Hotep (; also rendered ''hetep'') is an

Egyptian ''Egyptian'' describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of year ...

word that roughly translates as "to be satisfied, at peace". The word also refers to an "offering" ritually presented to a deity or a dead person, hence "be pleased, be gracious, be at peace". It is rendered in

Egyptian hieroglyphs Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs ( ) were the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt for writing the Egyptian language. Hieroglyphs combined Ideogram, ideographic, logographic, syllabic and alphabetic elements, with more than 1,000 distinct char ...

as an

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...

(Gardiner sign R4). The noun ''ḥtp.w'' means "peace, contentment". Davies (2018) interprets the concept of as "the result of action in accord with ''

maat Maat or Maʽat ( Egyptian: ''mꜣꜥt'' /ˈmuʀʕat/, Coptic: ⲙⲉⲓ) comprised the ancient Egyptian concepts of truth, balance, order, harmony, law, morality, and justice. Maat was also the goddess who personified these concepts, and regul ...

'' he proper order of the universe. The so-called offering formula begins with "an offering given by the king".Gardiner, Alan. (1957). ''Egyptian Grammar, Third Edition,'' p. 170. Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. . Egyptian became Coptic "be content" and ''hōtp'' "be reconciled". Hotep as part of ancient Egyptian names, such as

Hotepsekhemwy Hotepsekhemwy is the Horus name of an early Egyptian king who was the founder of the Second Dynasty of Egypt. The exact length of his reign is not known; the Turin canon suggests an improbable 95 years Alan H. Gardiner: ''The royal canon of T ...

( "the two powers are at peace"), the first ruler of the

Second Dynasty of Egypt The Second Dynasty of ancient Egypt (or Dynasty II, – ) is the latter of the two dynasties of the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt, Egyptian Archaic Period, when the seat of government was centred at Thinis. It is most known for its last rule ...

In personal names

;Pharaohs *

(2nd dynasty) *

Mentuhotep I Mentuhotep I (also Mentuhotep-aa, i.e. "the Great") may have been a Theban nomarch and independent ruler of Upper Egypt during the early First Intermediate Period. Alternatively, Mentuhotep I may be a fictional figure created during the later El ...

Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep II (, meaning "Mentu is satisfied"), also known under his Prenomen (Ancient Egypt), prenomen Nebhepetre (, meaning "The Lord of the rudder is Ra"), was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the sixth ruler of the Eleventh Dynasty of Egypt, Elev ...

Mentuhotep III Sankhkare Mentuhotep III (also Montuhotep III) of the Eleventh Dynasty was Pharaoh of Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. He was assigned a reign of 12 years in the Turin Canon. Mentuhotep's reign is known for his expedition to Punt and ar ...

Mentuhotep IV Nebtawyre Mentuhotep IV was the last king of the 11th Dynasty in the Middle Kingdom. He seems to fit into a 7-year period in the Turin Canon for which there is no recorded king. Family King's Mother Imi In Wadi Hammamat, a rock inscription (Ha ...

Mentuhotep V Sewadjare Mentuhotep (also known as Mentuhotep V or Mentuhotep VI depending on the scholar) is a poorly attested Ancient Egypt, Egyptian pharaoh of the late Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt, 13th Dynasty, who reigned for a short time c. 1655 BC during ...

and

Mentuhotep VI Merankhre Mentuhotep VI was a Theban king of the Sixteenth Dynasty of Egypt based in Upper Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period. He was perhaps the 14th king of the dynasty.Darell D. Baker: ''The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I - P ...

(11th to 16th dynasties) *

Amenemhat I :''See Amenemhat (disambiguation), Amenemhat, for other individuals with this name.'' Amenemhat I (Egyptian language, Ancient Egyptian: ''Ỉmn-m-ḥꜣt'' meaning 'Amun is at the forefront'), also known as Amenemhet I, was a pharaoh of ancient ...

(throne name Sehetepibre) (12th dynasty) *

Sehetepibre Sehetepibre Sewesekhtawy (also Sehetepibre I or Sehetepibre II depending on the scholar) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 13th Dynasty during the early Second Intermediate Period, possibly the fifth or tenth king of the Dynasty. Chronological pos ...

(13th dynasty) *

Hotepibre Hotepibre Qemau Siharnedjheritef (also Sehetepibre I or Sehetepibre II depending on the scholar) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 13th Dynasty during the Second Intermediate Period. Family Qemau Siharnedjheritef complete nomen means "Qemau's s ...

(13th dynasty) *

Sobekhotep I Sekhemre Khutawy Amenemhat Sobekhotep was an Egyptian pharaoh of the early 13th Dynasty in the late Middle Kingdom. His chronological position is much debated. In literature, Sekhemre Khutawy Sobekhotep is known as Sobekhotep II and Amenemhat ...

, Sobekhotep II,

Sobekhotep III Sekhemre Sewadjtawy Sobekhotep III was an Egyptian king of the mid Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt who reigned three to four years. Family Parents and siblings The family of the king is known from several sources. A monument from Sehel Island show ...

Sobekhotep IV Khaneferre Sobekhotep IV was one of the more powerful Egyptian kings of the 13th Dynasty (c. 1803 BC to c. 1649 BC), who reigned at least eight years. His brothers, Neferhotep I and Sihathor, were his predecessors on the throne, the latter havi ...

, Merhotepre Sobekhotep V, Khahotepre Sobekhotep VI,

Sobekhotep VII Merkawre Sobekhotep (VII) was an Ancient Egyptian petty king during the Second Intermediate Period. His chronological position within this period is unclear. The period represents the transition between the Middle Kingdom (Middle Bronze) and New ...

and

Sobekhotep VIII Sekhemre Seusertawy Sobekhotep VIII was an ancient Egyptian ruler during the Second Intermediate Period whose exact chronological placement remains uncertain. He may have ruled over the Theban region in Upper Egypt. Scholars debate whether he bel ...

