375:
421:(c. 2686–2313) mastabas was the 'stairway mastaba', the tomb chamber of which sank deeper than before and was connected to the top with an inclined shaft and stairs. Many of the features of mastabas grew into those of the pyramids, indicating their importance as a transitory construction of tombs. This notably includes the exterior appearance of the tombs, as the sloped sides of the mastabas extended to form a pyramid. The first and most striking example of this was
306:, were often constructed out of limestone. Mastabas were often about four times as long as they were wide, and many rose to at least 10 metres (30 ft) in height. They were oriented north–south, which the Egyptians believed was essential for access to the afterlife. The roofs of the mastabas were of slatted wood or slabs of limestone, with skylights illuminating the tomb. The above-ground structure had space for a small offering chapel equipped with a
1479:
278:
1468:
1431:
1499:
20:
1509:
1489:
343:(سرداب), from the Persian word for "cellar", was used to store anything that may have been considered essential for the comfort of the deceased in the afterlife, such as beer, grain, clothes and precious items. The mastaba housed a statue of the deceased that was hidden within the masonry for its protection. High up the walls of the
297:
The above-ground structure of a mastaba is rectangular in shape with inward-sloping sides and a flat roof. The exterior building materials were initially bricks made of the sun-dried mud readily available from the Nile River. Even after more durable materials such as stone came into use, the majority
247:
reflects this, most prominently by the enormous amounts of time and labor involved in building tombs. Ancient
Egyptians believed that the needs from the world of the living would be continued in the afterlife; it was therefore necessary to build tombs that would fulfill them, and be sturdy enough to
360:
of the owner. More elaborate mastabas would feature open courtyards, which would be used to house more statues and allow the dead to perform rites. Over time, the courtyards grew into magnificent columned halls, which served the same purposes. These halls would typically be the largest room in the
355:
had to return to its body or it would die. These openings "were not meant for viewing the statue but rather for allowing the fragrance of burning incense, and possibly the spells spoken in rituals, to reach the statue". The statues were nearly always oriented in one direction, facing the opening.
255:
era (before 3100 BCE) and continuing into later dynasties, the ancient
Egyptians developed increasingly complex and effective methods for preserving and protecting the bodies of the dead. They first buried their dead in pit graves dug from the sand with the body placed on a mat, usually along with
323:
Mastabas were highly decorated, both with paintings on the walls and ceilings, and carvings of organic elements such as palm trees out of limestone. Due to the spiritual significance of the color, it was preferable to construct mastabas from white limestone. If this was not available, the yellow
365:
would use to maintain the mortuary cult of the mastaba's owner. Generally, there would be five of these storerooms, used by the living to store equipment needed for performing rites; unlike the serdab, they were not meant to be used by the deceased. These lacked any form of decoration, again
336:
with a house in the afterlife, and they were laid out accordingly. Some would be used to house families, rather than individuals, with several burial shafts acting as "rooms". The burial chambers were cut deep, into the bedrock, and were lined with wood. A second hidden chamber called a
413:, a mastaba was constructed simulating house plans of several rooms, a central one containing the sarcophagus and others surrounding it to receive the abundant funerary offerings. The whole was built in a shallow pit above which a brick superstructure covering a broad area. The typical
264:, where tombs would be split into two distinct portions. One side would contain a body, oriented in a north-south position, and the other would be open for the living to deliver offerings. As the remains were not in contact with the dry desert sand, natural
293:
word for "a bench of mud". When seen from a distance, a flat-topped mastaba does resemble a bench. Historians speculate that the
Egyptians may have borrowed architectural ideas from Mesopotamia, since at the time they were both building similar structures.
366:
distinguishing their function from that of the rest of the tomb. Due to the great expense of adding a complex of storerooms, these were only constructed in the largest of mastabas, for the royal family and viziers.
268:
could not take place; therefore the
Egyptians devised a system of artificial mummification. Until at least the Old Period or First Intermediate Period, only high officials and royalty were buried in these mastabas.
