Nefer was the "Supervisor of Artisans" and the
"Director of Choir Singers" during the
5th Dynasty during the reign of King Niuserre. His tomb is located at
Saqqara near Cairo in the sector of the
Pyramid of
Unas. The
tomb is hewn into the rock of an ancient quarry cliff
facing Unas' causeway. Together with Nefer, eight other family
members were buried in his tomb, including his father, Kaha,
who held the same title of "Director of Singers",
and his mother Merietes who was a Priestess of Hathor.
This tomb has a structure similar to the nearby
tomb of
Irukaptah. It is a relatively simple tomb consisting of a
courtyard, a long, L-shaped offering hall with a serdab at the
southern rear. It is oriented North-South, with an entrance on
the northern end. This tomb is particularly interesting for
its numerous classic, very colorful reliefs typical of this
Old Kingdom Period.
Apart from certain areas on the north wall and the alcove, the chapel is cased with good-quality limestone slabs, joined together by a reddish mortar, and its ceiling is painted in red. The walls are decorated at the top by a border of a black zigzag
frieze. Below, the paintings are finished off with a black line, a thin band which is neither decorated nor painted, and finally by a wide black band which extends to the floor. The walls, decorated in sunken relief, are enhanced by well-preserved paintings.
The painting, of which mineral pigments formed the main component, was mixed with bone or fish glue, used as a binder, which was then mixed with water before being slapped onto the walls.
They depict human figures with the faces in profile, frontal
eyes, the shoulders and torso also in a frontal view, and the
waist in three-quarter, while the legs are in profile.

Much of the eastern wall in the tomb of Nefer at Saqqara
On the left hand, eastern wall of the large offering
chamber, there are five registers framed by scenes of Nefer
and his wife, along with a dog, at each end. The northern
scene is inscribed vertically in front of the group of characters who look to the
right. The caption tells us that the
deceased inspects fishermen, fowlers and scribes of his estates of Lower and Upper Egypt. He observes the activities which make his lands fructify as well as the goods (such as cattle) of his funerary estate, which ensure his eternal supply.
Many of the remaining scenes reflect agricultural topics
and daily life. However, they begin in the upper registers with
a priest holding a papyrus roll and a folded cloth. He is
probably in charge of the funerary cult. He apparently receives
payment for these duties from the eldest son of the deceased.
Behind the priest are shepherds that tend a flock of goats
under the watchful eye of a supervisor, who leans on a long
stick. Both the men and animals are gathered around two trees.
One of the shepherds on the right holds a knife and kneels down
to slay a goat that hangs from the first tree.
Below this scene is one of fishing with nets. At the top of
this scene, two groups of fishermen, all wearing loincloths,
have their backs turned to each other. Each group holds a rope
tied to the two extremities of a net, obviously laden with a
large catch of fish, judging from their efforts.
Next, in the top register, several scenes take place in the
marshes. Here, men who are mostly naked are busy gathering
papyrus, which will be used to build a reed boat, while birds
soar overhead. Below, a group of oxen, with lyra-shaped horns,
led by a calf and its mother, emerge from the papyrus marshes.
The animals, painted white with black or red spots, are led by
a shepherd who carries over his shoulder a stick from which
hangs a reed mat and his water flask.
Next, we find an inspector who reads from a report on a
papyrus scroll, who is followed by two scribes who sit on the
floor in front of a writing chest and palettes. They hold in
their hands reed brushes. This scene appears to depict some
sort of judicial proceeding, as guards with sticks hold
two
men. Below this scene in the third register we find men
preparing and baking oval loaves of bread on an open fire,
which is in turn followed by another scene of fowling.
The lower registers of the east wall depict four major
topics. The first is the production of wine, which begins with
four men wearing short kilts with a triangular panel at the
front, who are treading grapes inside a large vat. They hold
onto a beam above, to prevent them from slipping. Behind these
men are piled containers that will hold the must (grape
juice). Next there is an interesting scene of a wine-press
where a baboon appears to be working alongside the men. Four men turn in the opposite direction two large poles, each one secured to the extremity of a linen bag full of pulp, and extract the juice which flows freely into a large vase.
Next, we find three dwarfs and other men making jewelry,
followed by a festive scene dominated by a lady clad in a long
dress. Three other young women, also in long dresses, clap
their hand while dancers also perform. They are followed by
the guests, including four men who bring lotus bouquet and
geese.
