Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

SAQQARA

EGYPT

REMARKS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
OLD KINGDOM NECROPOLIS

Kamil Omar Kuraszkiewicz

Exploration of the extensive, multi-phase
necropolis west of Netjerykhet's funerary
complex1 has brought evidence of three
periods of activity, starting with the Old
Kingdom (see infra), continuing during the
New Kingdom2 and then in the Ptolemaic
and Roman Periods.3 The present paper
contains some observations on the structure
and development of the necropolis during

the late Old Kingdom, warranted by the
present state of research.4
One of the few securely dated construc-
tions in this necropolis is the tomb of
Merefnebef built in the early Sixth Dynasty,
probably during the reign of Teti.5 It is also
one of the earliest tombs here, therefore it
may provide a convenient reference point for
the relative chronology of the site.

TOPOGRAPHY

Topographically, the presently known Old
Kingdom necropolis extending west of
Netjerykhet's funerary enclosure can be
divided into four parts, significantly dif-
fering in their characteristic [Fig. 1}.6 7 8
The first part comprises rock-cut tombs
hewn in the sides (both east and west) of the
Dry Moat. None of the presently known

tombs here can be dated to a period earlier
than the very end of the reign of Pepy I.s
The structures on the western bank pf the
Dry Moat seem to be slightly earlier (dating
from the middle Sixth Dynasty) than those
on the eastern bank (late Sixth Dynasty to
the First Intermediate Period).9 It must be
remembered, however, that only a small

1 Since 1987; for previous bibliography, see: K. Mysliwiec, K. Kuraszkiewicz et al., The Tomb of Merefnebef, Saqqara I
(Warsaw 2004), 31-36; excavation reports published in PAM XV Reports 2003 (2004), PAA1 XVI, Reports 2004 (2005)
and in the present volume.
2 The enigmatic mud-brick platform seems to date from this period, cf. report by K. Mysliwiec in this volume.
3 See K. Mysliwiec, "The Ptolemaic period cemetery in West Saqqara", in: T. Bacs, ed., A Tribute to Excellence. Studies
Offered in Honor of Ern Gaal, Ulrich Luft and Laslo Torok, Studia Aegyptiaca 17 (Budapest 2002), 349-359. The late
necropolis will be published in the third volume of the Saqqara series.
4 The present paper is intended as a continuation and update of earlier studies on the stratigraphy of the site: Z. Szafranski,
"Observations on stratigraphy", PAM X. Reports 1998 (1999), 91-96 and A. Cwiek, "The stratigraphy of West Saqqara.
Preliminary remarks", PAM XI, Reports 1999 (2000), 109-117.
5 Mysliwiec et al., The Tomb of Merefnebef, op. cit., 246-250.
6 Cwiek, PAM XI, op. cit., 111-113.
7 K. Mysliwiec, "West Saqqara. Excavations 2000", PAM XII, op. cit., 111-119; id., "West Saqqara in 2002", PAM XIV,
Reports 2002 (2003), 121-125.
8 With the possible exception of Corridor 1, cf. K. Mysliwiec, PAAl XII, op. cit., 112-116; S. Ikram, "Preliminary
zooarchaeological report, 2000", PAM XII, op. cit., 127-132; K. Kuraszkiewicz, "Remarks on Corridor 1", PAAl XII,
op. cit., 133-137; T.I. Rzeuska, "The pottery", PAAl XII, op. cit., 138-140; K. Mysliwiec, "Zwischen der
Stufenpyramide und dem "Trockenen Graben": Neue Entdeckungen in Sakkara", Ma'at 1 (2004), 7-23.
9 Rzeuska, PAM XII, op. cit., 141-145; id., "The pottery, 2002", PAM XIV, op. cit., 133-140; id., "Pottery 2003", PAM
XV, op. cit., 133-140.

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