THE MASTABA OF THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN, N -H -P H (AS 65) PES XIX/2017 27
The mas aba o Ne e he p ah (AS 65) belongs o he
so-called co ido chapel ype (Reisne 1942: 256–291)
and ea u es ou ooms, an open cou , p obably wo
se dabs and h ee bu ial sha s ( ig. 1). The size o he
en i e omb is imp essi e, measu ing 21.0 × 9.3 o 11.0 m
(ca. 40 × 20 cubi s). The main ea u e o he complex is
he ac ha , in compa ison o he su ounding mas abas,
i.e. AS 31, AS 36, AS 66 and AS 67 (Bá a e al. 2014), no
eal “massi ” o he omb’s co e exis s, bu he en i e
s uc u e consis s o sha s and cons uc ion walls which
su ound a ill o deb is ( ig. 2).
The mas aba has su e ed om ex ensi e damage,
s one obbe y and loo ing. One canno escape he
imp ession ha a a ce ain poin , he omb was exploi ed
as a qua y o o he building ope a ions a he si e. Ce ain
ea u es obse ed in he emaining pa s – he su ace o
Sha s 2 and 3 and he alse doo in he main o e ing oom
(IV) – clea ly indica e ha he emnan s o he uined
s uc u e and he emp ied sha s we e exposed o
wea he ing o qui e some ime,2 esul ing in he poo
p ese a ion o he omb complex ha we see oday.
The s one walls o he chambe s we e p ese ed up o
i e cou ses o d essed local limes one blocks (max. heigh
1.68 m) on he eas and sou h walls; he wes wall only had
ou cou ses (heigh 1.14 m). No ceiling blocks emained
and, excep o he loo o he main alse doo niche (Room
IV), none o he ooms had a loo made o s one. This does
no necessa ily mean ha he ooms o iginally had no
The mas aba o he chie physician, N -H -P H (AS 65)
Pe e Jánosi
Tomb AS 65 is pa o a complex compound o la ge s one mas abas da ing om he eign o Nyuse e o he
beginning o he Six h Dynas y (Dulíko á – Odle – Ha elko á 2011). The mas aba belonged o he chie
physician, Ne e he p ah, and was exca a ed in he all o 2010. A e a b eak caused by he 2011 e olu ion in
Egyp , wo k in he ield con inued in 2012. Howe e , he en i e s uc u e was no comple ely clea ed and
documen ed, since o he , mo e impe a i e wo k in e ened (Vymazalo á – Dulíko á 2012: 339–356; Bá a e al.
2014). Thus, wo k a AS 65 was no esumed and comple ed un il he all o 2016. Du ing he a he sho season
ha ollowed, he wes e n pa o he mas aba was clea ed, and a hi d sha (no. 3) was ound in he cen e o
he co e. Despi e all ou e o s, howe e , no appa en en ance in o his omb complex was disco e ed du ing
ha las season ei he . I mus be suspec ed, and hope ully e i ied in one o he nex seasons, ha he o iginal
access in o he omb complex was possible om he sou h.1
Fig. 1 Plan o he mas aba o Ne e he p ah (AS 65) (d awing E. Maje us)
PES XIX_2017_ epo s_3-89_PES 14.12.17 9:32 S ánka 27
s one loo a all; i migh be assumed ha he blocks –
p obably smalle limes one slabs se be ween he walls
(compa e he loo o he o e ing place) – we e mo e easily
emo ed by s one obbe s. The loo le el can hus only be
deduced om he emaining h esholds o he di iding
walls and he loo o he o e ing niche. Ano he indica o
o he loo le el migh be he nume ous le elling lines
ound on he walls o he ooms (see below). The o iginal
heigh o he omb is nowhe e p ese ed. No ounda ion
was unco e ed ei he . The walls we e buil di ec ly on clean
sand and deb is eaching down o he o iginal bed ock
su ace.
None o he walls showed any aces o deco a ion –
ei he in pain o elie . The lowe pa o he alse doo ,
which emained in qui e good condi ion, was also oid o
any deco a ion. The oughly d essed walls o he ooms,
howe e , exhibi ed long ho izon al le elling lines in ed
pain , especially on he wes wall. Despi e he sca ci y o
insc ibed ma e ial, he lowe mos blocks as well as se e al
loose blocks ea u ed g a i i in ed pain and cha coal,
w i en on he und essed su ace o he blocks. These
insc ip ions ( ig. 3) es ablished he name o he owne o
he omb, Ne e he p ah (N -H -P H)(Ranke 1935: 198, no.8;
Ranke 1952: 369), who held he i le o a chie physician,
w sjnw ( o he i le, see Jones 2000: 396, no.1462). Excep
o his i le, no hing is known abou his man, and he
dilapida ed condi ion o his omb did no change his iew.
I is wo h men ioning, howe e , ha Ne e he p ah buil his
omb nex o he mas aba o an inspec o o physicians,
P ahhe ep (AS 36)3and no a om he chie physician o
Uppe and Lowe Egyp , Shepseska ankh (AS 67) (Bá a
2015: 25). Among his g oup o physicians, Ne e he p ah’s
mas aba is he la es in his ceme e y.
