TT31, the tomb of Khonsu , also called To (or Ta) .in the valley of the nobles-luxor -thebe

THE LONGITUDINAL CHAMBER

 

 This chamber is approximately 3.8m in length, 1.6m wide at the entry (east) end and 1.7m wide at the west end. The height at entry end it is approximately 1.7m and 2.0m at west end. It has a slightly upcurved ceiling.

 The ceiling 

In contrast with the now almost naked walls, this is preserved entirely  It is slightly arched and divided into two rectangular areas by a central yellow band and also surrounded, at the edges, by two bands, one south and one north, extending to where they join the central band at the two doorways. All the bands have black texts


 towards the entrance, thus the texts all start at the east end.
Text 1 (south side): "An invocatory offering to Osiris-Khentymentiu, the great god, lord of the Sacred Land; (to) Ptah-Sokar in the secret shrine; (to) Resh-Wedja in front of Rostaw (the nickname of Osiris: the awakened unscathed, Wörterbuch 2, p.451, note 13); (to) Anubis, in front of the divine pavilion; to Nefertum; (to) Horus-Hekenu, the great god on his [... ...], so that they grant the view of all secrets of the underworld, the entry and the exit of the necropolis, and that his soul be not repulsed at any of the gates of the underworld. For the Ka of the one who is greatly praised by the Lords of eternity, the high-priest of Menkheperre, Khonsu, justified, possessor of favour, happily in peace".

Text 2 (north side): "An invocatory offering to Amon-Re, king of the gods, the great god who made everything that exists, so that he may grant me to see him in the Festival of the Valley. That I may receive food in his presence, that he may cause offerings to be given to my Ka, with offerings and provisions for my mummy, that I may be summoned [...], that the hand may be bent for him (in the gesture of offering) and that myrrh and incense may be made unto him as unto all spirits, for [the Ka] of the high-priest of Menkheperre, Khonsu, justified".
Text 3 (central band): "An invocatory offering to Horakhti, the great god who lives on truth (Ma'at), that he may grant me to see him at the top of the morning, his rays turned upon my chest, that he may illuminate for me the path of darkness (night), that he may cause (my) corpse to flourish in the necropolis, [... ...] for the Ka of the high-priest of Montu, lord of Tod, To".

 South (left) wall 

 

 The decoration of this side began on the small section (east wall) to the left of the opening, with a harpist, who has disappeared. Most of what remains of the decoration of this wall is that of feet wearing sandals, placed on a footrest, of three people seated on open framework chairs . There also remains of the red and yellow bands which separated the imagery from the protective dado area. There also remains part of the vertical coloured rectangular pattern which edged the wall. In front of the three seated people stand two other men, remnants of the first show that he wore the panther skin of a priest and that he held an offering in his hand. Pedestals, for offerings, are represented between the priest and the first seated guest.

 North (right) wall 

On this side wall, the frieze has survived well (see vt-2953). In the scenic area only small remnants now exist. A woman's foot, standing on a mat, has survived near the middle. Near the entrance, at the top, beneath the frieze, is the remains of the top of a naos shrine. In front of this, to the left, was a tree and probably a man with his back to it, the sandaled foot still exists. According to Davies, the remains of the upper part of a shrine, carries the inscription: "[The Horus, Strong Bull], Khaemwaset, the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Menkheperre. He made (it) for his father, Montu, given life like Re". This signifies that the naos represents the temple of Montu, of which Khonsu was the high-priest.

 West wall 

Note: the width of the wall to the left of the entry is approx. 0.8m, whilst to the right it is approx. 0.7m.
This was created in light relief and includes at the top, above the entrance to the next chamber, a colourful coving, the top of which projects away from the wall. It is topped with a yellow bar and has a projecting bar at the bottom, this has a white background with a yellow geometric design with some infills of dark blue. Between the two bars is the usual coving design of coloured upright bands on a white background. Between the bottom bar and the top of the entrance to the next chamber is a long band of text, also extending above the vertical side jambs. This is divided into two parts, each carrying an inscription in colourful hieroglyphs on yellow background, the text extending both right and left. The starting point is marked by a central white rectangle. Re-Horakhty and Amon are mentioned on the left, Osiris and Anubis on the right Very little remains of the left-hand side. On the right, Osiris is qualified as "Lord of the Sacred Land, lord of eternity, beneficent god of the Ennead [...]" and Anubis as "Lord of Rostaw, upon [...]". The white central area contains red and black hieroglyphs stating the name of Ra-Horakhty on the left and Osiris on the right.
Each side doorpost, although having now lost most of the decoration, was decorated with a tall colourful bouquet

