Search results

1

Pottery from the tomb of Kairsu (AC 33) – a preliminary analysis

100%

Arias K.

Pražské egyptologické studie (Prague Egyptological Studies)

|

2020

|

issue 25

59-81

EN

This paper presents a preliminary report on the most significant ceramic contexts from the tomb of official Kairsu, excavated at Abusir Centre in the autumn of 2018. Based on the pottery finds, the activities in the tomb can be divided roughly into three main time frames. During the middle to late Fifth Dynasty, the tomb was constructed and four main burial shafts and apartments were equipped. The preliminary analysis shows that Kairsu was buried at a slightly earlier date than the owners of Shafts 2, 3 and 4, although all the pottery belongs to the span of the middle to late Fifth Dynasty. The area east of the tomb is characterized by secondary activities – in the course of the late Fifth and early Sixth Dynasty, two small additional shafts were built; one in the corridor of AC 33 (Shaft 6) and another in the corner north of the so-called entrance rooms (Shaft 5), the second one very likely serving as an embalming deposit for an (at this point) unknown burial. The so-far analysed destruction and refuse layers in and around Entrance Rooms 1 and 2 can be dated to the Sixth Dynasty, with some contexts associated with pottery characteristic of the first half of the dynasty (within a time span of Pepy I to Merenre) and one cluster containing vessels typical of the second half of the Sixth Dynasty.

2

Sixth Dynasty shaft deposit from tomb AS 84b

100%

Arias K.

Pražské egyptologické studie (Prague Egyptological Studies)

|

2021

|

issue 26

7-22

EN

The aim of this paper is to discuss a single context from a small mud brick tomb, AS 84b, built immediately south of large wooden boat (AS 80) at Abusir South. This context is exceptional due to the fact that the rela tively small Shaft 2 contained a very large number of fully preserved vessels found in situ at diverse depths of the shaft, as well as hundreds of additional fragments in the general fill. The vast majority of the pottery belonged to a single type, namely beer jars with a tall slender body with a sharp pointed base (Abusir J-1c). Among them, at least half of the examples exhibited an intentional hole made in the base of the jar. This paper also offers a short typological and morphometric study of these beer jars and an interpretation of the deposit as a whole within our current knowledge of diverse funerary contexts.

3

Princezná a jej príbuzní? Keramické nálezy z vybraných pohrebných kontextov princeznej Šeretnebtej

100%

Arias K.

Pražské egyptologické studie (Prague Egyptological Studies)

|

2014

|

issue 13

11-19

EN

In the autumn season of 2013, the shafts of some of the rock-cut tombs situated south and south-east of the pillared court of princess Sheretnebty were excavated. This article concentrates on the ceramic finds from the shafts and burial chambers of only the main ones, namely two shafts in the tomb of Duaptah (AS 68a) and two southern shafts in the presumed tomb of princess Sheretnebty (AS 68c). The shaft in the tomb of Shepespuptah (AS 68b) was found unfinished and never held either deposits or burials. The ceramic finds from the tomb of Duapthah were interesting, as the burial chambers contained some remains of the original tomb goods. In the case of the northern shaft, a small fragmented jar made of Marl clay A3 was inscribed with the name Nefermin, thus identifying the owner of the northern shaft. The finds from both burial chambers were rather scant and contained only a couple of vessels each, usually representing drink (jars) and food (bowls or plates) for the deceased. The shaft and burial chamber of the husband of princess Sheretnebty in tomb AS 68c contained the largest amount of ceramics. In the fill of the shaft, several strata were uncovered, with the topmost layer containing pottery dating to the Sixth Dynasty, more specifically to the period of Pepy I, such as very large tubular beer jars covered with a pale red slip. The floor level of the burial chamber was covered with numerous fragments of ceramic vessels, most of which could be reconstructed to full or almost full shape. Altogether, there were three large ovoid jars made of Marl clay A3, one smaller jar made of Nile silt and seven bowls and plates made od Nile silt A or B1. All of these were part of the original goods designed for the Afterlife of the deceased and were most probably broken on purpose as part of the sD dSrwt ritual. The ceramic finds from the shafts and burial chambers of the complex are very interesting, as they allow us to analyse not only the vessels and their typology, but also other issues such as post-depositional processes occurring in the tomb after the burial. On the basis of the finds, we can estimate that the cultic activity in the tomb of princess Sheretnebty lasted at least until the first half of the Sixth Dynasty. The latest pottery from all these tombs dates to the period of Pepy II and comes from the fill of the

4

In the shadow of Kaaper. Preliminary report on the anonymous Fifth Dynasty tomb AS 88

45%

Odler M., Arias K., Honzl J., Brukner Havelková P., Sůvová Z.

Pražské egyptologické studie (Prague Egyptological Studies)

|

2021

|

issue 27

7-42

EN

This paper presents an archaeological report on the anonymous Fifth Dynasty mastaba AS 88 from the Abusir South necropolis, south west of the tomb of the official Kaaper (AS 1). The tomb was reduced to the ground in antiquity and only fundaments of its architectural disposition remain: the chapel and serdab located in the southernmost third of the ground plan, and the main burial Shaft 4 with looted burial chamber to the north. The tomb owner was a robust male who lived to relatively old age, between 40 and 60 years. Neighbouring ritual Shaft 5 has been undisturbed since antiquity and near its opening, a dislocated base of a combed ware vessel of Syro Palestinian provenance was found, probably having come from the looted burial equipment of Kaaper. Other selected ceramic, anthropological (including two undisturbed Old Kingdom burials in subsidiary shafts of the tomb), and archaeozoological finds are presented as well in the report. The last part of the article discusses the importance of similar structures in the broader understanding of the Old Kingdom at Abusir, as they provide a humble counterpart to the pyramids and major tombs of Royal Abusir.

5

Short contribution on the past desert edge landscape at (Lake) Abusir, Egypt

39%

Toonen W., Odler M., Arias K., Krejčí J., Brůna V., Bárta M., Willems H.

Pražské egyptologické studie (Prague Egyptological Studies)

|

2020

|

issue 25

103-110

EN

A geological survey of ten boreholes was carried out at the desert edge near Abusir to investigate the location and age of former lakes. These environments are suggested to have played an important role in the symbolic landscape of ancient Egypt by connecting the realms of the living and the dead. Based on our research, it can be excluded that an Old Kingdom lake was present at the investigated zone near Abusir, as the local subsoil was dominated by colluvial, aeolian and prehistorical fluvial deposits typical for the wadi and desert edge setting. Yet, all boreholes featured a distinct layer of degraded mud brick that was interpreted as a large platform or multiple features of Old Kingdom age. Potentially, these features were tied to boat-landing places, which could imply that a lake existed at the wadi-floodplain interface, not far from the investigated zone.

Refine search results

5 Pražské egyptologické studie (Prague Egyptological Studies)

5 Arias K.

2 Odler M.

1 Brukner Havelková P.

1 Brůna V.

1 Bárta M.

1 Honzl J.

1 Krejčí J.

1 Sůvová Z.

1 Toonen W.

1 Willems H.

2 2021

2 2020

1 2014

Pottery from the tomb of Kairsu (AC 33) – a preliminary analysis

Sixth Dynasty shaft deposit from tomb AS 84b

Princezná a jej príbuzní? Keramické nálezy z vybraných pohrebných kontextov princeznej Šeretnebtej

In the shadow of Kaaper. Preliminary report on the anonymous Fifth Dynasty tomb AS 88

Short contribution on the past desert edge landscape at (Lake) Abusir, Egypt