BARK STAND OF KING NATAKAMANI

Sandstone; H. 116, W. 84 cm, Th. 84 cm

From Wad Ban Naga

Preuliische Agypten-Expedition, 1844

Meroitic, 0-20, A.D.

Berlin, Agyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung

Relief from a stand at Wad Ban Naga temple. It shows Queen Amanitore, wife of her co-ruler, Natakamani. The inscription is in both Egyptian and Merotic hieroglyphs, and so is important for knowing how to translate Merotic script. The tendency today to see Natakamani as the principle ruler of Kush probably results from our privileging Roman written sources.

The inscriptions accompanying Natakamani and Amanitore read: "Stay, stay on the great throne, Isis, mistress of the Underworld, like the living sun-disk in the horizon, in that you let your son Natakamani remain on his throne." "Stay, stay on the great throne, Isis, mistress of the Underworld, as does the moon that grows like an egg in traversing heaven. May it give life to your daughter, Amanitore."

See also Natakamani image on the sandstone bark stand.

Photo and text from the book Sudan: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile, Dietrich Wildung, 1997, p. 256