The song of a harpist in the Dyn 11 tomb of Intef:


"The gods of the past rest in their pyramids, the blessed nobles likewise are buried in their tombs, but the cult places of the builders of mansions are gone. What has become of them? I have heard the words of Imhotep and Hardedef recited as their sayings in full. Yet what about their cult-places? Their walls have crumbled, their cult-places are gone as if they had never been. No one comes from there, to tell of the state, to tell of their needs, to calm our hearts, until we go where they have gone."


Hardedef's mastaba tomb (G 7220) and cult centre, also Imhotep's tomb and cult centre which has not been found yet, were badly damaged, already in the FIP according to this text, even though Imhotep and Hardedef were highly regarded as knowledgeable and wise men.


Hardedef's double mastaba tomb is next to his father Khufu's pyramid in the eastern cemetery - if his tomb was badly damaged already in the FIP, it means the funerary complex of Khufu may also have been vulnerable to looting at this time - the area was no longer secure against looters.



Papyrus Leiden 344 dates to Dyn 19, but is a copy of an earlier text, date unknown - probably written in the MK.

The text:

'The Lamentations of Ipuwer' (or the Dialogue of Ipuwer and the Lord of All)

See now, fire has leaped high, Its flame will attack the land’s foes!
See now, things are done that never were before, the king has been robbed by beggars.
See, one buried as hawk is . . .
What the pyramid hid is empty.
See now, the land is deprived of kingship by a few people who ignore custom.
See now, men rebel against the Serpent, [Stolen] is the crown of the Sun, who pacifies the Two Lands.

Obviously something was troubling the writer.

CT




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2008 05:01PM by Chris Tedder.