| Shemai | |
| |
| Image of Shemai's Tomb - image from https://www.livescience.com/58424-mummy-ancient-egyptian-nobleman-found.html | |
| Biographical Information | |
|---|---|
| Name(s) | Shemai |
| Age | ~ 3800 years old |
| Sex | Male |
| Status | elite |
| Height | Unknown |
| Source | |
| Culture | Ancient Egyptian |
| Date(s) | Lived around 1897-1839 B.C, during the 12th Dynasty |
| Site | Qubbet El-Hawa |
| Current Location | |
| Location | Aswan, Egypt |
| Catalog # | |
Shemai lived during the 12th dynasty of Ancient Egypt, the son of Statethotep and Khema. Shemai's older brother, Sarenput II, was a powerful general and governor during the reigns of Pharaohs Senwosret II and Senwosret III ruled Egypt. Since Shemai was not part of the royal family, the discovery of his tomb is significant because it givens a look on the lives of those who were not in power.
Mummification
The tomb was found in the ancient cemetery at Qubbet El-Hawa and the body was covered in polychrome cartonnage, collar, and a mask. The body was preserved using embalming methods typical of the period, leaving behind a dry corpse that is less susceptible to decaying.
Additional Information
There were multiple burials at the site of Shemai's tomb. Two coffins as well as an additional mummy were found, along with models of people and boats. Part of the tomb has not yet been excavated while the other part has been broken into and robbed in the ancient times.
References
Hale, T. (2017, October 17). Egyptian Mummy Of Member Of The Wealthy Elite Discovered In A Tomb Near River Nile. Retrieved October 28, 2017, from http://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/egyptian-mummy-of-member-of-the-wealthy-elite-discovered-in-a-tomb-near-river-nile/
Jarus, O. (2017, March 27). Mummy of Ancient Egyptian Nobleman Discovered Along Nile River. Retrieved October 18, 2017, from https://www.livescience.com/58424-mummy-ancient-egyptian-nobleman-found.html