DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4222#0045
THE INVENTORY PLATES.
35
tipped with red ochre, which has been supposed
to be a poisoned tip, though iron oxide would
be the worst substance to maintain a poison ;
probably the red colour was put on with the
idea of sympathetic magic, in order to draw
the arrow to the blood of the animal at which
it was shot. The ivory tips were probably all
inserted in reeds, like those from a grave near
the tomb of Den (pi. viiA. 7) ; but the ivory
has better survived the destruction by man and,
by insects, so the tips are now nearly all
separate. In the tombs of the Mena period and
earlier only flint arrow-heads are found (pis.
iv., vi.) ; excepting one specimen of Mena's
reign (xxxii. 37). Under Zer the ivory arrow-
tip sprang into full use; hundreds were
gathered from his tomb ; and the variety of
forms is greater than in any other reign.
Beside the plain circular points (xxxiv. 27—41,
many of them with reddened tips), there are the
cpuadrangular barbed tips (42), the pentagonal
tips (43), the square tips (44), the oval tips, (45,
46), and the flanged tips (47, 48), beside others
of ebony (50, 51). Only the plain circular tips
appear in the succeeding reigns, down to
Mersekha, except an example of the oval form
under Den (xli. 41).
The inlay 'patterns are scarcely known in the
Mena period, the strips with a diagonal cross
beginning then (xxxii. ID), and continuing in
the time of Zer (xxxiv. 94—99), after which
they cease. The twisted cord border begins
under Mena (xxxii. 35 ; iiiA. 1 ; iv. 16, 17),
does not recur till Merneit (xxxix. 37), nor
become common till Den (xl. 45—18). The
lines beneath the twist are straight at first
(xxxii. 35 ; xl. 46 ; xli. 30), or curved down
(iiiA. 1 ; iv. 17), but begin to curve up under
Den (xli. 32, 35), are straight under Azab
(xlii. 72), and curve down under Mersekha
(xliii. 41). In the Vth Dynasty (DeshasheU,
xxvii.), the Vlth Dynasty (Dendereh, hi.), and in
the Xllth Dynasty (L. Denlc. ii. 130, et seqq.),
the lines are curved upward at the ends. The
origin of this pattern is quite unknown ; but it
mainly appears in representations of the hollows
of panelled woodwork. Possibly it represents a
plaited cord used to close shutters high up in the
panelling, and the lines below are copied from
the surplus of the cord resting on the ground.
The pattern of diagona] lines begins under
Zer (xxxiv. 53—55), always as a row of
squares set diagonally ; this becomes cheaper in
style under Zet (xxxvii. 46) ; and though
under Den the old style is kept (xl. 56 ; xli.
42—43), yet very rough imitations occur (xl. 57
—69 ; xli. 4—6). Such are continued under
Azab (xlii. 10, 11, 26, 27, 61—65), Mersekha
(xliii. 54, 55), Qa (xliv. 34—37), and even till
Khasekhemui (xlv. 29, 32).
Bibbed and mat-work patterns, imitating rush
mats and trays, are elaborately wrought in the
early work, such as the reed tray of Sma
(xxxii. 54), and the mat of bound rushes (62).
The mat pattern is on a flat slip of Zer (xxxiv.
92). Plain ribbing occurs under Zet (xxxvii.
56, 62—GG). A mat of bound rushes under
Merneit (xxxix. 58—61). Plain ribbing (xl.
85—90, 105—106 ; xli. 48—50) and bound mat-
work (xli. 52—54, 65, 69) under Den. The
flat mat under Azab (xlii. 68—69). The woven
mat of rushes carved in wood under Mersekha
(xliii. 27, 28), and plain ribbing (29—33).
Plain ribbed ivory inlay, probably from a woven
rush mat pattern, under Qa (xliv. 27—31).
But in the Ilnd Dynasty this seems to have
disappeared.
Fluted patterns are important as being pro-
bably derived from the fluted columns; the
earliest is a model column of Zer Avith sixteen
flutings (xxxiv. 73), and a flatter fragment (72).
The next is of Den (xl. 107). Under Khase-
khemui, an ivory model column with eight lobes,
or colonnettes, is seen (xlv. 23), probably also
of architectural origin.
