The Tombs of the Nobles

THE TOMBS OF THE NOBLES

‘All ye excellent Nobles
And Ye Gods of the Mistress of Life
Hear ye how praises are rendered to this priest and excellent Nobles lordly soul
Now that he is a god living forever magnified in the West,
So they become a remembrance in after days,
And for everyone who comes to this tomb’

The many tombs of the Nobles  that are to be found burrowed into the hillside of the Sheik Abd Quarna Hill looking down over the Rammessium Mortuary temple and are  all varied in their individual styles, colours design and details, each  portrays the different personality and position of a nobleman and the work of his artistisans.

When I visit sacred places I do prefer to be alone, and if I can find a place of peace and seclusion I can almost feel the ancients with their messages and magical words seeking the goodwill and assistance of the gods to help them attain their passage to cross the river and reach the western shore overcoming all the trials before them in their quest for eternity. Unfortunately trying to reach this state of seclusion is rare, as the hills are alive with many Egyptians who have no concept of the words ‘I want to be alone’ , no matter what language you express yourself in. They will insist on guiding you, helping you, or selling you something, and so regrettably annoyance and frustration are the emotions usually pounding through my veins by the time I am only halfway up the hillside in my determination to reach one of the highest tombs on the hillside, which is the tomb of Sennefer. Droplets of sweat gather on my forehead as I climb the dusty incline, passing the brightly coloured coffee shop of Sennefer that stands halfway up. Eventually I reached the tomb rather fraught with the hassle and heat of the day and thankfully I collapsed onto a stone in the shade of the wall leading towards the tomb. I hadn’t realized how unfit I was until I had climbed that hill, as I sat and rested in the shade, my eyes surveyed the steep ridges of the mountainside and my thoughts travelled back to the artisans and tomb builders who had lived in the hidden village of Dier El Medina across the mountain ridge,  they were cut off from civilization to protect the secrets of the tombs, the dusty paths these skilled artisans had walked over the pink mountainside rising over the hillside above the Nobles tombs then dipping deep into Dier El Bahari to the temple of Hatshepsut, then rising again and disappearing over the ridge for the steep descent into the Valley of the Kings. I reflected that it must have been a life of indescribable hardship to walk for miles over the steep mountainside, and then descend into the bowels of the earth, with no ventilation to work long hours in a dusty environment with dim lighting and sweat pouring down their faces blurring and straining their eyesight, to recreate with colourful imagination the vibrancy and exclusive domain of Osiris in the claustrophobic air of the tombs. With these thoughts in my mind I walked to the doorway of the Tomb of Sennefer who had held the position of Mayor of the Southern City under the reign of Amenophis 11 during the 18th Dynasty. Sennefer held many titles, he was not only the Mayor of the city and controller of Administration and taxes, but he also held the title of Overseer  of the Granaries of Amun, Superintendent of the gardens of Amun and High Priest of Amun, he was loyal to the king and efficient in his duties.
Deep cut steps lead me into the door well of the tomb and as I entered within an arched tunnel enfolds  me, the walls are roughly cut, whilst shadows and the warm glow of lights guide me down 44 steep winding cavernous steps, at the bottom the tunnel bends sharply to the right, where I was completely unprepared for the total contrast and brightness of a small vestibule that I arrived in, it had a low undulating ceiling that seemed to hang low with the weight of the plump succulent grapes all waiting to be plucked painted on its surface. The artist has used the undulation of the ceiling to   create this glorious vineyard in a three dimensional effect, The Overseer of the Gardens of Amun was fortunate to have such a thriving succulent purple vineyard. The walls are bright white and bursting with beautiful small coloured images of Sennefer receiving offerings from the priests and his daughter. Sennefer is also shown witnessing his funeral procession and the presentation of the funerary equipment to be placed inside his tomb.

