2007-11-28 12:18

Polish archaeologists have completed another season of excavations in Saqqara

About 20 burials, including a few fully preserved mummies, were discovered by Polish archaeologists at a necropolis dating back to the Ptolemaic dynasty in Saqqara (Eqypt) during the 13th excavation season. Some of them have beautiful cartonnages – plaster cases which are covered in religious paintings. “They are extremely valuable as they confirm that there was a special ‘school’ of producing cartonnages and decorating mummies in Saqqara” – said Prof. Karol Myśliwiec, heading the excavations.

“In various museums in the world, there are groups of mummies similar to the ones discovered by us – but their origins are unknown. Thanks to our discovery, many museums from different countries will be able to link their artefacts with the Saqqara necropolis” – he explained.

The tombs were discovered under a layer of sand at the site of the “upper necropolis” located on the west side of the oldest pyramid in the world built for pharaoh Djoser. The aim of the excavations was to find more materials to add to the already existing ones for publication.

The Upper Necropolis: a mummy with a cartonnage from the Ptolemaic period in a pit cut out in rock and in the upper part of an Old Kingdom pit. Photograph: Jarosław Dąbrowski.

The first two English language volumes on the research of Polish archaeologists in Saqqara have been published. The first “Saqqara - The Tomb of Merefnebef" concerns Merefnebef’s tomb, which was discovered in 1997, the other "Pottery of the Late Old Kingdom. Funerary pottery and burial customs" is a pioneering study on Old Kingdom pottery (the last 3 millennia before Christ).

Prof. Karol Myśliwiec noted that most of their finds are later disclosed in publications - “We are now finishing work on a third volume, which should be published next year. It will concern the upper necropolis, i.e. tombs located just under the sand surface, which covered this area after the times of the Old Kingdom, that is after the end of the 3rd century B.C.”. The area of the necropolis remained untouched for about 2,000 years – since the end of the Old Kingdom. The area once again became a burial site from around the times of Alexander the Great to the times of Cleopatra VII.

“The volume prepared by the Polish archaeologists will be the first serious archaeological-anthropological study on the inhabitants of the capital of Egypt – Memphis – in the times of the Ptolemaic dynasty” – the researcher noted.

The fourth volume will concern the burial complex of Ni-anch-Nefertum dating back to the decline of the Old Kingdom. This tomb is also near to Djoser’s pyramid. “Although we have known about the existence of a tomb of a dignitary here for a long time, we could not uncover it until we published the slightly earlier tomb of a vizier located next to it. In 2007, we wanted to study the tomb’s superstructure, i.e. the part of Temi’s (the abbreviation for Ni-anch-Nefertum) tomb that is above ground. After this year’s excavations, the tomb is almost ready for presentation” – he noted.

In the course of a few decades, the researchers have found over 500 graves, which indicate that people of various social backgrounds were buried in this part of the royal necropolis. “Some bodies were only slightly mummified, placed on mats and then covered with more mats. Others had the shape of mummies and some were covered in cartonnages” – he noted. “The richest were buried in sarcophaguses made from wood or clay, some were decorated with paintings.

This year, on the site where archaeologists tried to assess and complete their knowledge about Old Kingdom graves, just under the surface, they found more Ptolemaic graves. There were 20 this year, though it is quite possible that there are hundreds. “These 20 graves will not be included in the third volume, but will form a chapter in volume four” – the archaeologist said.

A wooden kanop case. Photograph: Jarosław Dąbrowski.

“One of these wooden cases has a beautiful well preserved polychrome, which covers the whole case. In this same grave, there was also a large figure made of wood representing the god of the dead – Ptah-Osiris-Sokaris. Similar artefacts, but in worse condition, were found last year and they went to the Museum in Cairo for the exhibition commemorating the 70th anniversary of Polish archaeology in Egypt” – said Myśliwiec.

Upper Necropolis: wooden kanop case and a figure of Ptah-Osiris-Sokaris emerging from the sand covering a mummy resting below these objects. Photograph: Jarosław Dąbrowski.

Karol Myśliwiec also discussed work near the tomb of Ni-anch-Nefertum. “We have found a true labyrinth of grave pits cut in the rock – as if it were a factory of graves for the dead” – he explained.

“Unfortunately, we were only able to uncover one pit in the direct neighbourhood of the Ni-anch-Nefertum tomb. It contained pottery and the remains of the deceased”. The archaeologists will explore two larger pits next year. This year, they explored some graves discovered during previous expeditions. These include two graves located immediately next to the wall surrounding Djoser’s pyramid, a wall erected by the priest and architect – Imhotep.

“The area is covered by a mysterious platform made from dry brick. It was built about 1,000 years after the Old Kingdom and served as a cover for the graves underneath it” – the archaeologist noted. Already in the previous expedition, we discovered a fragment of two graves, but unfortunately its east side was under the platform and to explore it we had to dismantle part of the latter” – he continued.

At the beginning of this year, we managed to receive permission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities to dismantle a 1 by 8 metre fragment of the platform. This was enough to erect a buttress and study the pits. One of them turned out to be very shallow and only contained the deceased’s body. “The other site is amazing – we studied it to a depth of 11 metres and there is no sign of finishing yet” – Prof. Myśliwiec says enthusiastically.

There are two floors cut into the rock – you have to enter a small opening to get from the first floor into the deeper level. This is not the last level and studies on this will continue next year. Its shape is unique – it is also very deep. Does this pit lead to a tomb – archaeologists do not know yet. But the most interesting things always occur at the end of an expedition – Prof. Karol Myśliwiec noted. What will next year bring?

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland, Bogusława Szumiec-Presch, tr.ajfb

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