DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49512#0107
IV
GRAVES SUBSIDIARY TO THE ROYAL TOMBS
OF DYNASTY I AT ABYDOS
1. THE TYPES OF THE SUBSIDIARY GRAVES
AROUND the tombs of Zer to Qay-'a there were recorded by Petrie (R.T., II, pl. LVIII) a large
number of rows and groups of graves subsidiary to the tombs of the kings and Queen Merneith.
The total number I count as 825, exclusive of certain graves which seem to have been unattached or of
the time of Menes, but including the 33 graves subsidiary to the tomb of Narmer. Most of these graves
are not independent constructions but walled-off compartments in long lined trenches, some of which
contain four rows of graves. The types of graves are very uniform, being of the type I A or the smaller
type i a. But other types occur as follows:
Type I B (1): 2 by tomb of Zet, 3 by tomb of Wedymuw, and 4 by Semerkhet, total 9.
Type I B (2): 2 by Wedymuw, and 5 by Semerkhet, total 7.
Type II: the large grave S 1 by Wedymuw.
Thus the examples of types other than I A, which are 808 in number, amount only to 17 graves. All
these 17 are around the tombs of Zet, Wedymuw, and Semerkhet. It is to be observed that the type
I B (1) had been introduced in great provincial tombs in the reign of Zer or earlier (cf. the Naqadah
tomb and QS 2185), and the type I B (2) for the same classes perhaps as early as the reign of Zet
(Tarkhan 1060). Yet type I B (1) appears in royal subsidiary graves for the first time in the reign of
Zet (in large graves) and type I B (2) in the reign of Wedymuw. It is also to be noted that the only
stairway tomb (type II) subsidiary to a royal tomb is the great south-west tomb beside the tomb of
Wedymuw, who most assuredly introduced the type II in Upper Egypt. At a time when all the pro-
vincial tombs of large size were of the stairway type (type II) the subsidiary graves of Az-ib, Semerkhet,
and Qay-'a continued to be built on the norm of type I A or i a. It seems as if beginning with the
reign of Menes the type I A had become traditional in the subsidiary cemeteries of the royal tombs and
was thus retained in use for that reason.
2. THE FOUR DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENTS OF THE SUBSIDIARY CEMETERIES
The subsidiary graves are arranged in four different ways around the main tomb to which they
are attached (see Map i):
a. The subsidiary graves are independent graves arranged in serried lines on one side or in front of
the royal tomb: Cemetery B in front of the tomb of Narmer (cf. cemetery of Cheops at Giza).
b. The subsidiary graves are in seven or eight groups (complexes) around the main tomb (especially
to the north). The inner groups or rows are at a distance from the main tomb: Zer and Zet.
c. The subsidiary graves are set in a hollow rectangle around the main tomb; at a distance similar
to inner rows of Zer and Zet: Merneith, Wedymuw, and Az-ib (irregular rectangle) (valley shrines
of Zer, Zet, Merneith, and Giza V).
d. The subsidiary graves are set in a hollow rectangle in contact with the substructure of the main
tomb: Semerkhet and Qay-'a.
GRAVES SUBSIDIARY TO THE ROYAL TOMBS
OF DYNASTY I AT ABYDOS
1. THE TYPES OF THE SUBSIDIARY GRAVES
AROUND the tombs of Zer to Qay-'a there were recorded by Petrie (R.T., II, pl. LVIII) a large
number of rows and groups of graves subsidiary to the tombs of the kings and Queen Merneith.
The total number I count as 825, exclusive of certain graves which seem to have been unattached or of
the time of Menes, but including the 33 graves subsidiary to the tomb of Narmer. Most of these graves
are not independent constructions but walled-off compartments in long lined trenches, some of which
contain four rows of graves. The types of graves are very uniform, being of the type I A or the smaller
type i a. But other types occur as follows:
Type I B (1): 2 by tomb of Zet, 3 by tomb of Wedymuw, and 4 by Semerkhet, total 9.
Type I B (2): 2 by Wedymuw, and 5 by Semerkhet, total 7.
Type II: the large grave S 1 by Wedymuw.
Thus the examples of types other than I A, which are 808 in number, amount only to 17 graves. All
these 17 are around the tombs of Zet, Wedymuw, and Semerkhet. It is to be observed that the type
I B (1) had been introduced in great provincial tombs in the reign of Zer or earlier (cf. the Naqadah
tomb and QS 2185), and the type I B (2) for the same classes perhaps as early as the reign of Zet
(Tarkhan 1060). Yet type I B (1) appears in royal subsidiary graves for the first time in the reign of
Zet (in large graves) and type I B (2) in the reign of Wedymuw. It is also to be noted that the only
stairway tomb (type II) subsidiary to a royal tomb is the great south-west tomb beside the tomb of
Wedymuw, who most assuredly introduced the type II in Upper Egypt. At a time when all the pro-
vincial tombs of large size were of the stairway type (type II) the subsidiary graves of Az-ib, Semerkhet,
and Qay-'a continued to be built on the norm of type I A or i a. It seems as if beginning with the
reign of Menes the type I A had become traditional in the subsidiary cemeteries of the royal tombs and
was thus retained in use for that reason.
2. THE FOUR DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENTS OF THE SUBSIDIARY CEMETERIES
The subsidiary graves are arranged in four different ways around the main tomb to which they
are attached (see Map i):
a. The subsidiary graves are independent graves arranged in serried lines on one side or in front of
the royal tomb: Cemetery B in front of the tomb of Narmer (cf. cemetery of Cheops at Giza).
b. The subsidiary graves are in seven or eight groups (complexes) around the main tomb (especially
to the north). The inner groups or rows are at a distance from the main tomb: Zer and Zet.
c. The subsidiary graves are set in a hollow rectangle around the main tomb; at a distance similar
to inner rows of Zer and Zet: Merneith, Wedymuw, and Az-ib (irregular rectangle) (valley shrines
of Zer, Zet, Merneith, and Giza V).
d. The subsidiary graves are set in a hollow rectangle in contact with the substructure of the main
tomb: Semerkhet and Qay-'a.