Tomb of the chief physician Shepseskafankh

PRAGUE E GYPTOLOGICAL STUDIES Contents REPORTS Burial shafts and chambers of Nefer and Neferhathor in tomb AS 68d. A comparative evaluation of the ceramic fi nds (Katarína Arias Kytnarová) . . . . . . . . .3 Tomb of the chief physician Shepseskafankh (Miroslav Bárta) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Archaeological excavation of the mastaba of Queen Khentkaus III (tomb AC 30) in Abusir (Jaromír Krejčí – Katarína Arias Kytnarová – Martin Odler) . . . . . . . . . . .28 Exploration of the burial apartments in tomb complex AS 68. Preliminary report of the 2013 fall season (Hana Vymazalová) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 STUDIES Ritual tradition and transfer between shape and meaning – model beer jars in stone and pottery (Katarína Arias Kytnarová – Lucie Jirásková) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 A burial with a stamp seal depicting a Bes-like fi gure from Abusir (Veronika Dulíková – Martin Odler – Helena Březinová – Petra Havelková). . . . . . .69 Damage and repair of the Old Kingdom canopic jars – the case at Abusir (Lucie Jirásková) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 The miraculous rise of the Fifth Dynasty – the story of Papyrus Westcar and historical evidence (Miroslav Verner) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Dear readers, It has been thirteen years since the fi rst issue of Prague Egyptological Studies was published in 2002. Since then it has become an important and wide-selling journal, providing both the scientifi c and laymen audience with the latest results of our fi eldwork and various studies in the fi eld of Czech Egyptology dealing with the civilisations of ancient Egypt and Sudan. After more than a decade of its existence, we are pleased to launch the fi rst issue of the English edition of Prague Egyptological Studies. The English edition is dedicated exclusively to the history, archaeology and language of third millennium BC Egypt. Yet it also aims to include studies dealing with foreign relations during the period. At the same time, we also welcome publications on the latest advances in the study of the environment and studies evaluating the signifi cance of applied sciences. Our principal aim is to accommodate studies concerning either primary research in the fi eld or those that bring up theoretical inquiries of essential importance to the indicated scope and time frame of the journal. The present issue is devoted to the excavations at Abusir, the principal fi eld of research of the Czech Institute of Egyptology. The individual reports are dedicated to the excavation projects carried out in the pyramid fi eld (Khentkaus III), as well as in the Abusir South area (tomb complex AS 68, the tomb of Shepseskafankh). In addition to these, you will also fi nd more theoretical studies focusing on the “Khentkaus problem”, which analyses the signifi cance and importance of three women bearing the same name during the Fourth and Fifth Dynasties, a study dealing with model beer jars and their typological evolution, an interesting seal with a fi gure of Bes, and an interpretation of canopic jars bearing signifi cant tokens of past treatment on their bodies. We trust that the English edition of Prague Egyptological Studies, which will be produced once a year, will fi nd a fi rm place among other Egyptological scholarly journals. We are convinced that a clearly defi ned profi le of this scientifi c journal will attract not only the attention of many readers but also submissions of signifi cant contributions from the scientifi c community and thus streamline major advances in the fi elds of third millennium BC Egypt history, archaeology and the like. Miroslav Bárta and Lucie Jirásková PRAŽSKÉ EGYPTOLOGICKÉ STUDIE (Prague Egyptological Studies) Editorial board Prof. Mgr. Miroslav Bárta, Dr. Ao. