DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4222#0017
CHAPTER II.
DESCRIPTION OF THE TOMBS.
7. The oldest tomb that we can definitely
assign is that marked B 7 (pi. fix.), the tomb
of King Ka. This is a pit with sloping sides,
about 20 feet by 10 feet.1 The thickness of the
brick walls is that of the length of one brick,
about 11 inches; and the soft footing of the
wall and pressure of sand behind it has over-
thrown the longer sides. The chamber has
never been burnt. The broken pottery mixed
with the sand, which filled it, largely consisted
of cylinder jars, like the later prehistoric form
W 80 (see Naqada, pi. xxxii.) ; and these had
many inscriptions on them, written in ink with
a brush, most of which showed the name of Ka
in the usual panelled frame. There can therefore
be no doubt of the attribution of this tomb.
The tomb B 9 is perhaps that of King Zeser,
who seems to have been a successor of Ka. It
is of the same construction as that of Ka, and
about 18 by 10 feet. It never was burnt.
8. The tomb B 10 appears to be the oldest
of the great tombs, by its easternmost position;
and the objects of Narmer point to this as his
tomb (see pi. lvi. 1). The brick walls are 5 feet
thick at the end, and 7 feet on the long side.
The batter is 9 inches at the end, and 12 inches
in the sides. Thus in both the thickness and
the batter of the walls there is a care shown in
proportioning the strength of the ends and the
sides. The size is about 26 feet by 16 feet, and
the depth 10| feet. There are two holes in the
floor, one being at the middle of each long
side ; and two other holes between these and the
south corners : so it seems that there Avere five
i The details of exact dimensions are placed together
for comparison at the end of this chapter.
posts on each long side, and probably one in the
middle of each end, to carry the wooden roof.
This tomb was never burnt.
9. The tomb B 15 is probably that of King
Sma (see pi. lvi. 2). Its walls are not quite so
thick, being 50 inches at the end. The size is
about 26 feet by 16 feet; and there is a large
batter of 14 inches in the sides, and 12 inches
in the ends. The depth is 13^ feet. The post
holes in the floor suggest that there were five on
the long- side, and one in the middle of each
end, as in the tomb of Narmer. But along the
sides are holes for roofing beams near the top of
the wall (lower sides at 149 from the floor, the wall
being 160 to 170 inches high); they are drawn
here on the east side, but others on the west were
mostly broken away and inaccessible. These
roof beams do not at all accord with the posts;
and this proves that, here at least, the posts
were for backing a wooden chamber inside the
brick chamber. If this be the case here it was
probably also true in Warmer's tomb ; and
hence these brick tombs were only the protective
shell around a wooden chamber which con-
tained the burial. This same system is known
in the 1st Dynasty tombs, and we see here the
source of the chambered tombs of Zer and Zet.
Before the age of Mena, the space around the
wood chamber was used for dropping in offerings
between the framing posts; and then, after
Mena, separate brick chambers were made around
the wooden chamber in order to hold more
offerings. This chamber was burnt; and is
apparently that mentioned by M. Amelineau
Fouilles, in extenso, 1899, p. 107.
10. The tomb B 19, which contained the
DESCRIPTION OF THE TOMBS.
7. The oldest tomb that we can definitely
assign is that marked B 7 (pi. fix.), the tomb
of King Ka. This is a pit with sloping sides,
about 20 feet by 10 feet.1 The thickness of the
brick walls is that of the length of one brick,
about 11 inches; and the soft footing of the
wall and pressure of sand behind it has over-
thrown the longer sides. The chamber has
never been burnt. The broken pottery mixed
with the sand, which filled it, largely consisted
of cylinder jars, like the later prehistoric form
W 80 (see Naqada, pi. xxxii.) ; and these had
many inscriptions on them, written in ink with
a brush, most of which showed the name of Ka
in the usual panelled frame. There can therefore
be no doubt of the attribution of this tomb.
The tomb B 9 is perhaps that of King Zeser,
who seems to have been a successor of Ka. It
is of the same construction as that of Ka, and
about 18 by 10 feet. It never was burnt.
8. The tomb B 10 appears to be the oldest
of the great tombs, by its easternmost position;
and the objects of Narmer point to this as his
tomb (see pi. lvi. 1). The brick walls are 5 feet
thick at the end, and 7 feet on the long side.
The batter is 9 inches at the end, and 12 inches
in the sides. Thus in both the thickness and
the batter of the walls there is a care shown in
proportioning the strength of the ends and the
sides. The size is about 26 feet by 16 feet, and
the depth 10| feet. There are two holes in the
floor, one being at the middle of each long
side ; and two other holes between these and the
south corners : so it seems that there Avere five
i The details of exact dimensions are placed together
for comparison at the end of this chapter.
posts on each long side, and probably one in the
middle of each end, to carry the wooden roof.
This tomb was never burnt.
9. The tomb B 15 is probably that of King
Sma (see pi. lvi. 2). Its walls are not quite so
thick, being 50 inches at the end. The size is
about 26 feet by 16 feet; and there is a large
batter of 14 inches in the sides, and 12 inches
in the ends. The depth is 13^ feet. The post
holes in the floor suggest that there were five on
the long- side, and one in the middle of each
end, as in the tomb of Narmer. But along the
sides are holes for roofing beams near the top of
the wall (lower sides at 149 from the floor, the wall
being 160 to 170 inches high); they are drawn
here on the east side, but others on the west were
mostly broken away and inaccessible. These
roof beams do not at all accord with the posts;
and this proves that, here at least, the posts
were for backing a wooden chamber inside the
brick chamber. If this be the case here it was
probably also true in Warmer's tomb ; and
hence these brick tombs were only the protective
shell around a wooden chamber which con-
tained the burial. This same system is known
in the 1st Dynasty tombs, and we see here the
source of the chambered tombs of Zer and Zet.
Before the age of Mena, the space around the
wood chamber was used for dropping in offerings
between the framing posts; and then, after
Mena, separate brick chambers were made around
the wooden chamber in order to hold more
offerings. This chamber was burnt; and is
apparently that mentioned by M. Amelineau
Fouilles, in extenso, 1899, p. 107.
10. The tomb B 19, which contained the