DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3388#0039
THE VARIOUS TYPES
29
determined, as the body was not removed from the
box, but brought away intact, soaked in paraffin wax
(Bristol).
In the low hillocks of marl and gravel which lie
between the desert table-land and the cultivation,
east of the mastaba of Nefermaat, we found a small
cemetery of the iiird dynasty, and some thirty-nine
graves were cleared and recorded.
These all fall naturally into four classes, which are
as follows :—
Class A. Burials in rough holes ranging from
12 inches to 42 inches deep.
Class B. Square or rectangular shafts with or
without recesses to hold a burial.
Class C. Multiple or family graves.
Class D. Open court provided with niches or
false doors.
All the dead in the recorded graves of this
cemetery were placed in a semi-contracted or con-
tracted position, and always on the left side, with the
exception of four cases in which the bodies were
found lying on their backs or the right side. The
orientation was nearly, though not quite, as constant.
Thirty-one bodies were placed with their heads to the
north or north-west, six with their heads to the east
or north-east, and eight with their heads to the west.
None were in the usual prehistoric direction, head to
the south.
53. In the majority of the poorer graves, which
were but little below the surface of the ground, the
linen garments around some of the dead were in a
fairly good state of preservation. In the case of the
men a short kilt was the article of clothing generally
found. The women were either wrapped or clothed
in a garment which entirely covered the body, and
were then sometimes laid upon a pad or mattress of
linen material, placed on the floor of the grave.
The kilts or loin-cloths of the men were of a very
coarse linen ; the clothing of the women was usually
of a much finer texture.
Different samples of cloth were collected from
various graves, and submitted to Mr. Midgley of
Bolton for examination. His report on these will be
found in the volume of Historical Studies.
In three graves, Nos. 123, 136, and 141, a wooden
headrest was placed beneath the head. Two of these
(pi. xxi, 15, 16), from graves 123 and 141, are very
similar to those of later times, with the exception of
a square head to the top of the shafts, just below the
curved portion which fitted the head. The headrest
from grave 136 (see base of pi. xxxviii) consisted
only of a short bar of wood with a slight hollow along
the top. Seven other burials had a brick, in lieu of a
pillow, placed beneath the skull, while in four graves
a brick was found lying close to the head.
54. The amount of dental caries in the teeth of
some of the skulls in this cemetery was most notice-
able, the molars being generally attacked. The teeth
were in most cases badly.worn down, and cup-shaped,
owing to gritty food.
Three cases of fractured bones were found, in
graves Nos. 106,124, 131. In No. 106 was the body of
an old man who had suffered a fracture of the radius
and ulna of the left arm. Both bones had united,
and were, in addition, ankylosed at their lower ex-
tremities.
In grave 106, also that of a man, both bones of
the right forearm were found to be fractured about
the middle of the shaft. Each bone had, however,
united well. The cause of the fracture in both these
cases was probably due to an attempt to ward off a
blow from a stick.
Grave 124 contained the skeleton of a man whose
right parietal bone was perforated by a small, clean,
round hole, evidently the cause of death. In addition
to this there was an old fracture well healed on the
right frontal bone. This and the two preceding cases
were the only evidences of violence noted in this
cemetery.
The femur bones of a man in grave 107 were
remarkably bent, the curvature being very pro-
nounced. This might have been possibly due to
rickets.
In three or four instances, in graves which lay
near the surface, traces of hair were found adhering to
the skulls. In every case this was slightly curly,
short, and either of a light reddish or straw colour.
Owing to the saline nature of the soil in the district,
it might well be possible that the light coloration is
due to the bleaching action of salts.
We were fortunate to find that in only two graves,
out of the total of thirty-nine excavated, was there
any obvious disturbance. This condition was due to
the poor nature of the burials, for with the exception
of the three pillows in graves 123, 136, and 141, a
pottery jar lying in grave 103, a mud saucer in
grave 1386, a small pottery offering dish in grave
139c, and a rough stone altar with two bone hair-
pins in grave 110, nothing was placed with the
bodies.
