Hyksos and Israelite Cites 9781463228132

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Hyksos and Israelite Cites

Gorgias Classic Archaeological Reprints

13

Gorgias Classic Archaeological Reprints is a series dedicated to making historic contributions to the field of archaeology, particularly in Ancient Western Asia, available to scholars. The titles in this series are generally selected from the early days of excavation in the Levant and Mesopotamia, although significant contributions of a more recent vintage may also be included.

Hyksos and Israelite Cites

By

W. M. Flinders Petrie Contribution by

J. Garrow Duncan

A

1 gorgias press 2010

Gorgias Press LLC, 954 River Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA www.gor giaspr es s. com Copyright © 2010 by Gorgias Press LLC Originally published in 1907 All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC.

2010

1

ISBN 978-1-61719-487-0

ISSN 1935-4401 Reprinted from the 1907 London edition.

Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS SECT.

INTRODUCTION SECT.

PAGE

1. Organization . . 2. Results of the season 3. Previous work .

.

. .

.

.

.

CHAPTER

.

.

. .

. .

. . .

I i 3

CHAPTER

I

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. ] 1. 12.

.

Course of excavations . The foundations and size T h e bank and stucco slope T h e entrance The stone wall . . Later history . . . Origin of the camp Position of Avaris . .

.

.

.

.

.

.

. .

.

. .

. .

.

3

. . .

3 4 5 6 7 8 8 9

. .

. .

. .

. .

.

.

.

.

CHAPTER

25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

3i32. 333435-

.

14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

.

Order of the graves Plans of the graves T h e red pottery . T h e earlier remains The scarabs . .

.

.

. .

. . .

IV

Descriptions by Josephus Accordance with remains T h e outer fortification . . . . Formation of the mound Approaches to the temple T h e Temple . . . . . . T h e Castle The m a s o n r y . . . . . . History of the temple . . . . Small objects found . . . . Summary . . . . . .

.

10

.

.

II .12 14 . 1 4 15

. .

. .

CHAPTER

.

•

19

.

20

.

21

.

22

• • •

23 23 24

•

25

.

26

.

26

•

27

. .

. .

3& 3738. 3941.

III

42.

T H E LATER REMAINS 19. Graves of X V I I Ith dynasty . . . 20. Remains of X l X t h — X X I I n d dynasties 21. Graves of X X I I n d — X X V I t h dynasties

. 1 6 . 17 . 17

V

T E L L ER RETABEH (RAAMSES)

40.

CHAPTER

, 1 8 . 19 19

H

THE HYKSOS CEMETERY 13. Material for study .

. .

T H E T E M P L E OF ONIAS

T H E HYKSOS CAMP 4. Conditions of the site

PAGE

22. Figure of Admiral H o r . . . 23. Graves of X X V I t h dynasty onwards 24. Stone objects

43444546.

47-

T h e site and its results . . . . T h e first city wall . . . . . The c h i l d - s a c r i f i c e . . . . . T h e great house . . . . . Temple of Ramessu I I . T h e later walls . . . . . T h e bricks . . . . . . Pis. x x v i i i — x x x i i , the T e m p l e Pis. x x x i i — x x x i v c, the amulets , Pis. x x x v B — x x x v i B, bronze and pottery Pi. x x x v i C, stone and weights Skull measurements ,

.

28 28 29 29 29

3° 30

30 3i 33 33 34

vi

CONTENTS

CHAPTER THE

CEMETERY

VI

OF

CHAPTER

GOSHEN

TELL

BV J . GARROW DUNCAN, B . D .

PAGE

T h e district 35 T h e work . . . . . - 3 5 D i s p o s i t i o n of t h e b o d i e s . . . - 3 6 T h e dating 36 Classes of g r a v e s . . . . . . 37 S a n d - p i t graves, X V I I I t h d y n a s t y . . 37 „ „ X l X t h — X X V I t h dynasties 39 „ „ Roman . . . - 3 9 Side-scoop graves . . . . . . 4 1 Bricked graves . . . 41 P o t t e r y coffins . . . . . . 42 Ziyeh and pot burials . . . - 4 3 P o t b u r i a l s of c h i l d r e n . . . . - 4 3 S t o n e a n d wood coffins . . . . . 4 4 C o n t e n t s of g r a v e s . . . . . 4 4 P e r i o d s of c e m e t e r y . . . . »45

CHAPTER THE

CEMETERY

VII OF

76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94.

pAGE

T h e site R o m a n garrison T y p e s of g r a v e s . . D i s p o s i t i o n of t h e b o d y T h e pottery . . . . S t o n e vases . . . . Iron work . . . . Bronze work . . . . Silver, gold, a n d i v o r y . Beads and scarabs. . Plaster work . . . . Inscribed stones . . . Double-ledge graves . Brick-built graves . . . Brick-lined p l a s t e r e d g r a v e s Side-scoop graves . . . P o t a n d coffin b u r i a l s Belbeys . . . . . The mound . . . . CHAPTER

. . .

. . .

. . .

;

.

47 47 47 48 - 4 9 50 . 5 1 51

THE

B.D.

. . .

. . . . .

. .

. . . . . .

. . .

. . . . . .

.

. . .

. .

.

.

. . .

.

. .

. .

-

.

.

.

. .

. .

. .

54 55 5 5 56 57 58 58 59 5 9 6 0 60 60 6i 62 6 3 64 64 65 65

. . .

. . .

.

52 - 5 2 - 5 3 54

X SITES

BY W . M . F . P E T R I E

CHAPTER

VIII

BY J . GARROW DUNCAN,

ROMAN

HISTORY

OF

THE

BY W . M . F .

SHAGHANBEH

Position T w o a g e s of f o r t i f y i n g . C o n t e n t s of h o u s e s . T h e granaries . .

.

95. T h e r e c o r d s of sites . . 96. T h e I t i n e r a r y m e a s u r e u s e d . 97. T h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s . .

THE

72. 73. 74. 75.

B.D.

SUWA

T h e district . . . . . Classes of g r a v e s . . . . Sand-pit graves . . . . Pit tombs Four-chambered t o m b s . . Shaft and chamber tombs . . D i s p o s i t i o n of t h e b o d y . G r a v e s of Ali M a r a h

CHAPTER

GHEYTA

SECT.

BY J . GARROW DUNCAN, B . D .

64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71.

IX

OR

BY J . GARROW DUNCAN,

S8CT.

48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63.

YEHUD

98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103.

. . .

. 6 6 . 6 6 . 6 6

XI HYKSOS

PERIOD

PETRIE

T h e Babylonian kings. T y p e s of H y k s o s s c a r a b s O r d e r of t h e k i n g s . M a n e t h o ' s list of k i n g s T i t l e s of t h e d y n a s t i e s . V i e w of t h e H y k s o s p e r i o d

INDEX

. . .

. . . . . .

. . . . . .

. . . . . .

. .

6 7 6 7 6 8 6 9 . 70 - 7 ° 72

LIST WITH TELL

EL

PAGE

OF

REFERENCES

YEHUDIYEH

PLATES TO

THE

DESCRIPTIONS

T E M P L E OF O N I A S

(YEHUDIYEH)

PAGB PAGE X X I I . Plan of existing remains I. Stone vases, etc., X l l t h dynasty. . 21-4 H X X I I I . Plan as restored II. Plan of Hyksos camp. . 21-4 • 3-4 X X I V . Model .and views . I I I . Sections of Hyksos camp . . 21, 22, 24 • 4-7 X X V . Stairway and wall IV. Model and views of Hyksos camp • 21, 23. 25 • 5-6 X X V I . Battlement and wall . 21, 25, 26 IVA. Camp face, stone figures, scarabs 5, 14, 15 X X V I I . Cornices, pottery, etc. . . 22, 25, 26 V. Hyksos grave, daggers, and pottery VI. Hyksos daggers and objects VII. Hyksos scarabs and pottery 11-14 T E L L ER R E T A B E H ( R A A M S E S ) VIII. V I I I A. Hyksos pottery . X X V I I I . Granite stele, Ramessu II ; base VIIIB. „ „ . . . Ramessu I I I . 15 • 31 IX. Scarabs, X l l t h — X V I I t h dynasty . \ X X I X . Scene of Ramessu I I . 15 29-31 j X. Hyksos pottery . . . . 11-14 XXX. XI. Scarabs, X V I I I t h dynasty onward X X X I . Sculptures . 15 31 XII. Hyksos and later tomb plans 12-13 X X X I I . Dyad, stele, amulets, and bowl 31 X I I A . Black-edged pottery . 16 X X X I I A . Khety weight, deposit, great house 32, 29 XIIB. Group of Tahutmes III 16 XXXIII. • 32 „ X I I c . Pottery 16 X X X I V . Groups and Ramessu I I I deposit • 32 XI I D . 16 X X X I V A . Tombs, groups . . . . 32 XIII. Pottery, Amenhotep II age XXXIVB. 16 32 X I V . Pottery coffin of Men X X X I V c . Glazed figures and eyes 17 33 XIVA. Pottery coffin and cist, etc. X X X V . Plan 28-30 17 X V . Admiral Hor,coffins,and corn grinders 17,18 X X X V A . Plan of temple, tombs, and house 30, 29 X V I . Dyad of Ramessu, Merenptah column 8, 17 X X X V B . Bronze work . . . . • 33 X V l A . Ramessu II, Merenptah, Ramessu III 17 X X X V c . Pottery of groups . 33 X V I I . Foreign pottery, X X t h dynasty . . 17 X X X V I . Foreign pottery . 33 XVIIA. Burial jars and coffins . . . 17 X X X V I A . Undated pottery . . . . 33 X V I I I . Amulets and beads, X X I I n d dynasty 18 XXXVIB. 33 XIX. „ „ X X I I I r d dynasty 18 . . . . X X X V I c . Stone work . 33 XIXA. „ glass eye beads . . . 1 8 XIXB. „ quadruple eye beads . 18 S A F T EL H E N N E H ( G O S H E N ) XIXc. „ degraded quadruple eye beads 18 XIXD. Sharanba and Yehudiyeh . . .54, 19 X X X V I I . Scarabs . 37-46 X X . Figure of Admiral Hor, X X V I t h X X X V I l A . Rings and necklaces 37-46 dynasty. . . 19 X X X V l l B . Necklaces, scarabs, and glass 37-46 19 X X X V I I I . Amulets and ornaments XXA. Bronze and vases, X X V I t h dynasty . 37-46 X X I . Green glazed bottles,XXVIth dynasty 19 X X X V I 1 1 A. Foreign vases, situlae, and gla: 37-46 XXIA. Pottery, Ptolemaic and Roman . . 19 X X X I X . Altars 50. 51 XXIB. Stone and metal implements . 19 XXXIXA. 50, 51

„ „

„

.

„ . . . ,

L I S T OF P L A T E S

viii

PAGE X X X I X B . Foreign pottery X X X I X C . Pottery, X V I I I t h d y n a s t y . X V I I I - X I X t h dynasties XXXIXD. X X I I n d dynasty . XXXIXE. X X V I - X X X t h dynasties XXXIXF. X X V I t h and Ptolemaic XXXIXG. „ Ptolemaic XXXIXH. „ Ptolemaic and R o m a n XXXIX;. „ R o m a n age XXXIXK. X X X I X L . Alabaster and glaze

37-46 37-40 37-46 37-46 37-46 37-46 37-46 37-46 37-46 37-46

SHAGHANBEH

X X X I X M . Plan

52

XL. XLA. XLI. XLII. XLIII. XLIV. XLV. XLVI. XLVII. XLVIII. XLIX. L. LI.

GHEYTA PAGE Jewellery . . . . 59-60 Mirrors and g y p s u m b o x e s . 58,60 Pottery, R o m a n . 57-8 „ decorated, late . 57-8 G y p s u m boxes, iron work 58 Bronze bangles . 59 Bronze and silver w o r k . 59 Gold and ivory 59,6o 60 Beads, figures, and mirrors Inscriptions in unknown language 60 Belbeys pottery . 65 M a p of E. Delta sites . . . T a b l e of H y k s o s kings' scarabs

.

66 67

HYKSOS

AND

ISRAELITE Egyptology

INTRODUCTION i. T H I S course

of

volume British

the E g y p t i a n

marks

a

new departure

Account

England,

which

m u c h in t h e l a s t q u a r t e r o f a

e x c a v a t i o n s in E g y p t .

Research

in

CITIES

has

in

of

a

old friend

small

developed

so

In the work of the past winter our party consisted

the

Hitherto

been

has

century.

five.

Part of the excavations were directed b y m y the

Rev. J. G a r r o w

Duncan, who,

many

r e s o u r c e for t h e p r o m o t i o n o f t h e w o r k o f s t u d e n t s ;

years ago, had worked very carefully at N a q a d a ; and

and, as such,

another

footing

in

on to m o r e eleven

it h a s e n a b l e d

the a

entering

been

largely

most

o f the

history,

it

positions.

basis

for

upon

expanded,

has

the

work

British

several

from which

important

years

been

subject

It

new

and

the

men

with

more

have

has

in E g y p t .

a u t h o r i t i e s in

taken

to obtain they

been who

a f f a i r s is n o t a l w a y s

have

the

has

support

archaeology

permanent

; b u t de facto

de jure.

for

Now'it

in

a d a p t the n a m e to the facts, and p l a c e this beside schools at A t h e n s a n d R o m e , as the basis for students.

My

best

thanks

personally

due

t h o s e w h o h a v e h e l p e d this c h a n g e w i t h their

and

to

counsel

the

unravelling

the

of

the

the

Society

of

here

artistic

T.

weight

to

his

organizing

Prof. the

Ernest

British

opinions.

and

Gardner,

School The

at

W e all b e g a n lies a b o u t level

was

lower;

the

Henneh

Wady a

and

Gilbart-Smith

correspondence,

which

was

under-

taken by m y wife, has been m u c h lightened b y kind we

co-operation owe

many

o f D r . J.

thanks.

H.

This

to that basis

wishes.

Yet,

seemed

fitting

should

be

being

when that

connected

broader with

the

his

Cairo, wife

at a

east

divided

Mr.

and

Tell week

of

weeks at B e l b e y s Saft.

which

and

after

later, w h e n t h e w a t e r my

and

distance

10

of

9 weeks

Tumilat,

w e e k s at

el Y e h u d i y e h ,

north

spent

Retabeh

at

Saft

Zagazig. and

Butler-Stoney

their time

I

er

between

el Mr.

Sharanba, and

Mr.

the

two

c a m p s , a c c o r d i n g to the r e q u i r e m e n t s of the

work.

2. I t is p e r h a p s d e s i r a b l e t o g i v e h e r e a n h i s t o r i c a l outline of the results of the season, so that those w h o

whom

are o n l y interested

w h e r e t o l o o k f o r t h e i r s u b j e c t s in t h e f o l l o w i n g p a g e s .

entirely

changes a

kindly

public

withdrawn,

a break was

of

to

in t h e p a s t t w o y e a r s .

regret ; such

7

wife ;

the

of

excavations

The

of the Exploration F u n d , with which led

workpart

Walker,

interest has enabled me t o continue m y than

greater

expansion

in E g y p t , a n d t h e d i r e c t i o n o f s t u d e n t s , o n a scale

the

my

who

altogether

short

long the

miles

8 w e e k s there,

adds of

by

leaving there I returned again

whose work

The

work at Tell

twenty

Athens

heavy

important

the

help.

D u n c a n spent

to at

made

Butler-Stoney,

more

than

published.

were

A n t i q u a r i e s , for c o n t i n u i n g his s u p p o r t ; a n d to none experience

of

season, and obtaining

made

in

Patron

history,

surveying,

were

School ;

of

Director

took

was the

offered

Mr.

of

the

part

by

accepting

position

some

also

of those from Mr. D u n c a n ' s excavations

about

the

own

after

workmen,

most

cordially

Treasurer,

the

and

for s o

our

Gilbart-Smith,

most of the

drawings

and names : to the Earl of C r o m e r to

C.

structures that w e found, as well as directing

the

British

are

My

photographs

to

Mr.

managing

c h a r g e o f a site.

of

Such

at last

in

and

Egyptian

I t is w e l l

student,

experience

men during

position

o f t h e B r i t i s h S c h o o l o f A r c h a e o l o g y in E g y p t . it h a s l o n g b e e n de facto

that gone

thus

larger

limitations

I had

worked,

greatly

to

my

contrary

to

my

came

width present

about,

of

it

interests

position

of

in s o m e o n e p a r t , m a y b e t t e r s e e

T h e earliest p i e c e of history f o u n d w a s the settlem e n t o f t h e W a d y T u m i l a t in t h e X I I t h . a n d a s far b a c k

as the

IXth

dynasty.

probably

A few objects at

T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h s h o w t h a t i t a l s o w a s o c c u p i e d the X l l t h d y n a s t y . was the discovery camp.

This

tended

for a

of the original f o r m of the

great

proves to h a v e been an earthwork

the Egyptians.

in

T h e main interest of that place

system The

of

defence

in-

entirely foreign

to

h i g h outside slope, 60 feet

up

2

INTRODUCTION

the face of it, proves t h a t archery was the protection of the occupiers ; a n d the curious long ascent, to enter over t h e bank, shows t h a t neither g a t e w a y s nor a n y constructions in brick or timber entered into their defensive system. T h e rapid change t o the use of brickwork, and later to stonework on a great scale, shows how the barbaric ideas of these invaders became altered b y contact with t h e E g y p t i a n s . T h e whole evidence of the scarabs a n d the pottery, found in and near this camp, proves t h a t we here have for the first time a great work of the mysterious Shepherd K i n g s or Hyksos. T h e graves of this age have supplied the m e a n s of tracing the changes t h a t went on between t h e X l l t h and X V I I I t h dynasties, in t h e styles of scarabs, of the black foreign pottery, a n d of the E g y p t i a n pottery. F o r t h e first t i m e we can assign objects to their relative positions, throughout what has hitherto been one of the dark ages of E g y p t i a n history. Whether this site be the celebrated c a m p of Avaris, as seems probable, or whether it be a parallel site, its history is in accord with the outline of this age as stated b y Manetho. T h e n e x t period, t h e X V I I I t h dynasty, showed at Tell el Y e h u d i y e h the later stages of burials following those of the earlier cemetery A n d at Saft, the ancient city of Goshen, a large cemetery begun in this age has given us a considerable q u a n t i t y of beads and amulets. T o the X l X t h d y n a s t y belongs the temple of Ramessu I I at Tell er R c t a b c h . T h i s site t h u s occupied b y him is now seen to fulfil in every way the accounts of the city of Raamses, where, with the sister city of Pithom, the Israelites are stated to have been employed. T h e site of t h e t e m p l e founded by R a m e s s u has been found, and also much of the t e m p l e sculpture. T h u s we can now identify another of the fixed points in the narrative of t h e E x o d u s . Of this same age is a large fortified town in the plain of the Delta, discovered b y Mr. D u n c a n . This place seems to have been " t h e fountain of Horus," and is now known as. S h a r a n b a . A s there seems no likely purpose in thus planting a stronghold out of touch with the roads on the edges of the desert, we are led to look for its purpose in the time when the H y k s o s c a m p at Y e h u d i y e h was being girdled b y t h e Egyptians, in order to cut off its supplies and eject the hated invaders. T h u s the erection of this fortress may probably be taken back to t h e beginning of t h e X V I I I t h dynasty. Of t h e X X t h d y n a s t y we have the fortification of Tell er Retabeh, where Ramessu I I I left his founda-

tion deposits beneath the corners. A careful gleaning of the site of his palace at Tell el Y e h u d i y e h has produced some dozens of pieces of the glazed tiles with figures, and shown t h a t nothing more is t o be hoped for from t h a t ground. T h e X X I I nd a n d X X 1 1 Ird dynasties h a v e left several interesting objects for us in the cemcteries of Tell er R e t a b e h and Saft. T h e later branch of t h e Goshen cemetery at S u w a represents the X X V I t h d y n a s t y ; and the cemetery of Tell el Yehudiyeh has supplied some of t h e beautiful green glazed bottles of t h a t age. W i t h i n our concession for work lay t h e pieces of t h e g r e a t granite stele of D a r i u s at Pithom, which was published in transcription by M. Golenischeff. F r o m the remains of t h e stele I made paper squeezes, from which m y wife has drawn t h e facsimile here issued. T h i s is the most complete of t h e great m o n u m e n t s put up b y t h e Persian king, to comm e m o r a t e his cutting again the canal from t h e Nile to the Red Sea. A n o t h e r of the m a i n results of t h e season belonged t o t h e Ptolemaic age. T h e curious return of the J e w s to the protection of E g y p t , from t h e persecutions of Epiphanes, is known to us from t h e pages of J o s e p h u s ; and it had always been supposed that the site of the t o w n granted to the H i g h Priest Onias lay at Tell el Yehudiyeh. T h e discovery of t h e Jewish t o m b s t o n e s there b y Dr. Naville confirmed this ; b u t yet the site of t h e new t e m p l e a n d town was unfixed. Mr. Griffith came very near t o the m a r k when he wrote about t h e great mound, " T h e most probable site for the temple of Onias, if it stood here at all, is on the t o p of the mound." But he then adds, " I believe that t h e temple of Onias must b e sought for not here, but in o n e of the neighbouring Tells " {Mound of t)ie Jew, P- 53)- O u r work this season has, however, shown t h a t this is Leontopolis, and t h a t the great m o u n d agrees in every detail with t h e site of Onias. T h e outer walls of a powerful fortification can be traced around it, constructed of great stones hewn like those at Jerusalem. T h e site of t h e temple courts, and of the sanctuary itself, is now bared a n d measured. T h e proportions of this temple were copied from t h a t at Jerusalem. A n d the whole site was formed in imitation of the shape of t h e T e m p l e hill of t h e H o l y City. It was, in short, a N e w Jerusalem in E g y p t . Of the later ages the cemetery at Saft yielded m a n y graves of R o m a n times, with beautiful glass vessels and strings of coloured b e a d s ; a n d the cemetery at Gheyta has shown how Syrian influence

R E S U L T S OF T H E SEASON w a s c o m i n g into E g y p t in the later centuries of the R o r a a n o c c u p a t i o n . T h u s the w a y w a s p a v e d for the A r a b conquest, m u c h a s the S a x o n c o n q u e s t of E n g l a n d w a s p r e c e d e d b y the s e t t l e m e n t s on the " S a x o n s h o r e " of R o m a n Britain. O f the A r a b a g e s o m e houses w e r e cleared a t B e l b e y s , in c o u r s e of a s e a r c h for earlier remains. T h u s e v e r y a g e of E g y p t a f t e r the O l d K i n g d o m h a s b e e n t o u c h e d this y e a r ; a n d in t w o periods results of the first i m p o r t a n c e h a v e been ascertained. In issuing the g r e a t n u m b e r o f plates n e e d e d to record such an e x t e n s i v e c o u r s e o f w o r k , it w a s not p r a c t i c a b l e to p u b l i s h the less i m p o r t a n t p o r t i o n s in so l a r g e an edition. T h e r e f o r e the o r d i n a r y s u b scribers receive a c o m p l e t e w o r k g i v i n g all the m a t e r i a l of g e n e r a l interest, w h i l e the l a r g e r contributors will r e c e i v e the e x t r a p l a t e s w i t h lettered n u m b e r s , I V A , V I 1 1 A , V I I I B , etc., inserted in their volumes. T h u s the r e q u i r e m e n t s of a full record can be k e p t u p w i t h o u t u n d u e e x p e n s e or t r o u b l i n g the g e n e r a l r e a d e r with less interesting details. 3. I h a v e a l l u d e d a b o v e t o p r e v i o u s w o r k a t T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h . In 1 8 8 6 - 7 D r - N a v i l l e a n d M r . G r i f f i t h f o u n d the c e m e t e r y w i t h the J e w i s h t o m b s t o n e s , but did n o t o t h e r w i s e c l e a r u p the h i s t o r y of i:he place. D r . N a v i l l e r e v i s i t e d the site this y e a r w h e n w e w e r e a t w o r k , a n d w a s m u c h interested w i t h the g r e a t s l o p i n g f a c e of the campA t T e l l er R e t a b e h the s a m e e x p l o r e r h a d m a d e s o m e trials in 1 8 8 5 - 6 , but l e f t t h a t site w i t h the conclusion t h a t it w a s o n l y a R o m a n c a m p , a n d not of historic value. A n d at S a f t el H e n n e h it is t o D r . N a v i l l e that w e o w e t h e first notice of the p l a c e in 1 8 8 5 - 6 , w h e n he f o u n d m o n u m e n t s there. T h e c e m e t e r y w a s , h o w e v e r , n o t a t t e m p t e d at t h a t time. A f t e r a l a p s e of t w e n t y y e a r s p a s s i n g w i t h o u t a n y f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h e s in this district, it s e e m e d d e s i r a b l e to t r y to c l e a r u p its h i s t o r y , e s p e c i a l l y in c o n t i n u i n g t h o s e r e s e a r c h e s b e a r i n g on t h e I s r a e l i t e questions on w h i c h I t o u c h e d last y e a r in S i n a i (see Researches in Sinai). T h e a r c h a e o l o g i c a l results n o w r e a c h e d c a r r y us in m a n y r e s p e c t s m u c h b e y o n d the t o p o g r a p h i c a l w o r k of the earlier e x p l o r e r s .

C H A P T E R THE

HYKSOS

I CAMP

4. ON first v i e w i n g T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h t h e r e s e e m e d h a r d l y a n y p o s s i b i l i t y of r e c o v e r i n g details of the a n c i e n t structures of the p l a c e . T h e a c c u m u l a t i o n s

3

o f brick r u i n s of the a n c i e n t town, s o m e t w e n t y m i l e s north of C a i r o , h a d a l m o s t e n t i r e l y d i s a p p e a r e d ; the site of the p a l a c e of R a m e s s u I I I w a s h i g h in air, and a m i d the h e a p s of p o t s h e r d s s t r e w n o v e r the e n c l o s u r e t h e b a r e d e s e r t floor a p p e a r e d in m a n y parts. T h e s a n d y m a s s e s of the g r e a t s q u a r e c a m p , a n d of the m o u n d o n t h e n o r t h - e a s t of it, w e r e c u t a w a y on all sides, so t h a t n o t a f r a g m e n t of o r i g i n a l f a c e a p p e a r e d to be left. T h e stone wall h a s v a n i s h e d , l e a v i n g o n l y a l o n g t r e n c h to m a r k its site ; t h e earth a n d b r i c k s h a v e all b e e n e l a b o r a t e l y c u t a w a y to p u t on the l a n d a r o u n d ; the s a n d is b e i n g c a r t e d a w a y e v e r y d a y to use in b u i l d i n g ; and e v e n the v e r y p o t s h e r d s a r e collected to p l a c e in f o u n d a t i o n s of houses. E v e r y f r a g m e n t a n d p r o d u c t of the a n c i e n t site is b e i n g r e m o v e d , s o t h a t b e f o r e l o n g n o t r a c e will b e l e f t of this g r e a t city. 5. Y e t as a c o n t i n u a l flow of s c a r a b s of the a g e of the H y k s o s h a d c o m e f r o m this r e g i o n , a n d the s u p p l y h a d n o t c e a s e d , it s e e m e d n e e d f u l to t r y to rescue s o m e h i s t o r y if p o s s i b l e f r o m this site. Our first v e n t u r e w a s the t u r n i n g o v e r of an a r e a m a r k e d " C h i p s " on t h e p l a n (PI. I I ) , w h e r e a l a r g e m a s s of limestone chips showed that a building had been there destroyed. F r o m this p a r t n o r t h w a r d , a l o n g the n e a r e r half of the " S a n d F o u n d a t i o n s , " I o p e n e d a trench d o w n to t h e n a t i v e desert. I n s o m e parts f o u r or five f e e t of b l a c k e a r t h y e t r e m a i n e d , in other p a r t s there w a s n o n e l e f t . T h i s t r e n c h f r o m north t o south w a s m o v e d w e s t w a r d a c r o s s the g r o u n d to b e y o n d the " G r a n i t e B a s e , " thus c o m p l e t e l y t u r n i n g o v e r a b o u t an acre o f g r o u n d . Parts which had r u b b i s h d e s c e n d i n g b e l o w the w a t e r level in D e c e m b e r , w e r e c l e a r e d t o l o w e r levels in M a r c h . T h a t a t e m p l e h a d e x i s t e d h e r e is s h o w n b y the l o n g line of s a n d f o u n d a t i o n of the walls, b y the c o l u m n of the X l l t h d y n a s t y usurped b y Merenptah, b y the large black g r a n i t e b a s e for a s t a t u e , and b y a life-size k n e e l i n g f i g u r e of w h i c h w e f o u n d the l o w e r p a r t to the w e s t of the c h i p g r o u n d . B u t it s e e m s t h a t t h e b u i l d i n g , and all the o t h e r m o n u m e n t s w h i c h it f o r m e r l y c o n tained, h a d s t o o d a t h i g h e r levels w h i c h h a v e b e e n e n t i r e l y s w e p t a w a y b y the d i g g e r s of earth. T h i s c l e a r a n c e of o u r s w a s , h o w e v e r , f r u i t f u l in another way. F i v e g r a v e s w e r e f o u n d , all c o n t a i n i n g s c a r a b s of the H y k s o s period, with p o t t e r y c o p i e d f r o m the earlier E g y p t i a n t y p e s , a n d i m p o r t e d p o t t e r y of the b l a c k incised w a r e (PI. V ) . F r o m g r a v e s w h i c h h a d b e e n a l r e a d y d u g o v e r b y the n a t i v e s w e f o u n d m a n y other e x a m p l e s of this p o t t e r y l e f t behind, a n d a g o l d - m o u n t e d s c a r a b of K i n g K h y a n , w i t h a plain

R E S U L T S OF T H E SEASON w a s c o m i n g into E g y p t in the later centuries of the R o r a a n o c c u p a t i o n . T h u s the w a y w a s p a v e d for the A r a b conquest, m u c h a s the S a x o n c o n q u e s t of E n g l a n d w a s p r e c e d e d b y the s e t t l e m e n t s on the " S a x o n s h o r e " of R o m a n Britain. O f the A r a b a g e s o m e houses w e r e cleared a t B e l b e y s , in c o u r s e of a s e a r c h for earlier remains. T h u s e v e r y a g e of E g y p t a f t e r the O l d K i n g d o m h a s b e e n t o u c h e d this y e a r ; a n d in t w o periods results of the first i m p o r t a n c e h a v e been ascertained. In issuing the g r e a t n u m b e r o f plates n e e d e d to record such an e x t e n s i v e c o u r s e o f w o r k , it w a s not p r a c t i c a b l e to p u b l i s h the less i m p o r t a n t p o r t i o n s in so l a r g e an edition. T h e r e f o r e the o r d i n a r y s u b scribers receive a c o m p l e t e w o r k g i v i n g all the m a t e r i a l of g e n e r a l interest, w h i l e the l a r g e r contributors will r e c e i v e the e x t r a p l a t e s w i t h lettered n u m b e r s , I V A , V I 1 1 A , V I I I B , etc., inserted in their volumes. T h u s the r e q u i r e m e n t s of a full record can be k e p t u p w i t h o u t u n d u e e x p e n s e or t r o u b l i n g the g e n e r a l r e a d e r with less interesting details. 3. I h a v e a l l u d e d a b o v e t o p r e v i o u s w o r k a t T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h . In 1 8 8 6 - 7 D r - N a v i l l e a n d M r . G r i f f i t h f o u n d the c e m e t e r y w i t h the J e w i s h t o m b s t o n e s , but did n o t o t h e r w i s e c l e a r u p the h i s t o r y of i:he place. D r . N a v i l l e r e v i s i t e d the site this y e a r w h e n w e w e r e a t w o r k , a n d w a s m u c h interested w i t h the g r e a t s l o p i n g f a c e of the campA t T e l l er R e t a b e h the s a m e e x p l o r e r h a d m a d e s o m e trials in 1 8 8 5 - 6 , but l e f t t h a t site w i t h the conclusion t h a t it w a s o n l y a R o m a n c a m p , a n d not of historic value. A n d at S a f t el H e n n e h it is t o D r . N a v i l l e that w e o w e t h e first notice of the p l a c e in 1 8 8 5 - 6 , w h e n he f o u n d m o n u m e n t s there. T h e c e m e t e r y w a s , h o w e v e r , n o t a t t e m p t e d at t h a t time. A f t e r a l a p s e of t w e n t y y e a r s p a s s i n g w i t h o u t a n y f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h e s in this district, it s e e m e d d e s i r a b l e to t r y to c l e a r u p its h i s t o r y , e s p e c i a l l y in c o n t i n u i n g t h o s e r e s e a r c h e s b e a r i n g on t h e I s r a e l i t e questions on w h i c h I t o u c h e d last y e a r in S i n a i (see Researches in Sinai). T h e a r c h a e o l o g i c a l results n o w r e a c h e d c a r r y us in m a n y r e s p e c t s m u c h b e y o n d the t o p o g r a p h i c a l w o r k of the earlier e x p l o r e r s .

C H A P T E R THE

HYKSOS

I CAMP

4. ON first v i e w i n g T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h t h e r e s e e m e d h a r d l y a n y p o s s i b i l i t y of r e c o v e r i n g details of the a n c i e n t structures of the p l a c e . T h e a c c u m u l a t i o n s

3

o f brick r u i n s of the a n c i e n t town, s o m e t w e n t y m i l e s north of C a i r o , h a d a l m o s t e n t i r e l y d i s a p p e a r e d ; the site of the p a l a c e of R a m e s s u I I I w a s h i g h in air, and a m i d the h e a p s of p o t s h e r d s s t r e w n o v e r the e n c l o s u r e t h e b a r e d e s e r t floor a p p e a r e d in m a n y parts. T h e s a n d y m a s s e s of the g r e a t s q u a r e c a m p , a n d of the m o u n d o n t h e n o r t h - e a s t of it, w e r e c u t a w a y on all sides, so t h a t n o t a f r a g m e n t of o r i g i n a l f a c e a p p e a r e d to be left. T h e stone wall h a s v a n i s h e d , l e a v i n g o n l y a l o n g t r e n c h to m a r k its site ; t h e earth a n d b r i c k s h a v e all b e e n e l a b o r a t e l y c u t a w a y to p u t on the l a n d a r o u n d ; the s a n d is b e i n g c a r t e d a w a y e v e r y d a y to use in b u i l d i n g ; and e v e n the v e r y p o t s h e r d s a r e collected to p l a c e in f o u n d a t i o n s of houses. E v e r y f r a g m e n t a n d p r o d u c t of the a n c i e n t site is b e i n g r e m o v e d , s o t h a t b e f o r e l o n g n o t r a c e will b e l e f t of this g r e a t city. 5. Y e t as a c o n t i n u a l flow of s c a r a b s of the a g e of the H y k s o s h a d c o m e f r o m this r e g i o n , a n d the s u p p l y h a d n o t c e a s e d , it s e e m e d n e e d f u l to t r y to rescue s o m e h i s t o r y if p o s s i b l e f r o m this site. Our first v e n t u r e w a s the t u r n i n g o v e r of an a r e a m a r k e d " C h i p s " on t h e p l a n (PI. I I ) , w h e r e a l a r g e m a s s of limestone chips showed that a building had been there destroyed. F r o m this p a r t n o r t h w a r d , a l o n g the n e a r e r half of the " S a n d F o u n d a t i o n s , " I o p e n e d a trench d o w n to t h e n a t i v e desert. I n s o m e parts f o u r or five f e e t of b l a c k e a r t h y e t r e m a i n e d , in other p a r t s there w a s n o n e l e f t . T h i s t r e n c h f r o m north t o south w a s m o v e d w e s t w a r d a c r o s s the g r o u n d to b e y o n d the " G r a n i t e B a s e , " thus c o m p l e t e l y t u r n i n g o v e r a b o u t an acre o f g r o u n d . Parts which had r u b b i s h d e s c e n d i n g b e l o w the w a t e r level in D e c e m b e r , w e r e c l e a r e d t o l o w e r levels in M a r c h . T h a t a t e m p l e h a d e x i s t e d h e r e is s h o w n b y the l o n g line of s a n d f o u n d a t i o n of the walls, b y the c o l u m n of the X l l t h d y n a s t y usurped b y Merenptah, b y the large black g r a n i t e b a s e for a s t a t u e , and b y a life-size k n e e l i n g f i g u r e of w h i c h w e f o u n d the l o w e r p a r t to the w e s t of the c h i p g r o u n d . B u t it s e e m s t h a t t h e b u i l d i n g , and all the o t h e r m o n u m e n t s w h i c h it f o r m e r l y c o n tained, h a d s t o o d a t h i g h e r levels w h i c h h a v e b e e n e n t i r e l y s w e p t a w a y b y the d i g g e r s of earth. T h i s c l e a r a n c e of o u r s w a s , h o w e v e r , f r u i t f u l in another way. F i v e g r a v e s w e r e f o u n d , all c o n t a i n i n g s c a r a b s of the H y k s o s period, with p o t t e r y c o p i e d f r o m the earlier E g y p t i a n t y p e s , a n d i m p o r t e d p o t t e r y of the b l a c k incised w a r e (PI. V ) . F r o m g r a v e s w h i c h h a d b e e n a l r e a d y d u g o v e r b y the n a t i v e s w e f o u n d m a n y other e x a m p l e s of this p o t t e r y l e f t behind, a n d a g o l d - m o u n t e d s c a r a b of K i n g K h y a n , w i t h a plain

4

THE

band of gold, perhaps a head

fillet.

