Bintanath
Encyclopedia
Bintanath was the firstborn daughter and later Great Royal Wife
of the Egyptian Pharaoh
Ramesses II
.
. Her mother was Isetnofret
, one of the two most prominent wives of Ramesses II
. It is interesting to note that her name is Semitic
, meaning Daughter of Anath, referring to the Canaanite goddess Anath. She had at least three brothers Ramesses, Khaemwaset and Merneptah
and a sister who was named Isetnofret after their mother.
Bintanath had a daughter who appears on the paintings in her tomb in the Valley of the Queens
. She is unnamed there but according to Joyce Tyldesley it is possible that her name was also Bintanath and she married the next pharaoh, Merneptah
. According to Tyldesley, a statue of Merneptah in Luxor
mentions "the Great Royal Wife Bintanath", who is, possibly, this daughter, since it is unlikely that the older Bintanath married Merneptah when both of them were well over sixty. However, it is entirely possible that Bintanath never married Merenptah and used the "Great Royal Wife" title only because she was entitled to it due to her first marriage.
dated to year 3 of Ramesses II
. She is said to be the King's daughter of his body, and is the first in a procession of princesses. She is followed by Meritamen
in this procession. Bintanath appears twice as a princess in Abu Simbel. Together with Nebettawy
she flanks the southern most colossus on the facade of the great temple. On one of the pillars inside the temple she is shown offering flowers to the goddess Anuqet.
Bentanath became Great Royal Wife around the 25th year of her father's reign. During her time as queen she held many titles including hereditary princess, the great first one (iryt-p`t-tpit-wrt), Lady of The Two Lands (nbt-t3wy), Great King’s Wife (hmt-niswt-wrt), Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt (hnwt-Shm’w -mhw), King’s Daughter (s3t-niswt), and eventually King’s Sister (snt-niswt).
As (great) royal wife Bintanath appears on several statues of Pharaoh
Ramesses II
. She is depicted on a statue from the Sinai (BM 697), on two sandstone colossi found in Tanis
, but probably originally from Pi-Ramesse, on a statue from the south gate of the Ptah
precinct in Memphis. A usurped Middle Kingdom statue from Heracleopolis depicts both Bintanath and her sister Meritamen, and a statue from Hermopolis depicts Bintanath and Henutmire
(both as great royal wives). Bintanath is depicted on statues of her father at least three times in Karnak and Luxor, and she appears in statues in Wadi es-Sebua.
Two family stela show Bintanath with her immediate family. The Aswan rock stela shows Ramesses II
, Isetnofret
and Khaemwaset before the god Khnum, while in another register Bintanath appears with her brothers Ramesses and Merneptah
. Another stela from West Silsila depicts Bint-Anath standing behind her mother Isetnofret and her father Ramesses II as the king offers Maat
to the gods Ptah
and Nefertem
. Prince Khaemwaset stands in front of the king, while her brothers Ramesses and Merneptah
are shown in a lower register.
.
The tomb is described by Lepsius (number 4). The name of Bintanath is given in slightly different spellings in the tomb. Bintanath is shown before Osiris and Nephtys. Both gods say: "I grant you a place of repose in the land of righteousness." Queen Bintanath is depicted with her daughter, who is not named. Bintanath's sarcophagus was later usurped by a man.
Great Royal Wife
Great Royal Wife or Chief King's Wife is the term used to refer to the chief wife of the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. While most Ancient Egyptians were monogamous, the pharaoh would have had other, lesser wives and concubines in addition to the Great Royal Wife...
of the Egyptian Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
.
Family
Bintanath was likely born during the reign of her grandfather Seti ISeti I
Menmaatre Seti I was a Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt , the son of Ramesses I and Queen Sitre, and the father of Ramesses II...
. Her mother was Isetnofret
Isetnofret
Isetnofret was one of the Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses II and was the mother of his heir, Merneptah...
, one of the two most prominent wives of Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
. It is interesting to note that her name is Semitic
Semitic
In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages...
, meaning Daughter of Anath, referring to the Canaanite goddess Anath. She had at least three brothers Ramesses, Khaemwaset and Merneptah
Merneptah
Merneptah was the fourth ruler of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He ruled Egypt for almost ten years between late July or early August 1213 and May 2, 1203 BC, according to contemporary historical records...
and a sister who was named Isetnofret after their mother.
Bintanath had a daughter who appears on the paintings in her tomb in the Valley of the Queens
Valley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens is a place in Egypt where wives of Pharaohs were buried in ancient times. In ancient times, it was known as Ta-Set-Neferu, meaning –‘the place of the Children of the Pharaoh’, because along with the Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties many princes and princesses...
. She is unnamed there but according to Joyce Tyldesley it is possible that her name was also Bintanath and she married the next pharaoh, Merneptah
Merneptah
Merneptah was the fourth ruler of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He ruled Egypt for almost ten years between late July or early August 1213 and May 2, 1203 BC, according to contemporary historical records...
