Preliminary Report of Fieldwork season 2011 in the necropolis of Asyut 1

 

Mahmoud El-Khadragy – Jochem Kahl – Ursula Verhoeven – Mohammed Abdelrahiem

 

From 6th September to 13th October the Egyptian-German joint mission of Sohag University, the the Freie Universität Berlin, and the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz conducted its ninth season of fieldwork in the ancient necropolis of Asyut situated in the western mountains.[2]

 

            Fieldwork focused on Tomb V of the First Intermediate Period, Tomb N13.1 and Tomb H11.1 of the 11th Dynasty, Tomb I of Dynasty 12, Tomb of the Dogs of the Late Period to Graeco-Roman Period (O11) and the mapping of the necropolis (see folder “plans”). In addition, X-Ray studies were made.

 

Tomb V:

Cleaning of Tomb V was continued this season. In the inner hall, the bases of two pillars were uncovered (cf. folder “plan”). They were already described by the French Expedition to Egypt in 1799 and the Description de l’Egypte, but since c. 1830, the bases were covered under several meters high debris caused by quarrying activities in the tomb. Wall paintings in the lower part of the northern wall, which were blackened by fire in earlier times, were cleaned and restored by the restoration team from the SCA. Most times there was only an originally red coat on the plaster, occasionally some remains from original scenes were brought to light, but too fragmented to reconstruct the complete scene. Nevertheless, these fragments show that Tomb V was originally completely decorated.

While cleaning Tomb V, several complete hemispherical bowls were found in the debris.

In addition, a later burial, probably from Ptolemaic Period, was found and recorded. An individual, probably male, was buried in an anthropoid tomb cut into the ground of Tomb V. The skeleton was still complete but in a bad condition due to humidity caused by rainfalls during the last two millennia. 

 

Tomb N13.1:

From 19th September until 13th of October the graffiti from the New Kingdom, which are to be found on the walls of Tomb N13.1 of nomarch Iti-ibi-iqer from the 11th dynasty, were again examined intensively on site. New digital facsimiles had to be checked, and a complete photographic documentation took place because of the availability of a better digital technique. It was necessary to renumber all of the graffiti because of recent identifications and joints. Therefore now we have a continuous numbering system, starting on the North wall, then West wall, South Wall and East wall as well the pillars A and B, respecting the writing direction of Hieratic, i.e. from right to left, and to be described from the top to the bottom. The actual amount is 201 graffiti of which the number of visitor’s texts on the North wall is 47, West wall 32, South wall 41, East wall 1, pillars 21, in all: 142 text items. The 59 pictorial graffiti are also distributed over most of the walls: North wall 6, West wall 25, South wall 21, East wall 1, pillars 6.

In addition to the former documentation the placement of each graffito within the original decoration was noted and described, because the observations in N13.1 and also recent research in other Egyptian sites, e.g. by Navrátlilová or Darnell, have shown that the scribes did not choose the space for their texts only by chance.

Since the tomb was used as a mosque in later times, maybe in connection with the maqam of Skeikh Abu Tuq in the North/West of Tomb N13.1, the two painted mihrab (in red) and the Arabic graffiti (in red, black and yellow) were also documented and translated this year.

 

Northern Soldiers Tomb (H11.1):

The Northern Soldiers-Tomb is located on the same level containing the three First Intermediate Period Tombs III, IV and V, some 330 m. to the northwest of Tomb IV. Adopting a new numbering system, the tomb bears now our number H.11.1.

Originally facing east, the tomb façade is now missing; its ceiling has collapsed as has the western wall. The northern wall is still preserved in parts but not in its original place. The partially preserved southern wall is at present about 14 m long[3].

Completing the full documentation of the tomb, which has been undertaken by our mission since the last season 2009, our work focused on:

 

  1. Developing the architectural plan of the tomb-chapel, that has been already produced by Miss. Cornelia Goerlich at 2009. The new architectural plan includes new architectural elements, which has been come to the light this season 2011 (Fig 1).

