The Mastaba of Akhethotep

Akhethotep was a dignitary during the Fifth Dynasty. His titles relate to medicine and magic—two areas inextricably linked for the ancient Egyptians. He was buried at Saqqara, and the decorated portion of his mastaba [tomb] was removed and then sold by the Egyptian government's Antiquities Department. It is now on display in the Louvre Museum. The tomb contains relief carvings of scenes from everyday life. The fragment below is typical of such decoration, showcasing a barnyard scene where goats are nibbling the limbs of a tree.

The wall carvings in mastabas are meant to give the deceased the items that he needs in the afterlife. The goats and servants, for example, provide the food and care that Akhethotep will require in the world that awaits him after death.

Notice that one of the goats is in labor. The head of her kid has emerged, much to the interest of the basenji waiting behind her. Basenjis are curious dogs, and that this one is supervising the birth comes as no surprise to anyone who has ever had one as a pet.

So why would a wealthy Egyptian dignitary have this particular scene carved onto his tomb wall? Did Akhethotep admire the curiosity of the breed in general? Was this particular dog an especially well-loved though troublemaking pet? If the animal was such a bother, why did Akhethotep "take it with him" into the afterlife?

Perhaps the ancient Egyptians, like modern basenji owners, loved and admired the inquisitive and troublemaking qualities of their dogs.

Akhethotep did prepare for any problems that this dog might cause him in the afterlife—notice the servant behind the dog.

Akhethotep must have known that basenjis can be destructive animals—hunters capable of bringing down ibex and antelope, for example, or playful clowns ready to eat the armrests and shred the cushions of a nice sofa.

That this particular dog has a history of misbehaving is evident from the posture of the servant. The servant has spied the basenji in wait for the kid, and, based on what must be past incidents with this dog, anticipates that there will be trouble. He is ready to provide discipline. Notice his arms are raised, ready to "pop" the dog if its observation of the birth turns into something more violent.

For a tour inside the mastaba, try this Flash-driven site from the Le Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication [in French only].