Ptahotep’s mastaba
| Almost halfway between the Djoser complex and the
Serapeo there is the double mastaba of Akhet-hotep and
Ptahhotep, inspectors for the priests of the pyramids in Abusir during three reigns
of the V dynasty. The part reserved to Ptahhotep is more modest than his father’s one, but it rivals with it for the decorations in the rooms reserved to him where there are scenes of the offer bringers, of animals, of harvests, of hunting with nets, of the construction of boats of papyrus and scenes of the dead person’s life. In Ptahhotep’s chapel relief are admired that tell about his refined life in his house (while he is caring about his make-up he assists to a concert), during banquets or sacrifices, during the hunting. He is represented sitting at the offering table while he stretches his right hand toward the table to get the offer granted to him for a royal privilege and with his left hand he brings a glass to his lips. The offers are represented in lines one above the other on the table according to an octagonal projection, typical of the Egyptian perspective. On the whole, the relief in this mastaba are the most beautiful ones in Ancient Egypt, kept in Saqqara. Besides, in a corner of the eastern wall of the chapel appear, for the first time in Egyptian iconography, the figure and the artist’s name, who probably supervised the decorating work.
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