Tag: senemut

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.

Ostraca are basically the ancient Egyptian version of a sketch pad or scrap paper! They were used by scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 or artists to practice their craft! The ostraca were usually chips of limestone or broken pottery.

These ostraca at the MET are very awesome because they depict Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼!! Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 most trusted advisor (and in my opinion, they were definitely much closer than that 😜). Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was not only the tutor for Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 daughter 𓅭𓏏 Neferure 𓇳𓄤 𓄤 𓄤, the royal architect in charge of Deir el-Bahri, but he was also the Steward to Amun 𓆓𓉐𓏺𓇋𓏠𓈖 at Karnak.

The sketch of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 on these ostraca are very similar to the sketches of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 that are seen in his tomb!

These were always some of my favorite pieces to see as a kid! Not only because it was Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼, but also I loved seeing how the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 used to do things!! Seeing the grids and seeing their “sketch pads” allowed me a glimpse into just how some of this incredible art was created!

This is a statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 holding a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣. A sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was a musical instrument (like a rattle/tambourine) that was associated with the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 usually had Hathor’s 𓉡 head 𓁶𓏤 (complete with her cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 ears) on top of a long handle. It’s interesting to see a statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 holding something other than Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 daughter Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤, because he is usually depicted with her.

Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼, although not of noble birth, became an extremely important figure during the reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 closest advisor, the tutor for her daughter Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤, and the architect responsible for building her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. Putting a commoner in such a powerful position might have been a strategic move by Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 – it would pretty much guarantee that he remained loyal to her.

There are many differing theories on Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 relationship with Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 Many believe (including myself) that they were having an affair. There’s even graffiti from the tomb builders in some unfinished tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 that show that they too believed that Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 were romantically involved.

Gossiping about relationships seems to have always been something that people have done!