Egypt Exploration Society

A Sixth Dynasty Cemetery at Abydos

Author(s): W. Leonard S. Loat
Source: The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 9, No. 3/4 (Oct., 1923), pp. 161-163
Published by: Egypt Exploration Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3854034
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 161

A SIXTH DYNASTY CEMETERY AT ABYDOS1

BY W. LEONARD S. LOAT

Plate XXTX
DURINGthe course of the excavations at Abydos in the season 1908-1909, a cemetery F
dating from the Sixth Dynasty was found, situated on a gently sloping piece of ground
about one hundred and fifty yards from the edge of the cultivation. The ground consisted of
hardened sand, with a certain admixture of gravel in places. The tombs usually had square
shafts, varying in depth2 from four to eleven feet. In some cases the top was surrounded
with brickwork. This also varied in amount; in one case only a single course remained, in
another as much as three feet; these can only be looked upon as approximately correct
owing to attrition etc., but I think it may be taken as fairly certain that the original top
was raised above the level of the surrounding ground.
It might be mentioned that many of the tombs were rather crowded together, with the
result that in several cases the chamber of one burial had been cut into that of an adjacent

F225

-,,. rso.

SHAFr 8F1 DEEP

PLAN
Fig. 1. Scale A. Fig. 2. Typesof woodenhead-rests.

tomb, this, combined with the nature of the ground, i.e. hardened sand, later burials and
the work of plunderers, rather complicated matters. To each shaft there was but a single
chamber, which was roughly cut out under one side. This lay almost invariably on the
south-west and its entrance was in some few cases closed by brickwork, as in F 225
(Fig. 1). Plain wooden coffins were used; these were much decayed and generally crumbled
at the touch. A few showed traces of white stucco on the outside: one or two, however,
1 The documents on which this article is based have only lately been recovered from among the papers
of the late Mr E. H. Ayrton, who was working on the records of the cemetery at the time of his death.
Unfortunately the tomb-cards of some of the more important tombs are now missing from the catalogue,
as are also the photographs illustrating them, and it would seem as if Mr Ayrton had detached these,
possibly with a view to publication. Despite this it appears worth while to preserve some record,however
scanty, of a piece of excavation carried out with that care and efficiency which marked all Mr Ayrton's
work.
2All depths were measured from the hard ground, and do not include the layer of sand covering the
cemetery, which varied considerably in depth.
Journ. of Egypt. Arch. Ix.

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162 W. LEONARD S. LOAT

were also stuccoed on the inside. Only a single burial was found in each chamber. No
cases of mummification were recorded, with the possible exception of F 246. Speaking
generally, the objects with any individual burial were but few in number, and of little
intrinsic value, often but a wooden pillow (Fig. 2) or a few pieces of pottery. On the
other hand many small alabaster vases were found, these being often of slender and grace-
ful shapes (P1. XXTX, Figs. 2 and 4). Pottery was by no means common, and generally of a
poor quality. In the sand which filled the shafts of the unplundered tombs, and also lying
about in the vicinity of those that had been rifled, one often came across coarse roughly
made cylindrical vases with rounded bases', the average size being 9" long by 4" in diameter;
in one or two cases the mouth was sealed with a mud cap. One rather noticeable peculiarity
of some of the burials was the small size of the coffins. In some cases they were so small
that there must have been considerable difficulty in forcing the body into them. The body
was almost invariably placed on its side, the head to the north-west, the face turned in an
easterly direction. The knees were always bent, to a greater or lesser degree (P1. XXTX, Figs.
1 and 3): this, however, was not always due to the smallness of the coffin, but evidently
brought about when it was lowered down the shaft-some shafts being only three feet
square. This would naturally cause the body to slip downwards towards one end, there
being nothing in the way of mummification or bandaging to keep it rigid. Thus a consider-
able space was often left between the skull and the end of the coffin. The arms were placed
in no particular position, though in some few cases the hands were placed in front of the
face, as is so often found in pre-dynastic burials. Below is given a description of a few
burials with their contents etc.:-
F 60. Unplundered. Skeleton in a decayed wooden coffin (5' 8" long x 18" wide, inside
measure), lying on its side in a huddled-up position, knees sharply bent. In the top left-
hand corner was a white pottery vase, under the left cheek a small alabaster vase; lying
between the pelvis and the heels were the following objects: an alabaster vase full of small
beetles with, as a lid, the valve of a clam shell containing a black substance (kohl ?), a
mirror, and two other alabaster vases. Immediately in front of the face was a small
alabaster vase, and round the neck a string of beads. Outside the coffin, at the head end,
were two rough vases and a bowl of red polished ware.
F 69. Unplundered. Skeleton in a brittle wooden coffin (6' x 18" x 15" deep, wood 1I"
thick), lying on its side, knees bent. Lying on the lid, over the feet, was some'two inches
of sand, on which were one stone and three alabaster vases; one of the latter contained
beetles, as was the case in F 60 (N.B. these were not the sacred beetles, Scarabaetzs sacer).
Apparently the vases had been placed in position after a fall of a considerable amount of
sand from the roof. Against the face was a copper mirror with a wooden handle, under the
head a wooden pillow (Fig. 2). Outside the coffin, near the feet, were two white pottery
vases. Several beads of green glaze, carnelian and copper were found near the neck.
F 78. Unplundered. Fig. 3. Skeleton in a decayed wooden coffin (5' 6" x 1' 9" x 1' 6"
deep, wood 2" thick), lying on its side, knees bent. Above the head was a small wooden
box, much decayed, containing two small alabaster vases and a wooden comb. A mirror,
without handle, was lying on the face. A rough pillow, made out of a small block of stone,
was placed under the head. Behind the neck was a polished red vase, and lying just outside
the coffin was another of rough red ware. Against the breast-bone was a large green glazed
pottery bead.
1 Cf. Cemeteriesof Abydos, I, PI. VI a.

