A Study of the Meroitic Inscription REM1141

This paper presents some preliminary results of the study of the meroitic inscription REM1141 also known as Amanishakheto’s stele which I examined in the holdings of the British Museum. The stele was discovered in 1974 at Qasr Ibrim, being reused as part of the pavement of the Cathedral. The first transcription and analysis of the text was published by D. Edwards and C. Rilly in The Meroitic temple complex at Qasr Ibrim edited by P. Rose. The text of the stele is considered as one of the meroitic royal inscriptions. These form a very huge group which includes all inscriptions with a royal names. In general, royal texts focus on the role of the royal persons and their deeds, like the napatan royal inscriptions. In the classification of this meroitic group there is a certain number of texts that, for some aspects, cannot be described as royal even though present royal names. If the texts and their vocabulary are compared, it is possible to appreciate some differences among them. In particular, some elements in REM1141 might lead one to suggest that this text may be related to religious offerings. The inception of the text, with the name of “Isis of Abaton to Meroe”, and the use of some verbal roots, which are also encountered in Benediction Formula, may support this idea. The elements supporting the fact that the text of REM1141 may have had a religious meaning are discussed in this paper.