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Ninety seconds on Mastaba of Kagemni
Come to see one of the grandest and most beautifully decorated tombs of the Old Kingdom, where the carved walls still carry their original paint, much of it red and blue.
Scenes of the marshes show hippos and crocodiles being hunted. Fishermen work the same water with nets and baskets, catching fish among floating lotus plants.
Another set of scenes shows how animals were cared for. Hyenas are fed, birds are tended in a poultry yard and geese are force-fed.
One of the tomb's most striking rooms shows the seven sacred oils being carried to Kagemni. The oils were essential for the ritual that would bring him back to life.
Look out for Kagemni himself, shown in large figures on the walls of several chambers. He was vizier, the king's chief minister, early in the reign of Teti, and also the king's son-in-law.
A long hall with three square pillars opens off to the right, and its long wall carries the marsh scenes. On that wall, find the small boat carrying three hunters: two are armed with harpoons, and the third holds a club. The same wall also shows a herd of cattle crossing a canal, with herdsmen alongside in boats.
In the same hall, read the lowest row of carvings, starting from the right. Male dancers appear there beside female acrobats and clappers.
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