DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Welc, Fabian: Some remarks on the early old kingdom structures adjoining on the west enclosure wall of the Netjerykhet funerary complex
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42092#0180
SAQQARA
EGYPT
on the north face of the wall suggests that
the wall was originally plastered with it.
Interestingly, the ground under the wall
had not been leveled, the structure being
erected on a layer of tail rubble (crushed
and slaked marl and marly limestone of
olive-gray color), in effect of which it rises
insignificantly toward the west. The
lowest course of blocks in the foundation of
the step pyramid enclosure wall rested
directly on the remains of this wall. There
is no intervening layer, suggesting that
these two structures are fairly contempora-
neous, thus justifying the dating of this
mud-brick wall to the early Third
Dynasty.3 Nothing can be said at present of
the structure this wall belonged to.
Immediately on top of the mud-brick
structure extends another upper “red
layer”4 of a constant thickness not
exceeding 0.30 m and evidently falling
toward the east.5 The stone foundation of
the Netjerykhet enclosure wall was raised
directly on top of this layer.
These features are clearly the oldest
excavated in the context of the rock-cut
hypogeum in squares 2002 and 2102.
Floors 1 and 2 extending directly east of
the rock-cut hypogeum, are the oldest
cultural layers in this area. Their fragments
uncovered near the foundation of the
enclosure wall are covered with the lower
"red layer". Therefore, both Floors can be
dated at the latest to the early Third
Fig. 5. Mud-brick wall discovered under the
stone foundation of the Netjerykhet
enclosure wall (Drawing F. Welc)
Fig. 6. Mud-brick wall discovered under the
stone foundation of the Netjerykhet
enclosure wall, view from the southwest
(Photo F. Welc)
3 Such dating is confirmed also by size of the bricks of this wall which is very similar to the dimension of the bricks used
in Archaic and early Old Kingdom structures erected on the Saqqara necropolis, cf. Emery 1961, 181
4 The key lithological constituent in this layer are pebbles of a diameter 1-10 cm (averaging 2-3 cm) and singular
fragments of limestone rock measuring 2-3 cm across. The filler is reddish medium and coarse sand, the color coming
from the high iron (Fe^) content, bonded with lime carbonate. The elongated pebbles have been observed
macroscopically to have an orientation, the direction of which requires further study.
5 The lower and upper “red layer” appear to be the result of intensive rainfall causing streams of mud and rubble to flow
down the slope, taking with them all the loose material. Similar layers containing an abundance of pebbles have been
noted in a number of places on the site: layer 10 (Szafranski 1999: 91, Fig. 2:10); layer 1 (Mycielska-Dowgiallo,
Woronko 1998: 107, Fig. 1:1); layer 2 (Mycielska-Dowgiallo et alii 1999: 169-170, Fig. 3:2, Phot. 2; so-called gravel
layer; Mycielska-Dowgiallo, Woronko 1999: 108, 110, Fig. 4).
177
EGYPT
on the north face of the wall suggests that
the wall was originally plastered with it.
Interestingly, the ground under the wall
had not been leveled, the structure being
erected on a layer of tail rubble (crushed
and slaked marl and marly limestone of
olive-gray color), in effect of which it rises
insignificantly toward the west. The
lowest course of blocks in the foundation of
the step pyramid enclosure wall rested
directly on the remains of this wall. There
is no intervening layer, suggesting that
these two structures are fairly contempora-
neous, thus justifying the dating of this
mud-brick wall to the early Third
Dynasty.3 Nothing can be said at present of
the structure this wall belonged to.
Immediately on top of the mud-brick
structure extends another upper “red
layer”4 of a constant thickness not
exceeding 0.30 m and evidently falling
toward the east.5 The stone foundation of
the Netjerykhet enclosure wall was raised
directly on top of this layer.
These features are clearly the oldest
excavated in the context of the rock-cut
hypogeum in squares 2002 and 2102.
Floors 1 and 2 extending directly east of
the rock-cut hypogeum, are the oldest
cultural layers in this area. Their fragments
uncovered near the foundation of the
enclosure wall are covered with the lower
"red layer". Therefore, both Floors can be
dated at the latest to the early Third
Fig. 5. Mud-brick wall discovered under the
stone foundation of the Netjerykhet
enclosure wall (Drawing F. Welc)
Fig. 6. Mud-brick wall discovered under the
stone foundation of the Netjerykhet
enclosure wall, view from the southwest
(Photo F. Welc)
3 Such dating is confirmed also by size of the bricks of this wall which is very similar to the dimension of the bricks used
in Archaic and early Old Kingdom structures erected on the Saqqara necropolis, cf. Emery 1961, 181
4 The key lithological constituent in this layer are pebbles of a diameter 1-10 cm (averaging 2-3 cm) and singular
fragments of limestone rock measuring 2-3 cm across. The filler is reddish medium and coarse sand, the color coming
from the high iron (Fe^) content, bonded with lime carbonate. The elongated pebbles have been observed
macroscopically to have an orientation, the direction of which requires further study.
5 The lower and upper “red layer” appear to be the result of intensive rainfall causing streams of mud and rubble to flow
down the slope, taking with them all the loose material. Similar layers containing an abundance of pebbles have been
noted in a number of places on the site: layer 10 (Szafranski 1999: 91, Fig. 2:10); layer 1 (Mycielska-Dowgiallo,
Woronko 1998: 107, Fig. 1:1); layer 2 (Mycielska-Dowgiallo et alii 1999: 169-170, Fig. 3:2, Phot. 2; so-called gravel
layer; Mycielska-Dowgiallo, Woronko 1999: 108, 110, Fig. 4).
177