#senenmut

Block Statue of Senenmut and Neferure

This block statue or cube statue shows Senenmut with the features of a young man: full cheeks in a smooth round face, wide-open eyes with long lashes executed in relief, large ears, and a small, straight, full mouth. As Senenmut was her tutor, the princess’ head emerges from his mantle.

An indication of her position as heiress to the throne, the child wears her hair in the pleated tress characteristic of royal children, ornamented with the uraeus. Her name, inscribed within a cartouche next to her head, is preceded by the title “god’s wife,” most probably Amun-Re.

New Kingdom, mid-18th Dynasty, ca. 1478-1458 BC. From Karnak Cachette, Thebes. Now in the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. ÄM 2296

By Vassil - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53806596

Senenmut, whose name means 'brother of mother', was born to a literate, provincial, commoner family. His parents, Ramose and Hatnofer who were from Inuy (modern day Armant), one of six children, two girls and four boys, all of whom are named are named in his tomb and he oversaw the building of his parents' tomb and it was found intact in the mid-1930s. Because he is portrayed alone or with his parents and one of his brothers was in charge of his funerary rites, it's thought he never married.

By User:Captmondo (Own work (photo)), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4624491

Senenmut was first mentioned being 'Steward of God's Wife', Hatshepsut, and 'Steward of the King's Daughter', that being Neferure, though it's unclear when he entered royal service. After Hatshepsut was crowned, he became the high steward. He supervised many building projects, including the obelisks that flanked the entrance to the Temple of Karnak, as well as Hatshepsut's buildings in Deir el-Bahri, including being chief architect of Djeser-Djeseru, Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple.

By Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122648660

The Djeser-Djeseru, or 'Sublime of the Sublimes' or 'Holy of Holiests', a 'colonnaded structure of perfect harmony built nearly one thousand years before the Parthenon' in about 1459 BCE. It is built into a cliff on the west side of the Nile, close to the Valley of the Kings, and opposite Luxor. It has three massive terraces and was built between Hatshepsut's seventh and twentieth regnal years. It takes heavy inspiration from the nearby Temple of Mentuhotep II, built about 600 years prior. It holds shrines to Hathor and Anubis, as well as reliefs that tell of the expedition to the Land of Punt. During the reign of Thutmose III, though, references to Hatshepsut were removed. It was again damaged under the reign of Akhenaten, who ordered the removal of any gods other than Aten, especially Amun, from temples. Repairs were begun under Tutankhamun. A later earthquake damaged the temple during the Third Intermediate Period (from about 1077-664 BCE).

By NebMaatRa - Own work, GPL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4441794

Senenmut began his own tomb, a hypogeum, or underground tomb, was started just before Hatshepsut took the throne. Within it is one of the oldest known astronomical ceilings. It is divided into two sections, 'representing the northern and southern skies'. This representation leads some researchers to believe he was also an astronomer. It's not known where Senenmut is buried, though he had a tomb built within his hypogeum, near Hatshepsut's, though it was also vandalized during the reign of Thutmose III, though his tomb was incomplete, which is unexpected for a high ranking noble.

By Keith Schengili-Roberts - Own work (photo), CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1625449

The astronomical ceiling in the tomb of Senenmut, advisor to Queen Hatshepsut (18th Dynasty, 1479–1458 BC), is one of the earliest known star charts, showcasing ancient Egyptian knowledge of astronomy and its integration with religion.

Located in his tomb at Deir el-Bahari, the ceiling is divided into two distinct sections, each with a unique focus.

The northern panel depicts constellations, including Orion, associated with the god Osiris, and the circumpolar stars, or “Imperishable Stars,” which never set and symbolized eternity.

It also includes decans, star groups marking 10-day intervals used to track the Egyptian calendar.

While some constellations are identifiable, the precise meaning of others remains uncertain, leaving aspects of their significance open to debate.

This panel highlights the fixed, unchanging elements of the heavens, associated with stability and immortality.

The southern panel presents a diagram of the solar calendar, showing the twelve months, lunar phases and celestial deities, emphasizing the cyclical nature of time.

Some of the celestial deities and symbols depicted lack full explanation, as their specific roles within the chart remain unclear.

HATSHEPSUT AND SENENMUT

            Hatshepsut became regent to her young stepson after her husband died. As her stepson became a teenager he was more interested in riding in chariots, hanging out with people his own age, hunting and going into battle. He had no interest at the time for politics or to hang out with older people. Hatshepsut died in 1458 BCE, and then her stepson came to power.

            Senenmut was a powerful figure during Hatshepsut’s rule. He was a commoner but was educated, intelligent and talented, Hatshepsut relied on him for building projects and he also became her daughters tutor; there are monuments depicting Senenmut and the princess together. Due to his intellect and talents he grew high in the royal court. Senenmut was the architect of Deir el-Bahri and also put an image of himself and his name on the walls, which is unusual for a commoner. He also was documented as saying, “I entered the mysteries of the lady of the two lands”.

            Hatshepsut never remarried, and Senenmut never got married or have children, which was unusual for a man in Ancient Egypt. If the two were lovers they would have had to keep it a secret, as it wouldn’t have been permitted for royalty to be with a commoner. During her rule, one of Senenmut’s workers who was working in the DjeserDjeseru tomb, graffitied on the wall and drew an image of Senenmut having sex with a female pharaoh (Hatshepsut).

            Senenmut had two tombs built, one for Hatshepsut and one for himself, they were built in the same proximity to each other. When Senenmut died, she gave her own sarcophagus for him to be buried in, no commoner has ever had the privilege to be buried in a royal sarcophagus before. Hatshepsut died a few years after.

Their tombs were vandalized when Hatshepsut’s stepson and his own son reigned, as they wanted Hatshepsut’s memory to be erased.

July is the month when the Egyptian Pony looks around the Neues Museum in Berlin!

In Germany.