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Giza Western Cemetery |
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The cemetery to the west of the Great Pyramid is the largest of the
Old Kingdom cemeteries at Giza and contains the mortuary chapels of
many high-status officials of Dynasty IV. The western necropolis,
which can be divided roughly into three separate areas, is dominated
by the massive mastaba G2000, which was undecorated but appears to
have been built for a person of very high rank during the reigns of
Khufu or Khafre. The western cemetery is formed by long streets of
mastabas built in blocks and intersected by other streets like modern
city blocks. |
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| The Tomb of Duaenre (G5110) |
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Duaenre's tomb is one of the Giza tombs newly restored and opened to
visitors. He was a son of the pharaoh Khafre and his mother was
Meresankh III, whose tomb (G7530-7540) can be seen in the eastern
cemetery. Duaenre held the office of 'Vizier of Menkaure' during the
king's Dynasty IV reign.
The tomb has an entrance on the eastern side which leads through a
passage into the offering chapel. Remains of carved scenes of the
deceased can be seen in the doorway, with his attendants carrying
offerings behind him. Scenes on the walls of the chapel mostly
represent offerings, with men bringing various animals, including
gazelle, ibex and a goose as well as the usual illustrations of
butchers. Another group of men carry other funerary goods and vessels,
including a covered altar. On the western wall there are two false
doors and on the southern wall is an opening into a serdab (statue
chamber).
When Duaenre's tomb was investigated by Shiaparelli around 1838, he
found a burial shaft which contained an uninscribed red granite
sarcophagus and lid, now in Turin Museum. |
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| Tomb of Iymery (G6020) |
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When Lepsius entered this tomb at the south-western corner of the
western cemetery, he named it the 'Tomb of Trades' because of its
colourful painted reliefs depicting many industrial scenes, including
carpenters, goldsmiths, jewellers and sculptors at work. The tomb was
popular with travellers in the 19th century, who carved their names on
its walls. Iymery was the son of Shepseskafankh (whose tomb is
adjacent) and Nikauhathor, probably during the reign of Niuserre of
Dynasty V. His titles include 'Prophet of Khufu', 'Steward of the
Great Estate' and 'Scribe of the Archives'.
The entrance to this large tomb is again on the eastern side, with
steps leading down into a vestibule which is decorated with many
beautiful and important scenes of craftsmen at work. In this chamber
Iymery is seen with his father Shepseskafankh, and other family
members, including his son Neferbauptah (tomb G6010). On the west wall
scenes of food production are shown, which include the brewing of beer
in all its stages. An entrance passage here leads to a long
recatangular hall, which has on the left-hand wall, three openings
into a long serdab chamber, interspersed with well-preserved
agricultural and fowling scenes and the funeral banquet, with male
musicians entertaining the guests while Iymery is seated in his chair.
Fishing and fowling in the marshes is also shown on the opposite wall
and many other agricultural pursuits show such themes as tilling the
earth and the birth of a calf. In a smaller chamber at the end of the
long hall there are more offering scenes with musicians and dancers
below and on its western wall is a false door of Iymery. To the north
of this tomb is the entrance to a narrow decorated corridor chapel
with two offering niches, dedicated to the 'King's Aquaintance', Ity
(G6030). Iymery's tomb has been recently restored and re-opened. |
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| Tomb of Neferbauptah (G6010) |
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The tomb of Neferbauptah, the son of Iymery (G6020), has also
undergone recent restoration and is open to visitors for the first
time since discovery in the 1930s. The official's titles were 'Steward
of the Great Estate', 'Prophet of Khufu, Sahure, Neferirkare and
Niuserre' during middle to late Dynasty V.
This large tomb comprises of five chambers plus a serdab on its
southern side. The eastern entrance opens into a large courtyard
containing two square pillars and the burial shaft but many of the
scenes in this room are incomplete. An entrance to the south leads
into another chamber with pillars and agricultural scenes on the
walls. The third room to the south, is square in shape, again with two
pillars and has three openings into the serdab chamber. Reliefs of the
tomb-owner and his relatives can be seen around the doorway into a
smaller chamber on the western wall. This small rectangular
offering-chapel has the most important scenes in the tomb where the
reliefs depict men bringing animals, including desert animals and
cattle, led by the deceased's eldest son, Neferseshemptah.