Conside ing he mas aba’s posi ion and i s ela ionship
o he su ounding s uc u es, i is e iden ha his omb
was no buil on an independen si e in he nec opolis, bu
was squeezed in o he emaining space be ween he huge
mas abas al eady s anding be o e Ne e he p ah s a ed
cons uc ing his e e nal abode. Conside ing he condi ion
o he s ill emaining pa s o he omb, i is also clea ha
Ne e he p ah was ob iously no able o inish his omb.
Because o hese ci cums ances and he less solid
cons uc ion me hods encoun e ed in he a chi ec u e o
his mas aba, he en i e s uc u e p obably soon ell in o
disuse, was pa ly demolished and eused as a seconda y
bu ial place o poo in e men s ha da e o he e y end
o he Old Kingdom o he Fi s In e media e Pe iod
(Dulíko á – Odle – Březino á – Ha elko á 2015).
The main s uc u e o he mas aba is di ided in o wo
almos equally spaced hal es. The no he n pa con ains
he huge mou h o a sha and a long, ec angula se dab
o he sou h o i . The main o e ing oom (Room IV) wi h
he deep niche belongs o his pa o he mas aba.
Because o he posi ion and size o hese ins alla ions
(sha and o e ing oom), i can be assumed wi h
con idence ha his pa was he main bu ial complex o
he mas aba, and Ne e he p ah’s e e nal es ing place. The
sou he n pa con ains wo smalle and closely spaced
sha openings and p obably (see below) a smalle hidden
chambe (se dab?) o he wes ( ig. 1). Room III wi h he
28 PES XIX/2017 THE MASTABA OF THE CHIE F P H Y S ICIAN, N -H -P H (AS 65)
Fig. 2 O e iew o mas aba AS 65 looking sou h (pho o P. Jánosi)
PES XIX_2017_ epo s_3-89_PES 14.12.17 9:32 S ánka 28
THE MASTABA OF THE CHIE F P H Y S ICIAN, N -H -P H (AS 65) PES XIX/2017 29
wo niches in he wes wall se ed as he o e ing place o
hese wo subsidia y sha s and bu ials. Rooms I and II o
he sou h we e added a a la e s age in he cons uc ion
o he mas aba (see below).
Conce ning he building his o y o he complex and i s
ch onological posi ion wi hin he ceme e y, he ollowing
de ails can be ga he ed om he a chaeological si ua ion.
When Ne e he p ah commanded he building o his omb,
he used he eas e n açades o wo al eady exis ing
mas abas a he si e. In he no he n pa he used he
en i e space alongside he mud b ick casing o he eas
wall o he huge ock-cu mas aba omb, AS 31, namely,
he whole pa o he sou h o i s sou he n niche (da e: mid-
-Fi h Dynas y, he owne emains anonymous; see Bá a
2011: 15–21). In he sou he n pa , he no h side o a huge
mud b ick mas aba (AS 64) was used ( his omb has no
ye been exca a ed). This s uc u e was buil o da k mud
b icks (30 × 16 × 10 cm) qui e di e en om he ma e ial
used in AS 65 and was olde han AS 65; his is clea om
he ac ha he omb’s açade had al eady been plas e ed
and whi ewashed when he casing blocks o AS 65 we e
se along he on o i s açade. As a consequence,
Ne e he p ah ini ially espec ed he sou he n o e ing niche
o AS 31 as well as he en ance in o he huge mud b ick
mas aba o he sou h.4This means ha , a ha ime, bo h
loca ions we e s ill in ope a ion and p obably accessible o
he une a y pe sonnel in he nec opolis. Howe e , la e on,
when he o e ing ooms o AS 65 we e buil along he
mas aba’s eas side, hese chambe s abu ed he wes side
o he huge s uc u e, AS 66, hus blocking any access
o he no h, including he sou he n niche o AS 31.
The si ua ion he e emains somewha enigma ic, since
he space be ween AS 65 and he mas aba o P ahho ep
(AS 36)5 o he no h is o med by a na ow co ido unning
in an eas -wes di ec ion and ending in on o he
sou he n alse doo o AS 31. No appa en opening in o
his co ido was ound, and as he huge s one wall o he
no h o he niche o AS 31 indica es, his space was
ob iously delibe a ely closed o good.
In all 2016, u he clea ance was done a he junc ion
o he no h-eas co ne o AS 65, he sou h-eas co ne o
he mas aba o P ahho ep (AS 36) and he “s uc u e”
AS 66 ( o a ull desc ip ion o he a chaeological si ua ion
he e, see Vymazalo á in his issue). The exca a ion
e ealed ha he na ow co ido be ween he wo
mas abas did no con inue o he eas , bu was blocked a
ha end. Du ing he clea ing u he down, an L-shaped
wall, ca e ully buil o good quali y limes one wi h smoo h
no he n and eas e n aces, was disco e ed. I s bo om has
no , as ye , been eached. Howe e , i became clea ha
his L-shaped wall mus be an olde s uc u e, which migh
be ela ed o AS 31 o he wes , since i s no he n pa
seems o un owa ds he sou he n alse doo o ha
mas aba. P esen ly, i is no clea i his wall is aligned wi h
his cul place o no . Maybe he wall s opped a some poin
in on o he alse doo ? Fu he in es iga ions should
cla i y i s ela ionship o AS 31. When mas aba AS 36
(P ahho ep) was buil , i s sou he n ex ension inco po a ed
his pa o he wall. Abou 2.6 m eas om he sou h-
-eas e n co ne o AS 36, he s one wall u ns o he sou h
and seems o become pa o he wes e n side o AS 66.
