The shabtis were part of an old French collection. They were purchased at Thion Encheres, Evreux, France on October the 7th, 2007 and became a part of Escobar private collection in Spain. In the last five years (2015-2020) the shabtis were sold into various European private collections. Shabti figures in European private collections The shabtis were part of an old French collection. They were purchased at Thion Encheres, Evreux, France on October the 7th, 2007 and became a part of Escobar private collection in Spain. In the last five years (2015-2020) the shabtis were sold into various European private collections. Mwt-pr-Imn Title: - Dimensions: 9.0 cm. (H); 3.9 cm. (W) Material: blue faience. Text: • Osiris Mut-per-Amun • Wsir Mwt-pr-Imn Provenance: Deir el-Medina (?) – although these shabtis are not mentioned in Bruyère’s Rapports des Fouilles, 12 statuettes were stored in Deir el-Medina magazines, and two other shabti figures were said to be at l’IFAO in Cairo. Valbelle points out that shabtis of a certain Imn-pr-Mwt were found in the priestly cache, Bab el-Gasus. The shabtis of Mwt-pr-Imn bear remarkable similarity to some Bab el-Gasus shabtis. Date: 21st dyn. Preservation: Good – worn faience coat turned white. Bibliography: 1. Valbelle, Dominique. Ouchebtis de Deir el-Medineh. Documents des Fouilles de l’IFAO, Le Caire, 1972, pp. 55-56 (no. 123) pl. XX 2. Araujo, Luis Manuel de. Estatuetas Funerarias Egipcias da XXI Dinastía. Fundaçao Calouste Gulbelkian, Lisbon, 2003, pp. 407-408, 510. Dd-Xnsw Title: wab n Imn [wab priest of Amun] Dimensions: 10.1 (H); 3.6 (W) Material: white-washed pottery painted yellow. Text: • The Osiris, the wab priest of Amun, Djed-Khonsu • Wsir wab n Imn Dd-xnsw Provenance: Deir el-Medina, tomb 336, and pit 1026. 16 intact shabtis + 39 fragments were stored in Deir el-Medina. Date: 21st dyn. Preservation: Good – some chips and losses to the painted surface. Bibliography: 1. Valbelle, Dominique. Ouchebtis de Deir el-Medineh. Documents des Fouilles de l’IFAO, Le Caire, 1972, p. 70 (no. 164) pl. XXVII 2. Araujo, Luis Manuel de. Estatuetas Funerarias Egipcias da XXI Dinastía. Fundaçao Calouste Gulbelkian, Lisbon, 2003, pp. 424. Ast-m-nxt (?) 1 Title: - Dimensions: 9.5 cm. (H); 3.6 cm. (W) Material: white-washed pottery. Text: • The Osiris Iset-em-nakht (?) • Wsir Ast-m-nxt (?) Provenance: Deir el-Medina, in the surroundings of pit 1319. 64 intact shabtis + 180 fragments were stored in Deir el-Medina. Date: 21st dynasty. Preservation: Poor – paint flakes off. Bibliography: 1. Bruyère, B. Rapports des Fouilles. FIFAO XIV, (1933-1934), 1937, p. 156. 2. Valbelle, Dominique. Ouchebtis de Deir el-Medineh. Documents des Fouilles de l’IFAO, Le Caire, 1972, p. 71 (no. 167) pl. XXVII Ast-m-nxt (?) 2 All the images and the accompanying text were supplied by the current shabti owner Further bibliography Back to top

Ramose is one of the best documented officials from Deir el-Medina. Although he was not born in the village, he became one of the richest men who ever lived there. He was a son of lady Kakaia and a retainer Amenemhab (someone who delived messages to officials in the Theban area). Ramose's tomb 212 at Deir el-Medina Ramose is one of the best-documented officials in Deir el-Medina. Although he was not born in the village, he became one of the richest men who ever lived there. He was the son of lady Kakaia and a retainer Amenemhab (someone who carried messages to officials in the Theban area). Ramose was born around 1314 BC (Booth,2006,185). He must have attended scribal schools before becoming a scribe at the temple of Tuthmosis IV. He then moved to Deir el-Medina, where he married Mutemwia, "the lady of the house, whom he loves". He was appointed "Scribe of the Tomb" by Vizier Paser in year 5 of Ramses II (O.CGC 25671). He served in this position at least until year 38 of Ramesses II (O.CGC 25809) (Davies, 1996, 98). As Ramose and Mutemwia were continually unable to conceive a child, they prayed to various deities associated with childbirth and fertility. Stela 50066, now in Turin, is dedicated to Qudshu, the Asian goddess of love. There are many stelae and statues recording their pleas, but the couple remained childless. In the end they adopted Kenherkhepshef, like Ramose, probably a newcomer to the village, as an apprentice who would take the role of the eldest son, take over Ramose's profession and perform funeral rites for them c. 1314 BC (Booth,2006,185). Ramose's family occupied a house in the northern part of the village. He also owned some land outside Deir el-Medina and there are 3 decorated tombs