Neferbauptah is shown with is wife receiving these offerings. Texts
record the agricultural products and amounts of crops. On the end wall
the tomb-owner is seated and receives a lotus flower and other
offerings, according to the prescribed lists. The western wall
contains two false doors with offering lists and vignettes of the
deceased seated at a table with funerary priests and offering-bringers
before him. The tomb also contains a life-size statue of the deceased
carved into the wall. |
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| Tomb of Iasen (G2196) |
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Iasen, 'Tenant of the Royal House' and 'Overseer of Priests' during
Dynasty V or VI, was the owner of a small rock-cut tomb at the western
side of the western cemetery. The tomb's entrance leads into a long
narrow vestibule with a false door stela. The main part of the
tomb-chapel consists of a large rectangular room with a niche on the
western wall containing a standing statue of Iasen, wearing a stiff
triangular kilt, typical of the period. Reliefs in this chamber depict
many scenes of offerings and preparation (including cooking scenes)
for the funerary banquet. Musicians entertain the deceased, while men
fill wine jars in the scene below. There are many colourful scenes of
daily life and agriculture in this tomb. A small unfinished room is
cut into the rock on the southern side of the chapel. |
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| Tomb of Senedjemib-inty (G2370) |
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Several mastaba tombs dating to late Dynasty V and are grouped
together in a modern courtyard at the north-west corner of the Great
Pyramid. When investigated by Reisner's team during the first half of
the 20th century they were found to be in a poor state of
preservation, but four of the tombs have recently been restored with
the addition of protective ceilings, new wooden floors and lighting
and the reconstruction of missing pillars and damaged wall reliefs.
They are now open to visitors.
Senedjemib, whose 'good name' was Inty, was 'Chief Justice and
Vizier', 'King's Architect and Builder in the Two Houses' during the
reign of Djedkare-Isesi of Dynasty V. His tomb chapel, fronted by a
portico, consists of four other chambers, the last of which was a
pillared hall containing the sloping burial shaft, where the inscribed
granite sarcophagus of the tomb-owner was found. Unpainted reliefs in
the tomb show many important scenes of daily life in the Old Kingdom,
including industrial, agricultural and nautical scenes and priests
performing the funeral rites. The deceased is portrayed in the
pillared hall with his wife Thefi and his son, Senedjemib-mehu. |
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| Tomb of Khnum-inty (G2374) |
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Khnum-inty, whose tomb is close to that of his father Senedjemib-inty,
was a royal scribe and 'Overseer of the Granary and of all the King's
Work', probably during the reign of King Teti of early Dynasty VI.
Blocks were found in the tomb-chapel bearing the name of Teti's
pyramid and a bowl bearing Teti's cartouche was found in the burial
shaft. The tomb-chapel contains the usual offering scenes and
illustrates the funeral procession. There is also a large ornate but
unfinished false door with an offering table before it. |
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| Tomb of Akhetmehu (G2375) |
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Akhetmehu's titles were 'Judge and Elder of the Hall' and 'Overseer of
the House of Weapons' during the time of Merenre I or Pepy II. His
tomb-chapel contains scenes of daily life and religious rites during
the Old Kingdom as well as an impressive false door behind inscribed
pillars supported by an architrave. A burial shaft contained a
box-sealing of the 'Inspector of Embalmers' with the Horus name of
Merenre or Pepy II. |
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| Tomb of Senedjemib-mehu (G2378) |
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Senedjemib, whose 'good name' was Mehu (or Mehi) was 'Chief Justice
and Vizier' and 'King's Architect and Builder in the Two Houses'
during the reign of Unas of Dynasty V. He was another son of
Senedjemib-inty and Thefi and brother of Khnum-inty. His wife is named
as Khentkawes, a 'King's Daughter' and 'Prophetess of Hathor'. His
eldest son was also called Senedjemib and two other children were Mehi
and Khentkawes.
This tomb comprised a forecourt leading into a hall where many scenes
are carved relating to the daily activities of the deceased and his
family. There are remains of many industrial and agricultural scenes,
and in the inner hall, reliefs of funerary rites and offerings. An
unfinished false door of the deceased is located at the rear of the
inner hall.
Photography is no longer allowed inside any of the tombs. |
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