Diadem of Princess Khenmet
Diadem of Princess Khenmet, c. 1932–1898 B.C.
Princess Khenmet is best known from her undisturbed tomb, which contained an exquisite collection of personal adornments. This masterpiece was discovered in the tomb she shared with her sister, Princess Ita, at Dahshur. While her parentage is uncertain, the proximity of her burial to the pyramid of Amenemhat II strongly suggests that Khenmet was his daughter.
The diadem is a delicate creation composed of interwoven gold wires forming a network that secures nearly 200 small flowers. Each flower features a carnelian centre and five petals inlaid with turquoise. These intricate wires are anchored to three pins on either side of five “crosses,” which are actually clusters of lotus blossoms. The design culminates at a pair of rings on the back of a sixth “cross.”
Art historians have marvelled at the diadem’s design. Its “airy lightness,” they noted, likely made the flowers appear as if they were scattered through the wearer’s hair. Arielle Kozloff, an art historian, envisioned the diadem conjuring the image of a young princess walking barefoot through the palace or dancing in the Audience Hall, the wreath rustling gently on her head.
However, scholars debate whether the diadem was ever worn during Khenmet’s life or if it was intended solely for funerary purposes. Egyptologist Wolfram Grajetzki has proposed that elements of the 12th Dynasty princesses’ treasures align with rituals described in the ancient Pyramid Texts, connecting them to the funerary rites of Osiris.
Princess Khenmet’s burial included not only the diadem but also a gilded dagger and a mace. Similar elite burials of the “Court Type” have revealed weapons such as maces, bows, arrows, and spears, alongside personal adornments. In a small chamber adjacent to her sarcophagus, additional treasures were uncovered, including two diadems and fragments of a gold necklace. Interestingly, the necklace is thought to have been crafted in Crete, rather than Egypt.
Princess Khenmet was buried with a gilded dagger as well as a mace. Some elite women in similar ‘Court Type’ graves elsewhere had daggers, too, and often other weapons: maces, bows, arrows, and even spears. In the small chamber next to the sarcophagus were found further personal adornments. These included two diadems and parts of a necklace made in gold. The latter is most likely not an Egyptian work of art, but was perhaps produced in Crete.
The father of Khenmet is uncertain. From the position of the burial, next to the pyramid of Amenemhat II it seems likely that she was his daughter.
“However, for the moment we may wonder whether Khnemet ever once put it on―or whether we are discussing something specifically funerary. More recently, the Egyptologist Wolfram Grajetzki has suggested that elements in the treasure hoards of the 12th Dynasty princesses correspond to elements in the funeral rites of Osiris himself, as described in the ancient Pyramid Texts.”
― Egyptian Art, by Bill Manley
Summary:
Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, reign of Amenemhat II, c. 1932–1898 B.C.
Tomb of Princess Khenmet and her sister Princess Ita within the Funerary Complex of Amenemhat II at Dahshur.
Today, these treasures are housed in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