While he no he n pa o he wall was ca. 0.8 m hick, he
Fig. 3a, b G a i o naming
he chie physician Ne e he p ah
(pho o and d awing
H. Vymazalo á)
PES XIX_2017_ epo s_3-89_PES 14.12.17 9:32 S ánka 29
pa unning no h-sou h seems o be buil as wo walls
unning pa allel (max. wid h 1.5 m). P esen ly, i is no clea
exac ly how his wall is ela ed o AS 66. Is i an olde
s uc u e ha was buil o e by he ombs o he la e Fi h
Dynas y? Fu he clea ing is needed o answe his
ques ion. I is wo h men ioning ha he eas side o
Ne e he p ah’s omb adjoins he wes e n ace o his
limes one wall. Fo he ime being, i is p esumed ha his
wall con inued u he sou h, and his p e en ed
Ne e he p ah om ha ing an en ance o his own omb
om he eas .
The si ua ion o he sou h o AS 65 also emains unclea .
An almos squa e open cou (5.2 × 5.4 m) p o ided
access ei he o he eas in o he en ance oom (II) o
AS 65, o , u ning o he wes , in o he chapel o he mud
b ick omb ( ig. 1). Conce ning he ques ion o how his
cou and, in consequence, AS 65 and he mud b ick omb
we e en e ed, one would hink ha , ini ially, he access was
om he sou h. A an unknown poin in ime, howe e ,
ano he huge mud b ick omb (AS 64)6was buil along he
sou h o AS 65, closing he sou he n side o he open cou .
As can be ga he ed om he a chi ec u al ea u es o
Rooms I and II ( ig. 1), hese wo chambe s we e buil when
AS 64 was al eady in exis ence. The sou h wall o oom I
abu s AS 64 and is much hinne han he o he s one walls
o AS 65.
In concluding, i mus be s essed ha he ela ionship
o AS 65 o he s uc u es in he no h and sou h is no ye
en i ely unde s ood. Is i possible o imagine ha AS 65,
a e ha ing ecei ed all he in ended in e men s in i s
subs uc u es, was closed and walled up wi hou any
possibili y o access o he o e ing chambe s? S ange as
his solu ion migh seem, i would accoun o he
un inished s a e o he omb as well as i s ea ly euse and
exploi a ion.
Rooms I–IV
As indica ed abo e, he accessible ooms con o m o he
so-called co ido ype and consis o ou chambe s (I–IV;
see ig. 1). These we e buil by e ec ing a wall along he
wes side o he abo e-men ioned s one wall and, on he
o he side o he co ido , using he casing o he massi o
AS 65’s wes side. The di ision be ween he ooms was
achie ed by simply e ec ing sho , pe pendicula
connec ing walls, which we e no bonded o he mason y
o he eas and wes .
Ini ially, Rooms I and II o med one long chambe
measu ing 5.66 × 2.06 (ca. 11 × 4 cubi s). By e ec ing an
in e media y s one wall o 0.77 m wid h, his long chambe
was di ided in o a smalle oom o he sou h (Room I:
2.05 × 2.10 m = 4 × 4 cubi s) and a la ge one o he no h
(II: 2.80 × 2.00 m, ca. 5.5 × 4 cubi s). The la e was he
en ance oom and p o ided access om he cou in o he
inne pa o he mas aba. The di iding wall was no
bonded o ei he he eas o wes walls.
The no he nmos Room IV belongs o he T-shaped
chapel ype7and con ained he main o e ing place o he
omb. This had been o med as an ex ension and was a
small, almos squa e-like niche wi h a alse doo occupying
he en i e wes wall. The o e ing place measu ed 1.89 ×
× 1.73 m in g ound plan ( ig. 4).
30 PES XIX/2017 THE MASTABA OF THE CHIE F P H Y S ICIAN, N -H -P H (AS 65)
Fig. 4 The main o e ing niche o mas aba AS 65 wi h he des oyed and undeco a ed alse doo (pho o P. Jánosi)
PES XIX_2017_ epo s_3-89_PES 14.12.17 9:32 S ánka 30
THE MASTABA OF THE CHIE F P H Y S ICIAN, N -H -P H (AS 65) PES XIX/2017 31
The alse doo was buil o wo huge slabs o whi e
limes one o unequal size ha we e se up igh . The join
be ween hese wo slabs is no e ical, bu sligh ly slan ed.
