Kay (vizier)

Kay was an Ancient Egyptian official living most likely in the Fifth Dynasty. He is mainly known from his mastaba in Saqqara North. Kay hold a high number of important titles making him the most powerful of his time, only second to the king. His main office was that of a vizier. Beside being vizier, he was also holding many other important titles, such as Overseer of the treasuries, overseer of the scribes of the king's document, overseer of the six big houses and overseer of all royal works of the king.^[1] His mastaba in Saqqara was recorded by Gaston Maspero who assigned to it the number D 19.^[2] Kay was bearing 51 titles, making him the vizier with the highest numbers of titles.^[3] Kay was the first Egyptian official with the title overseer of the six big houses.^[4] The office became in the later Fifth and in the Sixth Dynasty one of the most important ones at the royal court.

The dating of Kay is uncertain. No biography is preserved in his tomb, no king's name is mentioned. A date to the middle of the Fifth Dynasty has been proposed.^[5] Others prefer a date to the early Fifth Dynasty.^[3]

References

1. Strudwick 1985, p. 142-143.
2. Mariette & Maspero 1889, pp. 226–231.
3. Bárta 2013, p. 174.
4. Strudwick 1985, p. 177.
5. Strudwick 1985, p. 143-144.

Literature

• Bárta, Miroslav (2013). "Kings, Viziers and Courtiers: Executive Power in the Third Millennium B.C.". In Morena García, Juan Carlos. Ancient Egyptian Administration. Brill. pp. 154–175. ISBN 978-90-04-24952-3.
• Mariette, Auguste; Maspero, Gaston (1889). Les mastabas de l'Ancien Empire: Fragment du dernier ouvrage de A. Mariette, publié d'après le manuscrit de l'auteur. Paris. OCLC 46226552.
• Strudwick, Nigel (1985). The Administration of Egypt in the Old Kingdom: The Highest Titles and Their Holders (PDF). Studies in Egyptology. London; Boston: Kegan Paul International. ISBN 978-0-7103-0107-9.