Identification
| Title | Tomb of Senenmut |
| Type | Astronomical Representation |
| Decan List Family | AR1 |
| EAT3 Number and Name | 2 Senmut |
| EAT3 Pages and Plates | 10-12, Pl 1 (northern half), EAT 1 Pl 24 (southern half), Pl 25 (photograph) |
| EAT3 Decan List Family | Senmut |
| Publications | Pogo, 1930; Dorman, 1991; von Spaeth (2000); Belmonte and Shaltout, 2007 |
| Location | In situ; Ceiling of burial chamber in the tomb of Senenmut, TT 353, Deir el-Bahri, Theban Necropolis |
| Date | 18th dynasty, time of Thutmose III |
Content
| Registers | 2 |
| Circumpolar Group and Deities | Yes: 9 figures behind hippo; 7 (plus one smaller, unlabelled figure) opposite |
| Planets |
Superior: Jupiter, Saturn (Mars is omitted) Inferior: Mercury, Venus |
| Decan Names | Yes |
| Decanal Stars | Yes |
| Personifications of the Decans | No |
| Cluster Numbers | Yes |
| Depictions of Decanal Constellations | Yes |
| Decanal Deity Names | Yes |
| Decanal Deity Figures | No |
| Lunar Months | Yes: 12 circles labelled with the names of the lunar months |
| Civil Months | No |
| Nut | No |
Notes
This is the earliest surviving astronomical diagram in Egypt. It is not, however, the first or original source for all others: the general layout and composition of astronomical representations was establish by the early Middle Kingdom at the latest.
The ceiling is painted, not carved, and the background is light not dark blue. It differs from most other two-register representations by having both registers follow the same orientation (stacked) rather than being back-to-back. The lunar month circles are an obvious and unique feature.
Schematic
| Legend for Schematic | |
|---|---|
| C | Circumpolar group of constellations |
| A | Circumpolar attendant deities |
| D | Decans |
| P | Planets |
| M | Lunar months (circles and labels) |
 |
Location and orientation of the circumpolar hippo |
 |
Indicates the starting point and directionality of list or procession of figures |
Decan List
The list gives an approximate layout for how the decans, deities, cluster labels (x-nwt ẖt), and decanal figures (in bold) are arranged. However, the only way of perceiving the complete layout and orthography of the labels is by consulting photographs, drawings, or the original. For conventions and abbreviations, see below the table.
This decan list is used as the archetype for a family of over twenty astronomical representations. Neugebauer and Parker call the list "the Senmut list" and the astronomical representations which that this list "the Senmut family". Characteristic features of the decan and planet list are: the exclusion of the superior planet Mars (SP3), the order of the Sahu decans, and the omission of decan 34 rmn sꜣḥ.
| 1 tpy-ꜥ knmt | Hapy, Imseti | |
| 3 ẖry ḫpd knmt, 2 knmt | Isis | |
| 4 ḥꜣt ḏꜣt, 5 pḥwy ḏꜣt | Duamutef, Children <of Horus> | |
| 6 ṯmꜣt ḥrt, 7 ṯmꜣt ẖrt | Duamutef | |
| 8 wšꜣtꞽ, 9 bkꜣtꞽ | Duamutef, Hapy | |
| 10 tpy-ꜥ ḫntt, 11 ḫntt ḥrt | Horus | |
| 12 ḫntt ẖrt | Seth | Boat |
| 13 ṯms n ḫntt | Horus | |
| 14 sꜣptꞽ ḫnwy | Isis, Nephthys | |
| 15 ḥry-ꞽb wꞽꜣ | Seth | |
| 16 sšmw | Seth | |
| 17 knmw | Children of Horus | |
| 18 tpy-ꜥ smd | Horus | |
| 19 smd | Hapy | Sheep |
| 20 sꞽt | Isis, 3-nwt ẖt | |
| 21 sꜣwy sꞽt | Duamutef | |
| 22 ẖry ḫpd srt | Kebehsenuf | |
| 23 tpy-ꜥ ꜣḫ<wy> | Duamutef | |
| 24 ꜣḫw<y> | Duamutef, Kebehsenuf | |
| 25 bꜣw<y> | Hapy, Imseti | |
| 26 ḫntw ḥr<w>, 27 <ḫntw> ẖrw | Children of Horus, 4-nwt ẖt |
Cluster 6-nwt ẖt |
| 28 ḳd, 29 sꜣwy ḳd | Hapy, Kebeh<senuf> | |
| 30 ḫꜣw | Children of Horus, 5-nwt ẖt | |
| 33 ẖry rmn sꜣḥ | Children of Horus | Sahu |
| 35 {ẖry rmn} sꜣḥ | Osiris | |
| Stars of Sahu |
||
| 31 ꜥrt | Eye of Horus | |
| 32 ḥry rmn sꜣḥ | Children of Horus | |
| 36 spdt | Isis | Sopdet |
| SP1 ḥr-tꜣš-tꜣwy rn=f rsy pt sbꜣ | Planet | |
| SP2 ḥr-kꜣ-pt ḏꜣ pt ꞽꜣbty sbꜣ | Planet | |
| A štwy | Hapy, <Duamut>ef | Turtles |
| B nsrw | Imseti, ẖt -pw | |
| C sšpt | Eyes of Horus | |
| E ꜥbšs | Horus, D hpds | |
| F nṯr wꜣš | Duamutef | |
| IP1 sbg | Seth | |
| IP2 ḏꜣ bꜥḥ |
Osiris | Benu |
The decan numbers and letters shown here are for the decan family AR1.
SP = superior planet
IP = inferior planet
Grey shading = damage
< > = omitted but understood
{ } = included in error
The number of star symbols accompanying the decans is also omitted here, as it is often impossible to tell to which decan the symbols refer. EAT3 deals with star symbols in some detail.