DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49516#0244
182
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
K 309 is clearly the most important of the four and is certainly the grave of a male, while
the others are of females (judging by the pelves). The presence of scarabs in K 311 and
K 312 confirms the conclusion that they are females. Now, in KIV, K X, and K XVI,
a few large subsidiary graves in each have multiple bed-burials — burials in which not
only the chief body but also one or two of the principal sacrifices have been laid on beds.
The group, K 309-312 resembles these multiple burials, except that the beds are separated
by crude-brick walls and that there are three extra beds, one more than in the largest
multiple burial in K IV which has two extra beds. The principle of separating the sacri-
fices from the chief body was carried out in the main burials of all the main tumuli. On
the other hand, the family group-burial in separate chambers is well known in this period
in Egypt. With these facts before us, I am unable to draw a definite conclusion, but I
can only express the opinion that K 309-312 is a multiple bed-burial, the first of the type,
vi. Examining the zone Z-N, it is seen that an irregular row of nine graves follows the circum-
ference of the tumulus — K 337, K 332, K 334, K 336, K 333, K 335, K 338, K 340,
K 339. This is a phenomenon which appears in other tumuli, but especially at K X and
K XVI. It is clear that these subsidiary graves must have been marked on the surface
in some way and that the graves in these rows were intentionally set in a line. In other
words, the row represents a chronological succession of burials, which in view of the small
number can cover no great period of time. The sand which lay fairly deep over this
part of the mound, had been deposited not only after the plundering but also after the
denudation of the mound. The upper part of the mound had been worn away over the
whole area, but much more above the compartments 1/3 to 9/2 than above 2/3 to 8/3.
The depth of the graves (K 337, K 332, K 334, K 336) in compartments 2/3 to 8/3 was so
slight that part of the denudation must have taken place after those graves were dug.
The graves do not descend into the alluvium. Two of them were formed by retaining
walls and one of them (K 334) was the grave of the “hereditary prince of (a city),
Sebeknekht.” All the other graves were without retaining walls and three of them
(K 333, K 334, K 339) were without beds and otherwise not richly furnished. The five
most eastern descend into the alluvium.
Grave
K334
Comp.
5/3
Level
-f- 20
Type
I-l-s
(1).
Sebeknekht, very fine equipment.
K 332
6/3
± 0
I-l-s
(2).
Female, moderate equipment.
K337
8/3
± 0
11-1-?.
Poor equipment.
K 336
4/3
=1-
II-l-?.
Poor equipment.
K333
3/3
- 25
II (b)-
-2-s (1).
Male, poor equipment.
K 335
1/3
- 60
II-2-r.
Moderate equipment.
K 338
1/2
-117
II-l-s
(2).
Fine equipment, male.
K 340
5/2
-100
II-l-s
(1).
Scarab, razor, good equipment.
K 339
8/3
- 80
II-2-s
(1).
Female (?), poor equipment.
K 334 and K 338 are manifestly the important graves of the series, both males, while a
third male is represented by K 333. I have the impression that the first four antedate the
last five.
vii. Around the southern edge of the tumulus, a similar irregular row of eight (or nine) graves
is seen — K 325, K 328, K 329, K 331, K 324, x (?), K 342, K 322, and K 341.
The final conclusion is that the grave type is in all essential features an open rec-
tangular pit, just as in all the other tumuli. The use of retaining walls, the adjustment to
the long compartment walls, the fact that the graves in general do not reach to the allu-
vium or penetrate it to any distance, are all minor details dependent on the height of the
mound and the form of its supporting skeleton of crude-brick walls. The burial type is
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
K 309 is clearly the most important of the four and is certainly the grave of a male, while
the others are of females (judging by the pelves). The presence of scarabs in K 311 and
K 312 confirms the conclusion that they are females. Now, in KIV, K X, and K XVI,
a few large subsidiary graves in each have multiple bed-burials — burials in which not
only the chief body but also one or two of the principal sacrifices have been laid on beds.
The group, K 309-312 resembles these multiple burials, except that the beds are separated
by crude-brick walls and that there are three extra beds, one more than in the largest
multiple burial in K IV which has two extra beds. The principle of separating the sacri-
fices from the chief body was carried out in the main burials of all the main tumuli. On
the other hand, the family group-burial in separate chambers is well known in this period
in Egypt. With these facts before us, I am unable to draw a definite conclusion, but I
can only express the opinion that K 309-312 is a multiple bed-burial, the first of the type,
vi. Examining the zone Z-N, it is seen that an irregular row of nine graves follows the circum-
ference of the tumulus — K 337, K 332, K 334, K 336, K 333, K 335, K 338, K 340,
K 339. This is a phenomenon which appears in other tumuli, but especially at K X and
K XVI. It is clear that these subsidiary graves must have been marked on the surface
in some way and that the graves in these rows were intentionally set in a line. In other
words, the row represents a chronological succession of burials, which in view of the small
number can cover no great period of time. The sand which lay fairly deep over this
part of the mound, had been deposited not only after the plundering but also after the
denudation of the mound. The upper part of the mound had been worn away over the
whole area, but much more above the compartments 1/3 to 9/2 than above 2/3 to 8/3.
The depth of the graves (K 337, K 332, K 334, K 336) in compartments 2/3 to 8/3 was so
slight that part of the denudation must have taken place after those graves were dug.
The graves do not descend into the alluvium. Two of them were formed by retaining
walls and one of them (K 334) was the grave of the “hereditary prince of (a city),
Sebeknekht.” All the other graves were without retaining walls and three of them
(K 333, K 334, K 339) were without beds and otherwise not richly furnished. The five
most eastern descend into the alluvium.
Grave
K334
Comp.
5/3
Level
-f- 20
Type
I-l-s
(1).
Sebeknekht, very fine equipment.
K 332
6/3
± 0
I-l-s
(2).
Female, moderate equipment.
K337
8/3
± 0
11-1-?.
Poor equipment.
K 336
4/3
=1-
II-l-?.
Poor equipment.
K333
3/3
- 25
II (b)-
-2-s (1).
Male, poor equipment.
K 335
1/3
- 60
II-2-r.
Moderate equipment.
K 338
1/2
-117
II-l-s
(2).
Fine equipment, male.
K 340
5/2
-100
II-l-s
(1).
Scarab, razor, good equipment.
K 339
8/3
- 80
II-2-s
(1).
Female (?), poor equipment.
K 334 and K 338 are manifestly the important graves of the series, both males, while a
third male is represented by K 333. I have the impression that the first four antedate the
last five.
vii. Around the southern edge of the tumulus, a similar irregular row of eight (or nine) graves
is seen — K 325, K 328, K 329, K 331, K 324, x (?), K 342, K 322, and K 341.
The final conclusion is that the grave type is in all essential features an open rec-
tangular pit, just as in all the other tumuli. The use of retaining walls, the adjustment to
the long compartment walls, the fact that the graves in general do not reach to the allu-
vium or penetrate it to any distance, are all minor details dependent on the height of the
mound and the form of its supporting skeleton of crude-brick walls. The burial type is