Tomb of Sabni

Tomb of Sabni
Sabni’s text relates how he travelled to Wawat and duly punished the tribe responsible for his father’s death. Then he recovered the body and started his journey home.

Tomb of Sabni

Meanwhile, his sovereign, Pepi II, had despatched a whole convoy of royal embalmers and mortuary priests along with the necessary oils and linens for mummification and internment. Such honour paid to a nobleman of Elephantine confirms the close ties between Memphis, the capital, and Aswan, the Southern Gate. In an expression of gratitude Sabni later set out for Memphis to hand over to Pepi Mekhu’s rich cargo.

Tomb of Sabni

 The entrance to Sabni’s tomb is unusually divided by a cross beam. The lower section forms the actual doorway and the upper section a window. The tomb chamber, which has fourteen square pillars, is of no special interest, apart from a relief on the rear wall that shows the deceased hunting from a boat in the company of his daughters. This is an appealing representation combining action and sensitivity. Sabni holds the javelin in his right hand and the slain birds in his left. To the right, he harpoons two fish at a single strike. At the centre, birds take to the air above a papyrus thicket.

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