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G 2381

Western Cemetery

Western Cemetery: Site: Giza; View: G 2381, G 2382, G 2370, G 2386

Details

  • Tomb Owner
    Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (G 2381)
    Merptahankh-meryre Ptahshepses Impy (G 2386/G 2381)
    Sabuptah Ibebi (G 2386/G 2381)
  • Attested
    Hatkau (in G 2381)
    Merptahankh-Pepi (in G 2381)
    Niunis (in G 2381)
    Tjemat (in G 2381)
  • Excavator
    George Andrew Reisner, American, 1867–1942
  • Baer Date
    Dynasty 6
  • PorterMoss Date
    Late Pepy I or Merenre I
  • Site Type
    Stone-built mastaba
  • Shafts
    G 2381 A; G 2381 B; G 2381 C; G 2381 X; G 2381 Y; G 2381 Z; G 2381 Serdab; G 2381 Chapel; G 2382 A
  • Remarks
    Nekhebu is buried in G 2382 A and Impy is buried in G 2381 A. Sabu-ptah Ibebi, son of Nekhebu and brother of Impy is probably buried in G 2381 C.

Finds 533

Excavation Diary Pages 53

Maps & Plans 39

Drawings 112

Published Documents 16

Unpublished Documents 294

Full Bibliography

  • Brovarski, Edward. "A Second Style in Egyptian Relief of the Old Kingdom." In Stephen E. Thomson and Peter Der Manuelian, eds. Egypt and Beyond. Essays Presented to Leonard H. Lesko upon his Retirement from the Wilbour Chair of Egyptology at Brown University June 2005, Providence: Department of Egyptology and Ancient Western Asian Studies, 2008, pp. 50-61, 65-67, 70-72, 75-76, 80-83, figs. 1a-b, 2a-b, pls. Ia-b, IIa-b, III, IVa, Va.

    Brovarski, Edward. The Senedjemib Complex, Part 1: The Mastabas of Senedjemib Inti (G 2370), Khnumenti (G 2374), and Senedjemib Mehi (G 2378). Giza Mastabas 7. Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, 2003, pp. 1, 3, 7, 11, 13, 15-16, 20-22, 31-34, 66, figs. 2-3.

    Brovarski, Edward. “The Senedjemib Complex at Giza: Report on the February-March 1999 Field Season of the Giza Mastabas Project.” Annales du Service des Antiquités de l'Égypte 76 (2001), pp. 67-68.

    Brovarski, Edward. "The Senedjemib Complex at Giza: An Interim Report." L'Égyptologie en 1979. Axes prioritaires de recherches, tome II. Colloques Internationaux du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique No. 595. Paris: Éditions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1982, pp. 115, 118.

    Chauvet, Violaine. “Decoration and Architecture: The Definition of Private Tomb Environment.” Servant of Mut. Studies on Ancient Egypt in Honor of Edward F. Wente. Leiden: Brill, 2008, p. 46 note 22.

    Dunham, Dows. "The Biographical Inscriptions of Nekhebu in Boston and Cairo." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 24 (1938), p. 1-8.

    Eaton-Krauss, Marianne. "The Striding Statue of Pehenptah (JE 44609)." In Mamdouh Eldmaty and Mai Trad, eds. Egyptian Museum Collections Around the World: Studies for the Centennial of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Cairo: Supreme Council of Antiquities, 2002, p. 311.

    Fischer, Henry G. Varia Nova. Egyptian Studies 3. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1996, p. 5, n. 30.

    Lehmann, Katja. Der Serdab in den Privatgräbern des Alten Reiches 1-3. Ph.D. Dissertation, Universität Heidelberg, 2000, Kat. G136.

    Maddin, R., T. Stech, J.D. Muhly & E. Brovarski. "Old Kingdom Models from the Tomb of Impy: Metallurgical Studies." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70 (1984), pp. 33, 35-39.

    Manuelian, Peter Der. "Excavating the Old Kingdom. The Giza Necropolis and Other Mastaba Fields." In Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1999, p. 149.

    Porter, Bertha, and Rosalind L.B. Moss. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings 3: Memphis (Abû Rawâsh to Dahshûr). Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1931. 2nd edition. 3: Memphis, Part 1 (Abû Rawâsh to Abûsîr), revised and augmented by Jaromír Málek. Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1974, pp. 89-92, plan 12.

    Reisner, George A. "A Family of Builders of the Sixth Dynasty, about 2600 B.C." Bulletin of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 11, No. 66 (November 1913), pp. 53-66.

    Reisner, George A. "Note on Overbuilding and Intrusive Burials at Gizah." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 23 (1937), p. 260.

