Double statue of Sennefer and Senay

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It is made out of grey granite and was found at Karnak to the north of the hypostyle hall of the Karnak temple by the Egyptian antiquities service in 1903.

Sennefer was an important noble man who lived during the reign of both kings Amenhotep II and Thutmosis IV of the 18th dynasty (1439-1403 B.C). He had many titles from which the mayor of the southern city Thebes and that was during the reign of Amenhotep II. Also he was considered as the hereditary prince and overseer of the fields granaries and cattle of Amen-Re during the reign of both Amenhotep II and Thutmosis IV. Sennefer was also highly praised by the king as a distinguished high official. He was granted the right to deposit this double statue in Karnak temple in the same manner as contemporary royal representations (as in the double statue of Thutmosis IV and his mother ti aA). Thus, Sennefer was able to receive the offerings and prayers of the visitors. He was also a royal favorite as he was granted by Amenhotep II a massive gold collar of honor as well as the heart-shaped amulets, insignia of his office which he wears both on this statue and in the painted scenes in his tomb. His tomb is located in Sheikh Abdel Qurna in Luxor (Thebes) and it carries no. 96. The burial chamber of his tomb has interesting scenes of the after life and its beautiful painted grape arbor ceiling reflects the well being of this high official and was also the reason to be called by the local people (tomb) “tomb of grapes”. He married three times, his wives were all royal nurses, and the most beloved of them was Merit who worked as chantress of god Amen-Re.

Sennefer and Senay are represented here seated on a high backed chair. Their arms are interlaced. Sennefer is wearing a short curly hair wig held behind his ears and reaching his shoulders. He is represented with calm expression. He is represented as a middle aged man with folds of fat on his torso reflecting his prosperity and well being typical fashion of Egyptian art during the Middle Kingdom and remained in the 18th dynasty. He is wearing a long narrow tight kilt tied with a knot under his belly. His right arm lies on his knee and his left one is behind his wife. Stamped on his right shoulder are the two cartouches of Amenhotep II.

Great are the forms of Re

sA ra nTr HqA wAst imn Htp

The god ruler of Thebes Amenhotep

Senay one of his three wives, had a little of the royal nurse. She wears the tripartite wig, the fashionable one among aristocratic women. The tresses are covering her ears. She is wearing a wide collar more than 5 rows and a long narrow tight dress with two shoulder straps. She is represented with a light smile on her face. Her lift hand is resting on her thigh and the right one is behind her husband.

One of their daughters called mwt nfrt stands on a small base between the legs of her parents. She is wearing a hair wig ending with tresses spreading over her shoulders. She is also represented wearing a long tight dress with a central band of Hieroglyphic inscriptions as her parents. On either side of the statues their daughters appear in front of offering tables. On the right side there is representation of the daughter mwt nfrt in front of an offering table sniffing a lotus flower and accompanied by an offering formula.

On the left side a similar representation depicts her sister nfrtAri. This sculptor is one of the very few Egyptian works of art ever to be signed. The artists imn ms and Dd xnsw have placed their names in the vertical inscriptions on the left side of the seat underneath the figure of nfrtAri

Second column: imn ms

Fourth column: Dd xnsw

Hieroglyphic inscriptions:  

Sennefer:

Pr xrw t Hnqt kAw Abdw xt nbt nfrt wabt n kA n HAtya niwt rsyt sn nfr

Offering of bread, bear, oxen and fowl, all beautiful, purified things to the double of the mayor of the southern city Thebes Sennefer

Senay:

Pr xrw t Hnqt kAw Abdw xt nbt nfrt wAbt n kA n nmat niswt sinAy

Offering of bread, beer, oxen and fowl, all beautiful and purified things to the double of the royal nurse Senay

Mut-Nofret:

sAt.f Smat imn mwt nfrt mat xrw

His daughter the chantress of Amen Mut-Nofret true of voice