The ninth season of work in the Theban tomb of Senneferi (TT99) took place from 23 September to 22 October 2000. I wish to thank Dr Gaballa and the Permanent Committee of the SCA for permission to work, and also thank Sabri Abdel Aziz and Mohamed el-Bialey in Luxor for putting this permission into practice. The inspector attached to the Mission was Abdel-Rahman Ahmed Hassan, and we are particularly grateful to him for his help and assistance which made the season so successful. Members of the mission were: Dr Nigel Strudwick (Field Director), Mrs Helen Strudwick (Assistant Director), Miss Julie Dawson (Conservator), Miss Bridget Leach (Conservator), Dr John Taylor (Coffins specialist), Dr Pamela Rose (Ceramics specialist), Dr Gillian Pyke (Ceramics specialist), Miss Amanda Dunsmore (Ceramics specialist), and Mr Anthony Middleton (Photographer). The work was planned as a second study season, the archaeological work on the tomb having been completed in 1998. The results may be grouped as follows.
A number of small details of the tomb paintings, in particular a selection of khekher friezes, was copied to complete the drawings of these paintings. The walls were also completely photographed in large format transparencies. A number of queries about the scenes have also been resolved.
Wall plans have been completed for all the walls in the tomb. These plans show the condition of the walls, the location of the scenes, and all useful indications of how the walls were decorated. Elevations of the courtyard were also completed to complement the plans and sections of the tomb made in earlier seasons. This work was undertaken by Nigel and Helen Strudwick.
The conservation work on the Book of the Dead linen shroud of Senneferi, started last season, was completed. A group of small fragments and one large badly crumpled piece were treated. The large fragment has an original fold down its centre. The textile is particularly badly deteriorated to either side of this fold with many holes. There were also many small, crushed fragments within the crumpled fabric. The linen is generally dark with areas of staining. The fibres are very brittle. There was loose dirt in the folds. The red and black text is well preserved, but in places very difficult to see on the dark textile.
A humidity chamber was constructed to allow the textiles to take up moisture vapour and gradually to relax the fibres. When the textiles were sufficiently supple, as many folds as possible were opened out and the threads gradually straightened and flattened with light weights. Loose dirt was picked off the surface and a few small repairs made using tabs of Japanese tissue held in place with 4% Methocel AC4 (methyl cellulose adhesive) in water. Brittle, powdering fibres were consolidated with 2% Klucel (hydroxy propyl cellulose) in alcohol applied from a small brush.
The large piece and its associated fragments were laid on a fabric covered board. Particularly fragile sections were held lightly in place with Japanese tissue tabs attached to the board with 4% Methocel AC4 in water. A conservation-quality box was constructed to hold the linen securely.
The packing of several textiles conserved in previous years was modified to ensure that they can be stored safely in the long term.
A condition report was made on a few sections of the wall paintings which had not previously been examined and part of the heavily soot-stained ceiling in the front room was lightly cleaned with a Wishab (dry, vulcanised latex) sponge.
Conservation of the papyrus fragments found in 1998 in Senneferi's burial chambers was continued this season, from 28 September to 11 October 2000.
The fragments awaiting conservation from the previous year were from Room 3 of Shaft I, levels 1-4. Most of those from level 1 had been treated in 1999 and the remainder of these were conserved first. The greatest number of fragments of the remaining papyri were from level 3.
As time was limited, the approach this season was to examine the contents of the unconserved fragments as far as possible, and treat the larger pieces from each context first. This was to ensure that if time did not allow the work to be completed, the fragments that were left would be the smaller or blank ones.
It was noted last season that many fragments had a different appearance to that of the Book of the Dead of Senneferi. To establish whether there were in fact two separate funerary papyri in the group, as many as possible of this particular type were taken from each context and treated. (There appears to be very few of them left.) Although level 3 yielded a substantial amount of this material no text bearing the owner's name was written on it, consequently the matter remains inconclusive. A surprise did come, however, to find several small fragments written in white, or barely visible red over white, ink. The only other example known is the papyrus of Henutmehyt, from the 19th dynasty. (The white writing on the Papyrus of Henutmehyt has been identified as a steatite, not the calcium carbonate commonly used as a white pigment.)
