Mastabah (Noun)
Meaning
An ancient Egyptian mud-brick tomb with a rectangular base and sloping sides and flat roof; "the Egyptian pyramids developed from the mastaba".
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The Step Pyramid at Saqqara is an ancient mastabah that marks the transition from traditional mud-brick tombs to monumental stone architecture.
- In the necropolis of Saqqara, numerous mastabah tombs of high-ranking officials and nobles have been discovered and excavated.
- The Egyptian pyramids developed from the mastaba, a type of ancient Egyptian tomb with a rectangular base and sloping sides.
- Mastabah tombs often featured elaborate paintings and reliefs, depicting scenes of everyday life and the deceased person's activities.
- The Saqqara necropolis contains some of the oldest and most well-preserved mastabah tombs in Egypt, dating back to the Old Kingdom period.