View source for Ineni

{{Short description|Ancient Egyptian architect}}
{{For|the queen of the [[13th Dynasty]]|Ineni (queen)}}
[[File:Ineni005.JPG|thumb|Ineni (upper left, partly destroyed) in a hunting scene from his tomb [[TT81]].]]
'''Ineni''' (sometimes transliterated as '''Anena''') was an [[ancient Egypt]]ian architect and government official of the [[Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt|18th Dynasty]], responsible for major construction projects under the [[pharaoh]]s [[Amenhotep I]], [[Thutmose I of Egypt|Thutmose I]], [[Thutmose II of Egypt|Thutmose II]] and the joint reigns of [[Hatshepsut of Egypt|Hatshepsut]] and [[Thutmose III of Egypt|Thutmose III]]. He had many titles, including Superintendent of the Granaries, Superintendent of the Royal Buildings, Superintendent of the Workmen in the [[Karnak]] Treasuries, etc.<ref name="weigall1910">{{cite book | author= Weigall, Arthur | title=A Guide to the Antiquities of Upper Egypt|publisher=Mentheun & Co| location=London| year = 1910| isbn = 1-4253-3806-2 | pages=133–137}}</ref>

Ineni came from an aristocratic family and likely began his career as an architect under Amenhotep I. Amenhotep I commissioned Ineni to expand the [[Temple of Karnak]]. The expansion included a [[barque]] shrine of [[Amun]] and a new treasury. Ineni probably also oversaw the construction of Amenhotep I's tomb and [[mortuary temple]]. The mortuary temple was the first to be disconnected from the actual tomb, presumably so it would not draw attention to the burial site. Amenhotep I died before the treasury could be completed, but Ineni was retained by his successor, Thutmose I.

An avid builder, Thutmose I commissioned many construction projects during his rule, including the first tomb carved out at the [[Valley of the Kings]]. Many of his projects were at the Temple of Karnak and were under the supervision of Ineni. These works included the fourth and fifth [[Pylon (architecture)|pylon]]s, numerous courts and statues, the completion of the Treasury expansion begun by Amenhotep I, and a [[hypostyle]] hall of [[Cedrus libani|cedar wood]] constructed at Karnak to commemorate Thutmose I's victory over the [[Hyksos]].

After the death of Thutmose I, Ineni was once again retained by the royal family. During the reign of Hatshepsut, a new architect, [[Senemut]], would gain major commissions; most notably the construction of her mortuary temple at [[Deir el-Bahri]]. Ineni, however, continued to supervise several structures commissioned by Hatshepsut and was likely consulted on many  others. He was considered by his contemporaries to be one of her court favorites, and the [[Stela|stele]]s <!--Is "stele" supposed to be in the plural?--> on the walls of his tomb speak kindly of her. He died during the reign of Hatshepsut before Thutmose III assumed the throne in Hatshepsut's 22nd regnal year. [[TT81|His tomb]] was one of the few structures where Hatshepsut's name was not chiseled out or replaced, perhaps out of respect for him.

==References==
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== Further reading ==
* Biography of Ineni in ''Ancient Records of Egypt'' by J. H. Breasted, Part Two, sections 43ff and 99ff

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[[Category:Ancient Egyptian architects]]
[[Category:Officials of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt]]