Shemay

Shemay Vizier
Reunited Coptos decrees “p” and “q”, addressed to Shemay's two sons. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Acc. No. 14.7.12)
Successor	Idy
Dynasty	8th Dynasty
Pharaoh	Neferkaure, Neferkauhor
Wife	Nebyet
Children	Idy unnamed son
Burial	Mastaba at Kom el-Koffar

Shemay (also Shemai) was an ancient Egyptian official and later vizier toward the end of the 8th Dynasty (22nd century BCE) during the First Intermediate Period, mainly known for being the beneficiary of most of the Coptos Decrees. His career has been interpreted as a glaring sign of the extreme weakness of the central power, forced to bestow great privileges to maintain the loyalty of powerful local governors. Shemay is buried in a mudbrick mastaba just south of Coptos.

Shemay is known primarily from the Coptos Decrees, a series of decrees by various king of the 8th Dynasty granting titles and honours to him and his family. Shemay is also known from several rock inscriptions in the Wadi Hammamat and from his tomb located just south of Coptos.

The earliest mention of Shemay came from the three Coptos Decrees “g” to “i” which are generally attributed to pharaoh Neferkaure, and one of these is datable to his Year 4. These documents were displayed in the temple of Min at Coptos and were addressed to the Governor of Upper Egypt Shemay — who had been nomarch of the Two Falcons nome with Coptos as capital — and concerning administrative matters about the cult of pharaoh Pepi II and the temple of Min. The earliest of the three decrees mention the new nomarch of Coptos named Idy who very likely was the same person of Idy, son of Shemay; furthermore, the latest of the three decrees ensured to Shemay the responsibility over the 22 nomes of Upper Egypt.