Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum

Hieroglyph of Niankhkhnum (standing, left) and Khnumhotep (right, with his right arm on Niankhkhnum’s shoulder)

In the middle of the 5th dynasty of Egypt, Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum were buried together, leaving behind their legacy as one of the most famous same-sex couples in ancient history. When the tomb of was uncovered in 1964, the two men became a fierce debate topic. They have been said to be twins, lovers, brothers, and close friends. These two men and their relationship with each other became most controversial long after their deaths.

According to the hieroglyphs, Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum were chief manicurists of the king and the palace. Being of equal rank, there is little to no possibility of one being buried with the other to act as a servant in the afterlife. The hieroglyphs also make it clear that both men had wives and children. However, their wives are regularly depicted in the background rather than the foreground. One depiction of Khnumhotep’s wife was removed during construction. Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum are often shown next to each other, holding hands, sitting together, standing nose to nose, or embracing in a way that was most often used to depict a married couple.

Gender-ambiguous terminology is used to describe both men. In most cases, Khnumhotep is put in the place a wife would usually occupy, and some of the symbols used for him are traditionally saved for women. While there does not seem to be enough evidence to suggest Khnumhotep may have identified with womanhood himself, it is not uncommon for same-sex couples to be assigned the roles of heterosexual relationships.

It is also relevant to note that Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum are not their given names, but rather how people referred to them. When strung together, their names roughly translate out to “joined in life, joined in death.”

Interpretation of these facts is the subject of much debate amongst historians. While there is a group that believes the two men were lovers, there are far more who believe the two men were brothers.

However, it was rare for brothers to be buried together. Rarer still, is the emphasis of sibling love above wife and children. Some have suggested the men are twins, in an attempt to make sense of how often they are shown in vaguely mirrored positions. Going a step further, the possibility that they are conjoined twins has been brought up to explain away their many intimate portraits. But Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum are not shown to be consistently joined in one spot. Instead their positions switch between depictions, making the conjoined twins theory highly unlikely.

Despite the rather apparent issues with these theories, the tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum is often called “The Tomb of Two Brothers.” Many historians still fight tooth and nail against the implication that these two men were not related but in a romantic relationship.

If a man and woman shared the tomb, the conclusion of a romantic relationship would have been reached immediately. No one would have suggested fraternal conjoined twins, loving siblings, or friendly colleagues.

The truth does not require a leap of logic but a small, sensible step forward. The facts require no twists or wild assumptions to be understood.

Most historians who interpret them as brothers struggle with the idea that there could have been a gay couple who lived with little evidence of the same homophobia that plagued Europe when the tomb was uncovered. Everything indicates that these two were respected. If they were in a relationship, then it was one that people chose to immortalize through the tomb. To do so would require multiple people to honour the men and the love they shared.

This goes directly against the assumption that evidence of homophobia within ancient Egypt meant universal discrimination against queer people. Greg Reeder has addressed this concern writing:

“Space here does not permit a detailed survey on the subject of homosexuality in Ancient Egypt. Sufice it to say that the few references there are, appear to refer to a certain antipathy towards the specific sexual act of anal intercourse rather than male to male intimacy and affection in this phallocentric society. The ideal Egyptian family consisting of father, mother, and children was central to society and official discourse. But sometimes we see glimpses of other relationships existing in spite of official attitudes. Cherpion (1995) suggests that during the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Dynasties there was much experimentation in the ways that affection could be represented between husband and wife on official monuments. It was during this window of opportunity that two men, manicurists to the king, were able to construct their own monument.”

References and Further Reading

Disclaimer: some of the sources may contain triggering material

McCoy, J. (1998, July 20). Evidence of gay relationships exists as early as 2400 B.C. The Dallas Morning News. http://www.egyptology.com/niankhkhnum_khnumhotep/dallas.html

Reeder, G. (2000a). Same-sex desire, conjugal constructs, and the tomb of Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep. World Archaeology, 32(2), 193–208.

Reeder, G. (2000b). Same-sex desire, conjugal constructs, and the tomb of Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep. World Archaeology, 32(2), 193–208. https://doi.org/10.1080/00438240050131180

Salvo, V. (n.d.). Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum aka Overseers of the Manicurists. In O. Keehnen (Ed.), Legacy Project Chicago. Retrieved March 23, 2021, from https://legacyprojectchicago.org/person/khnumhotep-and-niankhkhnum-aka-overseers-manicurists

Wilford, J. N. (2005, December 20). A Mystery, Locked in Timeless Embrace. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/20/science/a-mystery-locked-in-timeless-embrace.html

Last edited August 4th, 2025