Ti mastaba

The middle of the scene, particularly successfully, is shown the efforts of the men to put it back in place (the same scene can be found in the chapel of Akhethotep, in the Louvre). Clinging to the net, the two peasants at the middle endeavour to lift the bag, whilst another (at the front) immobilises the beast by surrounding its muzzle with his left arm (it is impossible to see what he does with his right). He orders his work-mate, (4): "Give it (a push), hurry up!". It is uncertain what the man at the rear of the animal is supposed to be doing, but he holds the tail of the donkey with his right hand. Perhaps with his left he is supposed to be pushing the top of the load over the back of the donkey, as asked by his mate at the front, because he replies, (3): "I'm doing what you ask".
 Finally, at the head of the column advances a donkey whose load is supported by a worker, whilst behind it follows another man with a stick. In a show of great tenderness, as the Egyptians loved to show them, a small young donkey precedes its mother (see tb-ânes).
Ti mastaba

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