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 ENTRANCE TO CHAMBER B5 

This entrance passageway, which is located at the eastern end of the north wall of chamber B3, gives access to chamber B5 (the offering chamber), measures 0.7m wide by just over 1.0m. in depth (the thickness) and just under 2.0m in height.

There is no widening at either end to accommodate a door. The east side thickness is in-line with main section of the east wall of chamber B5, which, although at the entry end it was recessed by 0.25m it was not for this purpose (as will be discussed later).

The ceiling of the passageway has retained some of its original colour. This consists mainly of a dark red, along with black and white, the effect being to imitate red granite. So, perhaps all of the entries has such a ceiling.

The two thicknesses of the passageway are, like the previous ones, similarly decorated. They both contain three registers with the figures proceeding into chamber B5. The bottom registers of both sides show two men, each leading an animal. The first animal (nearest to B5) in both cases is identified as a 'young ox belonging to the stall', whilst the second animal on the west thickness is listed as a 'young Nubian ibex calf', and on the east as a 'young gazelle calf'. On both sides, the top two registers include six men carrying food and drink.

 CHAMBER B5 

The offering chamber (B5) measures 6.8m north-south with a width of 2.1m east-west. The width is extend at the southern end by a shallow recess located in the east wall next to the entry from B3. This measures 1.1m wide by 0.25m deep with a maximum retained height of 2.20m and, unlike the other walls of the chamber, which are decorated, it is totally undecorated. The joins of the undecorated stone blocks indicate that the recess could possibly have been a doorway of the usual 0.7m width. If this is the case, then was blocked prior to the room's decoration.

In the centre of the west wall is located a large offering alcove. This is 1.9m north-south by 1.6m in depth (towards the west). The west wall of the alcove is designed as a palace facade with a false door, with a preserved height of 3.3m, in front of which is a stone offering platform or table. The facade actually rests on top of this stone base, which is 1.9m wide (the full width of the alcove) by 0.5m high, with a depth of 0.2m.

The surviving height of the walls of this chamber vary greatly, from about 1.75m (most of the east wall) to the 3.3m of the west wall of the alcove.
The walls of chamber B5


The south wall : (line drawing)
At the eastern end of this wall is the entrance from chamber B3.

The tomb owner and her son, standing at the west end, face left, towards the entry. Three narrow registers, wide enough to only hold the representation of a single offering bearer in each, have survived in front of them.
The representation of Watetkhethor has survived only to waist height. Meryteti/Mery, who is once again naked, hold only a lotus flower in his right hand. What remains of his identifying text is in two columns above him. Separating the couple from the registers of offering bearers is the remaining part of the column of the now standard text describing the scene: '... the ka-servants of her funerary estate, so that invocation offerings may come to her from there'.

The west wall (south and north): (line drawing, south and line drawing, north)
As already stated, this wall is divided at its centre by a large alcove. The wall spaces to either side are of equal length and are similarly decorated, but they are not identical. The bottom three registers of north and south sections depict thirteen offering bearers; the exception being the second register on the south side, which shows fourteen. All the men are shown as moving towards the alcove, and carry a wide variety of offerings. The detail shown is well executed and has survived well the passage of time. None of the figures of the lower three registers are accompanied by any descriptive or identifying text.

See south section details: registers 1-3, left , registers 1-3, right , registers 2-4 right and bearers 3-5 of second register)
See north section details: registers 1-4 (part), right , registers 1-4, middle and bearers 4-7 of bottom register)

In the fourth register, on either side of the west wall, thirteen priests are shown performing a traditional ceremony associated with funerary meals. On the south side, which is better preserved (see register four and line drawing, south), six of them wear short wigs, while seven wear long wigs and beards. On both sides some of the priests are accompanied by descriptive texts: The standing man (1) pouring water from a Hz-jar described as 'giving libation'. The next standing man (2) holding a censer 'burning incense'. The inscription written between figures (2) and (3) (the kneeling man) are probably those spoken by the priest standing behind (4). It states: 'offerings which the king gives and the gesture of offering: half-loaves, sweet things, beer, oxen, fowl, offering table?, bread, cake, beer ...'. The standing priest (5) reading from a long unrolled scroll is identified on the northern wall only as 'lector priest' the text in front of him states: 'glorification'. Above the three kneeling and gesturing men (6-8) is: 'many glorifications by the lector priest'. Next is an unidentified man (9) walking in the opposite direction. At the top, between him and the kneeling priest (10) the text is: 'breaking the red vessels'. Below this is a list which states: 'half-loaves, sweet things, beer, the year-offerings, beer'. Lastly are three priests (11-13) in the same postures as priest encountered earlier.

