Tomb TT33
Encyclopedia
The Theban
Tomb TT33 is located in El-Assasif
, part of the Theban Necropolis
, on the west bank of the Nile
, opposite to Luxor
. It is the burial place of the Ancient Egypt
ian Pediamenopet, who was Prophet and Chief Lector Priest
during the 26th Dynasty
.
Although it was open when Richard Pocoke visited the area in 1737 (he thought it was a subterranean palace) it was more fully examined and excavated in 1881 by Johannes Dümichen
from the University of Strasbourg. Located not far from Deir el-Bahari, it is larger than most of the more famous pharaoh's
tombs of the necropolis
. It is composed of twenty-two rooms connected by long corridors and distributed on three levels extending twenty meters below the level of the ground.
The tomb owner served one or more pharaohs during the 25th to 26th dynasty time period, and amassed enough wealth and power to build a labyrinthine tomb covered with hundreds of meters of fresco
es and hieroglyphics.
The tomb was and still remains the largest known non-royal site in the necropolis as of 2008. TT33 consists of multiple rooms, reached by flights of steps, ramps and vertical shafts.
During 2004–2005, University of Strasbourg
professor Dr. Claude Traunecker and Annie Schweitzer explored the chambers of the huge tomb. The official reopening was attended by notable officials from Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities
and other archaeologists working in the area, among them Francesco Tiradritti. Further planned work will concentrate on the cleaning, restoration and conservation of the tomb, which has been engraved with many important scripts, such as the Book of the Dead
.
Thebes, Egypt
Thebes is the Greek name for a city in Ancient Egypt located about 800 km south of the Mediterranean, on the east bank of the river Nile within the modern city of Luxor. The Theban Necropolis is situated nearby on the west bank of the Nile.-History:...
Tomb TT33 is located in El-Assasif
El-Assasif
The necropolis of el-Assasif is located on the West Bank at Thebes, Egypt, in the dry bay that leads up to Deir el-Bahri, and south of the necropolis of Dra' Abu el-Naga'.It contains burials of 18th Dynasty and the 25th and 26th Dynasties.- 26th Dynasty :...
, part of the Theban Necropolis
Theban Necropolis
The Theban Necropolis is an area of the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes in Egypt. It was used for ritual burials for much of Pharaonic times, especially in the New Kingdom of Egypt.-Mortuary Temples:* Deir el-Bahri** Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut...
, on the west bank of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
, opposite to Luxor
Luxor
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 , with an area of approximately . As the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple...
. It is the burial place of the Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian Pediamenopet, who was Prophet and Chief Lector Priest
Xry Hbt
Xry Hbt was an ancient Egyptian priestly title. Literally it means The Carrier of the Book of Ritual, but is usually translated as Lector Priest....
during the 26th Dynasty
Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt
The Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 BC . The Dynasty's reign The Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt (also written Dynasty XXVI or Dynasty 26) was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 BC...
.
Although it was open when Richard Pocoke visited the area in 1737 (he thought it was a subterranean palace) it was more fully examined and excavated in 1881 by Johannes Dümichen
Johannes Dumichen
Johannes Dümichen was a German Egyptologist.Dümichen was born near Glogau. He studied philology and theology in Berlin and Breslau. Subsequently he became a pupil of Karl Lepsius and Heinrich Brugsch, and devoted himself to the study of Egyptian inscriptions...
from the University of Strasbourg. Located not far from Deir el-Bahari, it is larger than most of the more famous pharaoh's
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
tombs of the necropolis
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings , less often called the Valley of the Gates of the Kings , is a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom .The valley stands on the west bank of...
. It is composed of twenty-two rooms connected by long corridors and distributed on three levels extending twenty meters below the level of the ground.
The tomb owner served one or more pharaohs during the 25th to 26th dynasty time period, and amassed enough wealth and power to build a labyrinthine tomb covered with hundreds of meters of fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es and hieroglyphics.
The tomb was and still remains the largest known non-royal site in the necropolis as of 2008. TT33 consists of multiple rooms, reached by flights of steps, ramps and vertical shafts.
During 2004–2005, University of Strasbourg
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
professor Dr. Claude Traunecker and Annie Schweitzer explored the chambers of the huge tomb. The official reopening was attended by notable officials from Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities
Supreme Council of Antiquities
The Supreme Council of Antiquities is the branch of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture responsible for the conservation, protection and regulation of all antiquities and archaeological excavations in Egypt...
and other archaeologists working in the area, among them Francesco Tiradritti. Further planned work will concentrate on the cleaning, restoration and conservation of the tomb, which has been engraved with many important scripts, such as the Book of the Dead
Book of the Dead
The Book of the Dead is the modern name of an ancient Egyptian funerary text, used from the beginning of the New Kingdom to around 50 BC. The original Egyptian name for the text, transliterated rw nw prt m hrw is translated as "Book of Coming Forth by Day". Another translation would be "Book of...
.