HYKSOS

T h a t such g r a v e s

of the H y k s o s might well have been d u g

inside their

CAMP

for

some

time

a

problem.

On

the

south

side

sloping face of brickwork w a s found (PI. II, see

a A)

c a m p , w e see from the e x a m p l e of g r a v e s inside the

c u t t i n g across the main b a n k , a n d at first it seemed

t o w n of

as if this were an original corner.

Ehnasya

under

the later temple, a n d

the

g r a v e s of the 1st d y n a s t y inside the t o w n of A b y d o s . While

this w o r k

was

going

on

I

observed,

w a l k i n g round the g r e a t bank of sand, that on eastern side a thin w h i t e line ran through the 0

inclined at about 4 5 .

in the

ground

I traced this again and again

o f the bank, a n d it b e c a m e clear t h a t it w a s o n l y a revetment to hold u p the end of the b a n k , w h e n t h r o u g h and replaced b y the walls of R a m e s s u . w e s t side, p r o v e d that the c a m p

the c a m p .

lateral.

a

wide

plane

of

sloping

white

plaster

or

bared stucco

(Pis. I V , I V A ) , e x t e n d i n g as w i d e as the earth w a s left remaining, a n d as d e e p as the present water level below it.

T h i s w a s evidently a g r e a t sloping face t o

cut The

later d i s c o v e r y of the stucco slope, c o m p l e t e on the

at other points, and at last found it on e v e r y side of I d u g d o w n the slope of it, and

B u t it w a s traced

o u t w a r d to a s h a r p bend with the outer s t u c c o f a c e

Having

w a s almost

equi-

now described the order of e x a m i -

nation of the site, w e m a y proceed to the details that were discovered. 6.

FOUNDATIONS.

T h e first question in dealing

with a sloping structure is the position of its original

the s a n d bank, and therefore g a v e the position of the

base level.

outer surface as originally

f e w y a r d s of water-level in E g y p t , is now s u b m e r g e d

finished.

As

the present

outside of the sand b a n k had been cut back in

many

A n y building that w a s founded within a

at its base b y the s t e a d y rise of the Nile deposits, and

p a r t s to as much as fifty feet inside this stucco slope,

of the general water-level of the c o u n t r y .

the recognition of the original face g r e a t l y

amounts

restored

our v i e w of the site.

rise

since the H y k s o s times, o v e r 4 , 0 0 0 y e a r s ago, the rise

T h e outside b e i n g thus identified, the inside needed fixing.

T h i s w a s m o r e difficult as there w a s no w h i t e

stucco,

and

the

This

to a b o u t 4 inches in a c e n t u r y : therefore

brickwork

systematically dug away.

lining

wall

had

been

T r a c e s of it were r e m a i n i n g

of level must have been about

1 6 0 inches or more.

A s even n o w m u c h of the inside of the c a m p s h o w s the desert g r o u n d

a l m o s t u p t o high

Nile

level, it

seems t h a t the h i g h e s t part of the g r o u n d was a b o u t

a g a i n s t the sand face, m a i n l y in the north-east corner.

1 2 or 1 3 feet o v e r high N i l e .

B u t o n l y one piece of the north face, one piece of the

a w a y on most sides, but w e c a n n o t suppose that the

east face, and the line of the south f a c e could

earthwork

recovered.

be

T h e s e suffice to s h o w the position a n d

the thickness of the great s a n d bank, w h i c h even

at

T h e entrance to this c a m p w a s the ne> t point to b e O n the eastern side the s a n d bank is much

lower in the middle, and it w a s natural to suppose that a g a t e w a y had been d e s t r o y e d there.

A l s o there

below

that.

I have

sounded below

the

the

around

T o m y surprise the stucco slopes on both sides

is not likely t h a t in a d d i n g

found.

no

trace

of

a gateway

of the wall level

T h e b e s t g u i d e as to the starting

way.

t o the east, and

as

the

of

down

water

in

period of construction. siope is given

running

level,

the sections, both for the present time a n d for the

I cleared this part therefore to find the g a t e into walls

face

present

side.

the middle turned

Nile

M a r c h ; a n d the level of that season is m a r k e d on

w a s no trace o f - t h e stucco slope in the middle o f the

of

old

general plain w a s covered w i t h N i l e deposits up t o to 2 0 inches

the t o p w a s 8 0 t o 1 4 0 feet wide. studied.

extended

N a t u r a l l y the site fell

by

point of

the stone wall w h i c h

it, as s h o w n in the sections on

was

the

added

PI. I I I .

such a wall a n y

It

large

outwards

a m o u n t of the slope w o u l d be cut a w a y ; the base

could

breadth of the wall

be

W e d u g on, b u t o n l y u n c o v e r e d a long slope of

b r i c k w o r k pointing up to the top of tho sand

bank

but m o r e than

that

m i g h t v e r y likely b e r e m o v e d ; is not so probable.

Therefore

the slope is not likely t o h a v e continued lower than

(PI. I l l ) , with lesser lines of sloping brick in the s a n d

the level m a r k e d " o l d g r o u n d ? "

below.

h a v e gone more than a couple o f feet lower, as the

A t last it w a s clear that there had never been

any gateway, sloping

but that the entrance w a s b y a long

roadway,

leading o v e r the top of the sand

bank.

general level of the alluvial plain (even if there were no desert footing h e r e ) w o u l d b e a b o u t t w o or three f e e t o v e r the " oid w a t e r " level of the s p r i n g - t i m e .

T h e western half of this region w a s occupied w a l l s of with

I n d e e d it cannot

the

part w a s

a

different character, evidently

remains ever

of

Ramessu

included

in

III.

associated

Whether

the original

by

camp

N o r is

it likely that the slope e n d e d h i g h e r than w e

have

m a r k e d it, as the stone wall w o u l d n a t u r a l l y be cut a

this

little into the foot of it.

was

the level m a r k e d as " old g r o u n d , " as an a p p r o x i m a -

W e h a v e therefore a d o p t e d

THE

FOUNDATIONS

tion. It happens to be the theoretical zero of all my levelling, which was started by taking a signal on the top of the bank as 500 inches level. Hence all levels named here are in inches above the probable original ground. On the plan the outline of the slope was fixed by taking as high a portion as could be found in each part, and measuring the angle of it, or angles if it varied. This angle was then carried upward to 500 inches level and downward to zero, or old ground. The horizontal distances from the point fixed were plotted on the plan, and so the outline of the top and foot of the bank were determined at each part, as shown in the plan. Each point which was thus fixed is marked by a short cross stroke on the outline. Where the top and bottom of the bank come closest together, as at the north-east corner, the slope is at its steepest. The width of the bank as laid out varies from 1580 inches on the south side to 2360 on the east, at its base, roughly 1 3 0 to 200 feet. This irregularity is similar to the want of parallelism and of squareness between the sides. T h e whole outside varied— N. to S. . E. „ W. .

17600 to 18430 inches, 1467 to 1536 feet. 17650 „ 18750 „ 1471 „ 1562 „

Hence it was more nearly equal in length and breadth than the skewness of the sides would lead us to expect. The inside dimensions are less certain, as I have not uncovered the original inner face of the west side. It is here restored from the north side. But a piece of wail just within the remaining heap of sand at the north-west may be part of the lining wall ; and, if so, the bank was thicker than it is marked. The inside was about 400 yards square, Wc may perhaps allow two square yards of house room for each man in a closely packed camp ; and the roads and walls might occupy as much as the floor space. T h e whole camp might then hold 40,000 men ; or if they were put together as closely as English soldiers in tenting, there might be 80,000 men. 7- BANK

A N D STUCCO SLOPE.

T h e g r e a t b a n k is

in most parts pure sand (see views, PI. IV). Along the eastern side it consists largely of marly lumps; and on the south-east corner much of it is of yellow lumps of decomposed basalt, collected from the surface of the basalt flow, which is now found a mile or two to the east on the desert. In most parts there are embedded in the bank scattered bricks, and irregular short walls of loosely piled bricks. Such seem to have been marks for limits of working gangs, or

5

possibly shelters for the men employed. These bricks are 14*0 to 154. inches long, 6 5 to 7'8 wide, 3'2 to 3'8 thick ; the details of sizes of bricks will be given in Section 8. The angle of the stuccos lope outside of the bank is by no means constant, as is shown in the base of PI. I I I . T h e variations of it are from 27° to 55 0 , and these limits are found in a single slope on the south-east. But four-fifths of the cases fall between 36° and 43 0 , the mid example being 41 0 . From this amount of variation it does not seem that any measurement was followed in setting out the face, any more than there was in laying out the direction of the sides. The height of the slope was from 50 to 70 feet, according to the varying angle. The stucco face is plastered over with hard white plaster, about £ to £ inch thick. This was spread by the hands, as may be seen by the finger-sweeps showing upon it, where well preserved at the south side of the sloping ascent. It is laid on in bands about 30 inches high, leaving a slight ledge at the top of each band (see view, Plate I V A). This evidently marks the breadth which was covered at once in the plastering, the ledge being the slight foothold left by the workmen as they went round the plasterings. Such slight ledges greatly detract from the inaccessibility of the slope, and they are another mark of the untrained and badly organized character of the whole work. Behind the stucco slope there is a steeper retaining wall, seen on the north and the south-east, as shown in the sectional view of variations of slope, PI. I l l , base. This wall is in ledges, each course stepped back, and the appearance of it where bared on the south-east is shown in the photograph, PI. IV. This wall has been nearly all removed, as it was a source of brick-earth to the modern diggers ; and in some parts a deep trench runs between the stucco slope and the sand bank core. Where preserved, this wall has an angle of 58°, and is built of bricks 14 5 to 14-8 ins. long. W h y the face of this wall itself was not smoothed and stuccoed we cannot understand. T o add more earth to the lower part, and so make a fiatter slope for the final face, seems to throw away the defensibility of the bank. Perhaps this wall was originally intended for the face ; but, if so, it may not have proved strong enough, and have bulged with the pressure behind it, as it was fifty feet in height. This would account for the lower part being banked over, and a flatter slope substituted. Such seems to be the only explanation of this inner sloping wall.

6

THE

HYKSOS

T h e inside wall of the bank towards the town was almost vertical, as seen along the south side, where it is best preserved. T h e traces of the backs of the bricks can be seen all round the north-east corner. T h e inner face was traced for some w a y inside the north side, and on the east it was identified at one spot where it is preserved. T h e r e is no trace of a n y brick wall on the top of the sand bank ; and though in other positions brickwork has been diligently cut a w a y , y e t in all such places some fragments have been casually left. T h e top where best preserved is flat, and strewn with weather-stained flints and potsherds, while there is n o trace of a n y trench or space where a brick wall has been d u g a w a y from the top. Mr. Griffith, w h o saw the place when it was much less disturbed, also considered that there was no trace of a defensive wall on the top. It . e e m s therefore t \ a t at first the earthwork alone was ,l>e defence ; a id later, when walls were valued, the great ^ n c vail outside rendered any brick wall needless. 8. ENTRANCE. T h e n , aoes not seen originally to have been a n y g a t e w a y through the bank into the camp. Certainly there was none on the east ; on the south the bank is continuous beyond the middle ; on the west the line of the stone wall continued across the middle ; and it is only on the north that the destruction leaves us in doubt as to the continuity of the bank, though the sand is certainly continuous to ten or fifteen feet above the old ground level, and therefore probably no opening existed. T h e o n l y original entrance that we can trace i-- the sloping ascent on the east side. T h i s was a. gentle slope about 225 feet l o n g ; but the lower part of it became covered with a great mound of town rubbish in the Ptolemaic time, and hence I have not clcared or planned it further out than the upper hah Near the bank it has been entirely cut a w a y in re moving the inner retaining wall of the bank, hencc only a part of the upper half can be seen. T h e outline of the entrance given on the plan, PI. II, is certain in the upper part ; but the lower end is conjectural, as it is still deeply buried. A t first there wa> only a continuous ascent 35 feet wide, as shown L>n the plan, PI. I l l ; this ran up over the slope of the bank, pointing towards the top. T h e actual breadth of this ascent is still well preserved, with vertical walls on each side of it. T h e stucco slope outside of the bank bends irregularly to meet this, and turns round in the corner where the wall joins it. T h e foot of this ascent would perhaps not be as wide as the

CAMP

upper part, as there was good reason to limit the rush of an e n e m y at the beginning. T h e fact that the stucco slope turns out to join this ascent proves that this approach is the original r o a d w a y , and not a siege-work or an alteration of later times. A f t e r this raised sloping ascent was thus made, a remodelling of the defensive system w a s soon adopted. T h e plaster on the stucco slope on either side of the r o a d w a y was perfectly fresh, and had not been e x p o s e d for even a few years, when it was covered over with new works. It seems to have been perceived that the ascent was too far from the archery defence. T h e long slope withdrew the bowmen from the beginning of the ascent, so that the flank attack was at 300 to 400 feet distance. T h i s led to a c h a n g e in which the E g y p t i a n system of vertical walls began to be utilised. A flanking wall was thrown forward, out to the edge of the great slope, for more than 200 feet a l o n g (see the model, PL I V ) . T h i s shortened the diagonal attack on the approach b y 80 feet. T h e n the flank wall was continued a l o n g the sides of the approach itself (see " O u t e r retaining w a l l " in the plan, PI. I l l ) , the inner retaining wall being that at the sides of the road. T h i s gave standing room of over forty feet on either side of the actual g a n g w a y ; and this fresh space could hold a large b o d y of archers c o m m a n d i n g the g a n g w a y from above. T h e defence then consisted of not only distant flank attack on the approach, but a sunk c a u s e w a y leading through a b o d y of archcrs, and so forming a complete trap ; thus the defence was far superior to the attack on the vulnerable point. T h e place of this flanking wall on the north of the ascent was later occupied b y the stone wall shown on PI. I l l , in " Section north of sloping ascent." On the south side of the ascent, in the n e x t section, the flank wall of brick occupies the same alignment as on the north, b u t it was raised on a bank of sand. W h e r e the later flank wall of stone joined the ascent on the north (PI. I l l , plan), it fell into just the same place over the foot of the slope ; but it has all been removed for stone, leaving only the brick flank wall along the side of the ascent, marked " O u t e r retaining wall." O n the south side the flank wall was not only based on a sand heap, but it curved round irregularly to the side of the ascent. T h e whole of it has been removed, and only the lumps of marl in the b a c k i n g show where it stood. T h e sizes of the bricks v a r y a good deal. T h e y m a y be summed up as follows :

THE ENTRANCE In t h e sand b a n k : 1 4 0 — 1 5 - 4 x 6 - 5 — 7 7 x 3 2 — 3 - 8 inches. In the g a n g w a y : 14 3 — i 6 ' i x 7 3 — 8 2 x 3 - 4 — 4 7 . In the f l a n k i n g w a l l s are t h r e e different classes : 14 5 — 1 5 - 1 X 7 1 — 7 ' 4 X 3 ' 2 - 3 5 ; also 1:5-4—16 2 x 7-2—7-4 X 4 ' 4 — 4 - 5 ; also 17-5—181 x6"5—8 5 x4-2—4'4. 9. STONE W A L L . O n all sides of the c a m p m a y be seen a d e e p t r e n c h in the g r o u n d , w h i c h is filled with w a t e r e a r l y in the season, and t h e natives all agree t h a t t h e y h a v e in recent y e a r s r e m o v e d from that g r o u n d a great stone wall, three b l o c k s in w i d t h . In 1887 the remains of the w a l l were in course of rapid destruction ; but n o w n o n e could be reached e x c e p t at low w a t e r in M a r c h , a n d e v e n t h e n o n l y a few stones w e r e found in the less-disturbed parts. I w a s a n x i o u s to e x a m i n e this wall, o w i n g to the previous description of it ( M o u n d of the Jew, p. 49) as a stone-lined ditch 32 feet wide. Mr. Griffith informs rne t h a t he intended b y this a d r y d i t c h — that is, t w o walls at 32 feet a p a r t over all. This a p p e a r a n c e w h i c h he s a w w a s d o u b t l e s s d u e t o the relation of the wall a r o u n d the c a m p , t o the w a l l f a c i n g the western side of t h e hill of O n i a s , as these w o u l d be a b o u t t h a t d i s t a n t a p a r t w h e r e running parallel at the north-east. A n d I could n o t hear, or see a n y traces, of a second wall a r o u n d t h e c a m p . T h e position of the stone wall in relation to t h e stucco slope of t h e bank, d e p e n d s u p o n the original g r o u n d level ; but it seems t h a t the m o s t l i k e l y a r r a n g e m e n t , a l r e a d y discussed (that is, the slope b e i n g cut a w a y three or four feet for it), accords v e r y w e l l with the probabilities of t h e levels. On the north of the ascent (PI. I l l ) there w a s n o stone remaining as low as w e could reach in M a r c h . But the sand and marl b a c k i n g c a m e to a vertical e d g e ; and a g a i n s t t h a t there w a s o n l y recent loose earth, which had e v i d e n t l y fallen into a hollow d u g d u r i n g the last few years. T h i s w a s then the position of the wall. F a r t h e r north of this, a t t h e north-east corner, I m a d e a l a r g e e x c a v a t i o n d o w n the slope, and also a d v a n c i n g from outside ; w e found m u c h b r o k e n stone in large flakes, e v i d e n t l y f r o m the destruction of g r e a t b l o c k s of fine w h i t e limestone. T h is destruction s e e m e d to be ancient, and w a s doubtless due to the r e m o v a l o f materials b y Onias. T o the south of the asccnt I carried d o w n a pit at the place m a r k e d " W a l l , " and found t w o b l o c k s in place a b o v e water-level. A second pit north of this w a s dug, o u t w a r d from the lower courses o f the

7

flanking wall, a n d a g a i n t w o b l o c k s w e r e f o u n d , one o n the other. O n e b l o c k w a s 56 inches w i d e , 33 high, the l e n g t h not s e e n ; a n o t h e r w a s o v e r 56 l o n g a n d 45 wide. B o t h w e r e o f the finest w h i t e limestone. T h e i r relation t o t h e r e t a i n i n g wall is shown in t h e section " S o u t h of the A s c e n t . " O n the north of t h e ascent t h e stone wall replaced the brick flanking wall ; on t h e south it w a s a b o u t nine feet in a d v a n c e of t h e flanking wall. T h i s difference will be seen in the plan, PI. I I . I h a d selected the a b o v e p l a c e s as h a v i n g a p p a r e n t l y n o t been d u g o u t r e c e n t l y ; most of the circuit has o n l y a d e e p m o d e r n d i t c h in t h e line of the wall. O n the west a long trench appeared, cutting t h r o u g h h i g h e r g r o u n d on t h e e d g e of t h e A r a b c e m e t e r y . T h i s trench e n d e d in h i g h g r o u n d , so t h e r e a g a i n I tried for the wall, a n d f o u n d t w o s t o n e s o f t h e outer f a c e in position. T h e u p p e r o f these b l o c k s w a s 81 inches long, 40 high, a n d 25 thick. A n e x c e l l e n t section w a s bared here, s h o w i n g the relation o f t h e stone wall to t h e s t u c c o slope, a n d the nature of t h e filling b e t w e e n t h e m . T h e slope had lost all its s t u c c o in s o m e parts, a n d in others it w a s w e a t h e r e d a n d rotted, before t h e stone wall w a s a d d e d . T h i s points to t h e slope h a v i n g been used for t w o or three g e n e r a t i o n s before the s y s t e m of d e f e n c e w a s altered. O n l o o k i n g at this section, t h e lowest o n PI. I I I . , " O n w e s t face," it will b e seen t h a t t h e filling is m a i n l y o f sand in layers, s o m e t i m e s with potsherds, and o n e stratum is of y e l l o w l u m p s of d e c o m p o s e d basalt, s u c h as is usual in t h e filling behind t h e s l o p e on the south-east. T h e upper b e d of sand s l o p e d s t e e p l y b a c k a t 120 inches over the w a t e r ; and I w a s told t h a t t h e stones t h a t were r e m o v e d had been f o u n d u p to this h i g h e r level. T h e h i s t o r y of t h e p l a c e then w a s t h a t the u p p e r part of t h e stone w a l l had been a n c i e n t l y r e m o v e d , a n d the sand b a c k i n g had run out o v e r t h e lower part. T h e n it w a s e n t i r e l y buried with e a r t h of d e c o m p o s e d bricks, from t h e g r e a t R a m e s s i d e wall inside it. R e c e n t l y the l o w e r courses had been also r e m o v e d , and w h e n I w e n t there I f o u n d o n l y t w o stones left. T h i s g r e a t stone wall w a s a b o u t 6 feet t h i c k , as s h o w n b y the bed o n t h e w e s t side. It m u s t h a v e been s o m e w h a t h i g h e r t h a n t h e sand b a n k , w h i c h w a s 41 feet high, so w e c a n n o t r e c k o n it a t less than 45 to 50 feet in h e i g h t . T h e l e n g t h w a s 5,450 feet, or o v e r a mile. It contained t h e r e f o r e a b o u t 80,000 tons of stone. T h e q u a l i t y o f the stone w h e r e seen in b u i l d i n g or c h i p s Was of t h e finest w h i t e M o k a t t a m limestone, w h i c h has n o grain, and w h i c h flakes

8

THE

HYKSOS

evenly in all directions. It was equal in quality to the best casing stone of the pyramids. 10. L A T E R

HISTORY.

Of

the X V I H t h

dynasty

we find no trace. Ramessu II appears to have favoured a temple here. A group of two seated figures in red granite shows the king and a god, doubtless R a according to the references on the back. The back of the group, as it lies on its side, is photographed on PL X I V B, and copied on PL X V . The inscription has been translated by Dr. Naville thus : " ( i ) I am thy venerable father, the lord of thy beauties; (2) . . . Rameses thou art prosperous like Turn in the great hall ; (3) . . . like Khepra every morning crowned on the throne of R a in the vestibule of Turn. (4) I am protecting thy limbs every d a y : thy might and the power of thy sworcl is above all lands. (5) T h y head is never opposed in all countries, Rameses, friend of Ilarmachis, the great god." The position is shown as " Granite D y a d " on PL IIAnother block probably of the same reign is the large black granite base for a statue. It did not belong to the dyad, as the front of it was the narrower dimension. Though the granite is much weathered I could still trace the symmetrical inscription on either side of the axis, Ankh Hor Ka nekht. The block is 37 inches wide and 69 long. The position is marked on the plan. The next piece that can be dated here is the red granite column with the names of Merenptah. The original work is doubtless older tha;i this king» probably of the X l l t h dynasty. It may have been brought by him from another site, and is riot therefore an evidence of a temple being here before the Hyksos. The photograph is on PL X I V B, and the copy on PL X V . T h e two pieces of column ate 76 and 96 inches long; the whole height therefore was 172 inches, or a sixth less than the granite columns of Ehnasya. This shows that a temple with a portico had existed here. The great work of later times was the rearrangement of the place by Ramessu I I I . He cut away the great bank of the camp over the western half, and built a new town, with thick brick walls, and a long front facing the old town. In the middle of this front was a portico, of which the square basement of brickwork remains, with the red granite base of a column lying upon it. T h e mass of brick is 605 E. to W., by 590 inches N. to S. The granite base is 63 inches across ; its inscription is given in PL X V . West of this are the blocks of alabaster pavement of the great hall; this was long since dug away, thus

CAMP

letting down the blocks to a level far lower than the original pavement. The present view is given on PL X I V B. T o the west and north-west of the portico were found most of the remaining fragments of the celebrated glazed tiles with figures, shown in PL X I V B. The sad history of the destruction of this place may be seen in the Transactions of tk£ Society of Biblical Archaeology, vii, 177. The remaining pieces of the wreckage are in the Cairo and British Museums. On digging deeper in this ground we found at a little above the water-level, a thin drinking cup of the form usual in the X l l t h dynasty ; this type may very probably have continued rather later, so it does not prove any occupation before the Hyksos time. The removal of the bank of the camp was not completed on the western half. One block of the sand and marl was left outside of the Ramesside wall, near the north-west corner. It is shown on the plan, PL II, and also appears at the left hand of the view of the great bank on PL I V . And on digging for the western wall we uncovered the stucco slope to ten feet above water-level, outside the line of the Ramesside wall ; and a further portion near by was bared by the sebakh diggers. Probably most of the stucco slope could be yet found along this side. It seems then that Ramessu I I I cut down the upper part of the bank, and doubtless used the sand to mix with Nile mud in making the bricks, for all his great constructions here. Where he cut off the bank at the south side a sloping wall was built across it to hold up the sand, at A , PL II. In the X X V I t h dynasty some temple existed here, as otherwise the life-size figure of the admiral Hor (PL X I X ) would not have been placed in the town. A n d at that time the worship seems to have been directed to the lion-headed goddess, the Bubastis Agria named by Josephus. In Ptolemaic times also there was a temple, as is shown by many fragments of Greek architectural features found near the other sculptures. The house ruins of the town had so much increased that the ground had risen to the top of the great bank. The remains of this condition were seen in 1 8 7 1 and 1887, but now only a few high walls are left in the south-east corner. 1 1 . O R I G I N OF T H E C A M P .

H a v i n g now described

the actual remains, and What can be gathered from them, we may sum up the results of the facts, and consider the origin and meaning of the camp. The most obvious point is the entirely uri-Egyptian

ORIGIN

OF T H E

nature of the camp, and of the mode of defence which it implies. Instead of the high massive brick walls which were used from the I l n d dynasty onward, as at the Abydos forts and city, at Semneh and Kummeh, at E l Kab, and every other Egyptian town that has been preserved, we have here a very thick bank of sand with a slope sixty feet long, and no trace of a wall on the top of it. Instead of the elaborate gateway traps that the Egyptian reckoned on for his defence, there is here no gateway but the exposed sloping ascent over two hundred feet in length.

CAMP

9

cultivation. Probably this was connected with the eastern desert in the earlier history, and it has since been separated by the rise of Nile mud, which now occupies about a mile width between the desert and the camp. T h e desert edge at present projects into the Delta, this region having been largely protected from denudation by a flow of basalt which covers the soft marls and limestone. Hence the position of the camp was surrounded on three sides with cultivation, while yet belonging to the desert. It commands a fine view into the desert for many miles ; and an invader would need to make a wide detour to avoid touch with a fortress so placed. T h e distance from Memphis rendered this position the key to the capital, in the days of foot-marching or small horses. Thirty miles was then, what the fifty miles from Tell el Kebir to Cairo is now with large horses. This camp was the limit of striking distance from the capital, the point which must be secured before any advance from the east into E g y p t was possible.

It is evident therefore that the people who made the fort were not accustomed to the hand-to-hand fighting, such as the Egyptian found profitable owing to his superior weapons ; for a fine illustration oi early Egyptian fighting we may refer to the spirited siege of Nedaa, sculptured at Deshasheh (.Veshasheh, PI. V). On the contrary, by trusting their defence to a protracted approach of the enemy these people must have depended on projectiles. A barbed wire tangle in the present day, or a Jong glacis, is expressly for That such fortified camps were made by the use with gun fire ; and a slope s i x t y feet long, with Hyksos is shown by the passages of Manetho an entrance approach two hundred feet long, would quoted by Josephus. He states that the invaders be useless without good archery. It is clear there- after a barbaric period, equivalent to the age of the fore that the type of fighting of the settlers was earthwork camp here, became more civilised, and that archery, combined with a long exposure of the their first king, Salatis, made the city of Avaris " very enemy. strong by the walls he built about it," and that they In describing the entrance, and the changes in its " built a wall round all this place, which was a large form (Section 8), I have explained them as adapted and strong wall." Thus the history that we have for archery. A t first it was solely made to agree with traced here of an earthwork camp constructed by plain earth-bank defences. Then after a year or nomads, who later placed a great wall around it, two it was modified by the use of walls for flanking exactly accords with the account of the Hyksos. defences. A n d when, after two or three generations, 12. P O S I T I O N OF A V A R I S . A further question the old system of fighting was abandoned, then a indeed arises as to whether this camp was itself stone wall was substituted for the sloping bank. the celebrated stronghold Avaris, which has been That the camp is older than the X X t h dynasty is generally supposed to have been down by the coast certain, from its having been cut down and altered at in the north-east of the Delta. In favour of such a that age. What people before that age were using site as Tell el Yehudiyeh there are the following a defensive system entirely different to that of the connections : Egyptians ? W e can only look to the foreign ( 1 ) Avaris was built to defend E g y p t against invasions which broke up the X I Vth, the V l t h , eastern invaders {Josephus c. Ap. i, 14). This implies and the I l n d dynasties. Among these the choice that it was on the eastern road which went by the is absolutely decided by the profusion of scarabs of Wady T u m i l a t ; for it would be absurd to put a the Hyksos age in the camp and the region around it, fortress for this purpose near the coast and far to while there is no trace of the earlier periods. No the north of that road. conclusion is possible but that the camp was due to (2) Avaris was upon the Bubastite channel invaders between the X l V t h and X V I I I t h dynasties. {Jos. c. Ap. i, 14). This implies that it was between T h e position of the camp is excellent. It lies Memphis and Bubastis; were it near the coast it between Memphis and the Wady Tumilat, by which would be referred to the Pelusiac, Tanitic, Mendesian, any eastern people must advance into Egypt. It is or Pathmetic channels, and not to Bubastis, north of on a low rise of desert which here projects into the which the channel branched in two. 2

IO

THE HYKSOS CAMP

(3) T h e only monument known which belongs to A v a r i s ( H a t ' u a r t ) is the altar of A p e p a II (PETRIE, Hist, i, 243), which states that A p e p a made monuments for his father Set, lord of Hat'uart. T h i s was found in Cairo, and must have been brought from the region whence stone was collected for Cairo building. Memphis and Heliopolis were thus plundered, and perhaps our c a m p ; but certainly a town in the marshes of Menzaleh would not supply material to Cairo. In favour of the northern site near the coast we must consider : (4) A v a r i s is said to have been in the S a i t e nome {Jos. c. Ap. i, 1 4 ) ; and as this is recognised as absurd in relation to its eastern position, an emendation of Sethroite for Saite has been accepted. T h i s is supported b y Africanus' excerpt from Manetho, " T h e shepherds founded a city in the Sethroite nome." B u t there is no proof that this is the sarre as the city named b y Josephus in the Saite nome, On the contrary, a corruption of Saite from Sethroite is unlikely. T h e more probable origin of the reading m a y be in some place ending in polis, as . . .OAITHC might well be read as CAITHC if the earlier part of the name were defaced. T h i s would be therefore an easy corruption from the words " Heliopolite nome." (5) T h e r e is a mention of S e t of H a f u a r t b y Merenptah upon a statue at Tanis (PETRIE, Tanis, i, I I , 5 A ) ; but this is only an addition ko an earlier monument, and it merely states that the king was loved b y Set, and does not refer to making monuments to S e t as on the Cairo altar. (6) A v a r i s is stated to have been garrisoned b y 240,000 men, and to have occupied 10,000 arouras {Jos. c. Ap. i, 1 4 ) ; this would be a c a m p of nearly 3^ miles square. B u t it is very unlikely that any single fortified c a m p would be of this s ze, owing to difficulties of health and management ; nor is it likely that a " l a r g e and strong w a l l " would be of 1 4 miles in length to surround it. Rather must we suppose a stronghold of practicable size:, surrounded with encampments covering altogether 1 2 square miles, the whole group holding quarter of a million men beside their families. T h e only serious reason for seeking A v a r i s near the coast is its supposed identity with the " city in the Sethroite nome " of Manetho ; while in favour of the Y e h u d i y e h c a m p being Avaris there is the position on the road to S y r i a , the relation to the Bubastite channel, and the altar of A v a r i s found near Cairo.

It seems therefore probable that the c a m p which we have described is the H y k s o s capital of Avaris, and that we have before us here the " large and strong w a l l " of Salatis.

C H A P T E R

T H E HYKSOS

II

CEMETERY

13. T H E principal cemetery of T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h lies on a sandy rise of desert ground stretching out to about half a mile on the east of the town. Beside this there is a cemetery on the edge of the desert a mile and a half to the east, and there are isolated graves beneath the black-earth ruins in the c a m p itself. W e shall here deal with the graves in their probable order historically. T h e numbers applied to them, and marked on their contents when found, have no relation to their chronological order, being necessarily applied in the order of discovery. T h e consecutive numbers extend to over a hundred, but higher hundreds were begun on other occasions to avoid any possible overlapping of numbers. W e will first describe those g r a v e s which had pottery and scarabs distinctively between the X l l t h and X V I I I t h dynasties. T h e s e were partly inside the camp and partly in the eastern cemetery. T h o s e in the c a m p had suffered b y crushing, owing to the great height of town ruins that had accumulated over them, and the wetness of the soil. T h o s e in the cemetery had suffered b y plundering, and none were complete, as they had been broken into when digging later graves. U n h a p p i l y , not a single skull could be saved from this class : in the c a m p they were in fragments as soft as putty ; in the cemetery nearly all were destroyed anciently, and others were rotted b y damp. T h e important question of the general a g e of these tombs is proved b y the scarabs found with them. A l l of these were of the style which is a l w a y s recognised as a degradation of that of the X l l t h dynasty. A n d three scarabs found b y us, and one bought here, gave four names of kings who are believed to belong to the age of the X H I t h to X V I I t h dynasties. T h e s e are of M e r n e f e r r a , 1 1 6 , PI. I X , K h y a n 124, S e kha'n ra 143, and A p e p a I 144. T h e photographs in PI. I V A show these as A . 3, B. 3, B. 4, F . 3. It m a y therefore be accepted that this class of graves covers the period of the H y k s o s kings, a few centuries before and after 2000 B.C. On comparing the contents of these graves we

IO

THE HYKSOS CAMP

(3) T h e only monument known which belongs to A v a r i s ( H a t ' u a r t ) is the altar of A p e p a II (PETRIE, Hist, i, 243), which states that A p e p a made monuments for his father Set, lord of Hat'uart. T h i s was found in Cairo, and must have been brought from the region whence stone was collected for Cairo building. Memphis and Heliopolis were thus plundered, and perhaps our c a m p ; but certainly a town in the marshes of Menzaleh would not supply material to Cairo. In favour of the northern site near the coast we must consider : (4) A v a r i s is said to have been in the S a i t e nome {Jos. c. Ap. i, 1 4 ) ; and as this is recognised as absurd in relation to its eastern position, an emendation of Sethroite for Saite has been accepted. T h i s is supported b y Africanus' excerpt from Manetho, " T h e shepherds founded a city in the Sethroite nome." B u t there is no proof that this is the sarre as the city named b y Josephus in the Saite nome, On the contrary, a corruption of Saite from Sethroite is unlikely. T h e more probable origin of the reading m a y be in some place ending in polis, as . . .OAITHC might well be read as CAITHC if the earlier part of the name were defaced. T h i s would be therefore an easy corruption from the words " Heliopolite nome." (5) T h e r e is a mention of S e t of H a f u a r t b y Merenptah upon a statue at Tanis (PETRIE, Tanis, i, I I , 5 A ) ; but this is only an addition ko an earlier monument, and it merely states that the king was loved b y Set, and does not refer to making monuments to S e t as on the Cairo altar. (6) A v a r i s is stated to have been garrisoned b y 240,000 men, and to have occupied 10,000 arouras {Jos. c. Ap. i, 1 4 ) ; this would be a c a m p of nearly 3^ miles square. B u t it is very unlikely that any single fortified c a m p would be of this s ze, owing to difficulties of health and management ; nor is it likely that a " l a r g e and strong w a l l " would be of 1 4 miles in length to surround it. Rather must we suppose a stronghold of practicable size:, surrounded with encampments covering altogether 1 2 square miles, the whole group holding quarter of a million men beside their families. T h e only serious reason for seeking A v a r i s near the coast is its supposed identity with the " city in the Sethroite nome " of Manetho ; while in favour of the Y e h u d i y e h c a m p being Avaris there is the position on the road to S y r i a , the relation to the Bubastite channel, and the altar of A v a r i s found near Cairo.

It seems therefore probable that the c a m p which we have described is the H y k s o s capital of Avaris, and that we have before us here the " large and strong w a l l " of Salatis.