In the bottom two registers of the wall are more
agricultural scenes together with depictions of boatmen
jousting in the marshes. Also two beautiful sailing boats
adorn these scenes, with the first under full sail heading
south.
A niche opens at the south-eastern end of the tomb's
eastern wall. Here, we find several different scenes
depicting grazing goats and carpenters. Some of the carpenters
are at work building a wooden sarcophagus and checking the
fitting of the lid, while further on, two more polish a bed
frame with feet carved in the shape of bulls legs. Another
carpenter appears to polish a large door bold.
The niche scenes conclude with a scene depicting shepherds,
carrying provisions such as water skins and reed mats, who
face a kneeling herdsman watering a calf from a yellow
earthenware vessel. Another calf drinks from a similar red
ochre vessel. While passing in front of the animals, one of
the shepherds pats the flanks of the second calf.
On the southern end wall of the tomb, on the left-hand side, Nefer is shown in an offering scene in which he is seated with his wife squatting beside him while scribes and a dwarf record the offerings.
They include desert animals, cattle and grain. On the right,
priests present offerings while a group of musicians and
dancers perform. On the right-hand side of the wall there are three apertures to the
serdab and above these, painted but
un-carved, Nefer is shown seated on a low backed chair at a table before a list offerings.
His wife sits at his feet. On the lower part of the wall the deceased is shown this time leaning on his staff and overseeing more offering-bringers and musicians. Nefer's brothers
Seniotef, Ihi and Werbau are also depicted. Here, a double
flute player and a flutist, sitting on the floor, accompany a
singer seated opposite them.
The western right hand wall of this long chamber reveals a
series of six false doors dedicated, beginning at the northern
end, to his brother Seniotef and his sister-in-law, Khnemt,
anther brother and his wife, Werbau and Khentkawes,
respectively, Nefer's mother, Merietes, his father, Kaha,
Nefer's son, Khenu, and at the southern end of the wall,
himself. The false door of Werbau is adorned with a palace
facade and depicted on the lintel is Werbau, between his wife
mother, symbolically opening the door. At the very top of the
false door Werbau and his wife, Khentkawes are shown at the
funeral banquet. Above the false door belonging to Nefer's
mother, Merietes, are depicted four offering-bearers
represented in relief. The first burns incense, the second
brings a goose and a gazelle, while the last one leads a
calf.

 
Top: Scene above the false door of Nefers mother, showing offerings
Below Left: An example of one of the false doors in the tomb of Nefer
Below Right: False Door dedicated to Nefer's brother, Werbau
However, the false doors
of of Nefer and his son, Khenu,
take up a full third of this wall. On Nefer's door, he is
shown clad in a leopard skin and seated at a table bearing
loaves of bread. There are also ewers as well as cups and a
basket in the shape of a boat. Smaller tables also bear loaves
of bread, cakes, fruit and vegetables. Above these scenes and
to the right are two registers that show more offerings, and a
third that depicts slaughtered cattle. These scenes are
flanked on each side by a palace facade, and on the outer door
jambs of the false door are carved offering
formula.
Also depicted on the western wall are three men clad in
leopard skin vestments and wearing short wigs. All of these
men are described as inspectors of the singers, and may be
Nefer's sons.
The tomb contains nine (some references refer to eleven) burial shafts
leading to small burial chambers and in one, a perfectly preserved
male mummy was found within a sarcophagus, but it is unclear whether this was the body of Nefer. A wooden box was also found in a burial shaft containing a cursive account of linen in the year of the sixth census. Other finds include an offering basin of Kaha and a wooden model boat.
References:
| Title |
Author |
Date |
Publisher |
Reference
Number |
| Art of Ancient
Egypt, The |
Robins, Gay |
1997 |
Harvard
University Press |
ISBN
0-674-00376-4 |
| Atlas of Ancient
Egypt |
Baines, John;
Malek, Jaromir |
1980 |
Les Livres De
France |
None Stated |
| Early Dynastic
Egypt |
Wilkinson, Toby
A. H. |
1999 |
Routledge |
ISBN
0-415-26011-6 |
| Illustrated
Guide to the Pyramids, The |
Hawass, Zahi;
Siliotti, Alberto |
2003 |
American
University in Cairo Press, The |
ISBN 977 424 825
2 |
| Treasures of the Pyramids,
The |
Hawass, Zahi |
2003 |
American University in Cairo
Press, The |
ISBN 977 424 798 1 |
Archives
|