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EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA (1912-19H)

SERVICE DES ANTIQUITES DE L'EGYPTE

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA

gfvrHitti

»U>4a (1912-1914)

ARCHAIC MASTABAS BY

** ,./ J.

E.

QUIBELL 1

i.

LE CAIRE IMPRIMERIE DE LINSTITUT FRANCAIS D'ARCHEOLOGIE ORIENTALE

1923 SEEN BY

PRESERVATION SERVICES DATE.

3LI.il

S$

INTRODUCTION. The group

of early tombs to which the greater part of this

were found principally tion of

them began

They

is

devoted

two seasons, 1911-12 and 1912-18, though the excava-

in

1910-11.

in

on the ridge of desert overhanging the

lie

volume

village of Abusir,

and have long

been recognised as being the oldest part of the continuous cemetery which stretches from Abusir

Dahshur.

to

Two tombs

of a

much

later

age

(XXX th

Dynasty), and from

a different quarter, which claimed our attention during the same period shortly at the

end of

,

are noted

this report.

The main area excavated proved

to

be covered with brick mastabas of the

first

three dynasties, utterly robbed in remote antiquity , searched through again with less

thoroughness in

The reason phis

,

Roman

times, but singularly

for this is not obvious, for the

and half a mile only

to the south ,

desert which has been covered with early mastabas, being

little

disturbed by secondary burials.

ground was very

accessible

near the Teta pyramid

tombs

at five several

,

epochs.

there It

from Mem-

is

a patch of

may be

that the

on the highest land near, never get covered with sand and

took long ages to wear away

to

their present invisibility,

so

were generally reco-

gnised and respected, while, in the part further south, the Old Empire tombs, being at

a low level, were quickly sanded

the

first

up and

forgotten, then covered

intermediate period and so on at intervals

till

the

Roman

by the tombs of

interments closed

the series.

The

rd

I-III

Dynasty cemetery

several seasons

more

is

by no means exhausted, and would indeed require

of work, but here, as in the Coptic area at Ras el Gisr,

well leave something for a future generation this part of the

too well that

it

cemetery

is

in

—

we may

with the more tranquillity of mind, as-

no great danger of being robbed. The

villagers

know

does not pay.

In ancient times the tombs had been so thoroughly worked through in the search for

gold that very few small objects were found, but, the

site

having been so

little

,

INTRODUCTION.

\|

Bted

any subsequent period, many of the upper structures of the tombs as well

at

as the remarkable underground chambers remained in fair preservation and enable

us to reconstruct, with some confidence, the processes of building and the general

appearance of an archaic cemetery when in use. Let us suppose ourselves, then, at

some time about

1

the end of the III" Dynasty,

standing on the broad ridge running north and south and immediately overlooking the valley. Below us on the west later the stone

mastabas of the V

the drifting sand.

onlv one great

The pyramids

monument

rises

a wide depression, bare

is lh

Dynasty are to

rise

and windswept, where

and then

to

disappear under

of Abusir, even those of Giza, are as yet unbuilt;

from above the desert, but

its

aspect

most im-

is

posing.

The Step Pyramid

to the

its

mighty

—

looking

south of us, newly finished, towers above

panelled wall of white limestone

—

as great a

work

pyramid

as the

itself

from here more magnificent than the white walls of Memphis which

glitter in the

east across the marshes.

The for a

brick mastabas near

man

to step

by vary much

in size

the smaller ones are low

:

enough

over them, while the larger are 5 or 6 metres in height. They

are oblong, table-like structures, white-painted with sloping sides, accessible only

along narrow, zigzag passages.

One

or two old

st

I

Dynasty tombs are

recognisable by the elaborate channelled pattern on

all

still

to

be seen

four sides, but most of them

are solid masses of brickwork with two niches on the east side. In some, however, of the larger tombs a

wooden door

is

to

be seen near the south end, closed by a

cord of palm fibre lied to a massive wooden hasp imbedded in the wall. Opening this,

we

penetrate into a high narrow chamber, roofed with wood,

rated with painted scenes; in the west wall of the

and before

it

Only the

a

group of

largest

often the

little

is

vases ready for offerings of wine

tombs and not

wooden doors. Some more

tall

chamber

all

of

its

walls deco-

a niche built of brick

and beer.

them have these painted chambers and

of the smaller ones are surrounded

by a boundary

wall, but

mastaba stands alone and had evidently been very simply and

rapidly built.

We

can picture the funeral procession coming across the fields and up the

the body carried in a small box looking

more

like a

modern

hill,

linen chest than a

INTRODUCTION.

For the

coffin.

dancing

girls

part of the journey over the sand, this

last

move

before

it

little

shaft

is

a rich burial there

it

till

it

is

and

,

bricked up, the shaft

as soon as

and

filled

with great rapidity, perhaps finished on the funeral day. For

much more ceremony and

is

their faces,

jars stand in readiness

lowered, the underground chamber

a mastaba built over

dragged on a sledge;

cut in the rock. Beside the shaft a few

is

hundred bricks and rows of coarsely made body

is

and mourning women howl and slap

where the

arrives at the place

the

VII

expense. In this case, not only has

the series of subterranean chambers been prepared long beforehand, but also the

mastaba and the painted chapel are ready

solid brick

to the stairway is left

be lowered.

On

open down which

the funeral day there

is

the

in advance; only the entrance

dead body and

his grave furniture can

spread on an open space a large tent

decorated inside and floored with matting; on this are laid trays of dark taining

and

all

wood

con-

kinds of funerary offerings, food, perfumes, tools, furniture, weapons

all

clothes. At the far

which

gaily

,

end of the tenths a seated statue of the deceased, before

these offerings are made. Near the door the guests

sit

and

eat their

meal

according to ritual, while the priests chant the service. Afterwards the trays and their contents are buried in the tomb, the statue

with a small opening

and the

trate

This

all

left in

is

bricked up in a special chamber,

the wall, through which the

smoke

of incense

may

pene-

statue can be faintly seen.

takes place in a part of the cemetery that

is in

actual use.

Here

all

the

mastabas are in tolerable repair; most are white in colour and undamaged, but a distance

little

In

away

some tombs

there are endless signs of neglect

and the sand

is

drifting in so rapidly that

mastabas are becoming engulfed. Nearly

all

seem

to

again, here in one large

open. The tomb itself

line*

twenty

that has

is

quickly

of the smaller

filling

many

of these

been recently violated we can see the

feet in height,

shaft

but on the west side the sand has

up unhindered and we can walk up the slope

top and examine It is

is

tomb

some

have been robbed. Narrow shafts

have been sunk through the top and though the sand

heaped

violation.

the stone slab from above the southern niche has been torn away,

evidently not long ago,

still

and

to the platform

on the

it.

roughly paved with stone which has been torn up

and an irregular

at

a point on the middle

shaft with dangerously vertical sides has

been sunk through

INTRODUCTION.

Mil

the gravel

but

it

m

At the bottom

filling.

xtMiture to descend,

we

we can

see the portcullis

on one side of

shall find

and pene-

the portcullis

corridors: they have broken through the walls of the

trated to the subterranean

magazines, through the wall of the burial chamber every thing easily portable, vases of the if

standing in position,

a hole large enough for

it

The robbers have mined round

a lad to squeeze through.

even woodwork,

still

and have carried away

itself

more precious

stones, metal implements,

time has permitted.

much

But sometimes they were the profit of other robbers

hurried and

who were

to

come

drop some of the gold beads,

let

in the

of missing a single one of such precious finds,

Roman

lo

period, and who, fearful

were systematically

to pass the

whole

of the surrounding earth through a sieve. will not

It

the point

escape our notice that the robbers' shaft has been always sunk just at

where

it

would drop down on the

who show

conclusion that the thieves large

In I

and we

portcullis

the

work

of excavation, in tomb-planning

and

construction.

its

in the preparation of the report

who

have been greatly aided by Mr. and Mrs. A. G. K. Hayter,

with us, working as volunteers. Mr. Hayter's experience on

was of special

and

full

utility in

note-taking was always an example.

in detail as myself,

for myself,

Not

less

am

1

How much

our Department profited by

is

in so

good a position

more than

this belated report

to the reis Khalil

2 5 years old

and

Ahmed

his zeal

to

know

should express, for the Department and

indebted to the help of

workroom; without her aid

A word of gratitude is

fitting that I

sites in Britain

unpublished, and his exact

and Mrs. Hayter no one

it is

Roman

our appreciation of their services and our sense of their devotion

logical interests.

the

and

spent two seasons

still

a late part of the cemetery,

the unselfish labours of Mr.

draw the

so precise an acquaintance with the plan of a

and complicated tomb were not unconnected with all

shall fairly

my

to archaeo-

wife both in the field and in

would hardly have seen the

light.

should not be omitted; our acquaintance

and honesty have never

failed.

J.

E. Q.

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA. 1912-19H.

ARCHAIC MASTABAS. No mastabas

in this

group were of

solid

brickwork^

were mere

all

shells with a filling o f

pebbles and coarse gravel gathered from the desert surface, of gravel mixed with quantities of potsherds, or again of in

mud

fdled in very wet. This

mud must

at first have

one unbroken mass, retained by the boundary wall alone; but later on

was modified by the insertion of crosswalls dividing up the great mass of

been introduced simple method

this

mud and much

reducing

the dangerous thrust on the outer walls.

The

recasing observed in several mastabas

more probably

When

the

may

conceivably have had a similar object but was

a magical provision.

filling

of

mud

or gravel was cleared out there was found below

large mastabas, a series of store-chambers

(

it, in

several of the

a3o5, 9807, 2329 and 2/198 are notable

nos.

examples). They consist of a single row of brick tanks or bins

,

about 2 metres long and one

wide with walls o m. 70 or so in height; sometimes there were again subdivided by cross

They were covered with stone interior construction

slabs (as in no.

between them and

layers of filling with a brick floor

The jars.

contents, as

2322) or with wooden beams

was often rather elaborate. In no.

we found them,

These stood upright, embedded

mud

23

(no. 2307). Their

07, for example,

foundation and roof.

of sealings could occasionally be distinguished. fat

One

set of jars (no. 2/198)

:

ash, liver shells,

some

fruits

many

as

76 mud. They were stoppered with small saucer

like dishes, with potsherds or with chips of limestone plastered over with clay

with

there were two

consisted chiefly of pottery, one containing as in a layer of

walls.

The

contents were generally

on which traces

mud

or

mud

mixed

or berries too decayed to be identified, were also noted.

were stained inside with a yellow sulphur-like matter, probably a

paint.

Other contents of these hidden chambers were black ash, layers of grain, either

in the

ashen grey

on four

in colour,

poles.

Above

and

in

one case (no. 2/198) an oblong

;

of matting stretched

this lay a quantity of grain in the husk. Is this the Osiris

Bronze implements were found intrinsic value

litter consisting

in

one case and

it is

husk

brown or

or pulverised and with no visible husk, various samples of powdery organic matter

bed of

later days?

plain that the original contents were of

otherwise the very well informed early robbers would not have dug them out

the process was dangerous. Excavations at Saqqara

,

1913-1914.

•

:

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

The model granarv of plate \\1 with its strange little tunnel communicating with below, belongs presumabh to the same series as these chambers and is perhaps rather

tomb

the

earlier in

date.

These hidden

chambers

and above ground

stores in the Idling

below have

in the rock

most important of

to

be new; the

plate

The body, when found

XXX

in plan

at all,

how

:

similar they are one to the other

was always

extreme S.-W. chamber;

in the

the latrine, a new and startling feature, always at the S.-E. In these details

ow ners as at

lived.

first

The

appears.

well west of north

selection of the S.-W. corner for the master's

We came and rather

and two nights out of three he would get

II

than

IV

we

not so unreasonable

good current of

a

was of the

early in the digging to the impression that the cemetery nd

is

which their

in

III

rd ,

air;

that there

were a few tombs of the r

late as the IV

I

moreover he

st

II

nd

-III

rd

Dynasties

Dynasty, easy to distinguish, and still

seems a reasonable view,

we should

especially like to see the

11

are far from being able to offer a rigorous proof;

'.

This

Dynasty tombs of Saqqara before affirming too positively that none of these mastabas

into that period. Pottery

was of

is

dawn.

first

on the other hand, nothing distinguishable as th

bedroom

in the

would certainly get very hot through the afternoon, but the good wind

It

would not be waked by the

but

and probably

arrangement of the rooms these tombs must be copies of the houses

;ji-neral

series of

their parallels elsewhere, notably at B£t KhallaT. Nine of the

them are shown on

a glance will show.

appear

level

less

help than usual; there was less of

of stone vases, in fragments of course, an embarrassing quantity.

work spent by ourselves, our workmen, even our

it

than on most

The hundreds

guests, on the sorting out

sites

fall

but

of hours of

and making up

into

complete vases of these tons of sherds might have been better employed. Yet one gained thereby this

very definite impression.

The average

howls and dishes bought by people beauty of the stones

:

large

who had

tomb contained a

battery of alabaster and schist

a keen appreciation not only of form but of the

they liked to have samples of the alabaster banded in pink and white, of

the honey-coloured stone with coarse crystals like barley-sugar and several other varieties and

among

the slates

asty) the

had a preference

for those of a fine green colour. In the

forms of stone vases are rather heavy and the stones are

was a very important tomb. One suspects

The undeniable (no.

than

23oa) with its

dating of no.

the

same

king's

2171

to

it

was among the

Netermu gave one

name gave another;

no.

neighbours, and Hesy, both dated to Neterkhet

end of the time range of

this small fraction of the

latest of

less well

of Hesy (III rd

rd

Dyn-

chosen, yet Hesy's

our group.

fixed point; the large

2807, by

(III

tomb

its

tomb

of

Ruabu

position apparently later

Dynasty) are probably at the other

cemeteries of Saqqara.

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. Plate

I.

— Southern

Taking the larger tombs on

we have

mud mastabas, varying much in the map from south to north and

group. All

size.

rows from east to west,

in

:

\ large

I

t

chambers

cind stone

(2 1711

A

large

dateWZer

(pis.

In the second

(2105

.1

3e

stairs,

as a

Dynasty tomb, of the type of the rMena* tomb of Nagada ; built with niches

5t

II

nd

Dynasty tomb, dated

row

it

was a

Dynasty tomb

st

I

:

pit,

roofed, with granary (pi. XVI).

other large tombs, nos.

which are by no means

3io3

in the

,

23oq The

quadrilaterals inside represent the

position in each

tomb; probably variety was sought

2101

same

.

,

of discouraging plunderers.

doonvaTcloses

Third row (2

V-X.

Netermu; underneath

to

further west, the southern niche

In

in plates

XI-XV).

Large open

means

shown

in the centre. Details are

it

in

:

this

is

is

sunk deep into the mass of brickwork and a

the beginning of the decorated

tomb

chapel.

:

331 / was found an inscribed

slab

from the upper part of the southern niche, showing

cleceased~before table of offerings (pi. XXVIII,

2).

1 2315) and^23^/Both had underground chambers. In one was a

seal of 1

Taking now the group of four

from the chambers cut

series of alabaster vases filling

1

above ground

to the north,

(pis.

we come

to no.

in the rock

1

1

2322, which yielded a good

and a group of magazines

in the

XX-XX1).

n/2313/ just to the north, was a stair protected by rather stout walls; the space between

these anttthe boundary walls had been

2307) A

very large

tomb with mud

filled

with liquid

filling.

mud

(pi.

XIX).

The store-chambers had been robbed

anciently

(

(pWni). (2302J Maslaba of Ruabu a huge tomb with mud filling, the with-anr elaborate series of chambers in the rock (pi. X\II). ,

stair roofed

with stone slabs and

,

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

4

Plate

of tomhs, separated from that of

The northern groups

11.

]>latc

by about soo

1

metres of ground not vet duff, but evidently forming part of the same cemetery. Again beginning in the south-east corner our survey of the most conspicuous of these tombs,

hc

lind

:

shaft with

2464) A deep

(

good stone vases and

a

strange row of niches in the passage west of

thVtoTnb. '

Hha'X Deep '

)

'fm

shaft.

In this

Underground chambers.

was found a cataract of alabaster vases thrown down the

Hesy. This

2_403.

lias

been published

memoir

in a separate

(

stair (pi. XXI11).

Excavations at Saqqara, iqi

i

-

UL The long

building, no.

mav have served we cannot

p>398 ) On chambers

The

tomb

above no: 2 h 5 2/

.

:

it

it

contained both an elaborate series of

and a very carefolW blockeo^stairway

in the

be a tomb, but what purpose

say.

the right of the plate

in the filling

large

east of Hesy. appears not to

2&08,

middle, no /2607

),

(pis.

XXIV-XXV).

remarkable for the cellular structure of the

is

fill-

v_y

ing.

i±2fc peculiar 'Hx

06 Iliad

but has not been completely cleared.

underground chambers

large

this

in plan,

tomb the

fine, late

XXX).

(pi.

bronze of a composite deity shown in plate

XXX VIII,

was

found at a high level, loose in the sand.

Plate HI.

planned

—A

in plate

camera stood In the

general view of the southern group, showing the greater part of the tombs except the two large ones on the south and one, no.

