Staff of Amenhotep
New Kingdom
Sometime in the early joint reign of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, a twelve-year-old boy named Amenhotep was buried on the hillside below the tomb chapel of Hatshepsut's well-known official, Senenmut (36.3.252). Although still a child, Amenhotep was well provided for. On top of his wooden coffin lay a forked staff (shown here) and a necklace of lentoid faience beads (36.3.154). Beside the coffin were food offerings of bread and beer (36.3.161), and a variety of fruits including raisins, dates, dom palm nuts, sycamore figs, and a pomegranate. A beautiful stone shabti figure (see 19.3.206) had been laid next to the coffin. Its inscription identified it as a gift from Amenhotep's brother, Senu. This shabti is now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
Inside Amenhotep's coffin were two bright blue faience armlets (36.3.155), sized for an adult rather than a child, and a pair of red leather sandals (36.3.159). On the mummy were pieces of jewelry, including a carnelian scarab (36.3.158) that had been tied to his left hand with a piece of linen cord.
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