Tomb of Mereruka

 

parade of servants with various items : livestock, birds, food and drink. They are grouped in threes in each register,

 

images of the deceased and one of his wife. In this scene Mereruka wears sandals, whilst elsewhere in this chamber he is bare-footed. It should also be noted that here, as in the two occurrences on the south wall, Seshseshet stands in front of him (in diminutive scale) grasping his front stepping leg. On the north wall she stands behind him at a similar size to her husband.

a census of domesticated animals is carried out, which include oxen, goats and gazelles. In the lower register, the census is written down by four scribes, with an attending scribe standing behind them. In front of them another scribe, probably more senior, presents the lists to Mereruka. The deceased and his wife stand to the right of the scene. Only the last part of the column of text remains in front of them, which states:"… from his settlements of Lower and Upper Egypt".
On the right half of the wall, Mereruka and his wife (situated at far right) receive the products of the villages or estates, symbolised by women carrying these in either a basket on their head or carried by hand. The names of each domains is given in front of the representative. Again, only the last part of the column of text remains in front of them, stating:"… of his estate for an invocation offering for him there".
Male servants walk behind the women, laden with more offerings. The text above these says: "Let the best and all good year-offerings come to his ka".

 treatment of animals of the farmyard. Geese, ducks and pigeons appear to roam freely in a large meadow. The bottom register deals specifically with the scenes of the raising of cranes. 

Grain is thrown to the free roaming adults. For the young this is prepared as a mash or it is cooked; with this they are then force fed

the butchery of oxen . Three dead animals are shown having their haunches severed as an offering for Mereruka. Working on the middle animal, the man on the right instructs his work-mate to:"Pull towards yourself, comrade", whilst with the animal on the right, the man kneeling on its neck instructs his work-mate to:"Turn his head, comrade". Above, men carry offerings towards the entry to chamber 8.
In the middle of the wall, the deceased, his wife and son, face the fishing scene on the right. Originally he would have stood to almost the full height of the wall. His wife stands behind him at the same scale. His son, who is shown at a much smaller scale, stands in front; this is Meryteti.
The surviving lower part of the column of text in front of them says: "… of the estate, so that invocation offerings of bread and beer may come forth to him there".

The actual fishing scene of the lowest register shows twenty-three men pulling on a large net, provided with floats . Entrapped in this are a large variety of fish. In the register above can be seen the fishermen bringing the produce of their task towards Mereruka

long lines of servants heading  carrying foods and products of all kinds, for Mereruka and his wife Seshseshet.

Mereruka is seated on a fine chair with a back rest and having legs which end in the claws of lions, resting on small conical pedestals . None of the text associated with Mereruka has survived, his upper portion being missing. His wife kneels next to him, breathing the fragrant lotus flower. She is identified by the text in front of her. He sits in front of a table of offerings, of which the upper portion is missing (a fuller version can be seen on the north wall). Crates containing various offerings are situated under the table, which stood on a single pedestal. More offerings are piled to the left of these.
Walking in front, in the bottom register, are six men carrying thighs of oxen, a most valued offering. These are positioned directly below the seated couple. Only the first of these is named; they were relatives of the deceased. Of the other names which have survived or ever existed, only four can be found.

The long text band above this register is only missing the left-hand (end) section, part of Mereruka's titles and names. The text says: "Bringing choice pieces (shanks and birds), gifts and all good year-offerings, which are brought from his estates, from his settlements of Lower and Upper Egypt, so that invocation offerings of bread and beer may come forth to him there on every day, at every feast, at the opening of the year festival, at the Thot festival, at the first of the year festival, at the Wag-festival, at the Sokar festival, at the great festival, at the festival of burning, to the extent (of eternity for the) ",

 then follows some the deceased's titles and his name/s.

At the left-hand side of the bottom register, porters carry various goods in containers, some carry large fowl, and some are accompanied by small domesticated animals  . One interesting item being carried, which all visitors seem to want to see, is the hedgehog being carried by the eleventh porter from the left hand side of the bottom register .