Mesi (palace overseer)

Mesi in hieroglyphics
Mesi msj

Mesi was an ancient Egyptian official of the 5th Dynasty in the Old Kingdom and held the position of overseer in the palace of the Pharaoh . His wife Sesesech was a priestess of Hathor and also a palace overseer . Another eight people who belonged to his household are documented in writing.

His grave

The stone mastaba (G 2009) is located in the western field of the necropolis of Giza and dates from the middle of the 5th dynasty . It was excavated by George Andrew Reisner . The grave contained seven grave shafts. Skeletal remains and parts of a wooden coffin were found in shaft B inside the chapel. In the sacrificial chamber in front of the false door to the Serdab, there were two sacrificial basins named Khnum ( Museum of Fine Arts, Boston , MFA 06.1883) and Semerka ( Egyptian Museum, Cairo , Cairo JE 38674). In the Serdab there were four statues (three and two statues). They represent eight individuals with different names. A double statue of Mesi and his wife is in Cairo (Cairo JE 38670). The remaining three are kept by the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston : a triad named Hes, Khuiptah and Nikaukhufu ( MFA 061882 ), the seated couple Bau and Baru ( MFA 06 1885 ) and the boy Ptaneferty ( MFA 06.1881 ). A picture and description of the Ptaneferty can be found in the museum's catalog. The statue shows the usual childlike characteristics, but those of a grown man in the stride position and arm position. He is called a craftsman. It is conceivable that this is the grave of a professional group; because Mesi, his wife Sesekh, Baru, Hes and Nikaukhuf, Khunu and Semerka are called palace overseers. Parallels to the group statues of Raramu in G 2099, who was also the palace overseer , are striking.

literature

• Rita E. Freed, Lawrence M. Berman, Denise M. Doxey (Eds.): MFA Highlights, Arts of Ancient Egypt , 2003, p. 92.
• Bertha Porter , Rosalind LB Moss : Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs and Paintings. III. Memphis. 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1974, p. 67 ( PDF; 30.5 MB ).
• George Andrew Reisner : Description of Mastabas in Cemetry G 2000 , unpublished manuscript, box L 11, pp.48-53.
• Ann Macy Roth: A Cemetry of Palace Attendants , Giza Mastabas, Vol. 6, Museum of Fine Arts , Boston 1995, pp. 150-154.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ George Andrew Reisner , Description of Mastabas in Cemetry G 2000 (see literature).
2. ↑ Rita E. Freed, Lawrence M. Berman, Denise M. Doxey (Eds.), MFA Highlights (see literature).
3. ^ A. Roth, A Cemetry of Palace Attendants (see literature).