Inside Akhethotep’s chapel

Give your attention to the carved scenes. Plants, animals and farming activities bring daily work into a place connected with death. Look for a small action you can recognise and follow how it contributes to the supply of food. This chapel belonged to the tomb of Akhethotep, an ancient Egyptian tomb owner. A tomb of this type is called a mastaba. Its chapel stood above the burial shaft and received offerings, keeping a place for the living to maintain their connection with the dead. The scenes of provisions belong to that purpose. What you see here was reconstructed stone by stone. The Louvre purchased the chapel from the Egyptian government in 1903. The space preserves this part of the tomb. The underground burial chamber was a separate part of the original arrangement. Return to one carved detail. Food had to be grown, gathered and prepared before it could become an offering. Follow an activity along the wall and look for the people, animals or plants involved. The tomb chapel brings that work into the place where offerings were made for Akhethotep.