PASSAGEWAY TO THE ANTICHAMBER CHAMBER

 the side walls have lost almost all the decoration, except, that at each inner end are traces of a seated lady facing outwards, with one or more figure images at her side.
The ceiling, on the other hand, is undamaged and original for the period, because it is more an image of the 18th Dynasty (see cd-116 and cd-118). Detaching themselves from the white background are massifs of poppies and other plants. A cloud of ducks fly over their nests, in which are eggs or fledglings. Locusts can also be seen in several places. The surrounding border is plain.
THE ANTICHAMBER CHAMBER

   This is a small, roughly cut chamber, its wall being covered in yellow plaster, without any decoration. On the left side opens up the passageway leading to the funerary underground complex (see kampp-01). On the right side is a passageway leading to tomb TT30 of Khonsumose, which could have been produced as a later burial installation.
In the far west wall is the entry of the small niche chapel (see eh-02-pm-15). The doorway of this is treated in relief, with a coving. It is surrounded, at the top and the sides, by a decorative frieze in a small checkerboard design, which curves up to the ceiling (see dm-921). The doorposts probably received columns of text. A section of the yellow collomn has survived, at the bottom of the left side, but it appears to be empty.
The lintel carries a symmetrical composition (see vt-2988). On either side of an upright yellow band can be found the image of Anubis reclining on the roof of the entry of a tomb, turned towards the outside, where he faces the image of a couple who greet him.

 
THE NICHE CHAPEL
This is entered by a small step and the floor is not perfectly flat. Fortunately, the decoration is preserved much better than that of the longitudinal chamber. In size it is approximately 1.0m wide by 0.7m deep and 1.4m in height. The current door frame makes the entry slightly narrower than the chamber.  The ceiling 

  This is divided into two sections by an uninscribed central yellow band. The design is geometric, comprised of squares containing stylistic flower designs, alternately of black on yellow with red centre and four red spots, and red on white with black centre and black spots.  West facing wall

 This is the only one to include a yellow, red, black and white banner at its base, above the dado area (see eh-02-pm-15). "Osiris Wennefer, the great god, master of Abydos" is seated on a cubic chair resting on a platform. This seat is elaborately decorated with the facade of a palace, with a double central door. Osiris has his dark green skin. His white shroud is overlapped at the top by necklaces, of which some have a floral design. Beneath the necklaces hangs a pendant plate bearing a djed pillar with, at either side, a red Isis knot. With his two hands, he clutches a composite sceptre comprised of the multicoloured djed pillar and a was-sceptre. On his head he has an atef-crown to which is attached a pair of twisted green horns, on either side of a solar disk, representing Re. It is about, according to the new solar theology of the Ramesside period, of showing that, in the underground world, Osiris and Re were profoundly intertwined: "Osiris rests in Re" whilst "Re rests in Osiris" as it is quoted in several tombs. Behind him, stands "Anubis, who is in his mummy wrappings, Lord of the Sacred Land", who watches over Osiris. In front of the gods stands Khonsu, draped in a magnificent panther skin, wearing white sandals. With one hand he holds a censer; with the other he pours water from an ankh-cross shaped vase and holds a bouquet of lotus flowers which fills the small remaining space.

 North (right) wall 

Khonsu pays homage to, Amuntet, the goddess of the west, recognisable by the hieroglyphic symbol which she wears on her head. Above Khonsu, the columns produced on a white background never received their text.