I,

just to the north of

foreground above the

their original height; the larger

very large tomb of

near

its

north end

Plate 1\

.

—

1.

,

one of the large

title is

1

2.

m. 20

east.

The

which stand

more denuded.

There are two

In the

piles of pots

at

about half

background the

on the top of

it,

one

the other in the middle.

Small mastaba (no. 22o3

cent, only in height

A mastaba,

2^o5, on the

Dynasty tombs.

in proportion,

distinguished.

which any superstructure survived. ra.

I

a small mastaba, the walls of

tombs are,

Ruabu can be

st

no.

It

had a

,

pi. 1) 2

m. ko

vertical shaft of 2

and length, evidently used

23o6, with

its

cent, long,

one of the smallest of

metres depth, with a small chamber, for a contracted burial.

outside cleared, but before any attempt

had been made

to

dig out the filling or to find the shaft. Here the southern niche has been withdrawn into the

mass of the mastaba and protected by a door. In arose the

chamber which afterwards developed

this

way, as was pointed out long ago by Marielte

so considerably in size

and became

richly decorated.

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. In this early example

3.

the

A group

workmen

h.

A

The view

very small.

it is

mound

of Neferirkara at Ahusir and the

taken looking S.-W., showing the Pyramid

of the mastaha of Hesy.

The wooden

of small mastabas.

is

5

trays are, of course,

^

view, looking to the south, of the stair of no. 2.337.

composed

how

XXX. The

filling

of this

tomb

broken vases, presumably those used by the workmen

to a large extent, of coarse,

during the construction; exactly

to

lne boMxmi of this stair was a

long series of chambers cut in the rock; these are planned in plate is

modern; they were given

coming from each tomb.

to hold the small objects

they were used

it

is

not easy to say, for they would not

hold water and would be very clumsy to carry mud.

The pyramids

—

Plate V.

in the distance are those of

— View

Plate VI.

st

Plan of the large

of the

I

Though much

II

and El-Mukherbish.

Dynasty tomb (no. 2180)

same tomb

the three pyramids of Abusir, and,

Teta

(no. 21

more

.

85) from the south-east, showing

faintly, the

two larger ones of Gizeh.

and some part had disappeared,

of the walling stood only a few centimetres high

enough was found

make

to

us quite sure of the plan.

much

once considerable, perhaps as

in the distance

The height

as G metres, but the

of the building was probably

boundary wall was very thin and

probably did not exceed a metre in height. Internally the others.

The

side

tomb had three rows chambers were

at

ground

level

wooden

flooring of an

some period,

for

upper

many

set of

chambers. But

signs of burning

the underground rooms.

at the

row was roofed with stone

also gravel-filled. This central

at a lower level than the

and had apparently been

whereas the sunk ones were lined with stone, except those

were

row

of chambers, the central

this floor

,

filled in

with gravel,

north and south ends, which

above which had been

laid the

must have been destroyed by

fire at

were noticed both on the stone lining and the roof of

The upper row

of chambers appears to have had plastered walls

presumably contained funerary furniture; nothing, however, of

this

and

remained, and the tomb must

have been thoroughly robbed at an early date, the robbers breaking their way through from one

underground chamber

Plate VII. 1.

—

to another.

Details of the

same

st

I

2

1

85).

Recessed niche at the N.-E. of the building, with two holes, possibly intended

lampstands, basins for offerings or the 2.

Dynasty tomb (no.

This

level, with

is

taken

down the

roofs.

hold

like.

axis of the

remains of their stone

to

On

tomb and shows two

of the chambers below ground

the top of the walls, clay seals and fragments of stone

vases have been laid. 3.

Shows part

of the north wall of the tomb; in front of

mastaha, while on the

left, just

it is

the corner of a

II

nd

Dynasty

above the white stone are the remains of an arched roof of a

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

6

clearly distinguishable side by side in a space of a

Three periods are here

late intrusive burial.

couple of yards.

The lower

i.

chamber F

level

of plate V, with the large vases in place and part of the

roofing slabs.

— Small

Plite Mil. I

objects

from the same

Set of six copper tools found in

.

st

I

Dynasty tomb (no. 21 85).

chamber G

in the last

hour of digging. The largest

is

m.

a a cent. long.

Flint

8.

knife

is

o

and copper knives found

in.

1

in

chamber D. The metal was much corroded. The large

5 cent. long.

from chamber A, some showing action of

3.

Flint fragments

h.

Vases of basalt, quartz and alabaster, mostly from chamber G. These are very finely cut,

characteristic

I

rt

Dynasty work. A foot rule

Clay sealings from chamber

5.

Plate IX.

— Drawings

H

is

fire.

in the foreground.

name

with the

of Zer.

tomb

of the fragmentary clay seals found in

no. 91 85.

Nothing remained on some of these of the original surface, but when they were exposed

weather and the clay began to disintegrate the outer layer seal.

One immediately thought

the outer text it

:

these winelabels

advisable to write

them

All

— Drawings

away and

the

disclosed the print of a

of Babylonian contract tablets with their concealed duplicates of

may have had

a

magic value and the Egyptians may have thought

twice so that the inner copy

had decayed away. Similar duplicate

Plate X.

fell

to

seals

would remain

valid

when

the outer one

have been founded at Abydos.

of stone vases from

tomb

no. 2

1

85.

were much broken and the forms have been drawn from fragments. The materials were

quartz, porphyry, magnesite and in the four lower rows basalt.

Plate XI. I.

— Tomb

no.

2171 H with small

View of the tomb, found under the

Outside the grave

is

The tomb mouth

seen a portion of the is 1

m. 4o

cent,

by

1

objects found in

filling

of the large

mat on which metre

.'{.

Photograph of drawing of the same plaque. Both are

%.

Ivory bulls' legs, the complete one o m.

.).

Drawing of ink

of Zer incomplete.

1

Dynasty mastaba no. 2171.

in size.

Photograph of ivory plaque.

inscription on a

II'"

the body had been laid.

"2.

o5

it.

slightly

over actual

size.

cent. high.

wooden plaque

:

the colour

is

very faint and the hieroglyph

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. 0. lid of

7

Small objects of wood and ivory, with a gold pin (o m. i3 cent, long) in the centre. Box

wood with knob (o m. o3

box

cent.), ivory

lid

with handle, ivory arrowheads, fragments of

ivory inlay, feet of a casket. 7.

Three

(o m. ok

m. o5

scrapers (o

flint

cent.) ivory fragments

and a small

cylindrical vase of slate

cent. 1/2 high), the only complete vase found. Glaze and carnelian beads, spheres and

stout discs in form.

Plates Xll and Xlll.

Plate XIV. Scale

of plates XI .

— Stone

same

vases from the

Dynasty tomb (no.

Dynasty tomb no. 2188

st

vases from another

st I

I

2

1

7

H). Scale

1

1

:

3.

(pi. I, E.

of no. 21 85).

st

Dynasty tomb

1:6.

Plate XV.

1

— Stone

—

Views of the large

XII

,

II"'

1

Dynasty tomb, under which the small

was found.

,

View of stairway showing the lower part

are seen a

I

number

still

blocked by huge stones laid on edge. Above

of tall, pointed jars lying on the steps;

some were

still

covered by their clay

stoppers and one of these was inscribed. 2.

Row

filling,

3.

of pots, about 3 m.

with what object

is

80

below the gravel of the

cent, in total length, laid in the sand

obscure.

Seal from one of the wine jars found in the stairway with the

name

of the

II

nd

Dynasty

king, Netermu, very legible. h.

from the top of the

Interior of the mastaba, seen

stair,

looking south. Just inside the

stairway are the jars placed on the steps; beyond, on the right, the is

the

I

st

Dynasty tomb (no.

2

171 H)

:

in the

middle

is

little

dark patch on the ground

an intrusive burial, a

late limestone coffin.

around, the outer walls of the mastaba and the numerous pots found in the

All

On

the horizon

Plate XVI. 1.

A

is

are seen.

the pyramid of Tela. For plan of the subterranean chambers, see plate

— Views

of

tomb

no/ 21 o5.

XXX.

i

shallow trench inside the m&staba, under the gravel

plastered

filling

and containing a double row of unbaked

mud jars, 3o

filling,

in

lined with bricks,

mud-

number. The pots were about

o m. 3o cent. high. This trench must once have been roofed with wood, or these fragile pots

would otherwise have been crushed. The is

little

channel leading from

seen beyond. This was plainly a granary and the

was supposed 2.

be wide enough

Interior of

floor before 3.

to

it is

Within the

to the

tomb chamber

gangway from the tomb chamber

to allow the soul to pass.

tomb chamber looking towards the

portcullis,

which

is still

in place.

On

the

a mass of pots. filling

of the mastaba, looking from above the portcullis into the granary trench.

In the shadow, low on the right 4.

little

it

Small objects of

flint,

is

one of the ledges on which the beams of the roof

ivory and copper.

rested.

.

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

8

— Mastaba

Plate XVII.

Shows

1

Ruabu,

filling as

noi

a3oj

.

seen in one of the holes cut by the early robbers to obtain access

chambers below. Low down are limestone blocks from the roof of the subterranean passage.

to the

2.

mud

the

of

General view, looking south. Ruabu

burials cut in

The

picture.

on the

On

the

it.

centre

the skv line

is

only the east wall with some intrusive

:

is

2807, with more intrusive burials

the pyramid of Teta and to the

Clay seal of Netermu, found

h.

Inscribed slate bowl of

in the

fig.

left

come

into the

(pi.

in

I)

and

it.

XXX).

The same

of a second bowl.

The

h).

made

the house of the Antiquities Department.

underground chamber F

Ruabu and part

inscribed libation tank (pi. XXVIII,

name

wall

occupied by a row of unimportant tombs (see no. 5?3o3 on plate

3.

sherd with the

on the right

southern niche beyond them and the dwarf boundary

part of the west wall of no.

left is

is

titles

occur on the

peculiar ship-hieroglyph occurs again on a

of Netermu in Petrie. Royal Tombs of

earliest Dynasties,

1901.

Pt. 11.

VIII, .3.

pi.

Plate XVIII.

— Large mastaba

no( a3o7/ (pl.

1).

1.

Top

2.

North niche, showing offering jars in place.

3.

Interior of

of the shaft at the north

end oF the tomb.

mastaba looking south, after most of the

black

filling of

mud had been

removed.

Eight store chambers are seen, of which four were brick-lined and contained pottery.

been robbed

The robbers sank

in ancient times.

of these chambers,

a shaft through the tough black

and then made a way from one

to the other

over the partition wall. In the distance, from right to

left

mud

AH had into

one

by breaking through or creeping

are the pyramid of Unas, the Step

pyramid and El-Mukherbish.

Plate XIX. 1.

The

The the

its

is

filling.

Low on

the sky line are the three pyramids of Abusir

its

protecting walls

the right,

is

is

better seen in this view.

an intrusive burial; see also

and those of Khafra and Khufu

3.

Fine set of stone vases from the underground chambers.

h.

The is

had been removed.

covered by a singular mass of pottery, perhaps intended as a food supply, possibly

only waste material utilised as

coffin

filling

edge.

Looking north. The stairway with

floor

mud

two sharp turns inside the inner walls and was protected from the inflow of

by stout walls along

hi' in.

The

no. *j3i3

inside of the mastaba-^looking south, after the

stair takes

mud

2.

— Tomb

late intrusive burial seen in figure

of plain wood.

1

after the brick roof

fig. h.

On

at Giza.

bad been removed. The

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES.

^

Plate XX. 1.

— Tom!)

no/

mastabaTTooking south,

Interior of the

of the stair on the west side (right), and a

mud and

were roofed with 2.

Chambers

shaped

row of

store

Cbamber

Chamber

b

chambers on the

looking north-west. In a were found two rows, 19 in

c,

all,

of egg-

c

in the south-west corner,

where about 27 long

was

wards found over

Chamber

e.

the south of

jars

were stacked

them badly broken. filled

with egg-shaped jars, except in a space in the south-west corner, where it

all this

Eight

m. 08

the remains of matting. This covered a layer of grain,

deep, which rested on the untouched gravel, and traces of

To

These chambers

east.

stone; on the northernmost a a portion of the roof remains.

was empty except

one big jar and below

3.

showing the top

filling;

jars.

together, most of

lay

and

a, b

removal of the

after the

this

same

triple flooring

cent,

were after-

chamber.

tall jars in

them and on

mud

the north-east corner, with

caps,

some

a level with their base are a quantity of sherds.

of

The

them

incised.

floor consisted

of sand in which the pots were imbedded. h.

A

from the subterranean chambers.

selection of stone vases

Plate XXI.

— Complete

Plate XXII.

—

1

set of

Tomb

.

no.

forms of stone vases from no. 2822.

3607

.

)A very large mastaba with numerous cross walls in the

This cellular construction marics an improvement on the

filling.

consists of a solid

Tomb

no.(

2^52 .|Group

was found. The mQuna of

the long

it is

type in which the

of

men

to the west,

The view

—

taken from the south end.

to

men

are working,

is

the

a right angled turn stair is

:

the groove of the portcullis

tery.

of Hesy. East

,

justNvjsibie

Menkaura

descending from

on the

calcite. In

right.

like.

In the

at Giza.

left to right

On

the underground chambers finer

stair.

Selection of vases from the stair of mastaba no.

A few

with

the slope of the

was a quantity of bowls and vases made of a great variety of stones, and of much

work than those on the 2.

is

seen a mass of stone plates and vases, mostly of

also there

tomb

be not a tomb, but a store-chamber or the

Bricklined stairway of tomb no/ 2629

1.

mud

clearing out the filling, in which a great mass of pottery

on which a few

chamber which seems

is

distance on the right are the pyramids of Abusir and on the skyline that of

Plate XXIII.

filling

mass of mud. Perhaps accidents had taken place through the liquid

bursting through Ae-enclosing boundary walls. 2.

common

2629, mostly of stone, but some of pot-

flints.

3.

Cylindrical alabaster vases with inscriptions in black paint.

4.

Copies of the inscriptions on the cylindrical alabaster vases.

Excavations at Saqqara, 1912-1914.

s

.

EXCAVATHHSS^AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

10

—

Plate \\1\.

Mastaba

1.

Magazines or store-chambers under the

110 /9/198.

from the north-west. There are severkoTtbese, numbered

To

tlie left

are seen large blocks of limestone laid

flat

filling,

seen

a-g.

over the stairway. Behind these blocks

ami between them and the further of the two workmen, a short wall can be seen standing right angles to the main wall of the tomb. This is a blocking wall in the middle of the stair. 2.

Stairway showing blocking of large stones placed on edge.

The 3.

same

pair of horizontal stones are the

Stone chambers e,d,

Chamber chamber

The narrow part

c.

A

fdled with pottery.

is

Chamber

e.

Layer of organic matter.

Plate 2.

See larger photograph and description

leads into a second

—

XXV.

chamber

the sides

2.

fig.

m. 85

1

On

chamber four poles are

the floor of this

cent., the shorter,

1

metre long; diameter o

in.

The ends have

9,

litter

or bier. They rest on the rock.

cut in them. There are

some

traces of matting on the inside.

1

9

slits

was much grain

end of the chamber the

Both inside and

floor

m. 75 cent, at the west was bare with no trace of organic matter. Between the litter and in the husk, but over a space of

vacant space are fragments of 8 or 9 pots, one complete. Selected pots from the store-chambers of the

3.

Platb XXVI.

— Limestone

Size of the inscribed part o It

was found

in the

the southern niche. archaic

,

Plate XXVIII. consists of 2.

was

rubbish

It is

This

—

lintel of

in very

1.

same tomb.

the royal daughter Sahnesr from

m.

no.

cent, by o

filling

the shaft, but had, of course, been placed originally above II"

J

/j2 cent.

Total length

1

m.

1

2

Dynasty th e forms of the hieroglyphs are thorough ly ;

offerings abbreviated.

line.

Inscribed lintel, not found in

cloths

tomb

m. by

Facsimile of the same lintel in

—

names of

lintel of

probably of the

and the names of the

Plate XXVII.

It

XXV,

These poles doubtless formed a

outside the litter there

this

in plate

to the south.

Bier in chamber d; seen from west side.

cent.

situ.

Mastaba no. 2698. Pottery.

1.

arranged in a rectangle, the long ones

o5

empty; about half the remainder of the

subterranean chamber, showing stone vases as found at south end of the Central

The doorway

hail.

is

few jars are seen standing in

Bier.

in

west end

at the

d.

View

as in the last photograph.

seen from the west.

c,

Chamber

h.

at

and of

situ.

Doubtless

1

ll"'

Dynasty.

inscription

food.

yellow limestone was found in place in the southern niche of

bad condition, but

The

is

criptions found being so very small.

published for the sake of completeness, the

tomb

no. 2

number

33

1

of ins-

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. Libation tank from before niclie of

3.

tbe cartoucbe

our

column

(left

some

possible that

of

found loose near no. 2366.

all tbis

cemetery was of the

among

The same XVII h

titles as in

—

Plate XXIX.

Wooden

1.

