Tomb of Sennedjem, Luxor

The Tomb of Sennedjem is the final resting place for Sennedjem, an ancient Egyptian official, along with his family members, situated in Deir el-Medina on the western bank of the Nile opposite Luxor. This funerary complex comprises three pyramid-shaped chapels, each dedicated to different family members: Sennedjem's father or brother, Sennedjem himself, and his son Khonsu. Only the shaft in front of Sennedjem's chapel remained untouched, leading to a series of underground rooms, including the intricately adorned burial chamber.

Discovered in January 1886 during excavations by local Salam Abu Duhi and his companions, the tomb held a trove of artifacts. Among the 165 objects found within the single room were over 20 burials, with nine placed in coffins and the remainder on the floor. Sennedjem and Khonsu received the most elaborate burials, each provided with sarcophagi or outer rectangular coffins, albeit found disassembled against a wall. Various burial items such as mummy boards and masks were discovered, reflecting the burial customs of the time.

Sennedjem, an official during the reigns of Seti I and Ramesses II of the Nineteenth Dynasty, held the title "servant in the Place of Truth," indicating his involvement in the royal tomb-building community at Deir el-Medina. While his precise role is uncertain, the presence of an ostracon depicting the Story of Sinuhe near his coffin suggests he may have been a scribe. His familial connections are depicted in tomb reliefs, although some relationships remain ambiguous due to the lack of inscriptions.

The chapels of Sennedjem and Khonsu, located near the southernmost pyramid chapel, are the oldest, dating back to the Eighteenth Dynasty. The southern chapel, possibly belonging to Tjaro, was never used for burial. Access to the subterranean parts of TT1, Sennedjem's tomb, is through a vertical shaft with niches for climbing. The burial chamber, accessed through another shaft, is adorned with well-preserved paintings depicting religious and mythological themes, primarily scenes from the Book of the Dead, on yellow backgrounds resembling papyrus or symbolizing solar connotations.