428:
Even after pyramids became more prevalent for pharaohs in the 3rd and 4th
Dynasties, members of the nobility continued to be buried in mastaba tombs. This is especially evident on the
260:
composed of earthen bricks made from soil along the Nile. It provided better protection from scavenging animals and grave robbers. The origins of the mastaba can be seen in
455:'. The actual tomb chamber was built below the south-end of mastaba, connected by a slanting passage to a stairway emerging in the center of a columned hall or court.
324:
limestone or mudbrick of the tomb would be whitewashed and plastered. Mastabas for royalty were especially extravagant on the exterior, meant to resemble a palace.
1125:
1151:
458:
Mastabas are still well attested in the Middle
Kingdom, where they had a revival. They were often solid structures with the decoration only on the outside.
1538:
1223:
1548:
1452:
1280:
1553:
1512:
1398:
447:
in an attempt to further thwart grave robbers. Mastabas, then, were developed with the addition of offering chapels and vertical shafts.
1270:
1265:
1146:
361:
mastaba, and they could be used for sacrifices of livestock. Larger mastabas also included a network of storerooms, which the presiding
1118:
988:
929:
877:
236:
1235:
1066:
829:
682:
650:
224:
159:
116:
73:
894:
1388:
1156:
1420:
469:
around 1550 BC), "the mastaba becomes rare, being largely superseded by the independent pyramid chapel above a burial chamber".
1366:
1218:
1393:
1179:
1174:
1111:
244:
189:
1558:
1326:
1201:
1169:
1410:
1373:
1321:
1240:
579:
1260:
1383:
1351:
1336:
1331:
1230:
1184:
550:
240:
1502:
1492:
1378:
1299:
1250:
754:
256:
some items believed to help them in the afterlife. The first tomb structure the
Egyptians developed was the
846:
713:
1543:
1482:
1415:
1255:
521:
493:
410:
24:
1447:
177:
1472:
1430:
1287:
1196:
1189:
527:
488:
462:
193:
1292:
1213:
320:. The construction of mastabas was standardized, with several treatments being common for masonry.
425:, which combined many traditional features of mastabas with a more monumental stone construction.
180:
in the form of a flat-roofed, rectangular structure with inward sloping sides, constructed out of
1346:
1309:
1208:
1040:
1013:
958:
793:
483:
312:
386:
The mastaba was the standard type of tomb in pre-dynastic and early dynastic Egypt for both the
1533:
1304:
1245:
1062:
984:
925:
873:
825:
678:
646:
422:
252:
1361:
1275:
1095:
The
Peasant House: Contemporary Meanings, Syntactic Qualities and Rehabilitation Challenges.
785:
374:
351:
to leave and return to the body (represented by the statue); Ancient
Egyptians believed the
210:
127:
84:
41:
261:
215:
601:
1341:
898:
515:
440:
403:
1527:
1134:
735:
503:
498:
391:
357:
561:
as raised, indoor or outdoor "unsoiled" area in traditional
Palestinian architecture
1403:
540:
466:
429:
379:
316:, of the deceased, which had to be maintained in order to continue to exist in the
248:
last for an eternity. These needs would also have to be attended to by the living.
277:
188:. These edifices marked the burial sites of many eminent Egyptians during Egypt's
432:, where at least 150 mastaba tombs have been constructed alongside the pyramids.
677:. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.
451:
mastabas had elaborate chapels consisting of several rooms, columned halls and '
448:
444:
436:
418:
414:
19:
409:
Mastabas evolved over the early dynastic period (c. 3100-2686 BCE). During the
310:. Priests and family members brought food and other offerings for the soul, or
1442:
307:
28:
946:
317:
185:
1314:
395:
299:
181:
1017:
962:
1356:
1103:
1044:
797:
399:
387:
303:
356:
The serdab could also feature inscriptions, such as the testament and
545:
452:
339:
290:
789:
1061:, Egyptian Expedition XXVIII, Metropolitan Museum of Art: New York
947:"Penmeru Revisited—Giza Mastaba G 2197 (Giza Archives Gleanings V)"
373:
362:
276:
265:
196:. Non-royal use of mastabas continued for over a thousand years.