.

appeared, almost

much

found,

filling

The

east side

the

little

was closed by

room

to

lift

though

the

this

lid

found

.

lid

III

rd

no.

2601, not

tomb

II

nd

Dynasty

was

coffin (no.

its

of the burials in this

lifted a

damaged by

1

beetles (no. 2

Body found without m. 80

cent. It lay

Much

over cheek.

been used

Plate

in position.

Ruabu

of

(pi.

A, a small

to tie

XXX.

1

stair-

quantity of linen was

have been buried

to

head

face,

all

at the

coffin

to the east.

three sharply contracted

same

There was

time.

were dragged out

into the

possible.

same

coffin; the

boards have fallen apart. The skull

bandaged separately and over the hips and round the body were large

by

it

on removal of which the

2172 E), containing

and introduce a second body unless the

was no doubt

in no. 2 17.3

preservation and below the head was a mass of fine linen serving as a pillow.

4.

Was

Dynasties.

were two skeletons, an adult lying head north, face

it

and along the south end, a baby, on

side of another

One

tomb

a brick wall,

chamber When the

was noted that the bodies seemed

burials. It

shaft,

coflin fo r contracted burial

eaten by white ants. Under

east, sharply contracted; 2.

and

the top line occur on the fragment of a bowl from the

way tomb The chamber on the coffin

nd

bears

startled

hand fragment).

left

,

II

It

and

these hundreds of tombs.

all

Libation tank o m. 35 cent, by o m. 2 5 cent., found in

k.

3.

,

might be considerably later? Yet no other dateable object except from

it

obviously intrusive burials turned up

not

no. 2.3^7

inside ledge) of Userkaf, the first king of the V"' Dynasty,

tben tranquil conviction that

till

tomb

11

is

in

good

The limbs were

rolls of linen,

much

72 E).

a coffin in

head north,

m. ho

cent,

face east, strongly contracted, knees near chin, right

hand

tomb

no. 2

1

oh g,

in a

small rounded

chamber

1

carbonised wrapping lay over the body with a twisted strip of linen that had

it

—

up

into this very

compact bundle.

Plans of subterranean chambers cut in the rock, below some of the larger

mastabas.

There will

a general similarity between them.

is

be most frequently referred

It is

to,

The

largest, no.

though the others

assist in

23o2, being the most elaborate, corroborating

its

arrangements.

impossible to avoid the presumption that these underground plans, intended as habita-

tions for the dead,

No house

of the

were suggested by the houses of the II

nd

or

III

rd

Dynasties exists, but a tentative comparison with the houses at

Tell el-Amarna (see Petiue, Tell el-Amarna, pis. turies later, certainly

seems

living.

to confirm this

XXXVIII-XXXIX), though they are many cen-

view and to point

to a perpetuation of the

same type

of house.

To begin

may have

its

with, the rectangular turning in the stairway, so frequently noticeable at Saqqara, parallel in Tell

el-Amarna houses

in the

ramp entrance,

at the top of

which there

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

13 is

alwavs a rectangular turn through a lohby or entrance hall, before the loggia or

room

first

living

reached.

is

a3oa, 9171, a337 and 2629, there are chambers to the north of the portcullis. These are intended to represent rooms outside the house proper. In the three latter they may be the store-rooms. In no. 2 3o2 the four northern chambers opening out of a long cross hall In nos.

look like

or horses, and bear a strong resemblance to a similar set of chambers

stalls for cattle

December 191

attached to a house excavated in

el-Amama. This house,

Das Weihnachtshaus by the excavators,

called

Keeper of Akhenaten's

identified as that belonging to the

\\;i-

There

is

the back entrance to the

would then be a store-room

The rooms opening out

for fodder

23o2, which were found

(cf.

Petrie. all

loc. cit.,

full

Rooms 0,

the plans there

is

on their plan,

2802 on

its

west side, with two

IQ

46.

and the stallkeeper's room.

of jars,

may be

guests or servants'

portcullis in

rooms or even store-rooms

A).

a suggestion of a central hall in the widening of the

passage, there being always a narrowing for a doorway at the north end preceding

The square plan

for

The two chambers en route

main passage immediately south of the second

of the

no.

Q 46

from the private house may be intended

stalls

yard, such as also exists in

stall

I

at Tell

cattle.

a passage which encircles the north portcullis of no.

rectangular turns. This alternative route to the

In

by the Deutsche Orient Gesellschaft

3

main N.-S.

this.

of this hall would naturally be modified into an oblong to avoid too wide a

span.

The rooms opening out

of this central hall might be the unmarried men's quarters. At the

south end of this widening of the passage (the presumed central hall) there

doorway (see

pi.

XXXI,

fig. 1),

is

always a second

opening into another group of rooms. These, the farthest removed

from the entrance and portcullis, and with no continuation of the passage beyond, must represent the women's quarters and the master's Cf. Petrie, loc.

The

Rooms B-G

cit.

Master's

room

bedroom (B where

Petrie,

(cf.

loc. cit.,

Room

The

farther group of

double access,

viz.

may be

the so-called Quadratzimmer at Tell

I).

2337 and 2307 the harim may be H-L rooms with the central passage.

In nos.

necting

the isolated room, north of the east passage con-

chambers labelled H-L

in nos.

23o2, 2337, 2^29 and 2606 have

both from the harim and from the east side of the central

the bathroom and lavatory (see pi.

body was deposited).

C.

squarish chamber in the centre of this group

el-Amama

his

XXXI,

figs.

2, 3), which

hall.

These represent

would thus be available

for the

occupants of both sets of rooms.

The rectangular passage round the no. 2/107 F'

is

burial

chamber (master's bedroom)

not easily connected with any part of a house unless

it

in the

one tomb

represents a covered

balcony.

The bathroom (H) shows by the case of no. 2 3o2 are cut itself

was curtained

ings in the ground

off

its

away

23o2, 2337, 2307), which in a design in which the chamber

projecting pilasters (see nos. at the top, that

it

reflected

from the passage outside. In the

marks the place of the water

jars.

last

named tomb,

the circular sink-

8

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. Plate XXXI.

—

Underground passages

1.

tomb no /

in

The workman

Central passage looking south.

is

13

a.'froa^fjRuabu).

seateH^intJie S.-E. angle

the wall just

ol*

outside the narrow passage leading into the hall in the east side of the burial chamber. 2.

Latrine in tomb

no.t

3.

Latrine in

tomb

no.

by these adjuncts

(a^oaXThe odd

to the tombSs-' calculated to surprise

a dying one, retained long after

—

Plate XXXII.

earthliness of the conception of immortality revealed

1

.

had ceased

it

:

one suspects that the custom was already

commend

to

r\

View, looking west, of the long building, no. (afro

corridor, covered in at the time

This magazine,

such

if

the best opinion.

Brick arch and shaft tomb no (ai a 6' ftooking south-east

This was one of the smallest found. 2.

itself to

by tenting,

was,

it

is

east ot the

tomb

of Hesy. whose long

seen lXJbj^background.

97 m. 70

is

,1

was empty.

it

:

cent, long

by 9 m. 60 cent, in width, in inside

measurements.

The

The

thin southern wall

floor

is

m. 80

about

—

Plate XXXIII.

is

1.

1

m. 90

cent,

cent, in thickness,

2.

Fragments of bone

3.

Model copper axe and

inlay

cent.

wooden draughtmen, two

ivory

9

above the ground. No door was seen.

Small objects from tomb no. 9101

dagger handles, part of a small

m. 85

and the northern one

:

five

slate palette as in the sign Aft

and

and a

little

wooden

bolt.

from another tomb.

diorite vase

found at the entrance of the passage below the

chisels

stair in no.

9^06. h

.

5.

Copper ewers and basins from various tombs. of an inscribed slate bowl from

Fragment

tomb

no. 9/1 46, mentioning «the

first

occasion

of the Sed-heb festivals.

from tomb no. 9602. Length o m. ok

6.

Small

7.

Selection of small copper objects, including a mirror

slate palette for scribe

— We

Plate XXXIV.

A

shaft near the

nine sarcophagi

descend suddenly to a

Teta Pyramid on

its

much

and a Iamp(?).

later age, to the

and that Brugsch had made

Plate

(Journal

XXXV.

th

plain rectangular coffins, a large sarcophagus of limestone

;

supposed to be a new discovery, but

Museum

XXX

d'entree du

—

extracts

it

less

than

and these two of

The tomb was

at the

time

was found afterwards that Mariette had already opened

from the

Muse'e, nos.

Dynasty.

west side opened into a chamber containing no

granite, with their elaborate lace-like decoration of religious texts.

it

cent.

^725

texts.

The two

coffins

shown are now

in the Cairo

and 67399).

Lid of the dwarfs coffin after

it

had been raised out of the

shaft (no. h 10).

.

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

14

Plui \\\VI. lies just to

Our

the south of the tourist track,

shaft

the south.

The

oldest

midway

cliapel

about

tlie

and

dewed

had been

1

Dynasty, seen from tbe north.

was supported by four columns. In tbe background,

we obtained

a fine granite colfin of a certain Unnefer.

that he

for

we found

bad been down before,

It

would seem strange

roofed, hut no evidence of their having been covered was obtained.

tomb,

times, as a quantity of pottery found in for roasted pine-cones lay

Plate

—

WWII.

I.

among

in

1869,

part of a cigar-box at the bottom.

Note the f\tensive benches covered with white plaster.

Roman

It

Lesseps were here with Mariette; and, indeed, (he

l)e

modern times,

in

XXX"

between tbe Teta pyramid and Mariettas house.

workman, Osman Duqmaq, assured me

Ismail Pasha. Assim Pasha

when

cliapel of

seen the coping of a shaft from which

is

,

View of a tomb

1.

The same from

•2.

right

—

it

showed; perhaps

if

they were not

Tbe chapel was reused

in

guard-bouse, not as a

as a

the sherds.

Seven fragments of sculpture from tbe chapel shown

in the last plate

(no. 612). 2.

Single figure from the same.

.'}.

Anthropoid

coffin, lid

The minor members h.

Top

above

is,

and base from tbe same

of the family,

of shaft of no.

we

supposed, were interred in these limestone

612 (Unnefer),

of course, due to our

shaft as the large coffin of plate

to

show the

excellent

workmen. The long low blocks

masonry of tbe

XXXIV.

coffins.

tbe rough dry walling

:

XXX

,h

Dynasty work below

are very characteristic.

Plate XXXVIII.

—

Front and back views of the remarkable bronze figure of a composite

deity found loose in tbe sand above 1

Front view.

On

each knee

is

tomb

no.

2606. Height o m. 43

a curious face with drawn

head, on the chest a scarab. Above tbe right elbow

Above the 2.

left

Above the horns

dress, probably Thoth.

and base.

from feather-top

down mouth

,

All four

through. There

number

on tbe belly a

an ape's bead and behind

is

is

is Isis

as a

it

cat's

a vulture.

a head of Bes

The

figure

seems

hawk, behind tbe bead a ram's bead with

and over

to

this a

have been

much corroded

bird's

hands are clenched and pierced by an opening large enough

disc

and

head with bead-

cast in three pieces, head-dress,

main part

to pass a

match

a bar of metal from the chest to the end of the beard.

This bronze had, of course, nothing to do with the mastaba above which large

to base.

are, in front a bull, behind a cat.

Back view. Behind the body

uraeus.

is

cent,

it

was found. A very

of bronze statuettes have been found in past years, loose in the sand

and uncon-

nected with tombs, mainly near the Serapeum according to our guards. They were buried intentionally, say

our men,

who

are indeed the only witnesses of these regrettable excavations.

would guess that they were intended

to consecrate

and

limit a portion of the desert as a cemetery,

but there was no group of tombs of a late period particularly near to this bronze. to

have been dropped and I'ute

XXXIX.

its

position

— Pottery forms.

One

must have some meaning.

•

It is

not likely

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. MASTABAS OF THE Tomb noJ 2185.ll' Dynasty 1

(pis.

V-X).

—

In the

st I

two northern chambers a and b were a mass

of broken vases-eontaining charcoal and fragments of

Chamber

c.

Chamber

d.

— Contained — m. 4o

and the

The

slabs

flint

knives.

fragments of stone bowls.

cent, in depth, with stone roo f o

1

There were many

ness.

DYNASTY.

traces of fire, especially

m. 20

cent, to o

m. 32

cent, in thick-

above the roof, where charred wood was found

were cracked across by heat.

objects found included a flint knife, a

much corroded copper

knife

and

chisel (pi. VIII, a),

fragments of rough pottery, and one fragment of granite with no surface worked.

Chamber

e.

— Fragments

of fifteen ivory pins, two with signs incised, four

little

stone spheres

marbles, doubtless from a serpent game, and a few scraps of copper.

like playing

Chamber f.

— Depth

found standing

(pi. VII,

1

m. 35

On

h).

cent.

On

one was

another were a few bones of some bird.

the east side were fifteen a sealing of

A

tall

vases (o

m. 90

cent.)

good yellow clay mixed with fibre, in

smaller egg-shaped vase had black

mud

at the

bottom. In the brick wall above the stone roof, ends of joists were

ed a wooden

floor.

They were

o m.

08

cent, in diameter,

embedded which must have supportm. 3o

about

cent, apart

o m. o5 cent, to o m. 20 cent, above the stones. In the south wall of the chamber

is

and from a robber's

bole.

On

the west side were one large vase, ten eggshaped, one

duck lying

in the eartb

Chamber ber.

The

g.

—A

mummy

limestone coffin of the Ptolemaic period lay on the floor of the upper cham-

was on

The chamber was fine set of

:

h.

Chamber m.

work

1

its

back, head west, tightly wrapped, in plain bandages, with no carton-

m. 5o

it

a pin and kohl-stick.

cent. deep.

oval pottery trays, one complete cylindrical vase of basalt and at the south end a

copper tools

Chamber

bottomed, with the bones of a

between them.

nage. Near this was a Greek vase and with

Contents

flat

(pi. VIII, 1).

— — Fragments

Clay sealing with

name

of Middle

in this part of the cemetery.

of king Zer (pi. VIII, 5).

Kingdom ware

—

the only such found during two years'

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

16

Chamber

I'nder the wall to the east was a stairway of earlier date.

n.

was a wooden box, plastered and painted with a wooden hawk

In a hole in the north wall

on the

lid,

The

facing west,

seals are

The tomb It

shown

all in

very had condition and evidently from an intrusive burial.

in plate

IX, stone vases, basalt, slate and alabaster in plate X.

tomb

of the same type as the trMenesii

is

of Nagada, but. was

appeared that there had been a single upper row of chambers with wooden

buttb** had been very thoroughly burned and the ruins Dynasty (p is. XI-X111).

1*

much more denuded.

— Dimensions

:

i

and roofs (?)

floors

as thoroughly looted.

m. 4o

cent,

x

i

m. o5

cent,

mv-i^cent. deep. This was a small tomb of the same reign as the preceding, Zer It

had already been robbed when

2171 was

no.

built over

in the

time of Netermu

(II"'

1

(I

st

and

ca.

Dynasty).

Dynasty) the large mastaba

probably the builders of the one tomb destroyed the other. The

it;

contents of the grave had been very thoroughly tossed about and their relative position was

meaningless.

The 1

only object of intrinsic value that had escaped the robbers was a plain gold hairpin

,

o m.

3 cent, long, very sharp-pointed.

On above

the edge of the

tomb there remained part

of the

mud-covered mat that had once been

it.

There was a wooden

floor to the

tomb, or perhaps a bed, and below

The

sides of the

tomb had been

layer of clean sand.

then plastered. In the

and made from

A

filling

fine stones

:

Ivory tablet o m.

lined with bricks (o

this a o

m.

m. to

2 3 cent, long)

o35

is

mill,

appended below.

square, broken and incomplete (photo and drawing on plate

Ivory tablet o

3.

Ivory bulls' feet (largest

h.

Ivory box lid with handle (0

m. o35

5.

Fragments of ivory pins and

inlay.

6.

Complete vase of

7.

Slate ring stand for vase, part of; diameter

8.

A

9.

Three

m. o5o

m. oft5

slate,

m.

scrapers (ca. o m.

11.

Wooden box

2.

mill, long, plain.

rectangular slate palette

Wooden

1

m. 020

2.

10.

2

o5

mill.)

and fragments.

mill,

x

m. o55

Wooden plaque,

1

m. 06

cent.

cent, long with scratched lines

cent. long. PI. XI, 7).

name

(0 m. o3 cent.). o

in.

1

mill.).

mill, in height.

tablet inscribed (pi. XI, 5) with the king's lid

and

were a large number of fragments of stone bowls, of delicate shapes

XI, 2. 3).

flint

cent.

but only one of these, a tiny cylindrical vase, was unbroken.

catalogue of the objects found 1.

laid

3 cent, long, carved as a mat.

in ink.

round border.

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. 13. Fragments of a reed mat found low

down

17

probably part of tbe mat that covered the

:

tomb. Ml. Part of a small bowl of tortoise (?) shell. 15. Fragments of sixty-one stone vases, mostly very incomplete but of fine

workmanship, made baster.

in quartz, jasper, slate, fine limestone,

The forms are given on

porphyry, ala-

plate XII.

