The Mastaba of Mereruka, Saqqara
Mereruka held the office of vizier during the reign of the 6th dynasty king, Teti. The office of vizier was the highest in the land – its holder was effectively prime minister and the king’s closest confidant. The extent of the vizier’s authority was considerable – his power even extended to the supervision of the palace and royal estates. In addition to his secular functions, Mereruka also held the important title of “overseer of the priests attached to the pyramid of Teti”. This was a hugely important position – its owner being responsible for the continued maintenance of the funerary cult of the deceased king.
The power and wealth at Mereruka’s disposal is amply manifested in the mastaba’s scale, style and artistic opulence. It is one of the largest privately owned mastabas from ancient Egypt. The tomb actually contains three separate suites or chapels – the largest, naturally, belonging to the vizier. An en-suite chapel was reserved for his wife, Watkhethor – and the third, and smallest complex, was later added for his son, Meriteti Meri. Watkhethor was Mereruka’s second wife and she is named in the tomb as “the king’s eldest daughter”. Several images in the tomb indicate the presence of a second adult son called Memi. He was presumably the child of Mereruka from an earlier marriage. Given the prominence of Watkhethor in the mastaba, it is unsurprising that the name of this first wife is nowhere attested in its reliefs or inscriptions.
Date of Construction: 6th Dynasty, reign of Teti (c. 2282 – 2260 B.C.)
Highlights:
Scenes of a desert hunt
A hippopotamus hunt scene
Craft industries reliefs
Forced-feeding of animals reliefs
Six pillared hall, with “ka-statue” of Mereruka
- Introduction to the Mastaba of Mereruka - 3:00
- A Hippopotamus Hunt - 2:02
- Fowling Scene - 1:18
- A Desert Hunt - 0:39
- Craftsmen at Work - 1:27
- Music & Dancing - 1:15
- Statue of Mereruka - 2:17
- Force Feeding of Animals - 1:26
- A Game of Senet - 1:10
- The Tomb-chapel of Watkhethor - 1:00
- The Tomb-chapel of Meri-teti - 1:54
