Theban Tomb 16
Dr. Suzanne Onstine, Director, The University of Memphis
SFAR Conservation Project
Theban Tomb 16 is located in the Dra abu el-Naga section of the Theban necropolis. This tomb was built for a priest and chanter named Panehsy and his wife Tarenu who lived in Thebes during the reign of Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty (c. 1250 BCE). Panehsy was a priest in the cult of Amunhotep I who was considered a powerful oracular figure during the Ramesside era. The small but ornate tomb is comprised of a beautifully decorated t-shaped chapel and a substantial tunnel that was reused in subsequent periods for the burial of nearly 150 people. There are many fascinating aspects of the decoration of the tomb, including two representations of a temple facade, a braying donkey, two scenes of the tree goddess, two scenes of Hathor of the mountain (a funerary aspect of the goddess Hathor), and depictions of the deified Amunhotep I and Ahmose-Nefertari. The focus of the current phase of work is stabilization and conservation of the chapel to ensure these scenes are preserved for future generations (see images below).
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