55. Seven burials in the cemetery contained bodies
29
determined, as the body was not removed from the
box, but brought away intact, soaked in paraffin wax
(Bristol).
In the low hillocks of marl and gravel which lie
between the desert table-land and the cultivation,
east of the mastaba of Nefermaat, we found a small
cemetery of the iiird dynasty, and some thirty-nine
graves were cleared and recorded.
These all fall naturally into four classes, which are
as follows :—
Class A. Burials in rough holes ranging from
12 inches to 42 inches deep.
Class B. Square or rectangular shafts with or
without recesses to hold a burial.
Class C. Multiple or family graves.
Class D. Open court provided with niches or
false doors.
All the dead in the recorded graves of this
cemetery were placed in a semi-contracted or con-
tracted position, and always on the left side, with the
exception of four cases in which the bodies were
found lying on their backs or the right side. The
orientation was nearly, though not quite, as constant.
Thirty-one bodies were placed with their heads to the
north or north-west, six with their heads to the east
or north-east, and eight with their heads to the west.
None were in the usual prehistoric direction, head to
the south.
53. In the majority of the poorer graves, which
were but little below the surface of the ground, the
linen garments around some of the dead were in a
fairly good state of preservation. In the case of the
men a short kilt was the article of clothing generally
found. The women were either wrapped or clothed
in a garment which entirely covered the body, and
were then sometimes laid upon a pad or mattress of
linen material, placed on the floor of the grave.
The kilts or loin-cloths of the men were of a very
coarse linen ; the clothing of the women was usually
of a much finer texture.
Different samples of cloth were collected from
various graves, and submitted to Mr. Midgley of
Bolton for examination. His report on these will be
found in the volume of Historical Studies.
In three graves, Nos. 123, 136, and 141, a wooden
headrest was placed beneath the head. Two of these
(pi. xxi, 15, 16), from graves 123 and 141, are very
similar to those of later times, with the exception of
a square head to the top of the shafts, just below the
curved portion which fitted the head. The headrest
from grave 136 (see base of pi. xxxviii) consisted
only of a short bar of wood with a slight hollow along
the top. Seven other burials had a brick, in lieu of a
pillow, placed beneath the skull, while in four graves
a brick was found lying close to the head.
54. The amount of dental caries in the teeth of
some of the skulls in this cemetery was most notice-
able, the molars being generally attacked. The teeth
were in most cases badly.worn down, and cup-shaped,
owing to gritty food.
Three cases of fractured bones were found, in
graves Nos. 106,124, 131. In No. 106 was the body of
an old man who had suffered a fracture of the radius
and ulna of the left arm. Both bones had united,
and were, in addition, ankylosed at their lower ex-
tremities.
In grave 106, also that of a man, both bones of
the right forearm were found to be fractured about
the middle of the shaft. Each bone had, however,
united well. The cause of the fracture in both these
cases was probably due to an attempt to ward off a
blow from a stick.
Grave 124 contained the skeleton of a man whose
right parietal bone was perforated by a small, clean,
round hole, evidently the cause of death. In addition
to this there was an old fracture well healed on the
right frontal bone. This and the two preceding cases
were the only evidences of violence noted in this
cemetery.
The femur bones of a man in grave 107 were
remarkably bent, the curvature being very pro-
nounced. This might have been possibly due to
rickets.
In three or four instances, in graves which lay
near the surface, traces of hair were found adhering to
the skulls. In every case this was slightly curly,
short, and either of a light reddish or straw colour.
Owing to the saline nature of the soil in the district,
it might well be possible that the light coloration is
due to the bleaching action of salts.
We were fortunate to find that in only two graves,
out of the total of thirty-nine excavated, was there
any obvious disturbance. This condition was due to
the poor nature of the burials, for with the exception
of the three pillows in graves 123, 136, and 141, a
pottery jar lying in grave 103, a mud saucer in
grave 1386, a small pottery offering dish in grave
139c, and a rough stone altar with two bone hair-
pins in grave 110, nothing was placed with the
bodies.
55. Seven burials in the cemetery contained bodies