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Egyptian Artifacts

False Door in the Mastaba of Perneb

PernebΒ π“‰π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“ŽŸπ“ƒ€ was a palace administrator during the 5th Dynasty, and he had his tomb π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰ built at MemphisΒ π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š–Β (modern day Saqqara). This type of tombΒ π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰Β is commonly referred to today as a mastaba, but in ancient Egyptian times they were referred to as a β€œHouse of Eternity 𓉐𓆖.” The word β€œmastaba” is Arabic for the word β€œbench,” and these tombsΒ π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰π“ͺ got their modern name π“‚‹π“ˆ– due to their rectangular structure and flat roofs!Β 

During the Old Kingdom, the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 and the palace were pretty much the center of the government/society, soΒ PernebΒ π“‰π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“ŽŸπ“ƒ€Β held quite an important role, hence the exquisite tombΒ π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰!Β 

I am standing inside the mastaba 𓉐𓆖 ofΒ PernebΒ π“‰π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“ŽŸπ“ƒ€ at the MET in front of his False Door! I will never forget seeing it for the first time with my Nonno – the first time I saw it, there was no glass on the reliefs! Seeing this for the first time will always be one of my greatest memories! I love being inside the mastaba 𓉐𓆖 because I feel like I am in Egypt –Β π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–Β I love being in tombs π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰π“ͺ!

False Doors are an extremely important part of ancient Egyptian funerary practices. False Doors served as ways for the living relatives to make offerings π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and there is a spot at the base of the False Door where offerings π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ𓏏𓏔𓏦 are meant to be left. 

The False Door acted as a link between the land of the living π“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“ and the land of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ believed that the soul π“‚“ of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 could travel between the two lands 𓇿𓇿 through the False Door. They are also known as β€œka π“‚“ doors” or β€œsoul π“‚“ doors.”