DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1036#0027
MEDINET GUROB.
19
countries, it must be similarly proved by dated
examples in those localities.
39. Turning now to the objects found without dates,
the blue bowls are shewn in PL. XX. Nos. 1 and 2 were
found together. No. 3 was found with some pottery,
Egyptian, and Aegean of the globular form with red
bands ; a blue glass bottle; two pottery models of
trussed fowls, &c. The design is the best drawn of
all these glazed objects ; the spring of the girl as she
poles the boat along to market, with the calf in it, is
well rendered, and the dainty turn of the face. The
bowl is now brown and black, but was probably violet
originally. Another bowl (6) also represents a girl
poling the market boat, laden with a bird-cage, and
a number of birds on the top ; this is of bright clear
blue, with dark blue lines, rather faint. The gazelle (5)
is drawn with a dry, almost black, line, and great
sharpness; the style looks to be the earliest of all
those here. The group Pl. XX, 7—15, was found
together, and is of the end of the XVIIIth dynasty
by the style. Two fine Aegean vases (7, 9) occur :
pottery (13, 14): alabaster (8, 15) : a small flat glass
bottle (11) of blue, green, yellow, and white, with
three handles, and originally joined to another at the
side : a conical glass bottle (12) with yellow veins on
bright blue : a bronze conical vase (broken), and a
pair of hinges of bronze, which interlock when closed,
by a part of one fitting into the other half, so that
the door could not be prised upward ; this is just the
principle of the blocks on the doors of modern safes.
The pottery with this find was of the types " Kahun "
XX, 15, 32 ; XXI, 59 ; and here Pl. XIX, 2, 4, 6, 7.
Among miscellaneous objects (Pl. XIX) there are
of bronze, an adze (28) ; a spoon (29) said to be
found at Gurob, and by its patination apparently
of the time of the town, it is not broken, but flat
ended ; a small knife (30), beside other large ones of
the types "Kahun" XVII, 29, 33, 50; a knife with
swivel back (33) bound round with thread ; two lance
heads (31, 32); a supposed razor (40), which it has
been suggested is for skinning or flaying, to judge
by the place of the edge (dotted around here) and
the curve of the handle; also an outline of a goose
in bronze (34) with two tags at the back twisted
together, perhaps for a brand. A pair of alabaster
vessels were found together (41, 42) one with a
curiously rough design of dancing goats, which
recalls the style of Greek island gems. Another
alabaster vase is very clumsy (36). The name of
Thii occurs on a knob for a box lid (38), inlaid in
light blue on a dark blue ground. The little panel
of wood (35) from a box has a lotus pattern, which
strongly suggests an original for the so-called
" palmetto " of Greek design. The part of a wooden
wand (39) is inscribed with the name of " Hu (the
god of taste) son of the kas of Urthekau," a rather
enigmatical phrase; but as Urthekau was connected
with magic, it is possible that these wands were for
ceremonial use. The strange figure (43) is from
Abusir, in the middle of the Delta; I bought it in
Cairo. It is of light drab pottery, hard, and well
baked; the lower part is identical with the Greek
island figures of marble, and its line divisions are
evidently copied from such a figure; but the head
bears the Libyan lock of hair. It appears therefore
to be a Libyo-Greek product, from the time of the
invasions of Egypt by those races jointly, and therefore
probably of the age of Gurob, or a little later.
On Pl. XXII are three curious pieces (1, 2, 3) like
those found in one class of Cypriote tombs. It has
been proposed that they were used by being tied on
to one edge of a garment by the middle hole, and
then slipped through a small hole in the opposite
edge, and drawn back like the swivel of a watch
guard ; this seems the most likely explanation. The
date of them may be put between 1200 and 1400 B.C.,
being found at Gurob. The rings of blue glazed
pottery (4) or of alabaster (6) were sometimes inlaid
with small bits of jasper. The charming head (5) is
carved alike on both sides of a flat slip ; it probably
was the handle of a tray. The rings (9, 10) are
interesting as shewing that lead and tin were
separated as metals thus early; the tin ring was
found with glass beads which are probably not later
than the end of the XVIIIth dynasty; it has been
analyzed by Dr. Gladstone who reports it to be pure
tin, without perceptible alloy. The group of jewellery
(11, 12,13, 14) was found together: the little porcelain
frog (13) dates it to about Amenhotep III ; so the
triple ring of electrum (11) set with haematite (?), the
haematite (?) scarab in gold setting (14), and the gold
eye with Ra on it (12) all probably belong to this
age. Of bronze there is a small chisel (7), a pin (8),
earring (15), fish-hook (16), weight (17), nail (18), and
rivet with two washers (30). The draught men
(19, 20) are of glazed pottery, as also the blue plaque
of Isis (23). The slip of ivory carved with a vineyard
on a wall (21) is probably part of a larger scene, cut
down to a netting bone. The ivory slip (22) has
been painted in the rosettes. The stud (26) is formed
of limestone, faced over with a disc of ostrich egg ;
such was not uncommon at this period. The bead (27)
D 2
19
countries, it must be similarly proved by dated
examples in those localities.
