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Tomb of the Scribe Amunwahsu

In the small tomb of the scribe Amunwahsu (Dynasty 19, ca. 1250 B.C.), scenes from the Book of the Dead cover most of the walls. This man was a scribe who decorated the walls of the great temples of Amun in Thebes.

Breaking for tea   Betsy with magnifier
Jay adjusting camera

Our inspector Ali and the guards break for tea and invite us to join them. Jay snapped my picture wearing the magnifier again, but I got him back this time and took his picture as he fretted in the tomb about a lens that was not working properly.

Amunwahsu and family   Amunwahsu and family detail

Looking for evidence of painters and the work they did outside their regular jobs, it was pleasant to find that Amunwahsu took credit for painting his own tomb. Here, just inside the door and to the left, he, his wife and family wait at the gates of the underworld. His first statement is: “painting this drawing in this tomb by the scribe of the House of Life Amunwahsu, with his own fingers.”

Evidence of burial   Wall painting in the back room of Amunwahsu

In the back room of Amunwahsu, another scribe Pa-irtjety, a servant of the temple of Amun had dedicatory paintings. A view of the burial room next to this shows that burials are still to be found in this tomb.

Running electric cable to the tomb   Clearing the entrance to the tomb

Moving around to the west to the tomb of Neferrenpet, TT43, the guards are removing the stones that block the entrance, while the electrician Gamal waits to run the cable in for us. A system now has been established that is allowing us to have electricity quite quickly upon entering otherwise closed tombs.

Banqueting scene   Banqueting scene detail

An unfinished banqueting scene shows that a grid was being used on the larger figures, but not on the smaller ones – just as we saw with the tombs 75 and 76. TT 43 probably dates to the reign of Amenhotep III, a time when grids were often dispensed with even in larger scenes.

Kiosk scene

A kiosk scene on an end wall of this tiny tomb shows Neferrenet, a kitchen manager, offering before two kings, one named Amenhotep II. The other was probably Thutmose III, his father, since the two were coregent for a brief period. However, this scene was probably a memorial to the rulers and painted after their death to invoke their protection. The grid covers the large figure of the offerers but not the kiosk itself – note that the kiosk is not level and appears to lean forward, although the figure of Neferrenpet lies correctly on a ground line.


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