---
title: Nebamun Hunting in the Marshes
author: Trustees of the British Museum
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/503/nebamun-hunting-in-the-marshes/
format: machine-readable-alternate
updated: 2024-10-01
---
# Nebamun Hunting in the Marshes
_Authored by Trustees of the British Museum_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/503.jpg)
## Image Caption
Fowling in the marshes, scene from the [tomb](https://www.worldhistory.org/tomb/) of Nebamun, [Thebes](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Thebes/), [Egypt](https://www.worldhistory.org/egypt/), late 18th Dynasty, c. 1350 BCE.
The British Museum, London.
Nebamun is shown hunting birds, in a small boat with his wife [Hatshepsut](https://www.worldhistory.org/hatshepsut/) and their young daughter, in the marshes of the [Nile](https://www.worldhistory.org/nile/). Such scenes had already been traditional parts of tomb-chapel decoration for hundreds of years and show the dead tomb-owner ‘enjoying himself and seeing beauty’, as the hieroglyphic caption here says.
This is more than a simple image of recreation. Fertile marshes were seen as a place of rebirth and eroticism. Hunting animals could represent Nebamun’s [triumph](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Triumph/) over the forces of nature as he was reborn. The huge striding figure of Nebamun dominates, forever happy and forever young, surrounded by the rich and varied life of the marsh.
There was originally another half of the scene, which showed Nebamun spearing fish. This half of the [wall](https://www.worldhistory.org/wall/) is lost, apart from two old photographs of small fragments of Nebamun and his young son. The painters have captured the scaly and shiny quality of the fish.
A tawny cat catches birds among the papyrus stems. Cats were family pets, but he is shown here because a cat could also represent the Sun-[god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/) hunting the enemies of light and order. His unusual gilded eye hints at the religious meanings of this scene.
The artists have filled every space with lively details. The marsh is full of lotus flowers and Plain Tiger butterflies. They are freely and delicately painted, suggesting the pattern and texture of their wings.
## Bibliography
- [Hooper, Meredith. *The Tomb of Nebamun.* Cambridge University Press, 1997.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0521498384/)
- [Middleton, Andrew & Uprichard, Ken. *Nebamun Wall Paintings.* Archetype Books, 2009.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/190498214X/)
- [Parkinson, Richard. *The Painted Tomb Chapel of Nebamun.* British Museum Press, 2008.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0714119792/)
## Cite This Work
### APA
Museum, T. o. t. B. (2012, April 26). Nebamun Hunting in the Marshes. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Museum, Trustees of the British. "Nebamun Hunting in the Marshes." *World History Encyclopedia*, April 26, 2012. .
### MLA
Museum, Trustees of the British. "Nebamun Hunting in the Marshes." *World History Encyclopedia*, 26 Apr 2012, .
## License & Copyright
© Trustees of the [British Museum](http://www.britishmuseum.org/). Republished under the British Museum [Standard Terms of Use](http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_this_site/terms_of_use.aspx) for non-profit educational purposes. [Original image](http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aes/n/nebamun_hunting_in_the_marshes.aspx) by [**Trustees of the British Museum**](http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aes/n/nebamun_hunting_in_the_marshes.aspx). Submitted by [Jan van der Crabben](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jvdc/ "User Page: Jan van der Crabben"), published on 26 April 2012. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Copyright](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright). You cannot use, copy, distribute, or modify this item without explicit permission from the author. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.