Above the fourth register are the remains of another depicting stacks of food and drink.

The alcove - south and north walls : (line drawing, south and line drawing, north)
The offering alcove is decorated symmetrically. At the back (the west wall) the wall is designed as a false door enclosed in a palace facade; this is discussed separately below.

The two side-walls of the alcove are almost mirror images. They each depict Watetkhethor seated, facing east, before an offering table laden with twenty half-loaves of bread. In both cases her right hand is extended towards the table. On the south wall she rests her empty left hand on her lap, whilst on the north wall she holds a lotus flower to her nose with her left hand. On both walls, the chair on which she is seated has legs shaped like those of a lion. Both images of her have survived well, especially that of the north wall. In this she can be see to have black, short cut hair adorned (as previously seen) with a long ribbon fastened with a bow. Even the colour of her face remains visible (see photo view).
It is worth noting that in neither of these two scenes is Watetkhethor accompanied by her son Meryteti.

The north wall, on which more of the painted detail has survived, shows that the chair could have been made of ebony. Above the table the text reads: 'Requirements of Hetepet-offerings and Henek-offerings, a thousand breads, a thousand beer, a thousand oxen, a thousand fowl, a thousand alabaster, a thousand clothes, and a thousand of all the good offerings of the year'. On the opposite side of the table and underneath it are piled items of food, jars and a ewer. Above the ewer is written 'All the good offerings of the year'.

The north wall has survived to a greater height than the south and thus has preserved not only a tabular list of offerings, but also several columns of text above Watetkhethor's head. This hieroglyphic text identifies her as '(1) the honoured one before her father, (2) ... the priestess of Neith, who is north of the wall, at Iret-Merut, (3) ... the honoured one before Anubis, who is on his hill, (4) ... [before Osiris, lord of] Busiris and before Anubis, lord of the sacred land, (5) Watetkhethor, her beautiful name, Seshseshet. (6) ......'.
A tabular list (see line drawing) is reproduced above the table and the piles of food. The list consists of of 2 rows of 26 offerings each, although there may have been at least one and possibly two further rows above what has survived. Each entry is written in three parts: the name of the offering, a small kneeling figure (although four, at the right-hand side, can be seen standing) carrying the offering, and finally the quantity offered.

On each side wall, below the offering table scene, is a register with several offering bearers walking towards the seated Watetkhethor (see south wall and north wall). On the south wall there are eight men, whilst on the north there are seven. The first four men on each wall carry the forelegs of animals, whilst the following four on the south and three on the north carry geese by the neck and wings.

The alcove - west wall (false door) : (photo)

Click coloured area to see detail
The west wall is in the form of a large limestone grooved stela (or palace facade and false door), of archaic style. The overall appearance is that of a section of a palace facade. The multi sections, columns and blocks are filled with a wide variety of patterns. It is of the same design as one found in chamber A11 of her husband, Mereruka's part of the mastaba, but his has not survived so well (see photo). At the centre, at half the height of the facade design, is the actual narrow false door. This is topped with a cylindrical drum inscribed with two rows of hieroglyphic text. Approximately halfway down this narrow door is located the representation of a bolt. This is design, and the uprights surrounding of this narrow door, is shown as an inner horizontal lintel supported by two columned inner jambs.
The full false door stela rests on a horizontal platform, which extends across the width of the alcove. This forms a table, on which the relatives could leave offerings, accessible to Watetkhethor when she exits through the door from the burial chamber below.

Down each of its outer edges, separating the facade from the north and south walls, is a single column of text; being more complete on the left than on the right. These enumerate the titles of Watetkhethor and both end with her two names. The left column, and originally the right, ends with a small standing image of Watetkhethor holding a lotus flower. The meaning of the two texts is identical, and reads: 'The king's eldest daughter, his beloved, the honoured one before her father, the priestess of Hathor, lady of the sycamore, the priestess of Neith, who is north of the wall, the honoured one before the great god, Watetkhethor, her beautiful name, Seshseshet'. Although they appear to be mirror image copies, there are slight variations (compare the line drawings). These differences are both due to spelling errors: the is missing on the south (left) side from 'honoured one', although it is correctly written there with a . On the north side, 'before' is written with an extra .