attributed to him - TT7, TT212 and TT250. The pictures below, taken by Andy Peacock during our visit to Deir el-Medina in 2005, show the surviving niche cut into the rock on the slopes of the western cemetery. It was located at the rear of the chapel of Ramose's tomb complex, which was later assigned the number TT212. The chapel and the courtyard have not survived, only the niche remains. A detailed account of the surviving niche, with photographs and descriptions of the western and northern walls and the vaulted ceiling, as well as the partially reconstructed agricultural scene, can be found at http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/artisans//ramose_7-212-250/e_ramose_7-212-250_02.htm Preserved scene from the vaulted ceiling, showing Ramose standing with his arms raised in the gesture of worship, before the seated god Re-Harakhte. The western wall of the niche shows Ramose kneeling and worshipping the rising sun. Photography © Andy Peacock 2005-2007 To view and browse the digitised version of The Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Statues, Reliefs and Paintings, (also known as Porter & Moss or TopBib) for this tomb, go to http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/topbib/pdf/pm1-1.pdf#page=327 Material for the Bibliography is gathered from an ever-expanding range of multi-lingual sources, encompassing both specialist and semi-popular Egyptological and Near Eastern publications, periodicals, museum guides, exhibition and auction catalogues, together with the growing wealth of web resources. The Bibliography also analyses a range of unpublished manuscripts, including those housed in the Griffith Institute Archive. Published in May 2014 by the Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, the volumes are constantly revised and augmented. Sources: 1. Davis, Benedict G.: Genealogies and personality characteristics of the workmen in the Deir el-Medina community during the Ramesside period. Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Liverpool : University of Liverpool, February 1996. 2. Booth, Charlotte: People of Ancient Egypt Stroud : Tempus, 2006. 3. http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/artisans//ramose_7-212-250/e_ramose_7-212-250_02.htm Further bibliography Back to top

The owner of the tomb 3 at Deir el-Medina was Inherkhau. Inherkhau's tomb TT 359 at Deir el-Medina The owner of tomb 359 at Deir el-Medina was Inherkhau, who lived in the settlement during the 20th dynasty reigns of Ramesses III and Ramesses IV. "Until May 2014 the tomb was closed for restoration. The work included the consolidation of the walls and paintings. Cracks were repaired, colours were made more vivid and a new lighting system was installed". From: Betz, Raymond: What's new in Luxor: Pack your bags now! In: Ancient Egypt: The History, People and Culture of the Nile Valley. Volume 16, Number 3, Issue No. 93, Dec 2015/Jan 2016, pp. 42-43. All photography on the page © 2009 Mutnedjmet The ceiling of the first chamber of the tomb - the front vaulted upper chamber - is composed of various highly coloured patterns of intricate petal designs, repeated designs of rosettes and spirals intertwined with the two names of the tomb owner Inherkhau and his wife Wabet. (Treasures, 352) The niche on the south-west wall of the first chamber contains a representation of Inherkhau and his wife Wabet in the pose of worship. On the back wall of the niche there is a representation of Anubis watching over the necropolis in the form of a black jackal with a red ribbon around his neck, reclining on a mastaba and holding the sekhem-sceptre between his front paws and the flagellum between his back paws. The north-west wall of the first chamber - upper register Inerkhau is depicted sitting on a chair in a barque whose stern and the prow both end in the shape of a lotus flower. The Wedjat eye, symbolising protection, strength and perfection, is painted on the hull on either side of the chair. The deceased, dressed in a white linen costume typical of the 19th dynasty, wears a multicoloured pearl necklace and a garland of flowers and leaves around his neck. His wig is topped by a headband. He has a short, square beard. Inherkhau's arms are outstretched and a large piece of white linen is stretched behind his back, held by each hand - a gesture for which we have no good explanation. North-west wall, lower register: Each of these scenes depicts Inherkhau and his wife as the recipients of ritual acts and ceremonies performed by priests and their family members. from The Lost Tombs p. 59 Lower register: Relatives offer