Aspelta

Aspelta was a Nubian king of the Kushite kingdom in what is today northern Sudan, who reigned at the beginning of the 6th century BC.

Life

He was the son of Senkamanisken and Nasalsa. He was the successor of his brother Anlamani. His wife was Asata. Aspelta was an important client. Monuments of him are attested from Kawa, Sanam and Mount Barkal. From Meroe numerous Votivopfer come with his name. Here he also built to a temple (M 293). Other important monuments from his reign are a large stele with the report of his accession and the so-called adoption stela. On the first stele tells how to ask after the death of the generals Anlamani the Amun of Napata to a new king and this selects one of the brothers of the old ruler Aspelta. The adoption stela reported that Aspelta, Madiken, the widow (?) Anlamanis chose to High Priestess of Amun of Napata.

Under Aspelta it possibly came to war against Egypt, occupied mainly in Greek sources. King Psammetichus II seems to have penetrated as far as Napata and possibly even plundered this city, but was then defeated by the Nubians. In this city now found deposits of shattered statues of the king, which was interpreted as a destruction of the Egyptians. The last occupied in these depots ruler is Aspelta was therefore assumed that the above-mentioned campaign took place under him. Recent research is a bit more cautious in this interpretation, and it is not excluded that goes back smashing and burial of these statues on dynastic struggles. This may be the reason why his name was scratched out systematically on his totems.

His pyramid

Aspelta was buried in the pyramid Nu 8 in Nuri. The pyramid was 27.45 meters by 27.45 meters tall (floor ) and had a slope angle of 72 degrees. In 1918 she was still 28.73 meters high. Before the pyramid was a small pyramid temple. Only a lintel was decorated and shows the ruler before Osiris and Anubis. Among the grave chambers led down 64 steps. There were three chambers, all of which were covered with sand stone and then decorated with long texts. In the last chamber - the grave chamber - there was a large inscribed with religious texts sarcophagus. The chambers were robbed at the Finding some time, but it still contained a number of valuable objects. There were many alabaster vessels, some of which bear the name of the ruler, an offering table and 60 labeled, glazed mug. Especially valuable are 15 gold cylinder, all of which are richly decorated and show a standing, equipped with wings goddess. Such cylinders were also found in other Nubian tombs of kings, but their function is unknown.

As the successor of Aspelta Aramatleqo is suspected, since the pyramid was next to his.

Pictures

Colossus of Mount Barkal

Cartridges of the ruler