10. Nine cylindrical alabaster vases and parts of vases, vary-

ing from o m. 20 cent, to o m. 35 cent, in height

the forms

:

are given on plate XIII.

17. Fragments of bones and teeth of a

One

18.

12188.

vase of pottery as in this figure

tall

Dynasty type

st

calf.

The

i.

II

nd

slighter (fig. 2).

is

Dynasty.

J

£n—open

grave, 2 m. 90 cent, by 2 m. 60 cent, and

1

thoroughly turned over by robbers. There were fragments of

m. ho

cent, deep,

human bones

scat-

tered through the gravel, a square palette of slate, a copper adze and a small Fi g. a.

earthenware vases of a

chisel, four large

a

(lint

no.

st

2190.

Contents

:

Dynasty.

I

skeleton with dust of

Dynasty form, four cylindrical vases,

wood

or

—

Sharply contracted burial, head

flints,

two large pottery

jars with

II

remaining tombs figured on the plan

tained very

little

shown on

to those

'2101. Large mastaba (pi.

of limestone chip

(5 metres :

and

x

a

3 m.

nd

mud

AND

(pis.

I

seal in place (type D).

III

and

rd

II)

DYNASTIES. belong

they con-

to these dynasties;

I,

plate XXI.

near middle). Stairway

row of pots stood on the

80

cent.

1

m. 55

in the

floor (forms

N.-W. corner. The

filling is

mostly

E, L). Portcullis in place, chamber

cent.); walls very irregular.

twenty-three bowls of alabaster, two of granite, one of slate, three of dark marble

with fragments of about

six

more; seventeen of these were complete. Also some

dummy cylindrical D (pi. XXXIX).

and four limestone

Pottery forms A, B, C,

A group

disturbed. Male

pottery but a vast quantity of stone vases, mostly in fragments; the types are

throughout similar

Contents

W.

mat below.

MASTABAS OF THE All the

S. face

fragment of wood, some fragments of copper, one copper spatula, fragments of ten

stone vases, two

basters

s1

scraper and the considerable collection of stone vases drawn on plate XIV.

Tomb

to S.

I

of small shafts west of the

Excavations at Saqqara

,

191 2-191

A.

vases, o

main tomb

is

m. i5

cylindrical ala-

cent. high.

numbered 2101

(1

,

2), etc. 3

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

IS

2101

Contents

2101

comer

(a). Near S.-W.

to S.

two small stone vases.

:

North of (a) and

(3).

Contents

tomb, arch

of the last, a roughly arched

W.

of

main tomb. Chamber

fluted pillar headrest, with stone vases

:

and part of an

to west.

(one of diorite, one marble, four alabaster)

offering table.

small mastabas in good preservation. Stair to E. No chamber. (7) and 8). Two Contents in (8 ), one cylindrical alabaster vase. "2101

1

:

2101

Chamber

(9). Stair.

Contents

to west.

one large alabaster, one small, two small limestone vases and fragments, mostly

:

of diorite.

2101 (10). Chamber Contents

my

to west.

one porphyry bowl, fragment of

:

two limestone, eleven dum-

slate, three alabaster,

limestone vases.

Slightly later in date are

2101 B. At

2101

shaft

Contents 2 1 02.

1

1

B and

W., both plastered. Chamber :

fragments of about

Bow

:

six

1

m. 60

cent,

by

Contents

:

intact,

still

lot of pottery

and a few bones, one

2101.

diorite bowl,

m. 3o

cent. deep.

(

forms

1

,

Contents of chamber

to

W.

stair.

it.

On

cent.). Stair shaft,

the floor and below the walls a

P C B ). ,

,

:

thirty-four stone bowls

2103. Secondary. Two to

Chamber

one of granite and twenty-three others.

and the robbers' way forced round

in place

from E.

part of an alabaster table.

(lint flake,

skull

Stair

stone bowls.

of small mastabas to the E. of no.

one

main tomb.

2103. Large mastaba with brick walls and gravel fdling (bricks o m. ik portcullis

but the arch

metre.

1

Mastaba of bright yellow brick, built over chamber, not over

K.

tomb with arched chamber.

built to lean against the

B. Mastaba of black brick. Shaft, rather than stair, about 2

Contents

shaft

from above. Only fragments of vases found.

in

to

main mastaba. A

were plastered. The blocking of the door was found

C. Just to south of no. 2

Chamber

:

the south-east corner of the

The chamber and was broken

two tombs

and four

intrusive burials of poor quality,

cylindrical alabaster vases.

one

in a couple of pots placed

mouth

mouth, the other covered by a brick arch. 2104. A row of small mastabas between 2

I

04

b.

nos.

Shaft lined with light coloured brick.

2io3 and 2io5.

Chamber on W.

side. In

it

some human bones,

four stone bowls, three cylindrical alabaster vases, part of a table of limestone, a shell and potsherds.

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. 2104g'. Part of the mastaba remained. A the 2 m. 20 cent, deep shaft to a small

of rounded shape

wide and only o m. 8o cent. high. The mouth of the bricks (bricks o

in. 2

body

Inside the

knees were close

and

5 cent,

om.

to the chin

The south

i

m. 4o

cent, long

by

metre

l

cave was closed by a dry wall of

l

i/a

head N. and face E.

:

the

long).

the right hand lay upon the cheek. Over the body lay a consider-

:

one

;

tie

of twisted cloth lay across the body.

row E. of the body.

pieces of stone were in a

headrest with two

ali cent.

little

lay undisturbed in a sharply contracted position,

able quantity of carbonised linen

A few

rough steps descends on the E. side of

stair of four

chamber

19

N. of the

head were the remains of a wooden

pillars.

side of the

chamber

is

broken into by the next tomb (A), which

is

therefore later

than (g).

2104 h. A The blocking containing a

very small mastaba which had to be removed bodily in order to reach the shaft.

When

of the door was intact.

little clay,

behind

was removed there appeared,

it

head N. face

to the south a body,

it

Behind

carbonised cloth above

it.

taining organic matter.

Over the body

E.

,

sharply contracted

was a cylindrical alabaster vase, o m.

this

two reeds crossed, and two more

lay

a large pot

first,

i

,

with

5 cent, high, con-

lay

behind the back.

These were parts of musical instruments.

There was cent,

x

43

o m.

poor

also a

cent.) externally.

o m. 10 cent.) with

The body

coffin of the II

lid

nd

Above

Dynasty type in the tomb (o m. 70 cent, it

stood a box

(

ca.

o m.

27

xom,

cent,

screws and apparently daubed with

portcullis

A

XVI).

below

large

fat lay

tomb with

cent,

x

in dust,

in tiny cork-

near the head.

stair

on the east side underneath the mastaba walls,

chamber

in place; the burial

still

a4

head N. face E. The wrappings were

in the coffin lay very sharply contracted,

(pi.

m. 46

of wood, painted red; both box and coffin partly eaten by white ants.

but the limbs appear to have been bandaged separately. A mass of hair twisted

2105

x

a large square pit once roofed with timber

baulks.

The

gravel filling was cleared from

the southern half and underneath

all

the ancient floor, was found the singular granary of plate XVI,

baked from

mud

jars, twenty-eight in all.

this to the S.-E.

corner of the

pers outside and a concave

no

inscription.

A

tiny bricked passage along

The unbaked

pit.

lid inside.

1, consisting

.

in a trench cut in

of two rows of un-

which a cat might creep, led

pots in the trench had cone-shaped stop-

There was an oblong impressed stamp on each vase, but

Search was made for seeds, without success, but the lowest third of each vase

contained a very light organic powder, somewhat of the appearance of coffee grounds.

Save for the egg-shaped pots shown fragments of three bowls,

shown

in plate

XVI,

slate, breccia

W.

1

m. 4o

Contents flint

knife o

:

cent,

XVI,

2

,

the contents of the pit were scanty, viz.

and alabaster and the small

objects of ivory

and

:

flint

4.

2110. Mastaba. The superstructure to

in plate

x

m. 70

cent,

ca.

x

1

1

m. 4o

m. 4o

cent. high. Shaft 2

m. 5o

cent. deep.

Chamber

cent.

two copper ewers and basins, a third basin, a few fragments of very thin metal, a

m. 21

cent, long, five alabaster tables,

two bowls, fragments of

diorite.

;

.

;

;

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

20

Sill. Mastaha with plastered

shaft

and a small chamber lined with an arched roof

also plas-

tered.

Contents 3

1

I

2.

fragments of stone howls and two alabaster tables.

:

and

N.

S.

Two

mastabas standing about

in.

i

5o

chip. N. shaft with narrow, useless steps at the top; three

cent. high. Filling of yellow limestone

chambers

to N., S.

and W. Top of

stair

under the north wall of tomb. Contents

three small bronze bowls (largest o m.

:

alabaster plates, alabaster bowl with spout

o3

mended

cent.),

mirror (o m. 07 cent.), two large

in antiquity,

fragments of other alabaster

bowls and cylindrical vases, small diorite bowl, and a dumbbell shaped bead of stone. 2\ \h.

Two

N. Stairway.

Contents

:

stairs in this

Chamber

mastaba descend

to N.

and

"

in.

V

1

S. i|."i

m. 90

stairshaft 2

limestone

ol

cent,

small vases

^

4V (

x

o m. 80 cent,

x

m. 90

2

)

''

•

S.

cent.

cylindrical vases with red painted edges,

and a few beads of green glaze, these

cent. high. It contained

bowl

Two

2.

The

m. 20

dummies, two limestone

five

drical alabasters, incomplete,

21 \k.

1

one N. one

in opposite directions

chamber

cent, deep, with

1

last

two cylin-

perhaps intrusives.

m. 70

cent,

x

1

i5 cent.

hi.

:

diameter

of the

m.

117 cent.,

and another incomplete;

same stone, of a wellknown

II

nd

Dynasty type, made

in

two pieces o m. o3 cent, and o m. o5 cent, in diameter; 3.

The upper

same type, o m. 10

half of an alabaster bowl of the

ring top of a black

A

shallow copper bowl, diameter o m. i5 cent.;

5.

A

ferrule of copper

6.

A

diorite

7.

A

small diorite bowl with spout,

8.

Fragments of an ostrich egg;

9.

A

bowl fP, diameter o m.

shell with stains of

An

and the

and white marble;

h.

10.

cent, in diameter,

1

5 cent.

m. oh

cent.;

green paint;

ivory spoon in very bad condition, a gold

foil

bracelet, consisting of a strip of metal

bent round, but the ends not joined; 1 1.

A

similar bronze bracelet;

i

2.

Three barrel shaped beads of green glaze

1

3.

The

The

tip of

exact form does not exist in our fount of type

" Rather pi. XXI, together.

an ivory pin.

:

pi.

XXI, 4 th column, second from top, gives the shape

5" column, a" vase from bottom. These two forms, possibly an

oilflask

and

a

lamp are

belter.

often found

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. 2115. Stairway descends from N.

60

cent.)

21

then becomes a shaft (total depth h m.

in nine little steps,

from which opens a small chamber very irregular

in

shape, with hard boulders pro-

jecting from the walls.

Contents

:

copper ewer and basin and a very large number of stone vessels,

viz.

baster tables, ten good alabaster bowls, one of diorite, one of serpentine, one of slate,

two ala-

:

many good

alabaster fragments, one of a spouted bowl, five cylindrical alabasters and about forty

limestone vases. Types similar to the

2116. A

less flat types of plate

shaft really, but in plan an irregular oblong like the staircases.

21 16. N. Close

to the south niche of no.

one arm and both legs sharply doubled up. buried in the contracted position.

9101. Chamber It

to N. In

had been disturbed

lay with

It

its

head

it

Chamber

much

to the west.

a body lying on

back,

its

but was certainly

in antiquity,

east against the north wall.

pings were very rotten, but there was a clear space of as

dummy

XXI.

The wrap-

as 2 centimetres in places

between

the bones and the layers of cloth.

Contents

one alabaster bowl

:

This tomb

side the

A

It lies

Two

cent. deep.

2116 and

N. of no.

steatite

E. of no.

small chambers, one to S.

two fragments of an alabaster bowl; a third, which

:

tomb sometime

few

cylindrical vase.

not shown on the plan.

is

2118. Shaft 3 m. 20 Contents

one

,

,

fits

2101.

one to W. with these, was found out-

before.

beads and one lotus flower bead, belonging to a different period, probably came

from an intrusive burial above.

2119.

Two

Contents

018

mill.),

:

tombs. (1) Small mastaba with arched chamber to S. Shaft well plastered.

ivory pin (o m.

Head

o m.

3o

cent.),

two alabaster ring tops of vases, blue

slate disc

(o m.

perhaps base of a vase, some alabaster fragments.

(2) Intrusive burial at stair.

08

to the E.

full

length, in a brick lined grave which cut through the mastaba

The grave was

roofed with palm logs, one of which remains in place. Bricks

cent. long.

2120. Chamber

to S., small

and irregular

in shape,

but evidently intended for a contracted

burial.

Contents

:

fragments of one marble vase and one alabaster spouted bowl.

2121. Staired Contents

:

shaft well plastered.

ten cylindrical

dummy

2122. Small irregular chamber 2125. Barrel vault

N. to S.,

vases of limestone.

to

W.

one brick

in thickness.

arch spring o m. 96 cent., length of span

were

filled

1

m.

1

with potsherds. Bricks laid on edge.

spring of vault,

is

m. 65

cent,

wide and

is

Width

2 cent.

of span o

m. 92

cent. Height

The widening

joints

on convex surface

The doorway, which

carries

from

two thirds of E.

covered by a single limestone slab as architrave.

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

ii

A verv small tomb, the chamber roofed by a barrel vault in perfect condition, similar that of no. aiaa. Shaft o m. go cent, square, vault l m. 3o cent, long (pi. XXXII, i). 2

to

1

"26.

2131. Mastaba of yellow Contents

Skew

brick.

shaft cutting into an earlier mastaba.

two-pillared head-rest in very bad condition

:

Chamber

to S.

and one alabaster bowl, stained red

inside.

2132. Mastaba of yellow Contents

many

one

:

Chamber

brick.

cuts into no. 21 64.

two bowls, one

fine alabaster table,

cylindrical, five short

dummy

vases and

fragments.

2136. Three small, poor mastabas. One contained copper ewer and basin, porphyry bowl, small alabaster bowl

no chamber at

,

and two

a plate

two

:

found close by

A.

Contents

to S.,

the third

bowls, plate, fragments of breccia, coarse pots (form K)

shaft.

to S.; blank.

Short wide

stair,

lined with white plaster.

two alabaster bowls, one

:

,

both well plastered.

slate, three alabaster

2143. Chamber

2143

to the S.

all.

2137. Shaft and chamber Contents

Two had chambers

cylindrical vases.

Chamber

to N.

one dish of red and white breccia, fragments

flat dish,

dummy

of other bowls of alabaster, breccia and bluish marble, a

limestone jar and a coarse

pot (form K) found in the debris.

2145. An abnormal plan. Shaft near N.-E. corner

to

W.

another chamber to

:

2146. A square shaft opening

E.

Contents

Steep :

two

that was left in

Body

chamber

The

stela

shown

in plates

cent, deep, descending

at S. end, contracted, to S.

XXVI-XXVII was found Chambers

of another

from N. in nine

in the rubbish.

to S.

and N. In N.

steps. Portcullis in situ.

head W.

with another opening from

it

to E.,

but the latter

is

probably

tomb which has broken through.

wooden spoon, fragment

cent, long) at the time not

flower.

lintel.

skull.

of bronze, fragments of fine bowls,

limestone vases, two long blue beads, one faience

06

it.

brick. Lining of shaft of black brick.

m. 20

2155. Shaft. Chamber

:

metre by o m. 80 cent.) chamber. Half a bowl

limestone vases, fragments of alabaster bowls, and three cylindrical

2 152. Stairway 3

Contents

Probably not of the early period.

dummy

chamber a few bones and a

the burial

pillar

metres deep. Small chamber to N. with stone

2149. Mastaba of yellow

to S.

all

chamber which contains square

stair, 2

beads, one steatite, two of glaze.

Chamber

S. of this.

into a small (1

of diorite and a disturbed skeleton were

2146

leads to a square

disc.

Bead and

thirteen

dummy

finally a slate lotus petal

understood but plainly a fragment from a cup in form of

(o m. a lotus

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. 2158. Yellow brick mastaba. Chamber 2 101. Plaster lined steep

2162. Chamber skull

to S.

The stair

has but asinglestep,

and three sherds from three

Contents

metre by o

chamber

cent.

to west.

almost ashaft. In the chamber a broken

to S.

Ox

col.

A, no. 3 and seven

dummy

vases.

skull in rubbish above.

two alabaster bowls, broken, but complete; had been mended

:

90

in.

to S.

2166. Yellow brick mastaba. Chamber Contents

is

i

different stone bowls.

two alabaster bowls type of plate XXI,

:

arched,

3 metres deep witb small

stair,

2165. Stairway. Chamber

to S., brick

23

in ancient

times

with some dark-coloured adhesive.

