NAQLUN
EGYPT
CEMETERY C
The textiles from cemetery C are different
just as the cemetery itself, of earlier date
than cemetery A, differs from the latter in
terms of the burial surroundings and burial
ritual.2 The bodies were wrapped in a num-
ber of linen shrouds, but instead of being
placed in coffins, they had wooden boards
and a construction of jerid branches in-
serted under the fabric to impart an ap-
propriate mummiform shape. The jerid
construction projected above the head and
face to protect it, hurds of grass and reeds
and wads of linen cloth being inserted into
the hollow space under two layers of burial
shrouds held in place by a net of elaborately
plaited bands.
Apart from the commonplace burial
shrouds in plain weave (1:1 strands) there
occurs a sizable group of shrouds featuring
a concentrated plain tabby weave. Some
bear uniform striped broche decoration
executed with woolen thread. Others are
textured, having a linen weft of bigger
diameter introduced at every second shed.
The outer as well as inner shrouds were
PRESERVATION O
Woolen tunic Nd.00.083 and shawl
Nd.00.082 were extracted from a roll of
textiles excavated in 2000 during work on
kom A. Both bear woolen decoration in the
form of an inscription, which is legible on
the tunic, but was most likely only a pseudo-
inscription on the shawl. The tunic was
preserved in 2003,3 and the shawl was the
object of work this season.
The woolen fabric of the shawl had
suffered considerably from long burial in
unfavorable conditions. Upon discovery, it
both held in place by colorful linen bands
woven in tapestry weave, carefully wrapped
around the body and interweaving to form
various geometrical designs (see Fig. 7 on
p. 185 above).
Among the fragments of dress textiles
coming from rock-cut tombs C.T 002 and
C.T 005, which were disturbed in un-
known circumstances, it is possible to dis-
tinguish linen tunics Nd.04.359 and
Nd.04.321.1, both made of a fine thin
fabric. The cuffs and neck opening of these
tunics were finished with silk trim executed
in samit fagonne technique [Fig. 8]. The or-
nament is similar in these two cases. Pre-
served fragments of sleeves also feature
a woven tapestry monochrome decoration in
woolen thread, representing a vegetal scroll.
Other fragments included pieces of linen
tunics with colorful inserts: geometric
elements, orbiculi and stylized leaves, all
executed with woolen thread in tapestry
technique [Fig. 7). The finds have been
stored for exacting analysis in the coming
season.
SHAWL ND.00.082
was cleaned mechanically using a mini-
vacuum. All pieces were soaked in a lanolin
solution in order to restore as much of the
flexibility and resilience of the woolen fibers
as possible. Systematic immersion of the
scraps in a water bath containing Pretepon
G was combined with gentle tamponing in
order to remove the soiling from between
the fibers. The last stage was disinfection
with biocidal PREVENTOL added to the last
bath. After straightening on a pane of glass,
the pieces of shawl were left to dry.
2 For a description of the work on this burial ground, see the main excavation report by W. Godlewski in this volume.
3 B. Czaja-Szewczak, "Naqlun 2003. From Scraps to Tunic", PAM XV, Reports 2003 (2004), 159-164.
209
EGYPT
CEMETERY C
The textiles from cemetery C are different
just as the cemetery itself, of earlier date
than cemetery A, differs from the latter in
terms of the burial surroundings and burial
ritual.2 The bodies were wrapped in a num-
ber of linen shrouds, but instead of being
placed in coffins, they had wooden boards
and a construction of jerid branches in-
serted under the fabric to impart an ap-
propriate mummiform shape. The jerid
construction projected above the head and
face to protect it, hurds of grass and reeds
and wads of linen cloth being inserted into
the hollow space under two layers of burial
shrouds held in place by a net of elaborately
plaited bands.
Apart from the commonplace burial
shrouds in plain weave (1:1 strands) there
occurs a sizable group of shrouds featuring
a concentrated plain tabby weave. Some
bear uniform striped broche decoration
executed with woolen thread. Others are
textured, having a linen weft of bigger
diameter introduced at every second shed.
The outer as well as inner shrouds were
PRESERVATION O
Woolen tunic Nd.00.083 and shawl
Nd.00.082 were extracted from a roll of
textiles excavated in 2000 during work on
kom A. Both bear woolen decoration in the
form of an inscription, which is legible on
the tunic, but was most likely only a pseudo-
inscription on the shawl. The tunic was
preserved in 2003,3 and the shawl was the
object of work this season.
The woolen fabric of the shawl had
suffered considerably from long burial in
unfavorable conditions. Upon discovery, it
both held in place by colorful linen bands
woven in tapestry weave, carefully wrapped
around the body and interweaving to form
various geometrical designs (see Fig. 7 on
p. 185 above).
Among the fragments of dress textiles
coming from rock-cut tombs C.T 002 and
C.T 005, which were disturbed in un-
known circumstances, it is possible to dis-
tinguish linen tunics Nd.04.359 and
Nd.04.321.1, both made of a fine thin
fabric. The cuffs and neck opening of these
tunics were finished with silk trim executed
in samit fagonne technique [Fig. 8]. The or-
nament is similar in these two cases. Pre-
served fragments of sleeves also feature
a woven tapestry monochrome decoration in
woolen thread, representing a vegetal scroll.
Other fragments included pieces of linen
tunics with colorful inserts: geometric
elements, orbiculi and stylized leaves, all
executed with woolen thread in tapestry
technique [Fig. 7). The finds have been
stored for exacting analysis in the coming
season.
SHAWL ND.00.082
was cleaned mechanically using a mini-
vacuum. All pieces were soaked in a lanolin
solution in order to restore as much of the
flexibility and resilience of the woolen fibers
as possible. Systematic immersion of the
scraps in a water bath containing Pretepon
G was combined with gentle tamponing in
order to remove the soiling from between
the fibers. The last stage was disinfection
with biocidal PREVENTOL added to the last
bath. After straightening on a pane of glass,
the pieces of shawl were left to dry.
2 For a description of the work on this burial ground, see the main excavation report by W. Godlewski in this volume.
3 B. Czaja-Szewczak, "Naqlun 2003. From Scraps to Tunic", PAM XV, Reports 2003 (2004), 159-164.
209