What is a Mastaba in ancient Egyptian architecture?

A Mastaba is indeed best defined as a mudbrick tomb with a rectangular base. In ancient Egyptian architecture, Mastabas were some of the earliest forms of burial structures, predating the more famous pyramids. Their design typically features a flat roof and sloping sides, which are often constructed from mudbrick, making them distinguishable from other burial structures.

Mastabas served as the tombs for the elite in ancient Egypt, where the deceased would be interred along with various goods and offerings to aid in their afterlife. The rectangular base of a Mastaba provided stability and a clear delineation of space, which was significant for the ceremonial practices associated with death and burial. As such, they were designed to stand for eternity and were often decorated with intricate relief carvings and inscriptions that celebrated the lives of the deceased.

In contrast, other structures such as pyramids have a pointed shape and are more associated with later stages of Egyptian burial practices, while hexagonal or circular sites do not fit into the traditional classification of ancient Egyptian tomb architecture, thus making them less relevant in this context.