Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

SAQQARA

EGYPT

LIMESTONE BLOCKS WITH BUILDING INSCRIPTIONS

In the secondary filling of Shaft 69 (square
2002) two large, roughly worked blocks of
white, fine-grained limestone were found.
Each bears hieratic inscriptions in red ink.
On the larger block (inv. no. S/04/26,
measuring approximately 70 x 24 x 30 cm)
[Fig. 3] there are two lines of inscription
visible (the upper one only partly preserved):

(1) jmj-ri gspr hrj-tp njswt [...] (2) z>b rd
mr zhi r(w)10 njswt Nfr-sSmn-SS3t (?)12
rn.fnfr [...]rrj
(1) Overseer of a work place,13 chamberlain
of the king14 [...}, (2) juridicial cd-mr
official,15 scribe of the royal documents16
Neferseshemseshat whose fair name is
[,..}reri (?).17


Fig. 3- Inscription on block S/04/26
(Drawing K. Kuraszkiewicz)

10 The sign below the t is hardly legible; it occupies a low and broad half-square space. It could also be interpreted as a pr
sign; then the title would be zhi pr njswt: scribe of the royal domain (Jones, Index, 850, no. 3106).
11 Faint traces of the m sign are visible below the line of the text.
12 A single high and narrow sign between zhi and nfr resembles the chr or shm signs (Moller's nos. 380 and 449,
respectively). However, one should expect the name of a deity as part of a theophoric private name in this case. It seems
that the sign can be identified as SSit, although its old hieratic version does not seem to be attested otherwise. For the
name Neferseshemseshat: Ranke PN I, 200, no. 11.
13 Jones, Index, 269-270, no. 969-
14 Jones, Index, 788, no. 2874. Cf. also H. Goedicke, "Titles for Titles", in S. Allam (ed.), Grund und Boden (Tubingen
1994), 227-234 (interpreted as tpj hr(t) njswt - property administrator of the king).
15 Jones, Index, 806, no. 2947.
16 Jones, Index, 838, no. 3057.
17 On the possible interpretation of the phrase (X) rn.fnfi' Y as a virtual relative clause, cf. K. Kuraszkiewicz, in: K. Mysliwiec
et al., The Tomb of Merefnebef, Saqqara I (Warsaw 2004), 71, n. 22.

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