Fodor's Expert Review Mastaba of Mereruka

The Teti cemetery's largest tomb, with more than 30 rooms, belonged to Mereruka, a wealthy vizier during the reign of the 6th-Dynasty (2345–2181 BC) pharaohs, Teti and Pepy I, and who was married to one of Teti’s many daughters. The tomb's significance lies in its renderings of not only its owner but also of Old Kingdom life, with scenes of jewelry-making, scribal recording, herding, and harpooning, among other activities.

In one scene, Mereruka himself can be seen fishing and fowling alongside his family. In another, almost poetic one, the dutiful official is shown as the personification of the three ancient Egyptian seasons: akhet (for the flooding), peret (for the emergence of fertile land), and shemu (for the harvest). In addition, a life-size statue depicts Mereruka stepping forward from the tomb's false door to receive his offerings.