 

  1. Completing the cleaning of the surface of the inner hall[4] of the tomb-chapel from the huge blocks and several meters high layer of limestone debris of the collapsed ceiling[5]. The surface was cleaned from the western wall onwards. While cleaning, the following architectural elements came to light:
  2. A large part of the original floor is now visible.
  3. A hitherto unknown shaft (western shaft) was brought to the light, 5 m from the western wall. A burial chamber was built on the ground of the 2,70 m deep shaft. This chamber extends to the south; it measures 1.90 m on 2.15 m. Only a few objects were found in the shaft and the chamber. Because of humidity especially the wood was damaged.
  4. A second unknown shaft (eastern shaft) was also brought to the light, about 40 cm from the western one. Two burial chambers was built on the ground of the 2.80 m deep shaft. The northern chamber extends to the north; it measures 2.60 m on 2.26 m. This chamber leads to an inner chamber. The southern chamber extends to the south; it measures 2.80 m on 2.45 m. Only a few objects were found in this chamber (a block bears some signs of inscription: St.no. 1061, an amulet in the form of Wedjat-eyes: SCA 231) Also, because of humidity especially the wood was damaged.

 

III. Rediscovering the scenes of the northern wall, which was still under debris. Because of the fragile condition of the scenes, an intensive restoration work has been undertaken by Mr. Rafet Faker and Mr. Refai Aziz from SCA restoration department. The scenes have been documented by photographs and then facsimiled by Dr. Sameh Shafik. One still regocnizes the tomb owner and a Lady as well as the remaining parts of a long autobiographical inscription in sunk relief

 

  1. Restoring the decoration of the southern wall, which has become fragile since last restoration.

 

 

Tomb I:

Epigraphic work in Tomb I was continued: Inscriptions in the first corridor and the large transverse hall were collated, paleographical studies were continued.

 

Tomb of the Dogs (O11):

Cleaning of the only accessible entrance to the Tomb of the Dogs was continued (Fig. 17). This modern entrance passage seems to have been the doorway to a side chamber originally. But its ceiling has collapsed because of quarrying activities in the past. Several mummies of dogs were found in this passage. In the debris in front of the passage fragments of Demotic papyri were found. 

In addition, cleaning of Tomb O11.24 situated in front of the Tomb of Dogs began. This tomb was occupied by human beings, probably priests of the animal cult.

 

Animal remains:

From September 25th to 28th the complete and nearly complete animal mummies, which were recovered from the area of the Tomb of the Dogs between 2008 and 2010, were examined by means of radiography. The mobile X-Ray device (TuR: DE 38 type) was operated by Attiya Soliman (Horus Radiology Centre in Helwan) and Tarek Abdel-Alla Mohamed (accompanying inspector from the SCA).

Radiographs were taken on 35 x 43 cm films for the medical use by Fuji Film and developed on site. The distance between the X-Ray tube assembly and the film cassette on which objects were placed was 90 cm. The dose varied between 46 kv and 68 kv.

In total sixteen mummified animals and one egg-shaped object (S11/st252) were studied. Twelve dogs/canids and one bird were observed (Table 1). Three mummies had no animal remains in the bandages. Before the X-Ray studies, we expected that one of the mummies may have contained a bird and two others eggs. Another interesting result was that we expected a complete cat mummy (S09/st175), however it turned out that the content was a small dog. The pointed ears were formed by using plant materials (probably reeds) under the bandage (Figs. 3-4). The material of the egg-shaped object is not yet clear, although it might be an egg covered with certain minerals. More detailed analysis will be published in the near future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Number

Contents

S08/st1519

Cloth (no bone)

S09/st89

Bird (skull lost in the soil)

S09/st118

Cloth (no bone)

S09/st174

Dog (canid)

S09/st175

Dog (canid)

S09/st1103

Dog (canid)

S09/st1104 mummy 1

Dog (canid)

S09/st1104 mummy 2

Dog (canid)

S09/st1104 mummy 3

Dog (canid, skull lost in the soil)

S09/st1115a

Unidentified

S09/st1115b mummy 1

Dog (canid)

S09/st1115b mummy 2

Dog (canid)

S09/st1183

Cloth (no bone)

S10/st255

Dog

S10/st256

Dog (canid)

S10/st258

Dog (canid)

 

Table 1: Study numbers and observed contents in the x-rayed non-human mummifies

 

Apart from the radiography, study on animal remains from the past and present field seasons was ongoingly carried out. In this season mainly the incomplete mummies retrieved from the Tomb of the Dogs were studied. It is noteworthy that numerous infantile (or neonatal/infantile) dogs/canids were contained in mummies. In some cases more than one dog was wrapped in one mummy.

