The tomb of Kagemni

Here, Kagemni, of which only his feet remain, was seated in front of a troop of fourteen dancers, dancer-acrobats and women clapping their hands and executing a stance which is difficult to imagine. The bodies are bent backwards, almost horizontally, while both of their arms and a leg are nearly vertical. The way it is represented, they would certainly fall over

The tomb of Kagemni

Kagemni is found represented at heroic height on this wall, in a pastoral scene of breeding and taking care of the herds.

 

 a herd crosses a ford. A peasant sitting in boat has the whole herd crossing while attracting the mother with a calf, which he holds by a foreleg and by a rope. The calf tries to swim while turning its head toward its mother and while mooing. This attracts the mother and the whole herd.At the rear of the herd a drover raises his stick to drive forward the last reluctant oxen. Behind him a man makes to cross the ford with a calf, undoubtedly very young, which he carries on his back ... it does not appear to be very happy ( 

Crossing the ford is dangerous, not just for the beasts, but also for the men. Indeed, besides the usual fauna of fishes, there are crocodiles and hippos to look out for.

On the second register servants take care of the milking of cows, which have been tethered to stop the animals from moving (and to help keep away the calves which have not yet been weaned, which obviously seek to suckle their mother


To the right, two men are seated face-to-face on some sort of thick vegatable matting. They manufacture faggots from stems of papyrus, even though it is difficult to understand the nature of the instruments which they hold in their hands; nevertheless the action is indisputable since the hieroglyphic wording of the scene is "qeni", which means faggot or bundle
 
Another servant, seated in a strange kind of basket, weans a young pig to which he seems to regurgitate milk into its mouth. Note (as an aside) the pig, which is known from excavations to have been abundantly preserved, is hardly ever represented in tombs, probably considered as an impure animal. Besides, it will later become an animal connected to the god Seth

 

the tomb of Kagemni

 
 Kagemni, of whom only his feet remain, appears standing upright on a papyrus boat, itself slipping in the dense papyrus lined marshes whose plants are represented by upright stems. He is evidently fishing in the marshes. In front of him appears a small boat, also of papyrus, which transports three men dressed in a narrow belt and a flap of material allowing freedom of movement, which normally acts as a loincloth to cover their sex and save embarressment 
 
The one of the rear, squatting on his heels, directs the frail craft. The one of the middle throws a line with several fishhooks (several different species of fish can be seen approaching). At the front, a character obviously makes a considerable effort to raise a heavy hooped net of fish. His minimal loincloth is raised around his shoulders. Among the represented species are: carp, mulet, mormyridae (elephant fish), catfish, synodontes, tilapia .... These Nile perch (which are nowadays still found at our fishmongers) are also perfectly identifiable; there are also eels.
 
Notice how far the artist/craftsman has taken the detail: on the branches immediately
 
 in front of the boat, can be seen a frog, a grasshopper dragonfly

Other representations of the same type are present Some dangerous animals can also be seen in this hostile environment, where the order required by Ma'at doesn't reign; so there is a battle between crocodiles  and crocodiles hunting fish, one among them having made a large catch .
 
The composition shows well the panic of the potential victims, who flee in all directions. Because there is an obvious immediate reading for this scene, it is necessary to imagine secondary symbolic one. The marsh is the border zone between the unorganised environment (or Isfet) and the semi-organised one of Egyptian men, in accordance with the will of the gods (this is the zone of Ma'at). While hunting the wild animals, these are also the demons which are hunted and which are thus prevented from penetrating into the most intimate parts of the tomb.

BIOGRAPHY OF KAGEMNI

 This spreads across part of the facade, on either side of the entry doorway. The text itself is thus divided into two symmetrical and complementary parts, which also show a complex nature. In the narration it is impossible to find, as anywhere else, a distinction between ideal good deeds, practical offices performed for the pharaohs, and pealing to the visitors. The three kinds are merged in a typically narrative style which takes into account the chronological stages of life. The spirit of the speech seems to exceed the traditional concept of a just and pious man, to describe his recent office of authority: the nomarch.
Source: PM III, p.521.
Publication: Urk. I 194-196; MIO 1 (1953), 210-226.
Comments: Junker, Pyramidenzeit, p.54; Edel, Untersuchungen, § 53, p.68-71 ;
 Janssen, Autobiografie, I Af 2; IIS 1, V 2, Bl 29, Bz 37, Dv 1, Hc 12-13.

