Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

NAQLUN

EGYPT

the cemetery before final conclusions are
drawn, but already it is apparent that of
the seven coffins with the cradle-like
construction and two others on 'legs'
documented this season, the majority had
been buried in the ground.
Coffins hollowed out in half of a palm
log were noted in earlier seasons of
fieldwork (T. 307).
Lids have already been mentioned in
the discussion of construction techniques.
Suffice it to say that on the whole they were
flat (only one case of potential gable-lid
discovered this season) and were fitted bet-
ween the projecting ends of side supports.
Apparently they were never nailed down,
the boxes rather being wrapped in coffin
shrouds and tied with rope in a complicat-
ed net-like pattern that kept the lid down
during the funeral service. In only one case
of a child's coffin, the lid rested on the edges
of the end boards, which were lower than


Fig. 9a. Cradle-like construction of coffin side
supports (T. 348) (Photo I. Zych)


Fig. 9 b,c. Cradle-like construction of coffin side supports: b) T. 341; c) T. 378
(Photo 1. Zych)

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