Divine Adoratrice of Amun

dwꜣtnṯr n ỉmn Duatnetjer-en-Amun inhieroglyphs
Era:3rd Intermediate Period (1069–664 BC)

dw3.t nṯr – Duatnetjer Divine Adoratrice (short form) inhieroglyphs
Era:3rd Intermediate Period (1069–664 BC)

TheDivine Adoratrice of Amun(Egyptian:dwꜣtnṯrnjmn) was a second title – afterGod's Wife of Amun– created for the chief priestess of theancient Egyptian deityAmun.During the first millennium BCE, when the holder of this office exercised her largest measure of influence, her position was an important appointment facilitating the transfer of power from onepharaohto the next, when his daughter was adopted to fill it by the incumbent office holder. The Divine Adoratrice ruled over the extensive temple duties and domains, controlling a significant part of the ancient Egyptian economy.

History

TheDivine AdoratriceAmenirdis IatMedinet Habu

God's Wife of Amun, a title for a similar office of the high priestess, originated as a title held by a daughter of the High Priest of Amun during the reign ofHatshepsutand continued as an important office while the capital of Egypt remained inThebes.

Later, the added title Divine Adoratrice of Amun can be seen to accompany a resurgence of the title God's Wife of Amun, which had fallen into disuse. The God's Wife title was revived during theTwentieth Dynasty,whenRamesses VI's daughterIsetheld the office, as well as the additional office of Divine Adoratrice.He reigned from 1145 to 1137 BC. She never married and seems to have been the first of thecelibateholders of the office ofDivine Adoratrice of Amun,as he stipulated along with the new tradition that she would adopt the daughter of the succeeding pharaoh as her successor at the end of his reign in order to facilitate the transition to the next pharaoh.Generally, the tradition was followed and the position was filled by the daughter of the current king, who was adopted as the daughter of the incumbent Divine Adoratrice.

The new office reached the very heights of its political power during the lateThird Intermediate Period of EgyptwhenShepenupet I,Osorkon III's daughter, was first appointed to this post at Thebes. The Nubian kingKashta,in turn, appointed his daughter,Amenirdis,as her successor. The high status of this office is illustrated by the tomb of Amenirdis at Medinet Habu.[4]

Toward the end of the Third Intermediate Perion theNapatankings fromKingdom of Kush,who reigned as theTwenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt,spread their realm intoUpper Egypt.The reigning God's Wife of Amun,Shepenupet I,was persuaded to adopt Amenirdis, the daughter of PharaohKashtaof Kush as her heir. This sequence was followed throughout the 25th Dynasty until Egypt was conquered by the Saite kingPsamtik I,who founded theTwenty-sixth Dynasty,who had his daughter,Nitocris I,adopted byAmenirdis II.TheAdoption Stela of Nitocrisshows the ceremony involved by this event, and the prestige of the role.

I have given to him my daughter to be a god's wife and have endowed her better than those who were before her. Surely he will be gratified with her worship and protect the land who gave her to him.

At this time, the dynastic rulers were based in the Nile Delta region, and the office of the Divine Adoratrice was a means to secure peaceful relations with the Theban area where the cult of Amun was centered. A number of the God's Wives had mortuary shrines constructed on the west bank of the river, mostly alongside themortuary templeatMedinet HabuofRamesses III.

Because of the power and prestige of the offices, the ceremony of adoption by the current incumbent of the post was used as a way for the kings of the Delta area to project their power into the south of Egypt. In the same manner, it was used by the Napatan kings to project their power northward into Egypt proper. The power of the Divine Adoratrice of Amun was limited to the area around Thebes in Upper Egypt, which was the center of the cult.

Divine Adoratrice of Amun

Name	Comments	Dates
Shepenupet I	Daughter ofOsorkon III	754–714 BCE
Amenirdis I	Daughter ofKashta,sister ofPiye	740–720 BCE
Shepenupet II	Daughter of Piye, sister ofTaharqa	710–650 BCE
Amenirdis II	Daughter of Taharqa	670–640 BCE
Nitocris I	Daughter ofPsamtik I	656–586 BCE
Ankhnesneferibre	Daughter ofPsamtik II,great-niece of Nitocris I	595–c.560 BCE
Nitocris II	Daughter ofAmasis II;office was abolished in 525 due to the Persian conquest	c.560–525 BCE

See also

• Clergy of ancient Egypt
• High Priest of Amun

References

• Strudwick, N & H. Thebes In Egypt, 1999, British Museum Press, London
• Watterson, Barbara, Women In Ancient Egypt, 1994, Sutton Publishing, Stroud
• Robins, Gay. Women In Ancient Egypt, 1993, British Museum Press, London
• Kuhrt, Amelie. The Ancient Middle East – Vol. II, 1995, Routledge, London