Tombs near that of Senneferi

The other tombs in the area of TT99 are almost all to be dated to the 18th dynasty. The hill of Sheikh abd el-Qurna has probably the greatest concentration of tombs of this period in the Theban necropolis, and was clearly the place where the great officials of the first half of the dynasty wished to be buried.

The majority of these tombs are closed to tourists. Those open (TT96 and TT100) are indicated.

Amenemipet (TT29)

Amenemipet was a vizier (prime minister), and a brother of Sennefer of TT96 (below). He also has a tomb in the Valley of the Kings, and so perhaps was not buried in this tomb. This tomb is almost completely unpublished.

The excavation and publication of this tomb is being undertaken by the Université Libre de Bruxelles

Menkheperresoneb (TT79)

Tomb of the son of Minnakht (TT87). The tomb was published by Heike Guksch and the German Archaeological Institute.

Amenemhat (TT82)

The tomb of Amenemhat, in which there is a date of year 28 of Thutmose III, was published by Davies and Gardiner in 1913. It has a brightly painted chapel and one of the few decorated burial chambers in Thebes.

Iamunedjeh (TT84)

Among other titles, Iamunedjeh was a royal herald. His tomb is just above TT99, and some people have suggested that similarities in the names of some members of both families might indicate that they are related. The tomb is presently in course of publication by the German Archaeological Institute.

Amenemheb (TT85)

The tomb of Amenemheb is large and contains many beautiful paintings. Its burial chamber is one of the few known in Thebes to contain some decoration, although it is not like that of Sennefer (below). Amenemheb is quite well-known from a biographical inscription in which he describes how he accompanied Thutmose III on one of his foreign expeditions, and how he prevented the king being trampled by an elephant. The tomb is to be published by Heike Heye and the German Archaeological Institute. Below is perhaps the best-known image, of Amenemheb with a hyena.

Menkheperresoneb (TT86)

A high priest of Amun in the reign of Thutmose III, and owner of two tombs in Thebes (the other is TT112). The tomb was published by Davies, and is particularly important for its depictions of foreigners.

Minnakht (TT87)

Tomb of the father of Menkheperresoneb (TT79). The tomb was published by Heike Guksch and the German Archaeological Institute.

Ramose (TT94)

Another royal herald, little is known about the tomb of Ramose since it is virtually inaccessible now. It is unpublished.

Suemniut (TT92)

Suemniut was an official in the time of Amenhotep II. The decoration of his tomb is extrememly interesting, as many of the walls are unfinished, and it is possible to learn about the techniques of painting and decoration from those walls. The tomb has been studied by Johns Hopkins university and a publication is expected soon.

Qenamun TT93)

A magnificent tomb of the reign of Amenhotep II, beautifully decorated with a very wide range of scenes. This very large tomb was published by Norman de Garis Davies. Like several tombs of this king's reign, it makes an unusual use of yellow backgrounds to the decoration. The following pictures show gifts and funerary equipment being given to the king, and part of a most unusual scene, of animals in the desert (part of a hunting scene).

Mery (TT95)

A high priest of Amun in the reign of Amenhotep II. The tomb is presently being published by Andrea Gnirs and the German Archaeological Institute.

Sennefer (TT96)

This tomb is very well known, or rather part of it is, since the burial chamber of the tomb is open to tourists. This part is known as the "tomb of the vines" from the wonderful painted ceiling.

This is the most elaborately decorated burial chamber known from an 18th dynasty private tomb. It is possible, however, that Sennefer also had a tomb in the Valley of the Kings (KV42). Excellent popular picture books of the tomb exist, but this tomb is really not properly published.

The upper part of his tomb, the offering chapel, was until very recently used as a magazine and thus inaccessible to almost everyone. It is, however, full of interesting information and scenes. Work is being undertaken here by the Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Amenemhat (TT97)

An unpublished tomb very close to that of Sennefer. The tomb possesses an interesting stela published by Gardiner many years ago, but other than that, it is unpublished. Robert Mond's expedition dug in the courtyard in the 1920s, when a shaft containing burials was found, possibly of the same family and dating from the New Kingdom into the Third Intermediate period.

Rekhmire (TT100)

The chapel of Rekhmire is one of the most well-known in the necropolis, and is open to tourists. It is a large tomb, with many interesting scenes, varying from scenes of tribute (with various exotic animals) through fascinating scenes of craftsmen to various religious scenes. It is well preserved and well worth a visit. The tomb was published in 1943 by Norman de Garis Davies.