C H A P T E R

T H E HYKSOS

II

CEMETERY

13. T H E principal cemetery of T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h lies on a sandy rise of desert ground stretching out to about half a mile on the east of the town. Beside this there is a cemetery on the edge of the desert a mile and a half to the east, and there are isolated graves beneath the black-earth ruins in the c a m p itself. W e shall here deal with the graves in their probable order historically. T h e numbers applied to them, and marked on their contents when found, have no relation to their chronological order, being necessarily applied in the order of discovery. T h e consecutive numbers extend to over a hundred, but higher hundreds were begun on other occasions to avoid any possible overlapping of numbers. W e will first describe those g r a v e s which had pottery and scarabs distinctively between the X l l t h and X V I I I t h dynasties. T h e s e were partly inside the camp and partly in the eastern cemetery. T h o s e in the c a m p had suffered b y crushing, owing to the great height of town ruins that had accumulated over them, and the wetness of the soil. T h o s e in the cemetery had suffered b y plundering, and none were complete, as they had been broken into when digging later graves. U n h a p p i l y , not a single skull could be saved from this class : in the c a m p they were in fragments as soft as putty ; in the cemetery nearly all were destroyed anciently, and others were rotted b y damp. T h e important question of the general a g e of these tombs is proved b y the scarabs found with them. A l l of these were of the style which is a l w a y s recognised as a degradation of that of the X l l t h dynasty. A n d three scarabs found b y us, and one bought here, gave four names of kings who are believed to belong to the age of the X H I t h to X V I I t h dynasties. T h e s e are of M e r n e f e r r a , 1 1 6 , PI. I X , K h y a n 124, S e kha'n ra 143, and A p e p a I 144. T h e photographs in PI. I V A show these as A . 3, B. 3, B. 4, F . 3. It m a y therefore be accepted that this class of graves covers the period of the H y k s o s kings, a few centuries before and after 2000 B.C. On comparing the contents of these graves we

MATERIAL FOR STUDY find s o m e v a r i e t y in s t y l e ; a n d as t h e s c a r a b s a r e the most varied and distinctive of the contents, and are l i n k e d t o t h e k n o w n f o r m s o f t h e X l l t h d y n a s t y , it is b e s t t o b e g i n t h e d i s t i n g u i s h i n g o f a g e s b y m e a n s o f them. A c c o r d i n g l y , the scarabs and the black p o t t e r y , w h i c h are t h e m o s t c l e a r l y v a r i a b l e c o n t e n t s , are p u b l i s h e d here t o g e t h e r , in g r o u p s as d i s c o v e r e d , on Pis. V I I , V I I I . T h e m e t a l w o r k is o n PI. V I . T h e black and foreign pottery found without other d a t i n g m a t e r i a l is on Pis. V I I I A , V I I I B , a s it is not of historical use, b u t o n l y s h o w s u n d a t e d varieties. A n d the plain red p o t t e r y is o n PI. X . T h e remainder of the early scarabs found singly, or b o u g h t a t the site, are o n PI. I X , a n d p h o t o g r a p h e d o n PI. I V A ; w h i l e on PI. V a r e p h o t o g r a p h s o f t h e d a g g e r s , of t h e m o s t c o m p l e t e t o m b w h i c h w e f o u n d , a n d of the t y p e s o f red p o t t e r y a n d b l a c k incised vases. F i n a l l y , in r e a d i n g t h e f o l l o w i n g d e s c r i p t i o n s , t h e p l a n s o f t h e g r a v e s o n PI. X I I s h o u l d b e u s e d . T h u s t h e w h o l e m a t e r i a l is f u l l y p l a c e d a t t h e disposition of the student. 14. T h e o r d e r o f s e q u e n c e w h i c h a p p e a r s m o s t l i k e l y , h a s b e e n f o l l o w e d in a r r a n g i n g t h e s e g r a v e g r o u p s on t h e p l a t e s V I I and V I I I . T h e scarab of t h e m o s t r e g u l a r w o r k , rio. 1, is p r o b a b l y t h e earliest, and so d a t e s g r a v e 2 ; w i t h it w a s a b u f f vase, no. 2, w i t h red lines, c l e a r l y o f f o r e i g n o r i g i n , a n d f o u r b l a c k vases, o f w h i c h t h e t y p e s are g i v e n , nos. 3, 4, 5. T h e g r a v e 407 a p p e a r s t o b e t h e n e x t in a g e . T h e s c a r a b s nos. 6 a n d 7 s e e m t o b e v a r i a n t s o f K h e p e r k a ' r a , t h e n a m e of S e n u s e r t (or U s e r t e s e n ) I o f the X l l t h d y n a s t y . T h e s u b s t i t u t i o n o f nefer o r neferui for ra is p r e t t y well e s t a b l i s h e d b y m a n y o t h e r i n s t a n c e s ; a n d t h e coil p a t t e r n s h a v e their finest d e v e l o p m e n t in t h e r e i g n o f S e n u s e r t . T h e signs of coarseness in t h e s e , h o w e v e r , p r e c l u d e their b e i n g o f t h e a g e o f S e n u s e r t , b u t t h e y are g o o d c o p i e s o f his. W i t h t h e m are t w o others, nos. 8 a n d 9, w h i c h are c l e a r l y o f d e b a s e d s t y l e ; a n d t h e e i g h t uraei on no. 10 a r e similar in i d e a t o t h e uraei on s c a r a b s o f A n t e f Nub-kheper-ra. W i t h t h e s e w e r e five b l a c k vases, o f t h e t y p e s nos. 1 1 , 12, 13, a n d o n e red one of t h e t y p e no. 93. T h e n e x t in d a t e a p p e a r s t o b e g r a v e 3. There are no g o o d c o p i e s o f o l d e r scarabs, b u t o n l y i g n o r a n t and c l u m s y g r o u p i n g s of s i g n s . N o . 20 is senseless, b u t o f f a i r l y g o o d c u t t i n g . T h e nos. 14, 15, a r e c l e a r l y like 8 a n d 9, b u t ruder. N o s . 16 a n d 17 b e g i n t h e series o f a n i m a l figures; b u t this s p h i n x a n d this h a w k s h o w h o w far r e m o v e d t h e y w e r e f r o m t h e g o o d w o r k o f t h e X l l t h d y n a s t y . A n d w e see

here the h a w k - h e a d e d man holding a p a l m - b r a n c h , w h i c h is f a i r l y c l e a r , b u t w h i c h b e c a m e f a r r u d e r subsequently. T h e k o h l v a s e , no. 2 1 , is d e p a r t i n g f r o m the good forms of the X l l t h d y n a s t y , and approaching the t y p e of the X V I I I t h d y n a s t y . T h e black v a s e s s h o w a c h a n g e : no. 22 b e i n g e x a g g e r a t e d , a n d n o . 25 m o r e e l a b o r a t e t h a n t h e earlier nos. 3 a n d i r ; w h i l e no. 26 is less g r a c e f u l t h a n n o s . 5 a n d r 3, a n d this t y p e h e r e e n d s . In g r a v e 5 t h e r e are o n l y t w o s c a r a b s , nos. 27 a n d 28, for d a t i n g . T h e y have the coarse figures later t h a n no. 18. A p l a i n a m e t h y s t s c a r a b in g o l d s e t t i n g , no. 29, w a s w i t h t h e s e . T h e t o m b c h a m b e r had certainly been disturbed, and the two eyes were doubtless a later introduction of the X X I I n d d y n a s t y . W e n o w r e a c h t h e s c a r a b s with c o n c e n t r i c circles. N o . 33 is c l e a r l y e a r l i e r t h a n no. 4 7 ; a n d also, h a v i n g t w o h i e r o g l y p h s , m a y c l a i m p r e c e d e n c e o f 34, w h i c h is senseless. In g r a v e s 16 a n d 20 t h e r e w e r e n o s c a r a b s ; b u t t h e b l a c k v a s e s nos. 36 t o 41 m a y b e c l a s s e d in t h i s place. N o s . 39 a n d 4 0 h a v e t h e m o r e a c u t e lines o f pricks, l i k e nos. 35 a n d 4 8 ; w h i l e in earlier times, a s in no. 4, t h e l i n e s a r e flatter. T h e o u t l i n e in no. 38 is fuller a n d less s h a p e l y t h a n in 24 a n d 25, a n d a p p r o a c h e s t h e c o a r s e f o r m s o f nos. 4 9 a n d 50. N o . 4 1 , w i d e n i n g b e l o w , a p p r o a c h e s t h e late f o r m no. 57. T h e fine g r a v e 37 c o n t a i n e d a late g r o u p o f scarabs. N o . 4 3 is c o a r s e r t h a n 27 a n d 2 8 ; no. 44 is r u d e r t h a n 17 ; no. 4 5 is m u c h w o r s e t h a n no. 18 ; a n d no. 4 7 is c o a r s e r t h a n a n y o t h e r s here. The t y p e s o f t h e b l a c k p o t t e r y a r e also fuller a n d m o r e c l u m s y t h a n a n y b e f o r e this, w h i l e t h e c o m b i n g r o u n d t h e p o t no. 52 is a c h e a p e n i n g o f w o r k , o n t h e r o a d t o t h e plain s u r f a c e o f no. 57. In g r a v e 1 t h e r e w a s n o b l a c k p o t t e r y , a n d no construction of a tomb. B u t b y the t y p e s of the s c a r a b s PI. V I , 4, 5, t h e y s e e m t o b e q u i t e a s late a s a s nos. 43 a n d 44. L a t e r still is g r a v e 6, a s w e m u s t d a t e s c a r a b no. 53 l a t e r t h a n 43, a n d no. 55 l a t e r t h a n 42. The p o t t e r y h e r e is p l a i n b l a c k w i t h o u t a n y incised p a t t e r n , and of a later form than a n y which h a v e been noticed here. T h e s u b s e q u e n t s t a g e s are o u t s i d e o f this g r o u p o f graves with scarabs. B u t it is clear t h a t t h e f o r m o f no. 57 p a s s e s o n t o a flat-bottomed s h a p e , no. 103 ( P L V I I I B ) ; a n d t h a t a g a i n t o a g l o b u l a r flask o f b l a c k w a r e , n o s . 107, 108, w h i c h is a l r e a d y k n o w n to belong to the X V I I I t h dynasty. T h u s the changes

12

T H E HYKSOS

CEMETERY

o f t y p e of the black pottery are now continuous from

body had

those with well-made

fore be a man.

scarabs of the

Xllth

dynasty

style, d o w n to those of the X V I 1 Ith d y n a s t y .

Having

but

the d a g g e r

on

The

strangely

the thigh, and would

there-

scarabs are nearer to this

placed ;

t w o (nos.

6,

10) w e r e

one,

far

in

the bones

of

d e a l t w i t h the relative a g e s o f the g r a v e s , w e will n e x t

front, while

c o n s i d e r t h e m in d e t a i l , w i t h t h e i r p l a n s a n d

a hand which lay detached, with the wrist to the north-

contents

altogether.

west.

1 5 . T u r n i n g t o t h e p l a n s o f t h e g r a v e s , PI. X I I , it will b e seen t h a t of these H y k s o s g r a v e s six h a v e the head the

to the head

east, a n d

to

the

three (graves

south.

This

2,

seems

5, 4 3 )

have

to be a

true

m i x t u r e of usage, as those to the east are both and

late; w e cannot, therefore, suppose

custom,

such

as

was

X I Ith dynasties G r a v e 2.

traced

between

( D i o s p o l i s Parva,

The

early

a change

Ihe

Vlth

of

and

up, b u t

v a s e s a n d p a n s e e m e d t o b e in o r i g i n a l p o s i t i o n s ; line of

vases suggests that the length

therefore

the

head

was a blade-bone on

it a

These

copper pins

secured

to

pin,

were one

be

may in t r u e

was N — S ,

in

used

at

to

by

the

place.

base

fasten

a

the other edge. so

were

PL

introduced

garments,

painted

buff pottery

Cyprus

Museum

Catalogue,

pottery

no.

black

368,

nos.

here

being

the

hole

an e y e l e t

along

with

2, 5 1 , 5 8 , 9 8 - 1 0 2 nos.

in

see

also

281-8).

T h e y were also found d o w n to the X V I ilth

dynasty

T h e position

b e i n g o f g o l d ( . I l l a h u n , X X I I , 1, 2, 3). of the pin

upon

t h a t it h e l d t h e g a r m e n t

the blade -bone s h o w s

at the throat

that was the scarab, which

was

p l a c e d in f r o n t o f t h e f a c e .

Just before

probably

on a h a n d

I n t h e pi-.n a t t h e h e a d

w e r e a n i m a ! b o n e s a n d a fish, a n d t h e r i n g - s t a n d it h a d

a jar upright

group

in t h e

grave

were

upon

it.

m u d of the c a m p , a n d noticed.

The

near

T h i s was a disturbed

red

no sides of

pottery

is

the

shown

in

P I . X , 1, 3 6 , 52. Grave broken

This

grave

at the west

in

the

end ; but

camp the

had

trunk

been

of

skeleton remained, a n d the whole of another. was

the

only

instance

together ; though belonged

of

two

bodies

being

This

to simultaneous

burials.

p r a c t i c a b l e , is g i v e n

in

The

from

there

being

u p w a r d s in front This seems an

the body.

two

bodies

This would

together

p o t t e r y (PI. X ,

cluding

unusual

is s h o w n

of the on

Xllth

m u c h c r u s h e d a n d d e c a y e d in both-

B u t the western

globular

d y n a s t y style.

The is a

v e r y thin c a s t i n g of b r o n z e over an ash core, a n d

was

the p o m m e l of t h e handle, j u d g i n g b y its position. Grave camp. 14

3 was The

the

was

trunk

of

29

inches, which

of

grave

407

12

the is

the

very

about

normal,

from

in a w o o d e n

was

instead

inches,

humerus

a burial

thigh

not trunk

B o t h of these heights

18

inches,

thigh

ball

small.

as

usual;

and

the

being the

only

but

the

In

the whole was

the

height

to

similarly

should

coffin in

small,

vertex 31

be increased

of was

body inches.

a

couple

of inches to allow for c u r v e s a n d d e c l i n e of the head, if m a k i n g c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e living. (nos. two

15,

16,

others

(nos.

vases at the the

them.

17) were 14,

placed 20)

on

among

feet of t h e coffin.

coffin

edge,

as

T h e coffin was of

if

it

thin

Three

scarabs

the stomach, the The

were

black knees

and

incised rode

up

too narrow

for

boards, the traces

of

w h i c h r e m a i n e d r u n n i n g t h r o u g h t h e m u d as straight black planes about \ inch thick. G r a v e 5.

T h i s grave was the most ancient found The chamber

was

a d j o i n i n g it o n t h e

w e s t w a s a n a n n e x 37 l o n g a n d 25 w i d e .

Two

skulls

w e r e in t h e c h a m b e r ; b u t w h e t h e r o f t h e s a m e p e r i o d , as

too

the

Pis. V a n d V I , 1 ; t h e r i n g

m u c h foreshortened.

as the skull and pelvis were

of

3, 4, 5, 2 8 , 29, 5 3 , 5 4 , 5 5 ) , i n -

a tall s t a n d (PI. X , 30) a n d a l a r g e

v a s e (PI. X I V A ) dagger

an

or o n e due to s e c o n d a r y burial, could

not be determined,

a

amount

red

vases, and

p a r e d w i t h t h e p l a n , n o t i n g t h a t t h e r i g h t - h a n d e n d is T h e s e x of the t w o bodies could

part of

There were six

incised

apcom-

these

account

black

9 0 i n c h e s l o n g , a n d 38 w i d e ; a n d

as

and

of

impos-

It m a y b e that

in a b a t t l e .

in t h e c e m e t e r y e a s t o f t h e t o w n .

general

PI. V , w h i c h s h o u l d b e

from slain

turned figure.

have

m u d so far

the

the certainly superfluous loose hand.

found

t h e t w o s k u l l s in n o . 5 m a y

pearance of the grave, cleaned

one

by

third ; also for the a p p a r e n t l y s e p a r a t e d a r m , a n d for

over

407.

up

the ulna

the knees of the other

(MYRES,

59s -H; ware

the

nos.

at Gurob, one

incised

and apparently

for

VI.

the hand

d a g g e r ; b u t the right a r m w a s s t r e t c h e d o u t in front,

the and

S u c h pins are k n o w n i 1 Cyprus, and

probably

It s e e m s t h e n to h a v e b e e n a h a n d b u r i e d alone.

persons were

There

of

string through

in t h e m i d d l e , a n d t h e n p a s s e d t h r o u g h

grave.

T h e bones of the western b o d y are difficult to understand : the left arm was bent, and

the

relation to the head ; and

shown

edge

also

T h i s cannot have belonged to a third b o d y buried

here, as the h a n d s of the others are o n the north of t h e

sible distance

pp. 42-3).

b o d y w a s all broken

t h r e e ( n o s . 7 , 8, 9 ) w e r e o n

the

not be settled,

the bodies were entirely b r o k e n u p anciently. annex

were

only

sheep and

lamb bones.

In This

a n n e x seems to h a v e been for funeral sacrifices ; y e t a

PLANS OF T H E G R A V E S

13

pile o f l a m b s ' b o n e s w e r e also in t h e south-east c o r n e r of the chamber. B y b e i n g b u i l t on a g a i n s t t h e c h a m b e r , the a n n e x c e r t a i n l y s e e m s c o n t e m p o r a r y . B o n e s l a y in t h e t w o p a n s (PI. X , 5), a s k u l l a n d a b l a d e - b o n e in t h e m i d d l e , a n d a b r o n z e k n i f e h a d been thrown in w i t h t h e sacrifice ; t h i s is d r a w n in PI. V I , 9, a n d p h o t o g r a p h e d on PI. V . T h e annex h a d a r o o f i n g o f b r i c k s c o v e r i n g it. T h e t o m b h a d also a c o m p l e t e b a r r e l roofing. T h e red p o t t e r y is usual (see PL X , 5, 6, 7, 19, 31, 32, 34, 58, 59, 62), a n d t h e r e w e r e n o b l a c k vases. T h e three s c a r a b s w e r e all p r o b a b l y in f r o n t o f t h e b o d y b y t h e h a n d s , j u d g i n g b y t h e r a n k of p o t t e r y on t h e o p p o s i t e side, w h i c h is l i k e t h a t b e h i n d t h e b o d y in g r a v e 407. T h e b r o n z e d a g g e r l a y b y the h e a d ; it is figured in Pis. V a n d V I , 7. T w o b r o n z e t o g g l e - p i n s ( V I , 10, 1 1 ) w e r e f o u n d in m o v i n g t h e earth, b u t their position is uncertain. T h e s e s u g g e s t t w o b u r i a l s o f the s a m e age. In the c o r n e r at t h e s o u t h - w e s t l a y a c u r i o u s m u d figure v e r y r u d e l y f o r m e d (PI. V I , 8). It m i g h t b e s u p p o s e d to b e l o n g t o a later a g e , and a s late e y e b e a d s (PI. V I I , 31, 32) were f o u n d here, a s e c o n d a r y burial s e e m s p r o b a b l e . B u t the position o f this m u d figure, in a c o r n e r b e h i n d t h e e a r l y p o t t e r y , s e e m s t o s h o w t h a t it also is e a r l y . T h e t h i c k n e s s of t h e t o m b s i d e w a s n o t m e a s u r e d , b u t t h e d o o r w a s 12 i n c h e s through.

bones. In it w e r e f o u r p a n s ( P L X , i), four j a r s ( X , 62), a n d four r i n g - s t a n d s in a h e a p ( X , 32, 33, 35, 36). Cemetery. G r a v e 20 w a s a d i s t u r b e d g r a v e , w i t h o n e b l a c k v a s e ( V I I I , 4 1 ) a n d o n e p a n (PI. X , 13), a r i n g - s t a n d ( X , 43), t w o j a r s ( X , 72, 73), a n d a c u p ( X , 24). Cemetery.

G r a v e 19. T h i s b u r i a l in the c e m e t e r y w a s m u c h broken up, the trunk b e i n g entirely wrecked. A few red v a s e s r e m a i n e d in t h e e a s t end (PI. X , 5, 10, 1 1 , 36, 38, 66, 67), a n d lambs' b o n e s in t h e n o r t h - e a s t corner, a n a l o g o u s t o those in t h e c o r n e r o f no. 5. O n l y o n e s c a r a b r e m a i n e d here. T h e s e c t i o n o f the t o m b is s h o w n a t the end o f t h e plan.

G r a v e 1 w a s a c u r i o u s d e p o s i t in t h e c a m p , t h e first burial t h a t w e found. I t w a s a h e a p o f b o n e s s t a c k e d closely together ; most of them were of animals, but a m o n g them I found a piece of h u m a n j a w and patella. O n t h e n o r t h o f t h e h e a p l a y t h e d a g g e r , PI. V I , 3 ; a n d t w o s c a r a b s (4, 5), w i t h a n a m e t h y s t b e a d (6), w e r e in t h e h e a p o f bones. P e r h a p s this m a y h a v e b e e n a burial o f p o r t i o n s o f a m a n killed a t a d i s t a n c e in b a t t l e , p l a c e d w i t h s a c r i f i c e s b e n e a t h his o w n d w e l l i n g t o a p p e a s e t h e spirit. T h e burial of a knife a l o n g w i t h t h e sacrifice a t t h e s i d e o f g r a v e 5 s h o u l d b e c o m p a r e d w i t h this. A l s o t h e f o l l o w i n g b u r i a l s in the cemetery :

G r a v e 4. T h e plan o f this is s h o w n b e l o w no. 5. T h e b o d y w a s c o m p l e t e , b u t t h e l o w e r j a w w a s set u p r i g h t at right a n g l e s t o t h e h e a d . It w a s a child, a s t h e t h i g h w a s o n l y 10 i n c h e s long, a n d t h e shin 8 inches long, in p l a c e o f 17 a n d 1 4 i n c h e s a s usual. O n e s c a r a b l a y n e a r the wrist, a n d the p o t t e r y w a s in fronL and a b o v e t h e h e a d — t w o p a n s (PI. X , 8, 9) a n d t w o j a r s ( X , 6 3 ) u p o n r i n g - s t a n d s ( X , 4 1 , 45). This b u r i a l w a s in t h e t o w n , t h e o n l y one f o u n d there later than t h e first t h r e e . G r a v e 16 is n o t d r a w n a m o n g t h e plans. The b o n e s w e r e all s c a t t e r e d , a n d t w o p a n s (PI. X , 10, 12), t w o j a r s ( X , 68, 69), a n d a r i n g - s t a n d ( X , 40), l a y w i t h t h e b r o k e n s k u l l at the e a s t e n d . The black i n c i s e d v a s e s w e r e f o u n d s c a t t e r e d (PI. V I I I , 36-40). Cemetery. Grave

17 w a s

a

circular

pit

with only

animal

G r a v e 37 w a s a fine t o m b , c u t a w a y in l a t e r t i m e s a l o n g t h e s o u t h - w e s t corner, and t h e b o d y e n t i r e l y b r o k e n up. O n l y t h e h u m e r i were left. T h e s e c t i o n of t h e a r c h i n g is s h o w n a t t h e e n d o f t h e p l a n . There w e r e f o u r b l a c k incised v a s e s o f t h e later s t y l e , a n d a b u f f one w i t h red lines, PI. V I I I , 48-52. Five s c a r a b s w e r e p l a c e d near o n e h u m e r u s , a s if t h e b o d y h a d f a c e d t h e south. T h e p o s i t i o n s o f all these, a n d t h e red p o t t e r y (PI. X , 4 1 , 45, 47, 49), are s h o w n on the plan. T h e b r o n z e pin w a s f o u n d n e a r t h e place of t h e neck, a s in g r a v e 2. B e t w e e n t h e b l a c k p o t s on the n o r t h w a s a g o o s e ' s e g g , a n d u n d e r it a b e a d n e c k l a c e , a n d a r o u g h s c a r a b , no. 4 7 . The b e a d s were small w h i t e discs, p r o b a b l y b l u e o r i g i n a l l y , and small black globular beads coloured with m a n ganese. A s m a l l s l a t e r u b b e r , 2 inches l o n g , l a y u n d e r the r i g h t h u m e r u s . O n e amethyst bead lay n e a r the l e g s ; p r o b a b l y t h e r e h a d been a s t r i n g o f amethysts taken b y the plunderers. T h e floor o f t h e g r a v e w a s o f b r i c k , as well a s t h e barrel roof.

G r a v e 9. A pit 7 6 i n c h e s b y 66 c o n t a i n e d a l a r g e q u a n t i t y of loose b o n e s , o f b o t h o x e n a n d s h e e p , irregularly thrown together. W i t h these w a s the b r o k e n u p p e r e n d o f a h u m a n t h i g h - b o n e , a n d four o f t h e usual red pans. G r a v e 17. A c i r c u l a r p i t c o n t a i n i n g e n t i r e l y a n i m a l bones, i r r e g u l a r l y h e a p e d t o g e t h e r . W i t h them were 4 jars, 4 r i n g - s t a n d s , a n d 4 p a n s . G r a v e 6 was entirely broken a w a y at the head (plan, PI. X I I ) . T w o p a n s ( X , 14) w e r e placed, o n e e a c h s i d e o f t h e s t o m a c h , a n d t w o s c a r a b s (PI. V I I ,

14

T H E HYKSOS

5 3 , 5 5 ) were on the b o d y between them. These show that this is one of the latest burials of this age. A n a m e t h y s t scarab ( 5 4 ) lay b y the left hand, and a black vase without a n y incised pattern (57). G r a v e 4 3 is also a late grave, 7 0 inches b y 28. In it were two jars ( X , 7 5 , 76), two ring-stands ( X , 4 9 , 5 1 ) , a pan ( X , 15), a cup ( X , 26), and one buff vase with black pattern (PI. V I I I , 58). G r a v e 4 5 appears from the t y p e to be of a yet later age. T h e b o d y l a y with head to the south. U p o n it were two portions of globular jars ("Pl. X I V A ) , and b y the head two red jars ( P I . X I I A), and the black vase V I I I B, 1 0 3 . T w o blocks c.f basalt were placed b y the legs. T h e later stages of such p o t t e r y are seen in nos. 1 0 6 and 1 0 7 , 108. T h e latter be:ong to the X V I I Ith d y n a s t y , as such were four cl at Gurob. O f other burials not figured here we m;v> mention of this a g e : — G r a v e 8, body broken uj , head e a s t : 2 pans ( X , 10, 1 1 ) , jar ( X , 7 1 ) , and stand ' X , 44), and a f r a g m e n t of black incised pottery. G i a v e 16, bones all scattered, head to east : 2 pans ( X , ! i, I V , 2, with part of a K a r i a n inscription, read b y Prof. S a y c e as / or s e z a. I p i c k e d this u p in t h e north-east corner of the c a m p ; and t h o u g h I c o m p l e t e l y turned over all the h e a p s of p o t s h e r d s for s o m e y a r d s around not another s c r a p of such p o t t e r y c o u l d be found. G r a v e 4 1 0 w a s a brick t o m b , b o d y on the b a c k , h e a d south. T h e jars w e r e placed at the left humerus and right of the pelvis. T h e r e was a network of coloured g l a z e d b e a d s on the b o d y ; and m a n y s u c h were found on o t h e r bodies in this c e m e t e r y , but all t o o m u c h b r o k e n u p in the e a r t h for the patterns to be traceable. G r a v e 44 w a s a brick t o m b , 8r b y 40 inches, t h e b o d y e n t i r e l y b r o k e n up, b u t m a n y b e a d s in the earth. T h e h e a d w a s p r o b a b l y east, and so t h e jar w o u l d be on the r i g h t of the head, and the saucer in the corner t o the left. B e l o w is a small b r o n z e c h i s e l ; a g r o u p of bracelets, pendants, earrings, a n d red g l a z e d b e a d s f o u n d t o g e t h e r ; a n d a t t h e right a b r o n z e point from t h e b u t t of a spear.

19

PL. X X I . T w o g r e e n g l a z e d bottles, nos. 1, 3, w e r e found w i t h a scarab, no. 2, w h i c h has the name of Psamthek blundered. In o t h e r g r a v e s w e r e found t h e t w o other bottles, 4 and 5. T h e iron strigil 8 w a s found w i t h a f r a g m e n t of a similar bottle no. 7. T h e s e b o t t l e s w e r e m a d e for new y e a r presents from m a i d - s e r v a n t s t o their masters. The inscriptions are, o n 3, " T a h u t i o p e n a g o o d y e a r for her lord," " H o r u s the g o o d g i v e life for her lord." O n 4, " A m e n o p e n a g o o d y e a r for her lord," " P t a h and S e k h e t open a g o o d y e a r for her lord." O n 5, " P t a h a n d S e k h e t " " o p e n a g o o d y e a r for h e r lord." PL. X X I A . T h e p o t t e r y h e r e is p r o b a b l y P t o l e m a i c f r o m 1 to 46, a n d R o m a n from 4 7 t o 56. T h e iron bracelets, 57, 58, are R o m a n ; a s also the n e c k l a c e of blue, g r e e n a n d y e l l o w g l a s s beads, and earrings, 59, a n d t h e a m b e r n e c k l a c e 60. T h e glass bottle 6 1 is p r o b a b l y A r a b i c . 24. PL. X X I B . T h e r o u g h stone i m p l e m e n t s of v a r i o u s k i n d s h a v e s c a r c e l y ever b e e n published, and it s e e m e d well t o g i v e s o m e e x a m p l e s o f them. 1 to 5 are s t o n e c a p s for h o l d i n g a drill-head in w o r k i n g . 6 t o 12 are p r o b a b l y all loom weights. T h e reels 27-34 are c o m m o n a b o u t the X l X t h d y n a s t y , a n d were p r o b a b l y used in n e t - m a k i n g . T h e f r a g m e n t of a c a r t o u c h e , 37, c a n n o t b e identified, as m o s t of the P t o l e m i e s e n d w i t h " l i v i n g forever, l o v e d b y P t a h . " 38 is an iron hoe. 39 are t w o a n k l e t s of m a s s i v e copper, also s h o w n in PI. X I X D . T h e s e w e r e on the a n k l e s o f a f e m a l e , a g e d a b o u t 25 ; the skull v e r y thin a n d m o d e r a t e l y p r o g n a t h o u s . T h e whole length w a s 58 inches, t h i g h 1 4 8 long, h u m e r u s 1 1 , u l n a 7 inches long. T h e b o d y w a s on the b a c k , with a r m s a t the sides, h e a d t o t h e west. I t l a y in a s h a l l o w g r a v e , c u t 9 t o 12 inches i n t o the soft m a r l y r o c k , j u s t b e n e a t h the houses in t h e g e z i r e h c e m e t e r y . A s t r a n g e burial o f a n i m a l b o n e s t h r o w n t o g e t h e r w a s in a pit in the c e m e t e r y ; I c o u n t e d 4 6 o x teeth, and five c o p p e r rings of t h e f o r m in fig. 40. Perhaps these were t h e nose-rings of the o x e n .

C H A P T E R THE

TEMPLE

OF

IV ON IAS

25. T H E curious e p i s o d e of the return o f the J e w s t o E g y p t , as a r e f u g e f r o m t h e t y r a n n y of A n t i o c h o s E p i p h a n e s , a n d their e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a n e w centre of w o r s h i p there a t a b o u t 154 B.C., is well k n o w n from the accounts p r e s e r v e d b y J o s e p h u s . T h e site o f this new T e m p l e h a d so far not been identified,

20

T H E T E M P L E OF ONIAS

a l t h o u g h it w a s g e n e r a l l y r e c o g n i s e d a s h a v i n g b e e n a b o u t T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h . T h e t r e a t m e n t of the statement of Josephus, crediting him with having " m i x e d t o g e t h e r a n d a p p l i e d t o o n e s e t t l e m e n t circ u m s t a n c e s w h i c h refer t o several J e w i s h e s t a b l i s h m e n t s " ( N A V I L L E , Mound of the Jew, p. 2 0 ) is not g e n e r a l l y c o n d u c i v e to s e t t l i n g questions. In this, a n d o t h e r c a s e s , w h e n w e a s c e r t a i n the facts, it is seen t h a t w e do best to stick c l o s e l y to our authorities. A s the p a s s a g e s of J o s e p h u s can e a s i l y be r e f e r r e d t o a t length, it will b e best h e r e t o g i v e a s u m m a r y of t h e m , and then t o discuss the d a t a w h i c h t h e y a f f o r d . T h e e a r l i e r a c c o u n t in the Wars of the Jews ( V I I , x , 3, 4 ) s t a t e s t h a t the w h o l e region of the J e w i s h s e t t l e m e n t s on t h e east of the D e l : a w a s c a l l e d O n e i o n , f r o m O n i a s , see a l s o Ant. X I V , viii, 1 , w h e r e a l a r g e district is i m p l i e d . I t is a l s o said t h a t this O n i a s fled f r o m A n t i o c h o s , w a s w e l l roceivcd b y P t o l e m y ( P h i l o m e t o r ) , a n d o f f e r e d to f o r m a c o r p s of J e w i s h m e r c e n a r i e s , if a n e w c e n t r e of w o r s h i p for t h e Onias a p p e a r s as c o m m u n i t y w e r e g r a n t e d t o him. the g e n e r a l of P t o l e m y , in contra Apioa, ii, 5. So Ptolemy g a v e him a place 180 stadia from Memphis, in " t h e n o m e of H e l i o p o l i s , w h e r e O n as built a f o r t r e s s a n d a t e m p l e , n o t like to t h a t at J e r u s a l e m , b u t s u c h as r e s e m b l e d a tower. H e buil: it of large s t o n e s to the h e i g h t o f 60 cubits." T h e altar was c o r r e c t l y m a d e , b u t a h a n g i n g l a m p of gold w a s s u b 11 stituted for the s e v e n - b r a n c h e d c a n d l e s i k k . The entire t e m p l e w a s e n c o m p a s s e d w i t h a wail of b u r n t b r i c k , t h o u g h it h a d g a t e s of stone." Lupus, the P r e f e c t of E g y p t , in 7 1 A.D., closed the t e m p l e a n d t o o k a w a y s o m e o f the gifts. P a u l i n u s , his successor, s t r i p p e d the place, s h u t up t h e g a t e s , and m a d e it e n t i r e l y inaccessible. F r o m the b u i l d i n g t o t h e closing of t h e t e m p l e w a s 3 4 3 y e a r s . { This is cert a i n l y incorrect.) In t h e Antiquities 7 the. Jews ( X I I I , iii) a r e g i v e n t w o letters, that from O n i a s to P t o l e m y , a n d the r e p l y . W h e t h e r these xrc original, a l t e r e d , or i n v e n t e d , d o e s not m u c h a f l e c t the ind i c a t i o n s w h i c h t h e y g i v e a b o u t the pUoe, t h o u g h t h e y a r e g e n e r a l l y c o n s i d e r e d to h a v e bec i c o m p o s e d b y Josephus. O n i a s is said to h a v c c o m e to L e o n t o p o l i s , a n d t o h a v e f o u n d a fit p l a c e in a f o r t r e s s that is c a l l e d f r o m B u b a s t i s c f the fields (the g o d d e s s S e k h e t written w i t h the field sign, N . M.J. 2 3 ) ; it w a s full of m a t e r i a l s of .-overal sorts. H e a s k e d l e a v e to p u r i f y this place, whi' h b e l o n g e d t o n o m a s t e r , a n d w a s fallen d o w n , a n d to build t h e r e a t e m p l e a f t e r t h e pattern of that in J e i u s a l e m , a n d of the s a m e d i m e n s i o n s . P t o l e m y g r a n i e d him the

f a l l e n t e m p l e at L e o n t o p o l i s in the n o m e o f H e l i o p o l i s , n a m e d f r o m B u b a s t i s of the fields. S o O n i a s t o o k it a n d built a t e m p l e a n d altar, l i k e that a t J e r u s a l e m , b u t s m a l l e r a n d poorer. S u c h a r e the e s s e n t i a l s of the a c c o u n t s in J o s e p h u s . 26. F i r s t let us see h o w f a r t h e s e i n d i c a t i o n s c a n b e f o l l o w e d . T h e site w a s L e o n t o p o l i s w h e r e a f o r m of B a s t w a s w o r s h i p p e d , in t h e H e l i o p o l i t e n o m e , a n d 1 8 0 s t a d i a f r o m M e m p h i s ; a n d a h i g h m a s s o f ruin should remain from a structure 6 0 cubits high. The distance f r o m M e m p h i s would preclude our looking v e r y m u c h b e y o n d H e l i o p o l i s itself, c e r t a i n l y n o t a s f a r as B e l b e y s . Moreover Belbeys belonged to the n o m e of B u b a s t i s ( N . M.J. 22). T h e r e is :no c e n t r e f o r t h e w o r s h i p of B a s t b e t w e e n B e l b e y s a n d M e m p h i s , e x c e p t Y e h u d i y e h , w h e r e t h e figure of a d m i r a l H o r h o l d i n g t h e shrine o f B a s t h a s n o w b e e n f o u n d . A n d this w o u l d a g r e e w i t h the n a m e L e o n t o p o l i s , w h i c h is o t h e r w i s e u n k n o w n s o u t h o f the c i t y of B u b a s t i s . O n c o n s i d e r i n g w h a t the s t a d i a m a y m o r e e x a c t l y m e a n , w e must l o o k to s o m e E g y p t i a n m e a s u r e . T h e nearest to t h e G r e e k s t a d i o n is the i t i n e r a r y length o f 500 cubits, s u c h a s is m a r k e d off b y a r o w of w a y - m a r k s a l o n g t h e F a y u m r o a d (Season in Egypt, p. 3 5 ) : this w a s a third l o n g e r t h a n t h e s t a d i o n , but d i s t a n c e s s t a t e d in it w o u l d e a s i l y b e c a l l e d s t a d i a in the loose u s e of i t i n e r a r y m e a s u r e s which prevailed. F r o m T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h t o the n o r t h g a t e of M e m p h i s w o u l d b e a b o u t 1 8 6 of these s t a d i a , a n d so w e n o w see that this site will c o m p l e t e l y a g r e e w i t h the d i s t a n c e w h i c h is s t a t e d . Here also t h e r e is t h e g r e a t e s t m o u n d of a n y f o r a d a y ' s j o u r n e y a r o u n d — a m o u n d which w a s all t h r o w n u p at o n e time, a n d w h i c h i n d i c a t e s t h a t the b u i l d i n g s o n it rose to a h e i g h t of a t least 59 c u b i t s f r o m t h e p l a i n b e l o w , in o n e g r e a t f a c e of w a l l i n g . T h e locality t h e r e f o r e a g r e e s to all the indications l e f t t o us, a n d n o other p l a c e c a n p o s s i b l y a g r e e s o closely. Moreo v e r t h e c e m e t e r y with J e w i s h t o m b s t o n e s , f o u n d h e r e b y D r . N a v i l l e , is proof t h a t a w e a l t h y J e w i s h c o m m u n i t y o c c u p i e d the place ; a n d finding n o w t h e n a m e o f A b r a m in t h e b u i l d e r s ' a c c o u n t s s h o w s t h a t J e w s w e r e c o n c e r n e d in b u i l d i n g o n t h e g r e a t m o u n d . T h e s e essentials b e i n g settled, w e a r e at l i b e r t y t o l o o k at details. T h e p l a c e of O n i a s w a s built w i t h stone, a n d he built a t o w e r - l i k e t e m p l e of l a r g e s t o n e s to a h e i g h t o f 6 0 cubits. T h e g r e a t e s t s u p p l y of m a t e r i a l for s u c h m a s o n r y l a y t o h a n d in t h e i m m e n s e s t o n e w a l l of the H y k s o s c a m p , w h i c h w o u l d s u p p l y all t h e m a s o n r y t h a t O n i a s c o u l d require, a n d w h i c h w a s close t o t h e n e w s e t t l e m e n t ,