The uppe pa o he alse doo is missing and he op has
been wo n away, due o exposu e o wea he ing (see
abo e). The o m o he doo consis ed o a simple double-
- ecessed alse doo wi hou he o us moulding and he
ca e o co nice ypical o he la e pa o Old Kingdom
alse doo s (Rusch 1923: 101–124; Vandie 1954: 389–431;
Reisne 1942: 372–379; Wiebach-Koepke 1981: 6–10, 133;
S udwick 1985: 9–15). The su ace o he alse doo
was only supe icially smoo hed and co e ed wi h pink
mo a /plas e o hide he une en pa s and c acks. No
aces o insc ip ions o elie we e p esen . The wo blocks
o he alse doo es on a hi d limes one block which
se ed as he base.
In con as o he ou e oom, he loo o he chapel
consis ed o i egula limes one slabs exhibi ing a ough
su ace. No aces o an al a in on o he alse doo we e
isible.
The eas e n pa o Room IV was o med by a co ido
measu ing 7.00 × 1.58 m (13 × 3 cubi s). Fo he building
his o y o AS 65, i is in e es ing o no e ha he no h wall
o his co ido was bonded o he eas wall, while he wes
end o he no h wall was me ely abu ing he eas ace o
he mas aba. G a i i and le elling lines we e ound on all
walls excep he o e ing place i sel . The sou he n pa o
Fig. 5 Plas e co e ing he gaps o he wall. No e he a i icially c ea ed
lines in he mo a o indica e he ou lines o he blocks (pho o P. Jánosi)
Fig. 6 The se dab o AS 65 ( iew o he eas ) (pho o P. Jánosi)
Room IV is longe han he no he n pa , since i p o ided
space o he “window” o he se dab, which was si ua ed
in he wes wall.
Room III o he sou h o he o e ing oom is a simple
ec angula co ido (5.1 × 1.5 m, ca. 10 × 3 cubi s) wi h
wo small niches in he wes wall. In e es ingly, hese wo
niches do no each down o g ound le el, bu s a only
om he hi d cou se o he mas aba casing. This oom is
he subsidia y o e ing place o he mas aba, p o iding cul
places o Sha s 1 and 3. Rooms I and II o he sou h o
his co ido oom we e added by ex ending he mas aba’s
a chi ec u e o he sou h. Tha hese wo ooms a e a “la e ”
addi ion is also clea om he ac ha hey bo h lack an
independen eas wall, such as seen in Rooms III and IV.
The walls o he ooms we e buil o local limes one o
ai ly good quali y (Z-mason y; Reisne 1942: 178–179).
The isible su ace o he blocks was d essed, bu wi h he
excep ion o ce ain pa s in Room IV, only supe icially
smoo hed. The une en pa s, la ge gaps be ween he
blocks o aul s and c acks we e co e ed wi h plas e o
pinkish colou (in some a eas he mo a was g ey), which
in ce ain a eas was hickly applied, co e ing la ge po ions
o he su ace o he s ones. This p ocedu e is isible on
almos all he walls. I is no ewo hy ha he s onemasons
delibe a ely indica ed he join s be ween wo blocks
co e ed by he plas e by incising e ical and ho izon al
lines in o he we plas e ( ig. 5). The size o he indi idual
blocks a ies conside ably om la ge slabs (1.47 × 0.36 m
PES XIX_2017_ epo s_3-89_PES 14.12.17 9:32 S ánka 31

no h wall) down o smalle size blocks (13 × 30 cm). The
o m o he blocks a ies oo; many a e ec angula , o he s
ha e one o e en wo sides slan ing, some exhibi a
poin ed angle (eas wall). Despi e hese di e ences, he
cou ses o blocks un s aigh h ough in all ooms and
he e a e no s eps.
The no he n se dab
To he sou h o Sha 2, a hidden chambe was unea hed in
he co e o he mas aba ( ig. 6). The se dab is a na ow oom
(0.98 o 1.07 m wide = o iginally 2 cubi s) unning eas -wes .
The walls consis o ou cou ses o well-d essed whi e
limes one slabs se in an up igh posi ion. The no h wall was
p ese ed o a heigh o 1.10 m, and he sou h wall o 1.25 m.
The join s o he blocks we e in some pa s co e ed (as in
o he pa s o he mas aba) wi h hick, pinkish mo a , gi ing
he su ace o he walls a somewha i egula appea ance.
On bo h walls, ho izon al le elling lines in ed we e p e-
se ed. No loo blocks we e ound in place and he e is no
indica ion ha hey e e exis ed. The wall blocks es ed on
deb is consis ing o small limes one chips. The oo , which
has disappea ed en i ely, p obably consis ed o limes one
slabs se ho izon ally upon he walls. The wes end o he
se dab was comple ely missing, while a i s eas end, a
co ne o he oom and pa o he sou h wall o ming he
squin emained. The oom’s o iginal leng h as well as i s
o me heigh can only be guessed, bu he leng h did no
exceed 4.5 m. I s heigh was p obably no mo e han 3 cubi s.
The (un inished?) wes se dab
Be ween he mud b ick casing o AS 31 and he mud b ick
mas aba o he sou h, a small space o ca. 3 m emained.
