Senebsumai

Last updated
Senebsumai
High steward, Treasurer
Successor Senebi?
Dynasty 13th dynasty
FatherWepwawethotep (wp-wꜣwt-ḥtp)
MotherSerukh-ib (srwḫ-jb) Lady of the House
SenebsumaiSenebsumai
Senebsumai
SenebsumaiSenebsumaiSenebsumaiSenebsumai
Senebsumai
Senebsumai
Era: 2nd Intermediate Period
(1650–1550 BC)
Egyptian hieroglyphs
Stela showing Senebsumai, seated on the left, and his servant, Horiwah, motioning before him Stele cintree d'Horiouah, calcaire, Abydos, XIIIdeg dynastie.JPG
Stela showing Senebsumai, seated on the left, and his servant, Horiwah, motioning before him

Senebsumai was an ancient Egyptian official of the early 13th Dynasty with the title high steward and later treasurer.

Contents

Family

His mother was Serukhib (srwḫ-jb) with the title Lady of the House (nbt pr). The maternal grandparents were the woman jjs-nbw/mnw-wn and nbw-kꜢw-rꜤ (a name referring to the prenomen of Amenemhat II). His maternal uncle was jjj-Ꜥḏ who held the title scribe of the books (sẖꜢ mḏꜢwt). [1]

His father was Wepwawethotep (wp-wꜣwt-ḥtp) with unknown titles.

His son may be Pepi (pjpj) with title chamber-keeper (jrj-ꜥt) and cupbearer (wdpw) whose mother was a certain psš(w). [2]

Attestation

Senebsumai is known from a remarkable series of monuments, the preservation of which makes him the best attested Egyptian official of the early 13th dynasty.

Scarabs There are more than thirty scarab seals identified to date that relate to Senebsumai. This also is the highest number of seals for a thirteenth dynasty official. All of these finds reinforce an understanding of his longevity in offices held and the respect given to him.

Stelae He is known from more than twelve stelae all coming from Abydos. Most of the stele show Senebsumai with other, lower officials in scenes depicting them as they performed work for him. Senebsuma son of Serukh-ib is known from four stelae, three in the Cairo Museum (CG20075, CG20334, CG20459), and one in the British Museum (EA252). Stela Turin Cat. S. 1303, belongs to the treasurer Senebsumai and is dedicated to him by the 'master of the house for the palace' Khentikhety-hotep. [3]

At Abydos, Senebsumai is mentioned on stelae belonging to subordinates: Cairo CG 20334, Pittsburgh 2983–6701, London BM EA 252, Roanne Musée Déchelette 163, London BM EA 215, Cairo CG 20718, Turin S.1298, Leiden AP 2, Rome Sinopoli collection Egi06, and St. Petersburg 1084. [4]

Other items Several other artifacts have been discovered at important Ancient Egyptian sites that are associated with Senebsumai. Fragments of accounts mentioning him were found in El-Lahun. A bronze statue of him was found at Hawara, a site associated with Amenemhat III. [5] A relief or a coffin fragment with coffin texts bearing his name and titles is recorded from finds at Dahshur.

Career

The earliest known records of his career identify Senebsumai as high steward; later he became treasurer .

High Steward

As high steward, Senebsumai worked under the treasurer. In this function he was the main administrator of the royal estates.

Treasurer

As treasurer, Senebsumai would have been among the highest officials in the land. He also held ranking titles like Royal Sealer and Sole Companion. An important colleague of treasurer Senebsumai was the high steward Ameny. Senebsumai died while holding this office and seems to have been succeeded by treasuer Senebi.

Literature

Related Research Articles

Amenemhat III Egyptian pharaoh

Amenemhat III, also known as Amenemhet III, was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the sixth king of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. He was elevated to throne as co-regent by his father Senusret III, with whom he shared the throne as the active king for twenty years. During his reign, Egypt attained its cultural and economic zenith of the Middle Kingdom.

Amenemhat IV Pharaoh of Egypt

Amenemhat IV was the seventh and penultimate king of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt during the late Middle Kingdom period, ruling for more than nine years in the late nineteenth century BC or the early eighteenth century BC.

Amenemhat II Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt

Nubkaure Amenemhat II, also known as Amenemhet II, was the third pharaoh of the 12th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Although he ruled for at least 35 years, his reign is rather obscure, as well as his family relationships.

Senusret I Pharaoh of Egypt

Senusret I also anglicized as Sesostris I and Senwosret I, was the second pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled from 1971 BC to 1926 BC, and was one of the most powerful kings of this Dynasty. He was the son of Amenemhat I. Senusret I was known by his prenomen, Kheperkare, which means "the Ka of Re is created." He expanded Egypt that allowed him to rule over an age of prosperity.

Neferhotep I Egyptian pharaoh

Khasekhemre Neferhotep I was an Egyptian pharaoh of the mid Thirteenth Dynasty ruling in the second half of the 18th century BC during a time referred to as the late Middle Kingdom or early Second Intermediate Period, depending on the scholar. One of the best attested rulers of the 13th Dynasty, Neferhotep I reigned for 11 years.

