Ancient Egypt: Tomb of Huy

Pictures on the Tomb Walls

These paintings, created by an Egyptian artist, comes from the tomb of Huy, an Egyptian official who lived during the reign of King Tutankhamun (1336-1327 BC). Thebes, Qurnet Murai

Source

The upper scene shows the priest on his knees offering the deceased the green and black make-up paints for the adornment and protection of his eyes.

Below Huy appears in the shape of a standing statue; the officiant purifies him by aspersion.

The middle portion of the painting shows a Nubian noblewoman with a large floral headdress riding in an ox cart. Before her walk men carrying rings and bags of gold, brought as tribute to the Egyptian court. At the far left is a procession of manacled slaves followed by two grieving women with children. Some Nubians in the painting are wearing Egyptian wigs and robes while others are dressed in more typical Nubian clothing. The artist illustrates that the Nubian population was made up of a wide range of economic groups. This painting illustrates the key role that trade played, in the relationship between the two regions. A kneeling prince (at right image) leading the tribute bearers is identified as Hekanefer, Prince of Miam (modern Aniba), a region of northern Nubia. Hekanefer’s dress is Nubian. Details like the ostrich feather and panther skin he wears, along with other exotic products, serve to indicate that Nubia is the geographic source of these items.

The Nubian prince Hekanefer had an Egyptian-style tomb. Despite being shown as a traditional Nubian in the tomb painting of Huy, Hekanefer’s own tomb reveals that he was acculturated to Egyptian religious beliefs and customs. Discovered at Toshka in northern Nubia during the 1960s.

"Hekanefer (hehk-an-ehf-ur) An Egyptian name meaning "the good prince." Ancient Egyptian gave this name to a Nubian chief who was the Prince of Miam, an Egyptian colonial outpost in northern Nubia (now northern Sudan)." -- Julia Stewart. African Names (1993), page 51

Establishing Identity

The scene informs us by hieroglyphic label as to who they are.

In front of (1) on top are the words "Princes of Lower Wawat", between (2) and (3) top is the label "Children of the princes of all the foreign lands." The discretely placed label in front of the chest of (1) adds an unusual element of familiarity in naming the individual: "Prince of Miam, Hekanefer."

Source:

Barry J. Kemp. Ancient Egypt: Anatomy Of A Civilization (2005), page 35.

Reference material about tomb: Nina de Garis Davies and Alan H. Gardiner. The Tomb of Huy, Viceroy of Nubia in the reign of Tut'ankhamun (No. 40), (1926) 42 pp. with 5 figs. & 40 plates (5 in color), London - Source