| Southport : Original Sources in Exploration | | |
Abydos, Part I W.E. Flinders Petrie | | | | |
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Chapter I-b (sections 7-11).
CHAPTER I (continued).
Objects from the Royal Tombs.
7. The Aegean pottery. Pl viii
8. The stone vases. Pls. ix, x
9. The labels, &c. Pls. xi, xii
10. The steles, &c. Pl.xiii
11. The Hints. Pis. xiv, xv .
Plate 8: Aegean Pottery from Royal Tombs at Abydos (nos. 1-19).
Plate 9: Stone vases from Royal Tombs at Abydos (nos. 1-15)
Plate 10: Alabaster vases and cedar tray from Royal Tombs at Abydos (nos. 16-35)
Plate 11: Ivory and ebony labels from Royal Tombs at Abydos (nos. 1-11).
Plate 12: Marks on stone vases from Royal Tombs at Abydos (nos. 1-26).
Plate 13: Steles in Royal Tombs at Abydos (nos. 147-171).
Plate 14: Worked Flints from Royal Tombs at Abydos.
Plate 15: Worked Flints from Royal Tombs at Abydos.
7. The
Aegean pottery here figured, pl.8, 1—14, was found together in a
single deposit in the tomb of Zer, as described in detail in Royal
Tombs, ii, pp. 9, 46; the account already given should be referred to,
and we need only here say that the date and the foreign origin of this
group are beyond question. Some regular Egyptian forms, such as 9, 10,
13, 14, and the alabaster 11, were deposited with the foreign forms,
and show by the contrast the wide difference between them. The painted
pieces below are from the tombs of Den (T) and Mersekha (U); the zigzag
line between parallels is a well-known later design, but not hitherto
met with in this age. (p.7)
8. On plate 9 .are some
outlines of stone vases, supplementary to those given in Royal Tombs,
ii, pis. xlvi—liii. Fig.1 is a portion of a syenite cup of king Sma,
the inscription of which is here shown in photograph on pl.iv. 2. The
very curious rush tray carved in alabaster, fig.4, is here restored
from fragments which were found scattered far apart. It is most like
some of the remarkable slate carvings which have yet to be published,
when the portions now hidden in Paris are available for science. The
dolomite marble vases, figs.5, G, 7, 10, are those with gold caps,
already published in photographs (B. T. ii, pl.ix, 2—TO). Figs.8, 9,
were found with the copper bowls (It. 1\ ii, pl.ix, 13, 15). The
diorite bowl, fig.13, is photographed in B. T. ii, pl.ix, 11; for the
position see B. T. ii, p. 13, chamber 44. The bowls, figs.14, 15, are
mentioned in position in B. T. ii, p. 12, chamber 16.
On
plate 10. is shown a small group found in the chamber Z 11, south of the
tomb of king Zet. The zig-zag pattern, fig.16, is incised on a bird's
leg-bone, which probably served to hold copper needles; the copper
borer, 19, is quadrangular; the two flint scrapers should be compared
with those from Z on pl.xiv. Fig.20 is a portion of a carved wooden
tray, much weathered, but apparently of a close-grained conifer,
probably cedar; the base is shown in the sketch, and part of the curved
side. Fig.21 is from a broken cup of thin horn, found in the tomb of
Mena. The rude vases of alabaster are selected to show the variety of
forms among the great number found in the tomb of Khasekheniui; the
depth of the hollow is shown by a dotted line; these were drawn by Mr.
Weigall.
9. As it was impossible to draw all the
engraved labels for the last volume, several are given here which were
issued only in photographs last year. It will be clearest for reference
to state the number on plate 11., the reference to the photograph, and
the comparison with duplicate labels already published.
Pl. xi Photographed Compare
2
Ab. iv, 12
. .
.
3
. . .
R.T. i, 13,3
4 R.T.ii, viiA 3 R.T.i,xiv,12
5
" "
6 "
" 22
6
" " 5
. . .
