Senebsumai was an ancient Egyptian official of the early

13th Dynasty The Thirteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty XIII) was a series of rulers from approximately 1803 BC until approximately 1649 BC, i.e. for 154 years. It is often classified as the final dynasty of the Middle Kingdom (which includes ...

with the title high steward and later

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 ...

Family

Parents

His mother was Serukhib (''srwḫ-jb'') with the title Lady of the House (''nbt pr''). The maternal grandparents were the woman jjs-nbw/mnw-wn and nbw-kꜢw-rꜤ (a name referring to the prenomen of Amenemhat II). His maternal uncle was jjj-Ꜥḏ who held the title scribe of the books (''sẖꜢ mḏꜢwt''). His father was Wepwawethotep (''wp-wꜣwt-ḥtp'') with unknown titles.

Children

His son may be Pepi (''pjpj'') with title ''chamber-keeper'' (''jrj-ꜥt'') and ''cupbearer'' (''wdpw'') whose mother was a certain psš(w).

Attestation

Senebsumai is known from a remarkable series of monuments, the preservation of which makes him the best attested Egyptian official of the early 13th dynasty. There are thirty scarabs attesting to Senebsumai, which is also the highest number of seals found for a thirteenth dynasty official. All of these finds reinforce an understanding of his longevity in offices held and the respect given to him. Twelve

stelae A stele ( ) or stela ( )The plural in English is sometimes stelai ( ) based on direct transliteration of the Greek, sometimes stelae or stelæ ( ) based on the inflection of Greek nouns in Latin, and sometimes anglicized to steles ( ) or stela ...

in Abydos reference Senebsumai. Most of the stelae show Senebsumai with other, lower officials in scenes depicting them as they performed work for him. Senebsuma son of Serukh-ib is known from four stelae, three in the Cairo Museum (CG20075, CG20334, CG20459), and one in the British Museum (EA252). Stela Turin Cat. S. 1303, belongs to the treasurer Senebsumai and is dedicated to him by the 'master of the house for the palace' Khentikhety-hotep. At Abydos, Senebsumai is mentioned on stelae belonging to subordinates: Cairo CG 20334, Pittsburgh 2983–6701, London BM EA 252, Roanne Musée Déchelette 163, London BM EA 215, Cairo CG 20718, Turin S.1298, Leiden AP 2, Rome Sinopoli collection Egi06, and St. Petersburg 1084. Several other artifacts have been discovered at important Ancient Egyptian sites that are associated with Senebsumai. Fragments of accounts mentioning him were found in

El-Lahun El Lahun ( ''El Lāhūn,'' alt. Illahun, Lahun, or Kahun, (the latter being a neologism coined by archaeologist William Matthew Flinders Petrie) is a town and pyramid complex in Faiyum, Egypt founded by Senusret II. The Pyramid of Senusret II () ...

. A bronze statue of him was found at

Hawara Hawara is an archaeological site of Ancient Egypt, south of the site of Crocodilopolis ('Arsinoë', also known as 'Medinet al-Faiyum') at the entrance to the depression of the Fayyum oasis. It is the site of a pyramid built by Pharaoh Amenemhat ...

, a site associated with

Amenemhat III :''See Amenemhat, for other individuals with this name.'' Amenemhat III (Ancient Egyptian: ''Ỉmn-m-hꜣt'' meaning 'Amun is at the forefront'), also known as Amenemhet III, was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the sixth king of the Twelfth Dyn ...

.New York, George Ortiz Collection 034 A relief or a coffin fragment with coffin texts bearing his name and titles is recorded from finds at

Dahshur DahshurAlso transliterated ''Dahshour'' (in English often called ''Dashur''; ' ) is an ancient Egyptian pyramid complex and necropolis and shares the name of the nearby village of Manshiyyat Dahshur () in markaz Badrashin, Giza Governorate, Giza ...

Career

The earliest known records of his career identify Senebsumai as high steward; later he became

High Steward

As high steward, Senebsumai worked under the treasurer. In this function he was the main administrator of the royal estates.

Treasurer

As treasurer, Senebsumai would have been among the highest officials in the land. He also held ranking titles like Royal Sealer and Sole Companion. An important colleague of treasurer Senebsumai was the high steward Ameny. Senebsumai died while holding this office and seems to have been succeeded by treasurer Senebi.

Literature

*Herman de Meulenaere: ''Les monuments d'un haut dignitaire de la 13e dynastie'', In: ''Chronique d'Égypte, Bulletin périodique de la Fondation Egyptologique Reine Elisabeth'', 60 (1985), S. 75 - 84

External links

The bronze statue (with incorrect dating)Senebsumai on ''Persons and Names of the Middle Kingdom''Steatite Scarab for the Official SenebsumaStela of Senebsuma EA252Stela of Horhotep with Senebsuma Liverpool 1977.110.31

References

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