366 Servants of the Place of TruthServants of the Place of Truth Also called the Servi-
tors of the Place of Truth, the name assumed by workers
who labored in the necropolis of the VALLEY OF THE KINGS
at THEBES, these artisans and workmen lived in DEIR EL-
MEDINA, which dates to the reign of AMENHOTEP I
(1525–1504 B.C.E.). The servants designed, constructed,
and decorated the royal tombs. They were provided with
residences and monthly rations.
During the reign of RAMESSES III(1194–1163 B.C.E.),
60 such servants were supervised by a man named Ame-
nakht, who complained that rations were not being deliv-
ered to Deir el-Medina. The workers assembled at the
mortuary temple of TUTHMOSIS IIIof a previous dynasty
and started a strike. They marched on the RAMESSEUM,
and violence ensued until VIZIERTa put a halt to the
affair. These protests took place in the year of the Hyena.
The servants were allowed to fashion tombs for
themselves and their families, and many exquisite exam-
ples of these tombs have survived. The affairs of the
workers at Deir el-Medina worsened as the last Ramessid
Dynasty declined after the death of Ramesses III in 1163
B.C.E.
Seshat (Sefkhet-Abut) She was a goddess of Egypt
serving as the patroness of learning, called “the Lady of
Books.” The patroness of writing also, Seshat was a con-
sort of the god THOTHand she was associated with the
PERSEA TREE. This unique symbol, and “the Tree of
Heaven,” were the receptacles of historical records. Seshat
wrote the name of each ruler upon the Persea’s leaves
when he was crowned. Seshat also served as “the Keeper
of Memories,” inscribing human and divine deeds on
other leaves of the Persea Tree.
Also called Sefkhet-Abut, Seshat was “the Mistress of
Architects.” HATSHEPSUT (r. 1473–1458 B.C.E.) offered
Seshat tallies of the goods brought from PUNTto Egypt.
The goddess was normally depicted as a woman wearing
a leopard skin and carrying writing reeds, a scribe’s
palette, or plumes. In time, Seshat became a protectoress
of the LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIAin the Ptolemaic Dynasty
(304–30 B.C.E.).
See also GODS AND GODDESSES.
Sesheshet (Idut, Hor-watet-khet)(fl. 23rd century
B.C.E.)Royal woman of the Sixth Dynasty
She was a daughter of TETI (r. 2323–2291 B.C.E.).
Sesheshet married MERERUKA, a prominent vizier of the
time, and she was commemorated with a statue, depict-
ing her as a KA,entering the world through a FALSE DOOR.
Mereruka’s tomb at Saqqara is well known for its elabo-
rate reliefs and statues. There are 32 chambers in this
tomb. Sesheshet bore a son, Meri-Teti.
Seshi (Mayebre)(d. c. 1635 B.C.E.) Ruler of the Asiatic
Fifteenth Dynasty, the Great Hyksos
He ruled from the HYKSOScapital of AVARISand was a con-
temporary of the Seventeenth Dynasty of Thebes. His
throne name meant “Just in the Heart of Ré.” Seshi’s seals
and SCARABSwere found throughout Lower Egypt and as
far south as the third cataract of the Nile in NUBIA(mod-
ern Sudan). He was the successor of SALITIS, the founder
of the dynasty.Set (Seth, Sutekh) An Egyptian deity, also recorded
as Seth, which meant “instigator of confusion,” he was
the son of GEBand NUTand the brother of OSIRIS, ISIS, and
NEPHTHYS. The Greeks associated him with Typhon, and
Set was regarded as both good and bad.
First recorded in NAGADA, Set was worshiped in the
Predynastic Period, before 3000 B.C.E. In the Osirian tra-
dition he murdered OSIRIS, fought HORUS, and was judged
by the other deities. Set was exiled to the outer perime-
ters of the universe. He was a defender of RÉ, however,
and he became the patron of the HYKSOSof AVARIS.
KOM OMBOwas a major cult center of Set as he was
given Upper Egypt by GEBand then lost it to HORUS.In
the PYRAMID TEXTS he is called both evil and good,
becoming evil during the Third Intermediate Period
(1070–712 B.C.E.). In some eras he was associated with
the slaying of APOPHIS, the wicked serpent that made
nightly attempts to destroy the god Ré. During the
Ramessid Period (1307–1070 B.C.E.) he was viewed as the
god of foreign lands and was supposedly married to the
goddess Nephthys. As a love god he was often invoked by
the use of chants, AMULETS, and charms.
He is best known, however, for his part in the
Osirian cult. Set murdered Osiris and set his coffin
adrift. When Isis found the body and restored it, Set cut
the flesh to pieces and hid them. Isis found all of Osiris
except for his phallus and brought about his resurrec-
tion. Horus, the son of Osiris, then set about seeking
revenge and Osiris pleaded a case against Set before the
gods.
Cult centers for Set were located along caravan
routes and in the western oases. He was elevated to a
national god when RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.) hon-
ored him at the new capital, PER-RAMESSES, in the eastern
Delta. In time, the dominant Osirian cult led to the
decline of the Set cult. Set had his own following, a group
that fought mock battles with the Followers of Horus at
festivals. The Set advocates always lost.
See also FOLLOWERS OF SET.Set Amentet (Seti-Amenti) It was an eternal par-
adise of Egyptian mortuary traditions, an edenic site in
the west where the deceased renewed their existence. The
term was also used in some eras to describe necropolis
areas.Set Animal See TYPHONEAN ANIMAL.