DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.28687#0025
CHARACTER OF BURIALS
l3
Between the two coffins was a rough wooden box
containing the model tools. They consisted of axe,
adze, saw, drill, borer, and a bent stick. Inside the
coffin with the bones were the head-rest, painted
yellow (pi. xxi, 18), a few of the blue glaze collar
beads, and a pair of wooden sandals; also two
more arrows and two more sticks, models, which
had probably fallen in from above the lid.
The full set of models, with the ka figure, were
in position in a slight recess on the east. They
were of fair quality, but partly eaten by white
ants. To the north stood the ka figure: next came
the domestic scene and porters, side by side; then
the granary; finally the two boats, also side by
side, but with the bows in the right direction. In
position at the north end of the grave were three
pots, type 84 B; while in the filling of the shaft
were some 35 pots of various types, for which see
register.
2131 was a small grave, 3o X 70, containing a
coffin of plain thin rough wood, with the body
of a child of twelve, extended. On the right wrist
were a few odd carnelian beads. In the north-east
corner was a tiny casket containing a number of
the finest blue glaze ring beads, and some very
small copper implements.
2132 was a grave 38X90X78 inches. Scraps of
thin wood came from a usual IXth dynasty coffin.
In position, in the north-east corner, were 2 pots
of the characteristic 64 G form. There was nothing
to indicate re-use in the XVIIIth dynasty. Loose
in the grave were carnelian, glaze, and copper
beads, all of Old Kingdom type, similar to those
found at Qau in 1923. With them was a frog of
brown steatite, with a simple lotus pattern on the
base, pis. lvii, 6, lviii, 4. One other object puzzled us
at first. Several pierced slips of slate and alabaster
were found. These eventually proved to fit together
and form a scarab, the head being of pink lime-
stone. The pattern on the base is the same as that
on the frog (pis. lvii, 5, lviii, 3). This is a unique
object, and doubts have been thrown on its early
date. But all the circumstances of the find, and
the similarity of the flower pattern with that on
other late Old Kingdom scarabs, found at Qau 1923,
leave no doubt that we must date it to the IXth
dynasty.
2135 contained nothing but one pot, type 92 H,
and some scraps of thin coffin wood. One of these,
however, shows the name, Khety-ankh, and this
gives us a good indication of the date of the
cemetery—viz. the IXth dynasty of Khety kings
(pi. xxiii).
2137 was the grave of an old woman, in a poor
thin coffin. She lay extended on her left side, but
with her hands before the face, in the old-fashioned
way. Round her neck was a string of blue glaze
ring beads, and a blue glaze seal in the form of
a squatting scribe with roll of papyrus on his
knees (pi. lviii, 2). On the base are the curious
maze patterns which are similar to those often
found on the button seals of the end of the Old
Kingdom.
26. Having described the principal graves, a few
words may be added on the cemetery as a whole.
The style of the graves and the objects contained
in them were consistent throughout, and showed
little variation except in quality. The models were
a regular funerary set, consisting of 5 main pieces,
with a ka figure, though occasionally the servants
were combined with the domestic scene. There was
a good deal of variety in the details of this and of
the granary. The spears were always shown with
the rowing boat, sometimes model ones reefed in
with the sail, sometimes all in one with the spear-
case standing on the deck. It seems that the model
tools were an essential part of the funeral outfit,
but not necessarily part of the set of models. In
three instances they were found dissociated from
them; and their position varied in nearly every
grave. The reason for this is that model tools were
placed in graves as early as the Illrd dynasty,
and long before the use of the representations of
domestic scenes and granaries. It is fortunate for
us that the early robbers were only out for loot:
they have left us hardly a bead, it is true, but we
have many whole sets of the models, and complete
copies of the coffin inscriptions and decorations.
One little alabaster, pi. lxvi, 4, found loose in
the cemetery, may well be of the IXth dynasty,
from its form. The three scarabs, pi. lviii, 6, 7, 8,
were also found loose—6 may possibly be of an
early date, judging from the Qau types—7 and 8 are
certainly later, and, no doubt, came from XVIIIth
dynasty graves in the vicinity. Loaves of various
shapes were occasionally found in the fillings. One
was a flat square with curved-in sides.
