Inykhnum

Inichnum (also Khnum Ini ) was an important ancient Egyptian official in the late 2nd or early 3rd dynasty dynasty, whose exact date of his work is unclear. It therefore remains as open, what kings he served.

Documents

His name appears on numerous vessel fragments from calcite alabaster, which were found in the great galleries of the Djoser complex at Saqqara. Other findings from two private tombs at Saqqara and from the pyramid complex of King Sekhemkhet. It is a short vessel inscriptions in black ink in italics ( hieratic ) were performed.

Tenure

The vessel inscriptions prove that Inichnum the title " servant of the king ", " member of the elite " and " Sem- priest " held. These are typical rank and functional title of royal family member of the early period. Related inscriptions such as " overseers of the offerings to the hat - Ka " and " gifts for the king's house during the Hebsed " also show that Inichnum participated especially on a sed festival and was responsible for the care and treatment of a Ka - house. These tasks he shared with his counterpart Maapermin.

Dating

Ilona Regulski and Peter Kaplony imagine Inichnums tenure in the reign of Khasekhemwy and Netjerichet. Ilona Regulski points in addition to comparisons of the ink inscription of Inichnum with the finds from Abydos on the grave of Khasekhemwy. Earlier assumptions made by Wolfgang Helck, who dated the ink inscriptions in the reign of King Ninetjer, Regulski rejects on the grounds that certain fonts and spellings as they come to light in Inichnums inscriptions were Ninetjers lifetime not yet developed and in use. Your special attention is given to the words " 17th time the livestock census ". The notation in which the opinion was held, occurs the first time under King Netjerichet. The problem here is the fact that the livestock census took place as ceremonial, state tax collection only every two years. Thus, a 34th year of the reign of the Emperor would be occupied, had held office under which Inichnum. Such a long reign is but so far attested only for King Ninetjer. Ilona Regulski is therefore considering whether either Khasekhemwy or Djoser could have each governed perhaps longer than previously thought.

As another clue Regulski attracts certain hieroglyphs and their writing approach in the hieratic script. The zig-zag hieroglyph N35 ( waterline; phonetic value of "n ") was executed clearly jagged still Ninetjer also in italics, from King Peribsen she also appears in a simplified form as a straight line with thickened ends. This is exactly the case with the inscriptions of Inichnum. Another hieroglyph, namely Aa1 ( placenta; phonetic value of "ch" ), was shown still Ninetjer as a simple ring or circle, under King Sechemib she first appears with the familiar, horizontal hatching, after Sechemib this is the rule. In cursive script, she was represented as a circle with a thickish oblique or slash. This is also the case in the inscriptions of the Inichnum. Based on these comparison results, the ink inscriptions are now dated to the time of kings Khasekhemwy to Sekhemkhet.

Importance for Egyptology

The vascular markings of Inichnum are of some importance for Egyptologists and historians. They not only provide valuable information and insight into the development of hieratic writing during the early period, they also contain possible evidence of a particularly obscure ruler, namely Horus Sat The already mentioned Ka - house Inichnum supervised and provided, Horus Sa might have heard have. However, since Sas name never appears in a royal Serech, its existence is already controversial and a secure chronological assignment in the 2nd or 3rd dynasty could not be made so far.

Grave

Inichnums grave is unknown, Wolfgang Helck and J. Spencer suspect the S2429 and S3009 mastabas as a possible resting places.