Iunmin (also written as Yunmin, Iuenmin, Minuen) was a
vizier
A vizier (; ar, وزير, wazīr; fa, وزیر, vazīr), or wazir, is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in the near east. The Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was a ...
from the
Fourth Dynasty of Egypt
The Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty IV) is characterized as a "golden age" of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Dynasty IV lasted from to 2494 BC. It was a time of peace and prosperity as well as one during which trade with other ...
. He was possibly a son of king
Khafre
Khafre (also read as Khafra and gr, Χεφρήν Khephren or Chephren) was an ancient Egyptian King (pharaoh) of the 4th Dynasty during the Old Kingdom. He was the son of Khufu and the successor of Djedefre. According to the ancient historia ...
. He served as vizier towards the end of the dynasty, possibly during the reign of his brother
Menkaure
Menkaure (also Menkaura, Egyptian transliteration ''mn-k3w-Rˁ''), was an ancient Egyptian king (pharaoh) of the fourth dynasty during the Old Kingdom, who is well known under his Hellenized names Mykerinos ( gr, Μυκερῖνος) (by Herodo ...
.
Tomb
The tomb of Iunmin is known as G 8080 (= LG 92), located in the
Central Field which is part of the
Giza Necropolis
The Giza pyramid complex ( ar, مجمع أهرامات الجيزة), also called the Giza necropolis, is the site on the Giza Plateau in Greater Cairo, Egypt that includes the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of M ...
. The name of his wife Khamerernebti is recorded in the tomb. The lintel at the entrance of the tomb contains offering texts and the name and titles of Iunmin.
[Porter, Bertha and Moss, Rosalind, Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Statues, Reliefs and Paintings Volume III: Memphis, Part I Abu Rawash to Abusir. 2nd edition (revised and augmented by Dr Jaromir Malek, 1974. Retrieved fro]
gizapyramids.org
{{webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011131428/http://www.gizapyramids.org/ , date=2008-10-11
The tomb was excavated from the rock of the western cliff, while the chapel and facade were made of limestone. The entrance hall opens up on the right into a small antechamber which contains two uninscribed false doors. In front of the false doors are two burial shafts (1547 and 1632).
From the entrance hall one can move further into the tomb and to the entrance to the outer chapel. To the left of the outer chapel is a passage which leads to a ''
serdab
A serdab ( fa, سرداب, d=Sardāb), 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 Kin ...
'' which may have contained wooden statues in the past as traces of decayed wood was found. In the floor another shaft (1551) was dug.
From the outer chapel a door leads to the inner chapel. The inner chapel contains two pillars. To the left is a chamber with another burial shaft (1550), while to the right there is a room with an offering table. Behind the pillars is another small chamber with two more burial shafts (1549 and 1687).
[ Hassan, Selim. Excavations at Gîza 7: 1935-1936. The Mastabas of the Seventh Season and their Description. Cairo: Government Press, 1953. ]
Decoration
The pillared hall contains a scene showing Iunmin and his wife Khamerenebty before a table of offerings. Iunmin is called the hereditary prince, chief justice and vizier, greatest of the five in the temple of
Thoth
Thoth (; from grc-koi, Θώθ ''Thṓth'', borrowed from cop, Ⲑⲱⲟⲩⲧ ''Thōout'', Egyptian: ', the reflex of " eis like the Ibis") is an ancient Egyptian deity. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a ...
, and the King's Son Iunmin.
Burial shafts
* 1547 – The shaft opens up to a burial chamber containing a sarcophagus of white limestone. The sarcophagus was empty.
* 1632 – The shaft opens up to a burial chamber. A box was hewn out of the floor and covered with a limestone slab meant to serve as a sarcophagus lid. The chamber was empty.
* 1550 – The shaft opens up to a burial chamber with the box of a sarcophagus dug out of the floor. The earth in the shaft contained decomposed bones.
* 1551 – Shaft opens up to a simple rock hewn chamber. Nothing was found.
* 1549 – Shaft opens up into a burial chamber, but nothing was found.
* 1687 – Shaft opens up to a simple rock hewn chamber. Disturbed human bones were found in this chamber.
References
Viziers of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt
Tombs of ancient Egypt
Khafre