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Peter Jánosi Prof. Peter Der Manuelian Juniorprof. Dr. Joanne Rowland Mgr. Renata Landgráfová, Ph.D. Dr. Gabriele Pieke Dr. Teodozja Rzeuska Executive editors Mgr. Veronika Dulíková Mgr. Lucie Jirásková Mgr. Marie Hlouchová Publisher Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Arts, Czech Institute of Egyptology, Celetná 20, 110 00 Praha 1, http://egyptologie.ff.cuni.cz The publication was prepared within the Programme for the Development of Fields of Study at Charles University, No. P14 “Archaeology of non-European Regions”, subprogramme “Research of ancient Egyptian civilization. Cultural and political adaptation of the North African civilisations in ancient history (5000 B.C. – 1000 A.D.)” Photographs and illustrations Archive of the Czech Institute of Egyptology FA CU, Jiří Vaněk (National museum) Language review Anthony Patrick Arias, B.A. Typography PhDr. Oleg Man Typesetting and print SERIFA, s. r. o., Jinonická 80, 150 00 Praha 5 ISSN 1214-3189 Copyright Charles University in Prague Photograph on the front page A reconstruction of the offering place in front of the false door of Nefer in tomb AS 68d (photo M. Frouz) XV/ 2015 CZECH INSTITUTE OF EGYPTOLOGY Architecture of the mastaba Superstructure The tomb is oriented in a north-south direction with the façade facing north. The entrance orientation was very likely due to the major access route to the cemetery, which started several hundred meters to the northeast, at the Lake of Abusir (Bárta 1999). The tomb measures 21.90 × 11.50 m in ground plan (covering an area of 252 m2). The façade was preserved to a max. height of 1.60 m (fig. 3). The outer walls of the mastaba were built of regular blocks of local limestone, whereas the inner masonry was the result of a combination of mud brick shell construction and loose fill. A comparison of its built area shows that it is one of the larger structures in the cemetery and that it is significantly larger than most of the mastabas of the contemporary members of the royal family discovered in the Abusir Central field (Bárta et al. 2014: 208) and in this cemetery: TOMB OF THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN SHEPSESKAFANKH PES XV/2015 15 Tomb of the chief physician Shepseskafankh Miroslav Bárta This mastaba was discovered during the course of the 2013 season in Abusir South. It is located in the northeastern part of the cemetery of officials dated to the Fifth Dynasty, to the reigns of Nyuserre, Menkauhor and Djedkare (i.e. 2402–2322 BC; Hornung – Kraus – Warburton 2006: 491) (figs. 1 and 2). Based on archaeological and epigraphic evidence, it may be supposed that it is one of the earliest structures in the examined cemetery which was in use at least for a century or so (Bárta – Vymazalová – Dulíková et al. 2014). In fact, there is an increasing probability that the cemetery was not inactive until the end of the Sixth Dynasty, as indicated by some evidence provided by the tomb complex of Inti (Bárta – Vachala et al., in preparation). Fig. 1a Ground plan of the cemetery including the mastaba of Shepseskafankh (drawing L. Vařeková, H. Vymazalová) 16 PES XV/2015 TOMB OF THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN SHEPSESKAFANKH Fig. 1b Ground plan of the mastaba of Shepseskafankh (drawing L. Vařeková) Fig. 2 Kite view of the cemetery. 1 – mastaba of Shepseskafakh (AS 39), 2 – mastaba of Neferinpu (AS 37), 3 – anonymous mastaba AS 31, 4 – mastaba of Nefershepes (Memi?), 5 – mastaba of Ptahhotep, 6 – rock-cut tombs of Sheretnebty, Nefer and others (AS 68a–d) (photo V. Brůna) AS 31, anonymous: 41.30 × 17.20 m, 710 m2. AS 36, Ptahhotep: 17.00 × 7.50 m, 127 m2. AS 37, Neferinpu: 19.00 × 8.90 m, 170 m2. AS 39, Shepseskafankh: 21.90 × 11.50 m, 252 m2. AS 67, Nefershepes (Memi?): 20.00 × 6.80, 136 m2. The northern portico was 3.00 m wide and 0.25 m deep. The entrance proper was 0.68 m wide and 1.00 m long, giving way to an L-shaped anteroom measuring approximately 1.50 × 3.15 m. To the west of it, a spacious serdab was situated (fig. 4). This room (Room 5) was 4.92 m long and 1.00 m wide, preserved to a max. height of 1.90 m. The floor was made of beaten clay. Despite the fact that the upper part of the room was badly denuded, a detail of the wall top at the western end of the northern wall shows that the room was originally covered with a mud brick vault. The serdab was found empty and was visually connected to the anteroom, with a small slot in the upper part of its eastern wall. The anteroom gives access to the north-south oriented, long, narrow chapel (Room 4), with four embedded false doors in the west wall. This room was 11.96 m long and 0.70 m wide, with a floor made of beaten raksha and mud. Its walls are built entirely of limestone blocks preserved to a height of about 3.00 m (fig. 5). In the western wall, four false doors made of limestone blocks were embedded, devoid of any decoration and inscriptions. It is very likely that all four stelae were supposed to be undecorated and corresponded with lesser shafts in the massive of the mastaba further to the west (see below). Proceeding from the south, the first false door starts 0.60 m