Bending my body almost double to pass beneath a deep square entrance that leads into a larger square burial chamber, I was amazed by the vibrancy of bright yellow that bounces off the ceiling in geometric designs   and tapers off into more grapevines. This tomb is alive and blazing with colour that lifts your heart with gladness. Supporting the ceiling are four solid square cut pillars, I felt that these pillars are an expression of love between Sennefer and his wife Meryt The Lady of The House and Chantress of Amun, who is shown on each face of the pillars making offerings to Sennefer, she kneels beside him and stands along side him offering him gifts of Myrrh linen wine necklaces and a scarab to protect his heart in the Hall of Judgement. I feel that the pillars are a true expression of their commitment and love, showing Meryt in early stages of pregnancy on one pillar, in the very subtle way that the ancient Egyptians portrayed a woman’s ever increasing waist line.
The scenes on the walls detail the funeral procession, with Sennefer before Osiris and Hathor, again Meryt is present to support her husband whilst he worships Osiris and they are purified together by a priest in leopard skin, as a chantress of Amun Meryt plays her sistrum for her husband and carries a Menat necklace.
In a corner of the chamber painted in small detail Sennefer and Meryt sit beneath a belachin on board a small boat that is painted green, the colour is symbolic and like the papyrus it represents regeneration, their small boat is towed by a larger white one showing the captain, helmsman and rowers. The journey was to take Sennefer and Meryt on a pilgrimage to the Holy city of Abydos where the tomb of Osiris is said to be located.  Osiris had been killed by his wicked brother Seth, who then scattered the pieces of his body all over Egypt. Isis the wife of Osiris loved her husband so much that she desperately searched the land of Egypt until she found all the scattered parts, and then with her  magical powers she joined his body together again and resurrected him back to life, he was then made the Judge of the dead and Lord of the underworld by Amun. Many Egyptians made this pilgrimage to Abydos because at sunset   they believed it looked like a golden staircase leading to the afterlife

I feel that the tomb of Sennefer is a celebration in the most vibrant colours of a mortal life and the journey to the underworld embracing eternity of a successful nobleman who was supported by the deep love of his wife. As I climbed back up the staircase the vibrancy of this tomb had lifted my spirits more than the emergence through the door into the light of the day.
Standing in the shade a local man approached me with a battered old tin, opening the tin he showed me a selection of amulets he wanted to sell, I told him no, but as persistent as ever he followed me down the hill, magically pulling out various newspaper wrappings from his djellabir,  I continued to express myself negatively and then  he spoke of a fish, I was confused, I didn’t expect him to sell fish as well, I was too far from the river, then from the wrappings of a tatty old newspaper he produced a turquoise ornamental fish,  I told him no, but he thrust it into my face,  and to my surprise I was looking at the beautiful face of a woman, I was confused, it was a fish, no it was a woman, my artistic interest had now been aroused, so I asked his price, bearing in mind a police man earns less than 200LE for a months wages, he told me he wanted 700LE and suggested it was infact an antiquity, I told him if it was genuine he shouldn’t be selling it me and if it wasn’t genuine he was seriously robbing me blind, so I walked away from him, but later that night I wondered if I could find an ornament the same in the bazaar, so I explained to a friend who burst out laughing and he explained how some locals bury ornaments in their gardens for a year or so, then dig them up again so they have the authentic look of an antiquity. Whether the ornament was genuine or not I will ever know, but it was a surreal piece of Egyptian art, my search in the bazaar found similar pieces but nothing as beautiful as that piece. Walking down the hillside from Sennefer’s Tomb I decided I could do with a drink, so I sat on the bamboo seats in the shade admiring the colourful painted walls of Sennefer’s coffee shop, where the journey of the holy trip to Mecca was painted on the walls.  Once refreshed I walked the short distance over to the tomb of Rekhmire who had held the highest position   of Vizier during the reigns of Tuthmosis 111 and his son Amenophis 11. The strange thing is, after all the hard work Rekhmire was never actually buried in this tomb.

