| Nebwenenef | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebunenef | ||||||
| ||||||
| Predecessor: Nebnetjeru-Tjenry |
High Priest of Amun | Successor: Hori | ||||
| Dynasty | 19th Dynasty | |||||
| Pharaoh(s) | Seti I – Ramesses II | |||||
| Titles | High Priest of Amun Nomarch of Waset Mayor of Thebes High Priest of Onuris High Priest of Hathor Overseer of the Priests Overseer of the Treasury Overseer of the Granary Overseer of the Works God's Father Count | |||||
| Father | Sematawy I | |||||
| Spouse(s) | Takhat | |||||
| Issue | Sematawy II, Hathor | |||||
| Burial | TT157 | |||||
Nebwenenef (transliteration: nb-wn-n-f) was a High Priest of Amun under Pharaoh Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty during the New Kingdom. Prior to that, Nebwenenef had served as High Priest of Onuris and High Priest of Hathor during the reign of Seti I and possibly even earlier.
Titles[]
Nebwenenef's TT157 tomb records a large number of his titles;[1] High Priest of Amun, High Priest of Onuris, High Priest of Hathor, Superintendent of the Double Treasury of Silver and Gold (of Amun), Superintendent of the Granary, Chief of the Works and Chief of All the Craftsmen in Thebes, Superintendent of the Prophets of all Gods to the South and North, Noble, Count, God's Father, Chief of Secrets in Heaven, Earth and the Netherworld(?), Dignitary for the People, and Chief of Seers, Pure of Hands in Thebes.
Family[]
According to an inscription in his tomb, Nebwenenef was the son of a High Priest of Hathor. The identity and titles of his father are preserved on a statue of a priest of Hathor named Basa dated to the 22nd or 23rd Dynasty. The statue records a detailed genealogy of High Priests of Hathor, claiming that Basa is a direct descendant of Nebwenenef. The text states that Nebwenenef was the son of the High Priest of Hathor, Overseer of the Cattle, Overseer of the Fields, Overseer of the Granary, Sematawy I.
Nebwenenef's wife was named Takhat. She held the titles of Chief of the Harem of Amun, Sistrum Player of Mut, Chief of the Harem of Hathor and Songstress of Isis the mighty. Nebwenenef had a son Sematawy II and a daughter named Hathor. Sematawy II succeeded his father as High Priest of Hathor. Hathor held the title of Chief of the Harem of Hathor, Lady of Dendera. A sister of Nebwenenef named Irytnofret is also depicted on the tomb.[1]
Career[]
Before being appointed High Priest of Amun, Nebwenenef was High Priest of Hathor at Dendera and High Priest of Onuris at Thinis. After his appointment as High Priest of Amun in year 1 of Ramesses II, his son Sematawy became High Priest of Hathor. This post had apparently always been held by his family according to an inscription:
- Landing was made in the Thinite Province, and the (future) High Priest of Amun, Nebwenenef, justified was ushered in before His Majesty. Now he was (then) High Priest of Onuris, and High Priest of Hathor, Lady of Dendera, and Superintendent of Prophets of all Gods, to his south (as far) as Heriheramun, and to his North, (as far) as Thinis. Then said His Majesty to him:
- You are now High Priest of Amun! His treasury and his granary are under your seal. You are chief executive of his temple and every foundation of his is under your authority. The House of Hathor, Lady of Dendera (shall now be) under the authority of your son as regular(?) heir to the offices of your forefathers, the position (which) you have occupied hitherto.
- (I swear), as Re lives for me and loves me, and as my father Amun favors me, I set out for him the whole court, and the chief executive of the troops. There were repeated (before) him the prophets of the gods, and the notables of his House, who were in his presence. But he was not satisfied with any of them, until I mentioned your name to him.[1]
After the announcement Pharaoh Ramesses II gave him two gold signet rings and an electrum staff of office. All at once Nebwenenef had been promoted to High priest of Amun, Superintendent of the Double Treasury of Silver and Gold (of Amun), Superintendent of the Granary, Chief of the Works and Chief of All the Craftsmen in Thebes. A Royal Envoy was dispatched to announce Nebwenenef's promotion throughout the land.[1]
Burial[]
Nebwenenef was buried in his TT157 rock-cut tomb at Dra' Abu el-Naga', which is part of the Theban Necropolis. Nebwenenef is shown in his tomb followed by a fanbearer appearing before Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari in a palace window. Nebwenenef is being appointed as High priest of Amun in Year 1 of Ramesses II.
Mortuary temple[]
Nebwenenef was also the owner of a mortuary temple at Thebes. Nebwenenef is one of only a select group of commoners who were allowed to construct a temple there. A plan of the temple, as well as some photographs of stelae and foundation deposits, can be found on Digitalegypt (University College London).[2]
References[]
Bibliography[]
- Kitchen, K.A., 1996: Ramesside Inscriptions, Translated & Annotated, Translations. Volume III, Blackwell Publishers.
| Predecessor: Nebnetjeru-Tjenry |
High Priest of Amun 19th Dynasty |
Successor: Hori |