AMENIRDIS I, a Divine Adoratrice of Amun. Pebatma was
queen of MEROË, in Kush, or NUBIA(modern Sudan), and
she apparently did not accompany her husband or sons
to Egypt. Meroë was a sumptuous Nubian city, steeped in
pharaonic and Amunite traditions.
pectoral An elaborate form of necklace, fashioned out
of FAIENCE, stones, or other materials and worn in all his-
torical periods in Egypt, they were normally glazed, with
blue-green designs popular in most eras. Most royal pec-
torals were decorated with golden images that honored
the cultic traditions of the gods, with deities and religious
symbols being incorporated into dazzling designs. Pec-
torals have been recovered in tombs and on mummified
remains.
Pediese (fl. seventh century B.C.E.)Prince of the Twenty-
sixth Dynasty, known for his elaborate tomb
He was a son of PSAMMETICHUS I(r. 664–610 B.C.E.) and
was buried with beautiful mortuary regalia and decora-
tions. Pediese’s tomb is located at the base of a deep shaft
beside the STEP PYRAMIDof DJOSER(r. 2630–2611 B.C.E.)
in SAQQARA. Beautifully incised hieroglyphs on the walls
of the tomb depict mortuary formulas and funerary spells
to aid Pediese beyond the grave. Stars also decorate the
ceiling. The prince’s sarcophagus is massive and beauti-
fully decorated. Djenhebu, Psammetichus I’s chief physi-
cian and an admiral in the Egyptian navy, rested in
another Twenty-sixth Dynasty tomb nearby.
Pedisamtawi (Potasimto)(fl. sixth century
B.C.E.)Military commander of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty
He served PSAMMETICHUS III (r. 526–525 B.C.E.) as an
army general. Pedisamtawi led his troops to the temple of
RAMESSES IIat ABU SIMBELand left an inscription there,
written in Greek. He was on a campaign against rebels in
NUBIA(modern Sudan) at the time.
Pedubaste(d. 803 B.C.E.)Founder of the Twenty-third
Dynasty
He reigned from 828 B.C.E. until his death, a contempo-
rary of SHOSHENQ III(r. 835–783 B.C.E.) of the Twenty-
second Dynasty. Pedubaste was at LEONTOPOLIS. He raised
his son, Iuput, as his coregent, but Iuput died before
inheriting the throne. Pedubaste is commemorated in
KARNAK inscriptions. He served as the high priest of
Amun at THEBESin the reign of TAKELOT IIand then fash-
ioned his own dynasty. Pedubaste was succeeded by
SHOSHENQ IVat Leontopolis.
Pedukhipa(fl. 13th century B.C.E.) Royal woman of the
Hittites in the reign of Ramesses II
She was the consort of the HITTITEruler HATTUSILIS III.
Pedukhipa wrote to Queen NEFERTARI, the beloved wife of
RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.) and also received mes-
sages from the pharaoh, an indication of her political
power. The letters were discovered in Böghazköy (mod-
ern Turkey), the site of Hattusas, the Hittite capital.
Queen Pedukipa’s daughter, probably MA’AT HORNEFRURÉ,
married Ramesses II in the 34th year of his reign as a
symbol of the alliance between Egypt and the Hittites.Peftjau’abast (fl. 740–725 B.C.E.) Ruler of the Twenty-
third Dynasty
He reigned in HERAKLEOPOLIS740–725 B.C.E. and married
IRBAST’UDJEFRU, a niece of TAKELOT IIIand the daughter of
RUDAMON. When PIANKHI(1) of NUBIA(modern Sudan)
began to move northward to claim Egypt, Peftjau’abast
joined a coalition of petty rulers and marched with them
to halt the Nubian advance. Piankhi, however, crushed
the Egyptians at HERAKLEOPOLIS. Peftjau’abast surren-
dered to Piankhi but remained in his city as a vassal gov-
ernor.Pega This was a site in ABYDOSthat formed a gap in the
mountains and was considered the starting point for
souls on their way to eternal life. A well was dug near
Pega and there the Egyptians deposited offerings for the
dead. Such gifts were transported through the subter-
ranean passages to AMENTI, the netherworld.
See also MORTUARY RITUALS; PARADISE.Pekassater(fl. eighth century B.C.E.)Royal Nubian
woman of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty
She was the consort of PIANKHI(1) (r. 750–712 B.C.E.)
and the daughter of ALARA, the Nubian (modern
Sudanese) king. Pekassater resided in NAPATA, the capital
near the fourth cataract of the Nile. There is some indica-
tion that Queen Pekassater was buried at ABYDOS.Pelusium A site on the most easterly mouth of the
NILE, near Port Sa’id, the modern Tell Farama, the Egyp-
tians called the city Sa’ine or Per Amun. Pelusium served
as a barrier against enemies entering the Nile from Pales-
tine. In 343 B.C.E., ARTAXERXES III OCHUS defeated
NECTANEBO IIat Pelusium, beginning the second Persian
Period (343–332 B.C.E.) in Egypt.Penne (Penno, Penni Pennuit)(fl. 12th century
B.C.E.)Governor of the Twentieth Dynasty, a powerful
“King’s Son of Kush”
He served RAMESSES IV (r. 1163–1156 B.C.E.) as the
governor of NUBIA(modern Sudan) and was honored
with the title of the “King’s Son of Kush.” Penne was
also the mayor of ANIBA. His tomb in Aniba, south
of ASWAN, contains reliefs that depict Penne being hon-
ored by Ramesses IV as “the Deputy of WAWAT,” a
district of Nubia. He was the superintendent of the
quarries of the region. Penne erected a statue of the
pharaoh and received two vessels of silver in return.298 pectoral