The mastaba of Neferherenptah is found among a group of rock-cut tombs
on the southern side of the causeway of Unas at Saqqara.
Neferherenptah's title was 'Overseer of Hairdressers of the Great
House', and he was the father of a judge and scribe called Ptahshepses.
His mastaba, popularly called the 'Birds' Tomb', dates to Dynasty V
and probably slightly predates the Pyramid complex of Unas as it seems
to have been interrupted by the building of the causeway.
The tomb consists of a single chamber, with its entrance facing north
and although it was unfinished its decoration includes interesting
examples of sketched paintings as well as a few fine completed
reliefs. |
Inside the entrance on the right-hand wall, there are five registers
of reliefs (some unfinished) depicting the tending of cattle,
preparation of food, the mating and calving of cattle, milking and
servants bringing wine-jars as offerings to the ka of Neferherenptah.
The rear wall shows unfinished scenes which have been sketched in red
ochre and finished in charcoal, but work on the relief carving was not
begun. This wall shows more agricultural scenes, men picking sycamore
figs, netting and caging birds (pigeons and other birds),
fruit-picking, gardening and ploughing(?). The gardening scenes
clearly show the watering and harvesting of onions. In one register
huge baskets of fruit and vegetables have been gathered from the
garden by servants and another man is seen with papyrus stalks over
his arm. Viticulture is also represented, with men picking and
treading grapes while others wield sticks.
A painted scene high on the wall gives the tomb its name - a beautiful
representation of the bird-hunt shows a flock of birds rising into the
air from a papyrus thicket.
Towards the left-hand side of the rear wall is an unfinished and
uninscribed false door.
The mastaba of Neferherenptah was first discovered during excavations
of the southern sector of the Unas causeway by Ahmed Moussa between
1964 and 1972. |
