Nasalsa was a
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 ...
n queen of the
Kingdom of Kush
The Kingdom of Kush (; Egyptian language, Egyptian: 𓎡𓄿𓈙𓈉 ''kꜣš'', Akkadian language, Assyrian: ''Kûsi'', in LXX Χους or Αἰθιοπία; ''Ecōš''; ''Kūš''), also known as the Kushite Empire, or simply Kush, was an an ...
. She is known from a
shabti, some inscriptions on tablets and cups, text on the stela of Khaliut, a dedication inscription and a text from Kawa.
[ Dunham, Dows; Macadam, M. F. Laming: ''Names and Relationships of the Royal Family of Napata'', ''Journal of Egyptian Archaeology''. 35, 1949, pp. 142. (Plate XVI; nr 50), 145.] Dodson mentions that Nasalsa is named on the Enthronement Stela of Atlanersa and on the Election and Adoption Stelae of Aspelta. These stelae were from
Gebel Barkal.
Life
Nasalsa was a daughter of
Atlanersa
Atlanersa (also Atlanarsa) was a Kingdom of Kush, Kushite ruler of the Napata#Late Napatan kingdom, Napatan kingdom of Nubia, reigning for about a decade in the mid-7th century BC. He was the successor of Tantamani, the last ruler of the Twenty- ...
, the sister-wife of
Senkamanisken, and the mother of Kings
Anlamani and
Aspelta
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 stelae carved with accounts of his reign.
Family
Aspelta was the son of Senkamanisken and Q ...
as well as of Queen
Madiqen.
[ Dodson, Aidan & Hilton, Dyan: ''The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt.'' Thames & Hudson, 2004, pp 236-37, 239 ]
Anlamani's stela (Kawa VIII) has a passage describing Nasalsa being called and finding her son on the throne:
: Now the king's mother Nasalsa, may she live forever, was amongst the royal sisters. The royal mother, sweet of love, was the mistress of all the wives. His Majesty sent companions in order that she may be brought. She found her son appearing like Horus on his throne. She was very greatly joyful after she saw the beauty of His Majesty.
Aspelta's Adoption stela refers to Nasalsa as the King's Sister, the King's Mother, Mistress of
Cush, and Daughter of
Re. The inscription states that Nasalsa was the daughter of King's Sister, the Adoratrix of
Amen-Re
Amun was a major ancient Egyptian deity who appears as a member of the Hermopolitan Ogdoad. Amun was attested from the Old Kingdom together with his wife Amunet. His oracle in Siwa Oasis, located in Western Egypt near the Libyan Desert, rem ...
at
Thebes Amenirdis. The relationship is likely one through adoption, because the Adoratrix in Thebes was thought to be celibate. The mention of "Daughter of Re" was the first time a Queen of Kush had used that title.
[Haycock, B. G., ''The Kingship of Cush in the Sudan'', Comparative Studies in Society and History, 7(4) (Jul., 1965), pp. 469-470, 477, Cambridge University Press. .]
The Chaliut Stela from
Gebel Barkal B500 describes Nasalsa as being "as
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 ...
was with
Horus
Horus (), also known as Heru, Har, Her, or Hor () in Egyptian language, Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as the god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and t ...
" when stating that Aspelta was on the Horus throne.
This could mean that Nasalsa was a
regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
or co-regent.
References
{{Authority control
Queens of Kush
8th-century BC women