 South (left) wall   

 This is most original, since it carries a representation of the king Montuhotep II - Nebhepetre, of the 11th Dynasty. A special article has been produced, on this site, describing royal representations in Theban tombs of the Ramesside period.
According to Davies, and as also noted in the tomb TT277 of Amenemonet, the reason for the presence of this very former sovereign was not the family interest in mortuary cults, nor the reverence for the great Theban rulers of bygone ages. The reason was that the temple of this particular monarch lay under the western cliff and contained the chapel of the cow-goddess Hathor. The king would be a metaphor indicating the west, matching that of the goddess of the west on the opposite wall. This argument may seem a little weak, because on the one hand, Montuhotep was not the only Pharaoh to be represent with Hathor coming from the mountain of the west; on the other hand, this is a typical example of a cult to a royal statue.

THE SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBERS
Of the content of these, all that is known is the laconic words of Mond: "We cleared the funerary chambers and shafts 1 and 2, but apart from twenty-two small ushabti, we didn't find anything that was worthwhile being mentioned".

TT31, the tomb of Khonsu , also called To (or Ta) .in the valley of the nobles-luxor -thebe

 1) - Entrance lintel
The decoration is symmetrical from the centre, although the two scenes are slightly different. It is overhung by a large sky sign part of the original blue colour still exists.

The solar god Re-Horakhty is seated, his falcon head surmounted by an enormous solar disk surrounded by a cobra. Behind him is Anubis, whose head has disappeared. The text above them states: "Re-Horakhty, lord of the sky, lord of eternity. Anubis, who is the embalmer, the great god, lord of the Sacred Land". In front of him, Khonsu makes an incensement and libation, accompanied by the text: "Offering all good and pure food to your Ka, 0 living god, for the Ka of the high-priest of Menkheperre, Khonsu". He is followed by "The mistress of the house, the chantress of Amon, Maia, justified" who waves a Hathoric sistrum. At her side is a small daughter. Finally, At the rear is "His son, the second priest of Menkheperre, Khaemwaset".

This time the seated god is: "Osiris, who is at the head of the Westerners, the great god, lord of the sky". The goddess who watches over him is: "Isis, mistress of the sky, ruler of all things for eternity". She wears on her head a mortar on which has been placed two lyriform horns framing a solar disk. At the front of her head is a uraeus.
Khonsu stands in front of the gods, to whom he offers an incensement, accompanied (above him) by the text: "Praise to your Ka, Osiris-Unnefer, prince [of eternity] for the Ka of the great priest of Menkheperre, Khonsu". Behind him again stands a woman and a young man, but the accompanying text has been modified, which has resulted in the disappearance of her name. This was probably his mother Tauseret, followed by "the overseer of the horses of the lord of the two lands, Usermont".

As can be seen in the image opposite, the design is perfectly symmetrical. The motif is formed of white squares (the white has yellowed with age) delimited by red lines, with a motif formed of blue clusters of grapes alternating with vine shoots represented by red lines. The design area is surrounded by a thick yellow band with a white edging and a red line

 3) - Passage north wall 

Here, only a small upper portion has survived a small section of the frieze (right side of  as well as some columns of text: "... His son, [the high-priest of] Sobk, Usermontu. His mother, the greatly praised of the lord of eternity, the chantress of Montu, [Ruia]".

 4) - Passage south wall 

All that survives here are the feet of a priest followed by those of a woman and a man; they face outwards. Davies found fragments which appear to have belonged here, of an important scene, because it contains the name and titles of a vizier: "... high-priest of Ma'at and mayor ..." to which should be joined certain fragments a tall representation wearing the characteristic dress of the office, including a baton ). Considering what has already been seen, this choice location cannot be occupied by anyone else other than the famous ancestor, vizier Usermontu. Some fragments of original titles can also be read: "... divine father, beloved of the god, who [is informed] of the secrets...".

When standing in this passageway, it is very apparent that the longitudinal chamber, which will next be entered, is almost empty of decoration. Originally it is apparent that the walls were fully decorated but now include only a few fragments, however, the ceiling decoration has survived.
 

TT31, the tomb of Khonsu , also called To (or Ta) .in the valley of the nobles-luxor -thebe

East wall

 
Under the top frieze are two registers. The upper register has a depiction of the divine judgement hall, with the very classic scene of the weighing of the heart in front of the courthouse of the gods. The bottom register shows the very classic scene of the opening of the mouth, which takes place in front of the entry of the tomb. There is no middle frieze.


