Dream Stele

Dream Stele-(detail of lunette); reproduction at Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, San Jose.

The Dream Stele of Thutmose IV was erected in the first year of his reign, 1401 BC. Also called the Sphinx Stele, it is claimed to be like other New Kingdom pharaohs, a divine legitimisation to pharaohship.^[1]

Text

Partial text:

"Now the statue of the very great Khepri [the Great Sphinx ] rested in this place, great of fame, sacred of respect, the shade of Ra resting on him. Memphis and every city on its two sides came to him, their arms in adoration to his face, bearing great offerings for his Ka. One of these days it happened that prince Thutmose came travelling at the time of midday. He rested in the shadow of this great god. [Sleep and ] dream [took possession of him] at the moment the sun was at zenith. Then he found the majesty of this noble god speaking from his own mouth like a father speaks to his son, and saying: "Look at me, observe me, my son Thutmose. I am your father Horemakhet-Khepri-Ra-Atum. I shall give to you the kingship [upon the land before the living]....[Behold, my condition is like one in illness], all [ my limbs being ruined]. The sand of the desert, upon which I used to be, (now) confronts me; and it is in order to cause that you do what is in my heart that I have waited." "^[2]

Dream Stele, reproduction.

Stele description

The Dream Stele is a vertical rectangular stele, 144cm Ht, 40cm W, 70cm D. The upper scene lunette, shows Thutmose IV on the right and left making offerings to the Great Sphinx.

References

1. ^ Shaw, 2000, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, p.254.
2. ^ Shaw, 2000, p.254.

• Shaw, 2000, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, Ian Shaw, Ed., Oxford University Press 2000, {hardcover, ISBN 0-19-815034-2}