In he e o o documen he wes side o AS 65, i was
su p ising o no e ha he omb had an ex ension o ca. 3m
o he wes ( ig. 1) ha illed ha emp y space. Fo his
pu pose, an L-shaped wall was buil unning om AS 65
o he wes and along he no h ace o he mud b ick
mas aba; i hen u ned o he no h un il i connec ed wi h
he sou h-eas co ne o AS 31. The space wi hin his
L-shaped enclosu e was illed wi h coa se local limes one
blocks and mud b icks. In e es ingly, he cen e o his
cons uc ion showed a conspicuous emp y space which
had no ins alla ions, only accumula ed deb is. A e
emo ing he deb is, he aces o he sou h-eas co ne o
he mud b ick casing o AS 31 we e e ealed ( ig. 7). As
such an ex ension o he wes side o a mas aba is qui e
unusual, one migh ask wha pu pose his cons uc ion
migh ha e se ed. Since no in ac a chi ec u e inside he
ex ension emained (excep o he coa se limes one
blocks, he mud b ick casing o AS 31 and he wes in e nal
wall o AS 65), i could be specula ed ha his small
s uc u e was buil o enclose ano he hidden chambe
(se dab?), measu ing no mo e han 2.5 × 1.5 m in size.
This ex ension mus be associa ed wi h he cons uc ion o
Sha 3, which was he la es o he h ee sha s and
p obably no en isaged om he beginning (see below).
Since Sha 3 is si ua ed u he o he wes in ela ion o
Sha 1 and he axis o he mas aba, he omb builde s
p obably deemed i necessa y also o ex end he co e
cons uc ion o AS 65 wes wa d in o de o p o ide mo e
s abili y o he omb’s co e s uc u e.
The subs uc u es
Mas aba AS 65 con ained h ee sha s, one la ge one
(Sha 2) in he no he n hal o he co e, and wo smalle
ones (Sha s 1 and 3) in he sou he n pa . The building
sequence o hese sha s migh be possible o econs uc ,
as Sha 2 was buil i s , p obably ollowed soon a e wa ds
o e en a he same ime by Sha 1. Sha 3 is a la e
addi ion, ega ding i s posi ion and o ien a ion (see below).
The main sha (Sha 2)
Al hough si ua ed in he no he n pa o he mas aba,
Sha 2 mus be conside ed he main sha because o i s
size and he spacious bu ial chambe . This is con a y o
32 PES XIX/2017 THE MASTABA OF THE CHIE F P H Y S ICIAN, N -H -P H (AS 65)
Fig. 7 Sha 3 in he cen e
o mas aba AS 65. To he wes
( igh ) he ex ension o AS 65 is
isible, showing he emp y space
a ound he sou h-eas co ne
o he mud b ick casing o AS 31
(pho o P. Jánosi)
PES XIX_2017_ epo s_3-89_PES 14.12.17 9:32 S ánka 32
THE MASTABA OF THE CHIE F P H Y S ICIAN, N -H -P H (AS 65) PES XIX/2017 33
he usual disposi ion o main sha s in a mul i-sha
mas aba, whe e – as a ule – he sou he n sha is he
main sha because i is close o he main o e ing oom,
which is usually si ua ed in he sou h o he omb s uc u e
(Reisne 1936: 285; Junke 1929: 141).8In he case o
AS 65, he main sha and also he main o e ing place
we e shi ed o he no h.9Due o i s posi ion immedia ely
behind he o e ing niche, which ex ends in o he co e o
he mas aba, he mou h o he sha was shi ed o he wes
om he ombs’s no h-sou h axis. The uppe pa o he
sha (ca. 2.15 × 2.15 cm = 4 × 4 cubi s) was buil o mud
b icks laid in egula cou ses o heade s and s e che s
(b ick size 29 × 14 × 8–9 cm) and p ese ed o ca. 2 m.
The ill o he sha consis ed o yellow sand, limes one
chips and po she ds, as well as la ge and well-d essed
limes one blocks clea ly dumped in o he sha as e ill.
Among hem, elie blocks o a ying sizes we e e ie ed,
bu hese, howe e , did no belong o AS 65 (Exc.
Nos. 25/AS65/2010, 28/AS65/2010), bu we e aken om
o he ombs on he si e.
Below he mud b ick lining, ough local limes one blocks
we e used o build he sha o abou 1.3 m down om he
na u al su ace. The su aces o hese blocks we e no
d essed and he sha walls appea une en and ough. The
dep h o he sha in he local bed ock ( a la) is 7.8 m. The
en i e dep h o he p ese ed sha measu es 11.1 m. In
he eas wall, an en ance (1.55 × 1.60 m) was cu , opening
on o a passage leading o he eas . The o iginal blocking
was en i ely gone, bu he opening was comple ely
co e ed – up o he ceiling o he passage – wi h a
ha dened ill, consis ing o mud, mud b icks, limes one
blocks and limes one chips o igina ing om he g adual
illing o he sha a e i was abandoned.
