Ancient Egyptian Tombs : The Culture of Life and Death

The box coffin of Userhet from Beni Hasan 9.2 The head of the anthropoid coffin of Khnum-Nakht from Rifeh 9.3 The box coffin of Userhet, containing his anthropoid coffin, in his tomb at Beni Hasan 10.1 View of the Beni Hasan cemetery 10.2 Elite tombs at Beni Hasan 10.3 Tomb fac ̧ade at Beni Hasan 10.4 Elite tombs at Rifeh 10.5 Coffins in a shaft tomb at Beni Hasan 10.6 Wooden models on a coffin inside a shaft tomb at Beni Hasan 10.7 Shaft tombs at Beni Hasan 10.8 'Soul-house' from a Middle Kingdom tomb at Abydos x Figures 11.1 The 'temple-tomb' of Nebhepetre Montuhotep II at Deir el-Bahri 11.2 Dynasty 11 tombs at Deir el-Bahri 11.3 Plan of the tomb of Senebtisi at Lisht, and its most significant contents 12.1 View of the Valley of the Kings 12.2 Plan of the West Bank cemeteries at Thebes 12.3 View of the cemetery of Sheikh abd el-Qurna at Thebes 12.4 Plans of three Dynasty 18 tombs: A -Ineni; B -Rekhmire, C -Amenhotep-Huy 12.5 Representations of the superstructures of Theban tombs in the tombs of (left) Nebamun and Ipuky -TT181; and (right) Rai -TT159 13.1 Selected scenes of royal service from the tomb of Rekhmire 13.2 Selected scenes of funeral from the tomb of Rekhmire 13.3 The tomb of Nebqed, as illustrated in his Book of the Dead 13.4 The interior of the tomb of Pahery at el-Kab 13.5 The 'autobiography' of Ahmose son of Ibana at el-Kab 13.6 Plan of the Burial Chambers in the family tomb of Neferkhewet and Rennefer at Thebes 14.1 Plan and selected scenes from the tomb of Huya at Amarna 14.2 Plan and selected scenes from the tomb of Apuia at Saqqara 14.3 Plan of the tomb of Horemheb at Saqqara 15.1 Plan of the superstructure and of the winding passage to the Burial Chamber in the tomb of Samut at Thebes 16.1 The site of Deir el-Medina, with the hill of Qurnet Murai immediately behind it 16.2 Cross-section of the tomb of Sennedjem at Deir el-Medina, Thebes 17.1 Mourning woman on a wooden stela of the Third Intermediate Period 17.2 The tomb-chapels of the God's Wives of Amen at Medinet Habu 17.3 The tomb of Montuemhat (TT34) in the Asasif cemetery at Thebes 17.4 The Burial Chamber of a Third Intermediate/Late Period tomb 17.5 The tomb of Petosiris at Tuna el-GebelIt would be seriously remiss of me not to acknowledge the people who have helped to bring this book into being. For the reader who wishes to identify these people the References would be a good start. More specifically I would like to thank teachers, colleagues and students at the University of Liverpool, past and present, who have provided inspiration and/or stimulating discussion regarding the topics covered in this book: List of Figures ix Preface xiii Acknowledgements xv Introduction 1 1 Nameless Lives at Tarkhan and Saqqara 7 Early Tombs and the Ka 2 Pits, Palaces and Pyramids 24 Royal Cemeteries of the Early Dynastic Period and Old Kingdom 3 Non-Royal Cemeteries of Dynasty 4 35 4 Unas, Teti and Their Courts 51 The Late Old Kingdom at Saqqara 5 The Tombs of Qar and Idu 68 Families and Funerals in the Late Old Kingdom 6 A Growing Independence 86 Court and Regional Cemeteries in the Late Old Kingdom 7 Ankhtify 105 A Time of Change 8 Osiris, Lord of Abydos 117 9 Lords of Life 136 Coffins 10 Strangers and Brothers 148 The Middle Kingdom in Middle Egypt 11 North and South 166 Middle Kingdom Tombs at the Royal Residence 12 Ineni, Senenmut and User-Amun 176 New Tombs for Old 13 Rekhmire and the Tomb of the Well-Known Soldier 190 Foreigners and Funerals in the Age of Empire 14 Huya and Horemheb 207 Amarna and After 15 Samut and the Ramesside Private Tomb 223 16 Sennedjem 233 Building and Buying at Deir el-Medina 17 Petosiris 245 