Rekhmire

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Image of Rekhmire © B. Sandkühler-Unidia / www.osirisnet.net

Rekhmire was the Vizier to Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC) and Amenhotep II (1427–1401 BC), and as such was the power behind the throne. His tomb TT100 was never actually used as such but is rather a hidden temple. See osirisnet for more information.

His wife was Merit (or Meryt) in hieroglyphs her name is the same as the suffix described in the previous page, meaning “belover of truth” but for the addition of one extra character (Hieroglyph X1 -the top half of a circle- which means ‘t’ and ‘loaf of bread’. I imagine that Mary is the version of this woman’s name today and in Jesus’ time. But closer in time is Meritaten daughter of Akenaten and wife to the following Pharaoh, Smenkhkare.


From Rekhmire’s tomb – courtesy of kairoinfo4u on Flickr

The above shows more detail around the Mer and pillars in Rekhmire’s tomb. Generally in his tomb there are many images of tradesmen and daily life, but then there are the more puzzling depictions here. Firstly the Mer/hoe is singular and free of any other farming paraphernalia, so in context its meaning needs to be more than a hoe. To the left of Mer are 2 figures seeming to mould wavy lines in protection/shielding over 2 small towers.

On the next register are 2 humans each in their own wavy line field, possibly protected or trapped. Then a white monolith and then a door, followed by a more commonplace boat. On the further register figures carry an ark, which may later become the Ark of the Covenant

Certainly much of the scenes depicted are unusual even for Egyptian imagery, and don’t seems to relate to a literal understanding of working with a hoe or erecting obelisks.

Next page the Ark of the Covenant

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