The nature of the Egyptian 'harim': Dynasties 1-20

This article looks at recent scholarship concerning the ipt and the xnr, both often translated with the word 'harim' and thought to resemble the Ottoman 'harim', but, in fact, having not more in common with it than referring to groups of women. The history of both institutions over twenty dynasties is traced. The author studies the terms xnr/wt and jpt, and then presents the archaeological evidence for the 'harim' in 1st to 17th Dynasties, particularly evidence from the 11th Dynasty and from the Pap. Bulaq 18, concerned with a royal household of the 13th Dynasty. After concluding remarks on the OK and MK evidence, the author turns to the jpt nswt in the 18th and 19th Dynasties and archaeological evidence for the NK 'harim' and, finally, to the 20th Dynasty. It is only in the latter period that some resemblance with the Turkish 'harim' can be postulated, on account of the evidence of the Harim Conspiracy against Ramses III. (OEB)