Translation :
§ 113 'The State Vizier, Kagemni, says: "I was the favourite of Isesi. I filled the task of civil servant of the state, in the time of Unas. His Majesty rewarded me very generously, [and when I came to the Residence,] His Majesty rewarded me for it very generously.
The majesty of Teti, who lives eternally, reached the Residence... [His Majesty] learned their name in the Palace, then His Majesty ordered all things which His Majesty wanted, [which one made happen in the courthouse of the Six. As for] all things which His Majesty had justly ordered to be done in the courthouse of the Six, [it was justly done by my action.] It was with a deep desire that His Majesty wanted [that I should render justice] in all things which he ordered.".

§ 114 'The Vizier of the State, Kagemni, says: "[The majesty of Teti, my Lord, he who lives eternally, named me as the head of] all offices, on service at any hour (at) the Residence. His Majesty had confidence with regarding all things which His Majesty had ordered to be done, [because I was capable, because I was appreciated by His Majesty]".

"[Oh living... accomplish] justice for the king, because it is justice which the God likes. Known as Ma'at (to the king, [because it is truth which the king likes. Oh living...] you won't be able to throw slanders against me, because the sovereign knows my character and my conduct [and His Majesty has confidence in me, pleased that in his civil servant who is in this country, because I am] someone who speaks the truth and repeats the good in what the king likes. I desire that good is in me near the king and the great god, [and I desire that my condition of Imakhu is close to men and close to the great god. I judged] the parts so that they were satisfied, I fed the poor person, [I removed the pain of the grief-stricken.]"

Texts of bewitchment follow, in a rather fragmentary state.

Based on Alessandro Roccati: "La littérature historique sous l'Ancien Empire Égyptien", Ed du Cerf, 1982, p 139-141.

the Tomb of kagemni at saqqara

The Titles of Kagemni also known as Memi
As with all high officials, he was attributed with dozens of titles (53 in total), some of which were purely honorific, but some were of functions which he actually performed. He would have held many of these before taking on the high office of vizier.

	Hereditary Noble
	Count
	Chief Justice (literally: "He of the curtain" and of high status)
	Vizier
	Chief Lector Priest
	Gracious of Arm (The meaning of this title is not clear)
	Sole Companion
	Mortuary-priest of Anubis is unusual in this title
	Stolist-priest of Min
	Scribe of the God's Book
	Director of every Divine Office
	Master of the Secrets of the Sacred Language
	(Sole) Confidant of the King out of his (the king's) Two Banks
	Treasurer of the King of Lower Egypt
	Sem-priest
	Director of every Kilt (possibly meaning "Director of all Officials")
	Overseer of the two Treasuries
var.	Overseer of the two Granaries
	Overseer of the Six Great Mansions
	Mouth of every Butite
	Overseer of the Two Wabet-chambers
	Overseer of the Two Houses of Gold
	He who is in the Chamber (i.e councillor) of Nekhen
	Herdsman (i.e. ruler) of Nekhen
	Chief of Nekheb (El-Kab)
	Overseer of the Scribes of the Royal Documents
	Master of the Secrets of that which (only) the One sees
	He who has Might with the Gods
	Domain-administrator of (the vineyard) "Star-of-Horus-President-of-Heaven"
	Director of the Mansions of the Red Crown
	Director of the Mansions of the White and Red Crowns
	Inspector of the Pyramid "The-Places-of-Teti-are-Enduring" possibly omitted in error, see below
	Inspector of Priests of the Pyramid "The-Places-of-Teti-Son-of-Re-are-Enduring"
var.	Overseer of the Town of the Pyramid "The-Places-of-Teti-are-Enduring"
	He who is in the Chamber (i.e councillor)
	Master of the Secrets of Secret Missions
	Overseer of all Works of the King
	Overseer of all (Judicial) Hearings
var.	Overseer of the Two Chambers of the King's Wardrobe
	Overseer of Upper Egypt
	Overseer of Upper and Lower Egypt
	Overseer of the Entire Land, Upper and Lower
	Overseer of the Two Royal Domains
	Master of Secrets
	High Priest of Heliopolis
	Overseer of all Commands
var.	Overseer of all Commands of the King
	Attached to "Fair-is-the-Face"  (a name of the crown)
	Overseer of the Two Chambers of the Seal-bearers
	Overseer of Commissions in the Entire Lands
	Overseer of the Fowling-marsh
	Overseer of the King's Fowling-marsh
	Judge and Nome-Administrator