The top section shows the return of Rekhmire after his meeting with Amenhotep II: Pharaoh Thutmose III died around 1425 BC. AD and his son Amenhotep II succeeded him. At that time, this tomb was not finished. The Vizier, at the announcement of the (accession) news, hurried north down the Nile to a meeting in Hout-sekhem (Diospolis Parva, about 110 km north of Luxor) with his new sovereign who returned with him back to Thebes from Memphis. This is the ‘happy return’ of the Vizier now confirmed in office and celebrated by his family as is shown here on the upper registers.
The bottom section is occupied by a scene where the Vizier receives complainants.
The large wall area on the east side (to the entrance) remained anepigraphic either voluntarily, or because there was no time to decorate it.
The return of the Vizier
1) - Text
At the top is an inscription that was written over another text, which was covered with an indelible whitewash which makes it impossible to read. The final text says: "Arrival of the Mayor, the Vizier Rekhmire on his return from Hout-sekhem, his trip was to meet His Majesty in order to offer a bouquet, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Aakheperoure, may he live forever. Now the King decreed the said Vizier was the supervisor of works, supervisor of artisans, whose head was an extremely attentive towards directing the work for his lord and for all monuments in the Temple of Amun and in the ? of the Gods of Upper and Lower Egypt, one who worked according to the designs ?? and from what His Majesty wished, showing an activity that makes people thank God for him. He was given the gold award for his empathy (?) with the sovereign for whom he was carrying out orders. On his arrival in Thebes who-turns-her-face-to-her master, the servants of the temple of Amun were not able to stand still for joy, all the people rejoiced together and the whole country was in joy. They paid tribute to the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, they worshiped Horus with his strong arms, for they had seen that Maat had finally received her golden reward. May her embrace (that of Maat) provide health and life to his son, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt Aakheperourê so she can grant he passes a multitude of years as Re, forever".
2) - Boats
The splendid vessel of the Vizier is shown in an unusual scale in two views. The top one goes at full speed south on the Nile to announce the good news of his continued power in the city of Thebes to his family and relatives: the unfurled sail is inflated by the north wind and twelve rowers each side of the bulwarks bend themselves onto their oars, urged on by foremen equipped with whips (). The bottom one is moored alongside the quay, sail furled and emptied of its occupants ().
3) - The reception of the Vizier
Rekhmire advances, followed by his servants who are shown on two levels close behind him (). The favor that the new king has proclaimed about Rekhmire is manifested by the awards of gold that were presented to him: necklaces of gold beads, bracelets and armlets of the same metal ().
Before him stands his son, the second prophet of Amun, Menkhepereseneb, who hands him a bouquet with the words: "For your Ka, the scent of wild flowers that have been offered to the king of the gods, Amun". Behind him, the children and grandchildren of the Vizier and likewise his relatives (happy… and relieved because they risked losing everything!) have reserved for him a hero's welcome.
On the top register, six men bring flowers; but just one name, Kenamun, remains. The first person says: "Accept these marsh flowers because he (= the God) loves you and supports you". If at first glance the painter seems to have been erred in the number of intertwined arms, it is not so! The count is here: …
Eleven women, all singers of Amun, occupy the lower register; each is holding a sistrum and menat necklace, or two castanets. The first woman Takhaout proclaims: "You come in peace into the august city, for you have received the favour of the master of the house. The Southern city assembles in jubilation because they saw Maat behind you". As noted by Davies, Ma'at will be held in principle as being behind Pharaoh. Rekhmire is received as the representative of the sovereign, who so completely trusts him that he apparently did not find it necessary to relocate him to Thebes.
Rekhmire and the bearers of petitions
() he presence of this scene in this location may seem incongruous, especially as we saw petitioners appearing before the Vizier in the place of justice in the south wing of the transverse hall. Rekhmire, who has disappeared, was shown along with his scribes before three registers showing petitioners, men and women () ; They are so many and so pressing, that a security service provided with batons is required. The accompanying text proclaims () : "Rekhmire, he gets up at dawn to perform the daily rituals and listen to the complaints of the public and petitions of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, not rejecting the lowly or the great, soothing the unfortunate, comforting one whose burdens are heavy and doing evil to the one who has committed it". A declaration of probity and impartiality that also tells us that the Vizier got up very early…
Epilogue
After this description of the chapel, TT100, of Rekhmire, we can only thank the gods for having largely preserved its most interesting areas from the destruction that time and men have inflicted on so many Egyptian monuments, and which still allows us to visit this unique monument. In its technical quality and the variety of topics covered within, it has no equivalent among the New Kingdom tombs at Thebes: besides some very important texts, it shows us what the better thutmoside style produced. We will probably never know what happened to Rekhmire or why some have gone after the memory of the Vizier and his family. Hopefully he was not denied the future to which he aspired as Osiris.