I D E N T I F I C A T I O N OF T H E T E M P L E OF ONIAS

see PI. I I . T h e r e was a temple fallen f o ruin at Leontopolis, and we know that a temple existed in this c a m p in the X l l t h , X l X t h , and X X V I t h dynasties. Such temples were only built in nome capitals and important cities, and we do not know of any other between Heliopolis and Belbeys. T h o u g h the temple of Onias was built of large stones, like a tower to a height of 60 cubits, yet it is said that the entire temple was encompassed with a wall of burnt brick. T h i s brick probably refers to the northern side and the inner wall round the crest of the temple hill. Burnt brick was unknown for building in E g y p t before R o m a n times ; but the northern wall has been burnt in a conflagration, probably in the civil war when the place was besieged, which must have been in Ptolemaic times. Hence m a y have arisen the statement: in the time of Joscphus that the wall was of burnt brick. Onias asked to be allowed to build a temple like that in Jerusalem, and of the same dimensions ; and he is stated to have actually built it like that at Jerusalem, but smaller and poorer. His attainments may very likely not have come up to his expectations. T h e temple is said further to have not been like that at Jerusalem because it was like a tower. T h e r e is no difficulty about these statements when read in view of the place itself. T h e plan of the whole hill is strikingly modelled on that of Jerusalem ; the temple had inner and outer courts, like that of Zion, but it was smaller and poorer in s i z e ; and while the hill of Jerusalem was natural, and the temple was built on the top of the rock, here the artificial hill had to be revetted with a great stone wall, which made the temple like a tower 60 cubits high, as seen in the model, PL X X I V . There is not a n y point of difficulty or discrepancy left in the accounts of Josephus, so soon as we find the true site. 27. OUTER FORTIFICATION. H a v i n g shown that no other site can fulfil the conditions, and that this site not only fulfils all the requirements but also reconciles apparent contradictions, we m a y now enter on the details of the structure. First of all the actual remains of the buildings should be stated. On the north side cf the site (see PI. X X I I ) there is the lower part of a massive brick retaining-wall along the whole length. It is from 180 to 220 inches thick ; and on the inner side it has a slope of 58°, the courses being laid tilted to correspond. T h i s inside slope was covered b y the filling in of marl and sand forming the northern edge of the great mound. At the west end this wall ended flat, where the stone face

21

of the gateways joined it. T h e other side of the gatew a y can only be projected from the fragments shown in PI. X X I I , as drawn in PI. X X I I I . It appears that the whole breadth at the g a t e w a y was 1 7 8 0 inches, or 148 feet. T h e length of the north wall was 7 1 6 feet up to the turn of the bastion. T h e north-east corner (see inset in PI. X X I I ) is entirely destroyed b y a road, a light railway, and cultivation of fields. B u t as the north wall turns outward, it must h a v e turned east again before long, as the width between that and the east wall is not v e r y great. T h i s leads us to an end very nearly symmetrical with the southern bastion of the east face, the great stairway being the a x i s of the face. It is therefore only reasonable to restore this as symmetrical on the eastern front. On the east side there remains a trench filled with fallen top-rubbish at the northern part of i t ; near the stairway some stones of a wall remain in place. At the stairway itself is a pier of brick, the south side of which is in line with the face now destroyed, and which was therefore built against the stone wall. South of the stairway there is a long distance with a face of sand filling, where the wall is destroyed. B e y o n d that is a large piece of the great wall in good condition, see photographs, PI. X X V , and elevation, PI. X X V I . T h e base of the wall is at 1 0 6 inches level, the present top 2 3 1 , and the original sand mound inside probably 3 0 0 ; with about 80 inches of walling this would be 380 level, or 23 feet high along the front, which was 688 feet long between the corner towers. T h e detail of this wall will be noted further on. B e y o n d this are two more parts where the stones of lower courses remain in place. T h e n the direct line turns at right angles, where a mass of marl and sand projects forward. R o u n d this mass is a brick foundation on the north, one stone left on the east, and three or four stones on the south. T h e southern end wall has been less deep than elsewhere, and recent digging has removed all trace, e x c e p t i n g a shallow trench in the black earth filled with sand, which is fixed on the plan. T h e western side can only show a single piece of brickwork. A t the south end of it is another trench in the black earth filled with sand, marking the foundation. T h e n at s i x places along the west side there can be traced a flat face to the broken mass of marl and sand ; one place has a short piece of brickwork against it s t i l l ; all six places are in the line of a smooth curve, as shown on the plan. This is then the plane of the inner face of the great brick revetment-wall, which upheld the great mound, until

T H E T E M P L E OF

stripped away In modern times (see PI. X X I V , west face). This revetment is 247 ins. thick up to the core, where it exists south of the entrance ; and as the higher wall cannot have been thinner, we must take this as a minimum for the west face. 28. FORMATION

OF T H E

MOUND.

The

mound

is based on a shallow bed of earth derived from brick ruins; the earlier town had evidently spread out here, and had thus left a few feet of earth with potsherds in it. This is highest opposite to the entrance to the Hyksos camp ; it is seen all along the west side, above the present water-level, but it was not found along the north and east sides, perhaps because we did not dig below the foundation. This rise of ground was, however, immaterial in view of the great elevation which was demanded. The position w.i^ doubtless chosen as being just outside of the hen'hen temple site, yet as close as possible to the grea: stone wall which should supply all the masonry, see 1'L 11. The mound is formed of varied ea tli, but the pieces of amphorae of the Ilnd centur> B.C. found in it are exactly alike at the base and at the top, showing that it was all thrown up at one time The date of occupation is given by the coins fouru on the top, which were all small Ptolemaic copper with two eagles apparently of Ptolemy Soter II, begin IT I ^ 1 1 7 B.C. The date of Onias is placed a generation earlier, at 154 B.C. The widely spread beds of earth that run across the area, the sloping stratification f the tipheaps by which the mass was accun 1 ulat ed, the absence of town rubbish, and the use of dean sand in many parts, all show that the who.c elevation was due to intentional construction, and not to accidental accumulation. In this respect it liffers from all other mounds of such a size that 1 have seen in Egypt. It is unique, for an entirely different system was followed by the Egyptians they constructed their high fortresses with a great cellular substructure of brickwork, as at Pithom, Daphnae, and Naukratis. The northern and lower part of the western sides show large masses of brown marl, up to one or two cubic feet in size, loosely tumbled together, with sand to fill up the interstices. Here and there a scraping of town ruin can be seen with pieces of pottery in it, but such sources form but a small fraction of the whole. On the eastern side and south end the material is white limey concretion of sand in similar lumps with loose sand between. On the top (see West Face, PI. X X I V ) is a deep bed of sand, with enough lime in it to compact the whole, so that it

ONIAS

never runs loose, but will stand in vertical faces, when the outer surface falls away by undermining. In the base of the mound are found cylinders of pottery containing burnt offerings. Such are exposed to view at intervals along the whole of the west side, and were also found at the east end of the north side. One complete cylinder was measured as 23 to 25 inches across inside, and 29 inches high. The forms of the cylinders are shown in the section PI. X X V I I , and the general appearance in the photograph PI. X X I V . I cleared out some of the cylinders, and always found a bed of white ashes of wood one to three inches thick; bones of lambs lay upon the ashes, usually burnt, sometimes unburnt. Pieces of pottery are sometimes included, and in one case there was the bowl which had been used in the sacrificial feast, shown on the left in PI. X X V I I . The cylinders had no lids, but were filled with the lumps of marl, loosely fallen in when the ground was heaped over, and sometimes burnt red below. In some cases the cylinder had been sunk in the ground before the fire was burnt in it, as the earth touching the outside was reddened by heat for an inch or so in thickness. In other cases the cylinder was left visible, as it was carefully bricked around, and the bricking was mud-plastered by hand quite smoothly so as to cover all the joints; this plastering was picked away by me in order to make the bricks visible, before taking the upper photograph of the cylinder on PI. X X I V . After removing the bricks the lower photograph was taken. These cylinders were grouped together, and in these views part of the inside of a cylinder may be seen on either side of the perfect one. Mr. Griffith in 1887 saw a double row of the cylinders together, and these had " a base formed of two or three small slabs of limestone or bricks." We must then picture to ourselves the great dedication ceremony of the site. All over the area were groups of these offering pits, some sunk in the ground, others standing up, bricked around. Probably each group belonged to a tribe, and each pit to one family who had " a lamb for an house" ( E x . xii, 3), as in the Passover feast. Assembled from all the Diaspora in Egypt, to the founding of the New Jerusalem, each family lit its fire, probably cooked and ate the sacrificial lamb " roast with fire," and then the bones, " that which remained of it, they burnt with fire." Lastly the fires were smothered by casting in earth ; this was a form of the lamp and bowl burial, usual in Palestine under new buildings, whereby the flame was extinguished as the life of a child had been extinguished in the earlier infant-sacrifice at a foundation.

APPROACHES TO THE TEMPLE 29. APPROACHES TO THE TEMPLE. T h e r e w e r e t w o a p p r o a c h e s l e a d i n g u p to the T e m p l e site. One ran t h r o u g h the a r e a of three or four acres, w h i c h w a s certainly c o v e r e d w i t h h o u s e s (Pis. X X I I , X X I I I ) ; heaps of p o t s h e r d s still lie a b o u t this g r o u n d , t h o u g h the natives h a v e carried a w a y e v e r y f r a g m e n t of b r i c k w o r k . T h e upper part o f the a p p r o a c h f r o m the t o w n still r e m a i n s for a b o u t t h i r t y feet l e n g t h , a n d 10 f e e t 8 inches width. O n the u p p e r e n d of it are t w o b l o c k s of n u m m u l i t i c limestone, g r e a t l y polished b y the tread of feet, w h i c h h a v e e v i d e n t l y been part of t h e threshold o f the T e m p l e . T h e other approach was a great stairway which led u p t h e eastern slope f r o m t h e plain, see the v i e w s PI. X X V . T h i s stair rested on t w o b r i c k w a l l s 46 inches t h i c k , b e t w e e n w h i c h w a s a s p a c e 7 9 inches w i d e filled w i t h sand. T h u s , over all, the w a y w a s in t h e m i d d l e p a r t 1 7 4 a t base, and 1 7 0 a t t o p ; ar/d a t the u p p e r e n d 175 inches w i d e a t t h e base. It f o r m e d a h i g h wall r u n n i n g u p the slope of the hill, plastered w h i t e o n b o t h sides. T h e h i g h e s t part of t h e ruin is 131 inches, shown in the first v i e w PI. X X V . A t this p o i n t there is n o trace of the m a s s of brick w h i c h m u s t h a v e formed t h e basis of the s t e p s ; hence w e m u s t a d d a t least 30 i n c h e s for the a c t u a l h e i g h t of the steps, m a k i n g 160 inches a b o v e t h e hill slope. A p a r a p e t m u s t h a v e e x i s t e d a l o n g the sides, at least 40 inches high, a n d therefore t h e s i d e wall m u s t h a v e been a t least 200 inches, or 17 feet, a b o v e the ground. T h i s g r e a t s t a i r w a y c e a s e d a t t h e s t o n e wall, w h i c h ran a l o n g the f a c e u n b r o k e n . A l a r g e pier of b r i c k w o r k remains ori the outside of the wall line, the s a m e w i d t h as the side w a l l of t h e stair, 46 inches, and 103 inches o u t from the w a l l face. T h i s w a s entirely burnt b y a g r e a t c o n f l a g r a t i o n , w h i c h s u g g e s t s t h a t there w a s o n l y a w o o d e n structure t o c a r r y t h e s t a i r w a y o u t s i d e of t h e g r e a t wall. T h i s stair is restored as a b l o c k w i t h o u t details in t h e model, PI. X X I V , as the a r r a n g e m e n t of it is uncertain. T h e sides of the s t a i r w a y were plastered three times. A f t e r the s e c o n d c o a t the g r o u n d - l e v e l w a s raised 47 inches b y h e a p i n g more sand on the m o u n d ; this p r o t e c t e d t h e plastering b e l o w , as m a y b e seen w h e r e it lis still p r e s e r v e d w h i t e in the first view, PI. X X V . T h e n e w sand b e d is q u i t e distinct a t t h e b a s e of t h e later ruins w h i c h overlie it. The s t a i r w a y h a s also been repaired, as the u p p e r triangular piece of t h e brick wall m a y b e seen in PI. X X V to be different in c h a r a c t e r from t h e older w a l l b e l o w . T h i s s t a i r w a y w a s n o t o n l y the main

feature of

23

the eastern side, b u t it a g r e e d w i t h t h e direction o f the a p p r o a c h to the p l a c e a c r o s s the plain, see inset on PI. X X I I . In the v i e w o f the north side of t h e stair, PI. X X V , will b e seen a l o n g clear line of g r o u n d a m i d the ruins o n t h e plain. T h i s w a s t h e old r o a d w a y , the houses of t h e t o w n b e i n g all laid o u t square with it ; a n d as it w a s clear of obstruction it h a s continued to be used to this d a y . It led o u t t o t h e desert, w h e r e a m o d e r n v i l l a g e m a y b e seen in the d i s t a n c e ; and the J e w i s h c e m e t e r y w a s e x c a v a t e d a t t h e desert edge, a little to t h e right of this. T h i s road was, then, t h e a p p r o a c h to the c e m e t e r y , a n d the w a y to the eastern desert and S y r i a . T h e o p p o s i t e v i e w is s h o w n a t the b a s e of PI. X X I V , w h i c h is t a k e n from this r o a d w a y ; t h e road a p p e a r s s m o o t h b e t w e e n t h e ruins, l e a d i n g straight t o t h e g r e a t stair, w h i c h can b e seen on the m o u n d b y t h e t r e n c h e s w h i c h w e cleared u p e a c h side of it, b e l o w t h e letters D , E . T h e slope o f t h e g r e a t stair carried u p w a r d (at its minimum h e i g h t a s s t a t e d ) p r o d u c e s the result t h a t its t o p end w a s at least a t 990 inches level, a n d this g i v e s the minimum h e i g h t o f t h e p l a t f o r m w h i c h h a s now disappeared. T h e f o o t of the wall b e i n g a t 106 level, t h e p l a t f o r m w a s 74 feet a b o v e the plain. 30. T H E T E M P L E . O n the t o p level t h e r e are various portions o f t h e b a s e m e n t s o f the w a l l s y e t r e m a i n i n g , a s o n PI. X X I I , sufficient t o s h o w t h e form o f the b u i l d i n g s as restored on PI. X X I I I . T h e o u t e r e n c l o s u r e wall, a l o n g the east side of the p l a t f o r m , is v e r y broad in its f o u n d a t i o n . The base level varies from 7 7 5 i n c h e s a t inner e d g e t o 7 4 4 o n outer e d g e . A s m a l l piece o f it, w h i c h turns d i a g o n a l l y , a t t h e s o u t h e n d is a t 784 a t inner e d g e , a n d 768 further out, b u t n o t r e a c h i n g n o w t o t h e o u t e r e d g e ; b y t h e levels this w a s e v i d e n t l y all o n e w i t h t h e larger piece. F u r t h e r t o the north this o u t e r enclosure did not r e a c h as far as the g r e a t s t a i r w a y , for the white p l a s t e r is c o n t i n u e d on that to t h e u p p e r end w i t h o u t interruption. T h e w a l l therefore t u r n e d t o the west, a n d w e c a n n o t d o u b t that it t u r n e d a l o n g the north front of t h e t e m p l e enclosure. T o w h a t point this ran a f t e r p a s s i n g t h e a x i s is n o t certain ; it m a y h a v e j o i n e d t h e t o w e r , or m a y h a v e run s e p a r a t e from t h a t t o j o i n the w e s t e r n wall. T h e o u t e r c o u r t h a d a thick b a s e m e n t t o t h e walls; but we cannot suppose that the whole wall w a s c o n t i n u e d u p w a r d s of this thickness, or it w o u l d be d i s p r o p o r t i o n a t e t o the w i d t h of t h e court. Prob a b l y the brick b a s e m e n t o f 8 f e e t w i d e w a s required to g i v e a firm f o o t i n g o n the artificial sand m o u n d , for a wall a b o u t t w e n t y inches thick. If we allow

24

THE

T E M P L E OF

10 inches footing outside of the wall (as is the case in the temple) the interior of the outer court would be about 32 feet wide at the front and 27 fec:t at the back. The length of it would be about 44 feet. That this court was the principal feature seen on teaching the top of the mound, is shown by the ascent from the town having the same axis as the court, within a small variation of only 14 inches. T h e division between the two court;* is shown by a trench in the sand which is filled up with rubbish, apparently where a stone wall has been extracted. This trench is 36 inches wide. The interior of the inner court had a breadth of 27 feet in front and 21 feet at the back, with a length inside of 6} feet. It is probable that these courts were of brickwork stuccoed. A great quantity of pieces of stucco 1-iy about the ruins h e r e ; it is hard, white, and smoothly faced, with a black dado and a line of red a;- ;i border to the white. A t the end of these open courts wr find a mass of brick foundation ; this is solid, with the exception of a narrow space of a foot up the a vvs on his rebuilding of the temple of Jerusalem Ant. J . X V , xi, 1) dwells on the fact that the temple oi Zerubabel was much lower than Solomon's, and that its measures were determined by Cyrus and Darius, as an excuse for the J e w s not having been able " to follow the original model." This suggests, what is indeed most likely, that Zerubabel at the return of '.he exiles in poverty, could not succeed in building as large a temple as Solomon. That he should lake a span for a cubit, and so keep the same numbers, is very probable. And as we find this copy of the temple of

ONIAS

Zerubabel to have had the scale of it reduced in this manner, we may well accept it as a copy of the dimensions of that at Jerusalem. T h e positions of these various structures may be seen in the views ori PI. X X I V . On the E a s t F a c e at A is the turn of the end of the temple enclosure. From B to C is the block of basement of the Temple itself. From C to D is the position of the courts, and from D to E is the great stairway. In the view of the West Face, from B to C is the tower which we shall describe, and at A is a terrace of earth against which the houses were built. Thus D on the upper view is about the position of C in the lower. Of the divisions of the temple, into the Porch, Holy Place, and Most Holy Place, there is 110 trace left, as the whole was founded on one mass of brickwork, which is all that remains. There was however a part of a marble column found, lying near the foot of the town mound on the north, now in the Mocatta Museum, University College, London It had doubtless been rolled down the hill from the top. Now a marble column would not be in place in the defensive work of the outer enclosure of the temple ; nor would so large a column be used for cloisters in the comparatively small courts. The diameters of this column are 19"6 and 20*5 inches at the broken ends, 67 inches apart. This would agree well enough with the size of the two pillars of the porch of the temple, and it is difficult to see any other position where such a marble column would have been in place. T h e temple as we have seen was 182 inches wide. The side walls may be assumed at about 20 inches thick, leaving 142 for the inner width, about 12 feet T w o columns like the above would occupy 4 1 inches, and the 100 inches may well have been divided into a middle opening of 40 and two side openings of 35 inches each. A s the height: of the temple was equal to its width, it was 182 outside height; or let us say 162 inside, and so about 145 under the architrave, for the whole column and capital. Thus the column would be 7 diameters in height. The breadth of the whole platform on the top was at least as wide as is shown in the plan PI. X X I I I , and the model PI. X X I V , as this much is proved by the existing top of the mound. In every case we have only adopted the minimum dimensions that are shown, where any doubt exists—the least height of stairway, the lowest level of platform, the least breadth of platform, the least height of the eastern front wall. 3 1 . THE CASTLE. A t the head of the stairways are seen several foundations, still showing as trenches

25

THE CASTLE

or steps in the sand core of the hill, see PL X X I I . These indicate that there was a square building here, of about 52 x 73 feet, see PI. X X I I I . Such a position was perfectly adapted for the citadel of the whole place ; it rises sheer up over the ascent from the town; it rakes down the whole length of the great stairway ; it rakes the whole of the western wall ; it commands the entrance to the temple, which is just below i t ; and it also commands the temple courts and the space outside of them. It gives the entire mastery of the place. The position is seen on the view of the west face, PI. X X I V , between B and C. At B is a steep face about \2 feet high which was evidently upheld by some wall now removed ; this would be the north wall of the castle. T h e ground below was made up in a broad tcrrace to give a firm foundation, and then it fell again at A to the general level of the town. The position of the castle, placed diagonally to the outer wall, is a very strong one, as the faces cannot be weakened by direct attack. T h e total height of the whole place may be reckoned thus. T h e platform was at least 992 level, or SS6 inches over the plain on the east, and S45 over the ground on the west Taking 845 as the minimum, we must add the temple height which was 182, so that its top was at least 1027 inches, and the top of the protecting fortification would be at least 1040 inches, and therefore very probably 1060 or 10S0 inches (90 feet) over the west ground. T h e statement of Josephus that the building was 60 cubits high, gives 1094 inches, and this accords with the original form of the buildings as closely as we can trace them. T h e detail of the restoration of the western wall is curiously involved in the curve of the base of it, and the slopes of the core ground which it must have followed. When these are taken together no other result seems possible beside that here followed in the plan and model. It is hardly needful to enter on all the minute reasons for this at length, as in any case a variation would not be important. But this much should be stated to show that there is a minimum of uncertainty, or mere imagination, in this restoration. T h e only piece of guesswork is the detail of the wall across the entrance; the place of it is known, but the gateways are only what may be presumed on, as likely for such a situation. Doubtless there were many details of the finishing off of the parapets, gangways, and entrances. But as we have no evidences about these, no attempt is here made to restore them in the model. 32. We

may now notice

the stone-work

and

fragments of decoration that remain. The external wall-surfaces are shown by the fine piece of the great eastern wall which we dug o u t T h e elevation of it is given in PL X X V I , a n d in PI. X X V is a n e w looking down into the excavation, and another view of part of it at close quarters. T h e courses at the two ends of the wall are as follows : Top „ „ Base

. . .

. . . .

21*6 21-3 20 S 20'S 2r8

to „ „ „ „

2 1 0 inches. 215 207 „ 20/ „ 21 "O „

T h u s they average 2i'i inches, and the variations of the stones from that size have been sorted into each course, so as to get them to rank more evenly together. T h e lengths are not uniform, varying thus:— 38, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 49, 50, 50, 50, 51, and 53 inches. T h e breadths are 21, 2 1 , 2 1 , 2 1 , 23,24, 24, 24, 24, 25, 25, 25,27, 29, 37, the latter three being in the lowest course, which is a less regular foundation. It seems then that the standard size for the blocks was 50 x 25 inches and 21 inches thick. T h e surface is the original quarry face with pick-marks on i t ; but round the edge is a draft about 4 inches wide, slightly sloping down to the joint line T h e drafting is seen to be cut with a claw tool where the marks are risible (shown in the elevation, PI. X X V I ) , such as is very plainly seen in the dressing of the piece of cornice photographed above the view of the wall. T h e quality of the stone is not so good as that of the Hyksos wall, or the chips of the upper structures; it is full yellow, and inclined to powder away if exposed. A t the base the lowest coarse rests in part on the desert gezireh surface, which is supplemented by lower blocks in some places. The finish of this wall above was with a cornice of white limestone. A piece of this was found in digging to trace the north-east corner. T h e profile of the fragment is on PL X X V I I , scale 2 : 3, and the photograph of it on PL X X V . T h e use of it was evidently for eaves to shoot off rain, clear of the wall face, as is shown by the under-cut slope and drip edge below. Now such a feature Ls quite needless at Tell el Yehudiyeh, and would never be invented there; it is copied from some original in the rainy climate of Palestine. Moreover the drafting of the masonry of the wall is not known in Egypt, or only rarely as an exotic cop}'; whereas it is the regular dressing of the masonry of the temple revetment-wall at 4

T H E T E M P L E OF O N I A S

26 Jerusalem.

These

points

are

good

evidence as to

the origination of the design of this place.

wall ; and when the stone wall was quarried away in recent times, this mass of ruin had to be removed, and

Another piece of moulding was found, at the west side of the block of brickwork which formed the base-

was thrown further down the slope.

T h e brick pier

built outside the wall to carry the stairway is also

ment of the Temple ; it is shown also on PI. X X V I I .

thoroughly burnt, showing that probably a wooden

It is impcrfect above and below, and clumsy in form;

stair led down

but it is doubtless a part of the top cornice of the

north side

sanctuary itself.

middle p a r t ; and so low down that the conflagration

from the wall to the plain.

the thick

wall is burnt

O n the

through in the

Other fragments of limestone were found by turn-

must have been due to wooden houses built against

ing over the heaps of chips and earth, to the north of

the outside of it, rather than to any burning on the

the tower and the ascent from the towr.

platform of earth inside.

columns

and

had

Of the final destruction of the buildings the traces

trimmed into shape, and some fragment?; were left,

have nearly all been removed b y the modem denuda-

shown

tion.

PI. X X V .

been

The

rolled

Here the to be

on

blocks

important

down

piece in the

There is however a small patch still left on

middle is carefully restored, from a series of sectional

the east face, showing

measurements, on PI. X X V I .

limestone which were

It was a semicircular

battlement, like those on the top Medinet original.

Habu, On

which

the

of

was copied

face

of

the

the tower at

from a

battlements

Syrian was

a

masonry to pieccs of

pieces;

and platform ; and from

along the top of the wall, rising up into each battle-

sand platform.

ment, and then descending again.

that

the we

down in cutting the

next above these followed

bricks from the destruction

band of at least five ribs, which seems to have run Probably the space

the layer of chips of white thrown

of

over all are some feet of sand

overthrow

of

the

upper

layers

have

the

original

face

other parts of the face amid the modern

rosette

i> suggested

T h e fragments of capitals show that the architecture of the temple was Corinthian.

T h e y could not

belong to the marble column as they are of limestone, and so they prove that there were other ornamental columns here, besides those which we have considered 33. T h e history of the site was not peaceful. sides, and

siege.

On

especially about the great: stairway,

there are limestone balls thrown b y the balista T h e y are usually

in a

about three inches across,

but some are of double that size.

sand

hill

identify several cuttings.

along the

form the

data

south-eastern

northern side, and

for the contours

part

the

of

the

hill.

shown On

the

north-eastern part, the soil

has been greatly cut a w a y ; the present contours of this part are given on PI. X X I I , and the presumable ancient contours on PI. X X I I I . 34. O n l y a few objects were found on the top of

above tc belong to the temple porch. all

the

These pieces of the hill-face were all carefully surveyed, and

bosses in Palestinian decoration.

can

the

some ornamental

The

hence we

of

preserved here, and

boss.

of

This patch of ruin serves to prove

in the middle of the square pattern was occupied with here on the strength of six-lobed rosettes as centre

the

the walls

T h e siege to which

the hill, besides the architectural features ; a clay jar seal with a monogram stamp (PI. X X V I I ) , reading pin

or pen ;

an

earring of

perhaps

glass beads on

bronze wire (PI. X X V I I ) ; a ram's horn (cut off the skull), which lay at the side of the Temple platform,

these belong was very possibly during the war between

probably from a sacrifice.

Cleopatra II and Ptolemy Physkon in 146 B.C., when

the great mass of burnt bones of calf and lamb, which

we read that Onias acted as the general of Cleopatra

were found and removed many years ago from the

(c. Apion,

north of the town, as recorded b y Mr. Griffith (Af.

ii, 5), and therefore the opposite party would

have special

reason

to

attack

the

town

of

Onias.

53).

With this should be noted

/.

T h e only piece of inscription found here was an

T h a t the same man should be high priest and general

ostrakon, which lay with other pieces of similar brown

was familiar to the Egyptians, as we see in the X X I s t

amphorae, as part of the foundation of the courts.

dynasty, and the

This

priests {Ant. At

Asmonean

rulers were also high

the same siege, or more probably later, the

place was burnt on the east side.

A great quantity

of burnt brick has been recently thrown out in heaps along the east wall. remains of brick

is shown

Griffith agrees

X V , xi, 4).

This seems to have been the

and timber houses built inside the

in

Pis.

that

it

XXIV

and

XXVII.

may be as late as

Mr.

Ptolemy

Philometor, though he would have been inclined to date it rather earlier.

T h e last line, and the third

above it, read H a r k h e b son of Zeho ; and the last line but one determinative.

reads

A b r m , followed b y the foreign

After

the

names

follows the

word

SMALL OBJECTS FOUND " b r i c k s , " b u t t h e n u m b e r s o f b r i c k s a r e lost. Thus w e learn t h a t b o t h E g y p t i a n s a n d J e w s were e m p l o y e d in t h e s u p p l y i n g o f b r i c k s for t h i s t e m p l e . T h e c o i n s f o u n d o n t h e t o p o f t h e m o u n d w e r e all o f t h e later P t o l e m i e s a f t e r P h i l o m c t o r . In t h e c e m e t e r y on t h e e d g e o f t h e d e s e r t a f e w t o m b s w e r e o p e n e d b y us, a n d in t h e s e w e r e found t h e h a n d l e d b o w l and j u g s on PI. X X V I I , also the bronze lock-plate and ornaments from a box. The p l a n o f o n e o f the m o s t t y p i c a l t o m b s is s h o w n as t h e last on PI. X I I . T h e r e is no d o u b t t h a t this w a s t h e J e w i s h c e m e t e r y ; b u t t h e f o r m o f the t o m b s b e l o n g s t o the a g e , and not o n l y to t h e people. The r o c k - t o m b s o f A l e x a n d r i a are v e r y similar, a n d t h e P t o l c m a i c t o m b s o f D e n d e r e h are a l i k e in the e n t r a n c e and the chamber, though one broad loculus there occupies the back of the chamber. O u t s i d e o f t h e t o w n t h e r e are also o t h e r r e m a i n s of this a g e t o t h e c a s t o f t h e m o u n d , see inset PI. X X I I . T h e b a n k s a r o u n d the E g y p t i a n c e m e t e r y c o n t a i n p o t s h e r d s b e t w e e n t h e I l n d c e n t u r y B.C. and t h e 1st c e n t u r y A.D. ; a n d t h e b r o a d b a n k t o t h e n o r t h east b y the A r a b c e m e t e r y is d a t e d b y p o t t e r y o f t h e I l n d c e n t u r y B.C. It s e e m s t h e n t h a t m u c h e n c l o s u r e here w a s d o n e d u r i n g this J e w i s h o c c u p a tion. T h i s m a y h a v e b e e n in o r d e r t o p r e c l u d e s e t t l e m e n t s of houses u p o n t h e g r o u n d defiled b y the graves. T h e t o w n t h r o u g h w h i c h t h e road runs, a s seen in the v i e w PI. X X V , is s t r i c t l y limited b y the b a n k t o t h e s o u t h o f t h e c e m e t e r y . 35. W e m a y n o w s u m m a r i s e t h e c o n c l u s i o n s a b o u t t h e site o f t h e T e m p l e o f O n i a s . T h e indications a b o u t its p o s i t i o n , — L e o n t o p o l i s , t h e d i s t a n c e f r o m M e m p h i s , in the H e l i o p o l i t e n o m e , the e x i s t e n c e of a temple and a great mass of building material, a n d the J e w i s h n a m e s in t h e c e m e t e r y , — a l l t h e s e a g r e e w i t h w h a t w e find a t T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h , a n d c a n n o t b e all a s s i g n e d t o a n y o t h e r site. T h e statements about the height of the place, and the c o p y i n g of the t e m p l e o f J e r u s a l e m on a p o o r e r scale, e x a c t l y a g r e e w i t h t h e g r e a t m o u n d a n d its b u i l d i n g s , a n d this p l a c e r e c o n c i l e s t h e a p p a r e n t c o n t r a d i c t i o n s o f Josephus. T h e n a t u r e o f t h e site a g r e e s w i t h the r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e structure o f O n i a s , a n d w i t h no other purpose. A n i m m e n s e m o u n d w a s constructed all at once, w i t h a g r e a t n u m b e r o f sacrifices at its f o u n d a t i o n , p o i n t i n g t o a c o n c o u r s e o f a people. T h i s m o u n d w a s s t r o n g l y fortified, b u t differs f r o m a n y E g y p t i a n fortification in its nature. It c o m p r i s e d

27

a t o w n , a n d an i s o l a t e d b u i l d i n g h i g h e r than t h e rest, and even more strongly protected, the precious part o f t h e w h o l e place. T h i s b u i l d i n g h a d j u s t t h e p r o portions of S o l o m o n ' s t e m p l e , a n d h a d a n inner a n d o u t e r c o u r t before it. T h e b r i c k s w e r e p a r t l y s u p p l i e d b y J e w s . A n d o u t s i d e o f t h e t o w n on t h e n o r t h w a s t h r o w n a g r e a t q u a n t i t y of b u r n t b o n e s o f t h e sacrificial a n i m a l s , as from t h e b u r n t sacrifices. The e x t e r n a l c o n n e c t i o n s , or t h e structural e v i d e n c e , w o u l d either of t h e m be sufficient to m a k e the purpose of this place almost certain. T o g e t h e r , t h e y seem to l e a v e n o possibility o f q u e s t i o n t h a t w e h a v e h e r e t h e N e w J e r u s a l e m a n d T e m p l e o f t h e rightful H i g h Priest Onias. W e may now draw attention to another matter, which might seem fanciful, were w e not certain of the n a t u r e o f t h e place. T h i s N e w J e r u s a l e m c o p i e d t h e f o r m a s well a s t h e c h a r a c t e r o f t h e H o l y C i t y . On the west side of Mt. Moriah was the deep ravine of the T y r o p o i o n v a l l e y , on t h e o t h e r side o f w h i c h l a y t h e town. S o here t h e s t e e p r e v e t m e n t 9 0 feet h i g h o n the w e s t stood over against the wall of the town 50 feet h i g h , w i t h in o n e part a s p a c e o f o n l y a f e w yards between them. O n the e a s t a n a t u r a l s l o p e led d o w n t o t h e K e d r o n v a l l e y ; a n d h e r e t h e s l o p i n g side o f t h e m o u n d d e s c e n d e d e a s t w a r d t o t h e plain. F r o m t h e K e d r o n there led u p t o t h e n o r t h e n d o f the T e m p l e area the great ceremonial stairway whose l o w e r r o c k - c u t steps I f o u n d in 1891 ; this ran u p on a high ridge of wall to the great platform. So h e r e t h e r e is the g r e a t h i g h s t a i r w a y o n t h e e a s t side l e a d i n g t o t h e n o r t h e n t r a n c e o f t h e t e m p l e courts. O n the north of the T e m p l e lay the quarter of Bezetha, which was the main n e w region of JeruS o here the new town s a l e m in t h e later h i s t o r y . lay on the north of the temple. A t Jerusalem the great citadel was the castle of A n t o n i a , which was b u i l t l o n g b e f o r e A n t o n y , a t least a s e a r l y as t h e A s m o n e a n f a m i l y {Ant. X V , >:i, 4). T h i s castle c o m m a n d e d a v i e w o f t h e T e m p l e c o u r t s a n d sacrifices, w h i c h w a s a g r e a t g r i e v a n c e t o t h e zealots {Ant. X X , viii, 11). S o h e r e t h e c a s t l e on t h e n o r t h o f t h e t e m p l e not o n l y c o m m a n d e d the a p p r o a c h e s a n d t h e o u t e r walls, b u t l o o k e d a l o n g t h e t e m p l e c o u r t s u p t o t h e t e m p l e itself. These close r e s e m b l a n c e s c a n n o t b e o n l y a c c i d e n t a l ; t h e place was intended to be a m o d e l of Jerusalem, a n d a s u b s t i t u t e so far a s possible for t h a t ideal c i t y o f t h e race.

