Setau

Setau in hieroglyphics
19th dynasty	Setau St3w

Lid of the sarcophagus of Setau

Setau was viceroy of Kush under the ancient Egyptian king ( pharaoh ) Ramses II. This made him the supreme administrator of the Nubian provinces. With over 100 documented objects, he is one of the best attested officials under this ruler.

Setau has been attested since the 38th year of Ramses II's reign in the office of Viceroy of Kush. He was in office until at least the year 63 of the ruler, which is one of the longest documented terms of office of a viceroy of Kush. He began his career as a pupil of the palace , is then documented as the great scribe of the vizier and was then chief asset manager of the Amun in the southern city .

As Viceroy of Kush, Setau built or renovated numerous temples, especially south of Thebes and in Nubia. Noteworthy are its own chapel in Elkab and restoration work on the temple of Abu Simbel . He was also involved in the construction of the temples of Gerf Hussein and Wadi es-Sebua . For the construction of the latter temple, the recruitment of slave labor from Irem is noted. Setau also took part in military actions by the ruler in Nubia.

His grave and that of his wife Mutnofret are in Dra Abu el-Naga ( TT 288/289 ). It has not yet been systematically investigated. His wife Mutnofret seems to have played a special role, as she is mentioned again and again together with her husband.

literature

• Christine Raedler: On the representation and realization of pharaonic power in Nubia: The Viceroy Setau. In: Rolf Gundlach, Ursula Rössler-Köhler: The Kingship of the Ramesside Period: Requirements - Realization - Legacy. Files from the 3rd symposium on the Egyptian royal ideology in Bonn, 7–9 June 2001. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 2003, ISBN 3-447-04710-0 , pp. 129-173.