Mastaba S3503 (Saqqara Tomb No. 3503) is a large

mastaba A mastaba ( , or ), also mastabah or mastabat) is a type of ancient Egyptian tomb in the form of a flat-roofed, rectangular structure with inward sloping sides, constructed out of mudbricks or limestone. These edifices marked the burial sites ...

tomb at the

Saqqara necropolis Saqqara ( : saqqāra ), also spelled Sakkara or Saccara in English , is an Egyptian village in the markaz (county) of Badrashin in the Giza Governorate, that contains ancient burial grounds of Egyptian royalty, serving as the necropolis for the ...

Lower Egypt Lower Egypt ( ') is the northernmost region of Egypt, which consists of the fertile Nile Delta between Upper Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea, from El Aiyat, south of modern-day Cairo, and Dahshur. Historically, the Nile River split into sev ...

. The burial was constructed around 3000 BC during the First Dynasty of Ancient Egypt.

Structure

The structure was excavated by

Walter Bryan Emery Walter Bryan Emery, CBE, (2 July 1903 – 11 March 1971) was a British Egyptologist. His career was devoted to the excavation of archaeological sites along the Nile Valley.Archaic Egypt (bio), Walter B. Emery, Pelican Books, London, 1963. During ...

and his team at

Saqqara Saqqara ( : saqqāra ), also spelled Sakkara or Saccara in English , is an Egyptian village in the markaz (county) of Badrashin in the Giza Governorate, that contains ancient burial grounds of Egyptian royalty, serving as the necropolis for ...

. The superstructure of the mastaba is 42 metres long and 16 metres wide and was made from sun-dried mudbricks. The exterior was decorated with a palace facade, with nine niches on the long sides and three on each of the short sides. Within the structure were 23 chambers. Below the ground level was a large burial chamber in the middle of the building with four side chambers. There are 20 subsidiary tombs arranged around the structure.

The tomb was probably robbed in ancient times. The burial chamber was also robbed, but still contained many items in their original locations when it was excavated, which allowed a relatively good idea of the original contents. In the centre of the tomb chamber was a large

sarcophagus A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek language, Greek wikt:σάρξ, σάρξ ...

, of which only a few wooden planks were found. It measured about 2.7 x 1.8 metres. The remains of a skeleton were also found, but it could not be determined whether they belonged to a man or a woman. On the east side of the sarcophagus were bowls and vessels, which formed a meal for the deceased. On the walls of the burial chamber were many stone and pottery vessels, but also the remains of a chest. North of the sarcophagus were poles which were probably intended for a canopy or a tent.

Occupant

The sole occupant's identity is unknown. Emery suggested it was Queen

Meritneith Merneith (also written Merit-neith and Meryt-Neith; died 2950 BC) was a consort and a regent of Ancient Egypt during the First Dynasty. She may have been a ruler of Egypt in her own right, based on several official records. If this was the ...

, since her name appeared on some objects and

cylinder seal A cylinder seal is a small round cylinder, typically about one inch (2 to 3 cm) in width, engraved with written characters or figurative scenes or both, used in ancient times to roll an impression onto a two-dimensional surface, generally ...

ings with her name and that of King

Djer Djer (or Zer or Sekhty; ) is considered the third pharaoh of the First Dynasty of ancient Egypt in current Egyptology. He lived around the mid 31st century BC and reigned for c. 40 years. A mummified forearm of Djer or his wife was discovered by ...

were found in the tomb. This suggestion has since been abandoned, since Meritneith's tomb has been found at Abydos. The occupant of S3503 therefore remains anonymous. Others have suggested an individual named Seshemka.

Bibliography

* Walter B. Emery: ''The Great Tombs of the First Dynasty.'' Vol 2. Egypt Exploration Society, London 1954, pp. 128–170.

References

External links

Saqqara Tomb No. 3503 on www.touregypt.net
{{coord, 29.8807, N, 31.2212, E, source:wikidata, display=title Mastabas First Dynasty of Egypt Saqqara

Structure

Contents

Occupant

Bibliography

References

External links