T E L L ER RETABEH (RAAMSES)

28

CHAPTER V TELL ER RETABEH (RAAMSES) 36. I n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e l e n g t h of t h e W a d y T u m i l a t , a b o u t t w e n t y miles from I s m a i l i y e h on t h e east, and r a t h e r f a r t h e r f r o m Z a g a z i g on the w e s t , s t a n d s a v i d e d u s t y m o u n d o f ruins k n o w s a s T e l l er R e t a b e h . A s in o t h e r a n c i e n t sites, s o here, t h e n a t i v e s r e m o v e l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s of e a r t h t o l a y upon the fields. B u t i n s t e a d o f thi;; d e s t r u c t i v e c u s t o m e x p o s i n g t h e earlier r e m a i n s , as is t h e c a s e o n o t h e r sites, it m a k e s the l o w e r levels here e v e n m e r e inaccessible. A n y pit in t h i s r e g i o n is q u i c k l y filled u p w i t h sand f r o m t h e desert, and t h e h o l e s m a d e in one y e a r are l e v e l l e d u p a g a i n in t h e n e x t . A t first s i g h t the m o u n d l o o k s u n t o u c h e d ; b u t a l a r g e part of it is n o w a h o n e y c o m b o f old pits filled w i t h sand. T h i s m a k e s w o r k here u n p r o f i t a b l e , a s it is n e e d f u l t o d i g t h r o u g h so m u c h d e p t h o f r u n n i n g sand in w h i c h n o t h i n g c a n b e f o u n d . T h e soil itself also is poor in o b j e c t s in the u n t o u c h e d parts. The m o u n d is not an a c c u m u l a t i o n o f h o u s e ruins, a s s u c h m o u n d s u s u a l l y are ; b u t l a r g e p a r t s o f it o n l y c o n t a i n a f e w e n c l o s i n g walls, a n d t h e a r e a s e e m s to h a v e b e e n l a r g e l y left o p e n , a n d t h e n g r a d u a l l y filled u p w i t h a s h e s and b l o w n dust. T h i s filling i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e p l a c e w a s r a t h e r a fortified c a m p i n g g r o u n d , for the shelter o f troops, t h a n an o r d i n a r y t o w n . T w e n t y years ago Dr. Naville had made some e x c a v a t i o n s here, a n d found s c a r a b s o f t h e X V I I I t h a n d X l X t h d y n a s t i e s , a n d a b r o n z e falchion o f t h a t a g e . B u t his c o n c l u s i o n w a s as f o l l o w s : " T h e w h o l e p l a c e indicates a c a m p , p r o b a b l y o f late R o m a n times. It m u s t h a v e b e e n o n e o f t h e m i l i t a r y stations posted a l o n g t h e c a n a l l e a d i n g t o t h e R e d S e a , and it m a y h a v e been a n o t h e r of t h e garrisons m e n t i o n e d in t h e Notitia Dignitatum " (Goshen, 2 5 ) ; a n d here the s u b j e c t had rested, w i t h o u t a n y further e n d e a v o u r t o settle t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e site. T h e w o r k o f t h e p a s t w i n t e r h a s s h o w n that, so far f r o m b e i n g a R o m a n c a m p , this is t h e oldest site k n o w n e a s t o f B u b a s t i s , a n d t h a t it h a s not h a d a n y R o m a n occupation. T h e stone vases of the O l d K i n g d o m , a n d t h e w e i g h t a n d s c a r a b s o f the I X t h t o t h e X l l t h d y n a s t i e s p r o v e t h e e a r l y d a t e of o c c u p a t i o n . The h u m a n sacrifice u n d e r t h e o l d e s t w a l l p o i n t s t o its b e i n g h e l d b y S y r i a n s rather than E g y p t i a n s . The d e p t h o f a b o u t t w e l v e t o fifteen feet of ruins b e n e a t h t h e b u i l d i n g s o f t h e X V I I I t h a n d X l X t h d y n a s t i e s is solid e v i d e n c e o f t h e e a r l y i m p o r t a n c e o f the town. O f

l a t e r a g e w e f o u n d here a t e m p l e o f R a m e s s u I I w i t h s c u l p t u r e s in red g r a n i t e a n d l i m e s t o n e ; p a r t o f a t o m b of an official w h o w a s o v e r t h e s t o r e - h o u s e s o f S y r i a n p r o d u c e ; and t h e g r e a t w o r k s o f R a m e s s u I I I . A l l o f these discoveries e x a c t l y a c c o r d w i t h t h e requirem e n t s o f t h e c i t y of R a a m s e s , w h e r e b o t h t h e s e c o n d a n d third k i n g s o f t h a t n a m e are s t a t e d t o h a v e w o r k e d , and where a store-city w a s built b y the Israelites a l o n g w i t h t h a t o f P i t h o m , w h i c h is o n l y e i g h t m i l e s d i s t a n t . T h e a b s e n c e o f a n y o t h e r E g y p t i a n site s u i t a b l e t o t h e s e conditions, w h i c h are all f u l f i l l e d h e r e , m a k e s it p r a c t i c a l l y certain t h a t this w a s t h e c i t y o f R a a m s e s n a m e d in E x o d u s . O f later times t h e c e m e t e r y o f t h e X X I I I r d d y n a s t y h a s y i e l d e d us m a n y i n t e r e s t i n g small o b j e c t s . 37. T h e site should b e first d e s c r i b e d , a n d a f t e r t h a t t h e o b j e c t s will b e n o t i c e d in historical order. O n t h e p l a n , PI. X X X V , it will b e seen t h a t t h e r e a r e w a l l s o f three ages. I c o u l d n o t s u c c e e d in c o m p l e t i n g this p l a n on t h e n o r t h - w e s t , a s d e e p s a n d d r i f t s c o v e r e d t h e low ruins o f t h e walls. A l o n g the n o r t h I could o n l y find o n e w a l l , a n d t h a t s o m u c h c o n s o l i d a t e d b y rains t h a t t h e sizes o f the b r i c k s c o u l d n o t be seen. O n t h e e a s t t h e c o u r s e o f t h e s e c o n d w a l l w a s clear, a n d traces o f t h e third u p o n it. T h e south side w a s far b e t t e r p r e s e r v e d t h a n t h e others, b u t h e r e w e w e r e w o r k i n g t h e w h o l e t i m e t h a t I w a s a t t h e place, in o r d e r t o t r a c e o u t w h a t is shown. A t t h e s o u t h - w e s t c o r n e r t h e o u t s i d e a n d its d e p o s i t s are entirely l o s t ; a n d t h e o n l y d e p o s i t w h i c h I c o u l d r e c o v e r w a s a t t h e s o u t h - e a s t , a n d for t h a t a m a n w o r k e d for a w e e k b e f o r e he c o u l d find it. All o f the l o w e r w a l l s are o f s u c h e a r t h y m a r l , a n d s o m u c h s o a k e d w i t h wet, t h a t it is d i f f i c u l t t o tell t h e m from the earth around. T h e previous plan of the t o w n (Goshen, PI. X I ) is l a r g e l y d r a w n b y g u e s s w o r k ; a n d t h e v e r y t h i c k w a l l at t h e w e s t o f it is r e a l l y t h e thickness of the g a t e w a y bastions, one of which was c u t t h r o u g h instead o f t r a c i n g t h e f a c e of it. T h e first f o r t i f y i n g o f t h e p l a c e w a s b y a n i r r e g u l a r wall, m a r k e d here w a l l 1, w h i c h lies inside t h e later t o w n a n d a s k e w t o it. Its t h i c k n e s s in t w o p l a c e s w a s 1 2 3 a n d 124 inches. N o further continuation of this to the east could be found, although w e m a d e l a r g e clearances. T h e l o n g s t r a i g h t line h a s a b a s t i o n n e a r t h e w e s t end p r o j e c t i n g 48 t o 53 i n c h e s ; o f t h i s 33 i n c h e s w i d t h is of t h e g r e y b r i c k s of t h e w a l l , a n d 68 i n c h e s m o r e h a s b e e n a d d e d o n t h e e a s t in b l a c k bricks. T h e w a l l b e n d s j u s t b e y o n d this, runs w e s t for 160 feet, a n d t h e n b e n d s a g a i n , a t a n o t h e r b a s t i o n w h i c h h a s b e e n p a t c h e d l i k e t h e first. T h i s b a s t i o n

THE

FIRST

projects 46 to 50 inches ; the older part is 70 wide, and the patch of yellow bricks is 36 wide. B e y o n d this corner the wall takes a slight bend, and continues till it reaches past the later g a t e w a y . T h e n it ends at w h a t was doubtless the earlier g a t e w a y , almost e x a c t l y in line with the entrance to the temenos of the temple. 38. Beneath the last-named bastion corner we mined inward in search of a foundation deposit. No deposit was found such as is usual in E g y p t i a n buildings. B u t constructions appeared which were entirely new to us in their character. First a stack of bricks, of which the plan and section are given in PI. X X X V A ; five below, then four, then three, and t w o on the top. N o t h i n g was found beneath these, and t h e y seem to form the mark w h i c h was used in setting out the walls. B u t just east of these, and parallel to the wall, was a small arched brick t o m b of a child, buried a t full length, head to the east. As the grave is o n l y 30 inches long, and the b o d y did not fill the length, it must h a v e been quite an infant. T h e bones were v e r y slight, a n d so friable in the earth that I could not preserve them. T h e r e were no objects with the b o d y . T h i s grave is clearly ceremonial, and not only a s t r a y interment. It is placed b y the side of the corner mark so closely that it must have been built at the same time. A pit had been sunk in the bed of clean gravel which underlies the wall, and after the t w o structures were built the pit was filled with rather dirty gravel. O v e r the whole lay the final five inches of sand on which the bricks rest. T h i s burial, or child sacrifice, was a custom in Syria, known both b y record and by recent discoveries of Mr. M a c a l i s t e r ; the custom was succeeded by that of the burial of a burning lamp, the flame of which w a s extinguished instead of e x tinguishing the life. B u t such a custom has never been found a m o n g the E g y p t i a n s , and hence we must rather look to a S y r i a n occupation as the cause of this earliest fortification. T o j u d g e by the early age of remains here we might look to S y r i a n invaders after the V l t h d y n a s t y as likeiy builders ; and as this is a brick fort, and not an earthwork, it is more likely to belong to such people than to the barbaric Hyksos. 39. T h e town ruins and ashes accumulated to a depth of as much as about fifteen feet b y the time of the X V I I I t h d y n a s t y . O f that a g e must be a large house which we entirely cleared out on the highest point of the mound, i t contained scarabs of the X V I I I t h d y n a s t y (see PI. X X X I I I , no. 11), and

CITY

WALL

29

pottery down to about the X X I Ind d y n a s t y , and the occupation probably lasted from about 1400-800 B.C. T h e plan of this house is given o n PI. X X X V A . T h e entrance was in the middle of the north side ; the passage rose up steps now destroyed, then turned to the west up the broad brick wall, a n d so reached the upper floor of dwelling rooms. T h e lower rooms here remaining had p r o b a b l y been the cellars, to j u d g e by their differences of level. A t the south side is a curved retaining wall which b a n k e d up the earth on which the house was built. T h e v i e w s of this south wall from each end are given o n PI. X X X I I A . T h e most important things found here were the small and large jars containing silver, see PI. X X X V I mid right side, and a jar at base of PI. X X X V C . U n h a p p i l y for us the silver had been entirely smelted, a n d not a single fragment had a n y w o r k upon i t ; so n o one was the better e x c e p t the w o r k m a n , who received the metal value. T h e silver had been in two cloth parcels sealed with the seals shown in PI. X X X I I I , 9, 10. T h e various small objects from here are marked io in the plates, a n d one g r o u p found together is marked 23. 40. T h e n e x t period is that of the building of the temple b y Ramessu II. F r o m the b e g i n n i n g of our work we endeavoured to find the t e m p l e site ; and as it was to be presumed that R a m e s s u had built on an older sacred site, I naturally b e g a n on the lowest ground, along the east end, as temple sites are generally lower than town ruins. E x t e n s i v e clearances here led to no temenos ; b u t we were rewarded b y finding half of the front of the temple, w h i c h had been d r a g g e d a w a y to use for building-stone, but never broken up. T h i s is shown in Pis. X X I X , X X X , representing Ramessu ; 'II smiting a S y r i a n before the g o d A t m u . W e also found m a n y blocks w h i c h had formed the whole top course of the front, and from these we can see that the opposite side had a similar scene with the g o d S e t instead of A t m u , see t o p qf PI. X X X I . S o m e other blocks were also found in the stone lining of a later well a little north of this. A l l of these sculptures are described in detail in Section 43. A f t e r abandoning this end of the place I worked more at the north-west region, where the natives repeatedly said that there were large stones. We tried for w e e k s in every place that was pointed out to us, and I offered ten shillings for every block of granite that a native could show us, but in vain. I was much attracted b y a massive brick wall with a great g a t e w a y io it, a n d a large j a m b of brick down

3°

TELL ER RETABEH (RAAMSES)

the north side of the entrance. O n trying to trace a continuous temenos wall from this, we were disappointed to find that whenever a wall w a s tracked downwards it c a m e t o an end very soon ; no walls here would g o down to bottom levels. A t last the finding of g r a n i t e blocks near the surface proved that R a m e s s u had built his t e m p l e on fifteen feet of town rubbish, and s o no temple need be e x p e c t e d lower. T h e nature of the site could then be g r a s p e d and understood. T h e front wall north of the entrance is in fine condition. It is 4 0 ft. 7 in. Ion:* to the inner c o r n e r ; on the outer side it has been anciently b r o k e n . T h e counter wall south of the entrance is 6 2 ft. 9 in. a l o n g the inside ; it has no j a m b at the entrance, and is built of black bricks, all in one piece with the side wall to the south, and with the wall parallel behind the front. B o t h sides of the front h a v e a parallel wall 14 ft. 2 in. behind them. Inside this wall on the northern side is a large building, filling that side of the temenos. F u r t h e r in the temenos lay f r a g m e n t s of a limestone doorway, and b e y o n d these the lower part of a great stele of red granite, see Pis. X X V I I I , X X X I I ; and p a r t s o f a red granite d y a d of R a m e s s u 11 a n d A t m u standing, the upper half roughened, see PL X X X I I , the lower p a r t almost destroyed. T h i s g r o u p is apparently that seen b y the pilgrim in 380 A.D., which was o f stone like the T h e b a n statues ; she was told that it represented Moses a n d Aaron. T w o other defaced blocks o f red granite lay to the south of these nearer to the wall. T h e b a s e of a limestone column found a t the well was 30 across on the top, 34 below. W e shall refer a g a i n to the details when noticing the plates. Behind the granite m o n u m e n t s is a wall of yellow brick, like that along most of the south side of this temenos, a n d this a p p e a r s to h a v e been the b a c k of the temenos, which was thus ;.bout 100 feet l o n g and 115 feet wide inside. It will be seen that it s t o o d almost a x i a l l y on the line from the town g a t e of the first wall. A later wall has been built straight through the g a t e w a y of the temenos. 41. T h e n e x t s t e p in the history is the outer fortification built b y R a m e s s u I I I . It m a y seem s t r a n g e that this w a s not built b y his greater predecessor. B u t p r o b a b l y E g y p t was safe from the risk of invasion then ; while later the S y r i a n league a g a i n s t E g y p t , rendered it prudent to fortify the frontier towns. T h i s second wall ran far outside of the first wail a t the s o u t h - e a s t ; it j u s t touched the outside o f the first wall a t the south, and then ran further out a t the south-west, and turned u p to a

g a t e w a y between m a s s i v e brick b a s t i o n s Probably the north wall is also p a r t of this fortifying. U n d e r the south-east corner lay the foundation deposit, in a g r o u p about 14 inches a c r o s s ; the centre of it was 28 inches to the east outside, a n d 4 2 inches to the south. T h e p a n s a n d c u p s were irregularly laid in the s a n d (PI. X X X V C), b o n e s of a sacrifice lay between them, and the g l a z e d offerings of o x e n , heads and haunches, ducks, cartouche plaques, scarabs, a n d beads, had been roughly cast in over all. F o r these s e e Pis. X X X I I A , X X X I V . T h e last s t a g e that we can trace is that this wall of the X X t h d y n a s t y w a s g r e a t l y denuded, down t o within a few feet of its base, and the west g a t e h a d a l m o s t vanished, when a third wall w a s built nearly on the same lines ; this w a s slightly inside the older wall a t the south, upon the line a n d the g a t e w a y at the west, a n d there o v e r l a p p e d the old first wall. T h e g a t e w a y a x i s w a s blocked across, and it led only to a narrow p a s s a g e a l o n g the face of the first wall. T h i s p a s s a g e w a s 50 inches wide, and then w a s narrowed b y a block to 22 inches wide. T h u s there w a s a narrow e n t r a n c e for persons in single file. B u t on the south side a stone g a t e w a y had been built, o f which the foundation hollows a r e visible a s here m a r k e d , and the chips lie thickly a r o u n d the place. 42. T h e thicknesses preserved, a r e : 1st wall 2nd wall 3rd wall

of

the

walls, where

best

123, 124 inches. 374 inches. 347, 351» 352 inches.

T h e third wall is rather o p e n in the building, with s p a c e s between the bricks in s o m e parts ; but they a r e regular and even, not tilted a s h a s been represented. T h e sizes of the bricks a v e r a g e : 1st wall X V I I I t h dynasty house 2nd wall L o w in W . g a t e . J a m b , wall of temenos 3rd wall H i g h in W . g a t e S . W . wall, temenos

14 8 x 7 2 x 3-3. 15 4 x 7 - 5 x 3 - 4 . 18-4 x 8'1 X 4 0. 181 X 8 7 . 17-4x8-1 x 3 7 . 171x8-5x5-3. 17-1 X 8 - 3 X 5 " 5 . 14-0x6-5.

43. PL. X X V I I I . H a v i n g now described the site in historical order, the plates will here be followed in noticing the objects, so a s t o be m o r e convenient for reference. A t the t o p is the inscription from a g r a n i t e column b a s e of the portico of R a m e s s u I I I a t Tell el Yehudiyeh.

THE TEMPLE B e l o w is t h e ' l o w e r e n d o f a l a r g e g r a n i t e stele, w h i c h w i l l b e d e s c r i b e d u n d e r Pl. X X X I I . PLS. X X I X , X X X . T h e l a r g e s c e n e is o f R a m e s s u 11 s m i t i n g a S y r i a n b e f o r e A t m u , t h e g o d o f this e a s t e r n side o f t h e D e l t a . T h e god h o l d s a falchion, w h i c h he is p r e s e n t i n g t o t h e king. T h i s s c e n e w a s on t h e s p e c t a t o r ' s left h a n d o f t h e d o o r w a y o f t h e t e m p l e ; a n d on t h e r i g h t h a n d w a s a similar s c e n e o f t h e k i n g , b e f o r e t h e g o d S e t , o f w h i c h some of the top row of blocks were also found, shown at t h e t o p of P l . X X X I. A l o n g w i t h t h e s e a r e c a r v e d the upper parts of t w o pairs of large feathers. These feathers certainly surmounted cartouches, and these were over the doorway. F r o m these remains we can t o l e r a b l y restore t h e f r o n t o f t h e t e m p l e . It w a s n o t f r e e - s t a n d i n g , for t h e b r i c k wall o f t h e fore-court j o i n e d t h e e n d s o f t h e front. B e t w e e n t h e s e f o r e - w a l l s the f r o n t m e a s u r e d 1 6 6 i n c h e s ( n e a r l y 14 feet), a n d stood a b o u t 1 1 2 i n c h e s h i g h t o t h e f o o t o f t h e cornice, or p r o b a b l y a b o u t 12 feet o v e r all. T h e scenes a t t h e side h a d a plain w a l l d a d o a b o u t 56 i n c h e s h i g h b e l o w t h e m , as is u s u a l l y t h e c a s e o n t e m p l e fronts. T h e d o o r w a y w a s o n l y 22 i n c h e s w i d e , or p o s s i b l y a little less. T h i s f a ç a d e o f t h e t e m p l e w a s b r i l l i a n t l y p a i n t e d in red, blue, y e l l o w , a n d p e r h a p s o t h e r c o l o u r s ; m u c h o f this c o l o u r i n g is still w e l l p r e s e r v e d in parts. Atmu w a s in a b l u e dress, a n d b l u e kilt w i t h y e l l o w border, a n d y e l l o w s h o u l d e r - s t r a p s a n d b e l t . H i s a r m l e t and tail w e r e also y e l l o w , his c o l l a r w h i t e a n d y e l l o w , a n d the ankh w a s blue. T h e k i n g ' s d r e s s w a s less d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e , b u t his c o l l a r a n d b e a r d w e r e of yellow. T h e c a p t i v e w o r e a striped t u n i c o f red a n d blue, w i t h red b e l t a n d ends, a n d a b l u e kilt. A l l the b o d i e s w e r e paxnted in red a s u s u a l ; m a n y o f t h e hierog l y p h i c s were in red also, t h e Maat figures a n d s q u a r e T h e ground of the of t h r o n e , t h e mer, du, a n d nekhl. s c e n e w a s in y e l l o w . O n the scene w e read " L o r d of both banks, U s e r m a a t r a , a p p r o v e d o f R a , t h e s t r o n g bull loved b y M a a t , all p r o t e c t i o n a n d life b e h i n d h i m , " and " A t m u lord o f S u c c o t h g i v e s h i m all v a l o u r and all s t r e n g t h . " T h e w o r k is b e t t e r than o n m o s t o f t h e s c u l p t u r e s o f this k i n g , a n d is e q u a l t o t h e usual s t y l e o f his f a t h e r S e t y . PI. X X X f . T h e t o p of this is from t h e t e m p l e f r o n t a l r e a d y d e s c r i b e d . B e l o w this is a fine h e a d o f R a m e s s u I I I , s h o w i n g t h a t he also w r o u g h t s c u l p t u r e s h e r e as well a s b u i l d i n g t h e c i t y wall. T o t h e left are t w o pieces, w h i c h m u s t be from t h e p y l o n g a t e w a y , b e i n g o n so m u c h l a r g e r a scale t h a n t h e t e m p l e front.

31

T h e y b e a r part of t h e titles of A t m u " lord o f S u c c o t h " a n d o f the k i n g " R a m e s s u , l i v i n g e t e r n a l l y . " N e x t is a c o l u m n o f inscription, " A d o r a t i o n s t o t h y ka t h e . . T h e n comes a piece of a d o o r j a m b f r o m a t o m b , w h i c h w a s r e - u s e d for s t o n e in t h e t o w n . I t reads, " C h i e f archer, k e e p e r o f the g r a n a r i e s , k e e p e r of the palace, U s e r m a a t - r a n e k h t u - n e ' T H U K U ; Chief archer, keeper of the granaries of T a ' n u t e r , USER'MAAT'RA'NEKHTU'NE'THUKU." Ta-nuter here p r o b a b l y r e f e r s t o S y r i a , a s in s o m e o t h e r cases, a n d n o t t o its p r i n c i p a l m e a n i n g o f A r a b i a . That t h e r e w e r e g r a n a r i e s h e r e for s t o r i n g t h e S y r i a n p r o duce, is i m p o r t a n t , a s s h o w i n g t h a t t h i s w a s a storec i t y o f R a m e s s u I I . T h e n a m e o f t h e o f f i c i a l is in h o n o u r o f the k i n g " m i g h t y in S u c c o t h . " T h e S e m i t i c w o r d succoth, b o o t h s , w a s r e n d e r e d b y t h e E g y p t i a n s a s thuku ; a n d a s it w a s n o t a n a t i v e w o r d , it w a s b l u n d e r e d a s thu on t h e s c e n e , PI. X X I X , and h e r e a s tkk. L a s t l y , on t h e r i g h t is t h e ka n a m e f r o m t h e t e m p l e f r o n t , as on PI. X X I X . Plate X X X I I . T h e d y a d o f red g r a n i t e c e r t a i n l y r e p r e s e n t s R a m e s s u II a n d A t m u , t o b e w o r s h i p p e d a s the joint gods of the city Raamses. B e l o w it is t h e red g r a n i t e stele, on w h i c h w e r e a d , . . . ur shejitu, baty aa nerau, em tau . . . her kheset uayu suten Usermaatra'sotep'ne'ra Si Ra MeryAmen'Ramessu du ankh kheryt aat em ta ne Shasu, hag f nay sen thesut, sma her sen, qed em demau her ran f er zet ta— " m i g h t y in p o w e r s , g r e a t in terrors in l a n d s . . . o n d i s t a n t deserts, the k i n g U s e r m a a f R a , a p p r o v e d o f R a , s o n o f R a , loved b y A m e n , R a m e s s u , g i v i n g life ; (of t h e ) g r e a t e n e m i e s in the l a n d o f t h e B e d a w y n h e p l u n d e r e d their hill fortresses, s l a u g h t e r i n g their faces, a n d b u i l d i n g in cities upon w h i c h his n a m e is t o etern i t y . " T h i s a l l u s i o n t o b u i l d i n g in t h e v a r i o u s cities called a f t e r R a m e s s u s u g g e s t s t h a t this c i t y w a s o n e o f s u c h — t h a t is, R a a m s e s . 44. A t t h e r i g h t a r e s e l e c t e d a m u l e t s f r o m v a r i o u s tombs, the drawings of the s a m e objects being given in their g r o u p s in t h e f o l l o w i n g plates. T h e P t a h s o k a r w i t h feathers on t h e h e a d is u n u s u a l in a m u l e t s (20 in X X X I V A ) ; B a s t w i t h f e a t h e r s is also r a r e ( 1 8 in X X X I V A ) . T h e e a r r i n g s a r e o f silver, a s also is t h e aegis in t h e centre. T h e f o u r s c a r a b s a n d t w o r i n g s are from o n e t o m b , t h e w h o l e g r o u p o f w h i c h is on PI. X X X I I I , 22. B e l o w is a g o o d s e t o f later a m u l e t s , g r a v e 3 1 8 ; a n d a n e c k l a c e of uza e y e s , g r a v e 1 1 7 . A t the base is an u n i q u e blue g l a z e d b o w l , also s h o w n in d r a w ings, PI. X X X I V B . R o u n d the brim are nineteen f r o g s , o t h e r s a r e j u m p i n g u p t h e sides, a n d a c r o w d

TELL ER RETABEH (RAAMSES)

32

g o i n g t o w a r d t h e m o u t h , w h i l e a l a r g e f r o g sits on a p e d e s t a l in t h e m i d d l e . T h e s p o u t is in the f o r m o f a lion's h e a d , a n d a p a s s a g e leads f r o m the b o t t o m o f t h e b o w l t h r o u g h t h e t h i c k n e s s o f it. T h e f r o g is t h e sign for m u l t i t u d e s , it is s a i d b y H o r a p o l l o t o b e t h e e m b l e m o f t h e h u m a n e m b r y o , and it is t h e a n i m a l of t h e g o d d e s s H e q t w h o g i v e s life t o t h e infant {Deir el Bahri, ii, X L V 1 I I ) ; h e n c e this b o w l m a y well h a v e been f o r g i v i n g m a g i c d r i n k t o e n s u r e fertility. T h e p l a n of t h e t o m b w h e r e it w a s f o u n d is on PI. X X X V A . PL. X X X I I A . T h i s shows objects described e l s e w h e r e , the w e i g h t of K h e t y in n o t i c i n g PI. X X X I I I and t h e f o u n d a t i o n d e p o s i t in PI. X X X I V , a n d t h e l a r g e house in S e c t i o n 39. PL. X X X I I I . T h e g r e a t e r p a r t of t h e s c a r a b s w e r e f o u n d l o o s e in t h e t o w n rubbish, t h e r e b e i n g b u t f e w in t h e l a t e c e m e t e r y w h i c h we e x c a v a t e d . I is p r o b a b l y o f M e n t u h o t e p I I . 2 is of A m e n e m h a t I, a n d is a n o t h e r e x a m p l e of t h e w r i t i n g of t h e n a m e in its t r u e order, S e h o t e p a b r a , as is k n o w n on t w o o t h e r s c a r a b s o f t h i s age. 2 A is a r a r e i n s t a n c e o f t w o circuits o f scroll p a t t e r n ; t h e c e n t r a l sign is not k n o w n as a h i e r o g l y p h . 3 reads PtaJvuas-neferankkdu—" M a y Ptah give strength and g o o d life." 3. 5, 5 A a r e all o f t h e H y k s o s age. 4 is t h e splendid w e i g h t of K i n g K h e t y of the I X t h dynasty, m a d e o f p o l i s h e d red j a s p e r : it g i v e s t h e n a m e a s Khetyneb'kau. T h e w e i g h t h a s p r o b a b l y lost a b o u t a t w e n t i e t h b y c h i p p i n g ; a l l o w i n g for this it w a s a b o u t 1850 g r a i n s , a n d d i v i d i n g b y t h e n u m e r a l 9 on t h e e n d , t h e unit w a s 205 grains, the w e l l - k n o w n g o l d s t a n d a r d usual in these e a r l y s q u a r e w e i g h t s . 6, 7, 8 are p r o b a b l y c o n t e m p o r a r y w i t h T a h u t mes III. 9, IO are c l a y seals, f r o m t h e p a r c e l s o f m e l t e d silver f o u n d in t h e g r e a t h o u s e ( S e c t i o n 39). I I is o f A m e n h o t e p I I I . 12 w i t h A n h u r , 13 w i t h R a , 14 w i t h t h e s p h i n x , 15 w i t h t h e c r i o - s p h i n x , 1 6 w i t h S e t , a n d 17 w i t h M e n t u , are p r o b a b l y all of R a m e s s u II. O f the others w e m a y note the d e g r a d a t i o n o f t h e l o t u s - f l o w e r in 26, 27, c o p i e d from 25. 28 to 37 a r e all o f t h e X X t h t o t h e X X I I I r d dynasties. The

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are s c a r a b s b o u g h t a t Z a g a z i g ; 66 is a diorite p l a q u e of R a m e s s u V I .

PL. X X X I V . T h e g r o u p s o f a m u l e t s f o u n d in t h e t o m b s a r e p l a c e d h e r e in a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e i r h i s t o r i c a l order. A l l o f the t o m b s in t h e c e m e t e r y , a q u a r t e r o f a m i l e n o r t h o f the t o w n , h a d b e e n plundered anciently, and the remaining objects were found scattered. T h e t o m b s w e r e in g r o u p s o f b r i c k c h a m b e r s , m u c h l i k e t h o s e a t N e b e s h e h ( T a n i s , ii, X V I ) ; t h e m o r e c o m p l e t e a n d i n t e r e s t i n g of t h e s e a r e g i v e n on PI. X X X V A . In t h e m o r e p e r f e c t p a r t o f t h e c e m c t e r y t h e w a l l s are still three t o f o u r f e e t high, f u r t h e r w e s t there is b u t a foot o r a f e w i n c h e s d e p t h left, a n d w e s t o f t h e s e t h e r e is o n l y b a r e m a r l earth, a n d p r o b a b l y t h e t o m b s in it h a d been entirely denuded a w a y . W e worked so far as t h e sand drift a l l o w e d , b u t t h e r e a r e d o u b t l e s s o t h e r b u r i a l s now c o v e r e d b y t h e s a n d h e a p s . T h e tombs 19 and 8 m a y probably be of the X l X t h o r X X t h d y n a s t y , see t h e p o t t e r y o n PI. X X X V C ; in 1 9 t h e b e a d s are o f g a r n e t a n d c a r n e l i a n , in 8 t h e y a r e o f g r e e n g l a z e a n d c a r n e l i a n ; b u t t h e iron b r a c e l e t is r e m a r k a b l e a t s o e a r l y a d a t e . T h e f o u n d a t i o n d e p o s i t of R a m e s s u I I I w a s f o u n d b e n e a t h t h e c o r n e r o f his w a l l , as d e s c r i b e d in S e c t i o n 4 1 . T h e g r o u p o f t o m b 5 h a s a s c a r a b o f t h e late R a m e s s i d e t y p e , b u t t o u c h e s t h e X X I I n d d y n a s t y b y t h e pteique o f B a s t . T h e b e a d s of alab a s t e r a n d n o t c h e d g l a z e in t o m b 1 a r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the X X I I n d and X X I I I r d dynasties. P l . X X X I V A. T o m b 20 c o n t a i n e d s o m e o f t h e b e s t o b j e c t s , t h e figures o f P t a h - s o k a r a n d B a s t , t h e s i l v e r a e g i s a n d e a r r i n g s , a n d t h e g l a s s spot b e a d s . T o m b 14 h a d a s e r p e n t i n e p a l e t t e , p r o b a b l y t a k e n from a X l l t h d y n a s t y t o m b ; the double-cone beads o f g l a s s b e l o n g t o t h e X X I I n d dynasty., a s seen in t o m b 22, PI. X X X I I I . In t o m b 27 the silver e a r r i n g a n d uza e y e are o f this a g e . I n t o m b 2 4 is a p i e c e o f b r o n z e rasp, a n d a p e c u l i a r red p o t (last) ; t h e g l o b u l a r b o t t l e is o f t h e s a m e C y p r i o t e c l a s s a s t h e p i l g r i m bottles. T h e little p l a q u e s o f t h e uza e y e in t o m b 18, w i t h t h e n a m e s o f T a h u t i , N e b h a t ? , a n d U a z e t , are l i k e t h o s e f r o m Z u w e l e y n near T a n i s (Tanis, i, X I I , 18-22). T h e o p e n - w o r k b a s k e t , t o m b 15, w a s a s p e c i a l a t t r i b u t e of B a s t . S h e carries it o n her a r m , a n d t h e r e is s o m e t i m e s a figure of a c a t in it. T h i s m a y b e .the f o r m of b a s k e t in w h i c h t h e s a c r e d cats w e r e c a r r i e d a b o u t in t h e t e m p l e of Bubastis. In t h e last g r o u p , B , it is c u r i o u s t o find t h e n a m e H o t e p h e r s on a scarab, a s it is n o t o t h e r w i s e k n o w n b e y o n d the I V t h and V t h d y n a s t i e s . P L . X X X I V B . W e h e r e reach t h e a g e o f t h e q u a d r u p l e eyes, a s o n P i s . X F X B , C , of Y e h u d i y e h .

