Abstract

Since they have been known in public, the Middle Kingdom rock tombs of Beni Hassan have always attracted visitors and admirers alike. This might come about due to their exposed position in the eastern cliffs of Middle Egypt high upon the river Nile. Among them some of the finest private tomb chapels of the Middle Kingdom are contained. This relates to the splendour of their architecture as well as to some of the finest mural paintings and inscrip-tions which ever became known out of Ancient Egypt. BH 3, which is very elegant in style and impressive in its lavishness of colours, being the tomb of the overseer of the Eastern Desert, Khnumhotep II. and the latest decorated tomb chapel in the row, dating from the time of Senwosret II. (about 1880 B.C.) has in many cases been considered the most fascinating of the all of them. The thesis presented focuses mainly on BH 2, tomb of the nomarch of the Oryx-nome, Amenemhet, called Jmnjj from the time of Senwosret I. (1956-1910 B.C.). BH 2 is the second youngest of the decorated tombs in the row and is equally well performed in its decoration as in its architecture. The main purpose of this study was to make obvious the "bridge function" of BH 2 as a link and – at the same time – as a separator between the earlier – decorated – tombs of Beni Hassan and BH 3, originating in the preservation and transfer of motives as well from the mural paintings as from the inscriptions of the earlier tombs into the composi-tion of Jmnjj('s) own tomb chapel, thus shaping a symbiotic relationship of old an new. The methods chosen to achieve this goal: First there had to be held a well-grounded analysis of all the earlier tombs concerning the composing elements of their tomb chapel decoration in comparison to the tomb chapel decoration of BH 2. Then an interpretation was attempted, concerning which composing elements were again used or not used in BH 2, drawing the conclusion, that the owner of the tomb chose certain motives for the mere purpose of legiti-mating. BH 2 represents the search for credentials, a man appointed to his position by the King has to make obvious, if he simultaneously wishes to trace his roots and to show his loyalty to the King.