This motif occurs elsewhere, with Anubis, in the shape of a canine reclining on the roof of a chapel. On this wall he faces right, towards the entrance. He wears, as usual, a ribbon around his neck and a whip which extends from the middle of his back. Between each chapel are again two khakeru, the ancient plant motif, surmounted here by a solar disk.

 2) - Upper register: weighing of the heart 

a) - The courthouse and the balance



At the top, to the right, sit thirteen judges with Re at the head. Behind him sit Atum, Shu and Tefnut, Mont and Tjenenet, the next two are doubtful, then Osiris, Horus-son-of-Isis, Isis, Nephthys, and finally another dubious goddess.
Behind the them, Khonsu is squatting in front of offerings, maybe accompanied by his mother, but lost (except for a knee) in the damage. It would have been important to make the judges favourable!
To the right of the balance, can be seen Khonsu approaching in an attitude of humility, his left hand on his right shoulder, the other holding its forearm. He is followed by "His mother, the chantress of Montu, Tauseret" - and not of his wife. Then comes "Usermontu, son of Khonsu". From the balance, hangs one tray (left) on which is the deceased's heart, on the other is a small figure of the goddess Ma'at, against which the heart is to be weighed. Anubis, with the head of a jackal, who kneels under the balance supporting the balance weight, checks the result. The text states: "The guardian of the balance, Anubis, [he says]: 'Your qualities are satisfactory' ". This answer is noted by the scribe Thoth, with the head of an ibis, who writes this down. Also under the balance is the actual goddess Ma'at, whose image the heart was weighed against. As the result is positive, Having been proved to be pure, Horus-son-of-Isis, with a human head, therefore introduces Khonsu and his mother to Osiris
The text which is above the scene is a (poor) summary of some of the formulas used in chapter 125 of the Book of the Dead. Usually there are found in tombs of the Ramesside period more extracts from this book; perhaps the longitudinal corridor included some of the others, which have disappeared. Here is the proposed translation (difficult, but inspired by Davies): "Words spoken by Horus-son-of-Isis by his father Osiris: 'The Osiris, high-priest of Menkheperrer, has come to ones for whom righteousness is upon his mouth and righteousness upon his hands. He never wrought wickedness (against) the great ones in this land, and transgression has not been found in him. He did what the king desired and that with which the gods are pleased. His heart has come forth justified. He has not been accused, he has not been found sinful. The great Ennead of the gods in the halls of Truth rejoice greatly over a just man who is declared just' ".

b) - Osiris


The god Osiris is seated under a painted lightweight wooden building surmounted with a frieze of solar cobras. He has green skin, colour of a decomposing corpse, but especially that of new vegetation. This is a reminder that these are the humours which flow out of the body during the decomposition of Osiris which constitutes the flooding, synonymous with the rebirth of the plants and of the justified deceased. Osiris is sheathed in a white shroud, wearing the atef-crown and holding, as usual, in his hands a was-sceptre plus his flail and his crook. Over a large golden necklace hangs a second one from which can be seen the counterweight hanging behind him. The end of the second necklace is rectangular in the shape of the facade of a palace or temple. Behind the god are his two sisters and defenders, Isis and Nephthys. Both are clothed in an archaic tight-fitting dress with shoulder straps, red for Isis and green (currently; but it could have been blue originally) for Nephthys.
In front of Osiris, the Four Sons of Horus, here all anthropoid, stand on a lotus flower.. A completely white area, in the top right corner, was intended to receive the text, but has remained blank.

 3) - Bottom register: the opening of the mouth 


The representation of the tomb and the coffins is very successful. With beautiful multicoloured closed lotiform columns sustaining a roof, on top of which is a pyramidion placed in front of the Theban mountain. The artist didn't forget to include in the pyramidion its sky-light, destined to receive a statue or a stela. Between the columns, the entry has been created in red, probably to imitate granite, with a bright yellow door.
Two enormous lotus bouquets rise on either side of a stela which carries a classic offering formula. The arched top shows the deceased in worship in front of Osiris. The text of the stela states: "Wishing to give an invocatory offering to Osiris, the head of the west, the great god, master of eternity, Lord of Busiris, to the head of Abydos, the sovereign of the beyond. That he gives breads, beers, birds, pure [...?] which comes from sound [...?] for the Ka of the Osiris, the high-priest of Menkheperre, the favoured one, Khonsu, justified, in joy".
In front of the stela stand two beautifully made golden sarcophaguses In the foreground, although positioned slightly behind, can be seen the sarcophagus of a woman and next to it is that of a man with his false beard. Due to the lack of descriptive text, it is quite possible that this last one contains the mummy of Khonsu, it is also uncertain if the woman is his first wife Ruia, or his omnipresent mother. Indeed, it cannot be Mutia, since she is standing in front of the coffins, moaning, identified as: "His wife, the chantress of Amon, Mutia". The other mourner, who kneels on the ground, is "His daughter, [the chantress] of Amon, W[ia]y".
b) - The officiating priests