2166

E.

2167

N. Brick stairway.

Contents

Black brick mastaba.

Chamber

Chamber

to S. Six

dummy

vases.

to S.

limestone cylinder, 0111.12 cent, by o m. 3 1/2 cent, marked with 4- on the end,

:

a few fragments of an alabaster table and of porphyry and diorite bowls.

2168. Shaft,

1

metre deep, lined yellow

human heads, fragments of two from a New Empire intrusive burial.

canopies with clearly

2169. Bricklined and plastered

shaft.

Chambers

plaster.

to E.

and W.

others, planks from a coffin

Chamber

to S.

,

In E.

chamber, two

and a

pot. All these

of the usual dimensions (1 metre by

m. 80 cent.) but quite empty.

2170. Mastaba

built against N. wall of ho. 2 102.

Chamber

to E.

Body

in S.-VV. corner,

con-

tracted.

Contents

:

part of a panel from a

II"

a

Dynasty

coflin lay

over body; there were a few

dummy

limestone vases.

2171. Main tomb

(pi.

XV).

Large mastaba with brick stairway and underground chambers (plan on plate XXX). In the underground chambers were found over

100 stone bowls of

limestone and alabaster of various shades. Pottery forms A, C, lettered are

shown

In the shaft,

in plate

K

also a seal of

Just outside the portcullis were fragments of a large vase, form

On 80

the stair

some fragments

were pots of the form shown

cent, in height.

and L. Pottery forms thus

XXXIX.

between the blocking stones, one copper hatchet,

three small alabaster vases,

diorite, slate, breccia,

Some had

Netermu.

D, and of an alabaster bowl,

of copper. in the figure 2

scratched marks on them.

on page 17, o m. 75

cent, to o

m.

They contained blackened organic

matter.

The

pottery found in the gravel filling was of the forms C, D,

H

(red and black),

I

(black

wall.

i3 m.

topped), with coarse cylindrical types as shown in plate XV.

The 90

line of pots

cent,

from

under the gravel was 3 m. 80

inside N. wall (pi.

XV,

2).

cent, long;

it

starts

from the

W.

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

24 a metres

If.

of this line was a large heap of pots, form D.

Five secondary hurials were found in the 1.

Wooden

filling.

Greek period, well made, plastered and painted.

coffin,

the

W. Inside a cartonnage mask with green wig and gilt face and inscription in relief with Narrow, regularly spaced handages on fU U name painted later in hlue. apparently

the

mommy.

Face

.

2.

Wooden

3.

Oval red pottery

h.

Burial without coffin.

5.

Stone

high up.

coffin of

poor

state.

Mummiform. Head W.

coffin of a child.

Head W.

Greek period, near the Old Kingdom

mummy,

hollowed out to the shape of a

It is

ever, at the

coffin in

head than at the

m. 7 5

feet (o

pots. It

but externally

m. 5o

cent, to

is

visible in plate VI, left side, is flat

sided, broader,

how-

cent.).

2172. Group of small tombs near the northern niche of no. 2171.

2172 1

Small mastaba. Shaft with one step only at the top, 3 m. &o cent. deep. Chamber

A.

m. 80 cent. N. and Contents

2172

S. irregular in shape.

a few fragments of stone bowls.

:

chamber

Shaft 2 metres deep. In a

B.

They had been

trunks remained in their original position. of the planks of which remained

The

it

was

m. 01

1

cent.

on three

much

disturbed for

2172

C.

Same

shaft deeper

"J

I

to N.

72

E.

was

Oblong

still

:

five

II

(pi.

Three bodies were was

in contracted

A

third

08

coffin, parts

the length of the box could be safely

body lay with head

to

cloth.

W.

in contracted position,

be observed. In the shaft were parts of three

detail to

cent. high.

down. Chamber

dummy

wooden

to N. (1

m. 3o

cent. N.

and

S., o

m. 75

cent.

vases.

The chamber

blocked with a wall of dry bricks (o m. 22 cent. long). The shaft had been appa-

Dynasty type

third

:

laid in a short

shaft with single step. In the shaft, part of a limestone table.

rently plastered after the nd

sides of the four

more

Hat stone dishes and a granite cup o m.

E. and W.). Contents

were two bodies

There were some remains of carbonised

eastern body was that of a child.

but had been too

it

They had been disturbed and one head had been removed, but the

position, heads N., faces E.

measured;

to the S. of

in the

chamber was

XXIX,

closed.

The

coffin lay E.

and W., the decorated

face to N.

2).

inside,

two with head W., face N., sharply contracted. The head of the

N.-W. corner, looking N. The bodies must have been buried at the same time.

There was not room

to

lift

the lid

and introduce another body, unless the

coffin

were dragged

out into the shaft. This was possible, no doubt, but the likelihood that this was a case of suttee

must not be overlooked. There had been no disturbance except by white

2172

G.

was 3 m. 70

The mastaba, cent,

still

in.

85

cent, high,

was

built over

ants.

one half of Ihc

shaft.

deep, had three steps in the E. side, a small chamber below to the

S.

This

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS.

2172

H. Mastaba

still

more than

a metre high.

The

25

shaft

is

but

m. 20 cent, deep and the

1

roof of the chamber, which opened on the south, was strengthened by an arch of brick. Contents

fragments of ten stone vases.

:

2173. Similar group of tombs between Mastaba with large Contents slate palette

2173

A.

seven steps.

stair of

2171 and 2 1 85. 3 m. 80 cent, deep, from nos.

N. to S.

Chamber

at S. end.

and a few bones of a young person, a fragment of a wooden headrest,

a bit of a

with green paint and a few fragments of stone bowls, one with a leaf pattern

in relief.

skull

:

Plastered brick shaft;

chamber

to east

was

still

Two

of o m. 2 5 cent, bricks, bigger than those of shaft.

closed by a wall, one brick thick,

wooden head-rest

uprights, from a

were found outside the chamber. coffin of II nd

chamber was a small

In the just large

enough

hold

to

(pi.

XXIX,

1).

The chamber was

only

were the bones of an adult and a baby. The adult burial was

Inside

it.

Dynasty type

sharply contracted with hands over the face; head N. face E. Disease was noticed in one femur.

There was a large quantity of

2173

linen,

eaten by ants. Traces of a mat.

D. Shallow shaft, bricklined and plastered yellow.

yellow bricks (o m. 27 cent,

x

The chamber was arched.

It

ants.

much

The body was on

its

o m. 16 cent,

x

had contained a

back and

left side

08

o m. coffin

,

Chamber

to N.

was

still

blocked by

1/2 cent.).

but everything had been eaten by white

with head N. and face E., sharply contracted.

The

bones were those of an aged person.

2175. Mastaba of black brick, with

chamber on the W. on

also

had

was a

their sides. Inside

N., face E., it

side

hands over

its

II

face.

nd

A

cent, deep,

below the southern niche. The

blocking intact, built of o m. 2 3 cent, bricks, laid as headers

Dynasty wooden

coffin with the

body

in the usual position,

still

1

m. 20

head

and masses of

large piece of fine linen lay loosely over the body

were behind the head and below the

2176. Mastaba standing

m. 35

shaft 3

feet.

cent. high. Stair

from E. Chamber

to

W.

of the usual

dimensions for a contracted burial.

2177. Burial

x

(o m. 3i cent,

metre

1

XVIII

and

th

in

round-ended pottery m. i5

to S.-E.,

cent.

xom.

on the same

level,

coffin

(New Empire?). Head W. covered with

bricks

i4 cent.) forming pointed roof above. but not connected with

this

Dynasty type, built round with bricks (o m. 28 cent, long) and

was a two handled vase, filled

with charred bones

twigs.

2178. Small mastaba. Chamber high. Contents

:

to south,

m. 60

cent,

by

1

m. 20

N. Shaft plastered.

2178

A.

Chamber

to

and o m. 80 cent

W., small, empty.

Intrusive burial cutting into the mastaba. Very poor painted

2179. Black brick mastaba. Chamber :

cent,

two bowls of alabaster and chips from a table of the same material.

2178

Contents

1

to

W.

wooden

coffin.

Shaft plastered yellow.

alabaster bowl with spout, two small vases of alabaster and one of marble.

Excavations at Saqqara, 1913-191/1.

&

M

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914. 2180. Steep In

W. chamber, bones and

In S. chamber:

from

Chambers

stair.

wooden panel (o m. a5 and round

cylindrical carnelian beads

2183.

cent,

Lump

x

o m. 10 cent.) and other fragments, perhaps

of bronze and two fragments of bronze bracelet,

felspar beads,

one large alabaster bowl complete and frag-

five others.

from N., 3 m. ao

Stair

high ). Large chamber to

Contents

:

S.

cent. deep.

with recess to

Large portcullis found

I

rt

dummy

The body

plaster.

head W. with a garland of leaves over

lay

Beyond the head was a package a cake of white powder.

The

of linen

mummy

2186. E. of no. 2i85. Chamber

enough

cent,

was of two pieces

fixed

vases.

Dynasty tombs above.)

Ptolemaic coffin was found intact to the S.-E. of no. 21 85. The

on by

m. 90

in place (i

W.

fragments of bronze and alabaster, thirty-three

2185. (See

A

fragments of a wooden coffin, painted red.

perhaps from a wooden box.

coffin,

ments of

and W.

to S.

which

lid

it

and a

fillet

over the head.

dust on being touched and disclosed inside

fell to

was elaborately wrapped.

to N. Portcullis only

metre by

1

m. 65 cent,

—

not large

to block the door.

Contents

scattered

:

and broken bones, a pair of copper tweezers, one

2 1 86 A. Intrusive burial in wooden

coffin

over

S.

dummy limestone

end of no. 2187. Head W.

vase.

Mummy in poor

condition.

2187.

Stair.

Contents

Chamber

skull

:

to S.

and a few bones, copper tweezers and

bit of ring, alabaster table

with foot

repaired in antiquity, five alabaster bowls, cylindrical alabaster vase, shell with trace of green paint, twenty

2187

S.

Stair.

Contents

few

dummy

:

limestone vases.

Chamber

to S., small,

very irregular.

black and white marble table (incomplete), fragments of diorite, alabaster, and a

flint flakes.

2188.

Dynasty tomb already described.

I"

2189. Stairway 6

1/2

metres deep descending from N. Chamber to

S. Portcullis 2 1/2

metres

high, leaning back from the chamber mouth.

Contents

:

fragments of a narrow necked copper vase,

pink limestone table, eleven fine stone bowls (diorite,

two with raised ridge (not cord) pattern, four st

2190.

I

2191.

Stair descending

Contents

five

bronze tools, chisel and spatula,

slate, alabaster), five cylindrical alabasters,

flint flakes.

Pottery forms G, K, M.

Dynasty tomb already described.

:

from N., chamber

to S.

W. Lot of decayed linen, There was room in the chamber for

very young body, disturbed in ancient times, head S. face

some fragments two contracted

of a coffin, but too small to give the shape.

burials.

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. 2192. Small mastaba of black brick (between 1

m. 20

Contents 1

x

cent,

m. 60

metre by

2193.

Shaft.

and part of

cent,

by

m. 75 cent,

to S.

Fragment

Chamber

2194. Mastaba. (In group between upper

tered yellow in the

Contents

2195.

from N.

nos.

which cannot have exceeded

sides of small coffin,

dimensions.

in

of

and

to S.

to a small

vases,

wood, probably from a small

2171 and 21 85.)

coffin.

from N. Chamber

Stair

to S., plas-

chamber

of irregular shape.

one cylindrical alabaster with cord pattern on neck and a few

alabaster bowls.

Both niches preserved. Vertical shaft

A. Brick mastaba.

chamber

W.

to

part.

dummy

eight

:

chips of diorite

2196

Chamber

Shaft.

a wooden rod o m. 10 cent, long, square in section with hole at one end.

:

Stair descends

Contents

2171 and 91 85).

nos.

o m. 80 cent. Bones disturbed anciently.

lot of linen, floor

:

27

The arch and the upper

part of the walls of the shaft were

is

of the

same period

two copper needles,

bit of

porphyry

position gives evidence that this

m. 60 cent, with arched

1

as the

mastabas with

all

The

plastered.

stair.

.2198. E. of no. 21 85.

Contents

:

mies, only slightly hollowed out in three

flat

two spherical vases of limestone (dum-

N., then turning to

fragments of a thin bowl of beaten copper, two

:

and one good

tish alabaster dishes

W. Chamber

flint flakes,

(2).

Large mastaba on eastern limit of the work. Not dug.

2199

(3).

Small stairway tomb built on

Contents

to no. 2

199,

W. The

port-

fragments of four

flat—

2.

two alabaster tables, one porphyry bowl, one

:

diorite,

one grey marble, eighteen

cylinders of limestone.

2240. Stairway from E. Contents

:

2243. cent,

2

m. 80

Vertical shaft

x

2245.

:

chamber W.

ten stone bowls and

2241. Shaft

m. 90

cent,

flat

cent. deep.

1

m. 7a

x

:

most af alabaster, three pots form S

Chamber

m. 98

to N.

1

m. 5o

Chamber with arched

as in no. 1

1 1

4

S above.

XXXIX).

roof on

W.

side (1

m.

cent.).

from E. Chamber

II

(pi.

cent. long. Blank.

to

W.

2

m. 20

cent,

fine porphyry bowl, alabaster bowl and fragments of others,

some fragments of one of the short Shapes

dishes,

cent. deep.

Stair descends three steps

Contents

m

to

cylindrical alabaster vase.

2199

26

.

place but broken.

Contents

dummy

^)

and one bowl.

alabaster plates

2199. L-shaped stairway descending from cullis in

shell,

the neck, one with lugs), one alabaster vase^, two

nd

Dynasty box

coffins.

x

1

five

m. 80

cent.

dummy

vases,

.

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-19U.

•>

2245.

N. Stair only.

2246. Shallow

5o

x

cent,

had

filled

coffin

had

In

to N.

left

finished.

a box coffin o m.

75

but no particle of wood remained

x

cent, :

o m.

the chamber

a sharp imprint.

(pi.

:

No superstructure

from N. Chamber

Stair

left.

The

to S.

portcullis stood in

tomb had been robbed. two limestone

alabaster vase, cylindrical alabaster, three pottery saucers,

trays,

XXXIX).

2255. Small mastaba of yellow

brick.

2259. Black brick mastaba. Shaft Contents

:

2

m.

1

three cylindrical vases

Rough

cent. deep.

O. large cylindrical alabaster vase.

Chamber

to S.

Chamber to W. Contents an alabaster ornamented with comma-marks in black paint.

2259. W. Shaft, not a

S.

o cent. deep.

fragments ot ivory bracelets, alabaster bowls

2259. E. Small mastaba. Shaft 3 m. 10 stair.

stairway.

2260. Mastaba. Shaft 1

was never

it

with gravel wbich had consolidated into a kind of cement and in this the side of the

Contents

2259.

but

had been

it

cent., of panelled design,

m. 5o

place, but tbe

form S

sides are plastered,

Chamber

shaft.

Mastaba.

22'i7.

The

:

Chamber m. 60

2

dish, a diorite

bowl and

W.

to

cent. deep.

Chamber

W.,

to

1

m. 3o

cent,

x

1

metre

x

metre.

Contents

:

skeleton in the usual sharply contracted position with head N. and face E.

baster table, nearly complete, was the only object found with

2261.

Stair

from E. Chamber

to

W.

It

measures

1

m. 60

An

ala-

it.

cent,

by

1

metre and

1

m. 10

cent,

in height.

Contents (lint flake

2262.

One

:

fragments of a bowl and a

Shaft.

Chamber

coarse pot (form

Contents it

was

dish of alabaster; a small sharpedged bowl

and

a

of the regular oblong 0. K. type.

2263. L-shaped

but

flat

:

M)

shaft.

body head

to S.

Body

head N., face

lay

E.

to south.

Chamber

S. face

W.

to ,

W.

rather larger than usual.

lying on

its left side.

The

linen wrappings were very rotten,

was clearly to be seen that the limbs were wrapped separately and that the whole body

tied

up

into a bundle with twisted wisps of linen.

As in other cases in

this

cemetery, the

bones of the arm lay loose in a hollow cylinder of linen.

A

vase of black and white marble was the only object of funerary furniture remaining.

2264. Contents

:

diorite table the foot of

mixed with quartz chip; with

it

two marble vases

2266. Mastaba of black brick; nearly

60

cent. deep).

Chamber

to S.

which had been mended

all

in antiquity with

mud

^)

tbe space between the walls

filled

by the

stair

(2 m.

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. Contents

29

top of alabaster table, stone bowls, one slate, one diorite, one porphyrv, small

:

alabaster, thirty-eight

dummy

vases,

some painted with red bands,

lastly a

few cylindrical beads

of glaze.

