Key
Architrave with inscriptions. Each row can be read independently, from right to left.
1Urirenptah, seated behind the inscription, holding a staff and aba sceptre, both symbols of authority.
2His name is written vertically here, a clever way of incorporating both a caption for the figure and his name at the end of the first line of text.
3An offering that the king gives: his (Urirenptah’s) burial in the western necropolis, (having attained) a very good age, as a possessor (‘lord’) of blessings from the king and blessed by the Great God, judicial overseer of scribes, custodian of the king’s property, judicial inspector of scribes, priest of Ra and Hathor in ‘The Favourite Place of Ra’ (= the sun temple of King Neferirkara), Urirenptah.
4(An offering that) Anubis, Foremost of the Divine Booth (= shrine of Anubis), gives: a going forth to him (to Urirenptah) of an invocation-offering of bread, beer, beef and fowl on New Year’s Day (of the stellar calendar year), at the Thoth festival, on the First (Day) of the Year (the lunar year), at the Wag festival, at the Sokar festival, at the Great Festival, at the Festival of Fire, at the Festival of Placing the Fire-Altar, in the Month of Germination (‘Greening’), and at every monthly and half-monthly festival.
5An offering that Osiris, Lord of Busiris, gives: his (Urirenptah’s) walking on the beautiful roads upon which walk – in peace, in peace! – those blessed by Anubis, Lord of the Sacred Land, by Osiris, lord of Busiris, and by all the (other) gods. May there be his beautiful blessing by the king, (for) Urirenptah.
Key
Decorative panel showing the tomb owner, Urirenptah, mimicking a partially closed transom window. Text read right to left.
1Urirenptah, inside his House of Eternity – the tomb. He sits at a table laid with slices of bread. He clasps the shoulder knot of a leopard-skin garment that he once wore, of which the original painted details have long faded.
2The judicial overseer of scribes and inspector, Urirenptah
3A thousand (items of) linen
4A thousand alabaster (oil vessels)
5Names of other offerings around him, read vertically:
Hekenu oil (One of the seven sacred oils)
Sefeti oil (One of the seven sacred oils)
Nekhenem oil (One of the seven sacred oils)
6Names of other offerings around him, read vertically:
Burning incense
Festival oil (One of the seven sacred oils)
Key
Main false door, dedicated to Urirenptah alone.
1Lintel, decorated with text in two rows, read from right to left.
(Top row) An offering that the king gives, an offering that Anubis, lord of the Sacred Land, gives: his (Urirenptah’s) burial in the west, (having attained) a very good age.
(Bottom row) Judiciary overseer of scribes, blessed by the Great God, custodian of the king’s property, Urirenptah.
2Door drum, representing a piece of matting which would have hung down to ‘close’ the door, and been rolled up for easy access at other times. Text read right to left.
Judiciary overseer of scribes, Urirenptah.
3/4Door jambs with offering formula texts. The text on each door jamb is read vertically, first the inner column, then the outer column. Like the images of Urirenptah below, the text faces in towards the door.
3(Right column) An offering that the king gives, and that Osiris, lord of Busiris, gives: his (Urirenptah’s) burial in the west, (having attained) a very good age, (blessed) by the Great God,
(Left column) judicial overseer of scribes, keeper of secrets, righteous judge, scribe of the king’s documents, judicial inspector of scribes, custodian of the king’s property.
4(Left column) An offering that the king gives, and that Anubis, foremost of the divine booth, gives: an invocation offering of bread, beer, beef and fowl on New Year’s Day (of the lunar calendar), at the Thoth festival, at every festival and every day,
(Right column) for the priest of Ra and Hathor in the ‘Favourite Place of Ra’ (= the sun temple of King Neferirkara), the pure-priest privy to secrets, custodian of the king’s property, Urirenptah.
5Offering list, featuring 16 rows of 6 items each. The individual squares are read right to left. View offering list
6/7Images of the tomb owner, Urirenptah, facing in towards the door. Urirenptah approaches the door. He wears a round curl wig, a broad bead collar and a kilt. One hand holds a papyrus roll.
Key
Urirenptah and his wife Khentkaus at their funerary meal. Captions to both figures read right to left in columns, and give their names and titles.
1Urirenptah, seated, extending one hand to the offerings. His other hand holds a papyrus roll. Khentkaus, seated on the ground by her husband’s side.
2Urirenptah
3Judicial inspector of scribes
4Scribe of the king’s documents
5Judicial overseer of scribes, custodian of the king’s property
6Khentkaus
7His wife, custodian of the king’s property
8(left to right)
Pyramidal bread loaves, lettuce, onions, figs, jars of beer. Various large containers, jars of beer, pyramidal bread loaves and a goose on a table, and a large bowl containing pieces of meat. Conical bread loaves, geese, ox leg, other meat. Conical bread loaves, lettuce, onions, bowl of figs.
Key
Offerings placed on tables and mats.
1Cuts of meat, jugs of wine and beer, bowls of fruit and cakes.
2Cuts of meat, plucked birds, figs, bowls of fruit, pyramidal bread loaves, onions, flowers, a beer vessel.
3Figs, bowl containing pieces of meat, goose, pyramidal bread loaves, drink vessels, lettuce, onions, and cakes.