The Tomb of Rekhmire

A judge is a straight thinking direct man, and Rekhmire’s Tomb symbolizes this with its sombre reversed T shaped design. The walls detail Rekhmire’s position and responsibilities as a judge, on entering the 66ft long and narrow vestibule I turned to the left to see a court in process with prisoners being brought before the court by the police.

Rekhmire offers advice on the walls of his tomb on the qualities necessary to hold the position of a Judge: ‘Know how to inspire fear and make yourself respected. He who is held in awe is a good judge, but the true function of a judge is to practice justice, if you fear him too much then there must be something wrong with him’ On the installation of a judge he advises; ‘see to those things that can be justly accomplished, do justice to everyman, a judge has a visible face, the water and the wind bear witness to his deeds which none can be aware of’. On the wall opposite the court scene are five rows of interesting paintings of the conquered nations bringing their tributes to Egypt that Rekhmire must record and report to the king, At the top from the lands of punt  their people bring incense trees and baboons, the living animal representing the god of magical words Thoth, beneath them follow the Mediterranean peoples wearing kilts and carrying decorative vases and pots in the shape of animal heads, they bring silver and lapis lazuli,  a little monkey is shown cheekily climbing up the neck of a giraffe as the Kushittes of Africa escort cattle and leopards they carry the large eggs of the Ostrich and the feathers used for the royal fans

Tusks of Ivory are balanced over  their shoulders and in their hands they bring precious stones and gold, the Syrians with their neat pointed black beards all dressed in long white gowns bring a young elephant and brown bear,  carts weapons and magnificent striding white horses. Finally slaves from all nations Following these scenes  across the wall I enter through the doorway directly facing the   door I find myself in a very long and narrow chapel like a hallway or  corridor, the right hand side represents the funeral aspect and events, with beautiful musicians playing their instruments at the funeral feast,  while the opposite wall details the depth of his power and position and the  work he was responsible for as he supervised all the work in the Temple of Amun and its workshops, the  craftsmen are busy making bricks, blowing glass, making gold, and under Rekhmire’s Instructions making a sphinx and cutting a seated colossal statue of  Tuthmosis. As I progress down the narrow chapel the gradient of the ceiling rises to a great height giving the impression of   mountain, Rekhmire had reached the top of the mountain when he became Vizier, he virtually controlled the land when Tuthmosis 111 was on Campaigns, which was for most of his reign as he was a Pharaoh determined to bring other nations under the submission of Egypt with his military force once again. At the end of the chamber looking up to the top of the wall a hole is cut that probably held the statue of Rekhmire where he would sit on his own throne looking down on his achievements in life.

The tomb of Ramose

Leaving Rekhmire’s tomb I walked out into the brightness of sunlight again and then looked for the entrance to the tomb of Ramose that I wanted to visit as my ticket allows me to visit three tombs. I arrived at the top of two wide staircases separated by a central ramp that descends gently into a square rock cut open courtyard capturing the saturating warmth and light of the sun. I walk towards an oblong of beckoning shade that emits from within the tall central door of the tomb leading into the tomb of Ramose who was a Vizier under Amenophis 111 and then later his son Amenhotep 1V who became the pharaoh Akhenaten.
I was totally unprepared for the light and spaciousness of this tomb having just left the dark and somber tomb of Rekhmire. This tomb was so large and bright with a forest of low solid hypostle columns representing bound bundles of papyrus, they expanded across the room from floor to ceiling, some of the columns were damaged and looked like large semi-carved boulders scattered across the floor. My eyes jumped between the columns as I eagerly sought out the reliefs on the surrounding walls; slowly I turned around, finally facing the door again. I was breath taken and stunned with admiration at what I saw. The whole exterior wall had the most beautiful carvings of Ramose and his family that I have ever seen in any tomb. I sat down to hold the vision of this excellent Armana art, and a sense of total calm washed over me as shafts of daylight streamed through windows cut into the ceiling along this exterior wall, bringing the awesome simplicity of  the polished limestone to life.
Ramose was stood at the side of the door, and I gazed at his eternally youthful yet handsome face, with his neat little goatee beard he wore an intricately plaited wig, his body radiating the power and position of a Vizier.  The gold collar of a nobleman surrounded his neck with a small beaded necklace, over these strung a heavily beaded heart necklace. On his upper arms and wrists he wore gold bracelets, to signify his office he wore a loose fitting cloak, and in one hand he carried a staff and in the other a large key.
 Priests made offerings to him, whilst the waters of purification flowed over his head like a sculptured rainbow. On the higher register Ramose is seated while three beautiful musicians shake their sistra to welcome him into the underworld, his wife Ptahmeryt stands behind him affectionately embracing her lord.

