Tombos Stela
The Tombos Stela is an ancient Egyptian rock inscription found in the area of Tombos (Nubia), dated to Year 2 of Pharaoh Thutmose I. It attests to his military campaign into Nubia around the area of the 3rd cataract of the Nile. It was discovered around 1829, on a large boulder in Tombos, Nubia on the east bank of the Nile.[1] Thutmose is known to have expanded Egypt’s borders throughout his reign, not only in Nubia, but also by campaigns in the Syria-Palestine area. During the Middle Kingdom, pharaohs such as Mentuhotep II had already expanded into Nubia.[2] However, scholars argue that the Tombos stela is evidence of farther expansion by Thutmose into Nubia than previous kings. BackgroundThe Nile flows generally north through Africa, passing through Nubia into Egypt and eventually empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Along stretches of the river south of Egypt there are what are termed "cataracts". Cataracts are areas in the river where there are patches of rock, making the river dangerous and unnavigable by boat. These cataracts served as general boundary points for the Egyptian Empire, and often settlements and forts were constructed around these natural boundaries. Egypt’s natural boundary was in the area of the first cataract, just south of Aswan. The Nubian empire was Egypt’s historical enemy, with its territory spread throughout the areas of the second cataract, down into the area of Kush, and around the 4th and 5th cataracts around the area of Khartoum (Modern day Sudan). Around the time of the Second Intermediate Period Nubia seized land past its border with Egypt at the 1st cataract, almost wiping out Egypt’s empire. Egyptian Pharaoh Ahmose crushed the Nubian expansion and re-established Egyptian dominance by reunifying the empire while turning back the Nubians to the south. The textTwo of the more prominently-used English versions of the text are those translated by scholars James Henry Breasted and Hans Goedicke. This article will use Goedicke’s translation. It reads as follows:
Historical textual analysisThe text is written in poetic language, and the variations among the translations can lead to different interpretations.[4] In the search for corresponding evidence to support the validity of the Tombos stela, it is important to note that only Egyptian accounts are available. This inscription was a royal one glorifying the king and his exploits, not necessarily an inscription that is historical. This is seen in language that glorifies the king: "The son-of-re his beloved Thutmosis living forever and ever."[3] The author of the inscription must have had knowledge of Thutmosis' campaign. The text also reveals animosity towards Nubians. This is shown in the section:
From these passages it is shown that this stela was meant to glorify the king and his achievements. It was meant to be on display so people could see it and admire it. The language was meant to show Egyptian superiority over the enemies of Egypt. The king was obligated to uphold the order of maat, which is known as “truth, order, and justice” and to destroy the enemies of Egypt.[5] Whoever wrote the inscription may have been justifying the war in Nubia by describing Nubians as “evil-ones”. In the text there is also a justification of the actions taken by Thutmosis I by the God Horus. Despite these interpretation of texts, it is important to note that there are different historical scholars who offer their interpretations on the Tombos stela. Opinions of scholarsOne of the more well-supported theories is argued by Louise Bradbury, who has posited that the Tombos stela provides evidence that Thutmose I expanded Egypt's control beyond the 3rd cataract of the Nile river, into an area south of Tombos called Kurgus, located just above the 4th cataract. Her first piece of evidence is an inscription found at a site called Hagar el-Merwa, around the 4th cataract in the area of Kurgus in Nubian territory .[6] She notes that Hagar el-Merwa and the inscription found there can offer proof of an expansion by Thutmosis I into the area around the fourth cataract.[7] Bradbury argues that the Tombos stela was carved after Thutmose’s return trip north from Hagar el-Merwa.[8] Previously scholars argued that the Tombos stela described Thutmose’s expansion into the area of Nubia, as well as his expansion near the Euphrates (around modern day Iraq). This is because the river described in the stela was previously believed to be the Euphrates. Bradbury’s theory argues that the Tombos stela was a northern boundary marker for Thutmose’s expansion into Nubia and a description of his middle-east campaign. She argues that his Egyptian empire in Nubia stretched from the marker at Tombos, around the 3rd cataract, south towards Hagar el-Merwa around the 4th cataract. She does not argue that Thutmose’s encompassed Nubia, and the middle east at once[clarification needed]. Bradbury argues that the “inverted/circumvented water” phrase in the Tombos stela is actually a description of the Nile river in its natural change of direction. Around the area of the 4th cataract, the flow of the Nile shifts from northward to southward.[9] This may have created some confusion for Egyptians traveling north from Nubia. Bradbury uses the source of Ahmose, son of Ebana to corroborate this evidence that the reference to “bad water, or inverted water” means the area around the 4th cataract of the Nile.[10] Ahmose son of Ebana, traveled with Thutmosis during his campaigns in Nubia. He writes of “bad water” during their journey into Nubia. Bradbury argues that Egyptians chose to write about the bad water because while they were sailing north along the Nile around the area of the 4th cataract, the river changed course and they found themselves sailing south.[11] This sudden change in direction may have confused Egyptians who had never traveled in the area before. Another scholar, Julia Budka, notes that there are many contemporary rock inscriptions found around the Tombos Stela. She maintains that these create a larger corpus of evidence on the story of the stela itself. These minor stela go in order from the large stela in the south and move north.[12] They read as follows; “Horus Victorious Bull, Beloved of Maat, the good god [akh] hprkere [Thutmosis I] given life, who has stroken Kush [Nubia]... “Thuthmosis, who appeared like Re [A God] given life; the Lord of Nubia…Victorious Bull…The king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Lord of the Two lands, ahprkera [Thutmosis I] given life, the victorious ruler, who destroyed the Nubians.”[13] Budka notes that these rock inscriptions all date to the 18th dynasty.[12] These inscriptions provide evidence that Thutmosis had some sort of military expansion into Nubia, and support the conclusions about the Tombos stela[clarification needed]. Budka agrees with scholar Louise Bradbury and her theory that the Tombos stela is evidence of an Egyptian expansion into Nubia during the reign of Thutmosis. Other scholars see religious significance in the Tombos stela and deny the theory that the “inverted water” text is evidence for travel around the 4th cataract in Nubia.[14] There are scholars who disagree with the theory of Nubian expansion past Tombos, and offer evidence against the theory proposed by Bradbury.[15] References
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