Limestone stela of Pasheryenptah

Probably from Memphis, Egypt
Reign of Cleopatra VII, 40 BC

A high priest of Memphis at the close of the Ptolemaic period

Pasheryenptah was a member of an important family of high priests in Memphis in the first century BC. The stela of his wife Taimhotep is also in The British Museum.

Pasheryenptah's stela is very well executed, and shows the owner before various gods. The inscription tells us that Pasheryenptah was born around 92/93 BC in the reign of Ptolemy IX (though his brother Ptolemy X might have been ruling the country in the former's absence). Pasheryenptah was apparently promoted to be high priest of Ptah at the age of 14 years, and was responsible for crowning Ptolemy XII king of Egypt.

The story told on the stela of his wife Taimhotep, about the lack of a son, is repeated here. The inscription also gives the date of Pasheryenptah's own death in the reign of Cleopatra VII (51-30 BC), and tells of being taken to the necropolis (cemetery) and being buried.

S. Walker and P. Higgs, Cleopatra of Egypt: from histo (London, The British Museum Press, 2001)

J. Quaegebeur, 'Contribution à la prosopographie des prêtres memphites à l'époque ptolémaïque', Ancient Society, 3 (1972), pp. 77-109