    Reisner, George A. A History of the Giza Necropolis 1. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1942, pp. 153, 313.

    Reisner, George A., and Clarence S. Fisher. "Preliminary Report on the Work of the Harvard-Boston Expedition in 1911-13." Annales du Service des Antiquités de l'Egypte 13 (1914), pp. 227-252.

    Sethe, Kurt. Urkunden des Alten Reichs. Erster Band. Urkunden des Ägyptischen Altertums Abteilung 1, Hft. 1-4. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs'sche Buchhandlung, 1903/1933, pp. 215-221 [47 (138), 48 (139)].

    Smith, William Stevenson. "The Judge Goes Fishing." Bulletin of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 56, No. 304 (Summer 1958), pp. 58-62, pl. 2.

    Smith, William Stevenson. Ancient Egypt as Represented in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1960 (6th ed.), pp. 55, 63-64, fig. 36.

    Smith, William Stevenson. "The Old Kingdom in Egypt," The Cambridge Ancient History, rev. ed. of vols. I & II, Cambridge University Press, 1962, p. 44.

    Woods, Alexandra. "Contribution to a Controversy: A Date For the Tomb of kA(=j)-m-anx at Giza." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 95 (2009), p. 168, note 64.

People 8

Ancient People

  • Hatkau (in G 2381)

    • Type Attested
    • Remarks Wife ([Hmt=f] his wife) of Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (owner of G 2381). Appears in chapel relief in G 2381: 1) scene (13-1-556d + 13-1-558j = MFA 13.5934) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right) and two registers of family members and offering bearers (facing left), in lower register Nekhebu's son Tjemat, wife Hatkau, and daughter (unnamed); 2) scene (13-1-554 = MFA 13.4349) from section of facade adjoining right door jamb (13-1-551) depicting registers of Nile boats, on one boat in middle register (MFA 13.4349.2) seated figure of Nekhebu faced by his wife Hatkau playing harp, identified as [rxt nswt] royal acquaintance; blocks of relief found displaced in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382).

  • Merptahankh-Pepi (in G 2381)

    • Type Attested
    • Remarks Brother ([sn=f] his brother) of Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (owner of G 2381). Appears in chapel relief in G 2381: 1) scene (13-1-555 = MFA 13.4346) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right) and three registers of offering bearers (facing left) leading cattle and gazelle, male figure of Merptahankh-Pepi (facing left, only head preserved on one block MFA 13.4346.2) in front of figure of Nekhebu, identified as [Xrj-Hb smsw] senior lector-priest; 2) scene (13-1-549 = MFA 13.4331) from wall adjoining autobiographical inscription (13-1-547) depicting Nekhebu spear fishing, standing male figure (facing left, only partly preserved on one block MFA 13.4331.20) in front of figure of Nekhebu, with short identifying inscription [sn=f mrj=f Xrj-Hb smsw jmAx...] "his brother, whom he loves, the senior lector-priest, the honored [...]", probably represents Merptahankh-Pepi; blocks of relief found displaced in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382).

  • Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (G 2381)

