DOI article:
Firth, C. M.: Archaeologcal report
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18106#0008
structures, in evident analogy with the mastaba chapels of the Old
and Middle Kingdoms in Egypt. The specially decorated black-
polished bowls with coloured bands and lozenges, and models of the
necked jars of smooth coarse red ware with incised designs (Class IV
of the C-group pottery), were, however, placed with the dead inside
the grave. These small and decorated pieces were evidently not suit-
able for exposure in the chapels, and the mud-brick vaults were now
of sufficient size to contain offerings in addition to the burial.
The grave-types of Cemetery 101 may be classified as follows :—
I. —Early Dynastic graves roofed with sandstone slabs and con-
taining burials contracted on left side, head south or south-west. The
grave-furniture consists of typical Late Predynastic or Early Dynastic
pottery, the thin red-polished black-mouthed ware and the specially
decorated types of pottery peculiar to Nubia at this period ; rect-
angular or round slate palettes and oval quartz palettes with green
malachite face paint.
II. —C-group graves :—
(i) Early type—narrow and rectangular apparently, not roofed,
burials contracted on right side head east. Funerary pottery not
placed in grave but at the foot of the east face of a circular stone
superstructure or retaining wall of a cairn or mound covering the
grave. Personal ornaments (beads, leather garments) and toilet
objects (copper mirrors and fresh-water shells containing black galena
face paint) placed in the grave ;
(ii) Late type—large rectangular graves lined with mud-brick
and roofed with leaning mud-brick vaults. Burials somewhat less
closely contracted on right side head north sometimes accompanied by
animal burials (sheep, gazelle, dog), arms, personal ornaments, and
toilet objects and the special types of pottery mentioned above.
Superstructures of large diameter with well-built chapels of mud-
brick on east side containing the later types of the funerary pottery of
this period (Class IX);
(iii) Later type—comparatively shallow circular graves in sand,
without superstructures, position of grave sometimes indicated by a
plain sandstone stela. Burial contracted on right side head north
and accompanied by animal burial (sheep), personal ornaments, toilet
objects and weapons (bronze dagger). Funerary pottery deposited
inside grave and of later types of the C-group pottery (Classes IX,
XI, XII).
and Middle Kingdoms in Egypt. The specially decorated black-
polished bowls with coloured bands and lozenges, and models of the
necked jars of smooth coarse red ware with incised designs (Class IV
of the C-group pottery), were, however, placed with the dead inside
the grave. These small and decorated pieces were evidently not suit-
able for exposure in the chapels, and the mud-brick vaults were now
of sufficient size to contain offerings in addition to the burial.
The grave-types of Cemetery 101 may be classified as follows :—
I. —Early Dynastic graves roofed with sandstone slabs and con-
taining burials contracted on left side, head south or south-west. The
grave-furniture consists of typical Late Predynastic or Early Dynastic
pottery, the thin red-polished black-mouthed ware and the specially
decorated types of pottery peculiar to Nubia at this period ; rect-
angular or round slate palettes and oval quartz palettes with green
malachite face paint.
II. —C-group graves :—
(i) Early type—narrow and rectangular apparently, not roofed,
burials contracted on right side head east. Funerary pottery not
placed in grave but at the foot of the east face of a circular stone
superstructure or retaining wall of a cairn or mound covering the
grave. Personal ornaments (beads, leather garments) and toilet
objects (copper mirrors and fresh-water shells containing black galena
face paint) placed in the grave ;
(ii) Late type—large rectangular graves lined with mud-brick
and roofed with leaning mud-brick vaults. Burials somewhat less
closely contracted on right side head north sometimes accompanied by
animal burials (sheep, gazelle, dog), arms, personal ornaments, and
toilet objects and the special types of pottery mentioned above.
Superstructures of large diameter with well-built chapels of mud-
brick on east side containing the later types of the funerary pottery of
this period (Class IX);
(iii) Later type—comparatively shallow circular graves in sand,
without superstructures, position of grave sometimes indicated by a
plain sandstone stela. Burial contracted on right side head north
and accompanied by animal burial (sheep), personal ornaments, toilet
objects and weapons (bronze dagger). Funerary pottery deposited
inside grave and of later types of the C-group pottery (Classes IX,
XI, XII).