I seem to recall Gardner's statements on the 'Rekhyt People' of the Delta (lower E), I don't have a copy with me at the moment so excuse my memory and for that matter it may have been another author. Referring to the Narmer and Scorpion Palette-maceheads; the suggestion that the Rekhyt were a vanquished people owing to the illustrations of the birds hanging from standards the author disagreed... as the illustration is found throughout their history, rather it's more likely that the illustrations depict subjugation, the headless and bound elements reflected on the Narmer Palette identifies the elimination of the LE Nome rulers of the Rekhyt. Furthermore, as a class of people the Rekhyt were craftsman... well suited for statues and stone masonry as well as many other trades of craft, there's even a suggestion that Ptah was associated with them. The State needed them to build palaces, temples etc.,The idea of Imhotep being iry pat makes sense in this context... even for his titles.

What I'm curious about though is the meaning of his name 'I come in peace', given the period and previous circumstances associated with Perisben during the 2nd dynasty (Seth - Horus Seth titular), if and a big if, the Rekhyt revolted after the long reign of Ninetjer forced a civil strife and royal burials were summarily relegated to Saqqara then an iry pat from Heliopolis named Imhotep seems appropriate... though is it possible the name Imhotep was assumed by the man, meaning is it possible his birth name was different?

Best,

B.A.Hokom