Neferirtenef Funerary Chapel / KMKG - MRAH (E.2465) Neferirtenef was a judge, a priest, scribe and chief royal adviser. He lived in Memphis at the beginning of the Fifth Dynasty (Sahure, NEFERIRKARE/KAKAI, not after NYUSERRE/INI ). His wife, named Utjeset-kaues was, in turn, priestess of Hathor and Priestess of Neith. This funerary chapel in limestone blocks comes from a mastaba (D 55) which is situated at the East of the stepped pyramid of Saqqara. It was in the name of Neferirtenef, an important person who had fulfilled a series of administrative and judiciary functions under the first reigns of the 5th Dynasty. His wife, Outheset-kaou, was of illustrious origin and bears the titles of prophetess of Hathor, mistress of the sycamore and of prophetess of Neith who is to the North of her wall. The chapel, originally of rectangular form, comprises two false-door stelae of which the vertical uprights were decorated by reliefs figuring Neferirtenef and his wife. The other walls show offering scenes, scenes of provision supplies and scenes of agricultural work and of the hunt. Even if the chapel is in a reduced size, the scenes represented and the quality of work show the exceptional character of this funerary monument of the Old Kingdom. In 1857, the French archaeologist Auguste Mariette brought to light the mastaba of Neferirtenef at Saqqara North. The excavator discovered a few items he sent to Cairo Museum. Unfortunately the tomb had not been totally cleared, and he did not take any note of its location on a map of the necropolis. The tomb disappeared from history until the early twentieth century. In 1905, the Khedive of Egypt decided to offer a mastaba to Belgium. He wanted to thank Baron Edouard Empain who created the new districts of Heliopolis, a suburb of Cairo. Jean Capart, one of the greatest Belgian orientalists, was sent to Cairo. He chose to take the Mastaba of Neferirtenef to the Royal Museum of Art and History in Brussels. He found the tomb near the southeast corner of the funerary enclosure of Djoser. Among the reliefs of the tomb agricultural and fishing in the marshes scenes can be admired together with representations of dancers, offering carriers and several depictions of Neferirtenef and his wife. The statue of the deceased, found by Mariette is on display at the Cairo Museum (CG 21 item). The texts in hieroglyphics inscribed on the false door consent the identification of Neferirtenef as owner of the tomb. His titles: judge and overseer of the scribes, royal wab-priest, hem-priest of Sahure, custodian of his Masters secrets for every day. Inspector of the hem-priests of Hathor, custodian of his Masters secrets, blessed with his Master, Neferirtenef. Photos Museum
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 09:50:35 +0000
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