DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4657#0033
THE CEMETERY AT MAHASNA.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE TOMBS AND BURIALS.
(a). Character and Construction of the Tombs.
60. The general features of the necropolis which
was found to lie between the village of Mahasna
and the Maslahet Harun have been already outlined.
This cemetery, extensive though it is, does not seem
to have commenced definite growth before the time
of the Old Kingdom, so that the few earlier tombs
must be regarded as original and isolated examples.
The second and third dynasties, for instance, are not
plainly represented, whereas the first dynasty char-
acteristics are found in a fine tomb, which, being the
first excavated, is called M 1. Its plan is given on
PL. XXXIII. It is of the simple character of the
earliest stairway tombs, with three recesses or ante-
chambers leading from the main chamber. The stair-
way descends from the north, between walls of brick.
To judge from analogy, it was probably roofed over
with timber and mud, of which, however, the traces
are lost. The objects found in the debris of this
tomb (which had been previously excavated by De
Morgan), were of uniformly early character. They in-
cluded the dishes of slate and limestone numbered
12 and 15 on Pl. XXXV, the fragments of stone
bowls numbered 16 and 17, and the more perfect
vase of alabaster numbered 19. The piece of polished
ivory shown on Pl. XXXIII. is fitted with a copper
cap. The tomb M 2, with two sets of antechambers
leading out respectively from two wells, was less in-
structive, having been quite cleared out in recent
times by the fellaheen.
61. The character of the five hundred or six
hundred tombs of the general necropolis will become
evident in considering the details concerning the
burials placed within them ; but something in their
construction enables them to be reduced to a few
types which may be briefly summarised.
Examples of the familiar well or pit-tomb were
numerous. The vertical shaft was usually from three
to five or six metres in depth, and with a length and
width uniform in the same case, but varying in differ-
ent instances from two to two-and-a-half metres, and
from half a metre to one-and-a-half metres respec-
tively. These were uniformly placed north and
south (in general tendency), and had usually one or
two burial chambers leading out from the bottom of
the shaft, one at each end. Sometimes there were no
chambers, the burial being placed in the shaft itself.
Sometimes, too, but more rarely, a small recess was
hollowed under the side of the shaft, and after the
interment the opening was then bricked over. In the
better-constructed pits, the sides were walled with
brick down to a considerable depth, until a firm
stratum of desert gravel was reached ; in the majority
of cases, however, a few courses only through the
drift sand were employed.
Another distinctive class of tomb was of simpler
construction. Commonly no brickwork whatever
protected it. A hollow in the sand (corresponding
to the shaft of the pit tombs) gave way to a recess
along its side, generally the western side. Undoubt-
edly this form is linked directly in development with
that in which a bricked shaft leads to a chamber in
its side; but so completely was all trace of archi-
tecture wanting in general, that it becomes a class by
itself. Other tombs were for the most part mere
modifications of these forms. Sometimes there was
only one chamber, which was generally to the south
(as in tombs elsewhere of the Old Kingdom) ; in two
or three instances the number of chambers exceeded
two, in which case they were arranged one above the
other at the ends; but the strata of gravel were rarely
of sufficient strength for this purpose. There were
isolated cases of burials differing in character—some
few, for instance, being found in shallow round graves
like those of pre-dynastic times.
(b). The Undisturbed Burials.
[Pls. XXXII.-XLIII.]
62. On account of the unusual number of burials
found undisturbed in this necropolis of Mahasna, it
has been found convenient to select a certain few for
description in detail, and to regard these severally as
types with which to compare the three hundred others
K of excep
">als „ PL
! the more
' general
ire undistn
;ed bunals,
I provide cu
. character. I
iness of their
iaracterisuc a
, of beads a
1 comment as
features, it wd
;jfedetailsofthe
iassigned numb
.'^themselves
: like sequenc
;-:. The first dia
toinasomewha
.::/.;-being before
lithe knee The
:••] to the north.
i\ shallow pit du
jo exposed sides
riy hidden, was
idler tomb furnit
ibhaster vases, 1
L, the nui
.HI
c, d, respect
ifthese objects
JUhis burial
- high and wide,
: - d at the bott<
4 the uj
■kick walls. Th
ccts, but
'^necklaces 0
:;i foefly of
^lianan,
* good el
ram. Th
^a series 0f
ier
Mother
^xxx
m/
CHAPTER VIII.