W. side. Contained sherd made of good red pottery.

2267. Shaft with chamber edge

1

and round bottom

2301. Stairway end,

ca.

m. 5o

i

deep bowl,

i

,

to

m. 8o

of ten steps, 3

and

cent, square

cent, deep, leading to a small

little

shown on the plan the smooth mud

at the west

filling,

bones.

resting on a bed of gravel. As

facing of the mastaba core has been enlarged

outer face of the south, east and west

Two

mud

round, thus forming inner and outer niches.

all

human

well preserved iinen and a few

2302. Mastaba of\Ruabu)( P I. XVII). This is a very large-brick mastaba with black

brick wall

chamber

metre high. In the chamber were two Hat dishes and one

i

of alabaet^NAvith a

all

of IV th Dynasty milk bowl with sbarp

Some

sides.

mud and

entrances were pierced by robbers through the layer of

When

they got

down

to the

main passage, the robbers found

burrowed round them and

stone, but

mud

plastering remained on the

the shafts as they

descended were buttressed up by rough walls made froni broken up roofing blocks i).

by a

also

round the big

it

XVII,

(pi.

blocked by large slabs of

portcullis.

This tomb contains the largest set of underground chambers

(pi.

XXX)

as yet excavated

,

here. Outside the portcullis to the north are four rooms, to the east, one. Inside, the long pass-

age runs southwards

from

in height to o

m. 5o

i

(pi.

m. Ao

cent,

XXX),

cent, to

with chambers opening on either side. These chambers vary i

wide and door

m. 8o sills

cent.

o m.

Most have

26

pilaster

cent, to

door jambs

m. 3o

Some

cent. high.

pletely plastered, in others plaster only remains in the pittings of the stone while

never to have been plastered It

was

chamber

first is

observed in

to the

at

this

45

cent,

are

com-

o m.

ca.

some appear

all.

tomb and confirmed by

all

subsequently found that the burial

S.-W. and that on the S.-E. there are chambers not directly accessible from

the passage, and suggesting arrangements for privacy taken from the design of a private house.

These are marked on the plan latter certainly a latrine (pi.

In this tomb,

chamber

H

H

and L; the former being probably

XXXI, is

for water jars,

and the

3).

divided, has plastered walls

and two projecting

pilasters,

one

in

the north, one in the south wall; these are connected by a low ridge in the floor, dividing the

room

into

two and giving the E. half the appearance of a

a circular, funnel-shaped depression, o m. i5 cent, deep and about top, possibly for resting a jar.

The

pilasters are cut

away

towards the

recess. In it,

m. 26

cent,

end,

S.

is

wide at the

at the top, as if to afford supports

for beams. at the

In the latrine, the seat

is

The

fairly

burial

chamber

is

extreme E. end of the chamber, facing south.

square, 2 m. 5o cent, high, with a pit

1

m. 10

the floor, which projects under the S. wall, thus forming a sort of cupboard. plastered.

chamber.

There

is

a step

down

half

cent,

The

deep in

walls

way through the entrance. A few bones were found

were

in this

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

30

Over the door to the nnn nnnss. ink

first

mm

in

room were

Inside the

of green slate was

W.

to

inside the first portcullis

complete.

fairly

It

and some fragments of others had an

tomb

Netermu of the

to

iiEJi ] c

II

nd

Dynasty.

It

reads

:

another not reproduced in the plates, could be distinguished

i

i

-f \

-* and there were two other fragmentary

^^

another the sign

T

polished) and

1

inscriptions in ink,

one on a potsherd

j#X

(J

(3

(3

on the base of an alabaster bowl. Of pottery the forms A, C, L (pebble

of plate

XXXIX were found

with some late fragments and an Arab glaze lamp

by a predecessor.

2303. This group of small tombs

2304. A small

2304

C.

A

chamber was

libation tank

shaft brick-lined

still

and stretchers

ers

One

inscription (pi.

3rrr

1

rrr

left

inscription

large quantities of stone bowls, mostly in fragmentary condition.

clay seal (pi. XVII, 3) dates this

On

was the following

in hieroglyphs.

XVII. 4)

A

room

east of no. 2

remained

3o2 proved

in place in the niche.

and mud-plastered (bricks o m.

a complete blank (pi. XVII, 2).

A

possible serdab behind.

The entrance

2 5 cent.).

to the

closed by a brick wall laid with sand but without mortar, the courses of head-

on their

alternately, all bricks laid

collin (?) filling the small

sides. Inside

arched and red painted room, but

it

there had been a short box

was

utterly eaten

up by the

white ant.

2305. A mastaba of somewhat irregular shape and with underground chambers and tank-like magazines hidden in the top of the portcullis.

and

filling.

There were three

The chambers

lie to

tables of stone of the regular forms

There were

also

and

S.

W. From

limit of the

shaft b parts of

some c

— dummy

to

the

thirty bowls

a clay seal of

New Empire.

work, a bricklined arched burial about

The body was not found.

others of a very late period,

most northerly 4 metres deep

were obtained, and from shaft

two intrusive burials of the

2306. On the western lying N.

the

shafts, the

In the

filling

1

111.

20

cent, deep,

was a mixture of O. K. objects with

vases of limestone, sherds of alabaster and of red and

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. white breccia vases,

all

31

of 0. K. (pi. XVII, 2), while a bronze Ta-urt amulet and bowl are of

N. E. and possibly Ptolemaic date respectively.

2307. M. Large mastaba had contained

a

:

1

.

filling

mud were

of black

had been duly robbed. A

stores,

of the magazines and then a

Contents

XVIII), with magazines in

(pi.

(plan on plate XXX). In the

shaft

eight brick-lined trenches,

had been dug through the

way broken through from one

Only fragments of egg-shaped

3.

Two

h.

Empty.

5.

Floor of brick halfway down; below

6.

Brick floor half way

7.

Brick floor o m. 5o cent, from top; red dust from decayed

wooden

mud

of which into

one

pots.

Empty. Divided by wall of rough stone

slabs.

group of

it

all

to another.

2.

division walls. At E. end, small

and underground chambers

filling

pots.

mud.

down covered with mud

plaster.

Red dust

of

wood below

bricks.

wood above, presumably from

roof.

Similar to preceding. Black ash below brick.

8.

Contents of underground chambers

green

slate,

slate,

many

stone bowls, granite, breccia, pink limestone, dark

magnesite, mostly in fragmentary condition.

The arrangement XXXI), but with

:

chamber and

of the burial

latrines

was similar

to that in no.

a3o2

(pi.

single access.

New Empire

In the N. wall was a

grave under a brick vault, 2 m. 20 cent,

x

h metres. At the

N. end of this were three burials.

The

bodies lay head

( 1 )

The northernmost was

(2

Was

)

W. in a

tied with four

rope

ties, in

a coffin of rough wood; once painted white. Inside

(3) Part only of a

At the W. end, a

S.

it

very bad condition.

were two bodies of children.

coffin.

fine

round basket with

complete and a small pot of XIX

Facing

mat

th

lid

containing a small inlaid cabinet with fastenings

Dynasty form.

niche of the mastaba was another intrusive burial in a late coffin,

mummiform,

black, with figure and text, but no name.

2309. Mastaba with underground chambers. Contents

and

A

:

sixty-five

good

set of stone vases,

dummy

cylindrical six ,

about twenty in number, of diorite, magnesite, alabaster flint flakes

and knife (o m. 10

N. E. intrusive burial in the filling at the N. end.

with rounded

lid.

Inside the coffin

small longnecked vases.

was a kohl tube

Body

in the

cent.).

lay with

head W.

in a

wooden

coffin

shape of a palmleaf column, also two

1

U

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914. 2311. Four

shafts.

(A) Blind. (B) Full of stone chips among which one complete alahaster vase was found. Ghamher In

it II

nd

Dynasty panelled

Contents of shaft

:

to

W.

hroken.

collin.

copper basin, copper double spouted vase (hroken, and

in

had condition),

two diorite howls, an alahaster table, three or four cylindrical vases, one alahaster bowl mended in antiquity with reddish adhesive.

The

was of the type of plate XXIX,

collin

two pillared, and a great deal of

and masses of folded linen, shoulders and hips.

linen.

The body

like sheets, lay

and well made;

head N.

lay

inside

cent. wide.

Two

were used, one very

the bandages and the large rolls were

elaborate

much

were counted. One

separately; eight thicknesses

the tips of lingers

There was a pad between the knees.

qualities of linen

wooden headrest,

The bandaging was

face E.

and

fine

—

coarser.

The

toes to the top of the limb.

and toes were not separated. The abdomen was bandaged with a

fingers

a

it

below the head, before the face and over the head,

The limbs were bandaged

continuous bandage was taken from

i i

1,

as in the

strip of linen, o

pad before the

face

—

m.

while

There was a twisted, rope-like bandage

over the scapula, a knotted, twisted, tapelike bandage over the mid line of the upper dorsal region and at least fourteen layers of bandages over the chest.

5o of

cent, long it

was

No

and o m. 65

m. 3o

i

flesh

cent,

wide

:

The

large rolls were about h

one piece was joined and fringed on one

m.

side; the widtli

cent.

remained; the bones were quite clean, the pelvis was hopelessly broken; the bones

were generally slender; the sacrum broad.

231 1 D. Blind

some

a shell of diorite,

23 1 2312.

Was

E.

shaft. In the filling

pieces of ivory

a shaft without a

Intrusive. Late

mummy

small fragments of hones of a calf, bits of stone bowls part of

from inlay of a box and two of the common egg-shaped

chamber but contained numerous fragments in grave cut through the wall of mastaba.

pots.

of stone bowls.

Head W.

Gilt face,

blue wig.

2312 3 m.

8o

A. Mastaba. Bather large stair descending in five steps from E.

:

dummy

2313

(pi.

two marble vases, one with spout, two alabaster bowls, fragments of pottery,

six-

vases of limestone.

XIX). Mastaba with very thick outer walls, the

turns to E. and S., shaft stone lined, portcullis to

to N. Shaft

cent. deep.

Contents teen

Chamber

admit a boy. In the

filling

still

in place

stair

descending from N. with two

but broken away at the side enough

of the mastaba, on the ground, was a layer of

mud mixed

with

pottery.

An

intrusive burial (pi.

used in the

new

XIX,

i

and k) was

construction were o

m. 3i

inside the building against the E. wall.

cent, long, those of the

The

mastaba only o m.

bricks

2 5 cent.

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. The

which

A

W. The body was

with feet E. and head

coffin lay

six cross ties

3.1

covered with carbonised linen

among

each an inch hroad, and a ring of linen for a pillow, could he distinguished.

Ptolemaic coin was found above the

collin.

In the underground chambers was a good set of stones vases (46) including a line one of alabaster with cord

ornament

m. 70

in relief, this o

cent, high, also a large

and seventy of the large

types, ninety of the smaller one

I

st

a black ash and in this in one jar was a fish bone. These

square, square and one stroke,

-j-,

h

number

of pots of two

Dynasty type. Most of these contained

marks, a

jars often bore simple

tall

broad arrow, -but these marks were never found on

^, the

the smaller vases.

231/l B. Mastaba with shaft 3 metres deep in which was a single step,

metre down. There

1

was a small chamber below on the W.

2314 C. Similar (pi. xxxix).

one step and chamber

shaft with

2314 D. Mastaba

with stair shaft and chamber on

W.

to

W.

side,

In

1

it

one coarse pot of tvpe k

m. 20

cent,

x

o

m. 60

cent,

x

o m. 70 cent. high.

2314

E.

Mastaba with

stair shaft

2314

F.

Mastaba with

stair shaft

alabaster bowl

and one

and chamber below

(two steps) Chamber

was

bottom of the

in place at the

W.

to

of two stone bowls.

contained fragments of a deep

stair.

high (type C) and one (type

I), also

with

1/2 metres,

filling

The

of limestone chip.

Seven underground chambers.

In the filling were two groups of pots, five of unbaked

ground chambers a

W. Fragments

flint flake.

2315. A large mastaba, nearly 16 metres by 6 portcullis

to

mud

(type P) four more, o m. 5o cent,

an alabaster bowl with mark in ink, "^^ T; in the under-

fine set of thirty-five stone

bowls of alabaster of varied

tints,

of marble and

of slate.

2316. Small mastaba N. of

o3

2307. Near

it

was found a blue glaze

ball

(diam. o m.

x

m.

1/2 cent.).

Contents

two

38

no.

flints

bone needle, bronze needle, oblong

:

«=", small bronze cup, green stone

slate palette

(o m. 16 cent,

1

1

cent.),

m.

cylindrical bead, alabaster table (diam.

cent.) with fragments of another, a chip of galena, fragments of clay sealings, eighteen

dummy

vases.

2317. Mastaba with Contents

stair

descending from N. and chamber to S.

fragments of an alabaster table and one bowl.

:

2318. Mastaba with three

shafts.

That

on the W. and contained fragments of

to the S.

diorite

was blank: the middle one led

and alabaster bowls and four teeth of a

northern one only a few fragments of pottery, types K,

2319. Three small mastabas against N. wall deep, square at the top, rough and varying in

Chamber Ercavatiom

at

to S. 3

metres

x

Saqqara, 1913-1916.

2

metres

x

2

to a

T

of no. 2 3

size

m. 10

1

(pi.

5.

chamber calf

:

the

XXXIX).

The

shaft of

one was about 9 metres

with every accidental break in the stone. cent. high. •>

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

31

2322

XX,

(pi.

figs.

Large mastaba, nearly 2 i

Underground chambers on

i-k).

XXX.

plate

metres long. Stairway descending from N. on the west side

i

(pi.

XX,

Six tanks in the filling occupy most of the east side.

).

Contents of the tanks, taken from N. to S.

XX,

A. In the photograph of plate the

mud

covering in place. Beneath

one of these containing ashes, the rest with

fat,

it

i, this

seen in the foreground with most of

is

were one hundred and seven

mud;

seventy

chamber

tall jars

egg-shaped vases, one

also nineteen small

mud. The jars had once been covered with

clay seals

— %^ M deciphered >**-* ^^ © fl 1 1 111111111

one of them, the

this inscription

jars bore

tall

could be

of the type

A

,

thirty-

filled

and on what was

^m

•! "^k

on the shoulder one of some twenty-three simple marks

||,

these

|||,

left

of

thirteen of

*t

lL®*

with

marks

crossed by one horizontal, ix, ix,xi, xl, a square with and without a horizontal line above, a

double square, a pyramid with cross lines on the top. All the marks were B. Empty, except in the S.-E. corner, where upright, most of

them badly crushed.

About seventy-six egg-shaped

C.

sand and three

flat shells.

All but

jars. In

made

before baking.

some twenty-seven long jars were stacked, nearly

one bore one of the marks described above. the S.-W. corner lay a long jar containing a

Below the jars was a bed of mud and under

this the

little

remains of matting

which covered a layer of grain o m. 08 cent, deep, resting on bare rock. AH the jars contained

mud. Not one bore a

potter's

mark.

D. Bemains of three rows of egg-shaped jars triple layer of

mud, matting and

E. Eight clay

in

:

would appear

it

tall

all

two

remained

— mud,

flat

these 'tanks'

XX,

in five a trace of fat (?).

mud and

resting

on the same

of the jars had been broken and dis-

had been deposited

in them.

3), capped with hemi-spherical seals of

The

floor

beneath them was composed

coarse potsherds, matting, potsherds again, stone slabs, and, lowest

an organic powder, presumably the

jars,

some

objects of intrinsic value

in N.-E. corner (pi.

most there was sand,

of six layers, of

jars

all

some

that

containing

grain as in tank C, but in this case there seemed to be no

husks; the grain was pulverised. In

turbed, so

all

one containing berries which our

last

remains of corn. Intruding into these layers were

men

called

pepper but were not identified;

like

most

fine,

pow-

organic remains in this cemetery they were in the last stage of decay. F. contained no pottery, but

over the floor was a layer o m. 20 cent, deep, of

all

dery organic matter. In the shaft was a clay seal with traces of inscription (sign of a scorpion), a flint knife IrtJn

I

and a

m. i5

cent, long,

another seal with three lines of imprint, very faint

third, bearing perhaps the

the ring surrounding the

name

name

nebka,

I

is

000

of a king, though

a cartouche

J

YYY LJ

LJ

:

it is

II

v

by no means certain that

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. 2323 Go

Shaft 3 metres deep with chamher to

C.

W.

a box coffin of thin wood, rather

show here

it

had

cent,

Head north,

fallen to pieces.

hy o

it

8o

in.

face east.

Enough

that, as in all these tomhs, a great quantity of loosely folded cloth

cent, hy o in.

There had heen

linen

remained

had heen employed,

to

Itut

was badly carbonised and decayed.

2325 The and

made and

ill

m. so

(i

cent.) containing another sharply contracted hurial.

35

A.

Intrusive burial E.

and W. cutting

was

their size

m. 3i

different, those of the

side facing east, a slab

XXVIII,

offerings (pi.

Shaft.

A.

Contents

:

had none

cent, long, of the intrusive burial

S.

:

x

S.

3 m.

65

cent. E.

and

VV. In south niche,

on the

from above the tambour showing the deceased seated before the table of 2).

Chamber

to

W.

two steps

of alabaster, of the usual shapes.

all

m. 20 cent,

(1

O

one diorite bowl of

Stair with

B.

Contents

2331

straw, while those of the mastaba

mastaba being o m. 25

and

cent. N.