. According to Tyldesley, a statue of Merneptah in Luxor
Luxor
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 , with an area of approximately . As the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple...
mentions "the Great Royal Wife Bintanath", who is, possibly, this daughter, since it is unlikely that the older Bintanath married Merneptah when both of them were well over sixty. However, it is entirely possible that Bintanath never married Merenptah and used the "Great Royal Wife" title only because she was entitled to it due to her first marriage.
Life
Bintanath is depicted in a scene on a pylon in LuxorLuxor
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 , with an area of approximately . As the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple...
dated to year 3 of Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
. She is said to be the King's daughter of his body, and is the first in a procession of princesses. She is followed by Meritamen
Meritamen
Meritamen was a daughter and later Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses the Great.- Family :...
in this procession. Bintanath appears twice as a princess in Abu Simbel. Together with Nebettawy
Nebettawy
Nebettawy was an Ancient Egyptian princess and queen, the fifth daughter and one of the eight Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses II.-Life:...
she flanks the southern most colossus on the facade of the great temple. On one of the pillars inside the temple she is shown offering flowers to the goddess Anuqet.
Bentanath became Great Royal Wife around the 25th year of her father's reign. During her time as queen she held many titles including hereditary princess, the great first one (iryt-p`t-tpit-wrt), Lady of The Two Lands (nbt-t3wy), Great King’s Wife (hmt-niswt-wrt), Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt (hnwt-Shm’w -mhw), King’s Daughter (s3t-niswt), and eventually King’s Sister (snt-niswt).
As (great) royal wife Bintanath appears on several statues of Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
. She is depicted on a statue from the Sinai (BM 697), on two sandstone colossi found in Tanis
Tanis
Tanis was the capital of the 21st and 22nd dynasties of ancient Egypt, and is now an archaeological temple site. The word Tanis can also refer to:*Tanis, a little girl mummy in Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School...
, but probably originally from Pi-Ramesse, on a statue from the south gate of the Ptah
Ptah
In Ancient Egyptian Religion, Ptah was the deification of the primordial mound in the Ennead cosmogony, which was more literally referred to as Ta-tenen , meaning risen land, or as Tanen, meaning submerged land, though Tatenen was a god in his...
precinct in Memphis. A usurped Middle Kingdom statue from Heracleopolis depicts both Bintanath and her sister Meritamen, and a statue from Hermopolis depicts Bintanath and Henutmire
Henutmire
Henutmire was an Ancient Egyptian princess and queen, one of the eight Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses II.-Life:She is possibly the third and youngest child of Seti I and Queen Tuya, and the younger sister of Ramesses II and Princess Tia. This theory is based on a statue of Queen Tuya, now in...
(both as great royal wives). Bintanath is depicted on statues of her father at least three times in Karnak and Luxor, and she appears in statues in Wadi es-Sebua.
Two family stela show Bintanath with her immediate family. The Aswan rock stela shows Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
, Isetnofret
Isetnofret
Isetnofret was one of the Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses II and was the mother of his heir, Merneptah...
and Khaemwaset before the god Khnum, while in another register Bintanath appears with her brothers Ramesses and Merneptah
Merneptah
Merneptah was the fourth ruler of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He ruled Egypt for almost ten years between late July or early August 1213 and May 2, 1203 BC, according to contemporary historical records...
. Another stela from West Silsila depicts Bint-Anath standing behind her mother Isetnofret and her father Ramesses II as the king offers Maat
Maat
Maat is a naval rank of the German navy equivalent to the army rank of Unteroffizier. A Maat is considered the equivalent of a junior Petty Officer in the navies of many other nations....
to the gods Ptah
Ptah
In Ancient Egyptian Religion, Ptah was the deification of the primordial mound in the Ennead cosmogony, which was more literally referred to as Ta-tenen , meaning risen land, or as Tanen, meaning submerged land, though Tatenen was a god in his...
and Nefertem
Nefertem
In Egyptian mythology, Nefertem was originally a lotus flower at the creation of the world, who had arisen from the primal waters.Nefertem represented both the first sunlight and the delightful smell of the Egyptian blue lotus...
. Prince Khaemwaset stands in front of the king, while her brothers Ramesses and Merneptah
Merneptah
Merneptah was the fourth ruler of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He ruled Egypt for almost ten years between late July or early August 1213 and May 2, 1203 BC, according to contemporary historical records...
are shown in a lower register.
Death and burial
Despite her being Ramesses' first daughter, she was actually one of the few children who outlived their long-lived father. She was depicted on a statue usurped by Merenptah. She died during the reign of her brother Merneptah and was buried in the tomb QV71 in the Valley of the QueensValley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens is a place in Egypt where wives of Pharaohs were buried in ancient times. In ancient times, it was known as Ta-Set-Neferu, meaning –‘the place of the Children of the Pharaoh’, because along with the Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties many princes and princesses...
.