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the tomb of hesy-ra
Page 1 of 9
The ancient Egyptian, Hesy-ra, was a government official, serving under the pharaoh,
Djoser, during the Third Dynasty. Like many ancient Egyptians,
he is known by several variations of his name. Hesy-ra, Hesy-Ra, Hesyre, and more subtle
variations all refer to the same man. A combination of two hieroglyphic symbols, the hes vase
and the sun, or re, disk are joined, using the rebus principle, to form the syllables of his name.
(Wilkinson, pg. 156) While he was not royalty, he was well known for his expertise in areas of
medicine such as dentistry as well as for his skills as a scribe. His tomb at Saqqara, with its
elaborate internal artwork, is a sign of his favor and prestige with the Pharaoh of his time. What
set the artwork apart from that of numerous other government official’s tombs was its remarked
artistic innovation as well as its prominent role in traditional ancient Egypt art.
The artwork that will be discussed is a selection of raised relief wooden panels.
One shows him standing, the other, seated.
His burial mastaba will also be touched upon as well as information about
paintings found within. Hesy-ra’s social role is also of importance to his past. Without it, he would
not even be a memory, let alone a significant figure in helping to better understand ancient
Egypt. As this influence may seem subtle, facts on Hesy-ra are scattered throughout many works.
The definitive source of information on Hesy-ra is the French work, James Edward Quibell’s,
Excavations at Saqqara, 1911-12: The Tomb of Hesy.
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