DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.50021#0045
V. Description of Tombs.
27
3. Large tombs with end chambers and wooden roof (no stairway),
type A. 1. b.
The tombs of this type are 1533, 1532, 1608, 1624, 1621 and 1506. The best preserved chambers
examples are 1533 and i$od. From these we find a pit cut in alluvial strata and lined to about
half way up with a mud brick substructure which contains five compartments (1624 three com-
partments),— a main central chamber and two minor chambers at each end. These end chambers
are in 1533 connected with the main chamber by small doors. In the other tombs, these doors
are merely indicated by lines drawn in the plaster. In both cases, we have probably merely
an imitation of larger tombs in which doorways were a necessity—perhaps an imitation
of tombs such as Zer and Merneit at Abydos.
Across the top of the substructure were laid logs of wood or branches in a natural state Roof
and plastered (1506, 1533, 1532). Over these were laid courses of brick one to two meters thick,
which formed an accidental corbel vault in itself so that only a part of the total weight was
borne by the logs (1506, 1533, 1532). On this brickwork just under the old surface was laid
a second roof of logs (1506). And over all was built the superstructure, the retaining walls
of which rested on the desert surface (1506). The roof of the substructure had however to
support the weight of the gravel filling of the superstructure.
The burial, on left side head to the south, was placed in the central chamber (15'32). Burial
The offerings were placed partly in the central chamber but mainly in the end chambers (15'32).
It is evident that roof and superstructure could only have been built after the burial
after
had been placed in the tomb. The tomb itself could have been built in a very short time, burial
say two days. So it is possible that even the substructure of the tomb was not built until
after the death of its possessor.
The bricks used are about 7x14x28 cm, but sometimes vary slightly from these dimen- Bricks
and
sions. They have been made as usual in a rectangular wooden frame open above and below, brickwork
The bottom rested on the ground; the top was cut off by hand. They are usually laid in
walls I brick thick in overlapping stretcher courses, poorly bonded at the corners, having to
resist only the inward thrust of alluvial strata. The walls which are 1 brick thick, consist of
stretcher courses (bricks laid in pairs) each overlapping irregularly that beneath, bonded at
about every fourth course by a header course. The walls which are i| brick thick, present
surface courses (inside) like the 1 brick walls; but the stretchers are usually backed by headers
and the headers by stretchers. Some stretcher courses, however consist of three bricks laid
side by side. The 2 brick walls present on the inside surface the same appearance as the
1 and 11 brick walls, — i. e. three stretcher courses and one header course. Behind the stretcher
we find a header and a stretcher; behind the header we find another header.
The bricks are laid without mortar and the bonding is very imperfect but, in any case,
sufficient to withstand the inward thrust of the alluvial strata. In most cases the walls are
perpendicular; it is even possible that the batter in 1533 is accidental. The inside surfaces
and the tops of the walls are plastered with mud 1—2 cm thick. It is important to remember
27
3. Large tombs with end chambers and wooden roof (no stairway),
type A. 1. b.
The tombs of this type are 1533, 1532, 1608, 1624, 1621 and 1506. The best preserved chambers
examples are 1533 and i$od. From these we find a pit cut in alluvial strata and lined to about
half way up with a mud brick substructure which contains five compartments (1624 three com-
partments),— a main central chamber and two minor chambers at each end. These end chambers
are in 1533 connected with the main chamber by small doors. In the other tombs, these doors
are merely indicated by lines drawn in the plaster. In both cases, we have probably merely
an imitation of larger tombs in which doorways were a necessity—perhaps an imitation
of tombs such as Zer and Merneit at Abydos.
Across the top of the substructure were laid logs of wood or branches in a natural state Roof
and plastered (1506, 1533, 1532). Over these were laid courses of brick one to two meters thick,
which formed an accidental corbel vault in itself so that only a part of the total weight was
borne by the logs (1506, 1533, 1532). On this brickwork just under the old surface was laid
a second roof of logs (1506). And over all was built the superstructure, the retaining walls
of which rested on the desert surface (1506). The roof of the substructure had however to
support the weight of the gravel filling of the superstructure.
The burial, on left side head to the south, was placed in the central chamber (15'32). Burial
The offerings were placed partly in the central chamber but mainly in the end chambers (15'32).
It is evident that roof and superstructure could only have been built after the burial
after
had been placed in the tomb. The tomb itself could have been built in a very short time, burial
say two days. So it is possible that even the substructure of the tomb was not built until
after the death of its possessor.
The bricks used are about 7x14x28 cm, but sometimes vary slightly from these dimen- Bricks
and
sions. They have been made as usual in a rectangular wooden frame open above and below, brickwork
The bottom rested on the ground; the top was cut off by hand. They are usually laid in
walls I brick thick in overlapping stretcher courses, poorly bonded at the corners, having to
resist only the inward thrust of alluvial strata. The walls which are 1 brick thick, consist of
stretcher courses (bricks laid in pairs) each overlapping irregularly that beneath, bonded at
about every fourth course by a header course. The walls which are i| brick thick, present
surface courses (inside) like the 1 brick walls; but the stretchers are usually backed by headers
and the headers by stretchers. Some stretcher courses, however consist of three bricks laid
side by side. The 2 brick walls present on the inside surface the same appearance as the
1 and 11 brick walls, — i. e. three stretcher courses and one header course. Behind the stretcher
we find a header and a stretcher; behind the header we find another header.
The bricks are laid without mortar and the bonding is very imperfect but, in any case,
sufficient to withstand the inward thrust of the alluvial strata. In most cases the walls are
perpendicular; it is even possible that the batter in 1533 is accidental. The inside surfaces
and the tops of the walls are plastered with mud 1—2 cm thick. It is important to remember