and the Nubians in modern Sudan below the first
cataract). He vowed to renew the war and to rid Egypt of
all alien elements.
The Thebans made use of the HORSEand CHARIOT,
introduced into the Nile Delta by the Hyksos when they
began to swarm into Egypt in the waning days of the
Middle Kingdom (2040–1640 B.C.E.) and in the Second
Intermediate Period (1640–1550 B.C.E.). The Thebans
had lightened the chariots for maneuverability and had
trained troops in their use. At the same time, Kamose had
enlisted a famous fighting machine for his cause. When
he went into battle, the MEDJAYNubian troops were at his
side. These Nubians loved hand-to-hand combat and
served as scouts and as light infantry units, racing to the
front lines of battle and striking terror into the hearts of
enemies. Kamose caught the Hyksos off guard at NEFRUSY,
a city north of HERMOPOLIS, with a cavalry charge. After
his first victory, he moved his troops into the Oasis of
BAHARIA, on the Libyan or Western Desert, and struck at
the Hyksos territories south of the Faiyum with impunity.
At the same time he sailed up and down the Nile in
Upper Egypt to punish those who had been traitorous to
the Egyptian cause. One military man was singled out for
particularly harsh treatment, and Kamose was proud that
he left the man’s wife to mourn him on the banks of the
Nile. Some documents state that Kamose was within
striking distance of Avaris when he died of natural causes
or battle wounds. Apophis had died just a short time
before. A stela discovered in KARNAK provides much
information about this era.
The mummy of Kamose was discovered in a painted
wooden coffin at DRA-ABÚ EL-NAGA, but it was so poorly
embalmed that it disintegrated when it was taken out of
the coffin. The state of the body indicates that Kamose
died in the field or in an encampment some distance
from Thebes and the mortuary establishment. This war-
rior king left no heirs and was succeeded by his brother,
’Ahmose, of the famed Eighteenth Dynasty (1550–1307
B.C.E.) and the New Kingdom (1550–1070 B.C.E.).
Kamtjenent (fl. 24th century B.C.E.)Prince of the Fifth
Dynasty
He was the son of IZEZI(Djedkaré) (r. 2388–2356 B.C.E.).
Not the heir to the throne, Kamtjenent served as a mili-
tary commander in foreign campaigns. He was buried
near his father in SAQQARA.
Kamutef (Kemutef) An ancient Egyptian creator
deity, considered a form of the god Amun. A temple was
erected on the west bank of THEBESto honor Kamutef.
The temple was designed as a replica of the PRIMEVAL
MOUNDof creation. An image of Kamutef was displayed,
called “the Amun of the Sacred Place.” Every 10 days or
so, this temple was visited by a statue of AMUNfrom
Thebes. Kamutef was a serpentine figure in some periods.
Kaneferré(d. c. 2040 B.C.E.) Ruler of the Ninth Dynasty
His name translates as “Beautiful Is the Soul of Re.”
Kaneferré’s reign is not well documented, but the famed
ANKHTIFYserved him, and he is mentioned in a tomb at
MOALLA. His burial site is unknown.Kap This is a term recorded in the New Kingdom
(1550–1070 B.C.E.) texts, including one in the tomb of
AMENHOTEP, SON OF HAPU. Egyptian officials claimed to
know “the Secrets of the Kap” or were called a “Child of
the Kap.” It was probably a military program used to edu-
cate high-ranking individuals, including Nubian princes
(from modern Sudan), taken to THEBESto be trained in
Egyptian traditions. Such princes were given priority in
government posts because they ranked as “Children of
the Kap.”Kapes (fl. 10th century B.C.E.) Royal woman of the
Twenty-second Dynasty
She was the consort of TAKELOT I(r. 909–883 B.C.E.) and
probably of Libyan or MESHWESHdescent. Kapes was an
aristocrat from BUBASTIS. She was the mother of OSORKON
II(r. 883–855 B.C.E.).Karanis A site in the FAIYUMregion founded in the
Ptolemaic Period (304–30 B.C.E.), Karanis had a popula-
tion of about 3,000 on the banks of Lake MOERIS. Two
limestone temples were erected on the site, dedicated to
the crocodile gods Pnepheros and Petesouchus. A smaller
temple honoring ISISand SOBEKwas also discovered at
Karanis.Karaotjet(fl. ninth century B.C.E.) Royal woman of the
Twenty-second Dynasty
She was the consort of OSORKON III(r. 777–749 B.C.E.).
Karaotjet bore a daughter, SHEPENWEPET(1), who became a
GOD’S WIFE OF AMUNat THEBES, TAKELOT III, andRUDAMON.Karnak This is the modern name for an ancient reli-
gious complex erected at THEBESin Upper Egypt. Called
Nesut-Tawi, “the Throne of the Two Lands,” or Ipet-Iset,
“The Finest of Seats,” it was the site of the temple of the
god AMUNat Thebes. Karnak remains the most remark-
able religious complex constructed on earth. Its 250 acres
of temples and chapels, obelisks, columns, and statues,
built during a period of 2,000 years, incorporate the
finest aspects of Egyptian art and architecture and trans-
formed the original small shrines into “a great historical
monument of stone.”
Karnak was originally the site of a shrine erected in
the Middle Kingdom (2040–1640 B.C.E.), but many rulers
of the New Kingdom (1550–1070 B.C.E.) repaired or
refurbished the structure. It was designed in three sec-
tions. The first one extended from the northwest to the192 Kamtjenent