Senebi (or Senbi) was an

ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

ian

treasurer A treasurer is a person responsible for the financial operations of a government, business, or other organization. Government The treasury of a country is the department responsible for the country's economy, finance and revenue. The treasure ...

under the late 13th Dynasty kings

Neferhotep I Khasekhemre Neferhotep I was an Ancient Egypt, Egyptian pharaoh of the mid Thirteenth dynasty of Egypt, Thirteenth Dynasty ruling in the second half of the 18th century BCKim Ryholt, Ryholt, K.S.B: The Political Situation in Egypt During the Se ...

and

Sobekhotep IV Khaneferre Sobekhotep IV was one of the more powerful Egyptian kings of the 13th Dynasty (c. 1803 BC to c. 1649 BC), who reigned at least eight years. His brothers, Neferhotep I and Sihathor, were his predecessors on the throne, the latter havi ...

(around 1750 BC). Senebi belongs to the best attested officials of the 13th Dynasty.

Family

Parents. Senebi's father was the ''soldier of the town regiment'' Nebpu. His mother was ''Lady of the House'' Tjeni. Wife and Children. We know nothing about his wife or children from his monuments.

Career

King's Acquaintance

We learn about Senebi's from a relatively advanced stage of his career, functioning as a ''king's acquaintance''. The title ''king's acquaintance'' (''rḫ-nswt'')) indicate his high rank and function in the court hierarchy, and people with this title are often subordinates to the ''treasurer''. It shows his status and that he had a prominent family background beloning to the Egyptian elite.

Treasurer

Under king

he was appointed treasurer (overseer of sealed things). The treasurer was one of the most powerful officials at the royal court. As ''treasurer'' he was assisted by ''king's acquaintance''

Nebankh Nebankh was an ancient Egyptian official of the Thirteenth Dynasty. He is one of the better known personalities of this period. Family Nebankh was the son of the ''steward'' Sobekhotep. His mother is named Hapyu. His brother Dedusobek Bebi wa ...

and ''king's acquaintance'' Rehuankh. He appears in a rock inscription on

Sehel Island Sehel Island () is located in the Nile, about southwest of Aswan in southern Egypt. It is a large island, and is roughly halfway between the city and the upstream Aswan Low Dam. Geography Sehel Island, spanning 3/4 the width of the Nile, is th ...

, south of

Aswan Aswan (, also ; ) is a city in Southern Egypt, and is the capital of the Aswan Governorate. Aswan is a busy market and tourist centre located just north of the Aswan Dam on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract. The modern city ha ...

. In this inscription he is mentioned next to the family of King Neferhotep I.

Treasurer and Governor

In the early stage as treasurer, his title string was sealbearer of the bjti-king (ḫtmw-bjtj), sole friend (smr-wꜥtj), and treasurer (jmj-rꜣ ḫtmt). In a later stage as treasurer, his title string was expanded to include member of the pat. (jrj-pꜥt) and governor (ḥꜣtj-ꜥ). Monuments with the full title string "''jrj-pꜥt; ḥꜣtj-ꜥ; ḫtmw-bjtj; smr-wꜥtj; jmj-rꜣ ḫtmt snbj''" apparently can be dated to the last part of his life, like Stela BM EA 428 and Stela Cairo CG 20614.

Ranking Titles

Senebi is known from several stelae and scarab seals, where he also bears the important ranking titles ''royal sealer'' and ''sole friend''. The time of his death and his burial place are unknown.

Attestation

He is attested by several monuments.

Cairo CG 20614

At Abydos (north necropolis), a round-topped stela mentions his family. The stela may belong to "Memphis-Faiyum Workshop 3" along with other monuments from the same workshop. Senebi carries his full title string. Also mentioned are his assistants the King's Acquaintance Senen and King's Acquaintance Rehuankh.

Stela Liverpool M13661

A limestone round-topped stele of Senebi. It was destroyed during WWII.

Stela Liverpool M13665

A limestone round-topped stele of Senebi. It was destroyed during WWII.

Literature

*Wolfram Grajetzki: ''Court Officials of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom'', London 2009 p. 64, pl. 2

References

{{Reflist Ancient Egyptian treasurers Officials of the Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt