On the eastern ridge of El Bawiti in the
Bahariya Oasis we
find the Tomb of Bannantiu located next to his somewhat
smaller father's tomb. Bannantiu, who's name literally means,
"the soul of  those who have not", was in fact not a
"have not". In the great days when Bahariya's wine
was well known throughout ancient Egypt, particularly during
and around the 26th Dynasty prior to the Persian occupation,
many businessmen in the Oasis gained considerable wealth.
Bannantiu was probably either a trader or wealthy land owner,
judging by his elaborate and large tomb.
The layout of his tomb is somewhat interesting, with a
square shaft cut into the sandstone leading vertically down
about eighteen feet to a hall constructed very near the style
of a Roman basilica, with two rows of columns dividing the long
hall into three equal parts. Three small burial chambers
communicate with the main hall.
This tomb is undergoing conservation measures in order to
save its still vibrantly colored decorations. Entering the
tomb, now by way of a metal stairway, directly to the right of
the entrance is a painted image of the tomb owner. He has a
shaved head and stands behind Anubis, who is introducing him
to Amun, in the form of Kamutef, the "bull of (Amun's)
mother", and Horus. Three hieroglyphic lines for this
scene translate as "words spoken by Anubis, Lord of the
Cemetery, the great god Lord of Hetret.
 Amun is shown leaning against a column in the shape of a
tree with palm fronds and holding a stick with three animal
skins. In front of that god, the inscription reads,
"words spoken by the god Amun-Ra, the bull of his
mother". Next to Horus are depicted statues of six gods
standing on pillars, including the ancient funerary god,
Wepwawet.
On the western wall is depicted the Feast of Nefertem, six
symbols of gods, including Khonsu, are mounted on
stands. At
either end of a mummification table are shown the goddesses
Isis and Nephthys, who are morning, while Anubis holds a vessel
over the face of the deceased. Bannantiu, depicted as the
mummy, holds symbols that signify his rebirth.
On the other side of the entrance we find a depiction of
Osiris represented as the living king, along with his wife and
sister, Isis, who hold an ankh, the sign of life, in her left
hand.
On the south wall, Shu,
the god of air and sunlight, is depicted as he holds the sun
disk above his head. Within the sun disk, Khonsu is shown
placing a finger into his mouth and holding a scepter, a
symbol of rebirth, in his right hand. Khonsu is rather of an
interesting god in the Oasis. As god of the moon, he
must have been important to these desert dwellers, who often
traveled by night to avoid the heat and doubtless used the
moon for navigation. The eight Ashmonein (Hermopolis)
gods from Middle Egypt are depicted with the heads of snakes
and frogs.
 Around the
burial chamber we find scenes representing the Hours of the
underworld from the Book
of the Dead and the night solar boat of the sun-god, in
which the deceased is carried through the underworld. In the
bow of the boat, Nefertem, son of Atem,
sits with a finger in his mouth. This is symbolic of Bannantiu
as a child entering life. In Nefertem's other hand are two
scepters which symbolize both life, and sovereignty. Also
present in the boat are Horakhty
and Sekhmet,
as well as a baboon holding an offering. Three jackals pull
the solar boat with ropes, while more goddesses follow along
behind the boat.
On the north wall, a scene depicts the deceased Bannantiu
worshipping Horus. Nearby stands Khepri,
Heka and Sekhmet, and above them is the sun disk on which Aten
is shown wearing a double crown.
 The columns in this room are also decorated with scenes of
Geb the god of earth, and Nut, the goddess of the sky.
The smaller western room is actually the original burial
chamber and is filled with beautiful scenes painted on
polished plaster. One scene shows him standing before the gods
in the hall of Judgement, having already been accepted for
eternal life. Here, Osiris
in his mummified form with arms crossed sits in judgement
before an offering table. Isis, Thoth,
Horus, Seth
and Taweret
are all present to witness the weighing of Bannantiu's heart
against the feather of Ma'at.
Next, we find Osiris receiving Bannantiu for his passage
into the underworld, as witnessed by Isis, Hathor,
Anubis, Horus, Nephthys and Anubis, so now his acceptance by
the gods is final, perhaps because of his financial status, as
it appears that Bannantiu lacks either political or religious
credentials.
References:
| Title |
Author |
Date |
Publisher |
Reference
Number |
| Egypt in Late Antiquity |
Bagnall, Roger S. |
1993 |
Princeton University Press |
ISBN 0-691-1096-x |
| Oxford
History of Ancient Egypt, The |
Shaw, Ian |
2000 |
Oxford University Press |
ISBN 0-19-815034-2 |
| Valley of the Golden Mummies |
Hawass, Zahi |
2000 |
American University in Cairo Press |
ISBN 977 424 585 7 |
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