On the opposite side of the door Ramose is shown enjoying his funeral banquet with his father and mother, brothers and their wives. This is the most exquisite carving of a group of people I have ever seen within a tomb, the relief’s are life sized which subtly brings the image of this banquet of beautiful people to life, some areas of the wall have been damaged but others as flawless as the day the artist originally created this masterpiece. The smooth polish on the pale limestone carving highlights their cheeks, the only colour used is black within the orbs of their eyes and fine lines that accentuate the kholine around their eyes. The highly detailed and intricate work on the individual wigs is as believable as if a hairdresser had sat there for days meticulously weaving and binding. The gowns worn by the ladies seated behind their husbands subtly express the sheerest folds of fine linen. I was disappointed as I turned to the side wall and observed the difference of the small painted registers showing the traditional funeral procession that had obviously been started on whilst Ramose had been the vizier under the rule of Amenophis 111, imagine how wonderful it would have been to see this whole tomb created in the distinctive classical Armarna style.

On the painted fresco the personal belongings of Ramose are carried into the tomb by porters along with larger objects, including an elegant bed, and four wooden chests. Facing this row a group of women mourners raise their arms wailing with grief as tears stream from their eyes.

 finally the funeral procession arrives the tomb where the opening of the mouth ceremony is given outside the entrance to the tomb, underneath this scene I almost fell down a set of steps that lead to a gloomy entrance, I was told that this travels underneath the inner chamber and leads to the burial chamber that is not open for viewing. Avoiding this gaping shaft, I moved safely across to look at the back internal wall where the walls are carved once again, but without the same classical finesse of the banquet scene, and Ramose is shown standing before the newly installed  pharaoh Amenhotep 1V, who sits under a royal beldachin with the goddess Maat  behind him. Moving across this wall a doorway that leads into a very dark inner chamber that was unfinished and no access is allowed. passing this the final scenes are carved and penciled in and here the new style of art is portrayed, Amenophis 1V has rejected the god of Amun  and converted to his new religion worshiping one god, and he is now shown as Akhenaten with his wife Nefertiti standing behind him on the balcony of the palace beneath the rays of the Aten ,small hands on some of the rays hold the key of life,  the  enemies of this heretic king have mutilated and gouged  the images of Akhenaten and Nefertiti symbolically destroying the possibility of their next life. So much beauty and passion on the edge of turbulence are expressed on the walls of this tomb. Ramose stands beneath the gouged bodies of Akenaten and Nefertiti and he receives a gold collar for his services as vizier yet his image has endured the attack of religious fervor

I looked at the final scenes portrayed,  Ramose is receiving a group of foreign delegations, the craftsmen had sketched  these on the wall ready for the carvers to follow after them , the carvers never came, the tomb was abandoned the work  left unfinished, Akhenaton had decided to move his court to Armarna and Ramose would have followed as his vizier. The exterior wall of this tomb is a breathtaking masterpiece of art, but like Akhenaten what had started in glory ended like the final wall within this tomb, totally devoid of expression, blank, a wall expressing the wilderness of a revolution that had run out of time before its completion like the work portrayed on its walls.