Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

SAQQARA

EGYPT

concerned, some contained no pottery
deposit whatsoever, but accumulations
found around their mouths often included
deposits of pottery mixed with limestone
chippings, which could have come from
such shafts. One example is deposit 1/2005
discovered in the vicinity of burial shaft 71
(square 1903), located to the north of the
mastaba of Pehenptah (funerary complex 3).
The pottery was discovered in concent-
rations to the south and west of the shaft.
Most ol the sherds belonged to beer jars,
mainly forms 4, 11 and 12 of the local
typology, dated to the fourth phase in the

functioning of the necropolis,6 but we have
also recorded small fragments of beer jars
from earlier phases. Some of the vessels were
white-painted on the outside and some
contained ashes. A few non-diagnostic pieces
of bread moulds and platters were also
included, as were animal bones. The pottery
found near Shaft 71 was typical of Old
Kingdom offering deposits and it cannot be
excluded that it formed part of the offering
deposit from the burial in this shaft. Since
most of the vessels belonged to phase IV of
the functioning of the necropolis, such a date
for the deposit is more than likely.

BURIAL SHAFT 77

As far as pottery found in situ in burial shafts
is concerned, the offering deposit Irom
burial shaft 77 merits attention. The sand-
and-tafl fill in the uppermost part of the
shaft was mixed from the mouth down to
a depth of 2 m. Finds included a piece of
offering table and single sherds of beer jars.
The actual pottery deposit mixed with
limestone chips appeared below this. The
principal part of the deposit (Dep. 2/2005)
reached from 2.50 m to 5 m below the top
of the shaft, mainly by the west wall. Apart
from pottery, the deposit included lime-
stone fragments with drilling holes, animal
bones, jars filled with ashes, a fragment of
ceramic vessel with polished edges (tool or
cosmetic palette?), fragments of outer jar
sealings, inner mud stoppers, and pieces of
wood. Beer jars, at least 24 to judge by the


Fig. 2. Jar SO 1524 (form 35) from the
burial chamber of Shaft 77
(Photo J. Dgbroivski)

6 Based on beer-jar typology, it was possible to distinguish four phases in the functioning of the Old Kingdom necropolis,
phase I covering the reign of Teti-Weserkaf; phase II corresponding to the rule of Pepy I-Merenre; phase III trom the
first halt of the reign ot Pepy II; and phase IV correlated with the second half of his reign through the 7th and 8th
Dynasties, cf. T.I. Rzeuska, Late Old Kingdom Pottery from Saqqara, Saqqara II (Warsaw 2007), 381-383.

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