T H E AMULETS A m o n g the separate objects at the lower part, there is t h e i n s c r i p t i o n o f a n u s h a b t i w i t h a n u n u s u a l f o r m u l a , " S a y s the O s i r i a n t h e t h i r d p r o p h e t o f B a s t , k e e p e r o f t h e estates o f S e k h e t , H o r , maa klteru." T h i s w a s t h e o n l y u s h a b t i f o u n d a t R e t a b e h , a n d it w a s in t h e g r e a t house, a n d n o t in t h e c e m e t e r y . It is r e m a r k a b l e t h a t n o u s h a b t i s w e r e f o u n d in t h e c e m e t e r i e s o f Y e h u d i y e h or R e t a b e h , n o r in e v e n o n e in a h u n d r e d of t h e S a f t g r a v e s . T h e frog bowl h a s been d e s c r i b e d u n d e r PI. X X X I I , S e c t i o n 44. PL. X X X I V C. T h e figures of g o d s a n d a m u l e t s t h a t w e r e f o u n d s e p a r a t e l y are d r a w n h e r e ; m o s t o f t h e s e are f r o m the town. A t t h e right o f t h e t o p are t w o g r o u p s o f S h u a n d T e f n u t , w i t h " g o o d life " on t h e b a c k . In t h e s e c o n d line is a figure o f t h e g o d d e s s H a t m e h y t o f M e n d e s , w i t h t h e fish on h e r head. T h e large piece in t h e m i d d l e is a figure o f B e s , s h o w i n g t h e Hon's-skin w r a p p e d r o u n d him. PLS. X X X V , X X X V A w i t h in S e c t i o n s 36 t o 4 1 .

h a v e a l r e a d y been d e a l t

45. PL. X X X V B . T h e b r o n z e h e r e is o f v a r i o u s ages. T h e k n i v e s a r e p r o b a b l y of t h e X V I I I t h d y n a s t y ; t h e rasps are p r o b a b l y a b o u t t h e X X I I n d d y n a s t y ; and t h e b r a c e l e t s a t t h e b o t t o m are later. T h e g l a s s spot b e a d s are a b o u t t h e X X I I I r d d y n a s t y . T h e i v o r y pin m a y b e later ; it is not a hair-pin ( s u c h as is c o m m o n in R o m a n times), b u t w a s used for s o m e t e x t i l e w o r k , in w h i c h it b e c a m e d e e p l y c u t d i a g o n a l l y b y the t h r e a d . T h e b e n t pieces o f lead are net-sinkers. PL. X X X V C. T h i s pottery was found with groups in t o m b s , a n d is t h e r e f o r e a p p r o x i m a t e l y d a t e d . T o m b 6 c o n t a i n e d t h e s c a r a b 25 (PI. X X X I I I ) . T h e f o r m s in t o m b 8 s h o w t h a t t h e t y p e s o f t h e X V 1 1 1 t h d y n a s t y still s u r v i v e d , a l o n g w i t h an iron b r a c e l e t , PI. X X X I V . T o m b 13 is o f the same age. T h e foundation deposits of R a m e s s u I I I w e r e f o u n d w i t h t h e g l a z e d figures on PI. X X X I V , see Section 41 T h e pan in t o m b 4 w a s w i t h t h e g r o u p in PI. X X X I V a n d t h e f o r e i g n flask X X X V I , 17. T h e g r o u p of t o m b 1 included the beads, and scarabs on PI. X X X I V . A t t h e b a s e is t h e p o t t e r y o f t h e X V I I I t h d y n a s t y o n w a r d , f o u n d in t h e g r e a t house, 10. T h e last flask is o f C y p r i o t e f o r m . PL. X X X V I . M a n y e x a m p l e s of foreign pottery w e r e f o u n d at R e t a b e h , m o s t l y in t h e t o w n . 1 is t h e lower part of a leather-bottle form of black ware with w h i t e lines, o f t h e e a r l y X V I I I t h d y n a s t y . 2 is p a r t o f t h e e d g e o f a dish o f l i g h t red w i t h d a r k red pattern, recalling the style of the X V I I I t h dynasty cist a t Y e h u d i y e h , PJs. X I V A , X V . 3 is a t r i p l e

33

bottle with t w o necks, with the same decoration ; the f r a g m e n t s w e r e f o u n d in a t o m b . T h e p i e c e o f b u f f C y p r i o t e b o w l , 6, w a s f o u n d in t h e N . N . E . o f t h e town on the washed-down earth of the walls, before the t o w n r u b b i s h h a d a c c u m u l a t e d . This shows that b e f o r e this p o t t e r y c a m e in t h e r e w a s a l o n g period o f desertion o f t h e site ; this w a s p r o b a b l y d u r i n g t h e H y k s o s a g e , w h e n n o frontier w a s n e e d e d . The t r i p l e h a n d l e in 7 b e l o n g s t o t h e X l X t h d y n a s t y a g e , see lUahun, X V I I I , 5 1 ; X I X , 11. T h e globular p i l g r i m - b o t t l e s , a s 4, 12, 13, 1 5 , a r e a l a t e r t y p e , probably of the X X I I n d d y n a s t y , the beginnings of w h i c h m a y b e seen in t h e X X t h d y n a s t y ( M o u n d of the Jew, X I I I , 3 ; X V , 13). T h e thick l u m p y p o t t e r y flasks, a s 16, 17, a r e a k i n to t h e last on t h e p r e v i o u s p l a t e , w h i c h t y p e is f o u n d a t S h a r a n b a a n d in C y p r u s . It is there a t t r i b u t e d t o as l a t e a d a t e a s a b o u t 550 B.C. (Jour. Hellen. S. X V I I , l$9 I 2 > fig> * ) ; t h e r e is n o p o s i t i v e e v i d e n c e a g a i n s t this, b u t s u c h f o r m s w e r e n o t f o u n d w i t h t h e C y p r i o t e p o t t e r y o f 6 0 0 - 5 0 0 B.C. a t N e b e s h e h (Tanis, ii, Nebesheh, PI. I l l ) , a n d f r o m a g e n e r a l i m p r e s s i o n I s h o u l d h a v e p u t t h e s e o n e or t w o c e n t u r i e s earlier. T h e p i e c e o f b o w l , 18, is c e r t a i n l y V l l t h century Greek. A t the b o t t o m . a r e some rude figures of pottery, of probably foreign m a k e about 1000-800 B.C. PL. X X X V I A . T h i s l a r g e p o t t e r y is of v a r i o u s ages. P r o b a b l y w e m a y a s s i g n it t o t h e f o l l o w i n g d a t e s : X l X t h d y n a s t y , 4, 5, 6 ; X X I I n d d y n a s t y , 7, 8, 1 3 , 1 4 , 15, 1 6 ; X X V I t h d y n a s t y , 2, 3 ; P t o l e m a i c , 1, 9, 10, 1 1 , 1 7 ; A r a b (?), 12. I t w a s all f o u n d in t h e town. T h e small j a r 13 w a s p l a c e d inside t h e l a r g e j a r 14, a n d so is c o n t e m p o r a r y . PL. X X X V I B . T h i s smaller pottery was likew i s e all f o u n d in t h e town. A s t h e r e is n o e v i d e n c e a b o u t t h e a g e s it is h e r e c l a s s e d a c c o r d i n g t o form. T h e stands, 53-6, are p r o b a b l y fire pots, f o r c a r r y i n g l i g h t e d c h a r c o a l f r o m h o u s e t o house. S o m e of t h e s e f o r m s , a s 54, 55, will s t a n d i n d e p e n d e n t l y , a n d m a y h a v e b e e n used also t o s u p p o r t c o o k i n g p o t s o v e r t h e fire ; b u t others, 53, 56, will n o t s t a n d , a n d having a handle they seem intended to carry embers. 46. P L . X X X V I C . T h e stone vases here show t h e e a r l y o c c u p a t i o n ; t h e c y l i n d e r , I, o f w h i t e a n d g r e y g r a n i t e , is p r o b a b l y of t h e O l d K i n g d o m ; t h e a l a b a s t e r , 2, is o f t h e V l t h o r V l l t h d y n a s t y (Uiospolis Parva, X X V I I I ) ; t h e diorite k o h l pot, 3, is p r o b a b l y o f t h e s a m e a g e ; t h e alabasters, 5, 7, a r e o f t h e X l l t h — 4 is later, p e r h a p s of t h e X V I I I t h d y n a s t y (Dios. X X X ) . 9 is p e r h a p s o f the X l l t h d y n a s t y ; 5

TELL ER R E T A B E H (RAAMSES)

34

8 is o f t h e X X V I t h . 1 2 is a m o d e l c a p i t a l o f limestone. 13 is p a r t o f a c u r i o u s l i m e s t o n e b o x on f o u r l e g s , w i t h p a t t e r n s w h i c h are m o r e S y r i a n t h a n Egyptian. T h e a l a b a s t e r toilet dishes, 14, 15, are o f the X V I I I t h dynasty. T h e w e i g h t s , 1 6 - 2 2 , are of interest, as this is t h e only place w o r k e d during this year, where such were found. T h e materials, w e i g h t s , a n d units a r e a s follows: Units 669-- 3 = 2 2 3 1134 5 227

Grain:

16, g r e y l i m e s t o n e , a l m o n d 18, w h i t e „ cone conoid

91 j

4

228

21, basalt square 22, w h i t e l i m e s t o n e , c o n o i d 23, s e r p e n t i n e

20,

„

„

1387 134^ 688

6 6 3

231 225 229

T h e s e y i e l d a unit a v e r a g i n g 227, t h e r e g u l a r s h e k e l k n o w n a s t h e P h o e n i c i a n s t a n d a r d ; a n d the v a r i e t i e s fall on t h e m o s t usual r a n g e of t h i s stani lard ( T a n i s ) ii, Defenneh, XLVIII). 19, w h i t e l i m e s t o n e , s q u a r e K h e t y , j a s p e r , in X X X I I I , 4,

2 4 1 4 - - 12 = 201 1850 f?) 9 205

T h e s e b e l o n g t o the g o l d s t a n d a r d ; b u t t h e K h e t y w e i g h t is o f t h e u n u s u a l m u l t i p l e 9, as m a r k e d u p o n t h e end o f it. T h i s s u g g e s t s t h a t it w.is p r o b a b l y of another standard originally, and was subsequently m a r k e d for t h e g o l d s t a n d a r d . It m a y b e t h a t it w a s 8 o f t h e s t a n d a r d o f 231 grains, the old S y r i a n s t a n d a r d w h i c h w a s later a d o p t e d for the P h o e n i c i a n coinage. M u l t i p l e s of this b y 8 w e i e f o u n d a t Naukratis. P o s s i b l y of this s a m e s t a n d a r d is a c a s t b r o n z e p l a q u e w i t h a, w a l k i n g lion upon it, w h i c h I b o u g h t a t Z a g a z i g ; it w e i g h s 8 7 0 grains, or 4 x 217-5. One example from Saft.

of

the A s s y r i a n

standard

S a n d s t o n e , square, 1 5 6 9 -f 1 2 =

occurs,

130 7.

B u t a m o n g all t h e s e ten w e i g h t s there is not a s i n g l e o n e of t h e official E g y p t i a n s t a n d a r d , t h e deb en a n d qedet. T h i s s h o w s h o w much t h e e a s t e r n r o a d w a s u n d e r S y r i a n influence, a n d t h a t t h e t r a d e r s a n d m e r c h a n t s were S y r i a n s r a t h e r than Egyptians. The s p i n d l e whorls, 23-32, drill c a p s 33, 34, p o u n d i n g s t o n e s 3 5 - 4 1 , a n d l o o m w e i g h t s 42-8, d o n o t n e e d description. 47. T h e s k u l l s w e r e collected, w h e n e v e r their c o n d i t i o n p e r m i t t e d , at T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h ; b u t t h e

d a m p g r o u n d h a d left f e w in m o v a b l e s t a t e , a n d none of the H y k s o s period were found unbroken. T h e measured e x a m p l e s date from the X V I I Ith d y n a s t y to P t o l e m a i c t i m e s , a n d t h e r e a r e n o t e n o u g h to distinguish changes, so that w e c a n o n l y regard them as an a v e r a g e of this locality. A t S a f t Mr. D u n c a n c o l l e c t e d m a n y skulls, b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y all the numbers were weathered off before I arrived to I could only roughly divide them measure them. i n t o e a r l y a n d late, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e g r o u p i n g a s t h e y w e r e d i s c o v e r e d ; t h e earlier e x c a v a t i o n s b e i n g generally of the X V I I Ith d y n a s t y , a n d the later excavations being mostly Roman. The number f r o m Y e h u d i y e h is 7 m a l e a n d 8 f e m a l e ; f r o m S a f t t h e earlier are 7 m a l e a n d 22 f e m a l e , t h e l a t e r a r e 1 4 m a l e a n d 16 female. T h e division o f s e x I e s t i m a t e d o n each s k u l l , a s w e l l as I c o u l d , w h e n m e a s u r i n g . T h e s e n u m b e r s of e x a m p l e s a r e so s m a l l t h a t t h e distribution of varieties cannot b e e x a m i n e d , and I here o n l y publish the median of each group.

Yehud Length, Broca „

.

„ ,,

1S5 182

Flower

Breadth, maximum

.

biauricular . b ¡zygomatic

136 120 —

MALES. Saft early. 176

Saft late. 17S

FEMALES. Saft Saft Yehud. late. 178

173

I70

176

176

180

173

I70

137

•33 116

135

132 114

" 5 126

139

H3 122

132

124

127

95

95

91 66

87 62 49 22

Height, bregma

133

136

Basi-nasal.

103

IOI

131 102

97

96

94

99 92

71

70

67

62

Basi-alveolar Nasi-alveolar

.

133

Il8

i"5 —

Nasal height

53

53

52

47

50

N a s a l width

25

24

24

23

23

T h e l a r g e r size in e v e r y d i m e n s i o n o f t h e Y e h u d i y e h skulls, o v e r those o f S a f t , is v e r y m a r k e d ; y e t t h e p l a c e s a r e o n l y 25 m i l e s a p a r t , a n d a r e u n d e r s i m i l a r conditions. C o m p a r i n g t h e e a r l y a n d late s k u l l s f r o m S a f t t h e m o s t d i s t i n c t d i f f e r e n c e is t h a t the f a c e b e c o m e s w i d e r a t t h e c h e e k - b o n e s , and t h e w h o l e f a c i a l b o n e s d i m i n i s h in t h e h e i g h t a n d p r o j e c t i o n o f t h e j a w . T h i s is p r o b a b l y d u e t o a b e t t e r p r e p a r a t i o n o f f o o d d i m i n i s h i n g t h e g r i n d i n g required. T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f S a f t as t h e n o m e c a p i t a l o f G o s h e n r e n d e r e d it c e r t a i n t h a t a c e m e t e r y o f s o m e size m u s t be in its n e i g h b o u r h o o d . I therefore visited t h e place, a n d f o u n d t h e s a n d y rise o f t h e cemetery. S o s o o n as M r . D u n c a n a n d M r . G i l b a r t S m i t h were at liberty t h e y a c c o r d i n g l y w e n t there, and the excavations were done b y t h e m as described in t h e f o l l o w i n g p a g e s . I finally v i s i t e d t h e w o r k m y s e l f for t h e d a t i n g of t h e o b j e c t s .

THE

CHAPTER T H E

C E M E T E R Y

OF

B Y J. G A R R O W

DISTRICT

VI

G O S H E N

DUNCAN,

(SAFT)

B.D.

48. T o the east of Z a g a z i g in the Delta, about halfw a y between the small stations of A b u el A k h d a r and A b u Haramdd, and close to the eastern b a n k of the Ismailiyeh Canal, lie the ruins of an ancient city, on whose site now stands the modern town S a f t el Henneh, T w e n t y years ago, Dr. Naville, in his excavations on this site, conclusively proved that this w a s the city whose name in hieroglyphic inscriptions was Pa-Sopt. H e also showed that it was k n o w n about the X X X t h d y n a s t y as K e s , (Greek Pha-cusa), in the Septuagint as K e s e m , and in the O l d T e s t a m e n t as Goshen. T h e town contained a temple built b y R a m e s s u II, and the most important discovery Dr. Naville m a d e was that of the fragments of the beautiful shrine dedicated to the god of the place b y Nectanebo II of the X X X t h d y n a s t y . T h e S a n c t u a r y was k n o w n as " the A b o d e of the S y c o m o r e , t h i s tree being regarded as sacred in the district. T h o u g h in the X V I I I t h and X l X t h dynasties there were probably wide stretches in this region consisting of sand or rough uncultivated and marshy ground, now at the present d a y it is one of the most fertile and beautiful portions of the D e l t a ; in all probability the whole of the sandy rises and ruins will soon be absorbed in the rapidly a d v a n c i n g cultivation, which artificial irrigation has recently done so m u c h to promote. A l r e a d y a considerable portion of the ruins lies under the level of surrounding fields, which when irrigated are partially under water, so that there is not much hope of the possibility of further work being carried out. T h e whole district is scattered over with trees, the most prominent of which are the sycomore, the acacia, and the datepalm. A b o u t three-quarters of a mile to the south of S a f t el Henneh, between it and the village of S u w a , there exists still a considerable stretch of sandy gezireh, the western and eastern sides of which are e m p l o y e d as modern burial-grounds. T h i s gezireh became the scene of our operations from the middle of F e b r u a r y to the first week of A p r i l ; and the results attained showed that it had been used as a cemetery more or less intermittently from the early X V I I I t h d y n a s t y down to the period of the R o m a n occupation of E g y p t . Much

of the oldest

part of the cemetery

has

35

already been laid under cultivation for the g r o w t h of henneh, a considerable produce of these v i l l a g e s ; and in some parts the sand had been so c o m p l e t e l y carried a w a y b y sebakhin that in a large number of the sand-pit t o m b s which we e x a m i n e d , the skeleton, pottery, and other objects were barely covered. In some cases, the tomb-filling had been so denuded that no trace of bones was l e f t ; and the fact that there had been a burial there, was attested simply b y t h e presence of scattered beads or other small objects, found a few inches under the surface ; while in other cases we actually found that t h e bottoms of upturned vases had for some t i m e formed p a r t of the surface of the p a t h w a y , over which the traffic between the surrounding villages passed from d a y to d a y . It would appear therefore, that b y the merest accident, or through the entire lack of enterprise and o b s e r v a t i o n on the part of the natives living around, this gezireh had been left to us to be a source of information and historical data, as well as of m a n y objects of value. 49. O n the 18th of F e b r u a r y we pitched our tents on the top of the broad brick wall on the eastern side of the ancient town of Goshen, intending to spend some time in e x a m i n i n g the ruins of the place; but the tale that the ruins had recently becdme the property of a relative of the omdeh compelled us to leave this part, and we therefore b e g a n operations at once on the gezireh. O n e x a m i n i n g the c e m e t e r y w e adopted the most thorough method of spreading the w o r k m e n over it, allotting to each pair a space of four or six metres wide, and b e g i n n i n g at the e x t r e m e eastern edge. B y frequent measurement and recording of the work of each group throughout the day, the w o r k m e n were enabled to deposit the sand immediately behind them, so that at the close of operations the aspect of the gezireh remained c o m p a r a t i v e l y unaltered, t h o u g h almost every foot of it had been turned over a n d carefully e x a m i n e d . A t a later period we transferred our operations to the western edge, and followed the same method, w o r k i n g towards the centre, until we found burials of so late a date and so uninteresting a character, t h a t we decided to abandon this place for the gezireh of S u w a about a mile distant. In the work during p a r t of the time I had the valuable assistance of Mr. Gilbart-Smith, w h o undertook the measuring and helped m e with the recording; and later of Mr. T . Butler S t o n e y , w h o rendered great service in drawing a portion of the objects found; the greater part were drawn by Mrs. Petrie. W e shall

36

T H E C E M E T E R Y OF GOSHEN

now describe the character of the interments, and then proceed to the details of the more distinctive graves. 50. T H E DISPOSITION OF THE BODY. T h e b o d y was almost invariably placed on its back, with the hands b y the sides, or folded over the breast, as the large quantities of beads and bracelets found above the pelvis show. In a few graves, the body was found on its left or right side, but these were not the rule. In the majority of the graves, the head was to the west or north-west, with the face u p ; though in a few cases, the face was turned to one side or the other. N o trace of mutilation of the corpse was found. F r o m the abundant remains of decayed cloth, we infer that every b o d y was wrapped in cloth before burial, and where w e did find cloth in any state of preservation, it was manifest that the body had not been simply dressed in a single garment, but swathed in m a n y folds of linen. In graves of men, usually nothing but a few pots were found. With the women, on the other hand, there seem to have been buried a selection of domestic utensils and personal ornaments, such as they would have used and worn during their lives. L a r g e quantities of beads, which must have belonged to some sort of beadwork, were often found on the chcst, rings on the fingers, earrings at the ears, valuable stone beads at the neck, hair-pins, and hair-rings under the head. A curious feature, frequently observed, was that the bronze bracelets and anklets, often m i x e d with coins and rings, were placed together on the breast, or b y the ear. Pots, vases, and other things of domestic use, were variously arranged around the corpse, but, as a rule, a space was left for such things at the head of the grave ; and, where the corpse was covered with bricks, before the sand filling, the pottery was usually placed above the bricks, just over the face of the corpse. In the pot-burials of childicn, the pots averaged 3 feet in length. T h e same practice was observed in nearly every case ; the body had been wrapped in cloth, and wore the beads, bracelets, scarabs, and other ornaments which had been worn b y the child in its lifetime. It was usually inserted at the bottom end, head first, and, where the pot was too small, the b o d y was doubled up to fit it; generally the pot was placed so that the child's head was towards the west or north-west. When the neck of the pot was broken off at the shoulder, the b o d y was inserted feet foremost, and the bottom of the pot left intact. In the earlier burials, this held good almost universally; in the later pot-burials of the R o m a n period, the same

attention was not paid to the direction in which the body lay ; and sometimes as m a n y as five pots, each containing the skeleton of a child, were found in one pit, lying in all directions. V e r y few cases of contemporary double burials were found. Occasionally, the bones of an infant were found m i x e d with those of an adult, a mother and child having probably been buried simultaneously ; and in one case (grave 242), four skeletons (two complete and two in part) were found doubled up and placed cross w a y s in an ordinary brick-lined grave. In pot-burials, if other pottery was in the g r a v e it was invariably outside the coffin. 5 1 . [Before referring to the ages of the various graves, it should be stated in what manner the dating was settled. Mr. Duncan had placed the grave number on almost every amulet, group of beads, and pot. I subsequently dated each of these b y what I knew from other sites. Differences in the age attributed to any grave were v e r y f e w ; and after the pottery was classed and arranged on these plates a final complete list was made of all the datings for each grave, and all the graves in which each t y p e occurred. T h e r e were only two cases in which the estimated age of a pot required alteration. A large pan is classed now as an e x t r a size of 110. 225 instead of in the X V I I I t h dynasty ; the base of it should have settled this before. A n d the new form 198 A belongs to the X X V I t h dynasty, instead of the X V I I I t h ; there was no precedent to guide the determination. It is satisfactory to find that out of hundreds of e x a m p l e s of new collocations of forms and objects there is so little remaining to be learned. In only s i x graves did there seem to be a mixture of earlier pottery re-used. B u t it should be noted that in making the broad division between X X V I th d y n a s t y and Ptolemaic pottery, there are instances where a g r a v e m a y have its contents classed differently owing to its belonging to the X X V I I t h — X X X t h dynasties. W e have not yet sufficient accurately dated e x a m p l e s to m a k e a whole class of the Persian period ; hence the pottery of this age appears under either the X X V I t h or Ptolemaic according to its affinities. T h e following graves seem to belong to this age. A t S a f t 5 1 4 ; at S u w a 39, 58, 6 1 , 106, 1 2 1 , 1 3 4 , 1 3 5 , 180, 205, 238, 256, 262, 267, and these are called X X X t h d y n a s t y in the descriptions. T h e selection of the following material has been m a d e from a larger list drawn up b y Mr. Duncan, and revised in accordance with the conclusions from

C L A S S E S OF

a comparison of the final lists, with reference numbers to the plates as I have arranged them.—W. M. F. P.] 52. T Y P E S

OF

GRAVES.

The

graves

of

the

Cemetery of Goshen fall into the following classes : I. The ordinary sand-pit burials. T h e body was laid in the sand, and covered with sand, without any brick building or coffin in any shape or form. II. Side-scoop sand-pits. A hole was excavated in the sand to a certain depth, and a place was scooped out on one side of it, of sufficient size to admit the corpse. T h e entrance to the grave proper was usually built up with bricks after the burial, and the hole then filled. The bottom I I I . Brick-built and covered burials. of the sand-pit was usually lined with single bricks, so as to form a narrow trough, just wide and deep enough for the reception of the body. This was afterwards covered over with bricks and plastered close with mud. Occasionally, a brick bottom' was first laid, and the body placed on it, and in such cases, we found the skeleton firmly sunk into this hard brick mass, owing to the weight of sand above it. Usually, however, the body was laid simply on the sand, without any brick floor. This type of grave is still the usual form of burial in the modern cemetery near by, employed by those who do not possess brick-built mastabas. In these graves, the pottery offerings were all placed above the brick covering of the corpse. I V . Slipper-shaped pottery coffins. These belong to the X V I I I t h and X l X t h dynasties. Most of them bore a modelling of the face and hands of the deceased, and several were well painted. Pottery offerings were placed outside of these, at the head or at the sides. V . Double Ziyeh burials. T w o large pots, each from 3 to feet high, and about 2 feet in diameter at the top, were placed mouth to mouth with the body enclosed within them. V I . Half-pot burials. In three graves, bodies of adults were found buried with the upper portion of the body laid inside a large pot about 3 feet long, 14 inches in diameter at bottom, and 26 inches in diameter at the mouth. T h e rest of the body was unprotected. V I I . Pot burials of children. These formed a very numerous class in this cemetery. In almost every case, a large water or oil jar, or later, a wine jar was employed. T h e bottom was knocked out, the child placed inside, with its head invariably at the mouth end, and both ends were then closed by clay saucers or broken pieces of jars.

37

GRAVES

V I I I . Stone coffins. V e r y few of these were found, and in no case were they inscribed. I X . Clay oblong coffins. In one case, an oblong box of clay, dried in the sun, was employed for the burial of a child. X . Wooden coffins. In several graves, a flooring of wood under the skeleton, and fragments of decayed wood were found, from which it would appear that wooden coffins were also used. W e now proceed to the description of selected graves, taking the classes in the above order, and following the date in each class. For references to the plates, the pottery is all numbered consecutively 1 to 355, referring to Pis. X X X I X B , C, D , E , F, G, H, J and K ; the scarabs are marked S. 1 to 57, referring to PI. X X X V I I ; the amulets are marked A . 1 to 57, referring to PI. X X X V I I I . 53.

I. SAND-PIT

GRAVES

XVIIIth dynasty. Grave 1. An ordinary sand-pit burial, close on the edge of the henneh fields, and with the sand so denuded by sebakhin that the skeleton was only a few inches down. It was that of a woman laid on the back at full length, with the head to the west. A t the head, one roughly decorated pot, and a red baked saucer were found (see 4 1 , 79 in Pis. X X X I X C, D) ; the latter containing the vertebrae of an infant. Under each ear was a large silver-gilt hair-ring (PI. X X X V I I I , and PL X X X V I I A as no. 26). Grave 5 resembled grave 1 closely in every detail. The pottery is of the leather-bottle Cypriote type (PI. X X X I X B, 10). The pans nos. 27, 46, 47 were with it. Grave 6. T h e arrangement of the body was the same. The grave contained one red baked pot, no. 50, a saucer of the same kind with a flat bottom, no. 42, and one porphyry vase. A gold-encased scarab, S. 5, and an oblong glazed bead, S. 16, inscribed on both sides, were found at the neck. Another scarab with scroll pattern surrounding a scorpion, A. 1, and set in a silver ring, was found by the side. Some tiny carnelian beads complete the contents found. Grave 95. The skeleton lay on right side, head to west, hands on sides, face to south, body fully stretched. One flat glazed bead, S. 4 1 , I inch thick, with a scarabaeus on each side, a scarab, S. 12, tiny carnelian beads, and one long cylindrical glazed bead were found near the head. Grave 123. The skeleton lay on left side, with

T H E C E M E T E R Y OF GOSHEN

38

head t o west, arms and legs stretched to full l e n g t h ,

w h i c h w a s as f o l l o w s , — t w o carnelian p e n d a n t s alter-

and face to north.

nately

chest.

A

glazed

pendants;

and

b e a d s of varied colours.

bronze

ring

was

also found at

a

of blue glazed

flat

blue glazed

A

considerable

b e a d s w e r e f o u n d at figure

beads

w e r e found at t h e r i g h t wrist, a n d had b e e n

mixed

pelvis. smaller

Grave

3 7 6 m e a s u r e d 60 inches x head

to

tomb

the

blue

a

large

quantity

of

commonly

S . 36, c o m p l e t e t h e c o n t e n t s .

left shoulder and under the back.

The

skeleton lay on A

large

glazed beads, coloured blue and pelvis.

These

£ i n c h in d i a m e t e r of the graves

black,

particular

were

position.

of

glazed

flat

arm

small

At

of

f o u n d at t h e

carnelian

taken

From

the large

found

strung

majority the

right

and

and

glazed found

on

beads

were

beads

to

have

belonged to a bead-embroidered veil or shroud.

The

tiny glaze

and

carnelian beads

seem

the

found.

blue glazed

would

the chin,

near

probably

alternated

w r i s t w e r e f o u n d g l a z e d b a r s w i t h four h o l e s p i e r c e d

to form a three-string necklace, as ivory bars

in t h e m , w h i c h h a d b e e n used t o form ;i b r a c e l e t o f

bored were found at the

four strings of these beads, the t w o bats b e i n g

this beads

Under the

the

these

The

In

yellow, and

other

numbers of

together

30.

west.

pelvis, w e r e

beads, black

about

were

beads

f o u n d in a l a r g e

in t h e s a m e

to

tiny

back, head

quantity

30 x

skeleton lay on back, with

g l a z e d p e n d a n t s , a n d a b l a c k s c a r a b , S. 23, a n d a n o t h e r , 168.

of

several threads.

quantity

the

o f B a s t , A . 26, t w o

w e s t , and f a c e to south.

glazed

T h e small carnelian

w i t h b e a d s o f c l a s s 1, p r o b a b l y t o f o r m a b r a c e l e t

T h e skeleton l a y on back with head

t o north-west, and f a c e up.

from the

pendant

13, 35, w e r e f o u n d a b o u t t h e n e c k

151.

Grave

each

separated from the n e x t b y four of the tiny

h i g h e r l e v e l in t h e s a n d f i l l i n g .

One

two

two

small

Grave

with

tiny beads, a bronze bracelet, and

mixed, very scarabs, S .

Glazed beads, green and yellow

G r a v e 3 9 3 , 6 0 i n c h e s x 4 0 w. x 5 0 d.

em-

triple-

neck. T h e skeleton

l a y o n its r i g h t s i d e , w i t h h e a d t o w a r d t h e w e s t .

The

wrist, six g l a z e d scaraboids w e r e found, being part of

red pot no. 62

blue

a n o t h e r b r a c e l e t , a n d , u n d e r t h e c h i n , ^'lass b e a d s o f

glazed bracelet w a s m a d e u p of six

three colours, blue, white, a n d black.

H o r u s eye, and an uraeus, separated from each other

p l o y e d t o k e e p t h e s t r i n g s in p o s i t i o n

A t the left

G r a v e 172 w a s a burial of the usual sand-pit t y p e . T h e skeleton l a y on b a c k , h e a d t o west, and resting o n U n d e r the right ear were found a pair of

left cheek.

was at the head.

A

beautiful

figures

of gods, a

b y seven crocodiles o f the s a m e material. also a

small

red

pot, and

tiny

There

brown

and

was

yellow

beads.

F i v e small, round, a n d

G r a v e 3 9 4 c o n t a i n e d s o m e b e a d s a p p a r e n t l y of t h e

slightly larger cylindrical carnelian beads were found

s a m e t y p e , a n d a l s o t r a c e s o f iron, w h i c h is u n u s u a l if

in t h e n e c k .

so early.

silver-gilt hair-rings, as A . 11. A

bronze mirror, the w o o d e n h a n d l e of

G r a v e 438 w a s a d o u b l e burial.

w h i c h l a y in p i e c e s b e s i d e i t , h a d e v i d e n t l y b e e n p l a c e d in t h e arm.

right hand, and On

was

found inside the

a level slightly higher than

right

the brow, at

6 0 i n c h e s x 30 x 30.

t h e h e a d o f t h e g r a v e , w a s a f a l s e - n e c k pot, no. 15»

an infant were found on a piece

a n d PI. X X X V I I I A , a b o u t five i n c h e s h i g h , w i t h r e d

a b o v e the pelvis of the adult.

p a i n t e d b a n d s r o u n d it, a n d d o u b l e e a r s a n d s p o u t .

glazed and carnelian

been

50 i n c h e s x

removed 20 x

with head to west.

by

20.

sebakhin.

T h e skeleton

It

measured

lay on

back,

F i v e k i n d s of b e a d s w e r e f o u n d :

( 1 ) T h e b l u e g l a z e d t y p e o f flat round b e a d s found glazed beads,

coloured

yellow,

brown,

a n d b l a c k , found at the neck ; (3) C a r n elia n lotus-seed p e n d a n t s found at neck, see A . 7 ; (4) G l a z e d p e n d a n t s ;

of

lying

W i t h this were

blue

beads.

ton l a y o n back, w i t h h e a d t o the west.

A

quantity

o f beads, white and black, were found on t h e

chest.

T h e bronze rings found b y the right ear beside a ring of

white

material

(probably

coloured

glass)

were

p e r h a p s h a i r - r i n g s , r e s e m b l i n g t h e m e x a c t l y in s h a p e .

at the pelvis; (2) T i n y

lay

T h e bones

cf potsherd

G r a v e 4 4 8 m e a s u r e d 6 0 i n c h e s x 4 0 x 30. T h e s k e l e -

G r a v e 2 4 6 w a s a v e r y s h a l l o w buri.i), t h e s u r f a c e having

T h e pit measured

T h e skeleton of the adult

o n its l e f t side, w i t h h e a d t o t h e w e s t .

and

(5) S m a l l r o u n d carnelian beads. A l l e x c e p t t h e first a n d fifth c l a s s e s w e r e f o u n d a t the neck, and composed one necklace, the pattern of

G r a v e 489 measured 60 x l a y on back, and with

30 x 30 ; t h e

the h e a d to t h e

In this t o m b the

fine

terra-cotta

seated,

the

mandoline,

playing

PI. X X X V I I with a diamond

B).

This

unique

figure was figure

c h e c k p a t t e r n in b l a c k

skeleton

south-west. of a

woman

found is

(see

decorated

lines o n

the

chest, and the musical instrument with a double w a v y line, c r o s s i n g a n d r e - c r o s s i n g t o f o r m a s e r i e s o f s m a l l

SAND-PIT GRAVES circles. It is a piece o f v e r y c l e v e r m o d e l l i n g . The p r o f i l e a n d the p o s e o f t h e h e a d a n d n e c k g i v e t o t h e figure a n a b s o r b e d e x p r e s s i o n , w h i c h is s t r i k i n g w h e n w e consider t h e v e r y s i m p l e t r e a t m e n t . T h e piece s h o w s e v i d e n c e o f C y p r i o t e art, a n d p r o b a b l y d a t e s f r o m a b o u t the X l X t h — X X t h d y n a s t y . G r a v e 561, 50 x 4 0 x 30 w. H e a d to west, n o r m a l . T h e s k e l e t o n f o u n d b e l o n g e d t o a later b u r i a l p r o b a b l y , since a t a c o n s i d e r a b l e d e p t h b e l o w it a q u a n t i t y o f X V I U t h d y n a s t y t i n y b l u e g l a z e d beads were found. W i t h these beads were t w o white g l a z e d bars, e i g h t - f l u t e d , s h o w i n g t h a t t h e b e a d s h a d f o r m e d a b r a c e l e t o f e i g h t strings. T h e b a r s h a d o r i g i n a l l y been blue. G r a v e 846 m e a s u r e d 60 x 4 0 d . x 30 w . S k e l e t o n on b a c k , h e a d to w e s t , a n o r m a l s a n d - p i t burial. The b o d y l a y a g a i n s t the w e s t s i d e o f t h e pit. In the l e f t c o r n e r a t t h e h e a d w a s a r o u g h red p o t o f t h e c o m m o n e s t t y p e , no. 74. A t the k n e e a red saucer, no. 38, b o t t o m up, and a n a l a b a s t e r p o t ( X X X I X L , 1) b e s i d e it ; on t h e left h a n d a j a s p e r ring, A . 21, and j a s p e r b e a d s , s m a l l a n d flat w i t h b e v e l l e d e d g e s , alternating with tiny amber beads complete the contents. 54. XlXth

dynasty.

