the mastaba of kaninisut lies in the giza west field, the western cemetery of giza. there are clearly planned fields of mastabas to the east and west of the great pyramid. the closest relatives of khufu, the owner of the great pyramid, were buried in the east field and high officials and dignitaries were buried in the west field. through this privilege, the deceased could be included in the conceptual world of the royal afterlife and receive the necessary offerings via the funerary cult operated from the royal mortuary temple. construction, alignment and decoration of the individual private tombs reflected the contemporary cultural hierarchy. during khufu's reign a total of 77 tombs were built in the two grave fields and numerous graves were added in later times. the regular arrangement of the individual mastabas indicates that they were constructed altogether. apparently the completed mastabas were handed over undecorated to their owners, who were responsible for any further decoration. the mastaba of kaninisut is located in the westernmost part of its section of the cemetery, which is referred to as a cemetery "en échelon" on account of the arrangement of its tombs.