18:
776:
R., C. L. (1913). "A Model of the Mastaba-Tomb of Userkaf-Ankh".
443:
began to appear. These were tombs built into the rock cliffs in
219:
1107:
645:. New York, USA: Cambridge University Press. pp. 146–163.
922:
When the Pyramids were Built: Egyptian Art of the Old Kingdom
151:
145:
133:
108:
102:
93:
1097:, Graz University of Technology 2010. Accesses 24 Feb 2021.
675:
Ancient Egyptian Tombs : The Culture of Life and Death
65:
59:
50:
822:
The Architecture of Mastaba Tombs in the unas Cemetery
382:, showing the mastabas constructed within the complex
160:
139:
117:
96:
74:
53:
924:. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 12.
148:
142:
105:
99:
62:
56:
742:. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 57 n7.
136:
130:
90:
87:
47:
44:
983:(20th ed.). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
951:Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt
870:Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
1081:Architecture in Ancient Egypt and the Near East
332:A mastaba was essentially meant to provide the
1119:
1004:Davis, Ben (1997). "The Future of the Past".
8:
204:
974:
972:
390:and the social elite. The ancient city of
1126:
1112:
1104:
1031:R., L. E. (1910). "Two Mastaba Chambers".
402:, overlooking the capital of early times,
1059:Middle Kingdom Tomb Architecture at Lisht
347:were small openings that would allow the
701:. Cambridge: MIT Press. 1966. p. 7.
394:was the location chosen for many of the
302:. Monumental mastabas, such as those at
571:
815:
813:
811:
809:
807:
7:
1488:
897:. Rosicrucian Museum. Archived from
668:
666:
664:
662:
643:Religion and Ritual in Ancient Egypt
1508:
1083:. Cambridge: MIT Press. p. 51.
778:Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin
205:
14:
1236:Ancient Egyptian race controversy
223:, meaning "house of stability", "
1539:Types of monuments and memorials
1507:
1497:
1487:
1478:
1477:
1466:
1429:
126:
83:
40:
1549:Burial monuments and structures
1498:
895:"Burial practices, and Mummies"
699:Ancient Egypt and the Near East
630:. New York: Putnam. p. 30.
1:
1554:Ancient Egyptian architecture
945:Manuelian, Peter Der (2009).
628:Architecture through the Ages
241:religion of ancient Egyptians
209:(maṣṭaba) "stone bench". The
16:Type of tomb in ancient Egypt
1033:Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin
820:Cooke, Ashley (2020-05-04).
673:Snape, Steven (2011-02-14).
641:Teeter, Emily (2011-06-13).
398:. The royal cemetery was at
1421:Egypt–Mesopotamia relations
1241:Population history of Egypt
979:Fletcher, Banister (1996).
203:comes from the Arabic word
1575:
1079:Badawy, Alexander (1966).
23:Example of a mastaba, the
1461:
1438:
1427:
1165:
1142:
981:A History of Architecture
920:Arnold, Dorothea (1999).
755:"History of architecture"
582:. Collins Dictionary. n.d
551:Architecture of Palestine
1473:Ancient Egypt portal
602:"Mastaba Tomb of Perneb"
872:. New York: Routledge.
626:Hamlin, Talbot (1954).
439:(c. 2613 to 2494 BCE),
370:Architectural evolution
239:was centralized in the
227:", or "eternal house".
757:. History of the world
494:Mastaba of Seshemnefer
465:(which began with the
383:
282:
281:Structure of a mastaba
31:
1147:Glossary of artifacts
740:Egypt of the Pharahos
580:"Mastaba: definition"
423:Djoser's step pyramid
377:
280:
190:Early Dynastic Period
178:ancient Egyptian tomb
22:
868:Bard, K. A. (1999).