The subs uc u e consis s o a spacious U-shaped
ock-hewn complex. This special o m was employed o
b ing he place o he bu ial o he sou h o he sha , as
was cus oma y o ea ly mas abas. A na ow and sho
passage unning eas u ns in o a 4 m long connec ing
passage o ien ed no h-sou h (wid h 4.5 m). This passage
opens in o a spacious bu ial chambe o ien ed eas -wes
(12.5 × 8.2 m max., ca. 24 × 15.5 cubi s). The wes wall
o he bu ial chambe has a 0.87 m high bench (3.3 ×
× 1.0–1.3 m). In on o i , a ec angula ca i y was oughly
hewn in o he loo , measu ing 1.85 × 0.52–0.55 × 0.50 m,
which con ained he bu ial o a male pe son. Fo he
posi ion o his bu ial in ela ion o he se dab in he
supe s uc u e, see he commen a he end o his a icle.
The coa sely d essed walls o he subs uc u e we e
co e ed wi h a da k mud coa ing and smoo hed wi h a
ha d, whi e plas e . The su ace o he la e displayed do s
and spo s in ed colou indica ing he no ion o ed g ani e
walls o he bu ial chambe . The su ace o he bench and
i s on we e also ca e ully co e ed wi h da k mud and
whi e plas e . The ceiling was le in i s o iginal s a e, being
und essed and unpain ed. In a ew a eas, pa ches o pink
mo a co e ing aul s and c acks we e p ese ed.
Howe e , la ge po ions o he a la ceiling had collapsed
in an iqui y ( ig. 8).
Al hough he chambe was comple ely obbed, he bu ial
in he pi was le un ouched. The bones o he indi idual
we e in poo condi ion, displaying aces o simple
mummi ica ion ( he body w apped in linen). Due o he
epea ed opening o he subs uc u e and i s accessibili y
o a longe pe iod, ain wa e and mud had epea edly
pou ed in o he bu ial chambe , illing he chambe loo
and bu ial pi . Apa om he c umbling walls and po ions
o he ceiling ha had allen in o he pi , he body had
become comple ely soaked and, a e he d ying p ocess,
had solidi ied in he ha d mud. The body had been laid on
i s back; i belonged o a ma u e man. The bones we e in
p eca ious condi ion and almos c umbled away du ing he
cleaning p ocess. Al hough success ully e ie ed o
examina ion om he bu ial pi , hey we e subsequen ly
des oyed du ing he loo ing o he 2011 e olu ion. No
objec s we e ound wi h he in e men . No agmen s o a
lid o o s one slabs o co e ing he pi we e p esen in he
chambe . Abo e he bench, in he sou hwes co ne o he
chambe , a small ec angula hole, measu ing 30 × 20 cm,
Fig. 8 The bu ial chambe
o Sha 2 as ound
( iew o he wes )
(pho o M. Bá a)
PES XIX_2017_ epo s_3-89_PES 14.12.17 9:32 S ánka 33
opens in o he bu ial chambe o Sha 3 lying o he sou h
o chambe 2 (see below).
The a chi ec u e and he emains ound in his sub-
s uc u e clea ly indica e ha he omb owne ini ially
in ended a “be e ” bu ial o himsel , which ob iously
should also ha e included a s one sa cophagus se up
agains he bench. This ins alla ion o a na ow niche cu
in o he wes wall o he chambe was used o hold
he sa cophagus lid p io o he bu ial.10 Howe e , he
omb owne seems o ha e passed away be o e his bu ial
place could be inished and a sa cophagus b ough down
in o he subs uc u e. The e o e, a “cheape ” and as e
ins alla ion – a simple pi in he loo – o he in e men
was subs i u ed. Since his in e men was ound wi hou
any p o ec ion (such as co e ing slabs o a lid), some
doub emains as o he iden i y o he pe son bu ied he e.
I migh e y well be a la e (seconda y) ins almen , one
no ela ed o he owne o he mas aba.
The subsidia y Sha s 1 and 3
Sha 1 and Sha 3 loca ed in he sou h hal o he mas aba
co e a e smalle han Sha 2. While Sha 3 (1.75 × 1.65 m)
was loca ed almos in he no h-sou h axis o he omb,
Sha 1 (1.6 × 1.5 m) was loca ed o he eas .11 Bo h sha s
a e qui e close o each o he , bu do no sha e he same
o ien a ion; he mou h o Sha 3 being u ned no heas -
-sou hwes .
The lining o Sha 1 wi h b icks (29–30 × 12–13 × 8 cm)
ex ended down o 2.8 o 3.0 m. The en i e dep h o he
sha as p ese ed measu es 10.6 m. A he bo om o he
sha , wo openings we e de ec ed. The one o he wes
was s ill en i ely blocked when unco e ed, while he
opening o he eas was only pa ly in ac and e illed wi h
allen a la, local limes one blocks, sand and mud. The
opening o he wes measu ed 1.2 × 0.8 m and was
si ua ed ca. 0.2 m abo e he loo o he sha . I was
en i ely illed wi h la ge i egula and und essed local
limes one blocks se in ha d mo a , hus o ming a solid
massi , o igina ing om he ime o he omb’s cons uc ion.
No inds o any o he deposi s apa om he s ones we e
ound. This comple ely blocked ca i y is somewha puzzling
bu p o ides some clues as o he omb’s building his o y.