Very few XVIIIth dynasty graves yielded any-
thing of interest; details are given on the register,
of three which were worked close to the edge of
the cultivation. 2200 was of early XVIIIth or even
XVIIth date, with a coffin crudely painted with
l3
Between the two coffins was a rough wooden box
containing the model tools. They consisted of axe,
adze, saw, drill, borer, and a bent stick. Inside the
coffin with the bones were the head-rest, painted
yellow (pi. xxi, 18), a few of the blue glaze collar
beads, and a pair of wooden sandals; also two
more arrows and two more sticks, models, which
had probably fallen in from above the lid.
The full set of models, with the ka figure, were
in position in a slight recess on the east. They
were of fair quality, but partly eaten by white
ants. To the north stood the ka figure: next came
the domestic scene and porters, side by side; then
the granary; finally the two boats, also side by
side, but with the bows in the right direction. In
position at the north end of the grave were three
pots, type 84 B; while in the filling of the shaft
were some 35 pots of various types, for which see
register.
2131 was a small grave, 3o X 70, containing a
coffin of plain thin rough wood, with the body
of a child of twelve, extended. On the right wrist
were a few odd carnelian beads. In the north-east
corner was a tiny casket containing a number of
the finest blue glaze ring beads, and some very
small copper implements.
2132 was a grave 38X90X78 inches. Scraps of
thin wood came from a usual IXth dynasty coffin.
In position, in the north-east corner, were 2 pots
of the characteristic 64 G form. There was nothing
to indicate re-use in the XVIIIth dynasty. Loose
in the grave were carnelian, glaze, and copper
beads, all of Old Kingdom type, similar to those
found at Qau in 1923. With them was a frog of
brown steatite, with a simple lotus pattern on the
base, pis. lvii, 6, lviii, 4. One other object puzzled us
at first. Several pierced slips of slate and alabaster
were found. These eventually proved to fit together
and form a scarab, the head being of pink lime-
stone. The pattern on the base is the same as that
on the frog (pis. lvii, 5, lviii, 3). This is a unique
object, and doubts have been thrown on its early
date. But all the circumstances of the find, and
the similarity of the flower pattern with that on
other late Old Kingdom scarabs, found at Qau 1923,
leave no doubt that we must date it to the IXth
dynasty.
2135 contained nothing but one pot, type 92 H,
and some scraps of thin coffin wood. One of these,
however, shows the name, Khety-ankh, and this
gives us a good indication of the date of the
cemetery—viz. the IXth dynasty of Khety kings
(pi. xxiii).
2137 was the grave of an old woman, in a poor
thin coffin. She lay extended on her left side, but
with her hands before the face, in the old-fashioned
way. Round her neck was a string of blue glaze
ring beads, and a blue glaze seal in the form of
a squatting scribe with roll of papyrus on his
knees (pi. lviii, 2). On the base are the curious
maze patterns which are similar to those often
found on the button seals of the end of the Old
Kingdom.
26. Having described the principal graves, a few
words may be added on the cemetery as a whole.
The style of the graves and the objects contained
in them were consistent throughout, and showed
little variation except in quality. The models were
a regular funerary set, consisting of 5 main pieces,
with a ka figure, though occasionally the servants
were combined with the domestic scene. There was
a good deal of variety in the details of this and of
the granary. The spears were always shown with
the rowing boat, sometimes model ones reefed in
with the sail, sometimes all in one with the spear-
case standing on the deck. It seems that the model
tools were an essential part of the funeral outfit,
but not necessarily part of the set of models. In
three instances they were found dissociated from
them; and their position varied in nearly every
grave. The reason for this is that model tools were
placed in graves as early as the Illrd dynasty,
and long before the use of the representations of
domestic scenes and granaries. It is fortunate for
us that the early robbers were only out for loot:
they have left us hardly a bead, it is true, but we
have many whole sets of the models, and complete
copies of the coffin inscriptions and decorations.
One little alabaster, pi. lxvi, 4, found loose in
the cemetery, may well be of the IXth dynasty,
from its form. The three scarabs, pi. lviii, 6, 7, 8,
were also found loose—6 may possibly be of an
early date, judging from the Qau types—7 and 8 are
certainly later, and, no doubt, came from XVIIIth
dynasty graves in the vicinity. Loaves of various
shapes were occasionally found in the fillings. One
was a flat square with curved-in sides.
Very few XVIIIth dynasty graves yielded any-
thing of interest; details are given on the register,
of three which were worked close to the edge of
the cultivation. 2200 was of early XVIIIth or even
XVIIth date, with a coffin crudely painted with