Wegaf

Khutawyre Wegaf was a pharaoh of the Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt, who is known from several sources, including a stele and statues. There is a general known from a scarab with the same name, who is perhaps identical with this king.

Nubkheperre Intef

Nubkheperre Intef was an Egyptian king of the Seventeenth Dynasty of Egypt at Thebes during the Second Intermediate Period, when Egypt was divided by rival dynasties including the Hyksos in Lower Egypt.

Merhotepre Ini

Merhotepre Ini was the successor of Merneferre Ay, possibly his son, and the thirty-third king of the Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt. He is assigned a brief reign of 2 Years, 3 or 4 Months and 9 days in the Turin Canon and lived during the early 17th century BC.

Paser (vizier)

The ancient Egyptian Noble Paser was vizier in the reigns of Seti I and Ramesses II, during the 19th Dynasty. He would later also become High Priest of Amun.

Rehuerdjersen

Rehuerdjersen was an ancient Egyptian treasurer who held this office under the 12th Dynasty pharaoh Amenemhat I.

Senebi

Senebi was an ancient Egyptian treasurer under the 13th Dynasty kings Neferhotep I and Sobekhotep IV. Senebi belongs to the best attested officials of the 13th Dynasty.

Ikhernofret

Ikhernofret was an ancient Egyptian treasurer of the 12th Dynasty, under king Senusret III until the early years of Amenemhat III. On his monuments he bears several important titles, including overseer of the double treasury, overseer of the double gold house, royal sealer and his main title treasurer. Ihkernofret is known from several stelae found at Abydos. One of these stelae contains a biography. This stela is now in the Egyptian Museum of Berlin. According to its text, Ikhernofret grew up at the royal court. When he was 26, he became friend of the king, which was most likely a special honor. However, the text of the stela is of special importance as it reports the arrangement by Ikhernofret of a festival for Osiris at Abydos.

This page list topics related to ancient Egypt.

Ameny (high steward)

Ameny was an ancient Egyptian official of the 13th Dynasty with the title high steward. In this function he was the main administrator of the royal estates.

Nebankh

Nebankh was an ancient Egyptian official of the Thirteenth Dynasty. He is one of the better known personalities of this period.

The Abydos Dynasty is hypothesized to have been a short-lived local dynasty ruling over parts of Middle and Upper Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period in Ancient Egypt. The Abydos Dynasty would have been contemporaneous with the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Dynasties, from approximately 1650 to 1600 BC. It would have been based in or around Abydos and its royal necropolis might have been located at the foot of the Mountain of Anubis, a hill resembling a pyramid in the Abydene desert, close to a rock-cut tomb built for pharaoh Senusret III.

Pantjeny

Sekhemrekhutawy Pantjeny was an Egyptian pharaoh during the Second Intermediate Period. According to the Egyptologists Kim Ryholt and Darrell Baker, he was a king of the Abydos Dynasty, although they leave his position within this dynasty undetermined. Alternatively, Pantjeny could be a king of the late 16th Dynasty. According to Jürgen von Beckerath, Pantjeny is to be identified with Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw, whom he sees as the third king of the 13th Dynasty.

Nebwawy

Nebwawy was an ancient Egyptian High Priest of Osiris at Abydos during the 18th Dynasty.

Ameny was an ancient Egyptian official of the Twelfth Dynasty, most likely in office under king Amenemhat II. Ameny was a great overseer of the troops and is mainly known from a series of stelae (Paris, Louvre C 35, Cairo CG 20546, London, British Museum 162 once set up at Abydos and there adorning a chapel. On these stelae, he bears the most important ranking titles of a member of the elite, foremost of action, royal sealer and sole friend. As a great overseer of the troops, he was the leading official at the royal responsible for organizing manpower that was used in military enterprises, but also for building projects. Ameny was the son of a person called Qebu. On each stelae a different wife is mentioned. These are Itet, Renefankh and Medhu. His tomb was found at Lisht, but is not yet fully excavated. The stelae of Ameny are not dated by any king's name. However, on stylistic grounds, they most likely date under king Senusret I and Amenemhat II. Some of the biographical phrases on the stelae indicate a date more precisely under the latter king.

Tati (queen)

Tati was an ancient Egyptian queen. She is the only queen known by name from the Fourteenth Dynasty. Her position is unknown.

References

  1. Danijela Stefanović (2019) The Social Network(s) of the Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period Treasurers: Rehuerdjersen, Siese, Ikhernefret and Senebsumai, Journal of Egyptian History
  2. Cairo CG 20718
  3. Miniaci, Gianluca; Grajetzki, Wolfram (2016) The stela of Senebsumai in Egyptian Museum of Turin, Cat. 1298 online
  4. Danijela Stefanović (2019) The Social Network(s) of the Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period Treasurers: Rehuerdjersen, Siese, Ikhernefret and Senebsumai, Journal of Egyptian History
  5. New York, George Ortiz Collection 034