Cemetery GIS is a necropolis in the Giza Plateau. It derives its name from its proximity to pyramid G I (Khufu). The tombs are located on the south side of that pyramid and hence the name G I South Cemetery. Reisner thought the cemetery a continuation of the G7000 cemetery which is part of the Giza East Field. The construction postdates that of mastaba G 7070 of Sneferukhaf. Junker dated the cemetery to the reign of Menkaure based on the presence of granite powder thought to derive from the dressing of the second pyramid at Giza. Reisner allows for a possible construction date dating to the reign of Khafre.
This cemetery also contains several mastabas built of stone, which date to as late as the 6th Dynasty. Tombs from the time of Menkaure include the mastabas of the royal chamberlain Khaemnefert, the King's son Khufudjedef who was master of the royal largesse, and an official named Niankhre.
Mastabas
The following are a collection of mastabas found in this cemetery. There are also many shafts without any superstructure that belong to this cemetery, but these have not been included in the table.
| Tomb number | Name of owner | Title owner | Time Period | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G I S No.1 (Mastaba I) |
4th dynasty (Menkaure) | |||
| G I S No.2 (Mastaba III) |
Kaemnefret | Royal chamberlain | 4th dynasty (Menkaure) | The tomb had 3 shafts and a chapel. A granite sarcophagus inscribed for Khaemnefret was found in the burial chamber of shaft S 66. |
| G I S No.3 (Mastaba IV) |
Khufudjedef | Master of royal reversion-offerings | 4th dynasty (Menkaure) | The tomb had 2 shafts and a chapel. A red granite sarcophagus inscribed for Khufudjedef was found in the burial chamber of shaft S 68. |
| G I S No.4 (LG 52) |
Niankhre | 4th dynasty (Menkaure) | ||
| G I S No.5 (Mastaba VI) |
4th dynasty (Menkaure) | The mastaba has two burial shafts and a chapel. | ||
| G I S No.6 (Mastaba VII) |
4th dynasty (Menkaure) | The mastaba has two burial shafts and a chapel. | ||
| G I S No.8 (Mastaba IX) |
Sekhemka | Royal chief, judge and administrator, priest of Maat | 5th or 6th dynasty (Possibly Unas – Teti) | A statue of Sekhemka was found in the chapel. Two sons, named Khaemnefret and Ini, are mentioned in scenes in the chapel. |
| G I S No.9 (Mastaba X) |
4th dynasty (Menkaure) | The mastaba has two burial shafts. | ||
| G I S No.10 (Mastaba XI) |
4th dynasty (Menkaure) |
Unnumbered tombs from the G I S cemetery include:
| Name of owner | Title owner | Time period | Material | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heneni | Overseer and judge of scribes, sole companion, lector-priest | 6th dynasty | Stone mastaba | The tomb has three shafts and a chapel |
| Isu and Meshedu | ka-priests | 6th dynasty | Mud-brick mastaba | The tomb has nine shafts and a chapel |
| Itjef | Inspector of letter carriers | 6th dynasty | Mud-brick mastaba | The tomb has two shafts and three serdabs. ALso known as Junker No. 9 |
| Iymery | Royal wab-priest, inspector of royal document scribes of the treasury, inspector of scribes of the royal linen | 6th dynasty | Stone mastaba | The tomb has three shafts, a serdab, and a chapel. The tomb is just off the south of G I-S No. 3 |
| Khenut | Royal acquaintance | 6th dynasty | Stone mastaba | The tomb has two shafts, two serdabs, and a chapel. |
| Khnumnefer | Sole companion, keeper of the diadem, inspector of the king's hairdressers | 6th dynasty | Stone and brick mastaba | The tomb has two shafts, two serdabs, and a chapel. Also known as Junker No: S 46 |
| Seshemnefer IV | Director of the two thrones in the Mansion of Life, secretary of all secret commands of the king, chief of Bat | end of 5th to 6th dynasty (Unas to Teti) | Stone mastaba | Possibly identical with a man named Seshemnefer in G 5170, who was the eldest son of Seshemnefer III (owner of G 5170). Also known as Lepsius 53. Sons: Ptahetep, Neferseshemptah Sheshi, Seshemnefer Tjeti ?, Shetnu? |
