DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4221#0024
DESCRIPTION OE THE TOMBS.
15
the chambers, in pis. xl. to xliii. In the S.E
corner of chamber i) were some baskets, of
which one and part of another could be re-
moved.
Few steles were found, only three in all, but
these were larger than those of the earlier
graves. One is hardly legible (xxxi., xxxvi.
47), being faintly hammered on the stone face ;
it shows the harew//, and nothing else is certain.
The other stele, No. 48, is the longest and most
important inscription known of this age ; it is
carefully reproduced on pi. xxx. The general
surface is hammered out, but has never been
finished by graving ; the full lines are the traces
of the black ink drawing, and the red lines
show the first sketch. The description of it is
given more fully in dealing with the private
steles, sect. 20. The stele of the king Qa
was found lying over chamber 3 ; it is like
that found by M. Amelmeau, carved in black
quartzose stone. Photographs have not yet
been taken of it, so it will be reproduced in the
following volume. Near it, on the south, were
dozens of large pieces of fine alabaster bowls,
and one of cliorite with the inscription for the
"Priest of the temple of King Qa" (ix. 12),
showing that the shrine of offerings for Qa was
probably on this side.
Among various objects found in these cham-
bers should be noted the fine ivory carving from
chamber 23, showing a bound captive (pi. xii.
12, 13; xvii. 30), described on p. 23; the
large stock of painted model vases in limestone
in a box in chamber 20 (pi. xxxviii. 5, 6) ; the
set of perfect vases found in chamber 21
(xxxviii. 8); the fine piece of ribbed ivory
(xxxvii. 79) ; a piece of thick gold foil covering
of a kutcp table, patterned as a mat, found in
the long chamber west of the tomb ; the deep
mass of brown vegetable matter in the N.E.
chamber; the large stock of corn between cham-
bers 8 and 11; and the bed of currants, ten
inches thick though dried, which underlay the
pottery in chamber 11. In chamber lb' were
large dome-shaped jar searings with the name of
Azab, and on one of them the ink-written signs
of the " king's ka" (xxxii. 35).
The entrance passage has been closed with
rough brick Availing at the top. It is curiously
turned askew, as if to avoid some obstacle, but
the chambers of the tomb of Den do not come
near its direction. After nine steps the straight
passage is reached, and then a limestone port-
cullis slab bars the way, let into grooves on
either side ; it Avas moreover backed up by a
buttress of brickwork in live steps behind it.
All this sIioavs that the rest of the passage must
have been roofed in so deeply that entry from
above Avas not the obvious course. The inner
passage descends by steps, each about live
inches high, partly in the slope, partly in the
rise of the step. The side chambers open off
this stairway by side passages a little above the
level of the stairs.
18, The Tome of Qa, intekioe, pis. Ix.,
lxvi., lxvii. The structure of this tomb is
rather different from any other. Instead of the
timber being an entirely separate structure
apart from the brick, the brick sides seem here
to have been very loosely built against the
timber sides. All around the chamber Avere
great beams 10 to 13 inches deep, and 9
inches Avicle, recessed to hold the ends of the
flooring planks, and with deep mortice holes
at intervals to hold upright posts. The beam
section and place of holes is seen on pi. lxvii.,
and the ends of the posts still in place in the
photograph, lxvi. 6. The brickAvork close to
the chamber sides is so loose and rough that it
has nearly all fallen aAvay, but on the Avest side
of the doorway it remains, projecting over the
beam, and evidently filling in originally up to
the plank lining. This lining must have been
fastened on to the upright posts, and Avas
absolutely essential if Ave look to the very rough
loose brickAvork, Avhich Avas certainly so con-
structed because it Avas hidden.
Some detail yet remains of the wooden floor
15
the chambers, in pis. xl. to xliii. In the S.E
corner of chamber i) were some baskets, of
which one and part of another could be re-
moved.
Few steles were found, only three in all, but
these were larger than those of the earlier
graves. One is hardly legible (xxxi., xxxvi.
47), being faintly hammered on the stone face ;
it shows the harew//, and nothing else is certain.
The other stele, No. 48, is the longest and most
important inscription known of this age ; it is
carefully reproduced on pi. xxx. The general
surface is hammered out, but has never been
finished by graving ; the full lines are the traces
of the black ink drawing, and the red lines
show the first sketch. The description of it is
given more fully in dealing with the private
steles, sect. 20. The stele of the king Qa
was found lying over chamber 3 ; it is like
that found by M. Amelmeau, carved in black
quartzose stone. Photographs have not yet
been taken of it, so it will be reproduced in the
following volume. Near it, on the south, were
dozens of large pieces of fine alabaster bowls,
and one of cliorite with the inscription for the
"Priest of the temple of King Qa" (ix. 12),
showing that the shrine of offerings for Qa was
probably on this side.
Among various objects found in these cham-
bers should be noted the fine ivory carving from
chamber 23, showing a bound captive (pi. xii.
12, 13; xvii. 30), described on p. 23; the
large stock of painted model vases in limestone
in a box in chamber 20 (pi. xxxviii. 5, 6) ; the
set of perfect vases found in chamber 21
(xxxviii. 8); the fine piece of ribbed ivory
(xxxvii. 79) ; a piece of thick gold foil covering
of a kutcp table, patterned as a mat, found in
the long chamber west of the tomb ; the deep
mass of brown vegetable matter in the N.E.
chamber; the large stock of corn between cham-
bers 8 and 11; and the bed of currants, ten
inches thick though dried, which underlay the
pottery in chamber 11. In chamber lb' were
large dome-shaped jar searings with the name of
Azab, and on one of them the ink-written signs
of the " king's ka" (xxxii. 35).
The entrance passage has been closed with
rough brick Availing at the top. It is curiously
turned askew, as if to avoid some obstacle, but
the chambers of the tomb of Den do not come
near its direction. After nine steps the straight
passage is reached, and then a limestone port-
cullis slab bars the way, let into grooves on
either side ; it Avas moreover backed up by a
buttress of brickwork in live steps behind it.
All this sIioavs that the rest of the passage must
have been roofed in so deeply that entry from
above Avas not the obvious course. The inner
passage descends by steps, each about live
inches high, partly in the slope, partly in the
rise of the step. The side chambers open off
this stairway by side passages a little above the
level of the stairs.
18, The Tome of Qa, intekioe, pis. Ix.,
lxvi., lxvii. The structure of this tomb is
rather different from any other. Instead of the
timber being an entirely separate structure
apart from the brick, the brick sides seem here
to have been very loosely built against the
timber sides. All around the chamber Avere
great beams 10 to 13 inches deep, and 9
inches Avicle, recessed to hold the ends of the
flooring planks, and with deep mortice holes
at intervals to hold upright posts. The beam
section and place of holes is seen on pi. lxvii.,
and the ends of the posts still in place in the
photograph, lxvi. 6. The brickAvork close to
the chamber sides is so loose and rough that it
has nearly all fallen aAvay, but on the Avest side
of the doorway it remains, projecting over the
beam, and evidently filling in originally up to
the plank lining. This lining must have been
fastened on to the upright posts, and Avas
absolutely essential if Ave look to the very rough
loose brickAvork, Avhich Avas certainly so con-
structed because it Avas hidden.
Some detail yet remains of the wooden floor