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Tomb of Pabasa (TT279) |
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Pabasa, who was also called Pabes, has a large tomb at Asasif, just
outside the entrance to Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahri. Like
Ankh-hor, who held this important title after him, he was the 'Chief
Steward of the God's Wife Nitocris' (Neitiqert) during the reign of
Saite king Psamtek I.
Pabasa's tomb still has a large mudbrick superstructure. A steep
flight of stairs leads down to the entrance of the subterranean levels
and on the lintel above the doorway is a fine relief of a barque,
adored by the souls of Pe and Nekhen, by the God's Wife, Nitocris and
by the deceased. |
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A small vestibule leads to a larger pillared sun court. The vestibule
shows scenes of Pabasa's funeral procession, including mourners and
the 'Abydos Pilgrimage'. There is a long text of Pabasa and depictions
of his son, Thahorpakhepesh, who acted as sem-priest at his father's
funeral.
On the inner lintel of the entrance to the court, a relief shows
Osiris and Re-Horakhty, in the centre of a double-scene, with Pabasa
and Nitocris and cartouches of the king (Psamtek I) and his daughter
Nitocris on either side. The sun court is open to the sky and
therefore well lit, with three square pillars on each of its eastern
and western sides. The most important scenes are on the pillars and
these give us a great deal of detail about the daily activities in the
estate of the Divine Adoratrice. The pillars include scenes showing a
bedroom being prepared, men spinning, netting and cleaning fish and
catching birds with a throwstick. In Pabasa's tomb there are also rare
scenes of beekeeping as well as viticulture and picking fruit. The
reliefs are very finely carved. Around the walls of the court Pabasa
is shown in many offering scenes and long texts with beautifully
painted hieroglyphs. |
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Beyond the sun court is a hall containing eight pillars, part of which
was decorated but is now very damaged. The pillars were also decorated
with deities and texts on the sides facing the central isle. At the
rear of the hall a decorated niche contains Pabasa's burial shaft. His
granite sarcophagus is now in Glasgow Museum.
Several other chambers containing burial shafts are accessed from the
rear of the hall. |
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| Entrance |
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| The tomb of Pabasa is open from 7.00am to 5.00pm. |
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