39. Turning now to the objects found without dates,
the blue bowls are shewn in PL. XX. Nos. 1 and 2 were
found together. No. 3 was found with some pottery,
Egyptian, and Aegean of the globular form with red
bands ; a blue glass bottle; two pottery models of
trussed fowls, &c. The design is the best drawn of
all these glazed objects ; the spring of the girl as she
poles the boat along to market, with the calf in it, is
well rendered, and the dainty turn of the face. The
bowl is now brown and black, but was probably violet
originally. Another bowl (6) also represents a girl
poling the market boat, laden with a bird-cage, and
a number of birds on the top ; this is of bright clear
blue, with dark blue lines, rather faint. The gazelle (5)
is drawn with a dry, almost black, line, and great
sharpness; the style looks to be the earliest of all
those here. The group Pl. XX, 7—15, was found
together, and is of the end of the XVIIIth dynasty
by the style. Two fine Aegean vases (7, 9) occur :
pottery (13, 14): alabaster (8, 15) : a small flat glass
bottle (11) of blue, green, yellow, and white, with
three handles, and originally joined to another at the
side : a conical glass bottle (12) with yellow veins on
bright blue : a bronze conical vase (broken), and a
pair of hinges of bronze, which interlock when closed,
by a part of one fitting into the other half, so that
the door could not be prised upward ; this is just the
principle of the blocks on the doors of modern safes.
The pottery with this find was of the types " Kahun "
XX, 15, 32 ; XXI, 59 ; and here Pl. XIX, 2, 4, 6, 7.
Among miscellaneous objects (Pl. XIX) there are
of bronze, an adze (28) ; a spoon (29) said to be
found at Gurob, and by its patination apparently
of the time of the town, it is not broken, but flat
ended ; a small knife (30), beside other large ones of
the types "Kahun" XVII, 29, 33, 50; a knife with
swivel back (33) bound round with thread ; two lance
heads (31, 32); a supposed razor (40), which it has
been suggested is for skinning or flaying, to judge
by the place of the edge (dotted around here) and
the curve of the handle; also an outline of a goose
in bronze (34) with two tags at the back twisted
together, perhaps for a brand. A pair of alabaster
vessels were found together (41, 42) one with a
curiously rough design of dancing goats, which
recalls the style of Greek island gems. Another
alabaster vase is very clumsy (36). The name of
Thii occurs on a knob for a box lid (38), inlaid in
light blue on a dark blue ground. The little panel
of wood (35) from a box has a lotus pattern, which
strongly suggests an original for the so-called
" palmetto " of Greek design. The part of a wooden
wand (39) is inscribed with the name of " Hu (the
god of taste) son of the kas of Urthekau," a rather
enigmatical phrase; but as Urthekau was connected
with magic, it is possible that these wands were for
ceremonial use. The strange figure (43) is from
Abusir, in the middle of the Delta; I bought it in
Cairo. It is of light drab pottery, hard, and well
baked; the lower part is identical with the Greek
island figures of marble, and its line divisions are
evidently copied from such a figure; but the head
bears the Libyan lock of hair. It appears therefore
to be a Libyo-Greek product, from the time of the
invasions of Egypt by those races jointly, and therefore
probably of the age of Gurob, or a little later.
On Pl. XXII are three curious pieces (1, 2, 3) like
those found in one class of Cypriote tombs. It has
been proposed that they were used by being tied on
to one edge of a garment by the middle hole, and
then slipped through a small hole in the opposite
edge, and drawn back like the swivel of a watch
guard ; this seems the most likely explanation. The
date of them may be put between 1200 and 1400 B.C.,
being found at Gurob. The rings of blue glazed
pottery (4) or of alabaster (6) were sometimes inlaid
with small bits of jasper. The charming head (5) is
carved alike on both sides of a flat slip ; it probably
was the handle of a tray. The rings (9, 10) are
interesting as shewing that lead and tin were
separated as metals thus early; the tin ring was
found with glass beads which are probably not later
than the end of the XVIIIth dynasty; it has been
analyzed by Dr. Gladstone who reports it to be pure
tin, without perceptible alloy. The group of jewellery
(11, 12,13, 14) was found together: the little porcelain
frog (13) dates it to about Amenhotep III ; so the
triple ring of electrum (11) set with haematite (?), the
haematite (?) scarab in gold setting (14), and the gold
eye with Ra on it (12) all probably belong to this
age. Of bronze there is a small chisel (7), a pin (8),
earring (15), fish-hook (16), weight (17), nail (18), and
rivet with two washers (30). The draught men
(19, 20) are of glazed pottery, as also the blue plaque
of Isis (23). The slip of ivory carved with a vineyard
on a wall (21) is probably part of a larger scene, cut
down to a netting bone. The ivory slip (22) has
been painted in the rosettes. The stud (26) is formed
of limestone, faced over with a disc of ostrich egg ;
such was not uncommon at this period. The bead (27)
D 2