DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49516#0105
CHARACTERISTICS AND DATE OF THE EASTERN CEMTEERY
63
water-channel, the primary line is then continued by K XVIII-XX, etc.; and behind it to
the north lies a considerable field of small tumuli and graves, interspersed with the larger
tumuli, K XXXVIII, K XXXVI, and KXXXV. From the NW proximity of KXXXV,
three large Nubian tumuli, K XXXVII, K LIV, and K LV, each the nucleus of a large
group of Nubian graves, lead into the great Nubian Cemetery which stretches northwards.
The excavated graves described herein as belonging to the Egyptian Cemetery are as
follows:
Outlying tumuli
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Western:
Small graves
Kill
K V
KXLII
B 502
B 1-25
KIV
KIX
K XLIII
K XXXII
B 26-29
KX
KVIII
KL
K XXXIII
B 37-58
KXVI
Minor:
K XIII
Eastern:
B 101-118
K XVIII
KXX1X
KXIV
K XXXVIII
B 201-219
KXIX
KXLI
KXV
K XXXVI
B 301-325
KXX
KLII
KXII
KXXXV
KXLIV
K XXI
KXLIX
KLI
KXLV
KXXII
KXLIV
KXXX
KXLVI
K XXXIX
KXXXI
K XLVII
KXL
It will be kept in mind that K III, KIV, K X, K XIII, K XVI, K XVIII, and K XXXV
contained each a certain number of subsidiary graves which belong also to this group of
Egyptian graves. I may also say that it is impossible to draw a hard and fast line between
the Egyptian graves and the Nubian graves, as will be shown later.
1. THE ELEMENTS OF THE GENERAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL GROUP OF THE
EGYPTIAN CEMETERY
The graves assigned to the Egyptian Cemetery are connected in one great archaeological
group by proximity, grave type, burial type, character of the burial furniture, and general
similarity of the pottery.
(1) Proximity
The situation of the various graves has been described above. The mere proximity of
graves is of course no proof of the chronological connection. But, nevertheless, when as in
this case four separate archaeological groups are represented in the same great field, the
proximity of the graves of one of these groups is certainly significant of a general connection
in time. Usually even when a cemetery of one archaeological group has been intruded in
the field of another group, the graves of the two are easily distinguishable and the rule of
proximity still holds for the graves of each of the two groups separately.
The element of proximity has a further value at Kerma through the fact that the tumuli
K III, K IV, K X, K XIII, K XVI, and K XVIII contain each a number of smaller graves
which are shown by their contents to belong to the same subdivision of the main archaeo-
logical group as the respective tumuli in which they are situated. Thus by proximity, the
cemetery is subdivided into contemporary groups, each consisting of one main tomb and
a number of subsidiary graves immediately successive in date to the main tomb.
63
water-channel, the primary line is then continued by K XVIII-XX, etc.; and behind it to
the north lies a considerable field of small tumuli and graves, interspersed with the larger
tumuli, K XXXVIII, K XXXVI, and KXXXV. From the NW proximity of KXXXV,
three large Nubian tumuli, K XXXVII, K LIV, and K LV, each the nucleus of a large
group of Nubian graves, lead into the great Nubian Cemetery which stretches northwards.
The excavated graves described herein as belonging to the Egyptian Cemetery are as
follows:
Outlying tumuli
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Western:
Small graves
Kill
K V
KXLII
B 502
B 1-25
KIV
KIX
K XLIII
K XXXII
B 26-29
KX
KVIII
KL
K XXXIII
B 37-58
KXVI
Minor:
K XIII
Eastern:
B 101-118
K XVIII
KXX1X
KXIV
K XXXVIII
B 201-219
KXIX
KXLI
KXV
K XXXVI
B 301-325
KXX
KLII
KXII
KXXXV
KXLIV
K XXI
KXLIX
KLI
KXLV
KXXII
KXLIV
KXXX
KXLVI
K XXXIX
KXXXI
K XLVII
KXL
It will be kept in mind that K III, KIV, K X, K XIII, K XVI, K XVIII, and K XXXV
contained each a certain number of subsidiary graves which belong also to this group of
Egyptian graves. I may also say that it is impossible to draw a hard and fast line between
the Egyptian graves and the Nubian graves, as will be shown later.
1. THE ELEMENTS OF THE GENERAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL GROUP OF THE
EGYPTIAN CEMETERY
The graves assigned to the Egyptian Cemetery are connected in one great archaeological
group by proximity, grave type, burial type, character of the burial furniture, and general
similarity of the pottery.
(1) Proximity
The situation of the various graves has been described above. The mere proximity of
graves is of course no proof of the chronological connection. But, nevertheless, when as in
this case four separate archaeological groups are represented in the same great field, the
proximity of the graves of one of these groups is certainly significant of a general connection
in time. Usually even when a cemetery of one archaeological group has been intruded in
the field of another group, the graves of the two are easily distinguishable and the rule of
proximity still holds for the graves of each of the two groups separately.
The element of proximity has a further value at Kerma through the fact that the tumuli
K III, K IV, K X, K XIII, K XVI, and K XVIII contain each a number of smaller graves
which are shown by their contents to belong to the same subdivision of the main archaeo-
logical group as the respective tumuli in which they are situated. Thus by proximity, the
cemetery is subdivided into contemporary groups, each consisting of one main tomb and
a number of subsidiary graves immediately successive in date to the main tomb.