MASTABA VAN TY
The mastaba, identified as D22, is located a few hundred meters to the northwest of the step pyramid of Djoser and about 150 meters from the access road leading to the Serapeum.
Workers’ graffiti also states the name of Neferirkare-Kakai alongside the last recorded king, Niuserre, on the walls of the tomb.
Ty is also mentioned in Abusir, in the Sun Temple, associated with the Sahure pyramid.
Ty lived under several kings.
His tomb, begun during the reign of Neferirkare-Kakai, probably completed under Niuserre.
Auguste Mariette discovered the mastaba of Ty in 1860 during the middle of the 5th Dynasty, and he partially cleared it.
We don’t know if Ty is the full name of the owner or an abbreviation because in Ancient Egypt the names always have meanings.
The size of the tomb over 34m from east to west, and over 42m north to south, and also the quality of its furnishings, shows the importance of the character, his functions and his material resources.
As a rich and powerful man, he had – among other things – the responsibility of the agricultural areas and in particular of some of the most important institutions linked to the posthumous cult of the monarchs.
In fact, he had some functions associated with two pyramids those of Neferirkare and Niuserre and in four solar temples, those of Sahure, Neferirkare, Ranefere and Niuserre.
It’s important to note the significant economic significance that these foundations had, especially those adapted to the pyramids, the sun, and other temples.
They owned land, herds of cattle, and a large number of employees, especially in agriculture, and they had to manage all of these.
It’s unclear why Ty was buried in Saqqara when most preferred to have their burial monuments at the pyramids and temples in Abusir.
Ty’s “grave” was a family monument, used not only by Ty himself but also by his wife and sons.
His wife, Neferhetepes, was a priestess of Neith and Hathor.
Until recently, only two sons were known: Demedj, who seems to have had special significance, and Ty ‘junior’.
Recently, the name of a third son, Benek, and a fourth were found, but unfortunately, the fourth son remains anonymous.
The plan of Ty’s tomb is simple: a porticoed entrance opens onto an open courtyard with pillars,
so two consecutive corridors lead to the first room,
then another leads to the main chapel for receiving offerings and worship.
The mastaba of Ty was one of the first private tombs to consist of a large, pillared courtyard.
This courtyard sits outside the main structure, east of the main elongated massif, rather than inward, suggesting it was possibly added in a second phase.
The monument’s orientation is almost perfectly north-south, so the chapel, serdabs, and storage are oriented east-west.
The entrance lies along a narrow path that also serves other nearby tombs, but apparently, they remain incomplete.
The floor is paved, but it is unknown whether this was the original paving.
At the entrance to the tomb there are 2 columns and, on both sides,
Ty appears bare-chested, adorned with a kilt featuring a triangular front.
His chin sports a short square beard, and he wears a long striped wig that falls behind his shoulders.
A large chain spreads around his neck.
At first glance the images appear to be mirror images of each other, however,
on the left pillar,
he holds a long stick in his left hand and in his right hand is a Sekhem scepter,
its emblems the office.
Inside the grave is a picture of the procession of the domains, the women here bring the production offering to Ty.
These women are therefore the personification of the domains, and the legends that accompany them give the names of these,
all of which end with the sign meaning a town or city.
Each register includes twelve women, so there are twelve domains.
All women carry a wicker basket on their head, which they support with their left hand, with the arm slightly bent. Some foods are recognizable: bread of different shapes and sizes, vegetables, etc.
The right arm typically hangs straight down.
in this hand they hold a bird, a vase or the belt of a calf or a small gazelle.
More rarely, the arm bends and the hand then holds two long stems of papyrus.
while the lotus stems hang bent over the bend of the elbow.
Furthermore, there are the usual scenes about the daily lives of the sacrificers, and the false door.
And then of course Ty’s Ka statue in his own room. The original statue is in the Cairo museum so here is a replica.
Below in the burial chamber is the large sarcophagus.
