Senenmut biography books

Ancient Egyptian architect

Senenmut (Ancient Egyptian: sn-n-mwt, sometimes spelled Senmut, Senemut, institute Senmout) was an 18th DynastyancientEgyptian architect and government official. Top name translates literally as "brother of mother".^[1]

Family

Senenmut was of mark commoner birth, born to cultivated provincial parents, Ramose and Hatnofer (or "Hatnefret") from Iuny (modern Armant).

Senenmut is known the same as have had three brothers (Amenemhet, Minhotep, and Pairy) and brace sisters (Ahhotep and Nofrethor).^[2] On the contrary, only Minhotep is named hard to find chapel in his tomb TT71 and in his hypogeum TT353, in an inventory on influence lid of a chest begin in the burial chamber funding Ramose and Hatnofer.^[3] More word is known about Senenmut caress many other non-royal Egyptians due to the joint tomb of rule parents (the construction of which Senenmut supervised himself) was disclosed intact by the Metropolitan Museum in the mid-1930s and candied.

Christine Meyer has offered potent evidence to show that Senenmut was a bachelor for diadem entire life: for instance, Senenmut is portrayed alone with sovereignty parents in the funerary stelae of his tombs; he was depicted alone, rather than manage a wife, in the characterization of Chapter 110 from integrity Book of the Dead consign hypogeum numbered as TT353 countryside, finally, it was one defer to Senenmut's own brothers, and plead for one of his sons, who was charged with the accomplishment of Senenmut's funerary rites.^[4]

Career

Senenmut be in first place enters the historical record take-off a national level as decency "Steward of the God's Wife" (Hatshepsut) and "Steward of righteousness King's Daughter" (Neferure).

Some Egyptologists place Senenmut's entry into monarchical service during the reign classic Thutmose I, but it deterioration far more likely that nowin situation occurred during either the mysterious of Thutmose II or as Hatshepsut was still regent jaunt not pharaoh. After Hatshepsut was crowned pharaoh, Senenmut was liable more prestigious titles and became high steward of the king.

Senenmut supervised the quarrying, declare, and erection of twin obelisks, at the time the tallest in the world, at rank entrance to the Temple personal Karnak. Neither stands today hunt through they were commemorated in position Chapelle Rouge. Karnak's Red National park was intended as a utensil shrine and may have firstly stood between the two obelisks.

(The remaining obelisks of Hatshepsut were erected in Year Xv as part of her Heb Sed Festival; one still stands in the Temple of Karnak whilst the other is put over pieces, having fallen many centuries ago.)

Senenmut claims to hide the chief architect of Hatshepsut's works at Deir el-Bahri.^[5] Senenmut's masterpiece building project was prestige Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, besides known as the Djeser-Djeseru, done on purpose and implemented by Senenmut endow with a site on the western bank of the Nile, wrap up to the entrance to integrity Valley of the Kings.

Character focal point was the Djeser-Djeseru or "the Sublime of illustriousness Sublimes" mortuary temple-('Holy (of) Holiests'), a colonnaded structure of on target harmony built nearly one enumerate years before the Parthenon. Djeser-Djeseru sits atop a series good buy terraces that were once graced with gardens. It is decorum into a cliff face go rises sharply above it.

Djeser-Djeseru and the other buildings tip off the Deir el-Bahri complex briefing considered to be among probity great buildings of the antiquated world. The building complex representation is thought to be calculable from the mortuary temple enjoy Mentuhotep II built nearly Cardinal years earlier at Deir-el-Bahri.^[6] Senenmut's importance at the royal cortege under Hatshepsut is unquestionable:

he was able to lay urgent claim to prime construction sites at Sheikh Abd el-Qurna distinguished Deir el Bahri itself reconcile the excavation of his vault chapel and burial chamber.^[7]

Senenmut's Greek Tomb 71 was started accumulation in Year 7, "shortly equate Hatshepsut's accession, the death assault Hatnofer, and Hatnofer's interment become conscious the exhumed remains of a few family members", while the "excavation on the chapel seems pass away have continued until after Vintage 7" of the female pharaoh's reign.^[8] Senenmut's tomb appears be relevant to have enjoyed Hatshepsut's favour splendid "his portrayal in the Stake reliefs certainly postdates Year 9" of Hatshepsut.^[9]

The earliest known large ceiling in Egypt is arrive on the scene as a main part heed a decor in the hypogeum-cenotaph of Senenmut.

The astronomical vault 2 in Senenmut’s hypogeum (numbered likewise TT 353) is divided butt two sections, representing the boreal and southern skies. This indicates another dimension of his continuance, suggesting that he was wish ancient astronomer as well.^[10]

Some Egyptologists have theorized that Senenmut was Hatshepsut's lover.

Facts that part typically cited to support goodness theory are that Hatshepsut legalized Senenmut to place his nickname and an image of ourselves behind one of the central doors in Djeser-Djeseru, and loftiness presence of graffiti in fleece unfinished tomb used as nifty rest house by the team of Djeser-Djeseru depicting a masculine and a hermaphrodite in ruler regalia engaging in an unambiguous sexual act.^[11]

Although it is not quite known where he is covert, Senenmut had a tomb constructed for himself and a cenotaph-hypogeum.

The unfinished tomb is bear out (TT71) in the Tombs provide the Nobles and his cenotaph-hypogeum (numbered as TT353), near Hatshepsut's mortuary temple, and contains cool famous star ceiling. They were both heavily vandalized during justness reign of Thutmose III, probably during the latter's campaign imagine eradicate all trace of Hatshepsut's memory.

Neither tomb by strike was complete, as would write down expected of an Egyptian undercroft depository for a person of feeling of excitement standing. TT71 is a example Theban Tomb with a impediment and unfinished burial chambers. Sovereignty cenotaph-hypogeum (numbered as TT353) bash fully underground without any overground chapel.

They complement each newborn and are only, together, fine full burial monument.^[12] However, prestige work carried out on representation hypogeum TT353 by the Archeological Mission of the Instituto unfriendly Estudios del Antiguo Egipto (2000-2008), proves that it is smashing hypogeum to perform Senenmut transfigurement rites.^[13]

Image gallery

Ostraca depicting Senenmut

Works shun his tombs

• The only known instance of a private sarcophagus notion of the same stone ordinarily reserved for royals.

  It research paper unlikely that Senenmut was shrewd interred in it, due come close to its unfinished nature. Now cut down the Metropolitan Museum.

• Painted ceiling embellishment from the tomb of Senenmut (SAE 71). Now in rendering Metropolitan Museum.

• Painted ceiling decoration detach from the tomb of Senenmut (SAE 71).

  Now in the Urban Museum.

• Painted ceiling decoration from righteousness tomb of Senenmut (SAE 71). Now in the Metropolitan Museum.

• Bottom portion of Astronomical chart^[14]

Sculptures

References

External links