Background:

A false door is considered as a funerary stelae in ancient Egypt. It was invented to mark the place of the offerings. There are several kings of stelaes such as:

<!--Boundary stelae placed around a certain city e.g Tell El Amarna

<!--Royal stelae for recording events done by kings

<!--Donation stelae to commemorate events done by kings

<!--Victory stelae to commemorate royal victories

<!--Votive stelae placed in sacred places

<!--Funerary stelae

A false door is a funerary stelae. It is considered as a means of communication between the deceased and the world of living. They first appeared in the 1st dynasty. It took the shape or a round top slab. During the archaic period they took the shape of a niche in the western wall and a funerary stelae with the formula is placed there. During the 3rd dynasty it took the shape of a door. The only difference between a real door and a false door is the absence of an entrance in the false door. It was placed on the western wall of the tomb. It was done to be used by the ba of the deceased to freely enter and exit from the tomb and to mark the place of the offering. The false door had no entrance because the ba is a spiritual matter.

Development of funerary stelae:

Function of false doors:

<!--It is a communication means between the deceased and the outside world

<!--It was inscribed by a religious formula including the deceased’s needs once read by the ba it becomes real

The false door of ika:

He was a wab priest who lived during the Old Kingdom; 5th dynasty before the rule of Unas. It was found by Egyptian Antiquities in 1939 at Saqqara. It is made out of Acacia wood thus it is considered important because wood was very difficult to carve on and was considered perishable material. The door is made out of 14 pieces of wood tied with wooden pegs and leather. The scenes are in sunken relief.

Elements of the false door:

<!--The upper lentil usually inscribed by the offering formula

<!--The lower lentil also inscribed by the offering formula

<!--The panel which lies between the two lentils and usually contains a scene of the deceased with a member of his family

<!--The drum where a curtain should be placed

<!--The niche where we have a scene or a statue of the deceased

<!--The inner jambs and the outer jambs on both sides most probably containing scenes of the deceased

Hieroglyphic inscription:

The upper lentil:

<!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  <!--<!--<!--<!-- <!--<!--  <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--

Htp di nisw Htp di inpw Xnty sH nTr qrst.f m Xrry nTr rx nswt ikA

An offering given by the king an offering given by Anubis or May the king be kind and give may Anubis be kind and give. In front of the divine booth or shrine his burial in the necropolis the royal acquaintance or the well known to the king ika

The panel:

It bears a representation of ika and his wife iimyrt seated in front of an offering table over which there are loaves of bread. They are represented in profile while there shoulders are represented in frontal view. And hands are made either two rights or two lefts. His wife is wearing a narrow tight dress.

Above the representation of ika:

<!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  <!--<!--<!--<!--  <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  

ikA Hwt aA rx nsw ikA

ika the administrative of the royal palace the well known to the king

Above the representation of his wife:

<!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  <!--<!-- <!--<!--

rx nswt ii myrt

The well known to the king ii myrt

The number of offerings:

xA tntr: 1000 of incense

xA Hnqt: 1000 of bear

xA tA: 1000 of bread

xA Hbs: 1000 of clothes

The lower lentil:

<!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  <!--<!--<!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  

Htp di nswt ir n.f dbHt Htpt tA Hnkt AbDw kAw rx nswt HkA Hwt aA iikA

An offering given by the king to him consisting of bread, bear, geese and oxen, the well known to the king, the administrative of the royal palace ika

The niche:

We have a scene for the deceased. He is represented wearing a short hair wig, a collar, a zigzag kilt and holding a staff in one hand and a scepter in the other with his left leg stepping forward. The shoulders are in frontal view while the head is in profile. In front of him is a representation of his son in a smaller scale doing the same as his father as if following in his steps. The hieroglyphics above ika are:

<!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- 

swt.n wabt rx nswt ikA

The priest of purification, the well known to the king ika

Above his son:

sA.f Tnty

His son tnty

The right jamb:

Ika is represented in a different stage of his life. He is wearing a straight long hair wig. He is represented in profile while his eyes are in frontal view. He is wearing the wsx collar. He is wearing a short Zigzag kilt with either a knot or a dagger at the waste. He is holding the xrp scepter in one hand and a staff in the other. His son is represented once more holding the same staff. There is an inscription near ika saying:

<!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  <!--<!--<!--<!--  <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--  <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!-- <!--<!--<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1128" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="M18" s