Mastaba S3505
Mastaba S3505 is located in Saqqara and most likely belonged to the dignitary Merka , who was a high official under King Qaa in the 1st Dynasty of Ancient Egypt .
The mastaba was found on January 12, 1954 and excavated in the following period. The actual mastaba is about 24 m wide and 35 m long. It is surrounded by a wall (65.2 × 40 m), which in turn surrounds an inner wall, which also includes a mortuary temple in the north. The actual mastaba is decorated with a palace facade on three sides , only on the west side (the back, the building is oriented to the east) is a niche structure that is very reduced in comparison. The palace facade was once richly painted, although the painting was still well preserved in places when it was found and could be copied. It appears to be showing a series of richly decorated fabrics or mats hung from the facade.
In front of the actual mastaba is a corridor that leads to the underground burial chamber, which in turn has two side chambers. On the front side there was a single side burial and a large stele that gave the title and name of the Merka. In the north there is a mortuary temple made up of various corridors and rooms. At least one room had a flagstone floor. The bases and feet of two wooden statues were also found in a niche.
The grave found itself robbed. There were still numerous clay and stone vessels as gifts. Unrolled seals call King Qaa, but also Merka. Ink and incised inscriptions also name Merka. Together with the stele, he can therefore be identified with certainty as the owner of the grave. Two incised inscriptions on stone vessels that name an otherwise hardly documented king Seneferka are noteworthy.
literature
- Walter Bryan Emery et al. a .: Great tombs of the First Dynasty III: excavations at Sakkara. Egypt Exploration Society, London 1958, pp. 2-36, panels 2-39.
Web links
Coordinates: 29 ° 52 ′ 45.7 ″ N , 31 ° 13 ′ 18.7 ″ E