The only other inscription, as mention above, is on the drum above the inner narrow door section (see line drawing and photo). This reads:, '(1) The king's eldest daughter of his body, the priestess of Hathor, lady of the sycamore, (2) the honoured one before the great god, Watetkhethor, her beautiful name, Seshseshet'.

The north wall : (line drawing and photo)
The content of this wall (which faces east) at first appears normal for being represented in a tomb chamber; however, there are several features which are unique. The scene revolves around Watetkhethor being transported on a palanquin, accompanied by her son, Meryteti.

• The side of the chair depicts a lion, which was associated with royalty and the throne. The use of this motif suggests Watetkhethor's very special status as a 'king's eldest daughter of his body' but even this should not have been enough.
• Watetkhethor is also accompanied by her son, crouching in front of her, transported on the same palanquin. In Meryteti's own part of the mastaba, in chamber C1, he is shown accompanied by his wife, both seated together in one, but (from what remains) this does not have the lion design on its side. The only other woman of the Old Kingdom shown depicted in her own personal palanquin was Queen Meresankh III of the 4th Dynasty, but this was not being carried.
• Not only does the palanquin belong to a woman, but it is also being transported by females; four (possibly eight) in total. The poles which they hold appear to be of ebony. A similar palanquin is depicted at the northern end on the west wall of chamber B1. There it is being carried by four (eight) men, but there it is empty.

Watetkhethor wears her usual long, tight dress with two decorated straps, a broad necklace, bracelets and anklets and a short wig with curls depicted as small circles (see line drawing detail). Meryteti crouches at his mother's feet holding a bird in his left hand. Although wearing the side-lock of youth, he is not naked. He is wearing a long kilt to cover his legs. The three short rows of text above him identify him as 'her eldest son, her beloved, the honoured one before the great god, Meryteti, his beautiful name, Meri'.

Beneath the palanquin can be seen the tomb owner's pet animals, three dogs wearing collars and a monkey. Behind the palanquin seat are two women. One holds the title 'the female overseer of the house' and the one who carries a fan or sun-shade, 'the female overseer of linen'. In a separate register, above the two women, a man holds what appears to be a sunshade over Watetkhethor's head. His descriptive text is unreadable. At the front of the scene, is a register with three men (probably attendants) and the remains of another register with five men.

Separating the scene from the two colour bands of the dado is a single register depicting twelve women. These are primarily dwarves, perhaps all are, although four do not show the usual characteristics attributed to them. From the right, the direction which they face:

  • The first two women support wooden boxes on their shoulders.
  • The following two transport a larger chest on horizontal poles. The text above the chest states: 'a chest holding myrrh'.
  • The fifth woman carries a pair of sandals and a linen bag, she is identified as 'female inspector of seal-bearers'.
  • The sixth transports a bunch of lotus flowers and a jar, she is 'female overseer of linen', a title already encountered above.
  • The seventh woman carries a wooden box.
  • The eighth carries two different shaped jars.
  • The ninth carries a fan.
  • The tenth carries in her hands a mirror and, presumably, a small jewellery box.
  • The last two women carry between them a chest labelled 'a chest holding ointment'.

Quote from the ACE publication: 'Placed on this most obvious wall, opposite the entrance to the offering room, the palanquin scene seems to have a very special significance. The throne-like seat emphasises Watetkhethor's royal status, not just as a princess, but presumably as the one carrying the royal blood into the next generation. The depiction of her son with her in the palanquin and his description as her eldest son is very suggestive. The designation of the same son in Mereruka's chapel as 'eldest son of the king of his body' was probably to ease his succession to the throne. However, perhaps late in Teti's reign his son Pepy I was born and Meryteti lost his right to the throne.'

The east wall : (line drawing)
This, the final wall of Watetkhethor's chambers, shows her standing with her son at the northern end facing south. They are both represented as seen so many times throughout these chambers. She wears the tight fitting dress, the usual hairstyle and headdress and jewellery, holding a lotus flower to her nose. He, at a smaller scale, is naked with a sidelock of youth, holding a bird and also a lotus, and wearing a pendant around his neck. The remains of her descriptive text, in six of probably seven columns, located above her head, states: '(1) ... the honoured one before her father, (2) ... all places, (3) the priestess of Neith, who is north of the wall, at Iret-Merut, (4) ... the beautiful west, (5) Busiris, (6) ... Anubis who is on his hill'. Meryteti's text in two columns is unchanged: 'eldest son, her beloved, Meryteti, his beautiful name, Meri'.