528:Mastaba of Neferefre
489:Mastaba of Kaninisut
1559:Egyptian inventions
1293:Cursive hieroglyphs
1057:Arnold, D. (2008):
1006:Scientific American
824:. Sidestone Press.
522:Mastabat al-Fir'aun
461:By the time of the
25:Mastabat al-Fir'aun
1266:Funerary practices
965:– via JSTOR.
484:Mastaba of Hesy-Re
384:
283:
245:Their architecture
32:
1521:
1520:
1276:Great Royal Wives
1246:Prehistoric Egypt
753:Gascone, Bamber.
225:house of eternity
1566:
1511:
1510:
1501:
1500:
1491:
1490:
1481:
1480:
1471:
1470:
1469:
1433:
1128:
1121:
1114:
1105:
1098:
1091:
1085:
1084:
1076:
1070:
1055:
1049:
1048:
1028:
1022:
1021:
1001:
995:
994:
976:
967:
966:
942:
936:
935:
917:
911:
910:
908:
906:
901:on 13 March 2018
890:
884:
883:
865:
859:
858:
856:
854:
842:
836:
835:
817:
802:
801:
773:
767:
766:
764:
762:
750:
744:
743:
732:
726:
725:
723:
721:
709:
703:
702:
695:
689:
688:
670:
657:
656:
638:
632:
631:
623:
617:
616:
614:
612:
598:
592:
591:
589:
587:
576:
298:were built from
251:Starting in the
211:Ancient Egyptian
208:
207:
164:
158:
157:
154:
153:
150:
147:
144:
141:
138:
135:
132:
120:
115:
114:
111:
110:
107:
104:
101:
98:
95:
92:
89:
77:
72:
71:
68:
67:
64:
61:
58:
55:
52:
49:
46:
1574:
1573:
1569:
1568:
1567:
1565:
1564:
1563:
1524:
1523:
1522:
1517:
1467:
1465:
1457:
1434:
1425:
1161:
1138:
1132:
1102:
1101:
1092:
1088:
1078:
1077:
1073:
1056:
1052:
1030:
1029:
1025:
1003:
1002:
998:
991:
978:
977:
970:
944:
943:
939:
932:
919:
918:
914:
904:
902:
892:
891:
887:
880:
867:
866:
862:
852:
850:
844:
843:
839:
832:
819:
818:
805:
790:10.2307/3252928
775:
774:
770:
760:
758:
752:
751:
747:
734:
733:
729:
719:
717:
711:
710:
706:
697:
696:
692:
685:
672:
671:
660:
653:
640:
639:
635:
625:
624:
620:
610:
608:
600:
599:
595:
585:
583:
578:
577:
573:
568:
537:
512:
480:
475:
372:
330:
289:comes from the
275:
233:
176:) is a type of
162:
129:
125:
118:
86:
82:
75:
43:
39:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1572:
1570:
1562:
1561:
1556:
1551:
1546:
1541:
1536:
1526:
1525:
1519:
1518:
1516:
1515:
1505:
1495:
1485:
1475:
1462:
1459:
1458:
1456:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1439:
1436:
1435:
1428:
1426:
1424:
1423:
1418:
1413:
1408:
1407:
1406:
1401:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1370:
1369:
1364:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
1329:
1324:
1319:
1318:
1317:
1312:
1302:
1297:
1296:
1295:
1285:
1284:
1283:
1273:
1268:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1227:
1226:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1205:
1204:
1194:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1172:
1166:
1163:
1162:
1160:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1143:
1140:
1139:
1133:
1131:
1130:
1123:
1116:
1108:
1100:
1099:
1093:Awad, Shaden,
1086:
1071:
1050:
1023:
996:
990:978-0750622677
989:
968:
937:
931:978-0870999086
930:
912:
893:Lewis, Ralph.
885:
879:978-0415185899
878:
860:
837:
830:
803:
784:(6): 125–130.
