neferkare and sasenet

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His popularity has lasted centuries, mostly thanks to the numerous incarnations of his story that pop up time and time again. The Story of King Neferkare and General Sasenet . A more than likely fictional tale from either the 18th, the 19th or the 25th dynasty, Neferkare was a pharaoh and Sasenet was one of his generals. Temple at Abu Simbel, Egypt. The story goes that a man named Tjeti saw Neferkare walking somewhere during the night and decided to follow him. Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep from their joint mastaba (tomb) at Saqqara, Egypt. Osiris Isis Ankh Nekhbet Wadjet Pharasite Serket Horus Thoth Anubis Apophis Sobek Bastet Hathor Ayah Kassis Onuris Minmose Metronome I provide you with a link to the story! Then a ladder was lowered to him (and) he climbed up. It was a long post, and definitely worth the time. However, men were not granted a free pass: it has been recorded that in some communities cheating husbands would experience social stigma for their actions. Scene from inside Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep’s mastaba (source). 150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time? The example of Ancient Egyptians and Greeks engaging in homosexual behavior is an example of this. The Ancient Egyptians have a history of using birth control; different methods can be found in the Kahun Gynecological Papyrus. One of these can be found in the myth entitled The Contendings of Horus and Seth . The two are said to have formed a covenant of friendship, even though their situation essentially... An exhibition at the British Museum promises to lift the lid on what beauty meant for the ancient Greeks. [Online]Available at: http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/texts/horus_and_seth.htm, Dollinger, A., 2006. Three tales of same-sex love in Ancient Egypt. Yet another suggestion was the two men were actually conjoined twins. It is such a taboo in so many cultures, so I wonder why it was acceptable for so many royals to engage in it? When most people think of mummies, they picture the Egyptian culture, and sophisticated mummification procedures intended to create a bridge between life and death, resulting in preservation of the... Getting stoned, or high, has always been a way to escape the pressures of day-to-day reality. Your post was very interesting and included a lot of information regarding the sexuality of Ancient Egyptians. Beyond Isis and Osiris, Alternate Sexualities in Ancient Egypt. Then he reached the house of the general Sasenet. Then Horus placed his hands between his thighs and received Seth's semen. Seth and Horus have had a long history of one-upsmanship and some pretty awkward sexual tension. So please stop stating that SHE is a male. We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. One creation myth details how the first god (Atum or Ra), who created himself, fathered the next generation of deities through masturbation. One form of contraception included the use of acacia gum, about which it has since been learned that when compounded it essentially becomes spermicide. With its atmosphere of nocturnal mystery and intrigue it is an early example of the literary cloak and dagger tradition. The Tale of King Neferkare and General Sasenet 193. It was obviously something you cared a lot about – and the video links and heading were awesome and very helpful! Individuals could freely pursue sexual relationships so long as both parties were unattached. Neferkare spent four hours with Sasenet, leaving only ‘after his majesty had done that which he had wanted to do with him’. Moreover, their religion itself was stepped in sexual themes, including the ithyphallic god Min. Another possible depiction of homosexual relations can be found in a story known as King Neferkare and General Sasenet . There was supposedly an event in which the Pharaoh would ceremoniously ejaculate into the Nile to mimic Atum/Ra’s creation of Shu and Tefnut; that is, it was to encourage the fertility of the Nile. David and Jonathan: A Secret Biblical Bromance? To further complicate matters, such sources may not be representative of the entire society, as it usually presents only one point of view. It has also been argued that Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep were in a homosexual relationship, a view that has gained support by some scholars over the last two decades. Neferkare and Sasenet A piece of broken pottery depicting a man having sex with another man Wikicommons. The Book of the Dead or Going Forth by Day . The origins of behavioral modernity and what exactly makes us human are topics which have fascinated people for hundreds of years. ( CC BY SA 3.0 ) The two men are depicted with their respective children standing behind them. Some have suggested this reflects a homosexualrelationship although it is disputed that the text relates to Pepi II at all. The Declaration of Naunakhte 195. In Spell 125 of the Book of the Dead or Going Forth by Day , which contains things to be said by the deceased when he/she arrives in the “hall of the Two Truths”, there is a line that reads “I have not done wrong sexually, I have (not) practiced homosexuality”. Side note: the myth of Horus and Seth is one of the funniest things to me. Homosexuality appears to be a common theme for both men and women. The Tale of King Neferkare and his General Sasenet, originating from the Middle Kingdom, tells of how Pepi II would creep from his palace at night and climb into the house of his general, Sasenet, and would leave before dawn. However, there is little evidence indicating that the common masses frequently married their siblings. This process would then repeat itself. A more than likely fictional tale from either the 18th, the 19th or the 25th dynasty, Neferkare was a pharaoh and