The
Mastaba of Idu (Idut) is located in the Eastern Cemetery at
Giza near Cairo, Egypt. In life, he was the Scribe of the
Royal Documents in the presence of the king. He also held the
title, "Tenant of the Pyramid of Pepi I" as well as
"Inspector of the wab-priests of the Pyramids of
Khufu
and Khafre
(Pyramid), during the reign of
Pepi
I. He lived during
Egypt's 6th
Dynasty. Numbered G 7102, it lies near the tomb of
Qar, who is believed to have been either his father or son. It
also has clear stylistic similarities to that tomb.
Both mastabas are among the most interesting of the private
tombs at
Giza, each having unusual statues as well as very
detailed scenes of the Old Kingdom funerary retinue.
The mastaba of Idu consists of a descending stairway
followed by a large vestibule that is not exactly square, with
an entrance corridor followed by a single rectangular room
with its major axis running north-south. The west wall of this
last chamber is adorned with a series of five niches
containing a series of high-relief
statues thought to depict the deceased, or the deceased and
family members, plus a smaller one on the left (nearest the
entrance doorway) of his possible son, Qar, with their names
and titles in beautifully carved hieroglyphs. The other
statues in the five larger niches are sometimes said to be
those of various family members, but many scholars believe
they represent only the deceased at different ages, though not
as a child in the sixth niche.
The engaged statues on the west wall face, on the east
wall, a false door
stela, painted to simulate granite. In the
bottom half of the false door Idu's statue eerily rises out of
the ground to receive his offerings. This is a very unusual
false door. His arms stretch forward with upturned palms, open
to receive offerings. In a panel above, the deceased, his face
elegantly sculpted and wearing the usual wig and a wide
collar, and his wife, Meretites, are shown sitting opposite
each other at an offering table. On the table are tall,
stylized offering loaves. Near the floor, and offering
bench is placed in front of this wall, which depicts offerings
to be given to the tomb owner and his wife.
The decorative plan of the this tomb, not unusually,
revolves around funerary themes. On the south wall, to the
left and right of the door, is a depiction of mourners at the
deceased's home, the purification tent and the funerary
procession. This is one of those tombs that provide much
information about the private funerary practices, beginning at
their home and ending with their burial.
Interestingly, according to Ron Fellows, an Associate
Director of the Americas Museum, There is also a curse written
jut inside the entrance on the right hand side of the west doorjamb,
in one vertical line, reading:
"As for every man who shall enter this tomb, not purifying him(self) as the
purification if a god, one shall make a punishment for him because of it evilly
(or painfully)."
At the end of the western wall, there is a scene depicting
men and cattle returning from the marshes. On the back,
northern wall, there are a number of scenes taking place
before the deceased, who is seated on a palanquin. These
scenes include the preparation of food and drink, music with
dancers, persons bringing offerings and children playing
games.

Resources:
| Title |
Author |
Date |
Publisher |
Reference Number |
|
Illustrated Guide to the Pyramids, The |
Hawass, Zahi; Siliotti, Alberto |
2003 |
American University in Cairo Press, The |
ISBN 977 424 825 2 |
|
Tomb and Beyond, The: Burial Customs of Egyptian Officials |
Kanawati, Naguib |
2001 |
Aris & Phillips Ltd |
ISBN 0 85668 734 0 |
|
Treasures of the Pyramids, The |
Hawass, Zahi |
2003 |
American University in Cairo Press, The |
ISBN 977 424 798 1 |
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