Kemsit was an ancient Egyptian queen consort, the wife of pharaoh Mentuhotep II of the 11th Dynasty. Her tomb (TT308) and small decorated chapel were found in her husband's Deir el-Bahari temple complex,[1] behind the main building, along with the tombs of five other ladies, Ashayet, Henhenet, Kawit, Sadeh and Mayet. Most of them were priestesses of Hathor, so it is possible that they were buried there as part of the goddess's cult, but it is also possible that they were the daughters of nobles the king wanted to keep an eye upon.
Only parts of her sarcophagus have been found, these are now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.[2]
The queen was also depicted on reliefs in the funerary temple of her husband Mentuhotep II. These depictions are today heavily destroyed, but it seems that she appeared in a scene showing a row of royal women. On the preserved fragments she is shown behind queen Kawit. Her title in the depiction is King's Beloved Wife.[3]
Kemsit may have been of Nubian origin, as indicated by depictions that show her face as black or dark pink.[4]
Her titles were: King's Beloved Wife (ḥmt-nỉswt mrỉỉ.t=f ), King's Ornament (ẖkr.t-nỉswt), King's Sole Ornament (ẖkr.t-nỉswt wˁtỉ.t), Priestess of Hathor (ḥm.t-nṯr ḥwt-ḥrw).[5]
^Dodson, Aidan, Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05128-3 (2004), p.89
^Grajetzki, Wolfram. Ancient Egyptian Queens: A Hieroglyphic Dictionary. London: Golden House Publications. ISBN 0-9547218-9-6 (2005), p.30
^Dieter Arnold: Relief of Wives of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II, in: A. Oppenheim, d. Arnold, D. Arnold, Kei Yamamoto (editors): Ancient Egypt Transformed, The Middle Kingdom, New York 2015 ISBN 978-1-58839-564-1, 102-103, no. 43; the fragments are now in Geneva, Musėesd'Arte ed d'Histore, Gift of the Egypt Exploration Fund 1907 (4767)
^Fisher, Marjorie M. (2012). "The History of Nubia". In Fisher, Marjorie M.; Lacovara, Peter; Ikram, Salima; D'Auria, Sue (eds.). Ancient Nubia: African Kingdoms on the Nile. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press. p. 20. ISBN 978-977-416-478-1.
Kemsit was an ancient Egyptian queen consort, the wife of pharaoh Mentuhotep II of the 11th Dynasty. Her tomb (TT308) and small decorated chapel were found...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
Nile opposite Luxor. The tomb is the burial place of the Ancient Egyptian Kemsit, who was King's Beloved Wife, King's Ornament, King's Sole Ornament, Priestess...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
into the Egyptian monarchy. Pharaoh Mentuhotep II and his queen consort, Kemsit, are said to have been of Nubian origin, due to his appointment of Nubian...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
post-reunification) 2061–2010 BC Deir el-Bahari Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Kawit Kemsit Sadeh Son of Intef III and Iah. Reunifies Egypt starting the Middle Kingdom...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
main building, along with the tombs of five other ladies, Ashayet, Kawit, Kemsit, Sadeh and Mayet. Most of them were priestesses of Hathor, so it is possible...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...
Naville uncovered her sarcophagus in 1907. Sadeh, Ashayet, Henhenet and Kemsit were all Mentuhotep II's secondary wives. They bore the title of ḥmt-nswt...
XI Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit XII Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret...