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Tomb of Sennedjem (TT1)

Monument at Deir el-Medina · also called TT1, Sennedjem tomb, Sennedjem

TT1 is a single painted burial chamber full of clear Book of the Dead hieroglyphs on a warm yellow background. It belonged to Sennedjem, a craftsman of the royal tombs under Seti I and Ramesses II.

Sennedjem's title was 'Servant in the Place of Truth', meaning he worked on the royal tombs. His tomb was found untouched in 1886, with coffins of several family members. The objects went to museums, mostly in Cairo; the painted vault stayed.

You climb down a narrow shaft into one small room. Every surface is painted, and columns of text stand beside each figure with names, titles and spells. It is one of the best preserved painted rooms in Egypt, and the colours look almost fresh.

What to see and read

Fields of Iaru

Sennedjem and his wife Iyneferti plough, reap and pick flax in the fields of the afterlife, ringed by water channels.

Anubis and the mummy

The jackal god tends Sennedjem's mummy on a lion bed, with both named in the captions.

Gods and gatekeepers

The couple worship rows of labelled gods and pass the guardians of the gates.

Family names

Children and relatives appear with their names, a small family tree in hieroglyphs.

Signs to look for

  1. Oar P8ḫrw The oar spells kheru in 'true of voice', after Sennedjem's name again and again.
  2. Seat Q1st The seat spells set in Set Maat, 'Place of Truth', in his title.
  3. Feather H6mꜣꜥt The feather spells maat in the same title.
  4. Bread on an offering mat R4ḥtp The bread on a mat starts the offering formula asking for food and drink.

Reading the hieroglyphs here

  • The room is tiny and visits are short. Read one wall at a time.
  • Painted signs on a plain background suit the Hiero Lens live camera well.
  • If it is open when you visit, it is usually covered by the Deir el-Medina ticket.

Point your camera at a wall Hiero Lens boxes the signs and names them, on your phone; nothing is uploaded. On worn stone, trace a sign over the photo.

Questions

Who was Sennedjem?

A craftsman who worked on the royal tombs and lived in the village of Deir el-Medina. His wife Iyneferti and their children are named in the tomb.

Where are the objects from Sennedjem's tomb?

Most went to museums, many to Cairo. The painted burial chamber is still in place.

Also at Deir el-Medina

Monument

Tomb of Inherkhau (TT359)

TT359 is a small painted burial chamber where Book of the Dead scenes, including the cat of Ra killing the serpent Apep, sit beside family portraits, all captioned in clear hieroglyphs. It belonged to Inherkhau, a foreman under Ramesses III and Ramesses IV (c. 1150 BC).

Where it is

Open in OpenStreetMap · Written from published sources and not yet checked on site by our team: displays and open tombs change.