Kenherkhepshef
Kenherkhepshef lived at the village of Deir el-Medina, and was the official scribe of the
tomb beginning at least in year 40 of Ramesses II and continuing down to year 1 of
Siptah (around years 1239-1193 BC). His job was to keep the attendance register of
the workers who were employed in the construction of the royal tombs in the Valley of
the Kings. His comfortable seat, by the workmen's rest huts on the pass between the
village and the valley, can still be seen. It is inscribed with his name to prevent anyone
else from using it. Surviving documents show that Kenherkhepshef used men of the gang
to do private work for him during official hours. He tried to use his office to get the
workmen to do the work without payment. He was also accused of bribery on two
occasions.
The page was last modified on August 31st 2007
Sources:
1. 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
2. The British Museum gallery labels2. The British Museum gallery labels
The arrow points
towards the spot within
the settlement's
cemetery, where
Kenherkhepshef's
papyri were found.
Kenherkhepshef inhabited the largest, most centrally placed hut in the settlement at the top of
the cliffs. Unlike the other huts, it had three rooms. Each room was paved with slabs of
limestone. It could have been used as Kenherkhepshef's office, where he handled the records of
the work at the royal tomb and wrote his letters to the officers of the administration.
Considerable doubt continues about the location of his tomb. Tomb no 1126 situated in the
southern end of the cemetery in Deir el-Medina. A double seated statue of Kenherkhepshef and
his wife was discovered in the chapel flanking the doorway leading into the inner room.
Shabti of Kenherkhepshef
From Deir el-Medina
19th Dynasty, around 1210 BC
Shabti figures of the New Kingdom (about 1550-1070 BC) were
often made of stone, with paint used to give the servant figures a
lifelike appearance. This shabti is a particularly fine example. The
heavy wig, with gold bands at the ends, rests over an elaborate
and colourful collar. The red-brown colour of the face indicates
that the figure is male. Ancient Egyptian women were usually
depicted with paler skin, implying that they did not have to go out
and work in the harsh sunlight.
The white on the shabti's arms and lower body show that the
figure is mummified, identifying it with the god Osiris, who is also
shown with his arms crossed over his chest. While the god holds
the crook and flail symbolizing kingship, the shabti holds two hoes,
denoting agricultural labour. Shabti figures were intended to work
on behalf of the deceased in the Afterlife, activated by a spell.
Here the shabti spell is skilfully painted in horizontal lines of black
around the figure. The hieroglyphic text begins with
Kenherkhepshef's name and title, 'Scribe in the Place of Truth'
(the royal necropolis (cemetery).
Height: 29.3 cm
Width: 8.7 cm
Depth: 5.3 cm
Headrest of Kenherkhepshef
British Museum EA 63783
From Deir el-Medina
19th Dynasty, around 1225 BC
Limestone
The limestone funerary headrest is
decorated with figures of Bes. The
god's terrifying appearance and
the snakes and a spear that he is
waving were intended to drive
away night demons.
Height: 18.8 cm
Width: 23 cm
Depth: 9.7 cm
Settlement
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