The first two priests each make a libation of water with the help of a vase. They hold to the mouths of the mummies two implements, used to perform the ceremony of the "Opening of the Mouth". The "lector priest of Menkheperre, Khaemwaset", is going to touch the mouth of the anthropoid coffins using the ivory adze (a "wr-HkAw") in order to open it. The other is the "lector priest of Menkheperre, Khay" pronounces the classic formula of purification whilst holding the Heru, a spooned-shape implement for offering incense.
Behind the two officiants is a chest with, represented above it, its content of instruments and necessary items for the ritual.
Behind the chest, is "His son, the high-priest of Sobek, Usermontu, justified", who reads, what can easily be seen inscribed on the papyrus which he holds, the formulas "To do the opening of the mouth for the Osiris, the high-priest, To".


c) - The people who mourn him

The right-hand side of the wall is very damaged (. The group of mourners include six "mourning women, who weep", two are pictured lower than the four grouped together, one kneeling and one leaning forwards. These are followed by four men, arms raised above their heads. The text mentions "the wab-priests and lectors of the temple of Montu, Nebamim and Usermont", both are sons of Tentiunet; "their father [...] Raria, the wab-priest of Montu, Pashed, son of Maany". These are then followed by two more women, with hands raised to their heads, these are wrongly named "the charioteer, Raria" and "the high-priest of Sobek, Usermontu".

d) - The procession

Chronologically, this precedes the events which have just been seen. Very little has survived: the heads of six (2 rows of 3) hauliers, and the mutilated image of the sledge on which rests the bier of the corpse, in front of which (left) is a priest pouring a libation of milk: "To make the purification in front (of the cortege?)", whilst repeating four times "doubly pure".

e) - The cow and its mutilated calf


There is a scene which raises the question of the love of animals which is frequently attributed to the ancient Egyptians. The ritual of the opening of the mouth foresees the presentation of a young cattle leg (the "khepesh") before the mummy, in the form of the ivory adze. In order to do this, the small calf seems have been amputated, whilst alive, under the knee of the right leg, in a way this is the "hand" of the young animal. The paw lies on the ground, whilst the stump bleeds. Nadine Guilhou thinks that it represents a metaphor representing the ablation of the hands of Horus by his mother in the tale of Horus and Seth. The reality of such a ceremony, which had to (without anachronism) appear barbaric, even to the Egyptians of the New Kingdom, remains under debate.

TT31, the tomb of Khonsu , also called To (or Ta) .in the valley of the nobles-luxor -thebe

North wall

This is divided in two registers, the upper being the larger, each dedicated to one of the activities of Khonsu. At the top, Khonsu is in the setting of his journey to the temple of Thutmosis III, whilst below, he is in his function of livestock supervisor in the temple of Thutmosis IV.
A large "sky" hieroglyph separates the upper register from the frieze. The frieze is damaged at its upper level, but what remains still retains much of its colour. The design content is the same as that of the south wall

Once again this contains a main transport vessel (on the right), but this time it is towed by only one other vessel (on the left).

a) - The barques

This is very similar to that of Montu on the south wall. However, here the barques float on a canal of the Nile, which ends in a "T" shaped landing stage at the door of the temple, which is represented by the two white pillars of entry pylon, whose summits bear the name of Thutmosis III. In the middle of the doorway is a small scene showing the Pharaoh adoring Amon

• The barque of Thutmosis III, to right of the towing vessel, is of a very simple shape, with the bow and stern ending in a papyrus umbel. Under a golden wood kiosk stands the Pharaoh's statue which has been dressed and decorated. The king has the blue crown with a double uraeus and clutches a club in his left hand and his staff in the other. In front of him is "The high-priest of Thutmosis III, Khonsu", dressed in the clothing of a priest, and with shaven skull. He makes a libation and incensement to the statue. Tall bouquets stand in front and behind the kiosk, behind which stands the small figure of the goddess Nephthys, whilst behind Khonsu stands the goddess Isis. Behind Isis is a mat with a dead ox and haunch placed on it. In front of her is an image of a standard surmounted by a lion with the head of the pharaoh, his head mounted with the double Ma'at-feather.
[Nb.: A special article has been dedicated to royal cult statuary: "The royal representations in Theban tombs of the Ramesside period", well worth reading].


• The towing barque (. As previously, the main vessel (right) doesn't have a crew, and this time it is towed by only one.
The towing vessel, which guides the other, is again a military one. It is attached by a rope (in an unrealistic manner) to the bow of the sacred boat and wrapped around the rudder of the towing one. This portrayed extremely loose and held by the man at the stern. The stern and prow are decorated with the falcon-headed Montu and the ram-headed Amon, on a yellow background. The central part of the hull of the boat has remained in its natural state, still showing the knots and grain of the wood, indicating that he boat was plank-built. The captain's case, at the left end of the craft, is decorated with yet another copy of the lion with the head of the pharaoh. Behind it is a standard with a feather of Ma'at on top of a rectangular emblem, decorated possibly (according to Davies) with the name Useramon or possibly a rebus in the name of Ramesses II. The officer is "the standard-bearer of the great regiment of Menmaatre (i.e. Sethos I), Usermontu". This man offers a burnt offering to the deified king, in front of a pile of offerings heaped on a pedestal. Five sailors, with expressionless faces, propel the boat towards the temple.
 

After having disembarked, the statue of the divine Pharaoh is received by priests, chantresses and mourners. These are portrayed in two areas  In the sub-register above the boats are the priests, below the boats (full length of the register) are the chantresses, left, and mourners, right.

b) - Upper sub-register: the priests


They number eight in total, all being members of the Khonsu family, which shows the influence that he had on the temple. They all look alike and all look like those already seen, except the two first, the most important, who don't have the panther skin, but have a white strap across the chest and a white fringed belt, tied around their waist and extending down the front of their long white kilt. The first is the "Wab-priest (purifying priest) of Thutmosis III, Khay", he holds a censer and a libation vase. The second is the "Wab-priest of Thutmosis III, Khaemwaset", he holds two vases, one of which is ankh shaped.

The other six  make encensement and libation, or bring vases and bouquets. These are, from right to left: "High-priest of Amenophis II, Neferbotep" (the father of Khonsu), "His son, the high-priest (of the cult) of Thutmosis I, Nay", "His son, the high-priest (of the cult) of Thutmosis I, Iuy", "His son, the lector-priest of king [Amenhotep II?], Mont[uhotep]", "[His son ... ...] of Amenhotep II, To" and finally "His son, the high-priest of Sobek, Usermontu".

c) - Bottom sub-register: chantresses and mourners

• Left-hand side

 
A small building decorated with the cartouches of Thutmosis III and containing a pile of offerings waits for the statue and its porters. To its left, the first woman holds up her left hand in greeting and holds a stem of papyrus and a Hathoric sistrum in the other. She is identified as "(the leader) of those who bewail, [...], the chantress of Amon, Mutia". Behind her, after the embankment, under which are more offerings, she is followed by the "Chantress of Montu Tauseret" and "His daughter, the chantress of Montu, Tentiunet, daughter of Tauseret". All three are portrayed in the same attitude.

• Right-hand side
 
Here, the five women on the left, who have come from the temple, act as mourners for the dead king, wailing and pouring dust on their hair. The names of only three have survived, they are: "His daughter, Maia", "His daughter, Useri" (these could possibly be the daughters of Tauseret or Mutia) and "Maany, daughter of Tentiunet".
The group which are arriving, who come with the procession, start with two priestesses who have their arms folded in front of them, of which at least one is the daughter of Maany. Among the other names which have survived are: "Taysen", "Maia", "Urnero" and "Henutneferet".

 2) - Lower register: inspection of livestock of the temple of Thutmosis IV 

(See bottom of  It is strange to find here this scene, because it could be considered as taken from a tomb of the 18th Dynasty. It is not about proof of usurpation, because Eva Hofmann showed that the scene is of archaic inspiration, and is integrated into the whole of the decoration.
The total register can be divided in two parts. On the left, divided into two sub-registers, the employees of the domain bring livestock in front of the supervisor. On the right, Khonsu-To and his family members supervise the operation.

a) - Khonsu and his family


It was certainly not a talented painter who worked here. Besides the elongated exaggeration of the boy's body, a Ramesside feature already seen, the arms of the characters are ridiculously thin and badly proportioned, the faces are expressionless.
Khonsu is seated, with members of his family, inside a small pavilion build from green timber, watching herdsmen bringing various animals towards him. He is clothed in a large tunic over which the artist has created an unlikely front-piece. His left hand holds a sekhem sceptre, the right is stretched in front of him, above a plaque on a pole on which can be seen Ma'at in front of the name of Thutmosis IV, Menkheperure, in a cartouche. The naming group probably representing the name of an agricultural domain. Khonsu's naked feet rest on a mat or a footrest. In front of him is a small text, in five columns, containing his address to the drovers who are in front of him: "The supervisor of the livestock of Thutmosis IV, To, justified. He says: 'May Montu show you favour. The animals of the god are thriving. Bring this calf to the temple' ".
 
Behind him, seated on a chair placed slightly lower, to suggest perspective, is "His wife Ruia". The name is not preceded by the usual epithet "the mistress of house". The representation is especially clumsy: false proportions, arms too, a dress which looks like a bag, an ordinary face. Ruia is pictured in the usual attitude of the wife, surrounding her husband's shoulders with her two arms.
Standing behind her is seen a son of Khonsu, surmounted by the text: "His son, the purifying priest of Montu, Montuhotep, justified". Resting on a cushion, placed on the floor, below her mother's chair is "His daughter, the chantress of Montu, Wiay".

b) - The drovers and their herds

 
 

This is displayed on two superimposed sub-registers, in open air, as testified by the presence of trees. "Kaka" and "Nefersekheru" are the foremen, seen at the right-hand side, in front of the pavilion in which Khonsu is seated. They kneel as if "smelling the land" with their heads touching it. In front of each is a plaque, the same as the one placed in front of Khonsu. Davies points out that, especially on the upper register, cows, oxen and calves are almost reduced to the state of caricature, but, he adds with wisdom, "since Mont, To, and the artist were pleased with them, we ought not to be critical".
 
Before proceeding, reference should be made to the last two characters of the upper sub-register, of which fortune has provided an excellent sized photograph . The first holds a yolk (a long pole) on the left shoulder, from which are suspended small jars by their handles. He also holds a coiled rope on the bend of the same arm. With the right hand, he holds a stick with which he strikes the rear end of a white cow, which in response turns its head towards him. This animal probably stopped because its calf was sucking from its udder. His companion, who walks behind him, also carries a yolk on the left shoulder with, at one extremity, a net containing a large jar. At the other end, and also supported by his right hand, possibly because of the weight, hangs a jar and a green object. Two thin dogs, with extended tails, follow each of the men, one each.


The rear part of the underlying sub-register is a little confusing. Behind the cattle, which are pictured behind the kneeling man on the right, follow two herds of goats. Between the two parts of the sub-register, a man has almost disappeared. These "small livestock", typical of Egyptian display, possess varied horns, straight, hooked and twisted. A billy-goat tries to pair off with a female one. Behind the animals, two men pass in front of a tree. The first, who seems much taller than the other, holds a yolk on his left shoulder with, at one extremity, a net which contains a crock and what hangs from the other is unknown. With his right hand, he clutches a stick with which he directs the herd. His smaller work-mate holds a stick in his right hand, and hold the yolk on his left shoulder with the other. One of the nets which are attached contains a crock and the other a small calf, which is perhaps the one which Khonsu asks him to bring to the temple. This is difficult to see in the photograph, but is better seen using the drawing of Davies (, indicated by the red arrow). Behind him is a dog similar to the two preceding ones.