Sasenet was one of his generals. Elagabalus: The Hated Roman Emperor Who Was Killed And Mutilated! Male lovers in the Trojan War? At present, the strongest argument for homosexuality in ancient Egypt comes from two images from the Old Kingdom tomb of Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep in Saqqara. It is a parody piece of that myth, and is useful in determining that, given the tone, homosexual relations at this point in time were scandalous, but were not so taboo as to be unmentionable. It is also possible that Pepi II is the king referred to in the “tale of King Neferkare and General Sasenet” which recounts the clandestine meetings of a king and one of his generals with whom he was possibly having a homosexual relationship. Only after his majesty had reached the Great House, life, prosperity, health, Tjeti went home. Moreover, for many ancient societies sex was regarded as a taboo subject and was seldom depicted in the material culture. As previously commented, most other societies we now of mention virginity in some way. In the west, we have a very dichotomous view of sexuality, though it is seems to be becoming easier for our society to accept bisexuality. Searching for the Terrifying Mongolian Death Worm, Five Female Olympians of Ancient Greece: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Wootz Steel: The Mysterious Metal that Was Used in Deadly Damascus Blades. This culminated a family line of inbreeding that caused the family to suffer from many malformations, infections and genetic diseases. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained. Restored, Isis has sex with her husband and thus conceives Horus. (Edit 10/26/14: Didn’t finish my thought on lesbianism!). His throne name, Neferkare (Nefer-ka-Re), means "Beautiful is the Ka of Re". In the tale of King Neferkare and General Sasenet, three fragments of a papyrus dating from the late New Kingdom (although the story may have been composed earlier), report clandestine nocturnal meetings with a military commander – a General Sasenet or Sisene. Your blog mentions bestiality being something that occurred in Ancient Egypt, we can also see this in other cultures such as Poseidon cursing a woman to fall in love with a bull, mating with it, and creating the Minotaur. As much as they loved one another, Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep could not reproduce together, necessitating them to find wives to fulfill this purpose. In the tale of King Neferkare and General Sasenet, three fragments of a papyrus dating from the late New Kingdom (although the story may have been composed earlier), report clandestine nocturnal meetings with a military commander – a General Sasenet or Sisene. Lost Golden City Discovered in Luxor, How King Arthur Became One of the Most Pervasive Legends of All Time, Scota: Mother of Scotland and Daughter of a Pharaoh. Possibly, but whether they were or not it was acceptable to engage in these acts due to their culture. Then Tjeti, son of Henet, followed this god, without letting his heart put blame on him, in order to observe every one of his (i.e. The Adoption Papyrus (Papyrus Ashmolean Museum 1945.96) 194. Ancient Egyptian Sexuality. The Copper Age: When Metallurgy Came to Rule the World. The Tomb of Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep at Saqqara in Egypt. Herodotus wrote that some corpses would not be delivered to the embalmers for several days to prevent them from copulating with the deceased. I am surprised that so much information was found on such a wealth of sexual information. Their behavior often goes against the western ideas of how a god acts. Only a small number of pharaohs were immortalized in ancient fiction, Pepi II may be among them. There are some readings of Nephthys being a lesbian due to her infertility and the ambiguous sexual orientation of her husband. After his majesty had done that which he had wanted to do with him (i.e. Last semester I took the History of Sexuality and would recommend it to anyone interested in society, science, or gender. Brothers from other mothers or... Elagabalus was a Roman emperor who lived at the beginning of the 3rd century AD. Created and owned by Matthew Werner. Kinship 193. 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Egyptian royalty copied this pattern; King Tutunkhamen’s parents, for example, were siblings. Primary sources from the period are largely silent on the subject of same-sex love, and the principal evidence, which is open to interpolation, comes from just three areas: a myth about the gods Horus and Seth, a historical tale about Pharaoh Neferkare and his general Sasenet, and the excavated tomb of court officials Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep. Did the ancient Egyptians fear these gods? How Pyramids Are Pointing to Former Geo Poles, Alignment of the Pyramids of Chichen Itza, What's your favourite Fairy Tales (and their possible origins). But while we gaze at the serene marble statues on display – straining male torsos and soft... Alexander the Great was known as a womanizer – his list of romances quite extensive. Tjeti, son of Henet, stood still thinking as follows: 'If it is so, then the rumors about him going out at night are true.' Were they friends or lovers? Wootz steel was amongst the finest in the world. Beyond this, the Ancient Egyptians did not seem to be terribly shy about sex. Both could have been attracted to multiple genders or sexes, and so may have had a romantic and/or sexual attachment to their wives and each other. King Tutankhamen is shown on a chest using a bow, an event in which the Pharaoh would ceremoniously ejaculate into the Nile, one can see a woman seated on a vase to pleasure herself, male extramarital affairs with unmarried women, Seth and Horus have had a long history of one-upsmanship, tries to assert his dominance over Horus by having sex with him, This tale alludes to the relationship between Osiris and Ra, The Ancient Egyptians apparently engaged in bestiality often, even after death a person still had sexual power. Marriage (Annuity) Contract 197. The Contendings of Horus and Seth. Pharaoh Neferkare (Pepi II) and Sasenet (or Sisene), a military commander, lived during the 6th Dynasty in the Old Kingdom. In … about Elagabalus: The Hated Roman Emperor Who Was Killed And Mutilated! 