Sarenput II

Sarenput II, also called Nubkaurenakht (Nbw-kȝw-rˁ-nḫt, "Strong is Nubkaure", i.e. Amenemhat II) was an ancient Egyptian nomarch during the reign of pharaohs Senusret II and Senusret III of the 12th Dynasty.

Family Sarenput II was the son of Khema, a governor of Elephantine during the reign of Amenemhat II, and of his wife Satethotep, as well as the nephew of the nomarch Sarenput I. Among his titles, he was nomarch of the 1st nome of Upper Egypt ("Land of the Bow"), mayor of Elephantine, high priest, overseer of the priests of Satet and Khnum, and "leader of the border patrols at the narrow door of the southern lands".

Sarenput II had a younger brother, Shemai, whose undisturbed burial was discovered in March 2017 by University of Jena in the Qubbet el-Hawa area of Aswan, the same area where Sarenput had his tomb. Shemai's mummy was found and covered with a "beautiful mask".

Like many of his predecessors, Sarenput made additions at the sanctuary of Heqaib at Elephantine. He ordered a shrine for his father Khema and one for himself, containing a statue of Khema and one of Sarenput II respectively.

Death and Burial Tomb

Sarenput II built for himself the finest and largest tomb of Qubbet el-Hawa (No. 31). After crossing a courtyard, a hallway lead to a large hall whose ceiling is supported by six pillars. Then another hallway – with several niches containing osirian statues of Sarenput on both sides – lead to the inner room, with four pillars and a niche once hosting a granodiorite statue whose remains are now in the British Museum (EA98 ). In spite of the tomb's grandness, only the niche and few pillars of the innermost chamber are decorated; nevertheless, the scenes are vividly painted and detailed, chiefly depicting the tomb owner.