Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (19.2007(2010))

TELL EL-LARKHA

EGYPT

hippopotamus ivory: a ring (finger ring?) of
2 cm in diameter, a model of a bull’s leg
(3.20 cm high) and poorly preserved and
fragmentary remains of an anthropomorphic
figurine, possibly a woman with centrally
parted hair. The third vessel [Fig. 7, left]
contained a far greater number of artifacts,
the most important of these being
a hippopotamus-tusk figurine [Fig. 7,
bottom right] representing a female dwarf
(8.50 cm high).
This naked figure with heavy pendulous
breasts and a relatively large belly stands on
spread legs bent at the knees, or rather it does
not stand, because the intentionally made
stubs of legs could not support it indepen-
dently. The head is disproportion-ately large;
only one ear survives and vestiges of the hair,
which was probably braided, some of the
plaits falling onto the breasts, those at the
back reaching down to the waist. The face is
well modelled and the facial features, such as
the eyes, nose and mouth, are distinct. Of the
right arm only the shoulder survives. A hole
0.50 cm in diameter pierced through the left
shoulder provided attachment for the arm,
which was found in two pieces outside the
vessel (hence the difference in coloring, the
arm having been affected by external factors).
The hand was clenched into a fist, the hole
pierced through it suggestive of an object,
staff or stick, held in it. This third point of
support could have permitted the figurine to
keep an upright position.
The vessel containing this figure also
included two cosmetic palettes: the larger
one rectangular (17 x 8.80 cm) and the
smaller one fish-shaped (8.70 cm long)
[Fig. 7, top right]. Other items found inside
the jar included a bone model of a dagger,
imitating copper daggers typical of this
period and often noted at sites in Upper
Egypt, and a hollowed bone object which is
probably an imitation of a sheath for the said
dagger. Two small stone vessels (a bowl and

a water bottle), several beads and a few
fragments of animal bone were also recovered
from the jar.
All of the above finds can be dated to the
first half of the First Dynasty.
At this point, a few words of comment in
summary of the finds are in place. The
present architecture should be considered in
juxtaposition with the building uncovered in
2001 (Chlodnicki, Cialowicz et alii 2002).
This large structure, which was undoub-
tedly used for domestic and utilitarian
purposes (ovens and hearths, layers of ash
and finds of typical domestic pottery and
numerous flint and stone tools), also
included a small, almost square room with
thick walls, which yielded the first votive
deposit from Tell el-Farkha (two human
figurines, several representations of baboons
and one of a crocodile, five ceramic rattles
adorned with incised decoration, models of
mace-heads, gaming pieces and numerous
miniature vessels made of clay, faience and
stone). A comparison of the ground plans of
the buildings discovered in 2001 and
2006-2007 lead to the conclusion that both
complexes served as an administrative and
cultic centre, one of the oldest of its kind to
be found, not only in the Nile Delta, but in
all of Egypt. This complex consisted of
a central, almost square, empty space,
probably an inner courtyard, surrounded by
rooms of different size and nature, and of
various function. The two most important
rooms were indubitably those in which the
votive deposits were found (one in 2001 and
the other in the last two seasons). The first of
these, almost square in plan, abutted the
northeastern side of the courtyard. The
second, a long rectangular, room was
positioned on the western side of the
courtyard, nearer to the southern corner than
the northern one. The remaining rooms
(those on the southern side have still to be
fully explored) appear to have been used for

Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007

167