The Polychrome Hieroglyph Research Project

Université Libre de Bruxelles - Faculté de Philosophie et Sciences sociales

This page displays details of the selected Monument. Click on the Monument number to list all individual signs ("occurrences") recorded from that object or structure.

Mon. 22


Monument : Akhet-hetep D 64
Period : Dynasty V
Reign(s) : Djedkara - Unas
High Date : 2414
Low Date : 2345
Monument type : Mastaba
Localisation or provenance : Saqqara
References : PM III, 2, 598-600; Smith (1949, 366-382).

Akhet-hetep was “Chief Justice and Vizier”. His mastaba adjoins that of his father Ptah-hotep (Mon.23) (PM III, 2, plan LX). The occurrences are taken from the list provided in Smith (1949). The situation of the two mastabas, together with their close proximity in time allow us to make an interesting comparison of the signs. Unusually, the crested ibis G25 is completely red in both tombs. Another similarity is the fish K1 which is all blue. The basket-ware signs V30 and V31, as well as the twisted flax V28, are green with a black outline, a colour scheme also found in several other Dynasty V and Dynasty VI monuments. These concordances confirm the existence of a polychrome canon at this time.