    • Type Tomb Owner
    • Remarks Owner of G 2381, buried in sloping-passage shaft G 2382 A. Son of Khnumenti (?) (owner of G 2374). Father of Merptahankh-meryre Ptahshepses Impy, Sabuptah Ibebi, and Tjemat; Nekhebu identified variously as [jmj-r kAt jmj-r kAt nbt nt nswt jmj-r wpwt nswt mnnfr-mrjra ppj jmj-r xntjw-S mnnfr-mrjra ppj jmj-r qdw aA dwAw mtj n sA mDH nswt mDH nswt qdw mDH nswt qdw m prwj Hrj-sStA n wabtj xrp SnDt nbt Xrj-Hb Xrj-Hb Hrj-tp Xrj-tp nswt sm smr watj smsw snwt sHD qdw Sps nswt qdw n aSAt qdw m prwj kAwtj] overseer of works, overseer of all royal works, overseer of royal commissions of the pyramid of Pepi I, overseer of palace attendants of the pyramid of Pepi I, overseer of builders, assistant of (the god) Duau, regulator of a phyle, royal carpenter, royal architect, royal architect in the two houses, secretary of the two wabets, director of every kilt, lector-priest, chief lector-priest, royal chamberlain, sem-priest, sole companion, elder of the snwt-house, inspector of builders, noble of the king, ordinary builder, builder in the two houses, workman. Appears in chapel relief and wall paintings: 1) relief scene (13-3-545 = MFA 13.4335) probably from lintel depicting six standing figures (three facing right, three facing left) of Nekhebu holding staff and scepter with columns of hieroglyphic text between figures identifying Nekhebu with his names, titles, and honorific epithets; 2) painted scene (13-1-546 = MFA 13.4339) of at least three registers depicting Nekhebu striding to right with name and titles in black in front of each figure; 3) autobiographical inscription of Nekhebu (13-1-547 = MFA 13.4331) with eight vertical columns and one horizontal line of text above seated figure of Nekhebu (facing left); 4) autobiographical inscription of Nekhebu (13-1-548 = MFA 13.5969 + Cairo JE 44608) with ten vertical columns and one horizontal line of text above seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right); 5) relief scene (13-1-549 = MFA 13.4331 + possibly one fragment from 13-1-558a = MFA 13.5975) from wall adjoining autobiographical inscription (13-1-547) depicting Nekhebu spear fishing in marsh; 6) relief scene (13-1-550 = MFA 13.4351) depicting figure of Nekhebu (facing right, only top of head preserved) with five vertical columns of inscription (above) and offering list (in front); 7) two door jambs (13-1-551: left jamb = MFA 13.4348; right jamb = MFA 13.4349) depicting standing figures of Nekhebu with accompanying inscription; 8) relief scene (13-1-553 + 13-1-556j + 13-1-558i = MFA 13.5834) depicting aging Nekhebu kneeling in boat in marsh; 9) relief scene (13-1-554 = MFA 13.4349) from section of facade adjoining right door jamb (13-1-551) depicting registers of Nile boats, on one boat in middle register (MFA 13.4349.2) seated figure of Nekhebu faced by his wife Hatkau playing harp; 10) relief scene (13-1-555 = MFA 13.4346 + possibly 13-1-558d = MFA 13.5974) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right) and three registers of offering bearers (facing left) leading cattle and gazelle; 11) relief scene (13-1-555 + 13-1-556 + 13-1-558o = MFA 13.5830) depicting Nekhebu seated in carrying chair; 12) relief scene (13-1-556d + 13-1-558j = MFA 13.5934) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right) and two registers of family members and offering bearers (facing left); 13) relief scene (13-1-556l + 13-1-558k = MFA 13.5935) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing left) with vertical columns of inscription above; 14) relief scene (13-1-558l = MFA 13.5936) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right) with vertical columns of inscription above (original position to left of section of facade with ceremonial dancers and offering bearers MFA 13.4348). Chapel almost completely destroyed with most blocks and fragments of relief and inscription found scattered in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragmentary limestone seated statue (12-12-14 + 12-12-22 = MFA 13.3161a-b) inscribed for Nekhebu, identified as [smr watj mDH qd nswt m prwj] sole companion, royal architect in the two houses; fragments found scattered in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragmentary limestone seated statue (12-11-26) inscribed for Nekhebu, identified as [smr watj mDH qd nswt m prwj] sole companion, royal architect in the two houses; fragments found scattered in G 2370 and Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragment of limestone seated statue (12-12-595 = MFA 13.3159) inscribed for Nekhebu, identified as [smr watj mDH qd nswt m prwj] sole companion, royal architect in the two houses; found in debris west of G 2381 A. Fragmentary incomplete limestone seated statue (12-11-58 + 12-12-176a = MFA 13.3149a-c), preserved fragments uninscribed, attributed to Nekhebu; fragments found scattered in G 2381. Fragment of limestone seated statue (12-12-9 = MFA 13.3156), preserved fragment uninscribed, attributed to Nekhebu; found in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragment of limestone seated statue (12-12-16 = MFA 13.3154), preserved fragment uninscribed, attributed to Nekhebu; found in G 2381. Limestone obelisk (12-12-23 = MFA 13.4353 deaccessioned = Memphis 1981.1.5) inscribed for Nekhebu, identified as [jmj-r kAt nbt nt nswt smr watj] overseer of all royal works, sole companion; found in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragments of diorite offering table (12-12-20 = MFA 13.3143a-b) inscribed for Nekhebu; found in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382).