Grave 45. A t t h e h e a d a red pot, no. 60. A t h r e e - t u b e d k o h l - p o t (PI. X X X V I I I A ) o f b l u e g l a z e , t w o b r o n z e bracelets, s o m e b e a d s , a n d f r a g m e n t s o f blue g l a z e were also f o u n d . G r a v e 4 9 9 m e a s u r e d 50 i n c h e s I. x 30 w. x 1 0 d. T h e skeleton l a y o n its b a c k , b u t t h e direction o f t h e head was to the south-east, which was unusual. W i t h it w a s a b l u e g l a z e d k o h l - p o t o f t w o t u b e s j o i n e d t o g e t h e r ( u p p e r o n e o n PI. X X X V I I I A ) . G r a v e 6 7 3 : 7 0 x 30 x 30. S k e l e t o n o n b a c k , h e a d t o west. A fair s p e c i m e n o f a m a l e b u r i a l . O n e pot, no. 84, o f a X l X t h d y n a s t y t y p e , l a y a t t h e h e a d . In m o s t b u r i a l s o f m a l e s n o t h i n g w a s found, XXIInd dynasty. G r a v e 93. S k e l e t o n l a y on l e f t side, h e a d t o w e s t , face t o north, h a n d s b y sides, b o d y f u l l y stretched. T i n y c a r n e l i a n b e a d s , a. H o r u s e y e o f c a r n e l i a n , a n d small porphyry beads were found. G r a v e 602. A c h i l d ' s s a n d - p i t burial, n o r m a l , e x c e p t t h a t four l a r g e b r i c k s h a d b e e n laid around a n d a b o v e t h e h e a d to k e e p off t h e s a n d , w h i l e t h e rest of t h e b o d y w a s n o t s p e c i a l l y p r o t e c t e d . A g l a z e B e s , 2 u n i v a l v e shells, a n d 2 b e a d s w e r e f o u n d in it. G r a v e 6 4 9 m e a s u r e d 70 x 4 0 x 30 w . Skeleton o n b a c k , h e a d t o t h e south. A t t h e n e c k w e r e a

39

s m a l l B e s figure a n d five w h i t e b e a d s , w h i c h a r e o f a t y p e u n u s u a l in t h i s c e m e t e r y . XXlIIrd to XXVIth dynasty. G r a v e 126. H e r e t h e s u r f a c e h a d b e e n so w a s t e d a w a y , t h a t the b o t t o m o f t h e g r a v e w a s o n l y s o m e five inches d o w n . T h r e e b r o n z e bells, A . 4 1 , a b l a c k a n d y e l l o w g l a s s d o u b l e - f a c e d a m u l e t , A . 44, s o m e iron, and several glazed beads w e r e found. Grave 311. S a n d - p i t b u r i a l o f a child, 6 0 i n c h e s X 30 x 40 d. S k e l e t o n o n b a c k , h e a d to t h e n o r t h east. B e a d s m i x e d a t n e c k . A s m a l l red e l o n g a t e d p o t , no. 201, b r o n z e b e l l (PI. X X X V I I A ) , g l a z e figure o f B e s , a d o u b l e - f a c e p e n d a n t o f b l a c k a n d y e l l o w glass, A . 43, a n d t w o iron b r a c e l e t s w e r e f o u n d on a l e d g e a t t h e h e a d o f t h e t o m b . G r a v e 381 m e a s u r e d 40 i n c h e s x 50 d. x 30 w . L a r g e carnelian,black and white (probablyglass) beads, a l a r g e B e s figure, a l a r g e d o u b l e - f a c e p e n d a n t b l a c k a n d y e l l o w a s A . 44, a n d a p i e c e o f i v o r y , w e r e f o u n d at the head. G r a v e 231, probably of the Persian period. The s k e l e t o n o f a y o u n g girl l a y o n b a c k , w i t h h e a d t o north-west. A t the feet bronze anklets, and at the wrists iron b r a c e l e t s w e r e f o u n d . A quantity of b e a d s were picked u p from under the head, and a m o n g t h e m t w o i n t e r e s t i n g scarabs, S . 50, 5 1 , the one representing the L i v i n g R a m , the other the Living Thoth. G r a v e 323, 6 0 i n c h e s x 50 x 4 0 d., w a s p r o b a b l y Ptolemaic. T h e skeleton l a y on back, with head north-west. In t h e c e n t r e o f t h e t o m b a h e a p o f p o t t e r y w a s f o u n d , c o m p r i s i n g r o u g h red p o t s (no. 292), a n d s a u c e r s (no. 226), all b r o k e n , 5 b l u e g l a z e s a u c e r s ( X X X I X L , 9, 10, 13, 14), an a l a b a s t r o n b r o k e n at the top, and a ring pot-stand. A p p a r e n t l y n o sort o f arrangement had been intended. A l l were deposited in a h e a p a b o v e t h e l o w e r p a r t o f t h e b o d y . 55. Roman. G r a v e 277 m e a s u r e d 50 i n c h e s 1. x 30 x 30. The s k e l e t o n o f a child l a y on b a c k , w i t h h e a d t o s o u t h e a s t . B e a d s w e r e f o u n d in t h e f o l l o w i n g order, 8 carnelian (of 6 different types), 1 quartz, 1 glass, and 6 g l a z e (of 5 d i f f e r e n t t y p e s ) . A few small beads were found scattered. G r a v e 2 9 1 : 4 0 1. x 30 x 20 d. C h i l d w i t h h e a d to w e s t . B e a d s o f s e v e r a l k i n d s a n d sizes w e r e f o u n d u n d e r t h e chin, o f w h i c h t h e o n l y p a t t e r n d i s c e r n i b l e w a s t h a t o f g i l t b e a d s a n d resinous a l t e r n a t i n g . C l o t h w r a p p i n g , a n d p i e c e s of w o o d w e r e found at t h e h e a d , a n d a s t r i n g o f skin k n o t t e d as it had b e e n used for stringing the beads.

40

THE CEMETERY OF GOSHEN

G r a v e 341 measured 60 inches x 30 x 40 d. Skeleton on back, with head to t h e west. Small green glass beads, small silver paste beads, and amber beads were found m i x e d t o g e t h e r on the chest. A q u a n t i t y of small bronze hair-pins, and a bronze hair o r n a m e n t lay at each side of the head. G r a v e 439 measured 60 inches x 40 x 30 w. T h e skeleton of a y o u n g girl lay on its back, with the head t o t h e w e s t Bronze earrings with bead p e n d a n t s lay at t h e ears. I n t h e p e n d a n t the a r r a n g e m e n t of beads was at b o t t o m a small a m e t h y s t , lozengeshaped drop, above it four beads, paste, blue, green a n d black, strung on thin bronze wire. In the necklace t h e order seemed t o have been green, carnelian, and yellow in rotation. A small bronze spoon of t h e R o m a n period was also found, and a pin of bronze, A. 50.

(8) A coil of t h e bronze wire used to t h r e a d t h e beads, with several beads on it. T h e custom of piling all the o r n a m e n t s a n d jewellery in a heap b y the head is not observed in earlier burials. In grave 494 the following t y p e s of beads were found u n d e r the chin. Small round yellow glass beads, small blue beads evidently strung separately, larger glass beads imitating amber, a m b e r beads (large), blue glaze fiat b e a d s of t h e kind found at t h e pelvis in earlier burials, glaze beads of the same m a k e b u t coloured yellow, brown, black a n d light blue, long thin cylindrical beads of blue glaze, all so inextricably m i x e d up t h a t no clue could b e got as t o t h e original pattern. Bronze earrings, a n d bracelets (plain ring and wire twisted) a n d iron a n k l e t s were found also near the head.

Grave 490 is a normal sand-pit burial, but it was r e m a r k a b l e for the deep layer of what looked like fine bluish ashes, under a n d over the whole skeleton t o a d e p t h of three inches. It was most likely the d u s t of the decayed folds of wrapping which h a d originally enclosed t h e corpse. A similar layer was in graves 566 a n d 588. Five large coloured beads were found, t w o under each ear a n d one on the chest.

G r a v e 630 measured 60 x 50 X 30 w. O n the Skeleton on back, head to t h e west. right breast lay a fine bronze writing-case, PI. X X X V I I B. L i k e t h e brass writing-case in use at t h e present day, it was m a d e evidently t o b e carried at the waist. T h e bronze cylinder held t h e long, thin reeds for writing, t h e end below t h e ink pot retaining it in t h e belt. T h u s t h e ink pot was upright ready for use. T h e conical t o p of it h a d a small hole to slip the reed t h r o u g h , a n d t h e black powder of ink is still inside. A t t h e head lay a glass bottle a b o u t 14 inches long, its b o d y being uniformly a b o u t 2 inches in diameter, a n d the neck short a n d narrow in proportion (see PI. X X X V I I B, middle of group).

Grave 492 : 50 inches x 30 x 15 d. T h e skeleton lay on its back, hands b y the sides as usual, and the head t o the west. T h e grave is remarkable for the m a n y and varied o r n a m e n t s taken from the neck and under the head. T h e r e were f o u n d : (1) A large bronze toq round the neck, badly corroded. (2) A n ivory toq about \ inch broad and § inch thick, in pieces. (3) Twelve ivory pendants, o n e a head and face, two barrel-shaped ¿and pierced t h r o u g h in parallel rows of three holes each, two crosses (Coptic), a n d the others more cr less rudely shaped a n d ornamented. (4) L a r g e amber beads, mixed with small paste beads. T h e s e two alternated types of beads seemed t o have formed a necklace along with the ivory p e n d a n t s (3). (5) Several bronze a n d silver rings mixed. (6) O n e large blue glass (?) bead, probably used as a hair-ring. (7) A collection of iron rings u n d e r the head (as noticed before), which had been anklets or bracelets.

G r a v e 660 contained carnelian a n d other stone beads in a h e a p at the neck, a broad bronze bracelet at right h a n d , 2 bronze rings on left h a n d , a bronze bell at the right hand, a n d 2 large rings on t h e mouth, which m a y have been bracelets, b u t more likely nose-rings. G r a v e 662 had a m b e r beads at neck, iron rings, p r o b a b l y nose-rings, on the mouth, bronze bracelets a t wrists, and iron anklets. Grave 666: 60 x 30 w. x 20 d. Skeleton on back, head to t h e west. A b o v e t h e face a small glass bottle with vertical fluting at the neck, a bronze toq flattened a n d pierced at o n e end, a n d a pair of bronze horns (A. 55 a n d PI. X X X V I I A). Grave 678, head t o west. O n right a r m two bronze armlets, on left breast a bronze bell, at left ear a large thin bronze ring a n d finger-ring, at right ear o n e earring, under t h e chin a coin a n d beads were found. T h e bones in this burial were of a peculiar

SAND-PIT GRAVES (ROMAN) pink colour d u e to the action of some c h e m i c a l , or perhaps t o the d y e of w r a p p i n g s now d e c a y e d . This s a m e feature w a s observed in o n l y o n e other t o m b . G r a v e 725 contained several glass vessels. A large g l a s s j a r is decorated round the b o w l in a d i a m o n d p a t t e r n of raised g l a s s t h r e a d s (see PI. X X X V I I I A , b a s e ) ; the neck w a s lost. T h i s j a r w a s a b o u t 8 inches in diameter. N e a r it l a y a smaller g l a s s bottle t o 4 inches l o n g , flat, decorated d o w n the m i d d l e of b o t h sides w i t h a glass b a n d , w h i c h at the shoulders formed an ear at each side (see a b o v e the jar). T h e large b l a c k glass bracelet is a b o u t £ inch in b r e a d t h , decorated w i t h raised parallel ridges all round (see o v e r p r e v i o u s figure). A n o t h e r small round glass bottle, plain, a n d m a n y f r a g m e n t s of b r o k e n glass were also f o u n d in this t o m b . Ivory hair-pins (as A . 5 1 ) and e a r - p l u g s o f w o o d (as A . 24) l a y a t the head. T h e glass w a s a l l f o u n d behind t h e head. 56. I I . SIDE-SCOOP G R A V E S T h e s e w e r e e n l a r g e d s a n d - p i t tombs, b u t instead of the b o d y b e i n g p l a c e d in t h e b o t t o m o f a s q u a r e grave, it l a y in a hole s c o o p e d o u t on o n e side of the pit and usually built u p w i t h b r i c k s afterwards. T h e r e were v e r y f e w o f this class in this c e m e t e r y , and no t w o of the s a m e period. T h e y will be m o r e f u l l y discussed in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the C e m e t e r y of Gheyta. G r a v e 545, 50 1. x 40 x 40 inches, w a s of a child, w i t h h e a d to east. Iron a n k l e t s , b r o n z e bells, univ a l v e shells,, and g l a z e d figures l a y in a h e a p at t h e feet. T h e figures included a B e s a n d a crocodile, A . 37. T h e r e w a s also o n e g l a z e d bell p e n d a n t , and a n o t h e r of bronze, A . 4 1 . T h r e e flat saucers of a r o u g h m a k e w e r e t a k e n from the filling. T h e y were of the t y p e c o m m o n l y used a s lids for larger pots. T h e c o n t e n t s indicate a burial of the XXVIth dynasty. G r a v e s 4 1 7 and 485 w e r e b o t h child-burials of this class. T h e hole w a s s c o o p e d o u t on the w e s t side of the pit. T h e y m e a s u r e d each a b o u t 50 inches 1. x 40 w. x 40 d. In 485 b r o n z e a n d iron bracelets and anklets, a n d b e a d s w e r e found, all of t y p e s t h a t w o u l d i n d i c a t e a R o m a n date. T h e head was to the north. G r a v e 662 is b e s t classed w i t h these. T h e s h a f t (40 inches 1 . x 20 w . x 60 d.) led d o w n t o t w o u n d e r g r o u n d rooms, o n e o n the w e s t a n d o n e on the north side, c u t into hard gebel. T h e r o o m s h a d been w a l l e d and roofed w i t h sun-dried bricks, and the

41

entrances f r o m t h e s h a f t had been built up. The s k e l e t o n s l a y w i t h h e a d t o west. A silver earring, A . 18, and b r o n z e pin, A . 49, w e r e w i t h t h e m . 57. I I I . BRICK-LINED AND COVERED G R A V E S X VIIIth

dynasty.

G r a v e 139. T h e b r i c k l i n i n g a n d c o v e r i n g were complete. T w o r o u g h red pots, no. 73, a b o u t 14 inches long, flat-bottomed, were laid across t h e face a l t e r n a t e l y with the bricks. T h e c a k e s of b l a c k m u d in the b o t t o m s h o w e d t h a t t h e y origin a l l y c o n t a i n e d liquid of s o m e sort. O n the left shoulder w a s a small a l a b a s t e r p o t a b o u t 4 inches h i g h ( X X X I X L , 4), and a fine b l u e g l a z e o b l o n g b e a d inscribed on b o t h sides. G r a v e 330 m e a s u r e d 80 inches x 30 x 30. The skeleton lay o n left side, w i t h hpad to the west. At t h e h e a d stood a small o n e - e a r e d p o t , no. 101, of whitish g r o u n d w i t h red bands. A t the right wrist w a s a bracelet of small g l a z e pendants, A . 6, a n d four scarabs, see S . 10, 17, 19, 26, 34 ; a small b r o n z e mirror l a y a t t h e w a i s t ; a l a b a s t e r hair-rings, A . 12, and ear-plugs, A . 23, 24, beads, and t w o r i n g s from t h e head, s h o w t h a t t h i s w a s t h e g r a v e of a w o m a n . G r a v e 355 w a s 80 X 50 d. x 40 w., brick-lined and arched. S k e l e t o n on b a c k , w i t h h e a d t o w e s t . A t t h e h e a d t h e b r i c k s of lining, instead of l y i n g across t h e t o m b f o r m e d a t r i a n g l e in w h i c h s p a c e l a y t h e head. F r o m this t r i a n g l e t h e arch s p r a n g , b u t so as to l e a v e a c l e a r s p a c e o u t s i d e of it, in w h i c h w e r e d e p o s i t e d t w o r e d p i l g r i m - b o t t l e s , nos. 110, H I , a n d a small o n e - e a r e d w h i t e pot. G r a v e 378 w a s 80 x 40 d. x 30 w. S k e l e t o n l a y on left side, h e a d to west, f a c e to t h e east. T h e b o d y had b e e n s w a t h e d in cloth. O n the c h e s t and under t h e b a c k were blue g l a z e b e a d s , such as w e r e u s u a l l y f o u n d a t the pelvis, t i n y g l a z e b e a d s , b l a c k , b r o w n a n d y e l l o w ; s m a l l r o u n d carnelian a n d g a r n e t b e a d s w h i c h a l t e r n a t e d t o f o r m a n e c k l a c e , a n d a small scarab, S. 24, were f o u n d . T h e brick lining w a s complete, b u t t h e c o v e r i n g h a d g o n e . G r a v e 4 3 7 : 60 x 40 x 30. T h e s k e l e t o n l a y o n back, w i t h h e a d t o west. T h e g r a v e w a s bricklined all round. A t t h e w r i s t o f right hand, t i n y g l a z e b e a d s — y e l l o w , b r o w n , blue, a n d w h i t e — a n d a t the pelvis, a q u a n t i t y o f t h e u s u a l b l u e g l a z e t y p e were found. XlXth dynasty. G r a v e 150. S k e l e t o n o n b a c k , h e a d t o t h e southwest. T w o blue g l a z e figures of B a s t , A . 35, a s m a l l red saucer, and a jar, no. 62, l a y a t the right side.

6

42

T H E C E M E T E R Y OF

A t the north corner of the grave, a considerable distance away, lay a pot, no. 104. XXIIIrd dynasty. Grave 304 measured 60 inches x 40 d. .x 30 w. Skeleton on back, head to west. Under the head were two figures of Bes, two bronze bell pendants, A . 41, one double-face pendant black and yellow, A. 44, and one large bead with projecting knobs, A. 42. XKVIth dynasty. Grave 308 of this class was normal, but is notable for the fact that the skull was found deposited outside of the tomb proper, and on the top of the brick covering, as if the head had been cut off at time of burial and purposely buried separately Beside the skull were found bronze bracelets, and a small scarab, S. 45, with the uraeus and " Son of Ra." Under the skull were iron anklets. Ptolemaic. Grave 242 contained parts of four skeletons laid across a normal sized grave, with the heads towards the west. The grave measured 60 inches I. x 40 w. X 50 d. The bodies lay on their left sides. Two complete ones in the south end, with the legs doubled up to fit the space of 40 inches. The third seemed to have lain on right side facing these two, but the skull lay on its face. The vertebrae showed the original position of the body. The legs had completely disappeared if .they were ever there. Of the fourth skeleton only the skull and a few vertebiae remained. The skull lay face up, and the body probably lay on its right side.

GOSHEN

A t each ear was found a gold earring of considerable weight, A. 57, with a spherical gold pendant covered with globules; see also X X X V I I A . Another flattened gold earring was picked up in the filling. On a finger of right hand was a bronze ring of doublesnake pattern, A . 54. Roman. Grave 672 was at the north-west corner of the gezireh, where the sand filling was almost completely removed. A t the head of what had been a bricklined grave were found a ribbed drinking pot, no. 346 A, a red ribbed bowl about 4 inches deep, no. 346, and inside the latter, a small glass bottle. 58. I V .

POTTERY COFFINS—PLAIN

AND

ORNA-

MENTED—SLIPPER-SHAPED

XVIIIth dynasty. Grave 8 contained a red pottery coffin about 6 feet in length, placed with head to the north-west. The skeleton lay face down. A scarab, S. 14, was the only thing found inside. Outside the coffin, at the head, were two pots, nos. 57 and 80. Grave 211. The coffin lay with head to west, measured 6 feet in length, and had a woman's face moulded on the top of the lid. The lid measured about 2 feet in length. The skeleton lay on its back. A t the ears were found silver-gilt hair-rings, as A . 11, at the neck, carnelian beads and pendants, as A . 7, and, at the waist, three small scarabs, S. 29, 30, 31. Grave 331. The coffin lay with head to the west in a grave 80 inches x 40 w. x 50 d. Bod)' on back. A t the left ear of the first complete skeleton a A t the wrist a blue glazed bracelet of uza eyes bronze earring, between the two a small red pot, was found, A . 8. Outside the coffin at the right no. 202, and where the knees of the second and third shoulder stood a rough red pot, no. 43, of a common would have met a large red pot with short neck and X l X t h dynasty type. Grave 507. The pit measured 80 inches x abruptly bulging shoulder, as nos. 104, 109, were 60 d. x 40 w. The head was toward the west. A t found. Grave 101. The body lay on the back, with the right hand corner outside of the coffin a rough head to the north. Under the ear a large jasper red pot, and inside two carnelian hair-rings, as A . 13, pendant, A . 27, and two carnelian hair-rings, as A. 13, were found. The coffin lid bore a woman's face. Grave 821 contained the finest pottery coffin and in another part a pot, no. 283, m d a usual Ptolemaic flask, no. 327. This burial if lot of mixed found in this cemetery. It measured 7 feet in length, dates has certainly re-used earlier obi ects of the and was very fairly painted and inscribed, the lid X V I I I t h dynasty. The brick sides were complete, bearing a woman's face. The pit was 100 inches x 50 d. x 40 w. A t the head on the right side and but the brick covering, as in most cases, had mingled outside the coffin stood a large red double-eared with the sand. Grave 663 was on the western edge of the gezireh. amphora, which appears to be a later Roman burial, T h e body lay on its back, with head to the north- no. 342. But in the filling was found a small red pot west. T o keep the head in position, a brick was of the X V I I I t h dynasty, no. 58. Grave 269 contained a pottery coffin with the face placed at each side of it, between it and the brick lining. The brick lining and covering were complete. of a woman on the lid and lying with head tQ north-

POTTERY COFFINS—PLAIN AND ORNAMENTED—SLIPPER-SHAPED

43

west. T h e g r a v e measured 80 inches x 30 d. x 40 w., a n d the coffin w a s a b o u t 6 f e e t long. O u t s i d e of the coffin a t the right shoulder were p l a c e d a red saucer, and a tall red pot, no. 63. Roman. G r a v e 446 contained a plain coffin e v i d e n t l y of t h e R o m a n period. N e a r t h e h e a d inside w e r e found a silver (?) bracelet, a m b e r beads, 20 b r o n z e hair-pins, a n d a large q u a n t i t y of s m a l l round glass beads, coloured y e l l o w , g r e e n , blue and white. T h e h e a d w a s to the west.

long, a n d 30 inches in d i a m e t e r a t t h e m o u t h . N o t h i n g else w a s f o u n d to i n d i c a t e the date. G r a v e 482 is a n o t h e r of this class, and settles t h e d a t e of them. T h e p i t m e a s u r e d 70 inches l o n g X 30 x 30. T h e h e a d w a s t o the west. T h e b r o n z e earrings, beads, and b r o n z e b r a c e l e t s f o u n d b e l o n g distinctly to the R o m a n period. O n l y these t h r e e instances of this t y p e were found. T h e y a p p e a r t o be unusual, a n d to b e l o n g t o the poorer classes.

In all these coffins the lid w a s a s e p a r a t e slab a b o u t 2 f e e t long, fitting n e a t l y into a hole a t t h e thick e n d of t h e coffin, j u s t o v e r the h e a d of the b o d y . W h e r e there w a s a f a c e it w a s o n the lid, a n d h a d been e v i d e n t l y m o u l d e d in c l a y separately, and t h e n a f f i x e d to the lid before it was b a k e d . T h e face o f t e n c a m e a w a y as a s e p a r a t e piece.

In g r a v e 154 there w a s a red p o t of X V I I I t h dynasty type, containing a few tiny glaze beads of the same a g e , w i t h a n infant's bones.

P r o b a b l y e v e r y o n e of these coffins had been more or less rifled at an earlier period. Some of them were found o n l y a f e w inches d o w n , and the sebakhin m i g h t discover t h e m w h e n an o r d i n a r y pit t o m b w o u l d escape their notice. 59. V . D O U B L E Z I Y E H BURIALS O n l y t w o of these were found in this c e m e t e r y . T h e y were frequent in the C e m e t e r y of G h e y t a . In g r a v e 650 t w o large pots, each 36 in. long, p l a c e d m o u t h t o mouth, enclosed the b o d y . The pots w e r e of a v e r y r o u g h t y p e and e v i d e n t l y b e l o n g e d to a late date. T h e head w a s to the west. Nothing but the s k e l e t o n w a s found in them. T h e t o m b w a s on the far w e s t side of the gezireh. G r a v e 6 7 9 w a s in t h e s a m e p a r t of the c e m e t e r y . T h e head w a s to the north-west. T h e skull w a s quite s e p a r a t e a n d stood with f a c e t o the n o r t h - w e s t e n d of the pot. T h e s k e l e t o n s e e m e d to h a v e lain on its face. T h e p o t s w e r e v e r y rough. B o t h burials p r o b a b l y b e l o n g to the R o m a n period. V I . H A L F - P O T BURIALS In g r a v e 292 t h e .upper h a l f of the skeleton (from skull to pelvis) l a y inside a large pot, a b o u t 3 I feet long, a n d a b o u t 26 inches in d i a m e t e r at t h e mouth. T h e lower limbs w e r e u n p r o t e c t e d . A c o m p l e t e iron k n i f e in a leather sheath w a s f o u n d a t the feet. The burial is of R o m a n date. T h e head w a s to the west. T h e p o t w a s of a late d a t e a n d v e r y r o u g h t y p e . G r a v e 477. T h e pot w a s s h a p e and of an earlier t y p e .

o f s l i g h t l y different It measured 5 feet

60. V I I . POT BURIALS OF CHILDREN

G r a v e 334. T h e pot measured a b o u t 3 feet l o n g , w i t h n e c k b r o k e n off a t shoulder, a n d b o t t o m c o m plete. T h e b o d y o f a child w a s inserted feet first; a n d b e i n g t o o l a r g e for t h e pot, the l e g s w e r e d o u b l e d up, to m a k e it fit in. T h e h e a d w a s to the west. G r a v e 823 c o n t a i n e d a three-handled jar, no. 124. T h e h e a d o f the child w a s a t the mouth, and t o the north-west. In the p o t were found a f e w fine j a s p e r b e a d s of X V I I I t h d y n a s t y . d y n a s t y t h e r e are the O f a b o u t the X X I I n d following : G r a v e 1 1 8 . H e r e a p o t w i t h a face of B e s had b e e n used. I t w a s found b r o k e n ; a n d near it a small red pot, no. 98. G r a v e 119. T h e p o t measured 30 inches long, and 15 inches w i d e a t the w i d e s t part. T h e neck w a s t o o n a r r o w t o a d m i t a b o d y . T h e b o t t o m had been b r o k e n off, t h e b o d y inserted h e a d first from b o t t o m e n d , and b o t h ends closed a f t e r w a r d s w i t h sherds. O n e large b e a d like four round b e a d s j o i n e d side t o side, three g l a z e d beads, a n d a figure o f B a s t were found. I n g r a v e 147 the pot w a s rather r o u n d e r below than no. 123 ; it w a s a c t u a l l y w o r n t h r o u g h b y t h e continual traffic of p e o p l e p a s s i n g o v e r it. There w a s f o u n d in w h a t r e m a i n e d o f it, t h e c o m p l e t e s k e l e t o n of an infant, a l o n g w i t h three b r o n z e b r a c e lets, four carnelian beads, a r o u g h w h i t e b e a d , a n d a r o u g h s c a r a b bead. I n g r a v e 4 1 6 the p o t w a s a plain w i d e - m o u t h flat-bottomed pot, no. 1 2 1 , 28 inches high, and 20 inches g r e a t e s t w i d t h . T h e s k e l e t o n l a y w i t h h e a d in the b o t t o m of the pot, and t o w a r d the west. A large basin, no. 26, c o v e r e d the m o u t h . B e s i d e it stood a g l o b u l a r jar, no. 103. T h i s p o t c l o s e l y r e s e m b l e s the t y p e o f w h i c h w e found so m a n y a t S h a r a n b a . Iron b r a c e l e t s were f o u n d beside t h e s k e l e t o n .

44

THE CEMETERY OF GOSHEN

Roman. G r a v e s 553, 554. T h e pots were of t h e d a r k b r o w n a n d ribbed t y p e , no. 354. T h e y w e r e u s u a l l y b r o k e n across at the shoulder ; s o m e t i m e s the neck and s h o u l d e r were c o m p l e t e , and the b o t t o m e n d b r o k e n for the admission of the b o d y . Both ends were closed in the usual w a y , w i t h sherds. In g r a v e 553 the narrow m o u t h of the j a r w a s sealed w i t h c l a y — t h e skull lay in the bottom, and t o w a r d s the east A small vase, no. 314, w a s t a k e n from the filling. In 554 t h e skull w a s a t the mouth end. G r a v e 657. T h e p o t had a rounded b o t t o m , as no. 82, and the b o d y w a s of uniform w i d t h u p to the shoulder, w h e r e it w a s b r o k e n as usual. A red b a n d of d e c o r a t i o n ran r o u n d the lower part T h e mouth w a s closed w i t h the b o t t o m e n d of a similar pot. B e s i d e t h e pot w e r e placed a small glass bottle, and a t w o - h a n d l e d , r i b b e d d r i n k i n g pot, w i t h t h e usual spout. T h e h e a d of skeleton w a s to the south-west, o t h e r w i s e normal. G r a v e 830 c o n t a i n e d the burial in a jar, no. 350, w h i c h is inscribed w i t h w h a t seems t o be a m i x t u r e of G r e e k and R o m a n letters, d o u b t l e s s a record of t h e w i n e w h i c h it had contained. A scarab, S . 54, in this g r a v e had the ankh in the m i d d l e surrounded b y a row of concentric circles. In p a r t o f t h e gezireh, close to the east f e n c e of the m a r k e t - p l a c e , v e r y f e w burials of adults w e r e f o u n d , while p o t burials of children a b o u n d e d . Somet i m e s a s m a n y as five or s i x of t h e m were buried in o n e pit, a n d d o z e n s are passed o v e r here b e c a u s e t h e y s i m p l y repeat t h e a b o v e details. W i t h v e r y f e w e x c e p t i o n s , the h e a d w a s at t h e mouth e n d of the pot and u s u a l l y t o w a r d the west, t h o u g h t h e y d o n o t seem to h a v e p a i d so m u c h attention to the direction of the b o d y in t h e c a s e of children. Where the pot w a s large e n o u g h , the b o d y w a s never d o u b l e d up, b u t l a y quite straight. N o c a s e of mutilation in a n y form was f o u n d , a n d the bodies had a p p a r e n t l y in e v e r y case been w r a p p e d in cloth before burial. 61. V I I I . S T O N E COFFINS O n l y t w o stone coffins were f o u n d in this cemetery. T h e o n e in g r a v e 363, w a s a fine limestone coffin c u t in o n e block, 80 inches l o n g x 20 x 20, a n d a b o u t 3 inches in t h i c k n e s s all over. I t l a y north a n d south, but had e v i d e n t l y shared the fate of most of the p o t t e r y coffins. T h e natives h a d g r u b b e d d o w n to it, a n d rifled it. N o t r a c e of the lid

w a s found, and there w a s no inscription on it, nor b o n e s inside. It w a s s u r r o u n d e d on e v e r y side b y g r a v e s of the X V I I I t h and X l X t h d y n a s t i e s . G r a v e 684. O u r attention w a s d r a w n to t h e o t h e r b y the n a t i v e s of the v i l l a g e a t the far w e s t side o f the gezireh. T h e y h a d unearthed a n d reburied it. It w a s not, like the former, c u t o u t of a solid b l o c k of stone, but w a s e v i d e n t l y m a d e u p of slabs appropriated from s o m e b u i l d i n g , and cut d o w n to suit. T h e front s i d e of it, a n d t h e lid, w e r e entirely gone. T h e corners h a d been plastered. T h e r e w a s no inscription, or other indication o f its date. I X . OBLONG C L A Y B O X

COFFIN

G r a v e 384 w a s unique. I t c o n t a i n e d t h e burial of a child in a hard c l a y o b l o n g coffin m e a s u r i n g 45 inches 1. x 20 w. x 8 d. T h e sides w e r e a b o u t 1 \ inches t h i c k . T h e h e a d w a s to the north. I n s i d e a small b r o n z e mirror w a s found. The burial b e l o n g e d p r o b a b l y to t h e X V I I I t h or X l X t h dynasty. X . WOODEN

COFFINS

T r a c e s of w o o d were q u i t e c o m m o n t h r o u g h o u t the c e m e t e r y , but in a few cases t h e r e w a s s o m u c h as to s u g g e s t t h a t o r i g i n a l l y w o o d e n c o f f i n s had been used. In g r a v e 379 a c o m p l e t e w o o d e n floor w a s f o u n d under the corpse, a n d traces o f d e c a y e d w o o d in the filling. T h i s w a s an X V I I I t h d y n a s t y burial ; t h e pit measured 60 inches 1. x 30 x 30. T h e h e a d w a s to the west. A t the n e c k t w o b l u e ' a n d w h i t e b e a d s alternated with t w o y e l l o w t o f o r m a d o u b l e s t r i n g necklace. A q u a n t i t y of the usual b l u e g l a z e d b e a d s w a s found a t the pelvis. 62. T H E C O N T E N T S OF T H E G R A V E S fall i n t o three m a i n classes, ( 1 ) D o m e s t i c , (2) P e r s o n a l , (3) General. ( 1 ) T o t h e first class b e l o n g m o s t of the l a r g e r p o t t e r y f o u n d in the graves. W h a t t h e e x a c t uses of t h e s e pots were, it is n o t e a s y t o s a y . M a n y were d o u b t l e s s water-jars, e s p e c i a l l y the class of p e g b o t t o m R o m a n pots. M a n y o f t h e later pots, i n c l u d i n g t h o s e described, w o u l d h a v e b e e n wine-jars. O t h e r s served as c o o k i n g pots, and seem t o h a v e been buried j u s t as t h e y were t a k e n o f f the fire, w i t h their b o t t o m s burned black. S o m e e v e n of t h e v e r y small pots, w i t h rounded b o t t o m a n d short w i d e neck, w e r e burned black. O t h e r s w e r e p r o b a b l y used to hold m e a l a n d flour, and oil.

THE CONTENTS OF THE GRAVES

The contents of every pot were carefully examined and noted when emptied. It was very common to find a cake of mud in the bottom of some, especially the common rough red pots of the X V I I I t h and X l X t h dynasties, showing that the pot had originally contained some liquid, now completely evaporated. These cakes may yet be analyzed. Many were found sealed with a lump of mud on the mouth. They (graves 313, 382) were usually large pots, and had contained something of flour, or meal, or grain. Traces of grain were found in several. The largest pots were, of course, those used to contain the burials of children. Basins and saucers of many forms, dates and sizes, were found ; and one particular class of small rough saucer, with abrupt out-sloping sides, about inches deep, were undoubtedly used as lids for various large pots. They had been used for cooking pots;i as well as for pots that required to be sealed. (2) The class of personal ornament is much more varied. (а) The beads of many varieties and materials were of the utmost value in dating the graves. The most common materials of the earlier period were glazed pottery, blue and other colours, carnelian, and jasper; and, of the later period, glass, paste, carnelian (rough) and amber. (б) Finger-rings, earrings, hair-rings, hair-pins. Finger-rings were found of silver, bronze, blue glaze, and carnelian. Earrings of gold, silver, and bronze. Hair-rings had a slit on one side for the admission of the hairs of the tress on which it was placed. The finest found were also of the oldest period. They were of silver, and gilded (see PI. X X X V I I A , fig. 26). Hair-rings of carnelian, jasper, and limestone, were common ; and occasionally large ring beads seem to have been worn in the same way. Hair-pins of bronze were found, sometimes as many as 20 or more in one grave. Ivory hair-pins were not so common as bronze. (r) Mirrors, bracelets, toqs, and anklets. These were extremely common in bronze. The fine bracelet of glass has been referred to in sand-pit graves, Roman, 725. Many iron rings were found, which were apparently heavy bracelets and anklets. Bracelets of ivory were also very common, and in children's tombs, sometimes anklets of ivory were found, and small finger-rings. Toqs of bronze, for wearing round the neck, were found in some of the; Roman burials, and in one case a toq of ivory.

