DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4657#0023
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ARCH/EOLOGICAL TYPES OF THE THIRD DYNASTY.
those which had the leg as an intrinsic part. They
had evidently been piled with offerings, and the liquid
Nile mud had poured down the stairway (in which
they chiefly abounded) and had splintered them the
more.
The Implements of Copper.
Plates XVI. and XXIII.
52. The two royal tombs contained an interesting
series of small copper implements in considerable
quantity. The real objects were more plentiful than
the thin models which abounded in the earlier kings'
tombs. On Pl. XVL, amongst those from the tomb
of Neter-Khet may be specially noticed the three
knives, 1, 2, and 14, the first of which had become
bent and corroded, while the last has a nicely riveted
handle. Among the chisels, 23 and 24 are the
strongest forms, recurring in the examples 13, 30, 31.
Numbers 6, 10, II, 25, and 26 form another type of
which 7, 19, and 29 appear to be rough castings to
which parts of the mould still adhere. The axes 21
and 22 are so thin that they are possibly to be regarded
as models. The implements are arranged in groups
according to the chambers in which they were found.
Numbers 14-18, for instance, marked [a], and 23-31,
marked [b], are from consecutive portions of the main
passage leading to the burial chamber.
The group from tomb K 2 figured in Pl. XXIII,
includes a number of similar types ; the two axes 25
and 26 are thicker and of more serviceable character,
and there are also some riveted fittings, possibly
from the coffin itself. The two chisels from the
tomb K 4, however, are the best of all that were
found, and the fine saw-model from tomb K 5 is also
of special interest.
The Flint Implements.
Plates XV., XX.
53. From the vicinity of Neter-Khet's tomb there
came a variety of rough flints (palaeolithic in appear-
ance) ; while from within the tomb came some of finer
workmanship and interesting in form. They are all
figured on Pl. XV. Of the two knives shown in the
left hand photo at the bottom, that with a handle,
which is upright, is somewhat rough, and one edge
has been worn down as though by scraping. The
back of the blade is noticeably concave. The other
(in the top of the same photograph) is of better finish,
the cutting edge being worked somewhat finely ; but
the handle is broken away, anciently, as it seems.
These two knives were both found in a deposit on
one of the steps descending through the superstructure
of the tomb, low down near the first archway. Small
flakes or worked pieces like those shown at the top
on the right hand are already known in the earliest
dynasties : see, for instance, Royal Tombs, II.,
Pl. XXXIII.
The crescent-shaped flints below are of special
interest. Not only were they found in great quantity
and variety near to the tomb, and particularly to its
east, but four of a similar shape were discovered
within the burial chamber itself. A selection of
these " Flints from the vicinity of the tomb" is
shown in the group photograph on PL. XV. They
are all brown in colour, with a surface polished by
continual drift of sand blowing over them. The two
found within the tomb, on the other hand (shown on
a larger scale with the knives already mentioned), are
pale in colour and of rough surface, having been sub-
jected to none of the natural agencies that had affected
the others. Similar crescent flints were found during
the past season by Professor Petrie within the early
temenos of Abydos (see PETRIE: Abydos, XXVI.,
305-314); while Drs. Grenfell and Hunt have ob-
served them commonly in the Fayum lying about on
the open desert.
Below is a group of larger hand weapons of flint,
with rough point and edge. They were found on the
surface of the desert in the neighbourhood (in which
natural flint is plentiful), but they are not necessarily
connected in date with the tomb.
Another interesting flint is that which is figured
on PL. XX., on the left hand side at the bottom. It
may be conveniently called a "gun flint," from its
shape. Several good examples were found in the
burial chamber within the tomb of Hen-Nekht. It is
of rectangular form, with each edge cleanly bevelled,
without rippling: its exact use is not apparent.
The Pottery.
Plates XXX., XXXI.
54. As in the case of the vessels of stone, so with
the pottery, the numerous fragments seemed to be-
long to a few standard types. The three forms at
the bottom of PL. XXX., numbered 18, 19, and 20,
seem to be more unusual; but the remainder are
found freely in earlier times. The type 31, for
instance, a rough pot of porous brown earthenware,
of which 32-38 are deviations, has its prototype in
the pre-dynastic period. No. 28 occurs in the
1st Dynasty (cf. Petrie's Royal Tombs, I., No. 27), as
do 13 and 17 (ib. 146) and 16 (lb. 19).