7
" "
4 R.T.i,15,16
8
" vii,11
" " 18
9 " viii,5 " xvii,26
10
" "
1 R.T. ii,xii,6
11
" "
2 R.T. i,xvii,29
R.T. ii,xii,6
The
duplicate fragments are of the greatest value in any attempt to read
these inscriptions, as the variants in arrangement show in what order
the signs are to be taken, and what are connected groups. In fig.11
here, the comparison of the reading with those named above, shows
clearly that the sen sign of the royal name is to be taken in the sense
of "breath", as in two cases it has the nose following it.
On plate 12 are various examples of incised marks on stone vases, which should
be put on record. Those without references were found on fragments
heaped together from various tombs in the French work. Fig.1 is
photographed in R.T. ii, p. ii,7. Fig.15 is part of a nebui
inscription. Fig.18 is probably the np ast as in R.T. ii, pl. VA, 6,
22-24. Fig.20, 21, 22 seem to be all variants of one, and probably the
same as R.T. i, vii, 11; from these examples the reading must be se-ka.
10.
On plate 13 are some drawings of steles, which have not been
published in photograph. Some of them are unusual, and need careful
comparison with parallel names. On 151 there seems to be the name
Da-Khuum "gift of Khuum", but wih a very strange form of base
determinative, unlike any vases (p.8) known of this age. On 148
it seems as if the double hill du was used as a variant for the
triangle gift da, and it should read Hotep-du- Nt if, " Neit give
peace." The painted inscription in red, 156, is uncommon. On 159 seems
to be a hyaena. 168 is a fragment of a large royal stele, found in what
is probably the tomb of Narmer; it is carved with relief in three
different levels, indicated by different shading; the object appears to
be part of a decorated facade (like that in Deshasheh, xxvi), and if
so, the royal name was probably in the doorway below it, as on the
inscription of king Ka. Unhappily no more was found; but, of coui"se,
there may be other fragments in Paris quite unknown. The gold bar of
Aha, 171, is here outlined in side view, and the markings on the ends
also shown; the photograph of the ends has been already published in
It. T. ii, pl.iiiA 7, and described on p. 21.
11.
On plates 14 and 15., the worked flints found in the royal tombs are
arranged in their historical order. In the upper half of the'series the
flakes and scrapers are placed, and below these are the knives and
fragments. The names of the kings are placed at the top of each column,
and the letters of the tombs and some details are written on the
photographs. In no other country or age has such an admirable series
been found for the study of variations in the types and the rate of
variation. And this only adds one more to the bitter regrets that this
collection consists of only the scraps left behind after the shameless
plundering of these tombs by speculators, with the full assent of the
Egyptian authorities.
At the top the small
pointed flakes begin with Mena, and disappear under Merneit; the flakes
under Den are rougher, and such continue to Perabsen. On the other
hand, the square-ended flakes begin under Den, but develop strongly and
distinctively during the Ilnd Dynasty. The round-ended flakes are
finely worked with wide flat sides; beginning under Zer, they are
poorer under Den, and merge into the square-ended flakes by the end of
the 1st Dynasty.
The flat scrapers are not of
well-marked types at first; a tailed scraper is seen under Merneit, and
a rounded triangular one under Azab. The triangle is sharper under
Mersekha, and by the time of Khasekhemui the triangular scraper, long
or equilateral, is the commonest form of flint.
The
knives begin with the deep back curve, as in that found in the
Mena-tomb at Naqada (Die Morgan, Rech. ii, fig.769). The handle by the
first large knife does not belong to that specimen, but is only placed
to carry on the figure. The curve becomes less gradually, until it is
almost straight backed under Khasekhemui. The surface working, which is
far below that of the prehistoric flints even at first, becomes rougher
on the later knives, and the body is left much thicker and coarser. One
instance of a recurved tip occurs under Zet. The small knives, with two
nicks for tying them on to the girdle, are only found under Zer, see
foot of plate. The sharp toe to the handle is most marked in the first
half of the dynasty, and fades away after that until it is almost lost
under Khasekhemui. The must typical series of these varieties for
comparison is in the Ashmolcan Museum, Oxford.
Footnotes:
[Continue to chapter 2]
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