Abusir South - a preliminary report on the excavation in the year 2015 : The tomb of Kaisebi and its surroundings (AS 76-78)
Abstract
In the year 2015, the expedition of the Czech Institute of Egyptology focused particularly on the area south of mastaba AS 54. Already in 2014, three new mastabas were unearthed in the vicinity of AS 54, and therefore both seasons of the year 2015 were devoted to their excavation.
Two mastabas - AS 77 and AS 78 - were built of mudbrick and contained two rows of shafts. Mastaba AS 78 was also extended to the south by an elongated annexe with four more shafts.
Both tombs were probably built around the middle of the Fifth Dynasty. The pottery found in some of the shafts points to a long-time process of burial activity in both structures.
It took place at least until the middle of the Sixth Dynasty. The cultic pottery provides evidence of mortuary activity until the end of the Old Kingdom.
The westernmost mastaba, AS 76, differed from the other two structures in that was constructed from limestone. The core of the mastaba contained one shaft behind the northern undecorated false door, a decorated chapel with a beautiful false door, and a serdab behind it.
It was built for a judge whose name was Kaisebi. The original mastaba (AS 76) was later enlarged by a new structure to the east (AS 76b), which consisted of two shafts, and a corridor running along them and leading to another chapel with undecorated false door.
The evidence points to two owners of the two parts. The original mastaba was built for Kaisebi, the additional structure to the east for his son (?) Ptahwer whose name was found in several graffiti on the walls of the extension.
According to a preliminary analysis the shaft and burial chamber of Kaisebi still awaits excavation in the largely disturbed area between shaft 1 and his decorated chapel.