DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3390#0011
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THE DATING OF THE GRAVES
forms were new. It is therefore necessary to form a
new corpus of types for this age ; and, I may say, the
needs of systematic treatment will probably be met
eventually by the following series of corpus types :
Prehistoric to mid ist dynasty [Naqada, etc.).
Dynasties o to xi (here).
„ vii to xvii.
„ xiii to xxii.
„ xx to xxx.
Dynasty xxvi to 300 A.D.
„ 200 A.D. to 800 A.D.
The time-range of each corpus must overlap those
before and after it, in order to show the earliest
growth and the latest degradation of the types.
Owing to the very different characters of the forms
in various periods it would be impossible to keep the
same notation for a particular type through all the
series; hence the notation of each corpus must be
independent of that used in the others. The one
general principle in all cases must be that of begin-
ning with the most open forms, such as flat plates,
and proceeding to the most closed forms, such as
bottles.
4. In the present treatment of the material, there-
fore, we have to start with a fresh corpus, and an
entire re-numbering of all types, whether they have
appeared before, or no. The old prehistoric corpus
was actually used during the course of the excava-
tions, largely supplemented by additional forms.
This caused some difficulty when it had to be used
apart by four recorders, and many revisions of
it were needed during the work. The whole of
these stages have now been passed, and a consistent
new corpus of the early dynasties has been formed
for pottery, and another for stone types, with due
regard to the forms that will still have to be inserted
in order to carry it on to the close of the Old King-
dom. Every designation of forms in this volume is
entirely upon the new corpus here published, except
in the Conversion Table (pi. lxviii) where such old
types as survived are equated with the new num-
bering. The old distinctions, which are so prominent
in the prehistoric age, of Polished, Black-topped,
Decorated, Wavy-handled, Rough, and Late pottery
were scarcely traceable in the dynastic age, and no
distinctive forms belong to different materials. Hence
the class letters, such as P, B, D, W, R, and L—
though always required for the prehistoric corpus—
are no longer of use in this age, and all forms are
classed into one uniform series from I to go. For
general reference in future, where not dealing with
one single age and corpus, it may be requisite to
designate each corpus by a letter prefixed to the type
number, so as to distinguish to which corpus reference
is being made. I would suggest for such a purpose,
to prefix O for the present corpus of the Old King-
dom, M for the Middle Kingdom corpus, E for the
Empire, T for the Transition xx-xxx dynasties, G
for the Greek, and X for the Christian period.
5. We may now note the stages of the present
classification of Pottery.
ist. All types of cylinder jars (descended from
the older wavy-handled jars) were noted in their
groups as found together in each grave. From these
groups it was seen that—though the continuous
degradation of the decoration was evident—the vari-
ous types had been many of them in use at the same
time. There were, however, some distinct breaks in
the usage of the forms. Types 46 b top were gener-
ally mixed, as also were the later types 47/ to 49/;
while the intermediate types 46 r to 47 m were
linked more often to the later than to the earlier
division. Broadly speaking, the wave decoration, 46,
held together ; while the jabbed patterns, 47, ran
down into, and mixed with, the cord patterns, 48,
and the line patterns, 49. The plain types, 50, also
came into use along with the cord pattern, but were
more generally alone.
2nd. Having thus some distinctive groups, the order
of which was certain, the other pottery associated
with each of these groups was set out, in order to see
which types belong only to one or other group. From
these restricted types the other graves not containing
cylinder jars were then added to their contemporary
groups.
3rd. The great jars, type 76, were next compared
with those found in the Royal Tombs of the ist
dynasty, which show a continuous decline in size
and detail from dynasty o down to the end of
dynasty ii. Thus all graves containing these were
classed in groups according to the style of this
pottery.
4th. On reviewing the results, it appeared that it
was useless to try to distinguish single reigns in the
dating of the graves. A clear distinction could,
however, be seen between the grand style of the
reigns of Narmer, Aha and Zer, the feebler work of
the end of Zer and of Zet, the coarser but abundant
products of Merneit, Den and Azab, and the decadent
style of Semerkhet and Qa. Thus four periods are
apparent in the ist dynasty,
—**=«
THE DATING OF THE GRAVES
forms were new. It is therefore necessary to form a
new corpus of types for this age ; and, I may say, the
needs of systematic treatment will probably be met
eventually by the following series of corpus types :
Prehistoric to mid ist dynasty [Naqada, etc.).
