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intend to mean. Since all of these orthographical improprieties occur in the case of wb3,
the recent invention of the word could again serve as an explanation for the indefinabil¬
ity in its writing, and a synonym for the generally used wdpw, it possibly appropriated
its elements.
The two words, wb3 and wdpw, appear in most cases on the stelae as labels for a figure
or as arelative ofthe deceased mentioned in the text, with his name, rarely with affiliation
or specified as m3"-hrw justified" ." On several stelae, more than one wb3 or wdpw are depicted
or mentioned in the text, but there is no example where an wb3 and an wdpw appear together
due to their function.”
In comparison to the Old Kingdom, the number of the cases in which an wdpw or in
rare cases an wb} is the owner of the funerary stele increased during the Middle Kingdom.
Apart from the fact that they are presented in the text, in a shorter or longer Atp-dj-nswt
or other offering formula, no other information is provided about them, except their
affiliation.” There are some examples when more than one wdpw own one funerary
stela” or they are co-owners with others holding different functions. The offering formula
is either repeated before each person or after a common formula, the beneficiaries appear
in separate panels with their names and their own offering tables.” Interestingly, there
is no funerary stele owned by more than one wb}. On some stelae, the wdpw, who presents
offerings to the deceased, is attributed as favourite or beloved,® or he declares the same
of himself.** Emphasizing this kind of status and personal attachment, the wdpw is often
depicted under the chair of the deceased.” Finally, the image about the duties of an wdpw
is verified by the stelae on which the individual is depicted not only standing in front of
the deceased, carrying and handing various things to him apparently participating in
his provision for offerings, but the label text above the wdpw clearly expresses that he is
the one who presents the offerings to the deceased.%°
88
Lange — Schäfer, 1902, 54-55, pl. 5, CG 20045, in the ninth column at the bottom of the stela; 96-97,
CG 20080, in the eighth line at the lower part of the stela; 46-48, CG 20038; Simpson, 1974, pl. 2, in
front of the kneeling figure on the right side of the scene.
89 There is only one stele, Wien AS 143, where an wb3 and an wdpw appear together, but here the wdpw
is a co-owner of the stele and the wb} is mentioned among the relatives in the text. Simpson, 1974,
pl. 68.
%° Lange — Schäfer, 1902, 150-151, pl. 11, CG 20127; pl. 16, CG 20199; 315-316, CG 20303.
” Gayet, 1889, 3-4, pl. 13, Louvre C 25.
® Simpson, 1974, pl. 68, Wien AS 143.
95 Lange — Schafer, 1902, 38-40, CG 20030.
* Gayet, 1889, 12, pl. 54, Louvre C 15; Schenkel, 1965, 295-298.
® Budge, 1913, 7, pls. 12-13, EA 170 [831].
°° Lange — Schäfer, 1902, 127-128, CG 20104; Simpson, 1974, pl. 32; Budge, 1912, pl. 47, EA 216 [903].