Tomb 353 - the tomb of
Senenmut (courtier of Hatshepsut)
This was Senenmut's second
tomb (his first, tomb 71, was situated quite conspicuously on
top of the Sheikh Abd el-Gurna Hill and has suffered a great
damage over the ages) - both tombs were sited on the West bank
at Thebes. This second tomb has survived without much damage
probably due to its more hidden location beneath the the precincts
of the Djeser-Djeseru (the great Deir el-Bahri temple of Hatshepsut).
It was discovered in 1927 - unfortunately quite empty.
Tomb 353 consists of three chambers all linked by descending
stepped passageways:
Chambers B and C have
been finished but not decorated, Chamber A has designs sketched
on the walls and the ceiling:
The walls show various spells and liturgies to help Senenmut's
journey to the Underworld, there are also representations of
Senenmut, his brother Amenemhat and the Pharaoh Hatshepsut. A
false door faces the entrance from the quarry.
The ceilling is perhaps the most interesting part of the tomb:
- it is the earliest
known astronomical ceiling in Egypt. On the ceiling is shown
a calendar recording lunar months, depictions of the northern
constellations and the planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
Unfortunately the positions of the planets, details of the months
have been found to be inacurate to allow to be used as dating
tool for chronological uses
تعليقات