mastaba

Examples of mastaba in the following topics:

• Tombs

  • Mastabas gradually evolved through the early dynastic period, with the underground tomb chamber sinking deeper.
  • During the Old Kingdom, these royal mastabas eventually developed into rock-cut "step pyramids" and then "true pyramids," although non-royal use of mastabas continued to be used for more than a thousand years.
  • As the pyramids were constructed for the kings, mastabas for lesser royals were constructed around them.
  • Inside the mastaba, a deep chamber was dug into the ground and lined with stone or bricks.
  • Royal mastabas were used to mark the burial site of many important Egyptians.

• The Pyramids of the Old Kingdom

  • During the Old Kingdom, royal mastabas eventually developed into rock-cut "step pyramids" and then "true pyramids," although non-royal use of mastabas continued to be used for more than a thousand years.
  • As the pyramids were constructed for the kings, mastabas for lesser royals were constructed around them.
  • Inside the mastaba, a deep chamber was dug into the ground and lined with stone or bricks.
  • Royal mastabas were used to mark burial sites of many important Egyptians.

• Egyptian Pharaohs as God-Kings

  • The increasing power and wealth of the pharaohs during the early dynastic period was reflected in their elaborate mastaba tombs and mortuary cult structures at Abydos, which were used to celebrate the deified pharaoh after his death.

• Art in the Early Dynastic Period

  • The first mastabas were constructed in the form of a flat-roofed, rectangular structure with outward sloping sides that marked the burial site of many eminent Egyptians.