libations to the deceased couple A blind harpist sings to the chief workman Inherkhau and his wife Wab in this detail from their tomb. The text of the harpist's is written in the columns of hieroglyphic text behind the behind the harpist (only part visible here). here). The text of the song - McDowell pp. 125-6 Middle register: Inherkhau, in an immaculate white linen costume, performs an act of worship before the souls of Pe, a mythical city in Lower Egypt. The three kneeling genies are incarnations of Horus, Imsety and Hapy. (Treasures 333) Inherkhau stands before an offering table worshipping the sacred benu-bird of Heliopolis. The bird wears the crown of the god Osiris to show its connection to the god who was believed to be the spirit of both Re and Osiris. Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead, offers a heart to the mummy of the deceased. For the ancient Egyptians, the heart, rather than the brain, was believed to be the seat of their wisdom and the centre of memory and emotion, and was kept in the body after mummification. Behind Anubis is the standard of Osiris, Lord of Abydos. Inherkhau kneels in worship of the god god Horus in the form of a falcon. Both the pedestal on which the falcon stands as well as its plumage are detail and show great artistic skill. The sacred cat of Heliopolis, associated with the centre of the cult of the sun god Re, kills the evil serpent Apophis under the ished/persea tree. This symbol of chaos had to be ritually killed every day as the sun god's barque passed through the underworld. End wall: Inherkhau and his son worship Ptah and Osiris in a double scene Upper register: Inherkhau adores the horizon Lower register: Inherkhau is seated before before his relations carrying a snake rod Inherkhau worshipps four jackals Adoration of a serpent Representation of the deified king Amenhotep I and his mother Ahmose-Nefertari From Deir el-Medina, TT359 Now at the Neues Museum, Berlin AM2060, AM2061 Sources: 1. Betz, Raymond: What's new in Luxor? : Pack your suitcase now! In: Ancient Egypt : The history, people and culture of the Nile Valley. Vol. 16, No. 3, Issue No. 93, Dec 2015/Jan 2016, pp. 42-43. 2. Davis, Benedict G.: Genealogies and personality characteristics of the workmen in the Deir el-Medina community during the Ramesside period. Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Liverpool : University of Liverpool, February 1996. 3. Davies, Benedict G.: Who's who at Deir el-Medina : a prosopographic study of the royal workmen's community Leiden : Nederlands Instituut voor Her Nabije Oosten, 1999 4. Dodson, Aidan - Ikram, Salima: The tomb in ancient Egypt : royal and private sepulchres from the early dynastic period to the Romans London : Thames & Hudson, 2008. 5. Hawass, Zahi: The lost tombs of Thebes : Life in paradise. London : Thames and Hudson, 2009. 6. Shaw, Ian, Nicholson, Paul: British Museum dictionary of ancient Egypt London: British Museum Press, 1995. 7. Strudwick, Nigel and Helen: Thebes in Egypt : a guide to the tombs and temples of ancient Luxor London : British Museum Press, 1999. 8. The Treasures of the Valley of the Kings : tombs and temples of the Theban west bank in Luxor Cairo : The American University in Cairo Press, 2001. 9. Weeks, Kent R.: The treasures of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings Cercelli : White Star Publishers, 2005 On-line resources: 1. http://www.ifao.egnet.net/bases/archives/bruyere/?sujet=Tombes+359%2C360%2C361+Anherkhaoui.+Qaha. +Houy&os=0 2. http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/artisans/inerkhaou359/e_inerkhaou359_01.htm Further bibliography Back to top

The second group of religious structures is to be found within the enclosure wall of the main Ptolemaic temple at Deir el-Medina. Chapels within the enclosure wall of the main Ptolemaic temple The chapels within the enclosure walls of the Ptolemaic temple at Deir el-Medina consist of a group of four adjacent chapels situated on the southern side. During the Coptic period, when the temple area was used as a monastery, these chapels underwent numerous alterations, some of which affected the basic plan of the structure. My aim was to compare Ann Bomanns plans and detailed descriptions, based on her text published in 1991 pp. 45-47 with the remains of the cult buildings at Deir el-Medina in February 2007. The results together with the photographs can be found on the following pages. Chapel no. 1 consisted of a hall, pronaos and sanctuary, of which little remains today to the south (left in the picture above) of the main temple building. The hall