I migh be in e ed ha o iginally he omb builde s
in ended o exca a e he bu ial chambe o he wes o he
sha , which would ha e been he no mal posi ion. Maybe
a ha poin Sha 3 had al eady been s a ed and would
ha e caused p oblems in posi ioning he bu ial chambe o
Sha 1. Thus, wo k was hal ed, he gap illed and a new
bu ial chambe exca a ed o he eas . The condi ion o he
bu ial chambe indica es ha loo ing ook place mo e han
once and – as wi h Sha 2 – Sha 1 emained open o
qui e some ime.
The loo o he passage in o he bu ial chambe is
i egula and sligh ly sloping downwa ds. Apa om he
ex ensi e damage ca ied ou by omb obbe s wi nessed
h oughou he en i e subs uc u e, a la ge po ion o he
de e io a ion esul ed om he poo condi ion o he na u al
a la, which in many pa s esul ed in he collapse o he
ock, lea ing he bu ial chambe in a p eca ious and
chao ic s a e. La ge po ions o he ceiling and o he
chambe walls – especially in he sou he n and wes e n
pa – had en i ely collapsed, co e ing hal o he oom wi h
huge s ones and deb is, hus gi ing he chambe an
i egula shape.
Compa ed o Sha 2 he bu ial chambe o Sha 1 is
smalle and less well-p epa ed. The walls we e only
coa sely cu om he ock, and no in en ion o he omb
builde s o ec i y walls o d ess su aces was obse able.
The loo was une en and ca. 35 cm below he loo le el
o he sha . In he sou he n pa o he bu ial chambe , he
loo emained un inished. No aces o any coa ing o he
walls as seen in Sha 2 we e encoun e ed. No bu ial pi
was exca a ed and no aces o a limes one sa cophagus
o wooden co in we e ound. The max. leng h o he
chambe was 4.22 m; i s wid h measu es 2.32 m a
he sou h wall; he heigh is 1.55 m. Since he chambe
emained un inished, i migh be concluded ha he owne
had died and he inishing wo k was hal ed.
Along he eas wall, a simple in e men was laid a es .12
The co pse was laid on a sligh ly aised shel cu om he
na u al ock. Due o he loo ing and damage caused by
na u al e ec s (wa e and mud), howe e , li le o he
o iginal bu ial could be disce ned, he body being
comple ely decomposed and des oyed. Because o some
longe agmen s o bones ound in he sou h and pa s o
he head (jaw and ee h) in he no h, i migh be in e ed
ha he co pse was o iginally posi ioned head owa ds
he no h, ee o he sou h. The bones we e agmen ed
and b oken in o small pieces. In uding wa e mixed wi h
sand added o he apid decomposi ion o he in e men ,
which p esen ed i sel as a mix u e o deb is, mud, bone
agmen s and o ganic ma e ial. A e ha ing emo ed he
i s laye o bone agmen s and mud deb is, a comple e
mi o made o coppe (Exc. No. 54c/AS65/2010, diame e
19 cm, hickness ca. 3 mm) was disco e ed embedded in
he mud in he sou h (pl. 2). Apa om he co osion due
o humidi y, he objec was in e y good condi ion and s ill
exhibi s he sho ex ension o ixing he wooden handle –
he la e i sel had disappea ed. The mi o was ound in
he sou he n pa o he bu ial place and mus ha e been
hidden unde nea h he legs o he body, since such a
p ecious objec would ha dly ha e been neglec ed by
hie es. I should be no ed ha al hough hea ily obbed,
no she ds o essels o any kind we e ound in he en i e
chambe .13
Sha 3
Al hough Sha 3, which was disco e ed in he all season
o 2016 only, is loca ed almos on he no h-sou h axis
o he mas aba, i s posi ion is seconda y and ce ainly
inse ed be ween Sha 1 o he sou h and he mason y
o he se dab o he no h. The mou h o he sha was
1.75 × 1.65 m. The sha ’s dep h om he p ese ed
su ace o he bo om was 10.5 m; 3.6–3.8 m a he op
lined wi h mud b icks. The ill o he sha con ained he
usual deb is mixed wi h po she ds, limes one agmen s
and sand. In his ill, howe e , also comple e limes one
blocks o igina ing om he casing o AS 65 we e ound.
Thus, he back ill o he sha mus ha e occu ed a a ime
when AS 65 was al eady in a uined condi ion.
F om his ill, a elie block showing a omb owne
boa ing wi h his daugh e , Ne e he epes, was e ie ed. I
34 PES XIX/2017 THE MASTABA OF THE CHIE F P H Y S ICIAN, N -H -P H (AS 65)
PES XIX_2017_ epo s_3-89_PES 14.12.17 9:32 S ánka 34
THE MASTABA OF THE CHIE F P H Y S ICIAN, N -H -P H (AS 65) PES XIX/2017 35
was pa o a ma sh scene (Exc. No. 2/AS65/2016). The
elie ce ainly o igina es om ano he omb, since AS 65
was le undeco a ed. The su ace o he block is well
p ese ed, exhibi s a well-cu elie and in many places
e en p ese ed i s o iginal colou ( ig. 9).
F om he bo om o he sha , a simple and na ow bu ial
chambe o ien a ed no h-sou h opened o he wes (max.
