Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (18.2006(2008))

NAQLUN

EGYPT

GRAVE PLUNDERING
As mentioned repeatedly in the body of this
report, only the chamber tomb C.T. 13 was
found intact. All the other graves were
systematically plundered, quite possibly in
modern times. The burials at the bottom of
the grave pits were theoretically in place
but, characteristically, the mummies were
for the most part quite well preserved only
in the lower parts of the body from the
pelvis down (hence, the leather footwear
preserved in the wrappings). The upper
bodies and head parts were torn apart and
disturbed, as if they had been searched for

whatever the robbers were looking for. Most
likely, the prizes of this plunder were,
among others, decorative textiles which the
bodies were wrapped in. A piece of such
textile with ornamental rosettes, neatly
squared off, as if cut out with a knife, was
found in the fill of C.T.14, apparently
overlooked by the plunderers. It is this piece
which suggests that the plundering is of
fairly modern date, Coptic textiles from
Egypt having always found a ready market
among collectors. Corroboration for this
comes from a scrap of Egyptian newspaper
in Arabic found in the fill, as well as


Fig. 14. Examples ofplaited “palms” (top); plaited “palm” with “scoop” sherd found in situ in the fill
of C.T.14 (bottom left); the fill of the shaft of C.T.12 with evidence of plunder: remnants of
packing, shrouds, amphora, “scoop” sherd and plaited “palm" (Photo I. 7ych)

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