Karimala (sometimes written as Katimala or Kadimalo) was a Nubian queen. She is known from a relief found at the temple in

Semna The region of Semna is 15 miles south of Wadi Halfa and is situated where rocks cross the Nile narrowing its flow—the Semna Cataract. Semna was a fortified area established in the reign of Senusret I (1965–1920 BC) on the west bank of the ...

Nubia Nubia (, Nobiin language, Nobiin: , ) is a region along the Nile river encompassing the area between the confluence of the Blue Nile, Blue and White Nile, White Niles (in Khartoum in central Sudan), and the Cataracts of the Nile, first cataract ...

. Karimala had the title of

Great Royal Wife Great Royal Wife, or alternatively, Chief King's Wife () is the title that was used to refer to the Queen consort, principal wife of the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, who served many official functions. Description While most ancient Egyptians were ...

and princess. In the scene at Semna, the queen is shown with double feather crown, scourge and long robe.

Isis Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...

is standing in front of the queen, and here is a longer inscription, written in Egyptian hieroglyphics, which are difficult to read. The text seems to allude to a conflict between Makarasha and an unnamed king who was the husband of Karimala. Although the precise dating of the inscription and hence Karimala is not certain, it can be assumed that it dates back to the Twenty-First or Twenty-Second Dynasty. This period (about 1000–750 BC) is considered the dark age of Nubian history, from which almost nothing is known. This inscription proves the continuation of certain power structures. In 1999 Chris Bennett made a case that Karimala was a daughter of Osorkon the Elder (reigned 992 – 986 BC).Chris Bennett, "Queen Karimala, Daughter of Osochor?" ''Göttinger Miszellen'' 173 (1999), pp. 7-8 She is called both 'King's Daughter" and "King's Wife" and her name suggests she may have been Libyan. Given the date of the inscription (a year 14), she might have been the queen of either king

Siamun Neterkheperre or Netjerkheperre-Setepenamun Siamun was the sixth pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, Egypt during the Twenty-first Dynasty of Egypt, Twenty-first Dynasty. He built extensively in Lower Egypt for a king of the Third Intermediate Period and ...

(reigned 986–967 BC) or king

Psusennes II Titkheperure or Tyetkheperre Psusennes II reek language, Greek Ψουσέννηςor Hor-Pasebakhaenniut II

gyptian language, Egyptian ''ḥr-p3-sb3-ḫˁỉ--nỉwt'' Windel Beneto Edwards (born 25 October 1983), better known by his stage name Gyptian (), is a Jamaican reggae singer. He often appears with roots reggae songs within the reggae subgenre dancehall. Early life Born to a Seventh-day Adventist Ch ...

was the last Pharaoh, king of the Twenty-first Dynasty of Egypt. His ...

(reigned 967 – 943 BC). Bennett prefers a marriage to Siamun, because in that case she could have taken over the position of the Viceroy of Kush,

Neskhons Neskhons (“She Belongs to Khonsu, Khons”), once more commonly known as Nsikhonsou, was a noble lady of the Twenty-first Dynasty of Egypt, 21st Dynasty of Egypt. Biography She was the daughter of Smendes II and Takhentdjehuti, and wed her pa ...

, as a religious figurehead in

after the death of the latter in year 5 of king Siamun.

References

Further reading