The Mastaba of Mereruka: A Guide to Saqqara’s Grandest Noble Tomb

The Mastaba of Mereruka is the largest and most complex noble tomb in Saqqara, featuring a sprawling 32-chamber layout built for King Teti’s powerful Vizier. As a “palace for the afterlife,” its energetic 6th-century reliefs provide a vivid documentary of Old Kingdom life, including famous scenes of hippopotamus hunts, tax collection, and craftsmanship. Today, it remains an architectural masterpiece, best known for the iconic life-sized statue of Mereruka stepping through a false door to join the living.