The conservation method used was one of humidification, flattening and repair, as described in the 1999 Report.[1] The constraints of time meant that at the end of this season there are still some fragments of the Book of the Dead of Senneferi unconserved from Room 3, levels 2-4. Approximately 180 fragments were treated and mounted for photography this season. A further 30 or so small fragments found before 1998, from various contexts, were also repaired and mounted between glass for photography.
[1] From 1999 Report: When the fragments were reasonably flat they were repaired with small tabs of Japanese paper using methyl cellulose adhesive (Culminal MC 2000, 4% in water). This process was repeated until the papyri were realigned and repaired adequately. They were then placed between two sheets of thick blotting paper with an interleaving layer of Bondina (a fine 100% polyester fabric) under a light glass weight. After 24 hours the fragments were dry and ready to be mounted in an archival box containing layers of acid-free card, good quality rag paper and soft tissue to protect the papyrus surface were cut to the size of the box.
This season saw the completion of the study of the pottery from the three chambers at the bottom of Shaft I by Pamela Rose, Gillian Pyke and Amanda Dunsmore. This pottery represents the burial assemblage of Senneferi, all types being consistent with a date of the early to mid 18th dynasty.
The broad quantification completed during the 1999 season was used as the basis of the investigation of the number of vessels present in the assemblage, many of which were reconstructed for drawing and photography. Six vessels of a fabric related to the Oasis type were reconstructed, two of which were found to be inscribed with hieratic labels mentioning wine and earth almonds, as well as being stamped with the cartouche of Tuthmosis III. Two of the other vessels were inscribed with year dates, and one was uninscribed.
An important task completed in this season was the quantification of the large silt jars, the most numerous component of the pottery in the burial chamber. There were 20 of these jars, of which the necks were wheel-made and the bodies made by hand.
Further representative examples of all vessel types were drawn and photographed, paying special attention to the inscriptions, examples of production technology and the remains of bindings by which the vessels were closed, which were particularly well preserved.
Material from the two chambers and adjoining levels of Shaft H were also examined, and a basic sort and quantification completed. The pottery from room 1 was very disturbed, with a large proportion of later material, but that of room 2 was more consistently of Eighteenth dynasty date. Its date is slightly later than that of the burial of Senneferi, and of poorer quality. It included beer jars, wavy necked jars and various types of bowl, but no imported types, canopic jars, large storage jars or amphorae. Representative examples of each vessel type were also drawn.
The hieratic texts on the vessels were examined again by Dr Briant Bohleke of Chicago House during a visit on 21 October. The most important discovery was a number of dates on the vessels: years 25, 28 and 38. The last of these can only relate to the reign of Thutmose III, and thus will be important for dating the burial.
Work on the coffin fragments by John H. Taylor covered two main areas:
(1) Black-varnished and black-painted wooden coffins which can be attributed to burials of the 18th dynasty. Relatively few diagnostic pieces survive, but these indicate that at least four coffins decorated in this style were originally present. The probably include at least one double coffin (outer and inner). One of these coffins can be attributed to Senneferi's burial on the evidence of two sections of inscription in raised relief giving his name. This coffin appears to have been decorated with gold leaf, whereas the others have decoration in yellow paint.
(2) Fragments of painted cartonnage were studied and five mummy-cases were partially reconstructed. All these dated to the 22nd dynasty. The inscriptions indicate that at least three of the owners were members of one family. The father, Djedhoriuefankh, was buried in a case of fine quality. Two generations of his ancestors are also named, and the style of the painting on the case indicates that the burial dated to the early 22nd dynasty (c. 900 BC). Two other mummy-cases are identified by their texts as belonging to two children of Djedhoriuefankh--one is a woman named Tabakmut, the other of indeterminate identity. In addition to these cases, which it was possible to reconstruct almost in their entirety, there were fragments of at least four other cartonnages, whose owners could not be identified.
Documentation of the remaining small finds was undertaken by Nigel and Helen Strudwick, following the examinations and assessments made in the 1999 season. All objects which will form part of the catalogue of finds in the publication have now been drawn, copied, or photographed. Some addition collection of information on objects was made (notably shabtis). This element of the work is now complete.
Work in TT99 is now almost complete. A further short season will be needed to complete the study of the bones as this was not possible this season, and also to tie up some loose ends, and to complete the registration and long-term storage of the objects.
Nigel Strudwick
21 October 2000