Peribsen (Set, Sekhemib, Uaznes)(d. c. 2600 B.C.E.)
Fourth ruler of the Second Dynasty
He reigned in an obscure and troubled historical period
in Egypt and was originally named Set or Sekhemib. He
changed it to Peribsen, erasing his original name on his
funerary stela at ABYDOS. This name change possibly indi-
cates a religious revolt that threatened him politically.
Peribsen ruled Egypt for 17 years and was called “the
Hope of All Hearts” and “Conqueror of Foreign Lands.”
Peribsen’s tomb in UMM EL-GA’ABwas sunk into the
desert and made of brick. The burial chamber had stone
and copper vases, and storerooms were part of the design.
The tomb, now called “the Middle Fort,” had paneled
walls and a chapel of brick. Two granite stelae were dis-
covered there. His cult at ABYDOSand MEMPHISwas very
popular and remained prominent for several hundred
years. Peribsen’s vases were found in SAQQARA. He was
devoted to the god SETat OMBOS.
peristyle court An element of architectural design in
Egyptian temples, peristyle courts were designed with a
roofed colonnade on all four sides, resembling glades in
the center of forests and adding a serene element of
grandeur and natural beauty to shrines and divine resi-
dences. This style of architecture became famous
throughout the world at the time.
per-nefer This was the ancient site of Egyptian mum-
mification rituals, designated as “the House of Beauty.”
The royal funerary complexes of the PHARAOHSnormally
contained a chamber designated as the per-nefer.These
were part of the VALLEY TEMPLES, and the royal remains
were entombed within the confines of these chambers.
Other sites were established for commoners who could
not afford mummification at their tomb sites. The ritual
and medical procedures at each per-neferfollowed tradi-
tions and were regulated in all periods.
See also IBU.
pero(per-wer, per-a’a) The royal residence or palace.
The word actually meant “the Great House” and desig-
nated not only the royal residence but the official govern-
ment buildings in the palace complexes as well. Such
centers were called “the Double House” or “the House of
Gold and House of Silver,” an allusion to Upper and
Lower Egypt. The administration of the two kingdoms of
Egypt, in the north and in the south, was conducted in
their respective buildings.
These royal residences were normally made of bricks
and thus perished over the centuries, but the ruins of
some palaces, found at ’AMARNA, DEIR EL-BALLAS, PER-
RAMESSES, etc., indicate the scope of the structures and
the elaborate details given to the architectural and artistic
adornments. In the reign of TUTHMOSIS III(1479–1425
B.C.E.) of the Eighteenth Dynasty, the term perobegan to
designate the ruler himself, and later pharaohs employed
the word in cartouches.Per-Ramesses (Pa-Ramesses, Peramesse, Piramesse)
A site in the Qantir district on the banks of the Pelusiac
branch of the Nile, called “the Estate of Ramesses,” the
city was a suburban territory of the ancient capital of the
HYKSOS, AVARIS. RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.) founded
Per-Ramesses, although some aspects of the city date to
RAMESSES I(r. 1307–1306 B.C.E.) as his royal line origi-
nated in the region of the Delta.
The formal name of the site, Per-Ramessé-se-Mery-
Amun-’A-nakhtu, “the House of Ramesses, Beloved of
Amun, Great of Victories,” indicates the splendor and
vitality of the new capital. A large palace, private resi-
dences, temples, military garrisons, a harbor, gardens,
and a vineyard were designed for the city, which was the
largest and costliest in Egypt. Processions, pageants, and
festivals were held throughout the year. The original
royal palace at Per-Ramesses is recorded as covering an
area of four square miles. When the site was abandoned
at the end of the Twentieth Dynasty (1070 B.C.E.) many
monuments were transported to the nearby city of TANIS.Persea Tree This was the mythological tree of
HELIOPOLISthat served varying functions associated with
the feline enemy of APOPHIS. A fragrant cedar, the PerseaPersea Tree 301The Persea Tree that held the names of the rulers of Egypt on a
bas-relief from the Ramesseum. The goddess Sheshet (second
from right) writes the name of Ramesses II (seated center) on
the leaves of the tree. To his left sits the god Amun Ré and at
far right is Thoth, the god of wisdom. (Hulton Archive.)