Stela of King Nesbanebded (Smendes I)
Commemorating the re-opening of the quarry at Geelein

(Titulary of Nesbanebded)
Now his majesty being in the city of Haiku-ptah, his august residence, victorious and strong as Ra, [in order to perform his devotion to Phtah] the master of Ankhtoui, to Sokhit, the great beloved one of Ptah, [to Tumu-Khopri], to Montu, and to the circle of nine gods who reside in Hait-saru, while his majesty was seated in his audience-chamber [a messenger came to declare before] his majesty: "It is the arm of southern water, situated on the border of the Apit of the South, dug by king Thothmes III, which proceeds [to ruin, for it is being drained away, and] 6 forming a great torrent which deeply channels (the ground) as far as the great opisthodoma of the temple extends to the back [of the building."

His majesty said] to them: "These words which you utter before me, there has been nothing in my time which has happened like them without my being informed of them [and without my having] remedied the mischief which they describe. If then this arm of water which nourishes the quarter during the (proper) season of the year [has done this mischief, it has happened} 9 without my knowledge, and all this has taken place apart from the sovereign."

His majesty then caused [workmen to be summoned] (and) with them 3000 men selected from the serfs of his majesty, and his majesty gave commandment before them that they should hasten to the [country of the south, to look for a quarry in the] mountain. Now the workmen of his majesty, from among those who are always at his feet, despatched a number of [persons who knew the country, in order to] examine [the mountain. Now no one had] worked in this quarry since the time of long-past generations, until the present period of Aniti. [So they remained there, and restored ?] the chapel of the goddess Monit, the lady of Zoriti, then they executed that command which his majesty had established [about replacing those whom the work had] worn out in the limbs, each month. When the orders of the king arrived, urging the prosecution of the works which, he had commanded [the people of the country assembled without limitation] of number, even the infants on the breast of their mother ran to cut [the stone for the "buildings of his majesty.

Never] had anything happened like it in the time of (our) ancestors. Then his majesty came in his turn, like Thoth [who benefits by his acts, and gave rewards to the workmen] for their cleverness, by way of recompense for their energy and courage, lifting himself up on the throne of the Horus [of the living, even he king Nsbindidi who gives life like Ra for ever].

Source: G. Maspero, A Stele of King Smendes
A.H. Sayce ed. Records of the Past, Vol. V,
S.Bagster and Sons, London, 18

Design, Layout and Graphic Art by Jimmy Dunn, an InterCity Oz, Inc. Employee
All content, Graphic Art, Design, Layout, and Scripting Code Copyright 1996 by InterCity Oz, Inc.