DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49271#0039
Excavations at Nuri
17
must be regarded with complete certainty as the burial place of Saasheriqa. Any other
conclusion is simply out of the question; yet the faience plaques in the three foundation
deposits all bore the name Semenkheretneter. It is difficult to escape the conclusion
that this is a name of Saasheriqa’s, possibly a name taken in the early part of his reign
and replaced by Saasheriqa; but of course other explanations are possible. A similar
difficulty arose at Pyr. XXV, which seemed from the shawwabti-figures to be the tomb
of a princess Maletalar (?), but according to the foundation deposits had been built for a
certain Piankhrathan (without title given).
The only weak identification is that of Pyr. XX as the tomb of Tanutaman. This
tomb will be shown in the discussion of the chronological order of the pyramids, to be
earlier than pyramid III (Senkamanseken). The only two kings known who come in
question are Tanutaman, the successor of Tirhaqa, and Atlanersa, who preceded Sen-
kamanseken. Now in the thieves’ debris in the doorway of XX room A there were a
number of broken alabaster vessels, potsherds, shawwabti-figures, and other objects, most
of which were proved by objects found in room C to have come from XX itself. The
only certainly intrusive object found in the tomb was a broken shawwabti of Tirhaqa
which was found high up in the thieves’ hole in the stairway. Among the objects found
in the doorway were two fragments of quartzite which fitted together to form the greater
part of a vase inscribed with the two chief names of Tanutaman. There is no uniden-
tified tomb within a reasonable distance from which this piece might have been dragged
accidentally. The obvious conclusion is that Pyr. XX is the tomb of Tanutaman. The
superiority of the workmanship of the decayed granite altar found in the chapel is worthy
of that of the statues of Tanutaman found at Barkal, and the material is the same. The
small size of the pyramid points to a short reign, a conclusion not in disagreement with
our meagre knowledge of Tanutaman’s life.
VII. The chronological order of the Nuri pyramids. The material obtained from
the excavations of 1916-1917 at Nuri, taken with the earlier material, led to certain con-
clusions as to the chronological order of the pyramids, the order of the kings of Ethiopia
after Tirhaqa, and the approximate lengths of their reigns. For convenience in giving
the evidence, the conclusions are set forth in the following list:—
No. Pyr. No. Name of king
Pyramids of group a:
1. I. * Tirhaqa, Taharqa.
2. XX. * Tanutaman.
Estimated
approximate
date, B. C.
688-663. (25)
(O'^U] 663-653. (10)
17
must be regarded with complete certainty as the burial place of Saasheriqa. Any other
conclusion is simply out of the question; yet the faience plaques in the three foundation
deposits all bore the name Semenkheretneter. It is difficult to escape the conclusion
that this is a name of Saasheriqa’s, possibly a name taken in the early part of his reign
and replaced by Saasheriqa; but of course other explanations are possible. A similar
difficulty arose at Pyr. XXV, which seemed from the shawwabti-figures to be the tomb
of a princess Maletalar (?), but according to the foundation deposits had been built for a
certain Piankhrathan (without title given).
The only weak identification is that of Pyr. XX as the tomb of Tanutaman. This
tomb will be shown in the discussion of the chronological order of the pyramids, to be
earlier than pyramid III (Senkamanseken). The only two kings known who come in
question are Tanutaman, the successor of Tirhaqa, and Atlanersa, who preceded Sen-
kamanseken. Now in the thieves’ debris in the doorway of XX room A there were a
number of broken alabaster vessels, potsherds, shawwabti-figures, and other objects, most
of which were proved by objects found in room C to have come from XX itself. The
only certainly intrusive object found in the tomb was a broken shawwabti of Tirhaqa
which was found high up in the thieves’ hole in the stairway. Among the objects found
in the doorway were two fragments of quartzite which fitted together to form the greater
part of a vase inscribed with the two chief names of Tanutaman. There is no uniden-
tified tomb within a reasonable distance from which this piece might have been dragged
accidentally. The obvious conclusion is that Pyr. XX is the tomb of Tanutaman. The
superiority of the workmanship of the decayed granite altar found in the chapel is worthy
of that of the statues of Tanutaman found at Barkal, and the material is the same. The
small size of the pyramid points to a short reign, a conclusion not in disagreement with
our meagre knowledge of Tanutaman’s life.
VII. The chronological order of the Nuri pyramids. The material obtained from
the excavations of 1916-1917 at Nuri, taken with the earlier material, led to certain con-
clusions as to the chronological order of the pyramids, the order of the kings of Ethiopia
after Tirhaqa, and the approximate lengths of their reigns. For convenience in giving
the evidence, the conclusions are set forth in the following list:—
No. Pyr. No. Name of king
Pyramids of group a:
1. I. * Tirhaqa, Taharqa.
2. XX. * Tanutaman.
Estimated
approximate
date, B. C.
688-663. (25)
(O'^U] 663-653. (10)