DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3390#0033
24
OBJECTS FOUND IN THE CEMETERY
side-poles with the end-poles fitting into them by
means of tenons, the bedstead being supported by
four legs carved like the fore and hind-legs of an
animal. These legs frequently have the muscles out-
lined by a broad line in relief. The poles may be
either square, with the edges bevelled, or of circular
section. These forms are shown in pi. viii, 3 ; and
pi. ix, 8-10 gives a drawing to scale 1 : 10, of viii, 6,
the largest and most perfect bedstead found in the
cemetery, and shows the details of jointing, etc. The
length of this bed is 69 inches, but smaller forms are
found which may rather be couches than beds.
The fourth type has the end-poles cut in a joint
halved in with the side-poles (pi. viii, 2) ; in other
respects it is similar to the preceding type.
In the fifth form of bedstead, the danger of the
end and side-poles coming apart from each other is
obviated by making the tenons of the legs notched
into the tenons of the end-poles (pi. viii, 1)."
Plate viii, I. The late and coarse type of bed-frame,
with the tenon of the leg pierced to let the tenon of
the cross-bar pass through. Grave 90, S.D. 81.
2. The earlier type with animal legs, the leg
pierced to lash it up to the pole ; cross-bar halved
on, and evidently retained by lashing.
3. The best type of frame, with animal legs, and
the cross-bar fixed with tenon. Here the poles are
too thin, and so pressure on the head-bar has split
them. Grave 54, S.D. 79. The finest example of this
type is the earliest of S.D. 77, see 6 and next plate 8-1 o.
4. Latest and most debased type, formed of four
L-shaped pieces of wood, the top of the L being a
tenon to fit into the bend of the next piece, the short
side of the L being the leg. Grave 512, S.D. 81.
5. Walking-sticks ; 62J inches long, grave 426;
58J inches, grave 480 ; 53J inches, grave 209.
6. The finest bed-frame, 69 x 32 inches, the
separate parts of which are drawn on ix, 8-10.
The slots in the inner sides of the poles reach the
axis where they meet similar slots from below.
Thus the webbing of the bed-frame was put in
without covering over the visible wood of the frame.
Grave 144, S.D. 77. (Manchester Museum.)
7. Upon the previous bed-frame and webbing was
placed a palm-fibre mat, woven in pattern, and
stiffened down the long sides by being worked round
two palm-sticks. (Cairo.)
8. Another pattern of webbing was of the twisted
rush, closely like the modern rush-bottomed stools.
The rush was passed round the pole, and then woven
into cross-webbing of 4 strands wide.
Plate ix, 1-5. In many parts of the cemetery
boards were found which had been re-used in coffins
and for roofing the graves. These boards had
originally been parts of some entirely different con-
struction. The drawings here show the views and
sections through the holes. In pi. x, 3, 4, are the
views of two whole boards, which are the full height
of the rooms, with the lashing-holes on each side.
The larger board shows plainly the weathering out-
side of the part protected by the overlap. (Univ. Coll.)
These various types of holes are evidently for
lashings, and in one of them there still remained a
bit of twisted palm-fibre rope.
6, 7. In these plans are shown the various ways
in which the different lashing-holes could be utilised
to bind together boards overlapping one on the other.
The dotted line in each marks the place of the
binding cord.
It is obvious that such overlapping boards are
exactly the prototype of the stone carving of panelled
or recessed doorways, so well known in the Old
Kingdom ; the design of these was clumsily copied
also in brickwork. That this recessed work was
copied from overlapping woodwork, I had concluded
before, from examining the details of construction
shown on the Khufu-ankh sarcophagus in Cairo.
See the form of the coffin, xxviii, evidently copied
from a timbered house.
Here, then, we have the actual timbers of the
wooden houses which served as the prototype of the
stone forms, just as in Greece the wooden architecture
originated all the stone forms. Why should such
wooden houses have been invented ? The present
customs give the explanation. As soon as the green
crops come up, the villagers move out into the fields,
and build huts and enclosures of maize stalks to
dwell in, so as to be close to their cattle at pasture
and to enjoy the cooler air which comes over the
vegetation. Here they live till the crops are done
and the Nile rises. Then they go back to their
houses on the village mounds or the desert. In the
same way the early Egyptians probably moved to and
fro each year. A wooden house would be used by
the more prosperous people, and, as it needed to .be
moved twice a year, the lashing together of the
boards was the best method of construction. As,
owing to the extreme dryness, varied by winter rains
and fogs, all wood expands and contracts consider-
ably, the system of overlapping enabled enough
motion to take place without opening any cracks or
leaving gaps which let the wind blow directly in.
