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Archaeological Exploration of the Mastaba of Count Kakaibaef in Abusir (Tomb AC 29)

Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2019

Abstract

During spring 2013, the Czech Institute of Egyptology team unearthed Tomb AC 29 located in a small cemetery (lying to the south of the mortuary complex of Raneferef) of four mastabas dated to the middle of Fifth Dynasty or slightly later. The cemetery was named after the owner of the northernmost Tomb AC 25, uncovered already in 1994, belonging to the Son of the King Nakhtsare.

The tomb ascribed to queen Khentkaus III was uncovered in the same area in 2014, and another tomb belonging to an anonymous lady was unearthed in 2016. The interior and substructure of Kakaibaef's mastaba was destroyed by tomb- and stone-robbers.

Unfortunately, no part of the relief decoration or false door was found. As the masons' inscriptions show, Tomb AC 29 belonged to "count" Kakaibaef, whose name was very probably documented by L.

Borchardt in the relief decoration of Nyuserra's mortuary temple. The tomb (16.20 x 10.80 m) is similar to other tombs in the cemetery and it consisted of a L-shaped chapel, a vertical shaft and a burial chamber in its substructure.

Only very scarce remnants of the burial equipment, including a wooden handle of a mirror or a part of a small wooden table or a support of a model vessel were found a white-limestone sarcophagus was almost destroyed. In addition, also a large number of pottery vessels and shards was found during the archaeological work.

Similarly to other tombs in Nakhtsare's cemetery, bands of white colour on the mud floor of the open space to the east of the mastaba were unearthed. These might have had rather practical than cultic function as it is also shown in the article.