The pharaoh Djoser's ka statue peers out through the hole in his serdab, ready to receive the soul of the deceased and any offerings presented to it.
A serdab (Persian: سرداب), literally meaning "cold water", which became a loanword in Arabic for 'cellar' is an ancient Egyptian tomb structure that served as a chamber for the ka statue of a deceased individual. Used during the Old Kingdom, the serdab was a sealed chamber with a small slit or hole to allow the soul of the deceased to move about freely. These holes also let in the smells of the offerings presented to the statue.[1]
The term serdab is also used for a type of undecorated chamber found in many pyramids.[2] Due to the lack of inscriptions, it has been impossible to determine the ritual function of this chamber, but many Egyptologists view it as a storage space, akin with the underground storehouses in private and royal tombs of the Second Dynasty.[3] It is easiest recognized by its position in the east end of the pyramid's internal chamber system and the three niches in its outer wall. The earliest serdab of this type is found in the pyramid of Menkaure, but it was during the reign of Djedkare Isesi that it became a part of the standard pyramid layout. [citation needed]
^Bard, KA (1999). Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. NY, NY: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-18589-0.
A serdab (Persian: سرداب), literally meaning "cold water", which became a loanword in Arabic for 'cellar' is an ancient Egyptian tomb structure that served...
the bedrock, and were lined with wood. A second hidden chamber called a serdab (سرداب), from the Persian word for "cellar", was used to store anything...
colonnaded entrance, 11) north court, 12) north galleries, 13) step tombs, 14) serdab, and 15) north altar The crowning feature of the complex is the Step Pyramid...
the serdab. The main purpose of the statue was to allow the king to manifest himself and be able to see the rituals performed in and out the serdab. This...
of Lower Egypt (jrj-pat HAtj-a xtmw-bjtj), and on a statue found in his serdab (and now located in Hildesheim), Hemiunu is given the titles: king's son...
Khafre's complex contained five boat-pits and a subsidiary pyramid with a serdab.: 19–26 Khafre's pyramid appears larger than the adjacent Khufu Pyramid...
The mastaba was discovered by Auguste Mariette. The mastaba contains two serdabs. The walls of the tomb show various scenes of everyday life. Ti (also spelled...
may be used to store offerings, store burial equipment, or it may be a serdab chamber. The upper descending passage is clad in granite and descends to...
headdress, has been commonly depicted on top of the Nemes. The statue from his Serdab in Saqqara shows the king wearing the nemes headdress. Osiris is shown to...
the use of the "queen's chamber" is still disputed—it might have been the serdab of the Ka statue of Khufu. The subterranean chamber remains mysterious as...
granite portcullises, leading to an antechamber flanked to its east by the serdab with its three recesses and to its west by the burial chamber containing...
further rooms, a room with three recesses for holding statues – called the serdab – to the east, and the burial chamber with the ruler's sarcophagus to the...
years either way. The ka statue of Djoser in his tomb at Saqqara was in a serdab (a type of chamber) in the north-eastern base of his pyramid, tilted at...
Egypt, Atlanta, 1990, 92 Memoirs, Egypt Exploration Society—1958, p. 7 Serdab of the Chancellor Meketre Archived August 28, 2005, at the Wayback Machine...
archaeologists are convinced that once upon a time a mortuary temple and a serdab existed but were destroyed due to the looting of stone from his cult buildings...
narrow passage. The narrow passage, which subsequently became known as the serdab (Arabic for passage), was similarly lined with masonry, but partly blocked...
chambers constructed around a large circular water basin, the so-called "Large Serdab" (as named by Ernst Herzfeld) or Birka Handasiyya ("Geometric Basin", a...
: 155–159 : 19, 55 Behind the false doors is a small statue closet known as the serdab. A statue of each man would have been placed here, facing the chamber as...
Lighthouse of Alexandria Library of Alexandria Luxor temple Mammisi Mastaba Serdab Art of ancient Egypt Amarna art Ancient Egyptian pottery Egyptian faience...
attestation dates back to a statue of King Djoser (3rd Dynasty) placed in the serdab of the Step Pyramid (circa 2650 BC). The most colossal representation of...
antechamber is the burial chamber; to the left is another small room, a serdab. In the burial chamber a sarcophagus decorated with polychrome reliefs stood...
pyramid. To the east, a doorway leads to a room – called the serdab – with three recesses. The serdab measures 6.75 m (22.1 ft) wide and 2 m (6.6 ft) deep. To...
carriers 6th dynasty Mud-brick mastaba The tomb has two shafts and three serdabs. ALso known as Junker No. 9 Iymery Royal wab-priest, inspector of royal...
a separate entrance. The secondary offering chamber is connected to the serdab (Arabic for "cellar"), a closed room containing a statue of Perneb, by a...
al-Khilāfa palace in Samarra, Iraq Remains (partly reconstructed) of the Large Serdab or Birka Handasiyya, a sunken hall around a large circular pool, inside...
pavilions (Yalı Köşkleri), imperial stables (Ahır Köşkü), a "sunken" pavilion (Serdab Köşkü or Mermer Köşk), and a yellow pavilion (Sarı Köşk). Another highly...
Quibell questioned the most during his dig was the walls that surrounded the Serdab. However, much more research has been done since then, and according to...
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