Dynasties o to xi (here).
„ vii to xvii.
„ xiii to xxii.
„ xx to xxx.
Dynasty xxvi to 300 A.D.
„ 200 A.D. to 800 A.D.
The time-range of each corpus must overlap those
before and after it, in order to show the earliest
growth and the latest degradation of the types.
Owing to the very different characters of the forms
in various periods it would be impossible to keep the
same notation for a particular type through all the
series; hence the notation of each corpus must be
independent of that used in the others. The one
general principle in all cases must be that of begin-
ning with the most open forms, such as flat plates,
and proceeding to the most closed forms, such as
bottles.
4. In the present treatment of the material, there-
fore, we have to start with a fresh corpus, and an
entire re-numbering of all types, whether they have
appeared before, or no. The old prehistoric corpus
was actually used during the course of the excava-
tions, largely supplemented by additional forms.
This caused some difficulty when it had to be used
apart by four recorders, and many revisions of
it were needed during the work. The whole of
these stages have now been passed, and a consistent
new corpus of the early dynasties has been formed
for pottery, and another for stone types, with due
regard to the forms that will still have to be inserted
in order to carry it on to the close of the Old King-
dom. Every designation of forms in this volume is
entirely upon the new corpus here published, except
in the Conversion Table (pi. lxviii) where such old
types as survived are equated with the new num-
bering. The old distinctions, which are so prominent
in the prehistoric age, of Polished, Black-topped,
Decorated, Wavy-handled, Rough, and Late pottery
were scarcely traceable in the dynastic age, and no
distinctive forms belong to different materials. Hence
the class letters, such as P, B, D, W, R, and L—
though always required for the prehistoric corpus—
are no longer of use in this age, and all forms are
classed into one uniform series from I to go. For
general reference in future, where not dealing with
one single age and corpus, it may be requisite to
designate each corpus by a letter prefixed to the type
number, so as to distinguish to which corpus reference
is being made. I would suggest for such a purpose,
to prefix O for the present corpus of the Old King-
dom, M for the Middle Kingdom corpus, E for the
Empire, T for the Transition xx-xxx dynasties, G
for the Greek, and X for the Christian period.
5. We may now note the stages of the present
classification of Pottery.
ist. All types of cylinder jars (descended from
the older wavy-handled jars) were noted in their
groups as found together in each grave. From these
groups it was seen that—though the continuous
degradation of the decoration was evident—the vari-
ous types had been many of them in use at the same
time. There were, however, some distinct breaks in
the usage of the forms. Types 46 b top were gener-
ally mixed, as also were the later types 47/ to 49/;
while the intermediate types 46 r to 47 m were
linked more often to the later than to the earlier
division. Broadly speaking, the wave decoration, 46,
held together ; while the jabbed patterns, 47, ran
down into, and mixed with, the cord patterns, 48,
and the line patterns, 49. The plain types, 50, also
came into use along with the cord pattern, but were
more generally alone.
2nd. Having thus some distinctive groups, the order
of which was certain, the other pottery associated
with each of these groups was set out, in order to see
which types belong only to one or other group. From
these restricted types the other graves not containing
cylinder jars were then added to their contemporary
groups.
3rd. The great jars, type 76, were next compared
with those found in the Royal Tombs of the ist
dynasty, which show a continuous decline in size
and detail from dynasty o down to the end of
dynasty ii. Thus all graves containing these were
classed in groups according to the style of this
pottery.
4th. On reviewing the results, it appeared that it
was useless to try to distinguish single reigns in the
dating of the graves. A clear distinction could,
however, be seen between the grand style of the
reigns of Narmer, Aha and Zer, the feebler work of
the end of Zer and of Zet, the coarser but abundant
products of Merneit, Den and Azab, and the decadent
style of Semerkhet and Qa. Thus four periods are
apparent in the ist dynasty,
—**=«