::■
-The sea
K1-5 at
private. ^
-: thrice on
ARCH/EOLOGICAL TYPES OF THE THIRD DYNASTY.
those which had the leg as an intrinsic part. They
had evidently been piled with offerings, and the liquid
Nile mud had poured down the stairway (in which
they chiefly abounded) and had splintered them the
more.
The Implements of Copper.
Plates XVI. and XXIII.
52. The two royal tombs contained an interesting
series of small copper implements in considerable
quantity. The real objects were more plentiful than
the thin models which abounded in the earlier kings'
tombs. On Pl. XVL, amongst those from the tomb
of Neter-Khet may be specially noticed the three
knives, 1, 2, and 14, the first of which had become
bent and corroded, while the last has a nicely riveted
handle. Among the chisels, 23 and 24 are the
strongest forms, recurring in the examples 13, 30, 31.
Numbers 6, 10, II, 25, and 26 form another type of
which 7, 19, and 29 appear to be rough castings to
which parts of the mould still adhere. The axes 21
and 22 are so thin that they are possibly to be regarded
as models. The implements are arranged in groups
according to the chambers in which they were found.
Numbers 14-18, for instance, marked [a], and 23-31,
marked [b], are from consecutive portions of the main
passage leading to the burial chamber.
The group from tomb K 2 figured in Pl. XXIII,
includes a number of similar types ; the two axes 25
and 26 are thicker and of more serviceable character,
and there are also some riveted fittings, possibly
from the coffin itself. The two chisels from the
tomb K 4, however, are the best of all that were
found, and the fine saw-model from tomb K 5 is also
of special interest.
The Flint Implements.
Plates XV., XX.
53. From the vicinity of Neter-Khet's tomb there
came a variety of rough flints (palaeolithic in appear-
ance) ; while from within the tomb came some of finer
workmanship and interesting in form. They are all
figured on Pl. XV. Of the two knives shown in the
left hand photo at the bottom, that with a handle,
which is upright, is somewhat rough, and one edge
has been worn down as though by scraping. The
back of the blade is noticeably concave. The other
(in the top of the same photograph) is of better finish,
the cutting edge being worked somewhat finely ; but
the handle is broken away, anciently, as it seems.
These two knives were both found in a deposit on
one of the steps descending through the superstructure
of the tomb, low down near the first archway. Small
flakes or worked pieces like those shown at the top
on the right hand are already known in the earliest
dynasties : see, for instance, Royal Tombs, II.,
Pl. XXXIII.
The crescent-shaped flints below are of special
interest. Not only were they found in great quantity
and variety near to the tomb, and particularly to its
east, but four of a similar shape were discovered
within the burial chamber itself. A selection of
these " Flints from the vicinity of the tomb" is
shown in the group photograph on PL. XV. They
are all brown in colour, with a surface polished by
continual drift of sand blowing over them. The two
found within the tomb, on the other hand (shown on
a larger scale with the knives already mentioned), are
pale in colour and of rough surface, having been sub-
jected to none of the natural agencies that had affected
the others. Similar crescent flints were found during
the past season by Professor Petrie within the early
temenos of Abydos (see PETRIE: Abydos, XXVI.,
305-314); while Drs. Grenfell and Hunt have ob-
served them commonly in the Fayum lying about on
the open desert.
Below is a group of larger hand weapons of flint,
with rough point and edge. They were found on the
surface of the desert in the neighbourhood (in which
natural flint is plentiful), but they are not necessarily
connected in date with the tomb.
Another interesting flint is that which is figured
on PL. XX., on the left hand side at the bottom. It
may be conveniently called a "gun flint," from its
shape. Several good examples were found in the
burial chamber within the tomb of Hen-Nekht. It is
of rectangular form, with each edge cleanly bevelled,
without rippling: its exact use is not apparent.
The Pottery.
Plates XXX., XXXI.
54. As in the case of the vessels of stone, so with
the pottery, the numerous fragments seemed to be-
long to a few standard types. The three forms at
the bottom of PL. XXX., numbered 18, 19, and 20,
seem to be more unusual; but the remainder are
found freely in earlier times. The type 31, for
instance, a rough pot of porous brown earthenware,
of which 32-38 are deviations, has its prototype in
the pre-dynastic period. No. 28 occurs in the
1st Dynasty (cf. Petrie's Royal Tombs, I., No. 27), as
do 13 and 17 (ib. 146) and 16 (lb. 19).
::■
-The sea
K1-5 at
private. ^
-: thrice on