Thirty-two vases and bowls, nearly

2331

23o7.

cent.

2331. Mastaba 10 m. 65

2331

into the wall of no.

much

bricks that lined the shaft contained

type

x

mended

Chamber

to shaft.

o m.

80

cent.).

—

in antiquity,

to

with mud.

W.

fragment of a marble bowl.

233

Built against S. wall of no.

Shaft with one step. Arched chamber. Part of a

1.

wooden headrest.

2332 N. Mastaba Chamber to W. Contents

:

two alabaster bowls, one limestone

2332. Southern Contents

:

of black brick.

shaft. Stair

Contents

:

stair.

:

diorite

W.

to

bowl, fragments of pottery.

Chamber

to S.

fragments of alabaster plates and of a diorite bowl.

2336. Mastaba with large Contents

from E. Very small chamber

alabaster table, one

2333. N. Mastaba with

U-

stair

(twelve steps to shaft) k m. 75 cent. deep.

alabaster bowl, three small blue and white marble bowls, three

dummy

vases of

limestone.

2336 1

(A).

West of

no.

2336. No superstructure

Stair.

left.

Chamber

to

W.

1

m. 3o

cent,

x

metre.

Contents

:

fragments of a wooden

2337. Large mastaba

E. of no.

coffin,

23 13, not

Underground chambers planned on and

S.

thick,

The

filling of

much

of

it

blue and white marble bowl, alabaster bowl.

plate

all

cleared.

XXX. North

of

them

a long

open trench running N.

the mastaba was of sand above, below this a layer of pottery o m. 60 cent,

unbaked (type B,

pi.

XXXIX), and

still

lower of stone chip. 5.

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

36

Contents

eight pots (type C), three of type

in the filling,

:

and the base of

I,

made

of brownish red ware, black shouldered, with a hole in the bottom

and one

In the trench nine tall vases (type A), three stone bowls

a large

howl

anciently. cylindrical vase,

some

vases of soft bluish stone (? calcite) and a red pot stand.

dummy

Stairwav of thirty steps. Portcullis groove 6 m. 4o cent. high.

Contents of chambers

:

twelve stone bowls, very incomplete, two

2338. Shaft with one step at the top on the E. Mastaba above

ground

2338 2341 five

left in

The

cent. high.

small, ca.

is

m.

1

Chamber

to

/jo cent. E.

1/2

i

metres below the

and W., but very irregular

in

shape

:

it.

:

fragments of one stone bowl.

Mastaba. Shaft under the middle of the mastaba, steps to

.

W.

plastering of the shaft runs

Similar to no. 2338. Contents

N.

stair well plastered.

Contents

:

stone bowls.

2343. Late from

this,

x

cent,

m. 5o

1

x

cent,

o m. 70 cent. deep. Four chambers open 2 33 1.

These contained a number of poor

A.

wooden fragment, small Ptolemaic

inscribed uprights of coflin, inscribed

:

plaster

2344 Upper

m. 60

1

one of which cuts into the chamber of no.

Contents gilt

shaft

much broken and damaged.

burials

of

m. 5o

The chamber

level.

nothing was

i

side.

flints.

coins, bits

and fragments of a vase.

W.

of no. 2336. Shaft 2 m. 70 cent, deep to chamber, but the shaft goes

still

deeper.

part lined with brick, then plastered. Blank.

2344

B.

Contents

2344

Two

C.

Shaft 3 m.

60

cent. deep.

Chamber

W.

to

twenty cylindrical vases, one alabaster bowl.

:

Stair

from

steps

little

S.

Chamber

from the E.

2345. Mastaba with two a chamber, to

W.

Contents

1111.10 cent, x o m. 70 cent,

x

o

m. 80

cent.

at the top of stair. Blank.

shafts. :

to N.

The south

fragments of

shaft, plastered, square, with a recess, rather than coffin,

handmade

pot (type K), with deep groove

round top. piece of vase stand.

on W.

The north

shaft

Contents

part of a skeleton and half of a bowl (type

:

an intrusive burial, dages.

was

i

similar, with recess

metre deep.

Two

T)

of dark red ware.

bodies side by side, head

Above them, but probably belonging

m. 10

side.

to

W.

feet E.,

them, a squat tumbler of

There was

wrapped

in

also

ban-

light blue glaze (height

cent.).

2346. Mastaba of yellow brick, well preserved.

Stair

from N. with two

steps.

Chamber

to S.

Blank.

2347. Libation tank

(pi.

XXVIII, 3) with cartouche of Userkaf (V lh Dynasty) was near where

the N. niche had been.

Contents

:

twelve stone bowls, shell with green paint, copper chisel.

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS.

2347

Chamber

Shaft with one step to E.

B.

W.

to

37

m. 20

(i

x

cent,

1

metre x

m. 90

cent.).

Beams

m. 06 cent,

m. to cent,

to o

in

diameter must once have roofed the shaft

:

traces of

four were seen.

Contents

five stone

:

bowls, one of diorite, the rest alabaster.

2347 C. Mastaba. Stair descending from E. No trace of the roof of a chamber, according to our men, but at the bottom of the shaft there were fragments of wood from a coffin, part of ; skeleton and a little cloth. One alabaster bowl of the regular ^p type (see note to no. 21 14 S). An intrusive burial, a late coffin, brightly painted on a white ground, is mentioned for completeness.

2348.

2348

It

.

about

feet E.,

from E. Chamber

Stair

W.

to

m. 10

Stair, shaft to E. 3

mastaba no.

2

356

crosses

one of the

B. Unfinished shaft,

1

m. 5o

1

cent.,

m. 90

2351

A.

Contents

to

deep.

cent. deep.

from E.; chamber

cent, deep; stair

much

W. Bones

Chamber

disturbed.

of child.

W. The

to

foundation wall of the

steps.

2350. Well preserved mastaba, about

80

below the top of the mastaba.

cent,

Contracted burial

Chamber

Shaft 2 m. 5o cent. deep.

B.

2349.

2349

head W.

lay

to

No chamber.

m. ho

t

W.

1

cent, high with Hat brick roof. Shaft h

m. 5o

cent,

x

m.

metre very irregularly shaped.

1

Shaft with one step, chamber roughly circular. :

one alabaster bowl

2352. Shaft

(B

(

sec no. 21 ih S

).

metres deep with no chamber. Shaft plastered down to

2

1

m. ho

cent,

through

the pebble layer.

2353. Mastaba of black Shaft

am. 80

Contents

:

cent,

brick,

flat

topped, covered with yellow plaster and white washed.

deep with one step near bottom.

fragments of fine alabaster table, stone bowls, ten

2357. W. of no. 2332. Mastaba with plastered al).

Chamber

to

W. No

:

S. of no.

In the filling a

and

inlay.

No

stair

two stone bowls, nine

2360. Mastaba of black 2361.

shaft,

two steps at W. side

and

dummy

brick. Stair.

m. 3o

cent. deep.

(this exception-

m.

limestone vases.

Chamber

2358. Shaft. Chamber

wooden box,

shaft, 2

to

9.5 cent,

to

W.

W. Blocking

x

m. 22

intact,

cent,

x

but robbed from the other

side.

o m. 10 cent., with ivory pegs

lid.

2370. Mastaba of yellow brick, enlarged with black to N., very

limestone vases.

objects.

2358. Mastaba of black brick, Contents

dummy

rough.

brick. Stair

from

S. plastered.

Chamber

,

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

38

2371. Shaft slabs

and

and

left

m. 4o cent, deep, bricklined and plastered. Chamber

i

plastered.

The

flat

2372. Shaft. Chamber found

bench, one brick high, at the top of shaft, which was plastered over

the upper structure was built,

till

to N.

Two

is

•

very clearly to be seen here.

pieces of an alabaster bowl found here fitted with two others

2373.

in no.

Shallow shaft, hrick arched.

"2373.

by stone

to N., roofed

shaft, left before the

237 '1. Mastaba •237/1 S.

mastaba was

to N.

showed

clearly.

built,

of black brick. Stair 2

from

Stair

Chamber

Chamber

E.

2100 and 2401 were

to

m. 80

Here

also the white finished top of the

Chamber

cent. deep.

to N.

W.

a detached group, outside the plan to the N.

and

directly west of the

village of Abusir.

A

search was

was found wall to E.

made

00 metres beyond the

1

A

to continue.

group of tombs and the same type of mastaba

last

passage was dug out which had a doorway at the north end and a plain

while on the west were three niches, each with

,

were about

m. 20

1

cent. high.

The name

fi

II

t

I

its

% was found on the door jamb

2401. About 4o metres E. of no. 2600. A mound looking tank was found in

it,

but not in position

Digging was not continued at sion of this

2405.

this point

;

it

Tomb

J.

E. Quibell,

compound, trPantheonn

the

feet E.; inside

W. was

libation

XXVIII, 4). served only to prove the very considerable exten-

1913. Le Caire, Imprimerie de

it

1-1012

flnstitut francais).

XXX. Above,

were found, one an Osiride figure of the usual type, the other

statuette, of very fine

workmanship

but probably not connected with them, was a plain, heavy

and

A

mastaba.

with stairway. Underground chambers planned on plate

loose in the sand, two bronzes

.

of one of them.

of Hesy. Has been published separately [Excavations at Saqqara, lgi

2406 M. Large mastaba

\\

like a large

walls

cemetery to the N.

The Tomb of Hesy, by

a

(pi.

The

libation tank in front.

was a much decayed

mummy

(pi.

XXXVIII). Under these,

mummiform

with head

coffin lying

A

with a wreath over the hips.

little

to

a similar burial, equally poor and decayed.

In the mastaba, an adze

and two copper

chisels

were found

at the foot of the stair (pi.

XXXIII, 3) and

in the

chambers were two pieces of stone offering

tables

and about twenty bowls, mostly of limestone, besides

2407. Large mastaba with two

at the entrance to the passage

dummy

shafts, the filling divided into

cylindrical vases.

numerous

cells (pi. II)

and an

elaborate series of chambers in the rock.

From

the shaft

pieces missing,

F

a large series of stone bowls, badly broken, of course, and with

were obtained

:

no

less

than 123 cylindrical

dummy

many

vases were with them.

Part of a large alabaster vase decorated with cord pattern in relief and engraved

==,

a fragment

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. from one

diorite

tomb

the equipment of the

From

— 1 "^"fi^

bowl inscribed

(«

liad

much

gallery (pi.

XXXII,

Contents

four stone vases of XVIII

:

and a wooden ape

in

th

E.

Contents

and

showed

that

bones of

x

5 cent,

i

calf.

o

2417. Intrusive N. E.

wood o m. o3

Contents

bad condition.

2421. Intrusive two more at the

m.

to S.

2«Y6PAI=

between the enclosure wall and

burial,

S. side of no.

2407. Shallow

cent, thick.

wooden chair

leg.

burial. Child's coflin, lying

feet.

Fragments of XVIII

six vases of

no. 2

th

m. 80

cent,

head E. and

feet

W. Two dom

nuts at the head,

Dynasty pottery.

4o6. Not cleared. S.

Head

N.

Dynasty types, a head-rest with octagonal column. Under the

work

2426. Row of small mastabas

th

2407. N. and

no.

XVIII

feet a bronze knife for leather

(1) Tiny shaft, o

but as the tomb was

Above, loose in the sand, was a fragment of lime-

it.

2 cent, inscribed

2425. Intrusive burial E. of :

,

skull,

THS i

2422. Large mastaba N. of

Contents

from N. Chamber

Stair

filling.

Also a bronze arrow head with hollow shaft

pottery N. E. type,

:

a4o5.

two alabaster tables, two diorite bowls, one porphyry, one alabaster, the

:

foot

m.

in the S. wall of no.

Dynasty type, two fragments from a vase of dark blue

robbed, we cannot be sure of the date of

coffin,

|§

richer.

and W. dug partly

2416. Mastaba of black brick with gravel

stone o

i jj

Probably a storehouse or magazine.

2).

2415. Intrusive, open grave oriented

teeth

*

jQ(j

the second shaft forty stone vases were extracted, of which but four were complete.

2408. Long

faience

and another

•)

once been

39 "===

(?),

two pomegranates,

five

built into a passage E. of no.

deep with recess

W.

to

In

it

sycomore

fruits

and a

lot of dates.

24o6. female skeleton (age

ca.

26)

dis-

turbed except for the head. The body most probably lay with head N. and face E. (

2

)

Similar, also female (age ca.

Contents drical

bead

:

,

1

).

4 faience bracelet, fragment ivory bracelet, faience cylinfragment bracelet, metal

a

(3) Shaft

1

lump

of copper.

metre deep, blocking

intact.

Contracted body, male (age 17-18). Head N., face

and knees E.

2427. East of the boundary wall of in place in

W.

wall of a

chamber about

Of the northern one but the lower bad condition.

It

measured

asty type, bearing the titles

1

m. 70

no. 2

2407, and near the N. end of it two

were found

metres wide.

half remained

cent,

by

A

*

and name

stelae

1

:

the southern one was complete, though in

metre and was of the ordinary Saqqara VIth Dyn-

^^

^

m

m

|

V.

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-19H.

&0

m. 80

In front of the stela a slab of stone (1 in. 10 cent, by o

name and

tare a single column of text, the same ing out from the false door, upside to the E..

down, that

is,

titles,

too was upside

half. It too

and o

at.

i5 cent, thick)

placed so as to be read by the

m. 19

was inscribed with the names of the

man com-

tomb. And in front of

to the visitor to the

lower by the thickness of the slab, was a tiny tank,

middle of the N.

cent,

this

cent, long, opposite the

man and

his wife,

and

its

text

down.

This tomb surely belongs to the late Old

Kingdom and

it is

strange to find

it

thus isolated in

the early cemetery, by that time deserted. m

A

2'i'2~ A.

cubical box (o

m. 20

from the surface. Scene on the one had been

This

gilt.

cent.) of limestone found loose in the sand o side, the

King before

ber on the north side,

2^29

i.e.

under the

The

stair.

were found, some inscribed

Above them was portcullis

way were

was

and had

in place

to

be broken up.

:

On

the stair a very large quantity of stone vases

a quantity of decayed organic matter, including seeds.

was in place, but the tomb had of course been thoroughly robbed. In the

plate

(pi.

intact. Collin of

number from

silver with eyelets at

the chambers.

F° un,l with blocking

feet E., lying

head a small pot and at the middle of the

narrow bands of thin

XXIII, 2).

in passage S. of no. 2/107.

good wood, body head W.

stair-

XXX.

a very fine set of stone vases, twenty-nine in

2430. Intrusive N. E. tomb

right of the

descending to a short shaft with cham-

in ink (pi. XXIII, U).

The underground chambers are planned on

still

portcullis

found a few Hint fragments and pottery

also

Contents

stair

XX1I1). Large mastaba. Brick lined stair running from under E. wall, then turning

north. This stair has a ledge on either side.

The

cent.

seven stone bowls, a pebble with green stains and a bit of copper wire.

:

(pi.

[1 calcite)

m. 5o

on the other, a bird. The figures

of a quite late period.

is

2^28. Mastaba. Not large, but with a very large

Contents

Isis,

of crude brick

on back with arms extended. To

Over the chest two

S. side three pots.

each end; on the longer one (0 m.

2 5 cent.) is a plain

band, the shorter (o m. 19 cent.) widens at the centre (bracelet and necklet?).

243 1

.

Intrusive N. E. burial about

1

m. 5o

cent,

below the foot of 0. K.

walls. Collin

,

lidless,

high, of narrow planks worked by adze. At E. end two vases with stoppers, in the collin, two

blackhandled vases and two of the faience spheres like large playing marbles (X VIII th Dynasty).

2436.

Stair of ten steps, descending

from the bottom, opens a small chamber,

35

from N. 1

m. 60

to 5

metres

cent, deep,

shaft.

From

m. 90

this,

cent, wide at

m. 70 cent. mouth, o m.

cent, wider at the back.

Contents

:

alabaster table,

tall

cylindrical vase, three diorite bowls, spouted

ewer and basin

of bronze.

2437. Fragments of a the

name

of

fl

J

-w»

V

stela of ordinary

nln

0. K. type originally

were found on the

stair.

ca. o

m. 75

cent, high, bearing

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. Contents

phyry vase,

:

41

two alabaster tables, two alabaster bowls, four diorite bowls, funnel-sbaped porincomplete.

all

2442. Small mastaba with chamber Contents of chamber

human

:

two large steps, h metres deep.

to S. Stair of

skeleton, head, shoulder-blades and foreleg of ox, fragment of

(^

pot (type T), two alabaster tables, one porphyry bowl of

form (see note on no. 21

lft

S),

sherd of a pottery bowl of same type, two diorite and two alabaster bowls.

2445. A double mastaba

The

(pi. II,

N. stair descends steeply

ordinary, viz.

Con en Is I

:

m. 60

1

low on

right).

from N. 3 m. 60

cent, each

way

in plan

S. stair led to

is

stair

6 m.

1

m. ko

cent. high.

Mr-,

Im

^fc

(see note on no. 21 14 S) vase

flint flake.

