You name it!
Besides the place name Deir el-Medina, there are other signs on this fragment we might try to interpret. Although damaged, we can still read the name ‘Amunemope’ on the stela.
The first part of the name of Amunemope is visible on the bottom left and is partially damaged. It should be spelled with a reed plant, the side view of a draughts-board and a water line (Fig. 1). This combination of signs spells out the name of the god Amun, an important deity during the New Kingdom. Often uniting with other gods, Amun was mainly deified as a creator god and solar god. As a solar god he is often combined with the god Re, creating the composite Amun-Re.
The sign for the sound ‘m’ (for Amunemope), often depicted as an owl, would usually be placed underneath the name of Amun, but it is now lost. The last part of the name of Amunemope is visible on the top right and would be written with a reed plant, a square and a half circle sign. As a determinative to the word ‘ope’, a half round sign that depicts a dome, is added, as the word ‘ope’ means an enclosed space. In this way, the name of Amunemope could be translated as: Amun is in the enclosed space. Behind these signs, the determinative of the seated man is added to indicate that it is the name of a person (Fig. 2) .
Unfortunately, no further affiliation is given besides the name of Amunemope. His name is quite common and from the site of Deir el-Medina alone, as at least 18 people with this name are known.