DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.619#0104
KOM AFEIN.
95
miles south of Naukratis, is still unsettled. At
the latter place I saw a statue of Ramessu II.,
with the inscription on the back, naming him as
"beloved of Sekhet, lady of Amu;" and on the
left side, "beloved of Sekhet-Hathor, lady of
Amu." Hence Amu probably was at either one
or other of these cities.
A third important object from Kom Afrin is
the figure-head of a sacred bark of Ra. It is
executed in solid and massive bronze (see pi. xii.),
and thickly inlaid with deep ribs of gold, the
depth of each line of inlaying being about equal
to its breadth. The face of the hawk and the
disc above it are plain bronze ; but the urseus on
the head, the whole of the wig, and the collar
around the shoulders are inlaid. The collar has
the pattern of lotus flower and bud—bell and
pomegranate—so well known in Egyptian work;
and on the breast is the cartouche of Aahmes,
with the title " lord of both lands," neb-taui Ba-
ncm-ab. Below the head there is a projecting
curved bar of bronze running backwards and down-
wards to fasten it to a support; and from its posi-
tion it could not be for fixing it to a statue. The
whole appearance of the form, and the position
of the bar below, both agree to its having been
the figure-head of a shrine of Ea carried in pro-
cessions ; such a bark would be about two to three
feet long, and therefore quite large enough for
such a purpose. This is a unique piece of work,
and is probably only equalled for its richness of
inlaying by the jewellery found with the mummy
of Queen Aah-hotep, which now ornaments the
Bulak Museum.
So many good things coming from this site in
one season seems to show that work there would
well repay the labourer; though it would not seem
a promising ground for any special historical re-
sults. These three objects, which I was happy
enough to get, I have presented to the British
Museum, so that they will always be accessible.
95
miles south of Naukratis, is still unsettled. At
the latter place I saw a statue of Ramessu II.,
with the inscription on the back, naming him as
"beloved of Sekhet, lady of Amu;" and on the
left side, "beloved of Sekhet-Hathor, lady of
Amu." Hence Amu probably was at either one
or other of these cities.
A third important object from Kom Afrin is
the figure-head of a sacred bark of Ra. It is
executed in solid and massive bronze (see pi. xii.),
and thickly inlaid with deep ribs of gold, the
depth of each line of inlaying being about equal
to its breadth. The face of the hawk and the
disc above it are plain bronze ; but the urseus on
the head, the whole of the wig, and the collar
around the shoulders are inlaid. The collar has
the pattern of lotus flower and bud—bell and
pomegranate—so well known in Egyptian work;
and on the breast is the cartouche of Aahmes,
with the title " lord of both lands," neb-taui Ba-
ncm-ab. Below the head there is a projecting
curved bar of bronze running backwards and down-
wards to fasten it to a support; and from its posi-
tion it could not be for fixing it to a statue. The
whole appearance of the form, and the position
of the bar below, both agree to its having been
the figure-head of a shrine of Ea carried in pro-
cessions ; such a bark would be about two to three
feet long, and therefore quite large enough for
such a purpose. This is a unique piece of work,
and is probably only equalled for its richness of
inlaying by the jewellery found with the mummy
of Queen Aah-hotep, which now ornaments the
Bulak Museum.
So many good things coming from this site in
one season seems to show that work there would
well repay the labourer; though it would not seem
a promising ground for any special historical re-
sults. These three objects, which I was happy
enough to get, I have presented to the British
Museum, so that they will always be accessible.