(13th to 16th dynasties) *

Neferhotep I Khasekhemre Neferhotep I was an Ancient Egypt, Egyptian pharaoh of the mid Thirteenth dynasty of Egypt, Thirteenth Dynasty ruling in the second half of the 18th century BCKim Ryholt, Ryholt, K.S.B: The Political Situation in Egypt During the Se ...

, Neferhotep II and

Neferhotep III Sekhemre Sankhtawy Neferhotep III Iykhernofret was the third or fourth ruler of the Theban 16th Dynasty, reigning after Sobekhotep VIII according to Egyptologists Kim Ryholt and Darrell Baker.Darrell D. Baker: The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: ...

(13th to 16th dynasties) * Merhotepre Ini (13th dynasty) *

Rahotep Sekhemre Wahkhau Rahotep was an Egyptian pharaoh who reigned during the Second Intermediate Period, when Egypt was ruled by multiple kings. The Egyptologists Kim Ryholt and Darrell Baker believe that Rahotep was the first king of the 17th Dyn ...

(17th dynasty) *

Amenhotep I Amenhotep I () or Amenophis I ( from Ancient Greek Ἀμένωφις), was the second Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. His reign is generally dated from 1526 to 1506 BC (Low Chronology). He was a son of Ahmose I and Ahmose-Nefertari but ...

Amenhotep II Amenhotep II (sometimes called Amenophis II and meaning "Amun is Satisfied") was the seventh pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. He inherited a vast kingdom from his father Thutmose III, and held it by means of a few military campaigns i ...

Amenhotep III Amenhotep III ( , ; "Amun is satisfied"), also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent or Amenhotep the Great and Hellenization, Hellenized as Amenophis III, was the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, Eighteenth Dynasty. According to d ...

and Amenhotep IV, later known as

Akhenaten Akhenaten (pronounced ), also spelled Akhenaton or Echnaton ( ''ʾŪḫə-nə-yātəy'', , meaning 'Effective for the Aten'), was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh reigning or 1351–1334 BC, the tenth ruler of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, Eig ...

(18th dynasty) ;Other *

Neithhotep Neithhotep or Neith-hotep () was an ancient Egyptian queen consort who lived and ruled during the early First Dynasty. Archeological evidence may indicate that she may have ruled as pharaoh in her own right, and as such would have been the earl ...

(1st dynasty queen) *

Imhotep Imhotep (; "(the one who) comes in peace"; ) was an Egyptian chancellor to the King Djoser, possible architect of Djoser's step pyramid, and high priest of the sun god Ra at Heliopolis. Very little is known of Imhotep as a historical figur ...

(3rd dynasty official) *

Ptahhotep Ptahhotep ( "Peace of Ptah"; (), sometimes known as Ptahhotep I or Ptahhotpe, was an ancient Egyptian vizier during the late 25th century BC and early 24th century BC Fifth Dynasty of Egypt. He is credited with authoring ''The Maxims of Ptahho ...

(5th dynasty official) * Khnumhotep I (12th dynasty nomarch) * Hedjhotep (minor deity) *

Hetepheres I Hetepheres I () was a queen of Egypt during the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt who was a wife of one king, the mother of the next king, the grandmother of two more kings, and the figure who tied together two dynasties. Biography Hetepheres I may have ...

Hetepheres II Hetepheres II ( 2590 BC - 2500 BC) was a queen of ancient Egypt during the 4th Dynasty. Biography Birth and family Queen Hetepheres II may have been one of the longest-lived members of the royal family of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt, which la ...

(4th dynasty queens) *

Hetepheres {{Use dmy dates, date=December 2023 Hetepheres is the name of several queens, princesses and noble women from the Fourth dynasty of Egypt. * Hetepheres I, wife of Pharaoh Sneferu and mother of Khufu * Princess Hetepheres, Hetepheres A, daughter of ...

(4th dynasty princess) * Neferhetepes (4th dynasty princess) * Hathorhotep (12th dynasty princess)

In popular culture

Nyarlathotep Nyarlathotep is a fictional character created by H. P. Lovecraft. The character is a malign deity in the Cthulhu Mythos, a shared universe. First appearing in Lovecraft's 1920 prose poem " Nyarlathotep", he was later mentioned in other works by L ...

is a deity or a demon in stories by

H. P. Lovecraft Howard Phillips Lovecraft (, ; August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American writer of Weird fiction, weird, Science fiction, science, fantasy, and horror fiction. He is best known for his creation of the Cthulhu Mythos. Born in Provi ...

, and the title of a 1920 short story. *Hotep is one of the advisors to Pharaoh in the animated epic film ''

The Prince of Egypt ''The Prince of Egypt'' is a 1998 American animated musical drama film directed by Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells, and written by Philip LaZebnik, from a story by Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook. Produced by DreamWorks Pictur ...

'' (1998). *The title of the American comedy film '' Bubba Ho-Tep'' (2002) refers to the nickname for a reanimated

mummy A mummy is a dead human or an animal whose soft tissues and Organ (biology), organs have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to Chemical substance, chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air, so that the ...

that wears a

cowboy hat The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the North American cowboy. Today it is worn by many people, and is particularly associated with ranch workers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, C ...

* Robin Thede used the derivative term "hertep" in '' A Black Lady Sketch Show''.

References

{{reflist Ancient Egyptian words and phrases