Bracelets or bangles are found in most reigns,
sometimes abundantly. The flint or chert
bangles, made in prehistoric times, continued in
U 4*
35
tipped with red ochre, which has been supposed
to be a poisoned tip, though iron oxide would
be the worst substance to maintain a poison ;
probably the red colour was put on with the
idea of sympathetic magic, in order to draw
the arrow to the blood of the animal at which
it was shot. The ivory tips were probably all
inserted in reeds, like those from a grave near
the tomb of Den (pi. viiA. 7) ; but the ivory
has better survived the destruction by man and,
by insects, so the tips are now nearly all
separate. In the tombs of the Mena period and
earlier only flint arrow-heads are found (pis.
iv., vi.) ; excepting one specimen of Mena's
reign (xxxii. 37). Under Zer the ivory arrow-
tip sprang into full use; hundreds were
gathered from his tomb ; and the variety of
forms is greater than in any other reign.
Beside the plain circular points (xxxiv. 27—41,
many of them with reddened tips), there are the
cpuadrangular barbed tips (42), the pentagonal
tips (43), the square tips (44), the oval tips, (45,
46), and the flanged tips (47, 48), beside others
of ebony (50, 51). Only the plain circular tips
appear in the succeeding reigns, down to
Mersekha, except an example of the oval form
under Den (xli. 41).
The inlay 'patterns are scarcely known in the
Mena period, the strips with a diagonal cross
beginning then (xxxii. ID), and continuing in
the time of Zer (xxxiv. 94—99), after which
they cease. The twisted cord border begins
under Mena (xxxii. 35 ; iiiA. 1 ; iv. 16, 17),
does not recur till Merneit (xxxix. 37), nor
become common till Den (xl. 45—18). The
lines beneath the twist are straight at first
(xxxii. 35 ; xl. 46 ; xli. 30), or curved down
(iiiA. 1 ; iv. 17), but begin to curve up under
Den (xli. 32, 35), are straight under Azab
(xlii. 72), and curve down under Mersekha
(xliii. 41). In the Vth Dynasty (DeshasheU,
xxvii.), the Vlth Dynasty (Dendereh, hi.), and in
the Xllth Dynasty (L. Denlc. ii. 130, et seqq.),
the lines are curved upward at the ends. The
origin of this pattern is quite unknown ; but it
mainly appears in representations of the hollows
of panelled woodwork. Possibly it represents a
plaited cord used to close shutters high up in the
panelling, and the lines below are copied from
the surplus of the cord resting on the ground.
The pattern of diagona] lines begins under
Zer (xxxiv. 53—55), always as a row of
squares set diagonally ; this becomes cheaper in
style under Zet (xxxvii. 46) ; and though
under Den the old style is kept (xl. 56 ; xli.
42—43), yet very rough imitations occur (xl. 57
—69 ; xli. 4—6). Such are continued under
Azab (xlii. 10, 11, 26, 27, 61—65), Mersekha
(xliii. 54, 55), Qa (xliv. 34—37), and even till
Khasekhemui (xlv. 29, 32).
Bibbed and mat-work patterns, imitating rush
mats and trays, are elaborately wrought in the
early work, such as the reed tray of Sma
(xxxii. 54), and the mat of bound rushes (62).
The mat pattern is on a flat slip of Zer (xxxiv.
92). Plain ribbing occurs under Zet (xxxvii.
56, 62—GG). A mat of bound rushes under
Merneit (xxxix. 58—61). Plain ribbing (xl.
85—90, 105—106 ; xli. 48—50) and bound mat-
work (xli. 52—54, 65, 69) under Den. The
flat mat under Azab (xlii. 68—69). The woven
mat of rushes carved in wood under Mersekha
(xliii. 27, 28), and plain ribbing (29—33).
Plain ribbed ivory inlay, probably from a woven
rush mat pattern, under Qa (xliv. 27—31).
But in the Ilnd Dynasty this seems to have
disappeared.
Fluted patterns are important as being pro-
bably derived from the fluted columns; the
earliest is a model column of Zer Avith sixteen
flutings (xxxiv. 73), and a flatter fragment (72).
The next is of Den (xl. 107). Under Khase-
khemui, an ivory model column with eight lobes,
or colonnettes, is seen (xlv. 23), probably also
of architectural origin.
Bracelets or bangles are found in most reigns,
sometimes abundantly. The flint or chert
bangles, made in prehistoric times, continued in
U 4*