Tomb of Kairsu discovered in Abusir (AC 33)

The tomb of Kairsu is located north of the pyramid of Neferirkare and is part of a so far unexplored cemetery dating to the reign of Neferirkare – Nyuserre. The mastaba features several highly unusual characteristics. Basalt blocks had been used for the pavement in front of the façade and in the chapel. To date, it is the only attestation of such a practice in a non-royal tomb in the Old Kingdom. Some of the titles of Kairsu show that he was a high ranking official. Kairsu was overseer of all royal works of the king and foremost of the House of Life. There was a very close link established between this institution, which was in fact a centre of knowledge and wisdom in the Old Kingdom, and the god of creation Khnum. It is also important that the House of Life appears from the reign of Nyuserre when Osiris is attested for the first time. Another important feature of the tomb is the fact that the statue of the tomb owner was placed in front of the sarcophagus. This only confirms the previous assumption that ancient Egyptians were placing statues not only in different areas of tombs’ superstructures but also in the burial chambers. There is a strong possibility that the owner of the tomb may be identical to the famous sage of Egyptian history, who, according to a much later tradition, was author of the Loyalist teaching, Teaching for Kagemni and Teaching of Kairsu and also father of the early Sixth Dynasty vizier Kagemni.