 Khonsu,
TT31
First Prophet of Men-Kheper-Re (Tuthmose
III, 1479-1425 BC), 18th
Dynasty
Tomb TT31 was built for Khonsu the First
Prophet of Men-Kheper-Re and it is
decorated with beautiful scenes of the feast of the god Montu.
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On one side Khonsu (depicted as a priest)
and his brother spread incense and make offerings to the boat of
Montu. On the opposite side, in a kiosk, he makes offerings to the
boat of Tuthmose III which arrives at Armant (a site located to the
south of Thebes and the birthplace of the god Montu) and is then
brought by the priests to the temple.
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- Another wall shows scenes representing the
Khonsu, his wife and User-montu, the Vizier, brought by Harsiesis for
trial by Osiris, Isis and Nephthys with the ritual weighing of the
heart in the presence of Maat, goddess of justice and cosmic order,
and the various divinities. At the bottom appears a funeral
procession with crying people near the pyramidal tomb, a detail
extremely important in giving us an idea of the original look of the
chapel-tombs of Deir el-Medina.
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- The northern wall of the tomb displays the
feast of Tuthmosis III; the procession of the royal boat in front of
the temple, received by the priests and priestesses; herdsmen and
shepherds with dogs offering cows and goats with the property symbol
of Tuthmosis III to the deceased and his wife and family.
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- There is also a scene of two people on
their knees, praying under the trees. The ceiling of the passage to
the inner chamber, is decorated with grapes while that of the inner
chamber shows a generous naturalistic decoration of ducks with their
wings spread and three locusts. The niche is decorated with
interesting scenes, of which one depicts the deceased offering a
bouquet of flowers to the 11th Dynasty Montuhotep II
(Nebhepetra, 2055-2004 BC) who wears the white crown of Upper Egypt
and grips a sceptre, symbol of power.
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- Description of the images in the tomb
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