4.35 × 2.16 × 1.45 m). The chambe was ound in a uined
condi ion illed wi h accumula ed deb is, sand and mud
b icks as well as la ge pieces o na u al ock allen om
he ceiling and he side walls o he chambe . The walls
we e only supe icially d essed and he loo slan s om
no h o sou h, clea indica ions ha he oom was le
un inished. No aces o a bu ial, g a e goods o e en
pieces o po e y we e ound in he chambe . In he
no heas co ne o he oom and igh unde he ceiling,
he b eak h ough (31 × 30 cm) in o he bu ial chambe o
Sha 2 opens (see abo e). This opening mus ha e
occu ed du ing he p ocess o building he subs uc u e,
since in he no he n bu ial chambe he hole was ca e ully
blocked wi h mud b icks and co e ed wi h plas e o hide
he hole. No such e o was unde aken in Sha 3. Con-
side ing he un inished s a e o his subs uc u e, i s
dilapida ed condi ion and he absence o any g a e goods,
Sha 3 was ob iously ne e used o an in e men .
Concluding ema ks
In inishing his epo , one impo an obse a ion con-
ce ning he layou o AS 65 should be men ioned. The
me hod o building his mas aba, he ma e ial employed
and he “cheap” wo kmanship pu AS 65 in o he ca ego y
o he less-weal hy ombs o his nec opolis. Howe e , by
looking mo e closely a he disposi ion o he h ee bu ial
chambe s and he posi ion o he cul ins alla ions in he
supe s uc u e, one ecognizes a cle e a angemen
which should gua an ee he a e li e o he deceased
pe sons in ended o be bu ied in AS 65 ( ig. 1). The bu ial
chambe o Sha 2 is no only si ua ed o he canonical
sou h, bu i is exac ly posi ioned unde nea h he la ge
se dab, which ce ainly belonged o he main o e ing place
o his omb. In he case o Sha 1, one wonde s i he omb
builde s changed hei plan, abandoning he ini ially
concei ed bu ial chambe on he wes side in p e e ence
o one on he eas , in o de o mo e he bu ial place exac ly
unde nea h he sou he n niche o he o e ing oom
(Room III). A simila case migh be p oposed o Sha 3,
which, as shown abo e, was a la e ins alla ion. The mou h
o he sha is exac ly o he wes o he no h niche o
o e ing Room III. The bu ial chambe o his sha is
si ua ed u he o he wes and unde nea h he cu ious
ex ension o he supe s uc u e on he wes side (see
abo e), p obably inco po a ing ano he se dab in ended
o his bu ial place. The ac ha Sha 3 was abandoned
and ne e used migh ha e caused he omb builde s
also o hal cons uc ion o he hidden chambe in he
supe s uc u e. This would nea ly explain why no hing o
his ins almen was ound when exca a ed. I was simply
ne e buil . Be ha as i may, despi e i s p esen , agmen ed
condi ion, mas aba AS 65 as pa o a huge compound o
la e Fi h Dynas y ombs a Abusi Sou h, o e s a weal h
o in o ma ion wo hy o u he s udy.
No es:
1Fo aluable commen s and help in w i ing his a icle, I ex end my
hanks o Hana Vymazalo á and he pee e iewe s. All mis akes
emain, o cou se, mine. The line d awing was kindly p epa ed by
Elisabe h Maje us.
2A he bo om o Sha 2, bones o ca ni o es, he diges ion o owls,
and in he middle o he bu ial chambe , he head o a dog we e
ound, con i ming ha o some ime his sha was le open.
3As Hana Vymazalo á kindly poin ed ou o me, i seems plausible
ha because o he posi ion o bo h mas abas and he i les o
he omb owne s, bo h men we e p obably ela ed o each o he .
I is ce ain ha AS 65 was buil a e AS 36. This is also
con i med by he po e y co pus ound in bo h s uc u es (see
A ias 2017).
4Fo he cu ious ex ension o he mas aba’s açade in o he small
space be ween AS 31 and he mud b ick omb, see p. 31.
5This omb consis s o a huge mas aba wi h one sha in he sou h
and a ock-cu chapel in he no h, which was en e ed ia he cou
o AS 31. G a i i ound on some casing blocks e eal ha he
owne was sHD sjnw P H-H p. This mas aba and he omb o
Ne e he p ah (AS 65) will be he issue o he nex olume in he
Abusi se ies (Dulíko á – Jánosi – A ias Ky na o á – Odle ,
in p epa a ion).
6AS 64 is ce ainly olde han he inal s age o AS 65. The omb
awai s comple e explo a ion in he nea u u e.
7This ype o o e ing oom is common in he la e pa and a he
end o he Fi h Dynas y. See, o ins ance, he omb complex o
Seshemne e IV and Tje i (Junke 1953: igs. 49, 50).
Fig. 9 Relie showing pa o a ma sh scene. Only he lowe pa
o a emale igu e s anding on a papy us ski acing igh and he oe
o he omb owne a e p ese ed. The woman’s name, p obably
a daugh e , was Ne e he epes (pho o M. F ouz)
PES XIX_2017_ epo s_3-89_PES 14.12.17 9:32 S ánka 35