horned animals were placed in nearby offertory pits,
and the graves also held Egyptian axes and daggers.
The pan-graves culture depicts cattle herders. The
skulls, horns, and leather kilts reflect active nomadic
lifestyles.
The pan-graves found in Lower Nubia date to the
same period and were probably dug by immigrants to the
region or by the Medjay, who settled in that territory as
Egyptian allies or as an occupation force. Pan-graves pot-
tery has also been found in ELKABand QUBAN, an indica-
tion that the Medjay units garrisoned these positions for
the Egyptians. There was some conflict between the Med-
jay and the local populations in Nubian districts in the
past, and the troops would have been a reliable occupa-
tion force.
Panhesi (Panhey)(fl. 14th–12th centuries B.C.E.)
Clan of public officials serving in the New Kingdom (1550–
1070 B.C.E.).
The first Panhesi was an official of the Eighteenth
Dynasty, serving AKHENATEN(r. 1353–1335 B.C.E.). He
was a member of the temple of ATENduring the ’AMARNA
Period. His tomb portrays him as an elderly, heavyset
man. The second Panhesi was an official of the Nine-
teenth Dynasty, serving RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.)
as a scribe and director of the nation’s gold stores. He was
superintendent of the gold shipments from NUBIA. This
Panhesi was buried in THEBES.
The last known Panhesi, an official of the Twentieth
Dynasty, served Ramesses XI (r. 1100–1070 B.C.E.). He
was the VICEROYof NUBIA, involved as well in military
affairs. When a revolt against the high priest of AMUN
took place in Thebes, Panhesi gathered up military units
and marched to the area. There he put down the rebel-
lion, dismissing the truant prelate. Returning to his
administrative center on the ELEPHANTINEIsland, Panhesi
left one man in charge of the city. This man, HERIHOR,
made himself high priest of Amun and began a process of
divided rule in Egypt.
Panopolis This is a site northeast of AKHMIN, noted for
a monument to the god MIN. The original chapel for Min
dates to the reign of TUTHMOSIS III(1479–1425 B.C.E.).
This was part of a complex erected originally by Nakht-
min, the first prophet of Min, in the reign of AHA(Menes;
c. 2920 B.C.E.). Reliefs in the structure portray Tuthmosis
III making offerings before the god Min, AMUN, and other
deities. PTOLEMY II PHILADELPHUS(r. 285–246 B.C.E.) is
also portrayed there. Harma’kheru, the high priest of Min
during Ptolemy II’s reign, added to the shrine as part of
the duties of his office.
papyrus A plant, cyperus papyrus, once common
throughout the Nile Valley and now being reintroduced,
the Egyptians called the plant djetor tjufi.The modern
term is probably derived from pa-p-ior,which is trans-
lated as “that which is from the river.” The ancient vari-
ety, cyperus papyrus,is a type of sedge, growing to a
height of 25 feet, probably from eight to 10 feet in
ancient periods. The plant was found throughout the Nile
Valley, especially in the Delta region, and was the emblem
of Lower Egypt.
A papyrus roll was called a tchamaor a djema.The
preparation of the papyrus by priests and scribes involved
cutting the stem into thin strips, which were laid side by
side perpendicularly, with a resin solution poured over
the strips. A second layer of papyrus strips was then laid
down horizontally and the two layers were pressed and
allowed to dry. Immense rolls could be fashioned by join-
ing the compressed sheets. One roll, now in the British
Museum, measures 135 feet in length. The usual size was
nine to 10 inches long and five to five and one-half
inches wide. The rolls used in the temple or in state
courts were 16 to 18 inches long.
Papyri were originally made for religious documents
and texts, with sheets added to the rolls as needed. The
sides of the papyrus are the recto,where the fibers run
horizontally, and the verso,where the fibers run vertically.
The rectowas preferred, but the versowas used for docu-
ments as well, allowing two separate texts to be included
on a single papyrus. Papyrus rolls were protected by the
dry climate of Egypt. One roll discovered in modern
times dates to c. 3500 B.C.E.
The color of the papyrus varied from dark to a light
brown. In the Ptolemaic Period (304–30 B.C.E.), the rolls
were cream colored, yellow, or nearly white. Rolls were
kept tightly secured by cords or strips of linen tied with
knots. Papyri used for official functions sometimes had
clay seals that designated their origin and contents.
Papyri of importance were kept in wooden boxes.
The major papyri recovered from sites on the Nile
include the following:ABBOTT PAPYRUS
AMHERST PAPYRUS
ANASTASI PAPYRUS
ANI PAPYRUS
BEATTY PAPYRUS IV, CHESTER
BERLIN PAPYRI
EBERS PAPYRUS
GHUROB SHRINE PAPYRUS
HARRIS PAPYRUS
HEARST PAPYRUS
HUNEFER PAPYRUS
JUDICIAL PAPYRUS OF TURIN
KAHUN PAPYRUS
LANSING PAPYRUS
LONDON PAPYRUS
NEBSENI PAPYRUS
ORBINEY, PAPYRUS D’papyrus 295