above the floor and is 0.88 m wide and 2.20 m high; its top part is missing. The second one is completely preserved and starts 0.95 m above the floor and is 0.86 m wide and reaches a height of 2.70 m. The third false door starts 0.90 m above the floor and is 0.90 m wide and reaches its original height of 2.69 m. Finally, the fourth stela starts 0.90 m above the floor, is 0.90 m wide and is preserved to a height of 2.20 m. TOMB OF THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN SHEPSESKAFANKH PES XV/2015 17 Fig. 3 Entrance into the mastaba, view from the northeast (photo M. Bárta) Fig. 4 Serdab of the mastaba, view from the west (photo M. Bárta) From this corridor chapel one enters into the main chapel (Room 3) through a 0.80 m wide and 1.00 m long passageway (fig. 6). This is the principal cult chapel of Shepseskafankh, which dominates the whole superstructure. The room is 6.40 m long and 0.84 m wide, with a floor originally covered with mud plaster. At the southern end of the room, set in the western wall is a cult niche, 1.60 m wide and 1.17 m deep. Its western wall is entirely taken up by a false door made of whitish limestone blocks joined carefully together. The false door is 1.60 m wide and 3.60 m high and almost completely preserved, only its upper lintel missing. It bears hieroglyphic inscriptions which contain the titles and the name of the owner, Shepseskafankh. The most particular feature of the false door is the fact that it was only partially finished and thus most of its decoration is still painted in black with red correcting lines. Some parts of the planned decoration scheme are executed in a fine low relief (see below) (figs. 7 and 8). Substructure Altogether eight shafts were built to the west of the respective corridor chapels. They are arranged in a single 18 PES XV/2015 TOMB OF THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN SHEPSESKAFANKH Fig. 6 Central cult chapel with the false door of Shepseskafankh, view to the north (photo M. Bárta) Fig. 5 Corridor chapel, view from the north (photo M. Bárta) A shallow niche was cut into the eastern wall. It measured 2.50 × 1.07 m and was 1.02 m high. In the northwestern corner, some 0.80 m above the floor, there was a secondary (?) cutting that opened into Shaft 3. The opening is 0.70 m wide and 0.80 m high. In the fill of the shaft, scattered human remains were found, probably belonging to a man 50 years plus of age (29/AS39/2013). Shaft 3 Shaft opening: 1.80 × 1.50 m. Shaft 3 was 10.30 m deep. The bottom of the shaft descends to the west where the burial niche was cut. The niche measures 2.80 × 1.14 m and is 1.30 m high. The southeastern corner of the room is broken and gives access to Shaft 2, which starts some 0.20 m above the floor. Inside the niche the torso of a limestone statue was found, measuring 52 cm tall, missing lower parts of the legs and the head and still preserving remains of the original polychromy (17/AS39/2013) (fig. 9). Remains of an individual were found at the bottom of the shaft (19/AS39/2013), probably belonging to a woman 35–60 years of age. TOMB OF THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN SHEPSESKAFANKH PES XV/2015 19 row tentatively orientated in a north-south direction. The architect designed a unique solution to strengthen the superstructures of the individual shafts. Within the mastaba’s massive, he built a 16.40 m long and approximately 2.80 m wide solid mud brick core in which the individual shafts were excavated. These are numbered from the south to the north. Shaft 5 appears to be secondary, yet still of Old Kingdom date. Shaft 1 Shaft opening: 1.00 × 1.00 m. The shaft was 5.00 m deep. It was lined with mud bricks to a depth of 3.50 m (Nile mud bricks of 30 × 15 × 10 cm). The rest of the shaft was dug in a layer of quaternary desert deposits of sand and pebbles. It appears that the shaft must have been used before it reached the solid bedrock. In the fill of the shaft human remains were found, probably of a woman 40–60 years of age (42/AS39/2013). Shaft 2 Shaft opening: 1.70 × 1.70 m. The shaft was 12.80 m deep. The lowermost 2.00 m of the shaft were hewn only in very poor tafl bedrock. Fig. 7 Detail of the false door showing the nature of the unfinished decoration (photo M. Bárta) 20 PES XV/2015 TOMB OF THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN SHEPSESKAFANKH Fig. 8a, b False door of Shepseskafankh (photo M. Bárta, drawing J. Malátková) TOMB OF THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN SHEPSESKAFANKH PES XV/2015 21