Ramose and Hatnofer

Ramose was the father of Senmut. Senmut was one of the most important officials of the ruling Egyptian Queen (Pharaoh) Hatshepsut. The humble origins of Ramose and the rise of his son Senmut long been regarded as a model of high social mobility in ancient Egypt.

The documents and the grave

Ramose is known only from a few sources. He appears on the false door of Senmut and was well known in the chapel. His own grave was found in the excavations 1935-1936 at the grave of Senenemut not far in front of the chapel ( TT71 ) of the latter and was unsecured robbed. The grave of Ramose contained his body and that of his wife Hatnofer. There were also several other anonymous burials. The whole grave makes a comparatively simple impression and was regarded as evidence of poor origin of Senmut.

The question of the origin of Senmut

Ramose only carries the title of " Sab " ( S3b ). The excavator of the tomb assumed, therefore, that Ramose was once just Bauer. However, it is often observed that even high officials only the title " Sab " wear when reference is made to them posthumously. So the title says nothing about the social origins of Ramose. But striking is the comparison of the burials of Ramose and his wife Hatnofer. The Hatnofer has been given, while Ramose only had his coffin a full set of grave goods (especially a heart scarab, a canopic chest and papyri ). It has therefore been suggested that Hatnofer died when her son was already in a high position, so that her son could provide them with various grave goods, while Ramose Ramose died when his son and himself were still insignificant.

Recently, it has been suggested that Ramose at the time when his wife died and Senmut both parents wanted to have near his chapel, was reburied in this grave. For some researchers, it is unusual to find so many burials in the grave, so that the impression is created that it would be at that time many people died at the same time. This estimate basically assumes that all burials must have taken place about the same time in a regular funeral. However, this has been probably overlooked that multiple burials was a well attested tradition of the New Kingdom. Graves were often left open at this time and used for more than one person, even if they died at different times.

The coffin of Ramose is certainly studded with gold and thus indicates a very upscale social level of that person. The absence of a grave chapel is not surprising, lack these but with a few exceptions for the period before Hatshepsut at all.

Closer investigation of the sources, it appears that Ramose has been quite a high official of the early 18th Dynasty. The rise of his son to the highest offices of state seems to lie entirely within the framework of possibility of Egyptian society.