Bahr Libeini This was a waterway through MEMPHIS
dating to the Early Dynastic Period. Legend stated that
AHA(r. 2920–? B.C.E.) altered the course of the Nile in
order to reclaim the region of land constituting the city of
Memphis as the site of Egypt’s first capital.
Bahr Yusef (Hau-wereh) A natural canal connecting
the Nile to the FAIYUMbetween HERMOPOLISand MEIR,
originally called Hau-wereh, the stream was allowed to
enter the Faiyum region but was trapped there, forming a
lake and an area for agriculture. The name, translated as
“Joseph’s River,” is not of biblical origin but honors a
local hero of Islam. The canal is supposed to have been
regulated by AMENEMHET III(r. 1844–1797 B.C.E.) of the
Twelfth Dynasty during the reclamation and irrigation
projects conducted at that time. The Bahr Yusef paralleled
the Nile for hundreds of miles, and is fed in modern
times by a canal at ASSIUT.
bain-a’abtiu These were the deities of the souls in
ancient Egypt that were transformed into BABOONS at
each new dawn. In this form, the deities performed spiri-
tual concerts in adoration of RÉas the god emerged as the
sun. In some eras, the termbain-a’abtiuidentified the
Morning Star.
Bakenkhonsu (fl. 13th century B.C.E.)Official of the
Nineteenth Dynasty
He served RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.)as the high
priest of AMUN. Bakenkhonsu was a member of the AMEN-
EMOPETclan of that era, and he supervised the building
of one of Ramesses’ temples and erected sacred barks for
the gods of THEBES. Bakenkhonsu also served in the Egyp-
tian court system. He was mentioned in the BERLIN
PAPYRUSand memorialized on some statues now in the
possession of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. His name is
associated with Queen NEFERTARIalso, as some lists place
her as a member of his family.
Bakenkhonsu was a temple PRIESTwho entered the
service of the deity as a young man. He spent 12 years as
a devotee in the temple, before being named the Third
Prophet of Amun, an office that he held for 15 years.
Becoming the Second Prophet of Amun, Bakenkhonsu
became the high priest and is recorded as serving in that
exalted capacity for more than a quarter of a century. A
second Bakenkhonsu followed him into the same priestly
office.
Bakenrenef(Wahka-ré, Bocchoris)(d. 712 B.C.E.)
Ruler of the city of Sais in the Twenty-fourth Dynasty
He reigned from 717 B.C.E. until his death. Bakenrenef
succeeded TEFNAKHTE, his reported brother. Joining in the
alliance against PIANKHI(1),the Nubian conqueror, the
Egyptians, including Tefnakhte and Bakenrenef, were
defeated. He was eventually allowed to remain in SAIS.
However, when SHABAKA(r. 712–698 B.C.E.) entered Egypt
tofound the Kushite, or Nubian, Dynasty, the Twenty-
fifth, he put Bakenrenef to death by burning him alive.Baketamun (Baketaten)(fl. 14th century B.C.E.) Prin-
cess of the Eighteenth Dynasty
She was a daughter of AMENHOTEP III (r. 1391–1353
B.C.E.) and Queen TIYE(1). Baketamun was a sister of
AKHENATEN(Amenhotep IV) and witnessed the ’AMARNA
era of Akhenaten’s reign in living there with her mother
for a time. She bore the name Baketaten in ’Amarna and
was depicted in tomb reliefs. A limestone bust was identi-
fied as Baketamun in ’Amarna.Baketwerel(fl. 13th century B.C.E.) Royal woman of the
Twentieth Dynasty
She is believed to have been the consort of AMENMESSES,a
usurper in the reign of SETI II(1214–1204 B.C.E.). Her
remains have not been identified but possibly have been
found in Amenmesses’ tomb, alongside his mother,
TAKHAT(1). Baketwerel has also been identified as the
consort of RAMESSES IX. If she were the consort of
Ramesses IX, she would have been the mother of
RAMESSES X. It is possible that a second Baketwerel was
named after an ancestral member.
See also QUEENS.Bakhau Aspiritual site called “the Land of the Sun-
rise,” and part of the cult of the god RÉ, Bakhau was
the setting of the cosmic battle between Ré and the god
SET, who was defeated. The site was called the spirit-
ual “Mountain of Sunrise” and was associated with solar
rituals. BABOONSgreeted the dawn at Bakhau as part of
the solar rituals. Manu was the spiritual “Mountain of
Sunset.”
See also BUCHIS.Bakht (Baqet)(fl. 21st century B.C.E.)Official and
nomarch of the Eleventh Dynasty (2040–1991 B.C.E.)
He served as governor of the Oryx nome. He was buried
in his clan necropolis in BENI HASAN. Bakht’s tomb con-
tains a rectangular chapel with two columns and seven
shafts. Elaborate wall murals depict Bakht and his wife in
everyday activities, and paintings of gazelles, a unicorn
hunt, and winged monsters are also preserved. Bakht’s
son was Kheti, who inherited the office and titles of the
nome. He was buried nearby. Bakht was the third member
of his clan to bear that name.Balakros (fl. fourth century B.C.E.) Greek satrap of
Egypt, appointed by Alexander the Great (332–323 B.C.E.)
Balakros was the son of Amyntos, a member of Alexan-
der’s military command. When the conqueror left Egypt,
Balakros was given partial control of the Nile region,64 Bahr Libeini