 

 

Pottery:

During the season 2011, the work on pottery from Tomb III, Tomb V, Tomb of the Dogs, and from the survey on the plateau of the gebel has been continued. A majority of analysed pottery is dated back to Late Roman/Coptic time, 6th – 8th century CE with a predominant presence of Egyptian Late Roman Amphora 7 (= LR7), small globular cooking pots, and storage jars of various types. Several imported Late Roman amphorae have been recognised as well, among others Late Roman Amphora 1 (= LR1) most probably from Cyprus or Asia Minor, Late Roman Amphora 4 (= LR4) from Gaza, and Late Roman Amphora 12 (= LR12) of eastern Mediterranean origin (Fig. 5). The latter one is especially worth to be mentioned due to its rare occurrence in Egypt.

 

As Pharaonic pottery is concerned, for the first time vessels dated to Archaic Period (Fig. 6) and Second Intermediate Period (Fig. 7) were recognised among the material originating from our work on the gebel. Their presence seems to confirm funerary activity on the necropolis in given epochs.

The former one is a small, hand-made globular jar with a wide, short neck, the latter is a part of so-called “fish plates” with distinctive incised decoration on the inside. It is made of Marl clay C2 in the Vienna System clay typology.

Several new types of jars have been recognised in the material: a fragment of Early Bronze III Combed Ware imported from Canaan, New Kingdom amphora also traded from the Levant, and finally several small jars of early Middle Kingdom date with a “white painted/white dotted” decoration, which is typical for Asyut (Fig 8). 

 

 

Stoppers:

From 19th September to 13th October 862 stoppers made of mud, which were found during the seasons of 2010 and 2011, were cleaned, recorded and analysed. They were coming from several places, in chronological order: Tomb V, the Northern Soldiers’ (= Tomb H11.1), Tomb N13.91 and the Tomb of Dogs. The size was ranging from about 15 mm until 80mm in diameter. This year, the largest amount was coming from the shafts of Tomb H11.1 with a preliminary dating of the stoppers into the First Intermediate Period until the beginning of the Middle Kingdom (fig. 9). Three stoppers had been sealed, one for a rope (fig. 10), one for a door bolt, and the third, a stopper for a vessel, was sealed with a stamp (three vertical lines, probably used for a domain). Further research on the typology of the stoppers will take place in the near future.

[1]               As addition to this internal report for the SCA cf. the annual report and the bibliographical references in: Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur (SAK) 41, 2012 (forthcoming).

[2]               Members of the mission were Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Khadragy, Sohag University, field director; Prof. Dr. Jochem Kahl, Freie Universität Berlin, project director and field director; Prof. Dr. Ursula Verhoeven, University of Mainz, project director, Prof. Dr. Mohammed Abdelrahiem, University of Sohag, field director; Dr. Michael van Elsbergen, Egyptologist; Dr. Teodozja Rzeuska, Egyptologist; Dr. Sameh Shafik, epigrapher; Dr. Hisham Ahmed Fahid, Egyptologist; Aneta Cedro, MA, ceramologist; Nadine Deppe, M.A., Egyptologist; Andrea Kilian, M.A., Egyptologist; Chiori Kitagawa, MA, zooarchaeologist; Laura Sanhueza-Pino, M.A., Egyptologist; Monika Zöller-Engelhardt, M.A., Egyptologist; Josephine Malur, BA, Egyptologist; Mohamed Mustafa Al-Shafey, Egyptologist; Mohamed Helmi, Egyptologist; Tina Beck, student of Egyptology; Mohamed Farag, student of Egyptology; Eva Gervers, student of Egyptology; Ammar Abu Bakr, draughtsman; Cornelia Goerlich, architect. The accompanying inspectors were Mr. Ahmed Abdelrahiem Abdelmageed and Mr. Tariq Mahmoud Mohammed, the accompanying restorer was Rafat Fakher Karas Abdelmeseeh.

[3]  The remaining decoration of this wall has been already published by M. El-Khadragy, in: SKA 35, 2006, 147-164, Taf.12.

[4]  It is suggested that the tomb has inner hall and forecourt?

[5] The ceiling is broken down because of quarrying activities in the 19th century.