5 cent, deep descending from N. to

not at the bottom of the shaft but

Contents

1

chamber larger than the

an unfinished chamber.

2446. Mastaba with ber

and

open diorite bowl, heavy, two alabaster

of marble, three small diorite bowls -^mtw, a

The

cent, in four steps to a

m. 75

1

above

cent,

chamber on

S.

The cham-

it.

a rectangular slate palette, parts of two alabaster tables, a bowl of red breccia,

:

another of blue limestone, a third of alabaster, and one of a green

slate

bearing an incised inscrip-

tion (pi. XXIII, 5).

There were

also the skull

and the bones of one limb of a

calf.

2447. One of the tombs roofed with raking arch. Contained a few bones

2448. Small mastaba with

A

shaft, lined with stone

and brick and

small diorite lamp and a fragment of serpentine were

all it

only.

plastered.

Chamber

to south.

contained.

2449. Very small chamber, apparently arched, but roof damaged. Contents

:

fragment of serpentine lamp

2450. Small mastaba E. Stair lined with brick

No chamber, but

built

on

to no.

^P

a452 and

found.

may have been

o

the bones of a strongly built

The arms were

m. 5o

condition was hopeless

The

S. niche

wooden

that a

:

cent. high.

The level

:

Si.

2446, which overhangs

earlier than no.

man were

east of

close to the side

There

is

it

to

:

it

scattered in the shaft.

five

fragments of a limestone statue of a

the head was missing. Originally the statue

a presumption that

one could just affirm that

it

had been a

belonged to the tomb, but

it

its

statue.

was rather elaborate and a difference of surface in the centre part made us suspect

(?) stela

had once stood

broken pottery; there was a bed of

Kingdom

2116

and stone, plastered.

2452. A large tomb. In the narrow passage

woman were

(see note on no.

it

there. Part of the filling of the mastaba,

half a metre thick;

all

was composed of

the pots being of very coarse Old

types.

stair

descended nearly 8 metres from the mastaba top, 6 m. 60 cent, from the desert

the portcullis was in place, a formidable block

more than

broken before we could penetrate into the underground chambers Excavations at Saqqara, 19 1»- 191 4.

2 :

metres high.

these were

It

had

to

be

on a simpler plan "

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

IS

than those shown in plate

stair,

north, that

is,

slate

no

less

several alabaster vessels

and two pots, one of them of the

than sixty

tall

From

tall late

the chambers S. of the

stone bowls and vases were obtained, including a fine shallow dish of

o m. 3j cent, in diameter, an

quart/, part of a

on the W.

there were, however, two other chambers at the bottom of

:

archaic type with a ridge, broken at two points, round the shoulder. portcullis

recess

of the portcnllis.

chamber were

In the east

main room with one large

consisting of the long

and two smaller ones on the E.

side

the

XXX.

elliptical

bowl and three others of the same stone, two of

and one bowl of granite. Most were

alabaster vase with cord pattern in relief

of alabaster and there was no diorite.

There was a rectangular palette of

with two

slate

cups in relief

little

(pi.

XXXIII, 6), an axe

head of copper, two small copper bowls (one with a foot) much crushed and three

There had doubtless been a head and haunch of an ox or

chisels.

but only a few teeth of the ani-

calf,

mal remained.

Three

objects not in the

mentioned,

pot"V

—

tomb, but found near

a small limestone tank o

m. 3o

it

and probably belonging

to

cent, long, with the inscription

of good red-washed ware and a very poor and small stela, uninscribed

it,

remain

S^ *=*• I :

all

to

be

"*",

a

these were

near the N.-E. corner.

2458. Small square

shaft, a

m. 20

cent. deep. Recess to west. Blank.

2459. Intrusive N. E. burial underneath wall of no. 24o5 (Hesy) and 6 metres from S.-W. corner. Robbed. In the filling fragments of pottery of XVIII th Dynasty type

08

cent, long of gilt plaster, with eyes

and

little faces,

m.

and eyebrows painted black and white, perhaps from Osi-

ride figures.

2460.

Stair

W.

of,

and older than, no.

ber. In the filling, fragments of

2461. Mastaba.

2

442. Good steps in brick, white plastered. No cham-

human bones and

Stair about 3

m. 80

a few sherds of stone bowls and pottery.

cent. deep.

Chamber

to S. Lining of stone with brick

above. Line of plaster showing that the lower part was finished before the upper structure was

begun. Contents

:

fragments of two diorite bowls, twenty-four

dummy

cylindrical

,

six

of which were

painted red at the top with diagonal stripes of red and yellow.

2462. Mastaba, W. of no. 2452, with square ing to no chamber. In the shaft, bits of a

much decayed

2463. Northern mastaba of a row. Shaft

chamher or Contents stone bowls.

W. few human

shaft,

1

1

m. 5o

cent, deep, plastered, but lead-

plank.

metre square, 3 metres deep. Small unfinished

recess to :

a

The mastaba

bones, bones of a bird (? owl), fragments of a wooden coffin and of

no. 2 76 4

is

built over part of the shaft.

2464. Mastaba with shaft 10 m. 4o than usual and smooth; one bears a wet

cent. deep. In the filling

mark ^k. Chambers

two long vases type A, but larger

to S.

and N.

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. Contents

and vases of alabaster and limestone, twenty-one

tables

:

63

number, of tbe usual

in

types; fragments of tbin copper.

2465. Small mastaba with rather large

were two very coarse pots (type D). In the chamber, though the

in the filling

peared the mould of drifted in,

its

to

coffin

W. High

had disap-

panelled sides and ends remained sharp cut in the gravel which had

and the dimensions,

m. 10

1

2466. Small mastaba of black In the filling a small tank (0 also a skull

from E. Chamber

stair for its size. Stair

brick. Stair

m.

m. 70

cent., o

from E. Chamber to W.

by o m.

2 5 cent,

be measured.

cent., could

5 cent.) inscribed

1

and a few human bones and part of the shoulder-blade of an

2468. No superstructure. Square

m. 5o

shaft 2

X

J.

ox.

Chamber

cent. deep.

—— k

•

m. 80

to S. ca. o

cent,

cube. Shallow recess, also to E. of shaft.

Contents part of

in the filling small

:

model mirror,

(see note on no. 9

1 1

l>ils

of metal ribbon (0

Contents

:

Stair large

alabaster, twelve

2470. Mastaba. Square

Chamber

trace of a stair.

cent.),

and well plastered descending from E.

m. 70 m. 20

shaft 4

to

W.

rough

(1

^p

white stone vase

lid of

dummy

structure remained. Square shaft o

W., evidently

2473. Short

stair.

Contents

:

metre

x

to

vertical,

1

m. 65

built

cent,

x

W.

metre x

1

ment

of

m. 80

side

is

the last

metre).

1

ox.

to E. wall of no.

2464, but no super-

cent.

deep (19 m. 95 cent.) but

,

two

dummy

still

kite shaped:

chamber

to S.

cylindrical vases.

metre square, 3 metres deep. Chamber

m. 70

to S., very low,

1

m. 10

ca.

1

metre high, half covering the square in a line

Chamber

to

W.

skew ca.

1

to no. 9

metre

shaft.

x

No chamber.

452 and therefore

x

m. 5o

bones of a young child and of a baby found in two heaps, bones of a

wood from

cent,

cent.

Shaft 9 m. 60 cent, deep, plastered. :

o

on

on the N.

Blank.

2477. Small mastaba. This and no. 9476 are Contents

to a

cylindrical vases.

x

cent,

fragments of eight stone bowls

2476. Mastaba, superstructure

earlier.

W.

portcullis in filling.

2475. Shaft 1

to

for a contracted burial but empty.

Chamber

2474. Mastaba. Shaft Fragments of

^p

(see note on no. 9i i4 S),

cent, deep; a little ledge

2471. Mastaba, which had apparently been

to

cent, high),

02 cent, wide), four good small stone vases

111.

Contained only some bones from the head and foreleg of an

Chamber

ewer (o m. 06

for contracted burial.

bones but no skull, the

some fragments of

m. i5

4 S).

2469. Black brick mastaba.

chamber intended

copper bowl (diam.

cent.

calf,

a child's colfin, fragment of a diorite bowl, bits of coarse vases. 6.

frag-

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

44

2478. No superstructure. Shaft

down

red

the lowest o

to

Above the door

is

a

lintel;

ni.

the

mud

Contents

002

a

:

Chamber

Maslalia.

W.

to

Contents

m. 20

i

cent,

x

1

is

held

in

place

cent. high. Shaft

m. 20

x

cent,

m. o3o

faience beads

it

1

is

Chamber

In

Superstructure it

o cent, square, 2

1

metre), curiously far to

m. 001

mill, long,

W.

mill, or

m. 5o

1

Square

high.

cent.

a body sharply contracted, head N., face E.

shaft,

right

,

m. 60

2

111.

cent. deep.

hand on knee.

tilling,

a coarse pot. type L.

2482. The southernmost of a row of small mastabas E. of no. 2/107. Shaft o m. 60 deep under the mastaba. Small recess just large enough

head N., face E., and knees up

2485. The fourth square shaft

ca.

little

mastaba from north of

Chamber

o m. 70 cent. deep.

knees. Scraps of linen over the bones

2487. Small mastaba Square shaft

1

built

m. 4o

to hold a sharply contracted

cent.

body;

it

to the chin.

to

head N. face E., knees drawn up

tracted burial,

niche.

111.

head-rest in very bad condition, a fragment of copper, a faience bead, shoulder

:

bone of sheep. In the

lay with

to S.

not reddened. INo objects.

in.

1

white.

is

also coloured

diameter.

mill, in

2481.

Chamber (1 number of slender

m. 20

cent. deep.

i5 cent., where

with which this still

and the rock

cent, deep, red plastered

10 cent, to o m.

2480. Mastaba. Superstructure

60

m. Go

2

this

W.

row and

to

W.

2698. Small

of no.

with blocking intact, and inside a con-

to the level of the hips,

right

hand on the

and much decayed linen below the body.

on the E. wall of no. 2607. Small limestone tank before the

cent, deep, recess to

m. 5o

W., only

cent. high. In

it

a skeleton,

head N. face E., legs contracted, but not drawn up to body. Left arm extended, hand under hips.

2488. Small mastaba o m. 5o

Chamber ly

to

W.

high, the northern one of this row. Square shaft.

cent,

W. In it a body sharpbad and many were missing; one

Blocking of dry brick intact. Small rounded chamber to

contracted with head N. and face E.

eye was preserved, dried up in

its

The

orbit,

teeth were very

and the brain was seen

inside the skull.

pings in bad condition. In the passage before this a small oval tank, o

2495. Small square brick (long bricks, o cent,

x

shaft in passage E. of no.

m. 3o

cent.) plastered.

W.

Contents

:

etc.

The

W. Bones

superstructure

1

(1

m. o3

badly broken.

m. 20

cent. high.

burial.

near the bottom of the shaft some animal bones (dog?); half of a coarse saucer

(type Q), two pots (K) and one good bowl (T, pi. (pis.

cent. long.

holding coffin

o m. 55 cent.) in which was a contracted burial, head N. face

Square shaft U metres deep. Small recess, no

20

2627. About h metres deep. Upper part of

Small chamber to

2497. Another mastaba of the row no. 2^82,

2498

in.

Linen wrap-

XXIV-XXV). Large mastaba

XXXIX).

E. face destroyed. Stairway from under E. wall, run-

ning to S. then to W., blocked with large stones set on end

(pi.

of stone bowls were found between these blocks of stone, they

XXIV,

2).

As many fragments

may have been

purposely thrown

CATALOGUE OF TOMBS. down on

the

stair, as in

no.

2429. Four inscribed

the fourth the

name

was thought

be seen

to

clay seals

,

were found

TTYYY

>~~*M

reading so far as the) could be made oul

/i5

A

in the filling

TrB^V'

J

:

three

while on

but not with certainty. Underground chambers

planned on plate XXX. Photograph of one of these chambers, plate XXIV,

h.

In the filling there were seven brick-built store chambers or granaries (pis.

XXIV, i-3,

XXV, 2) numbered A-G.

Was completely gutted except bowl T were remains of a haematite The

B.

Q. T). On the

for fragments of coarse reddish pottery (C,

A.

coating like false Samian ware.

contents appear to have been in three layers, the lowest (1) an ash-grev, powdery,

organic matter, (2) layer of single bricks, (3) layer of jars (type C) plastered together with

mud.

A narrow

C. It its

strip at the

was bounded on the E.

length was

filled

W. end was empty

(o m. 60 cent, to o m. 5o cent. E. and W.).

side by a layer of brick.

The

centre of the

chamber

with fragments of pottery; a few pots (type C) remained

against the wall. Their contents, of a

mud

like substance",

to nearly half

standing

in situ

have stained the inside with a yellow

matter of the colour of sulphur. The E. end had a lower level of floor covered with fragments of the

same

pottery.

D. In the floor of this chamber, against the N. wall, four poles were arranged in a rectangle, the long poles

formed a

1

litter.

m. 85

The ends had

of matting. Both inside

formed a layer o m. 3o

Between the

cent., the shorter 1

litter

nine, the sides nineteen L-shaped

and outside the

litter lay

cent, thick; at the

2 cent. )

slits.

Inside

a lot of grain in the husk;

W. end

there was none of

were some traces it

had

originally

it.

and the vacant space on the N. side are fragments of some eight or nine

One

pots (L) with red (? haematite) surface. 1

metre, diameter o m. o5 cent. They probably

and contains blackish

of these

complete (o m. i5 cent,

is

x

m.

berries.

m. o5

E. Floor covered to a depth of ca.

cent, with organic matter, similar to that des-

cribed in F, but redder in colour. F. Floor covered, as in E., by organic matter of

white powder. The present level of the floor

m. 60

is.

wall, but the original level appears to have sunk o

ting (?) with which the whole

G. tered.

Was subdivided Shown on plan

m. 20

below the top of the surrounding

cent, as

into five smaller granaries, separated

judged by a margin of mat-

by one-brick walls, roughly plas-

(pi. II).

similar to those in nos.

:

fifty

23 1 3 and 232 2

west, were thirty pots, five rows of

six,

pots (types

a.

Nearly

contained tough black

all

A and B) contained

with fat.

mud

caps bearing marks

In the next sub-chamber

of pink, soft, roughish ware.

In the middle sub-chamber were five red All

cent,

splashes of

chamber was covered. Wall surface plastered with mud.

In the westernmost sub-chamber

was whole.

brown ashen character with

mud

,'

egg-shaped vases (type G), of which only one

in the

lower part. The sub-chamber on the extreme

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA, 1912-1914.

46 E. side

was divided

into

two parts by a cross wall. The

stoppered with chips of stone.

The

G consisted

roof of

Many contained

pots

tall

it

contained (type A) were

a light organic substance, possibly fat again.

of a single course of bricks with

mud

mortar above, covering about

two thirds of the chamber. Contents of the underground chambers

:

vases type A, with clay stoppers, containing

2501. Square taining a few

shaft, o

human

m. 6o

:

mud

two unbaked pots (type 0,

chamber. The

cent. high. pi.

roof

a

:

seeds (lentils?), seven

wooden box with

1

m. 20

Contents

cent, :

x

it

a short shaft with chamber

m. 60

cent, deep; lined

and plastered. Very

arch, but was carelessly built and damaged.

tomb

of Hesy.

nuts, top of a basket, pottery lid, fragments of

ivory edge.

2508. Small mastaba. Kite shaped

x

1

S. wall of the

dom palm

Under

XXXIX).

may have been an

2505. Intrusive N. E. burial under the Contents

W., con-

bones.

2504. Small mastaba near no. 26/16. Shaft small vaulted

or sand.

cent, square at the top, 2 metres deep. Recess to

2503. Mastaba. Superstructure o m. 8o to S. Contents

a fine set of stone bowls (about seventy), pottery

1

m. 10

shaft, 5

m. 60

cent. deep.

Chamber

to

W.

1

m. 5o

cent.

cent. Part of portcullis in place.

fragments of a box

coffin, bits of thin

copper and of

six

stone bowls, diorite,

shaft, total

depth about U metres

porphyry and alabaster.

2509. Mastaba.

Stair

from N. Under the stairway a small

from top of superstructure. Contents

:

a few

human

alabaster table.

«xs$oc»

bones, cat skeleton, one chip from an

'

LIST OF PLATES.

kTE

I

.

.

.

.

/

t*i

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA,

T. VI.

PL.

a.

dltb.

26

2+ 23

27 5?

J

Z^.tb27 ala.ba.stcr

r.ALAV.-iiiun.i

A]

.-iA^aka,

l.

VI.

<

-

-.

o

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA,

T. VI.

e

<

3 U O — as

<

•<

o

o

Z

-

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA,

T. VI.

PL. XVII

O

p

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA,

T. VI.

PL

XVIII

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQOARA,

T. VI.

I

c -

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA,

T. VI.

PL.

ca

3

XX

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA,

T. VI.

PL. XXI

B

D

m BfaK

d

XCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA,

'['.

VI

PL. XXII

EXCAVATIONS AT SAQQARA,

T. VI.

'K p:>

J

4ll

-w

*\J C/V