el-Bahari, Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep II
Period: Middle Kingdom - 11th Dynasty
Comments