DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4222#0029
THE ESTSCEIBED TABLETS, &c.
19
is again entirely different from the other three.
The groups of hour-glass beads are each of gold
on either side, and of amethyst in the middle,
or in one case of dark brown limestone. Each
bead has a double ridge around the middle of it,
Avith a deep groove between. Two hairs were
passed through the pierced beads, and then
parted one on either side of the hour-glass
beads, and lodged in the groove. The hairs
were kept in place by binding them close on
each side of the bead by a lashing of very fine
gold wire. The turquoises are lozenge-shaped,
with gold caps on the ends to prevent wear ;
the caps in the middle being each a double cone
in one piece.
Such is this extraordinary group of the
oldest jewellery known, some two thousand years
before that from Dahshur. Here, at the
crystallizing point of Egyptian art, we see the
unlimited variety and fertility of design.
Excepting the plain gold balls, there is not a
single bead in any one braclet which would
be interchangeable with those in another
bracelet. Each is of independent design, fresh
and free from all convention or copying. And
yet not any one of these would be in place
among the jewellery of the Xllth Dynasty ; they
all belong to the taste of their age,—the purest
handwork, the most ready designing, and not a
suspicion of merely mechanical polish and
o-litter. The technical perfection of the solder-
ing has never been excelled, as the joints show
no difference of colour, and no trace of excess.
Happy is it that the exact order of the beads
was fully observed, so that we can replace their
original design and effect; so different from the
fate of the Dahshur collection, which has been
all confused, owing to being gathered together
by ignorant workmen, and the value of it thus
partly lost.
19, Pl. II. 1. The earliest sealing found was
that of King Ka, which differs much from all of
the others in its simplicity. It will be noticed
with the sealings on pl. xiii.; but from the
photograph will be seen how small is the sole
impression that we have. It is on hard black
mud, and seems to have consisted of only a row
of enclosures containing the name.
2. A fragment of a name appears on close
examination to be that of Aha — Mena.
3. A fine jar of alabaster (see pl. liii.), partly
broken, was found in the most south-western of
the small B graves, and its inscription is shown
here. The forms are coarser than on the slate
carvings, but are very distinct: the hawk is
much like that on the great slate ; the deeply
curved top is usual under Narmer, though only
occasional under Mena, and then flatter, and is
never seen under later kings. The fish is well
figured, and the chisel is the true mer with
excentric blade.
4. Two pieces of an ebony tablet (see drawing
in pl. x. 1) were found recently broken in tomb
B 18, and unfortunately the remainder is lost.
The name was not seen until it was cleaned,
owing to the coat of burnt resins which clogged
it; the fish nar is clear, and the top of the
chisel mer is just preserved. The fortified
enclosure contains the sign s, and another which
is new to us. The vase with wavy line on the
lower piece is apparently intended for a stone
vase of water, similar to that drawn on a tablet,
pl. xii. 4.
5. A small piece of ivory has the name of
Narmer engraved on it.
6. A fragment of an alabaster jar has the
front corner of the name of Narmer, with the
high peak like that on No. 3.
7. A piece of alabaster jar with a sign
scratched upon it.
8. A piece of a basalt jar bears the name of
the " double lord, Sma " ; 9 shows the same on
an ivory jar ; and 10 the same on an ivory rod.
This form of the title is rare, and does not occur
later than King Zer (see v. 13, 14 ; xii. 1) ; it
is also known as the title of King Zeser (Royal
Tombs, i. iv. 3). But in later times it always
has the vulture and uraeus upon it, as in the
c 2
19
is again entirely different from the other three.
The groups of hour-glass beads are each of gold
on either side, and of amethyst in the middle,
or in one case of dark brown limestone. Each
bead has a double ridge around the middle of it,
Avith a deep groove between. Two hairs were
passed through the pierced beads, and then
parted one on either side of the hour-glass
beads, and lodged in the groove. The hairs
were kept in place by binding them close on
each side of the bead by a lashing of very fine
gold wire. The turquoises are lozenge-shaped,
with gold caps on the ends to prevent wear ;
the caps in the middle being each a double cone
in one piece.
Such is this extraordinary group of the
oldest jewellery known, some two thousand years
before that from Dahshur. Here, at the
crystallizing point of Egyptian art, we see the
unlimited variety and fertility of design.
Excepting the plain gold balls, there is not a
single bead in any one braclet which would
be interchangeable with those in another
bracelet. Each is of independent design, fresh
and free from all convention or copying. And
yet not any one of these would be in place
among the jewellery of the Xllth Dynasty ; they
all belong to the taste of their age,—the purest
handwork, the most ready designing, and not a
suspicion of merely mechanical polish and
o-litter. The technical perfection of the solder-
ing has never been excelled, as the joints show
no difference of colour, and no trace of excess.
Happy is it that the exact order of the beads
was fully observed, so that we can replace their
original design and effect; so different from the
fate of the Dahshur collection, which has been
all confused, owing to being gathered together
by ignorant workmen, and the value of it thus
partly lost.
19, Pl. II. 1. The earliest sealing found was
that of King Ka, which differs much from all of
the others in its simplicity. It will be noticed
with the sealings on pl. xiii.; but from the
photograph will be seen how small is the sole
impression that we have. It is on hard black
mud, and seems to have consisted of only a row
of enclosures containing the name.
2. A fragment of a name appears on close
examination to be that of Aha — Mena.
3. A fine jar of alabaster (see pl. liii.), partly
broken, was found in the most south-western of
the small B graves, and its inscription is shown
here. The forms are coarser than on the slate
carvings, but are very distinct: the hawk is
much like that on the great slate ; the deeply
curved top is usual under Narmer, though only
occasional under Mena, and then flatter, and is
never seen under later kings. The fish is well
figured, and the chisel is the true mer with
excentric blade.
4. Two pieces of an ebony tablet (see drawing
in pl. x. 1) were found recently broken in tomb
B 18, and unfortunately the remainder is lost.
The name was not seen until it was cleaned,
owing to the coat of burnt resins which clogged
it; the fish nar is clear, and the top of the
chisel mer is just preserved. The fortified
enclosure contains the sign s, and another which
is new to us. The vase with wavy line on the
lower piece is apparently intended for a stone
vase of water, similar to that drawn on a tablet,
pl. xii. 4.
5. A small piece of ivory has the name of
Narmer engraved on it.
6. A fragment of an alabaster jar has the
front corner of the name of Narmer, with the
high peak like that on No. 3.
7. A piece of alabaster jar with a sign
scratched upon it.
8. A piece of a basalt jar bears the name of
the " double lord, Sma " ; 9 shows the same on
an ivory jar ; and 10 the same on an ivory rod.
This form of the title is rare, and does not occur
later than King Zer (see v. 13, 14 ; xii. 1) ; it
is also known as the title of King Zeser (Royal
Tombs, i. iv. 3). But in later times it always
has the vulture and uraeus upon it, as in the
c 2