Canopic Jar Lid Found in Senemut’s Tomb

This very simple and unassuming lid of a canopic jar was found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 (can also be written without a determinative 𓌢𓈖𓅐). Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 rose to become the most important official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 during Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 reign and held over 80 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆 different titles.

Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was referred to as a “High Steward 𓄂𓂝𓀀 (literally translated as “arm is in front”), which meant he was much more than just an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 in Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 government. In a lot of inscriptions, Senemut is sometimes simply referred to as an overseer 𓄓𓉐𓏤, since that seems to summarize his various roles. As the Chief Royal Architect, Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 supervised all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 building projects, including at least one of her massive obelisks 𓉶𓉶𓉶.

Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was also the tutor for Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 daughter Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤, which is how he is depicted in statuary 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 a lot of the time. Some other common titles include Steward of Amun, Chief Steward of the King, Overseer of the Treasury, Granary, Fields, Cattle of Amun, a Controller of Works, and so many more! I guess Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was a workaholic!

Back to the canopic jar lid – it is actually debated l if this lid represents Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 or not! Based on other statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼, I personally think that the canopic jar lid is in Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 likeness, however, that is just my inference/personal opinion. The lid is dated to the joint reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (c. 1479–1458 B.C.E.), however, based on what I have read the actual date this piece was made seems to be debated, even though it was found in Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐.