TT7

Theban tomb TT7
Burial site of Ramose
Schematic plan of TT7
Location	Deir el-Medina, Theban Necropolis
Discovered	Nineteenth Dynasty, reign of Ramesses II
Decoration	Scenes of royal and divine figures, including Amenhotep I, Ahmose-Nefertari, Horemheb, Thutmose IV, Ramesses II and the Theban Triad
Layout	Court and decorated chapel
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Ramose in hieroglyphs
Era: New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC)

The Theban Tomb TT7 is located in Deir el-Medina, part of the Theban Necropolis, on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Luxor.¹² It is the burial place of the ancient Egyptian artisan and Scribe in the Place of Truth named Ramose, who lived during the Nineteenth Dynasty, during the reign of Ramesses II.²

Ramose also created a total of three tombs for himself in the necropolis, the others being TT212 and TT250.³⁴ TT7 is interpreted as Ramose's personal tomb, while TT212 and TT250 have been connected respectively with the male and female entourage of Ramose or of his family.⁴⁵

TT7 was the tomb of Ramose, a Scribe in the Place of Truth under Ramesses II.² The title connected Ramose with the community of artisans at Deir el-Medina, the village responsible for excavating and decorating the royal tombs of the nearby valleys.⁶

• Ramose
• 
  Statue of Ramose, painted limestone, found in 1939 in the khenu of Ramesses II at Deir el-Medina, room 9, shaft no. 1414. Paris, Louvre (E 16346).⁷

The name of Ramose is attested on several objects from Deir el-Medina now held in the Museo Egizio, including limestone stela fragments acquired during Schiaparelli's 1905 excavation, a limestone statue-base fragment acquired during Schiaparelli's 1909 excavation, a limestone stela dedicated by the royal scribe Ramose to the goddess Qetesh between Min and Reshep, and a limestone pyramidion dated to the Nineteenth Dynasty.⁸⁹¹⁰¹¹

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  Stela fragments with the name of the scribe Ramose, limestone, from Deir el-Medina, reign of Ramesses II. Museo Egizio, Turin.⁸
• 
  Fragment of a statue base with the name of the scribe Ramose, limestone, from Deir el-Medina, Nineteenth Dynasty. Museo Egizio, Turin.⁹
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  Pyramidion of Ramose, limestone, from Deir el-Medina, Nineteenth Dynasty. Museo Egizio, Turin.¹¹

The photographic database of the Institut français d'archéologie orientale records two exterior photographs of TT7 taken in 1974, and lists a plate published by Bernard Bruyère in 1926 and a publication in preparation by J.-P. Corteggiani.² The Museo Egizio Photo Archive holds a photograph of the west wall of the chapel chamber of TT7, dated to 1905–1914 and recorded under plate C00106.¹³

Between 1905 and 1909, Ernesto Schiaparelli and the Italian Archaeological Mission excavated the site of Deir el-Medina, including the village, the votive area and the necropolis.⁶ The Museo Egizio Photo Archive also preserves photographs of the Schiaparelli excavations in the village, temple and chapels of Deir el-Medina from 1905 to 1909.¹⁴

TT7 is situated at the top of a row of tombs at Deir el-Medina, north of TT216 and high above TT212.¹ The tomb consists of a court and a chapel.¹⁵ The court was enclosed by a brick wall, and the access shaft of TT265, the tomb of Amenemopet, also opened in the same court.¹⁵ Two niches were cut on either side of the doorway and were intended for two stelae; one of these stelae survives, with a representation of the goddess Hathor and an inscription.¹⁵ At the entrance, Ramose is shown adoring Atum and Ra-Horakhty, and remains of a figure of the goddess Nut with outstretched arms are also recorded.¹⁵

The chapel consists of a single chamber with damaged decoration.¹⁵ The preserved scenes include Amenhotep I, Ahmose-Nefertari, Horemheb and Thutmose IV.¹⁵ Another scene shows King Ramesses II, followed by the vizier Paser, offering before the Theban Triad: Amun, Mut and Khonsu.¹⁵ Another wall shows the barque of Osiris flanked by the goddesses Isis and Nephthys.¹⁵

In addition to TT7, two other tombs in the same necropolis are attributed to Ramose: TT212 and TT250.³⁴ The three tombs have been interpreted as complexes with different functions: TT7 as Ramose's personal tomb, TT250 as a tomb connected with the female entourage of Ramose or of Mutemwia, and TT212 as an unfinished complex that may have been intended for the male entourage of Ramose.⁵ TT250 is also traditionally described as the "tomb of the slave women".⁴