OBJECTS FOUND IN THE CEMETERY
side-poles with the end-poles fitting into them by
means of tenons, the bedstead being supported by
four legs carved like the fore and hind-legs of an
animal. These legs frequently have the muscles out-
lined by a broad line in relief. The poles may be
either square, with the edges bevelled, or of circular
section. These forms are shown in pi. viii, 3 ; and
pi. ix, 8-10 gives a drawing to scale 1 : 10, of viii, 6,
the largest and most perfect bedstead found in the
cemetery, and shows the details of jointing, etc. The
length of this bed is 69 inches, but smaller forms are
found which may rather be couches than beds.
The fourth type has the end-poles cut in a joint
halved in with the side-poles (pi. viii, 2) ; in other
respects it is similar to the preceding type.
In the fifth form of bedstead, the danger of the
end and side-poles coming apart from each other is
obviated by making the tenons of the legs notched
into the tenons of the end-poles (pi. viii, 1)."
Plate viii, I. The late and coarse type of bed-frame,
with the tenon of the leg pierced to let the tenon of
the cross-bar pass through. Grave 90, S.D. 81.
2. The earlier type with animal legs, the leg
pierced to lash it up to the pole ; cross-bar halved
on, and evidently retained by lashing.
3. The best type of frame, with animal legs, and
the cross-bar fixed with tenon. Here the poles are
too thin, and so pressure on the head-bar has split
them. Grave 54, S.D. 79. The finest example of this
type is the earliest of S.D. 77, see 6 and next plate 8-1 o.
4. Latest and most debased type, formed of four
L-shaped pieces of wood, the top of the L being a
tenon to fit into the bend of the next piece, the short
side of the L being the leg. Grave 512, S.D. 81.
5. Walking-sticks ; 62J inches long, grave 426;
58J inches, grave 480 ; 53J inches, grave 209.
6. The finest bed-frame, 69 x 32 inches, the
separate parts of which are drawn on ix, 8-10.
The slots in the inner sides of the poles reach the
axis where they meet similar slots from below.
Thus the webbing of the bed-frame was put in
without covering over the visible wood of the frame.
Grave 144, S.D. 77. (Manchester Museum.)
7. Upon the previous bed-frame and webbing was
placed a palm-fibre mat, woven in pattern, and
stiffened down the long sides by being worked round
two palm-sticks. (Cairo.)
8. Another pattern of webbing was of the twisted
rush, closely like the modern rush-bottomed stools.
The rush was passed round the pole, and then woven
into cross-webbing of 4 strands wide.
Plate ix, 1-5. In many parts of the cemetery
boards were found which had been re-used in coffins
and for roofing the graves. These boards had
originally been parts of some entirely different con-
struction. The drawings here show the views and
sections through the holes. In pi. x, 3, 4, are the
views of two whole boards, which are the full height
of the rooms, with the lashing-holes on each side.
The larger board shows plainly the weathering out-
side of the part protected by the overlap. (Univ. Coll.)
These various types of holes are evidently for
lashings, and in one of them there still remained a
bit of twisted palm-fibre rope.
6, 7. In these plans are shown the various ways
in which the different lashing-holes could be utilised
to bind together boards overlapping one on the other.
The dotted line in each marks the place of the
binding cord.
It is obvious that such overlapping boards are
exactly the prototype of the stone carving of panelled
or recessed doorways, so well known in the Old
Kingdom ; the design of these was clumsily copied
also in brickwork. That this recessed work was
copied from overlapping woodwork, I had concluded
before, from examining the details of construction
shown on the Khufu-ankh sarcophagus in Cairo.
See the form of the coffin, xxviii, evidently copied
from a timbered house.
Here, then, we have the actual timbers of the
wooden houses which served as the prototype of the
stone forms, just as in Greece the wooden architecture
originated all the stone forms. Why should such
wooden houses have been invented ? The present
customs give the explanation. As soon as the green
crops come up, the villagers move out into the fields,
and build huts and enclosures of maize stalks to
dwell in, so as to be close to their cattle at pasture
and to enjoy the cooler air which comes over the
vegetation. Here they live till the crops are done
and the Nile rises. Then they go back to their
houses on the village mounds or the desert. In the
same way the early Egyptians probably moved to and
fro each year. A wooden house would be used by
the more prosperous people, and, as it needed to .be
moved twice a year, the lashing together of the
boards was the best method of construction. As,
owing to the extreme dryness, varied by winter rains
and fogs, all wood expands and contracts consider-
ably, the system of overlapping enabled enough
motion to take place without opening any cracks or
leaving gaps which let the wind blow directly in.