768:
745:
727:
704:
690:
683:
658:
651:
633:
618:
593:
570:
569:
567:
564:
563:
562:
548:
543:
536:
533:
532:
531:
525:
519:
516:Buried Mastaba
511:
508:
507:
506:
501:
496:
491:
486:
479:
476:
474:
471:
441:rock-cut tombs
371:
368:
329:
326:
274:
271:
232:
229:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1571:
1560:
1557:
1555:
1552:
1550:
1547:
1545:
1544:Ancient Egypt
1542:
1540:
1537:
1535:
1532:
1531:
1529:
1514:
1506:
1504:
1496:
1494:
1486:
1484:
1476:
1474:
1464:
1463:
1460:
1454:
1451:
1449:
1448:Egyptologists
1446:
1444:
1441:
1440:
1437:
1432:
1422:
1419:
1417:
1414:
1412:
1409:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1396:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1359:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1325:
1323:
1320:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1308:
1307:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1294:
1291:
1290:
1289:
1286:
1282:
1279:
1278:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1225:
1222:
1221:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1198:
1195:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1177:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1167:
1164:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1144:
1141:
1136:
1135:Ancient Egypt
1129:
1124:
1122:
1117:
1115:
1110:
1109:
1106:
1096:
1090:
1087:
1082:
1075:
1072:
1068:
1067:9781588391940
1064:
1060:
1054:
1051:
1046:
1042:
1039:(45): 19–20.
1038:
1034:
1027:
1024:
1019:
1015:
1011:
1007:
1000:
997:
992:
986:
982:
975:
973:
969:
964:
960:
956:
952:
948:
941:
938:
933:
927:
923:
916:
913:
900:
896:
889:
886:
881:
875:
871:
864:
861:
848:
841:
838:
833:
831:9789088908965
827:
823:
816:
814:
812:
810:
808:
804:
799:
795:
791:
787:
783:
779:
772:
769:
756:
749:
746:
741:
737:
731:
728:
715:
708:
705:
700:
694:
691:
686:
684:9781444393729
680:
676:
669:
667:
665:
663:
659:
654:
652:9781139230483
648:
644:
637:
634:
629:
622:
619:
607:
603:
597:
594:
581:
575:
572:
565:
560:
556:
552:
549:
547:
544:
542:
539:
538:
534:
529:
526:
523:
520:
517:
514:
513:
509:
505:
504:Mastaba S3504
502:
500:
499:Mastaba S3503
497:
495:
492:
490:
487:
485:
482:
481:
477:
472:
470:
468:
464:
459:
456:
454:
450:
446:
442:
438:
433:
431:
426:
424:
420:
416:
412:
407:
405:
401:
397:
393:
389:
381:
376:
369:
367:
364:
359:
358:mortuary cult
354:
350:
346:
342:
341:
335:
327:
325:
321:
319:
315:
314:
309:
305:
301:
295:
292:
288:
279:
272:
270:
267:
266:mummification
263:
259:
254:
249:
246:
242:
238:
230:
228:
226:
222:
221:
217:
212:
202:
197:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
166:
156:
123:
122:
113:
80:
79:
70:
37:
30:
26:
21:
1175:Architecture
1094:
1089:
1080:
1074:
1058:
1053:
1036:
1032:
1026:
1012:(2): 89–92.
1009:
1005:
999:
980:
954:
950:
940:
921:
915:
903:. Retrieved
899:the original
888:
869:
863:
851:. Retrieved
840:
821:
781:
777:
771:
759:. Retrieved
748:
739:
736:Gardiner, A.
