Meryrenefer
was an official during Egypt's 5th
Dynasty, probably during the reign of Pepi
II. He was the "Overseer of the Pyramid Towns of
Khufu and Menkaure", the "Inspector of wab-priests
of the Pyramid of Khafre" and "Tenant of the Pyramid
of Pepi I. However, he is better known to us as Qar (or Kar).
He was married to Gefi, who was a "Prophetess of Hathor".
Qar's mastaba tomb (G 7101) is located in the Eastern
Cemetery at Giza.
It lies to the east of the pyramid belonging to Queen
Hetepheres and next to her tomb-shaft, sitting side by side
with the mastaba of
Idu. There may have been a relationship
between these two men, but if so, the relationship is
unclear.
 
Left: Men towing the funerary boat of Qar just inside the entrance to the main room
Right: Qar seated in a niche on the east wall of the main room
This tomb consists of a stairway leading to a small
entrance corridor followed by the main or first room, which is
in turn flanked on the west by an offering hall and on the
east by an annex or storage
room. Many references refer to the main room as actually
being two courts separated by the pillars, with court C being
the northernmost followed by court D.
Within the main room there is one single freestanding
pillar and two engaged pillars. These pillars support an
architrave which is richly worked in incised hieroglyphs. On
the face of the pillars the Qar is depicted in various stages
of his life. Just within the main room on the north wall we
find two processions of men towing the funerary boat
containing Qar's sarcophagus toward his tomb. The wall to the right of the entrance depicts the funerary rites, with Qar seated at a table to receive offerings.
The text in the upper register may be translated as,
"true scribe of the god's document, Idu". In the
lower register, the "overseer of ka-priests, Nakhti"
is shown pouring a libation.

Looking through the pillars from court C into Court D of the main room
He is shown in a similar manner with his wife on the western wall, with offering lists and illustrations of the funeral procession.
The purification tent and embalming-house are the focus of the ceremonies.
At the rear of the first chamber there is a series of lovely
statues depicting the deceased and his family, including his
young son, sculpted in high relief. Another statue of Qar
sitting in a niche adorns the eastern wall, where there are
more offerings depicted.
 
Left: Qar, as depicted in polychrome on the jambs of the door that leads to the Offering Hall
Right: A seated Qar next to the entrance to the Offering Hall
Near
the southwest corner of the first room is the entry to a
second room that has been termed an offering chamber. In the
doorway to this room are more polychrome bas-reliefs of the
deceased, and within, the false door of Qar is set into the
western wall with scenes of offering-bearers and offerings to
either side.
This tomb contains excellent examples of artwork that distinguish
the latter Old
Kingdom from the early Old Kingdom. Here, as well as in
the tomb of Idu and others, the human figure is depicted with
wide eyes, pinched torsos and minimal musculature, which
differs, at times, dramatically from early representations.
Such differences are very often essential to Egyptologists
when dating new discoveries.

Engaged statues on the rear (south) wall of the main room in Court D
Resources:
| Title |
Author |
Date |
Publisher |
Reference Number |
|
Art of Ancient Egypt, The |
Robins, Gay |
1997 |
Harvard University Press |
ISBN 0-674-00376-4 |
|
Atlas of Ancient Egypt |
Baines, John; Malek, Jaromir |
1980 |
Les Livres De France |
None Stated |
|
Complete Pyramids, The (Solving the Ancient Mysteries) |
Lehner, Mark |
1997 |
Thames and Hudson, Ltd |
ISBN 0-500-05084-8 |
|
Early Dynastic Egypt |
Wilkinson, Toby A. H. |
1999 |
Routledge |
ISBN 0-415-26011-6 |
|
Illustrated Guide to the Pyramids, The |
Hawass, Zahi; Siliotti, Alberto |
2003 |
American University in Cairo Press, The |
ISBN 977 424 825 2 |
|
Treasures of the Pyramids, The |
Hawass, Zahi |
2003 |
American University in Cairo Press, The |
ISBN 977 424 798 1 |
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