Aspelta was a ruler of the kingdom of Kush (c. 600 – c. 580 BCE). More is known about him and his reign than most of the rulers of Kush. He left several carved with accounts of his reign.
Family
Aspelta was the son of
Senkamanisken and Queen
Nasalsa. Aspelta was the brother and successor of
Anlamani. The King is thought to have had several wives, including Henuttakhebit (buried in pyramid Nuri 28),
Meqemale (buried in pyramid Nuri 40), Asata (buried in pyramid Nuri 42),
Artaha (buried in pyramid Nuri 58).
[ Porter and Moss, pg 232] he may have also been married to his sister
Madiqen.
[Aidan Dodson & Dyan Hilton: The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson, 2004, pp 236-239 ]
Reign
According to relevant inscriptions, Aspelta was selected as ruler by a committee of twenty-four religious and military leaders. He then set out north to
Napata to be selected as king by the gods and
coronation.
Another stele that might date from Aspelta's reign recounts how a group of priests were put to death, likely as punishment for conspiring against the king.
In 592 BCE, Kush was invaded by an Egyptian military expedition initiated by Pharaoh Psamtik II[ The New Encyclopædia Britannica: Micropædia, Vol.8, 15th edition, 2003. p.817] perhaps because Aspelta posed a threat to this pharaoh's authority over Upper Egypt, to the south and close to Kush. The invaders sacked Napata, and some historians believe that because of this attack, Aspelta decided to move the Nubian capital to the more secure city of Meroe.
Tomb
Aspelta's tomb was located at
Nuri and is the second largest burial structure here.
[ Aspelta] His tomb was excavated by George A. Reisner in 1916 and many items were discovered within it, most of which are now in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The palace built by him and his brother was excavated by Reisner in 1920.
Monuments and items mentioning Aspelta
Aspelta is well attested. A list of items mentioning the King:
[Bertha Porter; Rosalind L B Moss; Ethel W Burney, Topographical bibliography of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic texts, reliefs, and paintings. VII, Nubia, the deserts, and outside Egypt, Oxford : Griffith Institute, 1995]
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Two cartouche-plaques of Aspelta (Ashmolean Mus. 1932.749 and Brussels, E.7010) from the West side room Temple A at Kawa.
[ Porter and Moss, pg 184]
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Fragments of granite stela of Aspelta (Ashmolean Mus. I9J2.I295) found in south-east corner of the Court in Temple T at Kawa.
[ Porter and Moss, pg 187]
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Wall depicting Aspelta, (Oxford, Ashmolean Mus. 1936.662). One scene shows the King offering image of Maat to the ram-headed god Amun-Re and Anukis-Nethy, another shows King before Amun-Re and Mut.
[ Porter and Moss, pg 188]
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Granite stela (Berlin Mus. 2268). The scene depicts Nastasen and the Queen-Mother Pelkha and similarly Nastasen with Queen Sakhmakh. The text is dated to year 8, and mentions King Aspelta, Harsiotef, Alara and Kambasuden. The stela probably comes from Gebel Barkal.
[ Porter and Moss, pg 193]
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A shrine dedicated to Aspelta was found at the temple in Sanam.
[ Porter and Moss, pg 199][Kathryn Howley: Worshipping Amun in Nubia, in: Egyptian Archaeology, 58, Spring 2021, pp. 25-27]
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Stela of Aspelta (Louvre C. 257) Possibly from Sanam.
[ Porter and Moss, pg 202]
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A diorite stela of Khaliut, the Mayor of Kanad, son of Pi'ankhy, was erected by Aspelta. The text mention's the Queen-Mother Nasalsa.
[ Porter and Moss, pg 216]
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Enthronement-stela, year I of Aspelta with scene at top showing the Queen-Mother Nasalsa (Cairo Mus. Ent. 48866), was found at Gebel Barkal.
[ Porter and Moss, pg 217]
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Adoption-stela from year 3 of Aspelta probably from Sanam. The text records the appointment of Henuttakhebit as priestess of Napata. The King is shown with his mother Queen Nasalsa and Queen Madiqen.
[ Porter and Moss, pg 218]
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Statue of Aspelta (Boston Mus. 2J.7JO)
[ Porter and Moss, pg 221]
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A fragment of one of the of Aspelta was found in Room A of the tomb of Anlamani (Nuri 6).
[ Porter and Moss, pg 226]
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Tomb Nuri 8 belonged to Aspelta. Excavated by Reisner in 1917. Four foundation deposits which include tablets and cups are now spread over several museums. A stela from the chapel was later reused in Tomb Nuri 100. The tomb had three burial chambers and included the sarcophagus of the King. Finds include: Gold and silver vases, inscribed gold vase (Boston Museum 20.341), Silver-spouted beaker (Boston Mus. 24.901.), Gold cylinders (Boston Mus. 21.339-40), Inscribed (Khartum Mus. 1386 A, Boston M us. 20.1070), Two canopic jars (Boston Mus. 20.1062), Porphyry offering-table (Boston Mus. 21.1192).
[ Porter and Moss, pg 227]
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Two alabaster jars with the name of Aspelta, found in tomb S.44 in the South Cemetery of Meroe (Boston Mus. 24.886, Khartum Mus. 182I)
[ Porter and Moss, pg 259]
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Alabaster vase with name of Aspelta, a faience fragment with cartouche of Aspelta (Brussels E. 3539, E. 3977) and faience fragment with cartouches of Aspelta (Copenhagen, Ny Carlsberg Glypt. IE.I.N. 1307-8)
[ Porter and Moss, pg 261]
Artifacts
File:Colossal statue of King Aspelta MFA.jpg|Colossal statue of King Aspelta from Jebel Barkal, Boston Museum of Fine Arts.[ Museum notice]
File:Treasure of King Aspelta.jpg|Artifacts including large metal tweezers, decorated and inscribed vessels, gold sheaths, and a ewer marked for King Aspelta found in Nuri pyramid 8. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
File:Sarcophagus of King Aspelta.jpg|The Sarcophagus of King Aspelta found in Nuri pyramid 8. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
