Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

DEIR EL-BAHARI

EGYPT

Chapel, deepest of all the shafts explored so
far, and led to a burial chamber with
a northward sloping floor (maximum depth
6.40 m). The undecorated burial chamber,
located on the north side, was 3.80 m long,
2.90 m wide and 1.70-1.80 m high [Fig. 7}.
SHAFT S.7B/82
Shaft S.7B/82 was found hewn by the bot-
tom of the South Wall and close to its corner
with the West Wall {Fig. 8; cf. Fig. 3}.
Apparently, the ground here had been weak
from the start and the wall foundations had
to be reinforced with limestone blocks
standing on bedrock. To the west of the
shaft mouth, a step in the rock was cut,
c. 1.50 m deep, below the pavement, which
was c. 0.30 m thick in this spot. The shaft
itself was c. 1.20 m to the side and 4.70 m
deep. The burial chamber measured c. 2.20
by 1.60 m and 1.64 m high.

SHAFT S.l/04
This shaft, unearthed in the northeastern
corner of the chapel {cf. Fig. 5}, also had
a step-like depression cut in the rock to
a depth of c. 0.70 m on the eastern side of
the mouth. The shaft itself measured
c. 1.25-1.30 m to the side. It has not been
fully explored as yet, but at a depth of
c.1.50 m it appears that the burial
chamber was located on the north side.
FINDS FROM THE SHAFT TOMBS
Both the shafts and the burial chamber of
S.7A/82 contained relatively rich remains of
Third Intermediate Period (family?) burials,
mostly of the 23rd and 25th Dynasties, as
well as late New Kingdom, Late Period and
Coptic material. In addition to the pre-
viously mentioned objects,8 the funerary
equipment from the tomb consisted of a big
pottery vessel, at least three mud bricks


Fig. 7. Chapel of Hatshepsut. Burial chamber of shaft tomb S. VA/82
(Photo M. Jawornicki)

8 Cf. Szafranski, op. cit., 229f.

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