Developments in Serving Sculptures and their Change in Location from the Serdab to the Burial Chamber

Abstract

During the late 6th Dynasty, serving sculptures underwent several significant developments in production and distribution, including a change in where they were located in the tomb. Previously housed in the serdab in the superstructure, the sculptures began to be deposited in the subterranean burial chamber. Previous explanations for this change in funerary practice have focused on religious reasons, specifically the growth of the Osirian cult which caused greater attention to be devoted to the substructure. However, it is equally important to investigate the historical factors that may have influenced this development. As these have not yet been fully considered, this study presents the historical perspective which should be understood alongside the religious explanations. It is argued that an increased feeling of insecurity in society contributed to the burial chamber becoming the preferred location for serving sculptures. This subterranean location enabled the sculptures to no longer have any interaction with the living and to give the tomb owner direct and more secure access to the goods and services they provided.