Mastaba of Mereruka

The Mastaba of Mereruka is an Old Kingdom tomb in the necropolis of Saqqara in Giza Governorate, directly beside the pyramid of King Teti, founder of the Sixth Dynasty. It is the largest known non-royal tomb at Saqqara and contains more than thirty rooms and corridors.

Mereruka was vizier to King Teti and one of the highest officials of his reign. He married a daughter of the king, and one section of the tomb was set aside for her and another for their son. It was uncovered in the late nineteenth century during excavations by the antiquities service at Saqqara.

The walls of the chambers are covered with painted reliefs showing scenes of daily life. These include fishing and fowling in the marshes, a hippopotamus hunt, cattle herding, the work of craftsmen such as goldsmiths and carpenters, and the presentation of offerings, as well as unusual scenes such as the force-feeding of hyenas. In the pillared hall a life-size statue of Mereruka appears to step out of a niche above an offering table. The tomb is a major source for the study of art and life in ancient Egypt.