THE TOMBS AND BURIALS.
(a). Character and Construction of the Tombs.
60. The general features of the necropolis which
was found to lie between the village of Mahasna
and the Maslahet Harun have been already outlined.
This cemetery, extensive though it is, does not seem
to have commenced definite growth before the time
of the Old Kingdom, so that the few earlier tombs
must be regarded as original and isolated examples.
The second and third dynasties, for instance, are not
plainly represented, whereas the first dynasty char-
acteristics are found in a fine tomb, which, being the
first excavated, is called M 1. Its plan is given on
PL. XXXIII. It is of the simple character of the
earliest stairway tombs, with three recesses or ante-
chambers leading from the main chamber. The stair-
way descends from the north, between walls of brick.
To judge from analogy, it was probably roofed over
with timber and mud, of which, however, the traces
are lost. The objects found in the debris of this
tomb (which had been previously excavated by De
Morgan), were of uniformly early character. They in-
cluded the dishes of slate and limestone numbered
12 and 15 on Pl. XXXV, the fragments of stone
bowls numbered 16 and 17, and the more perfect
vase of alabaster numbered 19. The piece of polished
ivory shown on Pl. XXXIII. is fitted with a copper
cap. The tomb M 2, with two sets of antechambers
leading out respectively from two wells, was less in-
structive, having been quite cleared out in recent
times by the fellaheen.
61. The character of the five hundred or six
hundred tombs of the general necropolis will become
evident in considering the details concerning the
burials placed within them ; but something in their
construction enables them to be reduced to a few
types which may be briefly summarised.
Examples of the familiar well or pit-tomb were
numerous. The vertical shaft was usually from three
to five or six metres in depth, and with a length and
width uniform in the same case, but varying in differ-
ent instances from two to two-and-a-half metres, and
from half a metre to one-and-a-half metres respec-
tively. These were uniformly placed north and
south (in general tendency), and had usually one or
two burial chambers leading out from the bottom of
the shaft, one at each end. Sometimes there were no
chambers, the burial being placed in the shaft itself.
Sometimes, too, but more rarely, a small recess was
hollowed under the side of the shaft, and after the
interment the opening was then bricked over. In the
better-constructed pits, the sides were walled with
brick down to a considerable depth, until a firm
stratum of desert gravel was reached ; in the majority
of cases, however, a few courses only through the
drift sand were employed.
Another distinctive class of tomb was of simpler
construction. Commonly no brickwork whatever
protected it. A hollow in the sand (corresponding
to the shaft of the pit tombs) gave way to a recess
along its side, generally the western side. Undoubt-
edly this form is linked directly in development with
that in which a bricked shaft leads to a chamber in
its side; but so completely was all trace of archi-
tecture wanting in general, that it becomes a class by
itself. Other tombs were for the most part mere
modifications of these forms. Sometimes there was
only one chamber, which was generally to the south
(as in tombs elsewhere of the Old Kingdom) ; in two
or three instances the number of chambers exceeded
two, in which case they were arranged one above the
other at the ends; but the strata of gravel were rarely
of sufficient strength for this purpose. There were
isolated cases of burials differing in character—some
few, for instance, being found in shallow round graves
like those of pre-dynastic times.
(b). The Undisturbed Burials.
[Pls. XXXII.-XLIII.]
62. On account of the unusual number of burials
found undisturbed in this necropolis of Mahasna, it
has been found convenient to select a certain few for
description in detail, and to regard these severally as
types with which to compare the three hundred others
K of excep
">als „ PL
! the more
' general
ire undistn
;ed bunals,
I provide cu
. character. I
iness of their
iaracterisuc a
, of beads a
1 comment as
features, it wd
;jfedetailsofthe
iassigned numb
.'^themselves
: like sequenc
;-:. The first dia
toinasomewha
.::/.;-being before
lithe knee The
:••] to the north.
i\ shallow pit du
jo exposed sides
riy hidden, was
idler tomb furnit
ibhaster vases, 1
L, the nui
.HI
c, d, respect
ifthese objects
JUhis burial
- high and wide,
: - d at the bott<
4 the uj
■kick walls. Th
ccts, but
'^necklaces 0
:;i foefly of
^lianan,
* good el
ram. Th
^a series 0f
ier
Mother
^xxx
m/