  • Merptahankh-meryre Ptahshepses Impy (G 2386/G 2381)

    • Type Tomb Owner
    • Remarks Possible owner of one of two stone built chapels G 2386a or G 2386b, buried in sloping-passage shaft G 2381 A. Merptahankh-meryre, [rn=f nfr] his good name Ptahshepses Impy. Son of Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (owner of G 2381). Wood coffin (12-12-575 = MFA 13.3085) inscribed for Impy, identified as [HAtj-a sm xrp SnDt nbt Xrj-Hb Hrj-tp jmA-a xtmw-bjtj jmj-r kAt nbt nt nswt smr watj mDH nswt qdw m prwj jmj-r wabtj] count, sem-priest, director of every kilt, chief lector-priest, gracious of arm, sealer of the king of Lower Egypt, overseer of all royal works, sole companion, royal architect in the two houses, overseer of the two wabets; found in situ in G 2381 A. Copper flaring basin (12-12-265 = MFA 13.2940) inscribed for Impy, identified as [HAtj-a jmj-r kAt nbt nt nswt smr watj mDH nswt qdw] count, overseer of all royal works, sole companion, royal architect; found in situ in G 2381 A. Wesekh broadcollar (12-12-583 = MFA 13.3086) with terminals inscribed for Impy, identified as [HAtj-a jmj-r kAt] count, overseer of works; found (more than one-half intact) in situ in G 2381 A.

  • Niunis (in G 2381)

    • Type Attested
    • Remarks Appears in chapel relief in tomb of Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (owner of G 2381), depicted as offering bearer leading gazelle on block of relief (13-1-556a = MFA 13.4340.2), identified as [smsw pr...] elder of the house...; block of relief found displaced in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382).

  • Sabuptah Ibebi (G 2386/G 2381)

    • Type Tomb Owner
    • Remarks Possible owner of one of two stone built chapels G 2386a or G 2386b, probably buried in sloping-passage shaft G 2381 C. Sabuptah, [rn=f nfr] his good name Ibebi. Son ([sA=f] his son) of Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (owner of G 2381); brother of Merptahankh-meryre Ptahshepses Impy and Tjemat. Appears in chapel relief possibly from G 2386: two blocks of relief (13-1-556o = MFA 13.4345) depicting portions of three registers of standing male figures (facing right) separated by vertical panels of inscription naming Sabuptah Ibebi, identified as [jmj-r sS prwj sm xrp SnDt nbt smr watj Xrj-Hb xtmw bjtj HAtj-a jmj-r njwt...] overseer of the fowling pond of the two houses, sem-priest, director of every kilt, sole companion, lector-priest, sealer of the king of Lower Egypt, count, overseer of the pyramid town of...; two related fragments (13-1-558dd = MFA 13.5951, MFA 13.5979) depicting portions of male figures wearing long kilts; blocks of relief found displaced in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Also appears in chapel relief in G 2381: scene (13-1-549 = MFA 13.4331) from wall adjoining autobiographical inscription (13-1-547) depicting Nekhebu spear fishing, standing male figure of Sabuptah Ibebi (facing right, on two blocks MFA 13.4331.21 + MFA 13.4331.22) behind figure of Nekhebu, identified as [Xrj-Hb sS pr-mDAT nTr] lector-priest, scribe of the library of the god; blocks of relief found displaced in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Alabaster headrest (12-12-581 = MFA 13.2925) inscribed for Sabuptah Ibebi, identified as [smr watj Xrj-tp nswt mDH nswt qdw m prwj] sole companion, royal chamberlain, royal architect in the two houses; found in burial of Impy in G 2381 A. Wood coffin (12-12-575 = MFA 13.3085) mainly inscribed for Impy, but with short inscription of Ibebi, identified as [smr watj Xrj-Hb mDH nswt qdw m prwj] sole companion, lector-priest, royal architect in the two houses; found in situ in G 2381 A.

  • Tjemat (in G 2381)

    • Type Attested
    • Remarks Son ([sA=f] his son) of Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (owner of G 2381); brother of Merptahankh-meryre Ptahshepses Impy and Sabuptah Ibebi. Appears in chapel relief in G 2381: 1) scene (13-1-556d + 13-1-558j = MFA 13.5934) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right) and two registers of family members and offering bearers (facing left), in lower register Nekhebu's son Tjemat, wife Hatkau, and daughter (unnamed); Tjemat identified as [smr watj mDH nswt] sole companion, royal carpenter; 2) scene (13-1-549 = MFA 13.4331) from wall adjoining autobiographical inscription (13-1-547) depicting Nekhebu spear fishing, standing male figure of Tjemat (facing right, also spear fishing, only partly preserved on one fragment and one block MFA 13.4331.24 + MFA 13.4331.15) in front of Nekhebu, identified as [smr watj mDH nswt] sole companion, royal carpenter; blocks of relief found displaced in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382).

Modern People

  • George Andrew Reisner

    • Type Excavator
    • Nationality & Dates American, 1867–1942
    • Remarks Egyptologist, archaeologist; Referred to as "the doctor" and "mudir" (Arabic for "director") in the excavation records. Nationality and life dates from Who was Who in Egyptology.