Key
Butchering of animals and presentation of meat offerings by servants. The scenes are nearly identical to those on the other side of the main false door. Texts are read right to left and serve as captions to the scenes below: two in the upper register and three in the lower. View butchering scenes to the right of the main false door
1Offering bearers carrying ox legs, two birds, a piece of meat (?) and a jar, and a table laid with meat cuts.
(right to left) Bringing the selected ox legs. Bringing the offerings of bread (or meat?)
2Butchering of oxen for the funerary feast and a butcher carrying the foreleg of ox to the offering area. These hieroglyphs were not quite finished by the sculptor, and don’t yet have their inner sections carved out.
(right to left) You, do it right! Bringing the foreleg. Extracting the heart.
Key
Tomb owner and wife receiving offerings at their funerary meal. The caption to their figures reads left to right in columns.
1Bowls of meat, fowl and cakes on a table, more bowls below it, and beer vessels on stands.
2Beer vessels on stands, handwashing set (ewer and basin), geese/ducks on a tray.
3Geese and bread loaves (pyramidal and conical) on a table, with another bowl holding fruit or cakes below.
4Conical and pyramidal bread loaves, lettuce and onions on a table, lidded bowl below.
5Judicial overseer of scribes, scribe of the king’s documents
6Custodian of the king’s property, blessed by the Great God
7Judicial inspector of scribes [Uriren]p[tah]
8[his wife, custodian of the king’s] pro[perty]
9Blessed by the Great God, [Khentkaus]
10Khentkaus embracing Urirenptah at the funerary meal.
Key
Sons and daughters at the funerary meal, as well as musicians and dancers. Captions face the same way as the figures they identify.
1Two sons and a daughter sit at low tables for the funerary meal.
The caption to this son was only painted, never carved, and has not survived.
2The captions of these children were only painted, never carved. They were added later.
(left to right) [His] son […]. His daughter, Khenti.
3A son seated before a low table, in front of a small all-male band of two singers, a harpist, and a flautist. The singers are chironomists, making hand gestures to guide the players.
(left to right) His son, Qari. Singing. Playing the flute. Striking the harp.
4Four female dancers and two singers, the latter clapping their hands.
(left to right) Dancing. Singing.
Key
Butchering of animals and presentation of meat offerings by servants. The scenes are nearly identical to those on the other side of the main false door. Texts are read left to right and serve as captions to the scenes below: one in the upper register, two in the lower. View butchering scenes to the left of the main false door
1Servants carrying ox legs, four ducks, three loaves and a jug of beer, a large goose, a duck and a cage of fowl.
Bringing of the selected ox legs by the funerary priests
2Slaughtering of cattle for the funerary meal.
(left to right) Slaughtering an ox. Slaughtering a young gazelle.
Key
Decorative panel showing Urirenptah and Khentkaus. Their captions face the same way as the figures. Texts above and below the table, listing offerings, take the default orientation, reading from right to left.
1Urirenptah, seated before an offering table laid with bread slices. View identical dress/gesture on main false door
2Khentkaus, facing her husband across the offering table.
3(right to left)
A thousand alabaster (oil vessels)
A thousand (items of) linen
4(right to left)
Judicial overseer of scribes
Urirenptah
5(right to left in columns)
Burning incense
Festival perfume
6(left to right)
His wife, custodian of the king’s property
Khentkaus
Key
Secondary false door dedicated to Urirenptah and, in particular, to his wife Khentkaus.
1Lintel, decorated with text dedicated entirely to Khentkaus. Read right to left, now mostly lost.
[…] Khentkaus
2Door drum, decorated with text dedicated entirely to Khentkaus. Read right to left.
Khentkaus
3/4Outer door jambs dedicated to Urirenptah, with figures of him at the bottom. The hieroglyphic texts, like the figures, face inward.
3[An offering that the king gives], and (that) Osiris, Lord of Busiris, (gives): an invocation offering of bread, beer, beef and fowl, on New Year’s Day (of the stellar calendar year), at the Thoth Festival, at every festival for the judiciary overseer of scribes, Urirenptah.
4An offering that the king gives, and (that) Anubis, Lord of the Sacred Land (gives): his (Urirenptah’s) burial in the west, in the western necropolis, (having attained) a very good age, the Great God, the judicial inspector of scribes, Urirenptah.
5Urirenptah carrying an aba sceptre, facing in towards the door. He wears a shoulder-length wig, a broad beaded collar, and a kilt.
6/7Inner door jambs dedicated to Khentkaus, with figures of her at the bottom. The hieroglyphic texts, like the figures, face inward.
6An offering that the king gives, and (that) Anubis, Lord of the Sacred Land (gives): her (Khentkaus's) burial in the west, (having attained) a very good age, as one blessed by her husband, (for) the custodian of the king’s property, Khentkaus.
7An offering that the king gives: an invocation offering of bread, beer, beef and fowl on New Year’s Day (of the stellar calendar year), at the Thoth festival, on the First (Day) of the Year (the lunar year), at the Wag festival, at every festival, (for) the custodian of the king’s property, Khentkaus.
8Khentkaus, facing in towards the door. She wears a tripartite wig, a broad beaded collar, bracelets and anklets, and a long dress. She places one hand against her chest.
Further information
Wall belonging to the funerary chapel of Urirenptah
Saqqara, Egypt
5th Dynasty, about 2494-2345 BCE
Painted limestone
EA718
British Museum, London
© The Trustees of the British Museum