| Hetepheres | Royal acquaintance, revered before her husband, priestess of Neith | end of 5th to 6th dynasty | Stone mastaba | Also known as Lepsius 54. The tomb is linked with Lepsius 53, the tomb of Seshemnefer IV |
| Niankhre | Inspector of physicians of the Great House, priest of Heka, priest of Horus-who-is-in-Shenwet, priest of Anubis-foremost-of-Sepa. | Late 5th to 6th dynasty | Stone mastaba | Also known as Lepsius 55. |
| Hor | Saite Period | Also known as Lepsius 101. | ||
| Udjahor Psametik-sasekhmet | Saite Period | Also known as Lepsius 102. | ||
| Neferherenptah | Royal sealer of the granary | Late 5th to 6th dynasty | Rock-cut tomb | A lintel mentions his wife Nefret, and his children Imgesi, Khuit, Kaemredwy and Keki. |
| Niankhhathor | 6th dynasty | Stone Mastaba | The tomb contains 5 shafts and 2 serdabs. | |
| Nishenu | ka-priest, keeper of the dockyard | 6th dynasty | Stone Mastaba | The tomb contains 3 shafts. Niankhhathor was the wife of Nishenu. |
| Nisusankh | Priest of Khufu, director of members of a phyle, inspector of wab-priests | 6th dynasty | Stone Mastaba | Nisuankh's wife was named Khenut, and his son Nisukhons |
| Niwehebre | 26th dynasty | Rock-cut tomb | Niwehebre's name was found on his sarcophagus. | |
| Ninutjer | 6th dynasty | Stone Mastaba | Wife: Henutsen, Son: Nunetjer-nedjes, Daughter: Henutsen-nedjeset | |
| Pedesi | 26th dynasty | Rock-cut tomb | ||
| Perniankh | Rower of the bark, administrator of the treasury, royal acquaintance | 6th dynasty | Rock-cut tomb | |
| Ptahhetep | Physician of the Great House, inspector of ka-priests | 6th dynasty | Rock-cut tomb | Probably son of Seshemnefer IV |
| Redenptah | 5th–6th dynasty | Rock-cut tomb | Wife: Iymerit | |
| Sehetepu Tepu | Judge, overseer of scribes | 5th–6th dynasty | Stone Mastab | Sehetepu Tepu appears several times in the chapel reliefs in the mastaba of Seshemnefer IV. Sons: Senedjemib Imesh, Khenu |
| Seshemnefer-Tjeti | Sole companion, director of the two thrones, chief of Bat | 6th dynasty | Stone Mastaba | Tomb may be part of family complex of Seshemnefer IV. |
| Tairy | 26th dynasty | Rock-cut tomb | ||
| Tjenti | Late 5th to 6th dynasty | Rock-cut tomb | ||
| Tjeri | 26th dynasty | Stone Mastaba | ||
| Tjetut | Royal acquaintance, beloved of her father | 6th dynasty | Stone Mastaba |
See also
- Giza Necropolis – overview of the Giza necropolis.
- Giza East Field – including the Queen's Pyramids from the Khufu pyramid complex and royal cemetery G 7000
- Giza West Field – including cemeteries G 1000, G 1100, G 1200 and G 5000.
External links
- The Giza Archives Website maintained by the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Quote: "This website is a comprehensive resource for research on Giza. It contains photographs and other documentation from the original Harvard University – Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition (1904 to 1947), from recent MFA fieldwork, and from other expeditions, museums, and universities around the world.".
- While still reachable the Giza Archives became Digital Giza in 2011 and is maintained by Harvard. Website can be reached here.
References
- ^ Reisner, George Andrew, A History of the Giza Necropolis Volume I. Harvard University Press, Cambridge 1942, pp 74, 82–84 and General Map of the Giza Necropolis. PDF from The Giza Archives, 249 MB Retrieved February 1, 2017.
- ^ Porter, Bertha and Moss, Rosalind L. B., Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings. Volume III. Memphis. Part I. Abû Rawâsh to Abûṣîr. 2nd edition, revised and augmented by Jaromír Málek, The Clarendon Press, Oxford 1974, pp 216–228. PDF from The Giza Archives, 29,5 MB Retrieved February 1, 2017.
29°58′34″N 31°07′58″E / 29.9761°N 31.1328°E / 29.9761; 31.1328
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