originally had columns and benches. These have now all disappeared. The Pronaos was attached to the southern wall of the main temple. Later a door was built into this wall to connect the pronaos with the temple. The sanctuary was originally divided into three sections with vaulted ceilings. Today only two niches remain. The southern niche (on the right in the picture below) contained a bench measuring 57 cm wide x 110 cm long and 72 cm high. Looking at the group of four chapels located on the southern side of the main temple. Chapel No. 2 consisted of an outer and an inner hall, a pronaos, a sanctuary and an enclosure. The outer hall, which is no longer visible, had benches on the north and south walls and columns. A flight of steps led to the inner hall, where there was a rectangular pit measuring 2.37 x 1.03 m with a partition wall dividing it in two. The pit, called a crypt by Bruyère, was dug out of the rock, lined with bricks and plastered. Today it is filled with rubble. The pronaos was entered between 2 pillars with screen walls and was vaulted. The sanctuary went through 3 phases, but seems to have always been divided into 3 parts. The walls were decorated with painted cartouches of Tuthmosis III. There were benches in the central and southern niches. The 1st one was 63 cm high. All the naoi were vaulted and during the Coptic period the northern niche became a magazine. An enclosure adjoined the southern wall of the inner and outer halls. What appears to be a blocked doorway led from the enclosure into the inner hall. Another blocked entrance was in the southern wall of the enclosure leading to Chapel No. 3. Chapel no. 3 consisted of an inner hall, a pronaos and a sanctuary. The building had 2 phases. Benches, of which little remains, were placed against the north and south walls of the hall, which had 2 columns placed axially. The pronaos was delimited by 2 columns that joined the screen walls. Inside the pronaos there was a platform in front of the sanctuary. In its first phase it contained only 1 naos, which was vaulted. In the second phase, the sanctuary was divided into three parts and had a flat ceiling. It does not appear to have had any wall decorations as it was simply whitewashed. Benches were placed against the back walls of each niche. These were 42 cm high and between 42 and 50 cm deep. Slots were visible in the mud-brick thresholds to each shrine, indicating the presence of architraves. The sanctuary was cut into the rock behind it at an oblique angle. Behind it was a narrow corridor which ran from the rear to the north side of the sanctuary. To the south of the pronaos was a staircase leading to the rock terrace above. A narrow annex adjoining the south wall of the chapel was entered through a doorway in the wall of the inner hall. Chapel no. 4 had an outer and an inner hall, a pronaos and a sanctuary, and lay on a northwest-southeast axis. Little remains of the outer hall, which had a bench on its southern wall. 2 pillars separated the entrance to the inner hall and the pronaos. The pronaos, into which the shrine projected, had the same dimensions as the inner hall: 5.92 m wide x 2.31 m long. It was separated from the latter area by 2 column bases that formed partitions. A platform of 58 cm in height protruded from the shrine and was separated from it by a whitewashed bench. The sanctuary consisted of a single naos faced with limestone. It had an arched doorway measuring 108 cm high x 107 cm wide. The back wall of the niche was made of plastered brick. Traces of 2 squatting figures with raised arms were found on either side of the doorway. Adjacent to the northern wall of the chapel was another annex containing an oven. In addition to these four adjoining chapels to the south of the main temple, there was another chapel located in the north-west corner of the enclosure wall. This chapel was first excavated by Baraize and later by Bruyère, who called it Chapel E. It is no longer visible. It was damaged by the enclosure wall which was built through it. It consisted of a forecourt, an inner hall, a pronaos and a sanctuary. Part of its northern wall was used by chapels outside the northern enclosure wall. Other remains of small New Kingdom chapels, built by the occupants of Deir el-Medina, are scattered within the northern enclosure wall. Photography © Lenka Peacock 2007 Sources: 1. Bomann, Ann H.: The private chapel in ancient Egypt : a study of the chapels in the workmen's village at el Amarna with special reference to Deir el-Medina and other sites. London : Kegan Paul International, 1991. Further bibliography Back to top