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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.
Name of Khonsu, tt31On 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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
Description of the images in the tomb
 
 
Picture 013001a - The deceased, his wife and children worship Re Picture 019001g - Khonsu in priestly dress offers lotus and papyrus to the pharaoh with the white crown (Upper Egypt)
Picture 010001b - Representation of Montu's barque; priests carry a simulacrum of Montu's barque; Montu's barque in the kiosk Picture 016001h - The deceased in priestly dress makes offerings to Osiris and Anubis
Picture 004001c - Continuation of the procession of Montu's barque
i - Khonsu in priestly dress makes offerings to the goddess Hathor-Imentit
d - Priests carry Montu's barque; pillar of the temple of Montu

 

j - The deceased and his family before Osiris and Anubis
Picture 012001e - Architrave: offerings of incense to Osiris, Hathor and Re-Harakhty
k - Feast of Tuthmosis
Picture 015001f - Ceiling decorated with birds and three locusts.
l - Scene of weighing of the soul; the deceased and his wife with Osiris, Isis and Nephthys; funeral procession; the priests offer incense to the mummies of the dead; representation of a tomb and chapel of Deir el-Medina
   
Picture 007001A - A boat propelled by five oarsmen sails on the lake of the temple of Montu, a war deity originating in ancient Per-Mont (the present-day Armant), a few Km south of Luxor.  
 

 

 

 

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