730:
718:. Retrieved
707:
698:
693:
674:
642:
636:
627:
621:
609:. Retrieved
605:
596:
584:. Retrieved
574:
558:
554:
541:Cemetery GIS
524:(Shepseskaf)
518:(Sekhemkhet)
467:18th Dynasty
460:
457:
434:
430:Giza Plateau
427:
408:
385:
380:Giza Plateau
352:
348:
344:
338:
333:
331:
322:
311:
296:
286:
284:
257:
250:
234:
214:
200:
198:
173:
169:
35:
33:
1513:WikiProject
1327:Mathematics
1288:Hieroglyphs
1202:Portraiture
1170:Agriculture
1157:Main topics
530:(Neferefre)
463:New Kingdom
449:5th Dynasty
445:Upper Egypt
437:4th Dynasty
419:3rd Dynasty
411:1st Dynasty
378:Map of the
253:Predynastic
194:Old Kingdom
1528:Categories
1443:Egyptology
1411:Technology
1374:Philosophy
1322:Literature
1214:Chronology
1069:, S. 26-30
847:"Mastabas"
714:"mastabas"
611:22 October
606:Met Museum
586:23 October
566:References
308:false door
29:Shepseskaf
1347:Mythology
1271:Geography
1261:Dynasties
1209:Astronomy
478:Non-royal
396:cenotaphs
318:afterlife
300:mudbricks
285:The term
273:Structure
237:afterlife
213:name was
199:The word
186:limestone
182:mudbricks
1534:Mastabas
1483:Category
1404:District
1399:Capitals
1384:Religion
1367:Titulary
1357:Pharaohs
1337:Military
1332:Medicine
1315:Hieratic
1305:Language
1231:Clothing
1185:Obelisks
1018:24995879
963:25735445
957:: 3–48.
738:(1964).
555:mastabeh
535:See also
473:Examples
328:Interior
258:mastaba,
174:mastabat
170:mastabah
168:), also
121:-tah-bah
1503:Outline
1493:Commons
1453:Museums
1389:Scribes
1379:Pottery
1310:Demotic
1300:History
1251:Cuisine
1180:Revival
1045:4423469
798:3252928
559:mastaba
435:In the
404:Memphis
400:Saqqara
388:pharaoh
304:Saqqara
287:mastaba
262:Tarkhan
231:History
201:mastaba
36:mastaba
1352:People
1219:Cities
1137:topics
1065:
1043:
1016:
987:
961:
928:
905:29 May
876:
853:29 May
828:
796:
761:29 May
720:29 May
681:
649:
546:Meidum
453:serdab
392:Abydos
345:serdab
340:serdab
291:Arabic
161:mahss-
78:-tə-bə
1416:Trade
1394:Sites
1342:Music
1256:Dance
1190:Pylon
1152:Index
1041:JSTOR
1014:JSTOR
959:JSTOR
849:. bbc
845:BBC.
794:JSTOR
716:. BBC
712:BBC.
510:Royal
363:phyle
206:مصطبة
119:MAHSS
1362:List
1281:List
1224:List
1063:ISBN
985:ISBN
926:ISBN
907:2013
874:ISBN
855:2013
826:ISBN
763:2011
722:2013
679:ISBN
647:ISBN
613:2016
588:2014
417:and
235:The
192:and
165:-bah
76:MASS
1197:Art
1010:277
786:doi
557:or
415:2nd
220:Djt
184:or
172:or
163:TAH
124:or
27:of
1530::
1035:.
1008:.
971:^
955:45
953:.
949:.
806:^
792:.
780:.
661:^
604:.
553::
406:.
353:ba
349:ba
334:ba
313:ba
243:.
216:pr
152:ɑː
146:ɑː
134:ɑː
109:ɑː
103:ɑː
94:ɑː
81:,
34:A
1127:e
1120:t
1113:v
1047:.
1037:8
1020:.
993:.
934:.
909:.
882:.
857:.
834:.
800:.
788::
782:8
765:.
724:.
687:.
655:.
615:.
590:.
218:-
155:/
149:b
143:t
140:s
137:ˈ
131:m
128:/
112:/
106:b
100:t
97:s
91:m
88:ˈ
85:/
69:/
66:ə
63:b
60:ə
57:t
54:s
51:æ
48:m
45:ˈ
42:/
38:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
