Stable URL: http://ancientassociations.ku.dk/assoc/1461Download as PDF
Last Updated on 14 Jan 2019

Author: Cassandre Hartenstein

CAPInv. 1461: The great association of Harsomteus

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Egypt
ii. Nome Tentyrites (U06)
iii. Site Dendera (?)

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) Tȝ ẖny.t ʿȝ.t n Ḥr-smȝ-tȝ.wỉ (Short Texts I 166 l. 1).
ii. Full name (transliterated) The great association of Harsomteus

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 6 BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Theophoric:Harsomteus
iii. Descriptive terms ẖny.t
Note ẖny.t: l. 1, 4). In the four editions of this inscription, the word ‘association’ is translitterated sn.t, but this reading was rejected by De Cenival, Fr. (2006).

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) Short Texts I 166 (15 Tubi of year 24 of Augustus=10 January 6 BC)
Note Other editions of the inscription are: Spiegelberg 1912; Farid 1993: 21; Farid 1995: 271, no 5.
Online Resources TM 52213
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script This Demotic inscription probably marked the meeting place of an association dedicated to Harsomteus, and was made by a strategos and a lesonis (the latter is probably the president of the association, see VII Organization).
i.c. Physical format(s) Sandstone stele (36 x 28 cm), with a representation of a king (probably Augustus) offering two jars to there gods.
ii. Source(s) provenance The stela (now in the Cairo Museum) was found in an unknown spot in Dendera by sebakh diggers in 1910.

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii. Leadership The mr šn (lesonis) cited l. 3-4 is probably the president of the association. The lesonis is usually an official attached to temples. In an association, the mr šn is an administrator (De Conical 1972: 154-159). Considering the way the title is mentioned in the inscription, it appears slightly more likely that it refers here to the function in the association.
iii. Members The members are called nȝ rmṯ.w (n) ẖny.t (‘the people from (the) association’, l. 4).
iv. Officials The dedication is made by the mr šn Pȝ-ʿẖm-pȝ-ṣr-Ỉḥy (sȝ) Pȝ-ʿẖm-n-Msḳs (l. 3-4).
(Pachom-psenihy son of Pachom-n-msqs), and a strategos (l. 2-3) Ptwlms son of Pa-nȝ (Ptolemaios son of Panas). We do not know if the second man had a role in the association or if he just took part in the dedication.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note Both of people named are male. We do not know about the others.
vi. Proper names and physical features -Pȝ-ʿẖm-pȝ-ṣr-Ỉḥy (sȝ) Pȝ-ʿẖm-n-Msḳs (l. 3-4).
(Pachom-psenihy son of Pachom-n-msqs)
-
Ptwlms son of Pa-nȝ, (Ptolemaios son of Panas)

XI. INTERACTION

i. Local interaction The association of Harsomteus had connections with official authorities, as the strategos of the nome is one of the dedicant of the inscription (see VII Organization iv Officials).The association had probably interactions too with the temple of Dendera (and maybe took part in some celebrations).

XII. NOTES

i. Comments This inscription probably marked the location where the association used to gather. It could be a building or just a space in the area of the temple of Dendera.
It is possible that this association corresponds to CAPInv. 1405 and CAPInv. 1510.
iii. Bibliography De Cenival, Fr. (2006), ‘À propos du mot désignant en démotique « l’association »’, RdE 57 : 233-234.
Cauville, S. (1991), 'Dieux et prêtres à Dendera au Ier siècle avant Jésus-Christ', BIFAO 91: 69-97.
De Cenival, Fr. (1972), Les associations religieuses en Égypte d’après les documents démotiques, Le Caire.
Farid, A. (1993), Die demotischen Inschriften der Strategen, San Antonio.
Farid, A. (1995), Fünf Stelen, Berlin.
Spiegelberg, W. (1912), 'Denkstein einer Kultgenossenschaft in Dendera aus der Zeit des Augustus', ZÄS 50: 36-39

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The use of ẖny.t (l. 1, 4) to describe this group proves that it was a private association.