Nebwenenef was High Priest of Amun at the beginning of the reign of Ramesses II

Ramesses II

Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...

 during the 19th Dynasty

Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt

The Nineteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt was one of the periods of the Egyptian New Kingdom. Founded by Vizier Ramesses I, whom Pharaoh Horemheb chose as his successor to the throne, this dynasty is best known for its military conquests in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria.The warrior kings of the...

. Prior to that, Nebwenenef had served as High Priest of Anhur

Anhur

In early Egyptian mythology, Anhur was originally a god of war who was worshipped in the Egyptian area of Abydos, and particularly in Thinis...

 and High Priest of Hathor

Hathor

Hathor , is an Ancient Egyptian goddess who personified the principles of love, beauty, music, motherhood and joy. She was one of the most important and popular deities throughout the history of Ancient Egypt...

 during the reign of Seti I

Seti I

Menmaatre Seti I was a Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt , the son of Ramesses I and Queen Sitre, and the father of Ramesses II...

 and maybe even earlier.

Titles

In his tomb (TT157) a large number of titles are recorded as being held by Nebwenenef:

• High Priest of Amun
  Amun
  Amun, reconstructed Egyptian Yamānu , was a god in Egyptian mythology who in the form of Amun-Ra became the focus of the most complex system of theology in Ancient Egypt...
  
  ,
• High Priest of Anhur
  Anhur
  In early Egyptian mythology, Anhur was originally a god of war who was worshipped in the Egyptian area of Abydos, and particularly in Thinis...
  
  ,
• High Priest of Hathor
  Hathor
  Hathor , is an Ancient Egyptian goddess who personified the principles of love, beauty, music, motherhood and joy. She was one of the most important and popular deities throughout the history of Ancient Egypt...
  
  ,
• Superintendent of the double treasury of silver and gold (of Amun),
• Superintendent of the granary,
• Chief of Works and Chief of all the craftsmen in Thebes,
• Superintendent of Prophets of all Gods, to his South (as far) as Heriheramun, and to his North, (as far) as Thinis,
• Noble,
• Count,
• God's Father,
• Chief of Secrets in heaven, earth and the Netherworld(?),
• Dignitary for the People,
• Chief of Seers, pure of hands in Thebes,
• Superintendent of the Prophets of South and North Egypt, and
• Chief of Secrets in Southern Heliopolis (=Thebes).

Family

Nebwenenef's wife was named Takhat. She held the titles of Chief of the Harem of Amun

Amun

Amun, reconstructed Egyptian Yamānu , was a god in Egyptian mythology who in the form of Amun-Ra became the focus of the most complex system of theology in Ancient Egypt...

, Sistrum Player of Mut

Mut

Mut, which meant mother in the ancient Egyptian language, was an ancient Egyptian mother goddess with multiple aspects that changed over the thousands of years of the culture. Alternative spellings are Maut and Mout. She was considered a primal deity, associated with the waters from which...

, Chief of the Harem of Hathor

Hathor

Hathor , is an Ancient Egyptian goddess who personified the principles of love, beauty, music, motherhood and joy. She was one of the most important and popular deities throughout the history of Ancient Egypt...

 and Songstress of Isis

Isis

Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...

 the mighty.

Nebwenenef had a son Smatawy and a daughter named Hathor. Smataway was later High Priest of Hathor while Hathor was later Chief of the Harem of Hathor, Lady of Dendera.

A sister of Nebwenenef named Irytnofret is also depicted on the tomb.

According to an inscription in his tomb, Nebwenenef was the son of a High Priest of Hathor, but the name of his father has been lost.

Life

Before being appointed High Priest of Amun, Nebwenenef was High Priest of Hathor at Dendera

Dendera Temple complex

Dendera Temple complex, . located about 2.5 km south-east of Dendera, Egypt. It is one of the best-preserved temple complexes in Egypt...

 and High Priest of Anhur at Thinis. After his appointment as High Priest of Amun in year 1 of Ramesses II

Ramesses II

Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...

, his son Smatawy became High Priest of Hathor. This post had apparently always been held by his family according to an inscription:

Landing was made in the Thinite Province, and the (future) High Priest of Amun, Nebwenenef, justified

Plinth (hieroglyph)

The Ancient Egyptian Plinth- hieroglyph is Gardiner sign listed no. Aa15 for the shape of a plinth, side view.-Plinth use as mortuary: "Justified":...

 was ushered in before His Majesty. Now he was (then) High Priest of Anhur, and High Priest of Hathor, Lady of Dendera, and Superintendent of Prophets of all Gods, to his south (as far) as Heriheramun, and to his North, (as far) as Thinis. Then said His Majesty to him:

"You are now High Priest of Amun! His treasury and his granary are under your seal. You are chief executive of his temple and every foundation of his is under your authority. The House of Hathor, Lady of Dendera (shall now be) under the authority of your son as regular(?) heir to the offices of your forefathers, the position (which) you have occupied hitherto.

(I swear), as Re lives for me and loves me, and as my father Amun favors me, I set out for him the whole court, and the chief executive of the troops. There were repeated (before) him the prophets of the gods, and the notables of his House, who were in his presence. But he was not satisfied with any of them, until I mentioned your name to him." (Kitchen)

After the announcement King Ramesses II

Ramesses II

Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...

 gave him two gold signet rings and an electrum staff of office. All at once Nebwenenef had been promoted to High priest of Amun, Superintendent of the double treasury of silver and gold (of Amun), superintendent of the granary, Chief of Works and Chief of all the craftsmen in Thebes. A royal envoy was dispatched to announce Nebwenenef's promotion throughout the land.

Burial

Nebwenenef is shown in his Theban tomb (TT 157) followed by a fan-bearer appearing before Ramesses II

Ramesses II

Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...

and Queen Nefertari in a palace window. Nebwenenef is being appointed as High priest of Amun (year 1 of Rameses II).

The tomb had been excavated since 1970 by a team from the University of Pennsylvania under the leadership of Dr. Lanny Bell. Since 2002 the Universities of Heidelberg and Leipzig have joined in the work on Nebwenenef's tomb.

Mortuary temple

Nebwenenef was also the owner of a mortuary temple at Thebes. Nebwenenef is one of only a select group of commoners who were allowed to construct a temple there. A plan of the temple, as well as some photographs of stelae and foundation deposits, can be found on Digitalegypt (University College London)