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 1. GraveF.22. 2. Grave F.40. Wooden hea

4. Grave F.120. Wooden head

ABYDOS. SIXTH DYNASTY CEMETERY.

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 A SIXTH DYNASTY CEMETERY AT ABYDOS 163

F 221. Unplundered. Body in wooden coffin (5' 4" x 1' 5" x 13" deep, wood 2" thick).
Remains of a wooden pillow under the head. Outside the coffin a large white pottery vase.
N.B. there were several simple burials of this description.
F 228. Unplundered. Fig. 4. Wooden coffin in fairly good condition, body lying on its
side, knees slightly bent. Under the head were the remains of a wooden pillow, and in the
top right-hand corner two copper mirrors. On the lid were four ox bones and three
alabaster vases. Lying outside the coffin near the knees were two alabaster vases and a
third made of stone, as well as a small copper dish.
F 232. Unplundered. In this case the body of an adult had been forced into quite a
small coffin 4' 4" long x 12" wide, wood 2" thick, depth uncertain as the wood was so
decayed. The skeleton was lying on its back, with the legs bent back so that the heels

F78 F228

CHAMBER

CHAMBER

BRICKWRK
SECTION B \ SHAFT8 F- DEEP

PLAN 5ECTION ON A.B. PLAN

Fig. 3. Scale t. Fig. 4. Scale r.
touched the pelvis. Arms sharply bent at elbow with the hands resting on the left breast.
A wooden pillow was near the head. On the coffin lid were the fragments of a stick.
F 243. Skeleton of an aged person, huddled up on its side in a wooden coffin (5' 2" x
15" x 15" deep, wood 1k" thick). Touching the forehead was a red pottery vase and the
single valve of a large clam, no doubt originally used for holding eye-paint (kohl ?). Close
to the chest was one large cylindrical steatite bead.
F 246. Unplundered. This burial varied in several particulars from those previously
described. The coffin was large, i.e. 7' 1" long x 2' wide x 2' deep (inside measurements)
and wood 2" thick. The body was lying on its back, the head however being placed in the
usual position, i.e. the face looking towards the east. Legs and arms perfectly straight, the
latter close to the side, but the feet and hands were missing. The head was resting on the
base of a wooden pillow. A much decayed wooden staff had been placed inside the coffin
in front of the face. In the top right-hand corner was a collection of small copper objects
consisting of: one dish, one bowl, a lid, one strainer? and two palette knives. At the
other end was a further collection of copper articles, consisting of chisels, etc. Into the
wall closing the chamber an offering vase had been placed.

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