Separating the couple from several registers, which stretch as far as the shallow recess at the southern end, is the usual vertical inscription describing the scene: 'bringing the choice things and the year-offerings by the ka-servants of her funerary estate, so that invocation offerings may come to her from there'.

The two bottom registers, the only ones to have survived almost intact, are given over totally to scenes of butchery.

Eight animals are being slaughtered in each register, oxen in the bottom one and desert animals in the one above. The desert animals alternate between oryxes and ibexes. The number of men working on each animal varies between two and three, and in one instance only, four. These butchers perform various jobs; from just holding the animal, to sharpening knives, cutting off the limbs and collecting the blood.

As with the dance scene of on the north wall of chamber B3, the registers contain hieroglyphic texts, recording the conversations between the men or their actions.
In the bottom register, left to right:
  • in the first group, the second man, standing in front of the man with a vessel, is indicated as 'sharpening the knife'.
  • in the second group, the man pulling on the rope which binds the legs of the animal, says 'behold, it is bound'.
  • behind the left man of the fourth group, the text is damaged, but possibly 'behold ... comrade' can be read. The next man tells his companion to 'hold fast', whilst the third says to the first 'finish with it, hurry up, comrade'.
  • the man binding the legs of fifth ox tells the one holding it by the horns 'turn its head, hurry up, by your life'.
In the second register:
  • the text between the second and third animals states: '..., comrade'.
  • with the fourth animal, the butcher who sharpens his knife addresses the man holding a jar on his shoulder, saying, '... thing? for the blood'.

Only the beginning and end of the third register has survived, and only the beginning of a fourth. The wall probably contained more. From the remains of registers three and four, it can be seen that the decoration contained offering bearers.

At the southern end of the wall is a shallow recess, containing no decoration or inscription. As already stated, the joins of the undecorated stone blocks indicate that the recess could possibly have been a doorway of the usual 0.7m width. This would have opened up into chamber B1, at its northern end, giving a matching entrance to that found at the wall's southern end, which enters chamber B2. The north end, along with the rest of the west wall of B1, was decorated; presumably after the connecting passageway was sealed. There is no obvious indication that this section of the wall's decoration was completed at a later time than the rest of the west wall.

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Bibliography

• DARESSY, G : Le Mastaba de Mera in 'Mémoires présentés à l'Institut Égyptien, vol.3, pp.521-74; Cairo, 1898.
• DUELL, P : The Mastaba of Mereruka; University of Chicago Press, 1936.
• NIMS, C F : Some Notes on the Family of Mereruka, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 58, No. 4 (Dec., 1938), pp. 638-647.
• PORTER, B and MOSS, R : Topographical bibliography of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic texts, reliefs and paintings, volume III, part 2, pp.534-535 and fig.LVI; Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, second edition, 2003.
• KANAWATI, N and ABDER-RAZIQ, M : Mereruka and his family, Part I, The Tomb of Meryteti : Report 21; Australian Centre for Egyptology, 2004.
• KANAWATI, N and ABDER-RAZIQ, M : Mereruka and his family, Part II, The Tomb of Waatetkhethor : Report 26; Australian Centre for Egyptology, 2008.
• KANAWATI, N : The Living and the Dead in Old Kingdom Tomb Scenes : DigiZeitschriften, Volume 9 (extract); 1981.
• KANAWATI, N : Conspiracies in the Egyptian Palace - Unis to Pepy I : Routledge, London and New York; 2003.
• LEXOVA, M (English trans. HALTMAR, K) : Ancient Egyptian Dances (with drawings made from reproductions); Dover Publications, 2000.
• MastaBase CD-Rom : Leiden Mastaba Project, Peeters Publishers, Leuven; 2008.


Original pages created by Jon Hirst
Photographs provided by:
Christian Mariais, A.Davies, Verety Endal, Jon Hirst and the ACE Publication
Line drawings created, or adapted from the ACE Publication, by Jon Hirst
with the kind permission of Prof. Kanawati
© OsirisNet 2009