DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.50107#0051
TYPES OF GRAVES AND BURIALS IN
CEM. N 500-900
31
Orientation (bodies):
Type vi a
‘N’ ‘S’ ‘W’ *E’ ‘NE’ ‘NW’ Total
16 1 1 1 1 0 20 bodies, 3
on r.
Type vi b
13 0 0 0
0 0 13 bodies, 2
on r.
Type vi c
16 2 OI
0 0 19 bodies, 2
on r.
Type vi d
116 4 10 3
1 0 134 bodies, 16
on r.
Type vi e
2 2 23
0 1 10 bodies, 1
on r.
Type vi f
10 OI
164 9_ 13_9_
82-8% 4-55% 6-6% 4*55%
00 2 bodies
2 1 198 bodies, 24
i-o% 0-5%
on r.
Subtracting 7 dist bodies leaves 191, of which the burial position was determined.
Body lying on left side .... 161 = 84-3%
Body lying on right side . . . . 24 = 12*6
Body lying on back . . . . . . 6=3-1
191 = ioo-o%
The above figures make it perfectly clear that in the graves of Dyn. V-VI in Cem. N 500-900 the
body lay normally on the left side (84-3 %) as in all the earlier periods, but the head was turned normally
to the ‘north’ (82-8%) instead of to the ‘south’ (4*55%), which was the normal orientation of all periods
down to the end of Dyn. III. This change was foreshadowed in the figures for Dyn. IV (see type v,
above). Furthermore, the contraction of the body was plainly relaxing. The examples include 14
certain cases (7%) of contracted bodies, while the cases of leg-contracted and half-contracted bodies on
the side amount together to 169 cases (85-5%). On the other hand, the fully extended position on the
back occur in only 6 cases (3-1 %) and some of these are doubtful because of the possibility that some of
these 6 bodies were originally on the side and have turned over in the coffin during deposition or have
been knocked over by the fall of material from the roof.
{Abbreviations: hcsk = body on its side with the knees more or less bent (half-contracted). Icsk = body on its side,
with the knees sharply bent with the femurs either at right angles to the body or bent downwards, heels against pelvis
(leg-contracted), qcsk = queer contracted: body contracted but lying on its stomach or its back, tcsk = tightly con-
tracted; body contracted in small receptacle as in Dyn. I-IV. csk = contracted: apparently loosely contracted bodies,
dist = disturbed contracted: degree of contraction not determinable, exsk = extented on back: the later position.)
Comparative Tables (Percentages) of Burial Positions in Cem. N 500-900
Position on left side, right side or back:
On back
Types
On left
On right
(")
IV and iv,
Dyn. II-III.
ioo-o%
o-o%
o-o%
(J)
V and v,
Dyn. IV.
95*1
4-9
o-o
(c) vi,
Dyn. V-VI.
Contraction: csk,
84-3
12-6
3*1
Types
tcsk
Icsk
hcsk
exsk
(«)
IV and iv,
Dyn. II-III.
100-0%
0-0%
0-0%
o-o%
(ft)
V and v,
Dyn. IV.
90-2
o-o
9-8
o-o
w
vi,
Dyn. V-VI.
7-0
3Z*3
54’2
3*1
CEM. N 500-900
31
Orientation (bodies):
Type vi a
‘N’ ‘S’ ‘W’ *E’ ‘NE’ ‘NW’ Total
16 1 1 1 1 0 20 bodies, 3
on r.
Type vi b
13 0 0 0
0 0 13 bodies, 2
on r.
Type vi c
16 2 OI
0 0 19 bodies, 2
on r.
Type vi d
116 4 10 3
1 0 134 bodies, 16
on r.
Type vi e
2 2 23
0 1 10 bodies, 1
on r.
Type vi f
10 OI
164 9_ 13_9_
82-8% 4-55% 6-6% 4*55%
00 2 bodies
2 1 198 bodies, 24
i-o% 0-5%
on r.
Subtracting 7 dist bodies leaves 191, of which the burial position was determined.
Body lying on left side .... 161 = 84-3%
Body lying on right side . . . . 24 = 12*6
Body lying on back . . . . . . 6=3-1
191 = ioo-o%
The above figures make it perfectly clear that in the graves of Dyn. V-VI in Cem. N 500-900 the
body lay normally on the left side (84-3 %) as in all the earlier periods, but the head was turned normally
to the ‘north’ (82-8%) instead of to the ‘south’ (4*55%), which was the normal orientation of all periods
down to the end of Dyn. III. This change was foreshadowed in the figures for Dyn. IV (see type v,
above). Furthermore, the contraction of the body was plainly relaxing. The examples include 14
certain cases (7%) of contracted bodies, while the cases of leg-contracted and half-contracted bodies on
the side amount together to 169 cases (85-5%). On the other hand, the fully extended position on the
back occur in only 6 cases (3-1 %) and some of these are doubtful because of the possibility that some of
these 6 bodies were originally on the side and have turned over in the coffin during deposition or have
been knocked over by the fall of material from the roof.
{Abbreviations: hcsk = body on its side with the knees more or less bent (half-contracted). Icsk = body on its side,
with the knees sharply bent with the femurs either at right angles to the body or bent downwards, heels against pelvis
(leg-contracted), qcsk = queer contracted: body contracted but lying on its stomach or its back, tcsk = tightly con-
tracted; body contracted in small receptacle as in Dyn. I-IV. csk = contracted: apparently loosely contracted bodies,
dist = disturbed contracted: degree of contraction not determinable, exsk = extented on back: the later position.)
Comparative Tables (Percentages) of Burial Positions in Cem. N 500-900
Position on left side, right side or back:
On back
Types
On left
On right
(")
IV and iv,
Dyn. II-III.
ioo-o%
o-o%
o-o%
(J)
V and v,
Dyn. IV.
95*1
4-9
o-o
(c) vi,
Dyn. V-VI.
Contraction: csk,
84-3
12-6
3*1
Types
tcsk
Icsk
hcsk
exsk
(«)
IV and iv,
Dyn. II-III.
100-0%
0-0%
0-0%
o-o%
(ft)
V and v,
Dyn. IV.
90-2
o-o
9-8
o-o
w
vi,
Dyn. V-VI.
7-0
3Z*3
54’2
3*1