TT57

Plan of the tomb
Theban tomb TT57
Burial site of Khaemhat called Mahu
Replica of a relief from Khaemhat's tomb
LocationSheikh Abd el-Qurna, Theban Necropolis
DiscoveredOpen in antiquity
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TT58
N28
a		 mF4
t Z1
called
M
a		 F18
Y1
Khaemhat called Mahu
in hieroglyphs
Era: New Kingdom
(1550–1069 BC)

The Theban Tomb TT57 is located in Sheikh Abd el-Qurna. It forms part of the Theban Necropolis, situated on the west bank of the Nile opposite Luxor.[1] The tomb is the burial place of the ancient Egyptian official Khaemhat, who was royal scribe and overseer of double granary, during the reign Amenhotep III.[2] The relief decoration of the tomb is regarded as the best of New Kingdom art.[3]

It seems that the tomb of Khaemhat was always exposed and known. Many early travelers visited the tomb and made drawings of the scenes. These include Nestor L'Hôte[4] and the expedition guided by Karl Richard Lepsius. They also copied and published several scenes. Other travelers made squeezes of the reliefs.

The tomb lies directly next to TT102 and TT126.[5] Tomb TT102 belongs to the royal scribe Imhotep who dates to the reign of Amenhotep III too. Imhotep appears also in tomb TT57 and he is indeed Khaemhat's father. TT102 was perhaps built at the same time as TT57. Tomb TT126 is much later and belongs to a certain Hormose, who might date to the Saite-Period. All three tombs share a courtyard as entrance area. On the West side of this courtyard is the entrance to the cult chapel of Khaemhat, that is cut into the rocks. The facade of the chapel is decorated with stelae and scenes. One stela belongs to a certain Suemmerenhor and is most likely later in date.[6] Relief decorated tombs became common in the later years of Amenhotep's III reign.

  1. ^ "Bibliography for TT 57: Khaemhet, called Mahu". Retrieved 2008-06-02.
  2. ^ Helck 1957, pp. 499–500.
  3. ^ Aldred 1961, p. 69.
  4. ^ Bertha Porter and Rosalind Moss: Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, reliefs, and Paintings: I. The Theban Necropolis, Part 1, Private Tombs, Second Edition, Oxford ISBN 0900416157, p. 113
  5. ^ The following description follows mainly (if not otherwise stated): Bertha Porter and Rosalind Moss: Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, reliefs, and Paintings: I. The Theban Necropolis, Part 1, Private Tombs, Second Edition, Oxford ISBN 0900416157, pp. 113–119
  6. ^ Robert Mond: Report of work in the necropolis of Thebes during the winter 190301904, in ASAE VI (1905), pl. I, after p. 96 oinline