Further to the previous news item about Ankh-af-na-Khonsu’s son, I’ve been sent a detailed and fascinating article regarding the genealogy and life of Ankh-af-na-Khonsu himself.
Unfortunately, it was sent anonymously so I’m unable to acknowledge the source or comment on its veracity…
Will the real Ankh-af-na-Khonsu please stand up?!
The Research Wanderings of Twinstars: Ixel Balamke and Hunahpu.
(Note – In doing this paper the spelling of names which Thelemites are generally used to will be used in order to keep down the confusion. If one has done any research in Ancient Egypt, they will notice that there are several different spellings, usually due to difference in translating the vowels and how names are to be written. For example, Ankh-af-na-Khonsu can be found spelt Ankhef-en-Khonsu, Ankhefenkhons, Ankhfen-Khonsu, Ankh-en-efKhonsu, etc.)
Since this is the Centennial of the Book of the Law, we thought that we would reprint an old piece of research that we did in the early 1980’s. Most people in the Order probably have not read this piece and it is probably new to you about our research into the lineage of Ank-af-na-Khonsu. We hope that you enjoy the piece.
In 1983 we bought The Holy Books of Thelema. In it we notice a several translations of the Stele of Revealing and several references to Ankh-af-na-Khonsu. We asked our soon to be camp-master, if he knew anything about Ankh-af-na-Khonsu other than what was printed in The Holy Books of Thelema. He didn’t and he told us that he knew of no one else who did. Well we dislike not knowing, we went in search of Ankh-af-na-Khonsu. In The Holy Books of Thelema, it said of his lineage that his father was Bes-na-mut or Bes-na-Maut and also that his mother was a priestess-musician or sistrum player of Ammon-Ra, the mistress of the house of Ta-nech or Taneshi. Also Ankh-af-na-Khonsu was the priest of Mentu or Monthu, the Lord of Thebes, and the prophet of Ra-Hoor-Khuit. We also knew that he existed in the twenty-sixth dynasty. After all, ancient Egypt has been studied more than almost any ancient civilization. With this much information we thought that he wouldn’t be hard to find. Boy, were we wrong.
In our research we found that there are approximately seven different Ankh-af-na-Khonsus and ten different, Bes-na-Mauts. However, only four of the Bes-na-Mauts had sons named Ankh-af-na-Khonsu. This narrowed it down some.
Our next problem was that most of the books were very sketchy on genealogy and contradicted each other. We looked at steles, coffin texts, and several translations trying to find out, which Ankh-af-na-Khonsu was which, without much luck until we came across a book with the answers to our quest. M.L. Bierbrier wrote The Late New Kingdom (c. 1300 – 664 B.C.): A Genealogical and Chronological Investigation. In the book includes family trees of the major families and the sources of the information. He also shows various different views on the genealogy of the families.
In the book there is a reference to Ankh-af-na-Khonsu who was a prophet of Mentu, the prophet of Ra-Hoor-Khuit (Ra-Harakhti), and overseer of the seal of the estate of Mut (some claim that this is a reference to being the Lord of Thebes). Bierbrier claims that this Ankh-af-na-Khonsu might be Ankh-af-na-Khonsu V. Ankh-af-na-Khonsu V was the son of Bes-na-Maut iv and his mother was Tabetjet. Ankh-af-na-Khonsu V lived during the reign of Psammetichus I, who lived in the twenty-sixth dynasty. This seems this fits what we do know about Ankh-af-na-Khonsu. Also it seems that Ankh-af-na-Khonsu V was an industrious person, because he acquired new offices that did not pertain directly to the cult of Mentu such as the prophet of Ra-Hoor-Khuit.
Ankh-af-na-Khonsu also had a brother, Pediamn II. He was the prophet of the noble staff of Ammon, prophet of Ammon in Karnak, web (web means pure and was used for the priests who officiated at the offering of drinks to the gods) priest of the roof-temple of Ra in the estate of Ammon, web priest of Ament residing in Karnak upon the first and third phyles, and overseer of the seal of Mut, the great.
His family lineage is also interesting. On his mother’s side of the family she is the first cousin to the well-known Fourth Prophet of Ammom, Montemhat. Tabetjet is also the direct descendant to the Pharaoh Oaorkon II. Her family contains many important priests and priestesses of Ammon-Ra, which also follows with what is known about Ankh-af-na-Khonsu’s mother from the Stele of Revealing.
On his father’s side, it seems that Ankh-af-na-Khonsu I acquired the offices of prophet and priesthood of Mentu in the twenty-second dynasty. His descendants have been priests to the cult of Mentu ever since. Also, he is a descendant of Bak-an-Khonsu I who was the High Priest of Ammon during the reign of Ramesses, the Great.