Kheruef tomb Luxor TT 192 Egypt tours, prices, booking, reviews
Kheruef tomb Luxor Egypt found in the area of Asasif, to the south of Deir el-Bahri in Luxor. Kheruef, also called Senaa, was Steward of the Great Royal Wife, Tiye. It was during the reign of Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV. In fact, the tomb complex is large as befits a man in his exalted position. Moreover, the tomb unfinished at the time of his death (he never buried in the tomb). Most of the inner rooms of the structure closed off. The tomb entered down a staircase and passage. The passage also leads to a large open court leading to several other later tombs. At the entrance to the passage of Kheruef tomb , there is a double-scene on the lintel. It depicts Amenhotep IV (later Akhenaten) with his mother Tiye offering to deities. Moreover, it includes offering texts with a cartouche of Tiye at the bottom.
In fact, the scenes in the passage damaged but can recognized. They show Amenhotep IV adoring his deified parents (on the left). It is also with Kheruef kneeling below. Representations of Amenhotep IV defaced. It was after the Amarna period, even though work on Kheruef tomb Luxor ceased. It was before he had become Akhenaten. Perhaps Kheruef buried at Amarna. As a steward of Queen Tiye, he maybe later also had part of Akhenaten’s court. But we will never know. In fact, the most important reliefs of the tomb are on the rear wall of the portico. It is on the western side of the court. This fronted by square pillars and the only part of the tomb completely decorated. Furhermore, the space between the pillars filled in with a wall at a later date.
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It also turned the portico into what today looks. Moreover, it looks like a corridor. At the southern end of the western wall, there are two registers. They contain scenes of the first heb-sed (jubilee festival) of Amenhotep III. He celebrated in Year 30, Day 27, of the second month of Shemu. In fact, Kheruef must played an important part in the organisation of the festival. It was because he was a royal steward. On the southern end of the wall, there is also a register on the bottom. It shows the celebrations of the heb-sed festival. Moreover, it is with two rows of female dancers and musicians. In the top row the girls are Libyans and they are performing graceful dances. Furthermore, their heads held low and their hair hanging forward over their faces.
In front of the row of the dancers is a frolicking calf, a flying bird and a baboon. The bottom row shows women clapping, singing and playing instruments. Moreover, it is with two male chorus leaders and male dancers at the end of the row. One wears a lion mask.The reliefs indeed are beautiful and elegant. They carved as one would expect during this period. To the right-hand side of the bottom row, there are also four pairs of girls. They depicted carrying jars and. The ext tells us that made from gold and electrum. Moreover, there are similar vessels on offering stands in front of each pair. The inscription also implies that these are daughters of foreign leaders. He maybe brought up in the Egyptian royal court. In fact, this is one of the most beautiful reliefs in Kheruef tomb.
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Moreover, the princesses are wearing long elegant gowns. It features broad collars, carved wigs with side locks and a curious square shaped head dress. Their feet are also bare. Between the two rows of dancers and musicians there is an inscribed text of a song to Hathor. Furthermore, beyond the princesses, to the right on the bottom there is a register. It shows a damaged scene. The scene also depicted Kheruef and other officials rewarded with the “Gold of Honor”. In fact, it was as a part of the ceremonies. The gold collars can still seen on a table. He stands before Amenhotep III. Amenhotep III seated in an elaborate kiosk, with Hathor as “Mistress of Dendera”. He holds a protective arm around the king and Queen Tiye behind him.
The scene takes up the whole wall-space. In this scene, the king is wearing the double crown, heb-sed dress, sandals. He carries the crook and flail, the royal insignia. The base of the kiosk decorated with reliefs depicting rekhyt-birds. The birds symbolize the populace of Egypt and perhaps also the rebels the king has subdued. The text in front of the kiosk gives full details of the titles of Amenhotep III. The details like the date of his first sed-festival and names some of the officials who took part. The wall at the northern end of the portico displays scenes from another sed-festival. It is the third of Amenhotep III, this time dates back to Year 37 of his reign. The king’s second heb-sed not recorded here. Beginning at the far end of the wall there are two registers.
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The top register not well-preserved. It depicts a group of eight princesses with sistra, in two rows. Texts stated that these were the daughters of the king. In front of this, in a scene again damaged. It depicts Amenhotep III followed by his queen. He performs a ceremony of ‘Raising the Djed-Pillar’. This is a ritual which usually performed during the feast of Khoiakh. It was to represent the stability of the ruler. Here, it associated with Ptah-Sokar-Osiris and performed on the morning of the sed festival. In the bottom register are three rows depicting celebrations of the festival. The top row shows offering bearers bringing food for the celebrations and men dancing. To the left, male singers and clappers stand before a text of the Hymn to Ptah-Sokar. The row below depicts men boxing and stick-fighting with papyrus stalks.
It also depicts games which were popular in many of the festivals. There are also female dancers but they are not as graceful or well-carved. At the far end, on the bottom row, cattle and donkeys driven round the walls of Memphis. It is a ritual in which the cattle circle the walls of the town four times. To the left, a boat brings provisions to men. The men carry them away and a cow slaughtered. The left-hand side of the wall on the northern end of the portico shows a scene. The scene is similar to that on the southern end. It is with Amenhotep III who seated in a kiosk with his Great Royal Wife, Tiye, behind him. This time the king wears the blue crown and a broad collar with the ‘gold of honor’ around his neck. Tiye’s throne decorated with a female sphinx.
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It trampling female enemies and bound female Nubian and Syrian captives. Below the kiosk is a row of bound prisoners. Each with a name-ring representing Egypt’s defeated enemies (known as ‘the nine bows’). The texts in front of the royal couple give their titles. Kheruef and other officials again stand before the kiosk (the scene damaged). He receives a decorative floral vase and a pectoral bearing the cartouche of Queen Tiye. He also receives a pectoral with a scarab beetle and the king’s cartouche. The entrance to the first columned hall is in the center of the portico. It covered by a locked grill, but the visitor can see the remains of cracked and damaged fluted columns.
In this hall the lower part of a seated statue of the deceased found, gave the names of his parents. Fragments of another quartzite statue also found. The chamber beyond is a long pillared hall with a statue niche at the rear. It is a pity that Kheruef tomb unfinished and damaged. The reliefs in the portico are among the finest of any tomb in the Theban necropolis. The style of artwork suggests that they carved by the same craftsmen who worked on Ramose tomb. He was a contemporary of Kheruef.
Entrance to the tomb:
Kheruef tomb Luxor opens from 8 am to 4 pm in winter. Tickets can bought at the ticket office for 60 Egyptian pound.
