Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

SAQQARA

EGYPT

section of the Dry Moat has been excavated
and future research may change the general
dating of the area.
The second area extends between the
eastern bank of the Dry Moat and the tomb
of Merefnebef. Remains of at least two Old
Kingdom tombs have been found here
(Chapels 7 and 8, Shafts 37 and 50), ap-
parently brick mastabas with rock-cut
burial installations.10 These mastabas and
possibly other structures that existed here
were destroyed, probably by natural
processes, after the Old Kingdom and
before the Late Period. The excavated area
(only a narrow strip, c. 7 m wide) is too
small to be considered representative of this
part of the necropolis. Thus, any valid
conclusions on the structure and the history
of this area will be possible only after further
excavations.
The third group of rock-cut structures is
located in the central part of the excavated
area, comprising the tomb complexes of
Merefnebef, Nyankhnefertem and the
Chapels 16 and 17.11 It seems that this
group of tombs continues northwards,
perhaps incorporating also the structures
found in 1987 in Trial Pit II (situated in
squares 1906 and 1006 of the present square
grid).12 Tombs of a similar type can be
expected also south of the tomb of
Merefnebef.
The fourth of the areas extends between
the mastaba of Merefnebef and the temenos

wall.1-'1 This part of the necropolis consist-
ed of mastabas, significantly differing in
size, apparently most of them built of mud
brick, but occasionally also of local stone.
Some of the mastabas were furnished with
offering places constructed of fine
limestone. Due to the poor state of
preservation of the mastaba superstructures,
it is difficult to ascertain the precise spatial
structure of the necropolis, as well as the
chronological sequence of the tombs.
Because of lack of relevant textual data, the
main dating criteria come from ceramo-
logical analysis and site stratigraphy.14
Only a few mastabas are preserved in a state
that permits a reconstruction of plan or even
just the outline. In most cases, the
superstructures of the mastabas are com-
pletely destroyed and only the substructures
survive. Some of these shafts were evidently
cut between earlier ones, but in most of the
cases it is not possible to establish their
chronological sequence. The shafts are
generally arranged in N-S rows, but so close
to each other, especially in the southwestern
part of the area, that individual funerary
complexes can hardly be distinguished. The
tomb superstructures are much better
preserved in the central part of the area
(squares 2002, 2003 and partly 1903,
2004, 2102, 2103), which was subject to
several construction and destruction
episodes (probably both intentional and
natural).

10 K. Mysliwiec, "West Saqqara. Excavations 2001", PAM XIII, Reports 2001 (2002), 128-129.
11 Mysliwiec et al., The Tomb of Merefnebef, op. cit.; id., "West Saqqara. Archaeological activities, 2003", PAM XV, op.
cit., 111-122.
12 K. Mysliwiec, T. Herbich with contribution by A. Niwinski, "Polish research at Saqqara in 1987", EtTrav XVII (1995),
195-201.
13 K. Mysliwiec, "West Saqqara. Excavations, 1998", PAM X, op. cit., 81-89; id., PAM XII, op. cit., 108-111; Z. Szafranski,
PAA1 X, op. cit., 91-95.
14 The author would like to express his gratitude to Dr. T.I. Rzeuska and Ms B. Blaszczuk for inspiring discussion on these
issues.

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