A Dying Tradition References 260 Further Reading 276 Index 281 Ancient Egyptian Tombs: The Culture of Life and Death 1 Contents 9 List of Figures 11 Preface 15 Acknowledgements 17 Introduction 19 1 Nameless Lives at Tarkhan and Saqqara: Early Tombs and the Ka 25 2 Pits, Palaces and Pyramids: Royal Cemeteries of the Early Dynastic Period and Old Kingdom 42 3 Non-Royal Cemeteries of Dynasty 4 53 4 Unas, Teti and Their Courts: The Late Old Kingdom at Saqqara 69 5 The Tombs of Qar and Idu: Families and Funerals in the Late Old Kingdom 86 6 A Growing Independence: Court and Regional Cemeteries in the Late Old Kingdom 104 7 Ankhtify: A Time of Change 123 8 Osiris, Lord of Abydos 135 9 ‘Lords of Life’: Coffins 154 10 Strangers and Brothers: The Middle Kingdom in Middle Egypt 166 11 North and South: Middle Kingdom Tombs at the Royal Residence 184 12 Ineni, Senenmut and User-Amun: New Tombs for Old 194 13 Rekhmire and the Tomb of the Well-Known Soldier: Foreigners and Funerals in the Age of Empire 208 14 Huya and Horemheb: Amarna and After 225 15 Samut and the Ramesside Private Tomb 241 16 Sennedjem: Building and Buying at Deir el-Medina 251 17 Petosiris: A Dying Tradition 263 References 278 Further Reading 294 Index 299 This Book Explores The Development Of Tombs As A Cultural Phenomenon In Ancient Egypt And Examines What Tombs Reveal About Ancient Egyptian Culture And Egyptians’ Belief In The Afterlife. Investigates The Roles Of Tombs In The Development Of Funerary Practicesdraws On A Range Of Data, Including Architecture, Artifacts And Textsdiscusses Tombs Within The Context Of Everyday Life In Ancient Egyptstresses The Importance Of The Tomb As An Eternal Expression Of The Self. Front Matter -- Introduction -- Nameless Lives At Tarkhan And Saqqara -- Pits, Palaces And Pyramids -- Non-royal Cemeteries Of Dynasty 4 -- Unas, Teti And Their Courts -- The Tombs Of Qar And Idu -- A Growing Independence -- Ankhtify -- Osiris, Lord Of Abydos -- 2́1lords Of Life2́2 -- Strangers And Brothers -- North And South -- Ineni, Senenmut And User-amun -- Rekhmire And The Tomb Of The Well-known Soldier -- Huya And Horemheb -- Samut And The Ramesside Private Tomb -- Sennedjem -- Petosiris -- References -- Further Reading -- Index. Steven Snape. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book explores the development of tombs as a cultural phenomenon in ancient Egypt and examines what tombs reveal about ancient Egyptian culture and Egyptians & rsquo; belief in the afterlife. Investigates the roles of tombs in the development of funerary practicesDraws on a range of data, including architecture, artifacts and textsDiscusses tombs within the context of everyday life in Ancient EgyptStresses the importance of the tomb as an eternal expression of the self This book explores the development of tombs as a cultural phenomenon in ancient Egypt and examines what tombs reveal about ancient Egyptian culture and Egyptians’ belief in the afterlife. Investigates the roles of tombs in the development of funerary practices Draws on a range of data, including architecture, artifacts and texts Discusses tombs within the context of everyday life in Ancient Egypt Stresses the importance of the tomb as an eternal expression of the self "In this instantly engaging book, Snape goes far beyond a simple presentation of funerary beliefs and practices throughout time. He takes us on a journey through tombs long cold and disused, and populates them again with vibrant people. This is an excellent introduction to the ancient Egyptians through their mortuary remains. I would enthusiastically recommend [this book] to general readers and students of any age or experience." -- K. Szpakowska.