1. To understand how the society that created such works wanted to present these images, one would need to rely on its literary sources. One fragment specifies that there was no woman, or wife, in Sasenet’s house, and the same incomplete sentence also contains the word ‘love’. Known from three fragmentary copies, from the 19th-25th Dynasties (1295-656 BC), this text also probably originated earlier and had a long reading history. That is not to say that the ancient Egyptians never drew graphic pictures; often, at least one party was drawn as an animal to censor the act as the Egyptians had a certain prudishness towards illustrations of sex between two humans. Unlike diet or diseases, sexual practices do not to leave traces on human remains. Theme: Bushwick by James Dinsdale. The Ancient Egyptians apparently engaged in bestiality often, from cows to dogs to even crocodiles. It has always seemed to me that the focus of death and the afterlife was more important in Egyptian culture than any other. This image depicted the two men embracing each other affectionately. Others consider it to be purely pornographic and that it was used as such. It would have been highly taboo to draw the queen in this manner. Instances of intimate or consensual homosexual relationships were largely condemned by religious texts as foolish means of satisfying sexual appetite.8 Horus does not give Seth his semen as a means of satisfying his One fragment specifies that there was no woman, or wife, in Sasenet’s house, and the same incomplete sentence also contains the word ‘love’. The story goes that a man named Tjeti saw Neferkare walking somewhere during the night and decided to follow him. the general), he left for his palace, Tjeti behind him. Even other ancient pantheons of Gods seemed to explore an open sexuality. about Exposing the Secret Sex Lives of Famous Greeks and Romans in the Ancient World, The Frightening Discovery of the Mount Owen Claw. This does not come to pass, however, thanks to aid of Isis who helps her son keep Seth’s semen off his body and plots to turn the tables around, making Seth appear to be the receptive partner by tricking him into eating Horus’s semen. Quite interesting! It makes these all powerful beings very human-like and almost more approachable or relatable in a way. Rather than believing that they were in a romantic and/or sexual relationship, the theory was immediately proposed that these two were merely brothers–nothing else. about The Truth About Sex in Ancient Greece. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. Some have suggested this reflects a homosexual relationship; although it is disputed that the text relates to Pepi II at all. Some have even gone so far as assert that Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep were conjoined twins to explain why they are touching so often in artwork. By putting Horus in the “womanly” or passive position, Seth would have elicited the anger of the other gods towards Horus. This practice was illegal and carried high penalties, but amazingly people continued to practice it anyway. ( CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ), Anon., The Book of the Dead or Going Forth by Day [Online], [Allen, T. G., (trans. First, let’s break it down: behavior does not equal orientation. What can be gleaned from this story is that it was not homosexual relations themselves that were looked upon negatively but, like in Ancient Greece, the partner in the “passive” role who was disdained. (Though, some sources say that both men were equals in the sense that they were able to penetrate one another.) King Neferkare and General Sasenet. Ancient Journeys: What was Travel Like for the Romans? Their Origins May Surprise You, Do you dare enter a fairy ring? 55 The cultural construction of sexuality Their mythology relies heavily on sexual themes, and there are many (possible) coded messages and euphemisms about sex riddled within the art itself. She let out a loud shriek, seized the copper (knife), cut off his hand(s) that were equivalent.”. It must be pointed out that this story only exists in fragments and we do not know its ending, thus we cannot be entirely sure of what was going on between the pharaoh and his general. Were these men gay because the engaged in homosexual acts? Pictures of men in both positions, where women were merely “assumed” to be a lesbian or have lesbian tendencies when she was unable to conceive. The first thing that I found interesting is that bestiality was engaged in often but was highly illegal, yet the depictions of sexual contact on walls and papyrus was usually between a person and an animal. Is the Assyrian Nimrud lens the oldest telescope in the world? Neferkare and Sasenet. On the Turin Erotic Papyrus one can see a woman seated on a vase to pleasure herself while it is believed that Cleopatra may have created a vibrator for herself using bees. [Online]Available at: http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/texts/sasenet.htm, Dunn, J., 2013. The story goes that a man named Tjeti saw Neferkare walking somewhere during the night and decided to follow him. The fact that they both had wives and children, far from discounting their intimate relationship with each other, actually clues us that, like most ancient cultures, male / male relationships were common and a non-issue as long as they fulfilled their duty to reproduce and care for their offspring.