The human coffin Khonsua in the tomb of Sennedjem

The human coffin Khonsu in the

tomb of Sennedjem

The burial site of Sennedjem a prominent ancient Egyptian craftsman and members of his family at Deir el-Medina on the west bank of the Nile opposite Luxor The Tomb of Sennedjem A wooden sarcophagus made for the ancient Egyptians known as the Coffin of Khonsou during the 19th Dynasty remains intact in Deir el-Medina including the sarcophagus of Sennedjem's son Khonsou buried in his father's tomb His mummy is covered with a mummy mask and placed in an inner wooden coffin The Coffin of Khonsou

Theban Necropolis TT1 is located in Deir el-Medina within the Theban cemetery on the west bank of the Nile River opposite Luxor. It is a remarkably well-preserved burial site.

Particularly during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II approximately 1,279-1,213 BC the coffins were made of wood gesso paint and oil enamel The inner layer of Khonsu shows the deceased wearing a double-layered wig and a short goatee aged between fifty and sixty years at the time of death The outer layer of the coffin shows the deceased wearing a three-quarter-length wig holding a symbol of stability and protection in the right hand in the left The coffins are elaborately decorated and colorful reflecting the past in the tombs of officials and craftsmen as well as the preservation of the spirit of the deceased

The outer sarcophagus of Sennedjem is a 19th Dynasty wooden sarcophagus of the New Kingdom made for the royal craftsmen who lived in Deir el-Medina during the reigns of King Seti I and King Ramses II. It was discovered in remarkably good condition in necropolis TT1 in 1886.

The initial discovery of the tomb of Sennedjem the father of the sarcophagus was made by the craftsman Sennedjem an ancient Egyptian. He lived in Setmaat meaning Place of Truth which is now Deir el-Medina on the west bank of the Nile opposite Thebes and played a key role during the reigns of Seti I and Ramses II The craftsman, Nedjem nicknamed Servant of the Place of Truth was buried with his wife Neferti and other family members in a cemetery in the village The sarcophagus of Khonsū is another important discovery in ancient Egyptian history The tomb of Sennedjem was discovered with furniture from his home including a chair and a bed which he used during his lifetime The tomb of Sennedjem the father of the sarcophagus of Khonsu was discovered on 31 January 1886

Khonsu's anthropoid coffin  The inner wooden coffin of the Khon performance depicts the deceased wearing a double wig and a short goatee, and is meticulously crafted from pine wood./ image : Archaeology & Civilizations

The exterior of the Khonshu sarcophagus bears decorations related to the 17th chapter of the Book of the Dead One side depicts Anubis performing the mummification ritual on the body of Osiris and the interior depicts the deceased in a double wig and a short beard 19th Dynasty Egyptian sarcophagus art is complemented by murals from royal tombs These sarcophagi were discovered in the necropolis of Sennedjem TT1 at Deir el-Medina Thebes West Bank The discovery was made during the 1885-86 Egyptian Antiquities Service/Maspero excavations and are now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

The inner wooden sarcophagus of the god Khonsu depicts the deceased wearing a double wig and a short goatee the decorations include statues of Khonsu Anubis and Isis. / image : Heidi Kontkanen

The tomb consists of three pyramid-shaped chapels within a walled courtyard each dedicated to Sennedjem Sennedjem's father or brother respectively from south to north Sennedjem's chapel includes an elaborately decorated Khonshu sarcophagus leading to several crypts Only the tomb in front of Sennedjem's chapel was not looted Their exact relationship to Sennedjem is unclear as there are no inscriptions apart from the mummy sarcophagus mummy board and mask

The wooden sarcophagus of Khonsu is decorated with paintings depicting the god Khonsu and his wife worshipping important Egyptian gods such as Osiris and Anubis..

These large coffins were disassembled and placed against the wall Sennedhjem was associated with the cult of the goddess Hathor holding the title of servant of Hathor His father was Cabechnet whose title was servant of Amun in the southern city Sennedhjem and Ineferti had at least 10 children many of whom are depicted in their tombs and also worked on the royal tombs Their eldest son Cabechnet, named after his grandfather owns the nearby tomb TT2 Their younger son Khonsū has a pyramid-shaped chapel within the TT1 complex and is buried in the tomb of Sennedhjem's father with the coffin of Khonsu In Sennedhjem's burial site officials and prominent figures of ancient Egypt