45

id) Pendants and scarabs. A great variety of pendants in blue glaze, carnelian, and jasper were found. The commonest were the glaze figures of Bes and Bast, found mostly in children's graves. The finest is a necklace of carnelian face-pendants (see PI. X X X V I I A, no. 82) ; another of carnelian pendants, of the lotus-seed form, A . 7, and others of jasper of the same type. The double-face pendants, black and yellow in colour, A . 43-7, bronze pendants, cats, Isis and Horus, were not uncommon. The bronze bells so usual in children's graves ought, perhaps, to be included in this class. The scarabs are all reproduced in PI. X X X V I I . The following are notable : one of Unas of dynasty V , one of Queen Thyi, and one where Ramessu II is represented as being carried on the shoulders of the priests (grave 50) in the sed festival (Cairo Museum). Throughout the whole examination of these various burials, strict watch was kept as to the class of graves containing scarabs, and all were found in burials of women or children. In no case can we say a single scarab was found in a man's grave ; but this is probably only a result of the general rarity of any objects or ornaments in men's graves. (e) Ear-plugs were quite common in the earlier period. They were of limestone, wood, and ivory (see PI. X X X V I I I ) . (3) General. Under this head we must class the stone vases, and small ornamented pottery vases (see PI. X X X I X L), the various terra-cotta figures, Roman lamps, Roman glass bottles, bronze writingcases, iron knives, ushabtis, and tables of offerings. The large pot no. 355 was not found in the cemetery, but was purchased in a house near by, where it had been used by three generations for the storage of henneh leaves. The ears are both inscribed with apparently early Arabic writing. 63. On a comparison of the dates of these graves, it will be at once remarked, that the burials of the X V I I I t h and X l X t h dynasties, and those belonging to the period of Roman occupation, greatly outnumber all the others. There are few belonging to the X X I I n d or X X V I t h dynasty, and the contents of these are not very decisive ; while the X X X t h dynasty does not appear to be represented at all. We are free to infer from this, that the town of Goshen was a flourishing place in the X V I I I t h and X l X t h dynasties, and I feel sure, that what we have found is a mere remnant of what might have been found here, before the henneh fields made such inroads upon

46

T H E C E M E T E R Y OF

GOSHEN

the gezireh. It is a safe inference also, that the town One of the striking features of the cemetery is was a place of some importance in Roman times. the vast preponderance of the plain sand-pit grave But, because the period intervening between these over all the other types. It is hardly likely that two is so poorly represented here, it would not be cheapness is the explanation of this, in a country justifiable to infer that the place was almost where bricks cost next to nothing. In any case it abandoned then. shows that there was no religious idea of keeping the From Dr. Naville's work, we know that Goshen body apart from the earth. The slipper-shaped coffins was of considerable importance in the X X X t h date mostly from the X V I I I t h or X l X t h dynasties, dynasty, and the second king of that dynasty was and were contemporaneous with the sand-pits. the donor of its famous shrine. It may be that the Whether it was that they had all been opened, and portion of the gezireh used in that period for burial, the sand got in then, or not, every one of them, was absorbed by the surrounding cultivation. But even the few which appeared to be intact, were Similarly, in the pot burials it is more likely that the intervening burials were in packed full of sand, the Cemetery of Suwa, which we are next to describe, of children, again and again they seemed so carefully where the vast majority of the graves belong to the closed that no sand could get in, and yet every one X X V I t h dynasty and Ptolemaic time.\ while those was full of sand. Often we felt convinced that the of the X V I I I t h or X l X t h dynasty and the Roman pot had been filled with sand at the time of the period are very scarce. The two cemcneries are but burial. On the other hand, in the case of the bricka mile apart, and they seem to be complementary. lined, and all the pot-burials, it is difficult not to What would tend to confirm this is that there are no see an attempt to separate the body from the soil. ruins of a Ptolemaic or X X V I t h dynasty town any- The same motive, which made them swathe the dead where near to the Cemetery of Suwa, except the ruins in linen or cotton, and which in several cases made of the ancient Goshen. Two miles to the east of Suwa, them place four or six large bricks as a protection beside another little modern town, which would stand to the face in a sand-pit grave, led to the protecting full two miles south of S a f t el Henneh (Goshen), we of the upper part of the body with a large pot (halffound a patch on the edge of the gezireh (now used pot graves), and to the double ziyeh burials, and as a modern cemetery), which was simply packed probably to coffin burials of every type. full of X V I I I t h dynasty interment? ; and away Judging by the contents, it would appear that all further south, on another portion (see lombs 217-47, the slipper-shaped coffins were burials of women, and Suwa Cem.), where all the surface sand had been just most of the brick-lined and covered graves contained piled in a large heap, preparatory to cultivation, we skeletons of men. The men appear to have been found burials of the same period (22c, 223, 231). buried without any accompaniment, except here and When we consider that the only town < f importance there a pot or two at the head. With the women, in this district, at this period, was Goshen, and that on the other hand, there seemed to have been buried no remains of any other ancient village are visible— everything in the way of dress and ornament and the district being then practically uninhabited (ac- household utensils, on which they set any particular cording to the inscription of Merenptah), we are value. The same holds true of the children's burials. almost driven to the conclusion that all these burials What a mother might be expected to keep as a belong to the same town. memento, was buried with the child—the beads, In the Cemetery of Saft, the part nearest to the bracelets, anklets, rings, and scarabs, which the child ancient site and the modern Saft contained the wore, were all deposited in the grave. Child-burials graves of the oldest date. As our men trenched probably belonging to the X X I I I r d dynasty have inwards to the south-west, the burials became later frequently a curious black and yellow double-face and later, till close on the market-place they were pendant bead or charm ; and in nearly all of them all Roman, and most were pot burial? of children. were found glaze figures of Bes, the protector of Nothing earlier than Ptolemaic was found on the infants. far western edge. Traces of mummy pits like It will be seen most of the pottery was found in those of Suwa were found, these containing piles of the brick-built graves, and the pots were generally bones all inextricably mixed up, and traces of mud placed at the head on the same level as the brick plaster, coloured white and pink, on the sides of covering of the grave. Often, however, small pots the pits. were found inside the brick lining, and sometimes it

THE

CEMETERY

appeared as if there had never been any brick covering. More that a dozen graves showed very clearly the cloth wrapping of bodies, and two were specially notable for the thick pink-coloured layers of decayed cloth found in them.

C H A P T E R T H E BY

C E M E T E R Y

V I I OF

J . GARROW DUNCAN,

SUWA B.D.

64. A B O U T one mile south of the gezireh of S a f t el Henneh, is another large stretch of unreclaimed gebel, with several villages built on the edge of it. The village of Soweh or Suwa is one of the largest and most beautiful of these. It stands on a part of the gezireh which was a cemetery much used in the later dynasties, and in Ptolemaic times. During our work here, our road led us through lovely groves of palm-trees, and the district around is probably one of the best wooded and watered parts of the Delta. Here and there one comes upon a village pond, with trees and shrubs down to its very edge, and looking more like a small lake, than a mere pond for the convenience of the villagers and their cattle. The Romans have left very distinct traces of their work, in the shape of deep brick-built draw-wells, and brick-built side outlets for irrigation from a canal, which must have been in use in their time, the course of which can still be easily traced. In a walk through this beautifully wooded region, I came upon several such indications of the presence of the Romans, but I found also, several basalt and limestone blocks, one of which bore part of the cartouche of Ramessu I I . On the western side of Suwa, the gezireh has been so much denuded by sebakh diggers, that most of the graves here were utterly destroyed, fragments of bones being visible all over the surface. One small part, however, remained, close on the edge of the henneh fields ; and this, as will be seen later, was sufficient to show that the burials in this denuded part had all been of Ptolemaic and Roman dates. A much greater part, and probably the more important and valuable, has been put under cultivation for the growth of henneh. When taking in a piece of gebel for cultivation, the natives begin by removing two or three feet of the surface sand, with a kind of flatbottomed drag, drawn by oxen, and they pile the

OF

SUWA

47

sand in heaps, using it up gradually for various purposes. In this way, they sometimes begin cultivating at a level only a few inches above graves, that probably contain valuable information, which is thus lost to the world, at least for the present, if not for ever. It was very annoying, in passing through the henneh fields, actually to see the rings of pot-mouths or pot-bottoms on the surface of the path, and yet be unable to unearth them. This lower portion of the gezireh west of Suwa, and close to it, was of comparatively soft sand, and easily worked, which explains why so much of it had been denuded. The higher portion was of very hard gebel, and the tombs there are accordingly of totally different classes. W e began work on the higher gebel, between Suwa and the modern cemetery to the west, and adopted very much the same methods as at Saft, where practicable. 65. The graves of this cemetery fall into the following classes: I. Sand-pits. II. Square pit graves, which had originally been covered probably with a dome roof of bricks, to a few feet above the ground ; these were plain, or lined with coloured plaster, or mummy pits. III. Four-chambered square pits, which had been roofed like Class II, and which had a built shaft for entrance, The chambers all communicated with each other. I V . Deep shaft-pit and chamber tombs; these all contained mummies of the Ptolemaic period. Modes of burial : I. Cloth wrapping. II. Mummifying. I I I . Clay face coffins. Most of these were found in square pit graves of Classes I I I and I V . I V . Wooden coffins. V . Stone coffins. The following is a description of the selected tombs : 66. I. SAND-PITS. This class of burial was found only in one portion of the cemetery. On the northeastern edge of the lower part, skirting the henneh fields, a narrow ridge of sand had been left, much less denuded by the sebakhin. Here about 70 graves were opened and recorded. T h e y belonged to what had been an extensive cemetery, covering all the lower and the softer part of the gezireh on the west of the village ; but, as already mentioned, by far the greater part of this lower cemetery had been destroyed through the removal of vast quantities of sand by the sebakhin. Here and there the remains of a grave

THE

CEMETERY

appeared as if there had never been any brick covering. More that a dozen graves showed very clearly the cloth wrapping of bodies, and two were specially notable for the thick pink-coloured layers of decayed cloth found in them.

C H A P T E R T H E BY

C E M E T E R Y

V I I OF

J . GARROW DUNCAN,

SUWA B.D.

64. A B O U T one mile south of the gezireh of S a f t el Henneh, is another large stretch of unreclaimed gebel, with several villages built on the edge of it. The village of Soweh or Suwa is one of the largest and most beautiful of these. It stands on a part of the gezireh which was a cemetery much used in the later dynasties, and in Ptolemaic times. During our work here, our road led us through lovely groves of palm-trees, and the district around is probably one of the best wooded and watered parts of the Delta. Here and there one comes upon a village pond, with trees and shrubs down to its very edge, and looking more like a small lake, than a mere pond for the convenience of the villagers and their cattle. The Romans have left very distinct traces of their work, in the shape of deep brick-built draw-wells, and brick-built side outlets for irrigation from a canal, which must have been in use in their time, the course of which can still be easily traced. In a walk through this beautifully wooded region, I came upon several such indications of the presence of the Romans, but I found also, several basalt and limestone blocks, one of which bore part of the cartouche of Ramessu I I . On the western side of Suwa, the gezireh has been so much denuded by sebakh diggers, that most of the graves here were utterly destroyed, fragments of bones being visible all over the surface. One small part, however, remained, close on the edge of the henneh fields ; and this, as will be seen later, was sufficient to show that the burials in this denuded part had all been of Ptolemaic and Roman dates. A much greater part, and probably the more important and valuable, has been put under cultivation for the growth of henneh. When taking in a piece of gebel for cultivation, the natives begin by removing two or three feet of the surface sand, with a kind of flatbottomed drag, drawn by oxen, and they pile the

OF

SUWA

47

sand in heaps, using it up gradually for various purposes. In this way, they sometimes begin cultivating at a level only a few inches above graves, that probably contain valuable information, which is thus lost to the world, at least for the present, if not for ever. It was very annoying, in passing through the henneh fields, actually to see the rings of pot-mouths or pot-bottoms on the surface of the path, and yet be unable to unearth them. This lower portion of the gezireh west of Suwa, and close to it, was of comparatively soft sand, and easily worked, which explains why so much of it had been denuded. The higher portion was of very hard gebel, and the tombs there are accordingly of totally different classes. W e began work on the higher gebel, between Suwa and the modern cemetery to the west, and adopted very much the same methods as at Saft, where practicable. 65. The graves of this cemetery fall into the following classes: I. Sand-pits. II. Square pit graves, which had originally been covered probably with a dome roof of bricks, to a few feet above the ground ; these were plain, or lined with coloured plaster, or mummy pits. III. Four-chambered square pits, which had been roofed like Class II, and which had a built shaft for entrance, The chambers all communicated with each other. I V . Deep shaft-pit and chamber tombs; these all contained mummies of the Ptolemaic period. Modes of burial : I. Cloth wrapping. II. Mummifying. I I I . Clay face coffins. Most of these were found in square pit graves of Classes I I I and I V . I V . Wooden coffins. V . Stone coffins. The following is a description of the selected tombs : 66. I. SAND-PITS. This class of burial was found only in one portion of the cemetery. On the northeastern edge of the lower part, skirting the henneh fields, a narrow ridge of sand had been left, much less denuded by the sebakhin. Here about 70 graves were opened and recorded. T h e y belonged to what had been an extensive cemetery, covering all the lower and the softer part of the gezireh on the west of the village ; but, as already mentioned, by far the greater part of this lower cemetery had been destroyed through the removal of vast quantities of sand by the sebakhin. Here and there the remains of a grave

48

THE CEMETERY OF SUWA

were f o u n d c o n t a i n i n g e n o u g h to indicate t h a t b e l o n g e d to the P t o l e m a i c and R o m a n periods, the rest o f the g r a v e s f o u n d on this ridge. depth measurements frequently show that there been c o n s i d e r a b l e d e n u d a t i o n on t h e r i d g e too. a r r a n g e m e n t o f the b o d y w a s the s a m e as a t el H e n n e h .

they like The had The Saft

G r a v e 47 w a s 60 inches 1, x 40 w. x 25 d. The b o d y h a d lain o n its b a c k , with the head to the west. T w o r e d pots, a b o u t 14 inches high, nos. 130, 210, a n o t h e r form, nos. 338, 339, w h i c h m a y be c o n v e n i e n t l y referred t o as the t w o - e a r e d c o o k i n g pot, and a v e r y small red pot, a b o u t 5 inches h i g h w i t h short o u t s l o p i n g n e c k , w e r e found in the t o m b . T h e first t y p e w a s similar to the p o t t e r y found a t S h a r a n b a , b u t rougher. I t had b e e n used a p p a r e n t l y for h o l d i n g s o m e d r y material, s u c h as m e a l or flour, a n d t h e neck, narrow in p r o p o r t i o n to the b o d y , w a s j u s t w i d e e n o u g h to a d m i t a w o m a n ' s hand. X X V I t h d y n a s t y . T o m b 59 : 70 x 50 w. x 40 d. T h e s k e l e t o n l a y o n t h e south side o f the pit, head to the west. A l o n g t h e north side, from the top corner d o w n w a r d s , w e r e a r r a n g e d a w i d e - m o u t h e d r o u g h red pot, no. 263, f o l l o w e d b y t w o other, no. 210. B o t h were burned b l a c k as if t h e y had been used for c o o k i n g , and on one l a y a saucer of t h e " l i d " t y p e , no. 229. T h e t o m b c o n t a i n e d also a b l a c k s a u c e r of Ptolemaic m a k e , as no. 218. T o m b 61 m e a s u r e d 70 x 50 x 40 w. T h e skeleton l a y o n b a c k , w i t h the h e a d to the west. U n d e r the feet w a s a d e e p r o u g h red basin with flat b o t t o m , no. 225 ; a n d b e t w e e n the left l e g and the side of t h e t o m b a red p o t w i t h p o i n t e d b o t t o m , no. 132, a j a r , no. 154, and a smaller pot w i t h t w o black b a n d s , no. 293. X X X t h d y n a s t y . T o m b 63 w a s normal, a n d c o n t a i n e d t w o l o n g pots, no. 205, w h i c h h a d held grain, and were sealed w i t h m u d . T h e y s t o o d by the left foot and right shouldei". A t t h e left shoulder stood a l o n g w h i t e d o u b l e - e a r e d water-pot, w i t h pointed b o t t o m , no. 212. T o m b 7 9 : 60 x 40 d. x 30 w. H e a d to north-west. N o bones. P t o l e m a i c coin f r o m centre. Five glazed figures f r o m w h e r e the skull had been, including o n e Bes, t w o d o u b l e - f a c e pendants, and o n e pot, no. 205. T o m b 83 c o n t a i n e d t h e potsherd w i t h the three lines of d e m o t i c inscription, X X X I X L , 1 6 ; the s a m e w o r d s b e i n g w r i t t e n three times with slight modification. M o s t o f these sand-pits had been rifled before, as is plain from the c o m p l e t e a b s e n c e of bones from m a n y , a n d the w a y the p o t s were f o u n d in them.

T h e p o t t e r y w a s f r e q u e n t l y l y i n g in a h e a p in t h e centre, and as often b o t t o m u p as otherwise. 6 7 . II. PITS, P L A I N AND COLOUR-PLASTERED. O n the h i g h e r g e b e l there w a s a large n u m b e r o f square-pit g r a v e s c u t in the hard soil. Sometimes the sides of these w e r e plastered w i t h plain m u d plaster. A few were c o v e r e d w i t h a finer plaster, and coloured blue, white, or p i n k , or c o n t a i n e d c o l o u r e d c l a y coffins. B o t h t y p e s are varieties of o n e class. O f t e n the pits were so d e n u d e d t h a t it w a s i m p o s s i b l e t o s a y with c e r t a i n t y w h a t class t h e y b e l o n g e d to, a n d several of t h e m were s i m p l y m a s s e s of b o n e s f r o m broken mummies. In o n e part o f the c e m e t e r y , w h e r e g r a v e robbers h a d left a h o l l o w of c o n s i d e r a b l e size, the sides of the hollow s h o w e d b o n e s p r o t r u d i n g in confusion, and in such numbers, that t h e p l a c e had t h e a p p e a r a n c e of h a v i n g been used as o n e l a r g e g r a v e , into w h i c h bodies had been p a c k e d till it could hold n o more. A m o n g s o m e of these, w h e r e b o d i e s h a d been piled a b o v e e a c h other w i t h e v i d e n t l y n o t h i n g b e t w e e n , our m e n found s u c h quantities of blue g l a z e b e a d s of various forms, as took s o m e t i m e s t w o d a y s ' s t e a d y w o r k to separate from t h e soil. A . Coloured plaster tombs. G r a v e 1 w a s a pit 60 inches x 50 w . x 30 d., and c o n t a i n e d at least 4 skeletons, three side b y s i d e — t w o w i t h head to south, o n e h e a d to north. A fourth l a y under o n e o f these. T h e y had n o t been m u m m i e d , b u t all a p p e a r e d t o h a v e b e e n enclosed in plaster a n d m u d coffins. The s i d e s of the pit w e r e c o v e r e d w i t h p i n k - c o l o u r e d plaster. G r a v e 39 h a d its sides similarly plastered, m e a s u r i n g 80 x 60 x 25 inches d e e p . T r a c e s w e r e f o u n d of t w o skeletons, l y i n g o n right side with heads t o west. S c a t t e r e d o v e r the t o m b w e r e eleven pots, nos. 163, 165, 200, 249, 259, 319. M o s t of them w e r e full of h a r d m u d , as if t h e y had c o n t a i n e d liquid. X X X t h dynasty. B . Plain pits. S o m e of these had c o n t a i n e d m u m m i e s ; o t h e r s were plain burials w i t h the corpse placed inside a b r i c k - b u i l t coffin ; and in others w e found c o m p l e t e c l a y faces, w h i c h had b e e n a f f i x e d to t h e lids of r o u g h clay coffins. G r a v e 99 w a s an o r d i n a r y p i t of this class, a n d had b e e n rifled. In it were f o u n d t w o small b l u e g l a z e d figures a n d a c l a y m o u l d e d face, c o v e r e d w i t h w h i t e plaster, and p a i n t e d g r e e n . T h e g l a z e d figures are u n q u e s t i o n a b l y X V I I Ith d y n a s t y w o r k , and g i v e us thus a d a t e for these c l a y faces. T h e y m u s t at least h a v e been used at t h a t period.

49

PIT TOMBS G r a v e 23 w a s a s q u a r e pit, w h i c h p r o b a b l y had an arched roof a b o v e g r o u n d ; b u t it is q u i t e possible t h a t it had been o r i g i n a l l y a d e e p shaft-pit g r a v e . I n s i d e were several m u m m i e s laid o n e a b o v e another, all m o r e or less d e s t r o y e d . B e t w e e n t w o of t h e m l a y three inscribed altars, PI. X X X I X . T h r e e small r o u g h red pots, no. 147, w e r e found in the filling. X X V I t h dynasty. G r a v e 89 w a s cemetery. It w a s In it was f o u n d a a thick mud c a k e

close on the e d g e of the m o d e r n almost entirely w a s t e d b y sebakkin. b r o n z e situla ( X X X V I I I A ) w i t h in the b o t t o m .

G r a v e 95 w a s a large square brick-lined pit, now about 40 inches deep, and 80 inches each side. It m u s t have been roofed with b r i c k s o r i g i n a l l y , w h i c h had fallen in. T h e skeleton lay on a brick-built ledge in t h e centre, and w a s b r i c k e d round a n d overhead. A b o v e the brick c o v e r i n g over t h e right shoulder and arm, were laid t h r e e b r o n z e situlae ( X X X V I I I A). H a l f - w a y d o w n the filling w a s a r o u g h red bowl, no. 2 5 1 . T h e c l a y f a c e of a w o m a n , plastered white, w i t h e y e s and e y e - b r o w s d o n e in b l a c k , and a blue g l a z e uza e y e , c o m p l e t e the contents. T h e g r a v e h a d been opened before, t h o u g h t h e s k e l e t o n r e m a i n e d e v i d e n t l y untouched in its brick-built coffin. It lay on the b a c k , with head on right side, and to the west. Probably X X V I t h dynasty. G r a v e r o i measured 80 x 80 x 40 inches. In it were found a limestone figure of B a s t (?) and a limestone bead, a b l u e g l a z e uza eye, fifteen small pots and a small altar of o f f e r i n g s all scattered in the filling. T h e pots represent altogether t w e l v e different t y p e s , nos. 149, 157, 158, 159, 167, 177, 179, 189, 194, 195, 198 A , 265, the most notable of w h i c h is the small pot with the d w a r f ears, w h i c h serve also as the ears o f a B e s f a c e incised on the side of it. A clay face, plastered white, w a s also found in it. XXVIth dynasty. In g r a v e 131 were found a g r e e n g l a z e elephant p e n d a n t or c h a r m , a blue g l a z e uza e y e , d a r k b l u e c a t and B a s t pendants, and several small fiat g l a z e beads. X X V I t h d y n a s t y . G r a v e 17 r w a s perhaps the best s p e c i m e n w h i c h w e f o u n d of a square pit brick-built a n d arched over. It w a s r o o f e d w i t h red b u r n t b r i c k s a b o u t three feet d o w n , and the men c u t t h r o u g h the roof. N o trace of a n y o t h e r entrance could be found. T h e r e were at least t w e n t y - n i n e skulls in the t o m b . N o t h i n g else was found b u t a few uza e y e b e a d s of the X X V I t h d y n a s t y colour.

G r a v e 205. I n this t o m b several pieces of blue g l a z e N a u k r a t i t e w a r e w e r e found, of w h i c h o n e p i e c e w a s d e c o r a t e d w i t h t h e A s s y r i a n w i n g e d lion. The rest of the saucer s h o w e d o t h e r traces of S y r i a n influence, no. 16. T h e b o w l 242 w a s here also. G r a v e s 25 a n d 26 contained masses of m u m m y bones, in an i n e x t r i c a b l e j u m b l e . In 25 were found t h r e e g l a z e figures of a n e c k l a c e , and a t the p e l v i s , b e a d s of t h e usual t y p e . In 26 were s i x skulls, and t w o small pots, nos. 280, 322, and a b l u e g l a z e figure of Bast. T h e small round pot contained c a k e d mud. B o t h are of P t o l e m a i c date. G r a v e 90 m e a s u r e d 70 inches x 60 w. x 30 d. O n e side o f it c o n t a i n e d a skeleton on b a c k with head to the south. A m u d face, finely moulded, l a y on t h e face of the skull. A blue g l a z e d n e c k l a c e w a s found a t t h e neck. Ptolemaic. G r a v e 128 w a s P t o l e m a i c . It w a s brick-walled, and the shaft entrance r e m a i n e d also brick-built, s h o w i n g h o w these g r a v e s w e r e entered. A red saucer, with ring b o t t o m , several flat blue g l a z e d beads, a c r y s t a l b e a d , several g l a z e figures, and a r e m a r k a b l e b e a r d e d double-face p e n d a n t were found scattered in t h e t o m b . It had been rifled. 68. I I I . FOUR-CHAMBERED SQUARE PITS. The surface of these had in s o m e cases been so w o r n a w a y , t h a t the c h a m b e r s were o f t e n n o t more than 40 inches deep. O r i g i n a l l y the b o d y of the t o m b had been e x c a v a t e d in the hard g e b e l . Walls of sun-dried brick were then built in, d i v i d i n g it into four rooms of a b o u t equal dimensions, and in each wall a door w a s left so t h a t one could w a l k round the w h o l e enclosure f r o m a n y o n e of t h e m . The w h o l e had a f t e r w a r d s been roofed with b r i c k , the r o o f t a k i n g the form of a d o m e or arch. T h i s t y p e of t o m b is well k n o w n at N e b e s h e h and R e t a b e h , of the X X I I I r d — X X V I t h dynasties. O n o n e side a square pit w i t h or w i t h o u t steps led d o w n to the o n l y entrance. T o m b s of a v e r y similar class are built a t the present d a y on the south-eastern e d g e of the g e z i r e h of S a f t el H e n n e h ; t h e y are u s u a l l y altogether u n d e r g r o u n d , and covered o v e r with sand e x c e p t the e n t r a n c e p i t It is e a s y to see t h a t t o m b s of this class w o u l d be an e a s y p r e y to the spoiler. T o m b s 106 a n d 108 were a d j a c e n t c h a m b e r s of a pit of this class. T h e other t w o c h a m b e r s were empty. T h e whole w a s 18 feet square, and a b o u t 42 inches deep. T h e d i v i d i n g brick w a l l s were 3 feet t h i c k , and the c h a m b e r s were all c l o s e l y e q u a l in size. B o n e s w e r e found in both, and the s k e l e t o n s w e r e

7

T H E CEMETERY OF SUWA apparently arranged in the usual w a y , with the head to the south-west, and lying on the back. In tomb 1 0 6 three pots were found (nos. 1 5 1 , 1 7 7 , 309), ail of them X X V I t h dynasty types, and fine blue glaze pendant figures. In tomb 1 0 8 there were masses of bones belonging to at least six skeletons. S i x clay faces, painted black and white, and t w o of them with red were found, though not all complete. Three blue glaze figures, a lead earring, and one uza eye bead were also picked up in the filling. T o m b 1 3 5 adjacent contained seven pots of similar types and a bronze bracelet. Of these pots one had distinct traces of burnt ashes inside. In another traces of grain, in another of mud, a n d in another a lump of bitumen were found. F o r :ypes of pots, which were all scattered, see nos. 1 3 9 , 154, 195, 196, 2 8 7 , 296. T h e stand no. 1 1 3 m a y be an earlier piece re-used. X X X t h dynasty. T o m b s 109, 1 1 4 , 1 1 5 , 1 1 6 formed another such tomb. T h e whole measured 1 9 feet square and 3 6 inches deep. T h e dividing walls were 34 inches wide, and the rooms practically equal in size. The bodies lay as usual on back and with head to the south. In 109 one skeleton had been on a raised brick ledge running down the centre. T w o others, or more, had been buried, one on eac h side of it. On the east side a large quantity of g l a z e beads, of 5 different colours, were taken from the pelvis of one skeleton. T h e y were of the type usually found in the same position. A well-made reel pot tapering to a blunt point at the bottom, and with mouth broken, lay at the head. One clay face, a blue glaze bird pendant, and a blue gl.i/.e figure of Bast were also found in the filling. A t the head of the burial on the western side wore found a small flat limestone slab, well-finishe:!, measuring about 8 inches square and 1 inch thiol., and what had been the base or capital of a small limestone pillar. T h i s latter measured about 5 riches square at bottom, and the circular part above it was about 4 inches in diameter (see A . 76). Neither was inscribed. Behind these two stones at the very head of this burial on the western side three pots stood— one a curious red baked drinking pot of the X V I I I t h d y n a s t y (see P L X X X V I I A ) , with a gazelle's head at the bottom. T h e other two were of much coarser types and distinctly of a late make, no. 3 1 8 . No beads were found. In the centre the skeleton lay in a brick-lined space, and had been covered over with bricks, another

burial having been placed on the top of it at a later date. A t the pelvis of the lower skeleton a large quantity of beads of the usual type were found. In tomb 1 1 4 , j a r no. 2 1 3 was found. T o m b 1 1 5 was the south-west chamber of the group. On the east side of it, with the head just at the door leading into tomb 1 1 6 , the body evidently of a woman had been buried. A t the chest and pelvis large quantities of glaze beads were found, of five different kinds. T h o s e found at the pelvis were of the usual type, and coloured red, blue, and black. A t the chest beads of this type were m i x e d with small round glaze, single and double, beads. In this same chamber at the door leading into tomb 1 0 9 three small vases of the Greek black and red type were found, nos. 17, 18, 19. T h e y had evidently been buried at the feet of a skeleton, which had entirely disappeared, and they lay quite close to the three pots found in tomb 109. In all these four chambers the skeletons lay on the back, and the head invariably pointed to the south-west side of the tomb. T h e y were not mummies, the bones were all white, and they had probably all been originally enclosed in rough mud coffins with clay modelled and painted faces on the lids, as in neighbouring tombs of the same type. T o m b 190 ( S . W . corner) c o n t a i n e d b r o n z e rings, blue g l a z e p e n d a n t S j and a black and yellow d o u b l e face p e n d a n t . 69. I V . SHAFT-PIT AND CHAMBER TOMBS. T h e s e were all m u m m y tombs of the Ptolemaic period, and naturally they were found in the part of There the gezireh where the ground was hard gebel. had at one time been a great many more than now exist, and we left many unopened. A t several places the natives, not caring to seek the shaft, or in the process of carrying a w a y the black earth for sebakh, had worked straight in from the face of the upper part of the gezireh, often thus clearing a w a y the shaft and all the earth above the roof of the chamber, so that we found chambers of shaft-pit tombs on the present ground-level. Several of these had elaborate stairways down to them to a depth of 1 2 or 1 5 feet, but usually there was simply a shaft of about 3 0 inches square leading straight down. A t the bottom of the shaft the doors of the chamber were invariably built up with brick. A s a rule no jewellery or pottery was found in any of these, nor any indication of the date beyond what the mummies themselves afforded. In one or two altar slabs were found. T h e y will be noted afterwards.

SHAFT AND CHAMBER TOMBS T o m b 143. A b o u t 10 inches d o w n the s h a f t an inscribed flat altar w a s found in the filling, w h i c h had e v i d e n t l y been t h r o w n back a t the last m o m e n t w h e n t h e t o m b w a s rifled. A t the b o t t o m of t h e shaft, close to the brick-built wall w h i c h s h u t t h e door o f the chamber, w a s a n o t h e r c o m p l e t e limestone altar, and u n d e r the b r i c k s a portion of a third w a s f o u n d . T o m b 146. A t the b o t t o m o f t h e s h a f t the d o o r of the c h a m b e r had been built u p with b u r n t bricks, a f t e r w a r d s c o v e r e d with a - t h i c k c o a t i n g of m u d plaster and painted red. Several mummies were found in the chamber, all b a d l y b r o k e n . Near the side wall of t h e c h a m b e r t w o more of these fiat altars, o n e inscribed, w e r e found (no. 42). A small black pot, n e c k broken, w a s also f o u n d in the filling. T o m b 21. H e r e the shaft w a s a b o u t 12 feet d e e p and the c h a m b e r measured 8 feet x 4. T w o bodies l a y side b y side on b a c k w i t h h e a d s t o the west. T h e y w e r e finely gilded m u m m i e s of the P t o l e m a i c t y p e , b u t so brittle t h a t even t h e h e a d s c o u l d n o t be r e m o v e d entire. T o m b 41. T h e shaft w a s q u i t e c u t a w a y here b y sebakhin. A terra-cotta figure of a w o m a n w i t h a large a u r e o l e behind the head, was f o u n d in the filling only 30 inches under the present surface : this t y p e is c o m m o n in e a r l y R o m a n times. 70. T H E DISPOSITION OF THE BODY. F r o m the v a r i o u s burials described, it will be seen that, in the disposition of the b o d y , five m e t h o d s w e r e followed in this c e m e t e r y . (1) W r a p p i n g . In t h e sand-pits, the b o d y had s i m p l y been s w a t h e d in linen, a n d placed on its back, w i t h the h a n d s b y the sides, and the h e a d as near as possible to the west. (2) M u m m i f y i n g . A f t e r t h e b o d y w a s preserved, it w a s w r a p p e d in m a n y folds of coarse linen, plastered on t h e surface, a n d painted and g i l d e d . T h e b o d y w a s laid in the u s u a l direction, h e a d to west. (3) C l a y face coffins. In all the square pit tombs, w h e t h e r four-chambered or not, the b o d i e s seem first to have been w r a p p e d in cloth, t h e n p l a c e d in a rough c l a y coffin, one of w h i c h w e f o u n d c o m p l e t e . O n the lid of the coffin, a b o v e t h e face of the d e a d , a c l a y face, modelled and painted, w a s a f f i x e d e v i d e n t l y b y w o o d e n pins. T h e holes w h e r e these had pierced, t h e faces could be seen. F r o m the v a r i e t y of t y p e s found, it a p p e a r s that the c l a y faces were intended to reproduce the features of the dead. T h e a r r a n g e m e n t otherwise was as usual. G r e a t quantities o f b e a d s a n d p e n d a n t figures ( g l a z e d ) were f o u n d in this class of burial.

5t

F o r c l a y faces see g r a v e s 15, 30, 90, 99, 1 0 1 , 102, 108, 118, 119, 155, 173. (4) W o o d e n coffins. In s o m e cases w o o d e n coffins w e r e used, a n d one c o m p l e t e w o o d e n coffin w a s f o u n d in g r a v e 28, e n c l o s i n g a m u m m y of a t y p e b e l o n g i n g to the P t o l e m a i c period. In t o m b s 1 and 12 p a r t i c u l a r l y distinct t r a c e s of w o o d e n coffins were found. T h e a r r a n g e m e n t o t h e r wise w a s n o r m a l , and the b u r i a l in a square pit. ( 5 ) S t o n e coffin. O n l y o n e such w a s found. It s e e m e d to h a v e b e e n buried a t t h e b o t t o m of t h e s h a f t of t o m b 23, w h e r e the first limestone altars w e r e found. It m e a s u r e d 9 f e e t l o n g x 3 w. x 3 d., a n d contained a m u m m y . T h e coffin h a d been h o l l o w e d o u t of a s i n g l e b l o c k of limestone, and t h e lid w a s so m a s s i v e t h a t it n e e d e d five or s i x men to r e m o v e it. T h e r e w a s n o inscription inside or out. 7 1 . T H E G R A V E S A T A L I M A R A H . T w o or three miles to the south-east o f S u w a a l o n g t h e g e z i r e h there is a v i l l a g e n a m e d A l i M a r a h , close t o w h i c h is an a n c i e n t c e m e t e r y n o w almost e n t i r e l y w i t h i n the b o u n d s of the m o d e r n c e m e t e r y . Twenty-two g r a v e s w e r e e x a m i n e d here o n the confines of the modern cemetery, and every one proved to belong to the X V I I I t h o r X l X t h d y n a s t y . T h e y were all plain s a n d - p i t s or brick-lined g r a v e s , and in all details of a r r a n g e m e n t closely r e s e m b l e d the burials of the s a m e d a t e in the g e z i r e h o f S a f t el Henneh. G r a v e 2 1 7 w a s a p o t t e r y f a c e coffin burial (slippershaped), a n d c o n t a i n e d ten small p o t s o f various t y p e s b e l o n g i n g t o the X V I I I t h a n d X l X t h dynasties, t w o scarabs, b l u e p e n d a n t s and other beads, a s m a l l w h i t e g l a z e p o t w i t h m u d in the bottom, a n d s o m e bronze. T h e p o t s included t w o of the C y p r i o t e t y p e , no. 6, o n e d o u b l e - e a r e d , see rio. m . a n d other foreign vases, nos. 4, 5, 7, a n d 8, three a l a b a s t e r p o t s ( X X X I X L , 2), and five larger, nos. 55, 56, 61, 93, and 106. A coffin f a c e a n d t w o small red saucers c o m p l e t e d the contents. T h e burial w a s n o r m a l in arrangement. In g r a v e s 226 and 232 g o l d earrings w e r e found. G r a v e s 228 to 247 were all in this place, and the p o t t e r y a n d b e a d s found in t h e m are all of the s a m e period. In 237 t h r e e g o l d earrings, and two X V I I I t h d y n a s t y pots, t h r e e scarabs, a n d blue g l a z e p e n d a n t s of s a m e d a t e were found. A little f u r t h e r to the south in a p a t c h of sand j u s t b e i n g prepared for cultivation, several g r a v e s were found b e l o n g i n g to the s a m e date.

T H E C E M E T E R Y OF S U W A

$2

G r a v e s 2 2 0 t o 2 2 3 w e r e situated here. brick-lined

to

the

h e i g h t of

220 was

the b o d y , a n d

brick-

covered, and contained one pilgrim-bottle, no. 1 1 1 . G r a v e 2 2 1 w a s a s h a l l o w and narrow m u d grave,

and

contained

one

red

pot

of

7 3 . T h e first p r o b l e m before us was, if possible, to settle

the

relative d a t e s of

the sand wall, and

large brick w a l l visible outside of it.

brick

X V I I Ith

the

F r o m the first,

e v e r y evidence p o i n t e d to the sand wall h a v i n g been s u p e r i m p o s e d upon the brick wall at

a

much

later

d y n a s t y , full of c a k e d mud, a n d a large white basin

date.

o f the s a m e period.

the sand, y e t a b o v e the level of the brick wall, several

Grave

222

w a s a pottery coffin burial

head to the west.

with the

I n s i d e of it were found t w o j a s p e r

Outside

feet of

town

rubbish

is discernible.

A b o u t ten or

fifteen feet up in the sand also are traces of a h u m a n settlement, as if the w o r k m e n h a d s t a y e d there d u r i n g

hair-rings. Grave

A t the east end of the s a n d w a l l u n d e r n e a t h

223

w a s a brick-built and covered

grave.

of the c o v e r i n g at the head stood a large

T h e g r a v e s of A l i M a r a h and this patch of gezireh been c o m m e n t e d

on in rny notes

In b o t h these c a s e s

the rubbish l a y , not as if it had been piled there from some other place, b u t the sherds, &c., lay e x a c t l y as

red pot of the s a m e t y p e and date as in ^;rave 2 2 1 . have already

the m a k i n g of the fortification.

on

w e find t h e m where there has been habitation. t o p of several houses, w h i c h are of the s a m e

the C e m e t e r y of Goshen.

On

the south-west corner the sand wall passes over the period

a n d a t the s a m e level as the brick wall, while at other points also it w a s seen that the sand passed o v e r the

CHAPTER

VIII

t o p s of m a n y houses t h a t had belonged to the original

S H A G H A N B E H , * OR B U R R U E L Y U S E F — " T H E PITS OF J O S E P H " BY

J.

GARROW

DUNCAN,

B.I).

7 2 . T E L L S H A G H A N B E H lies about one hour's w a l k fortifications, c r o w n e d b y the t o m b of a s h e y k h , can T h e small v i l l a g e of

S h a g h a n b e h and its t w o cemeteries c o v c r about o n e third

of

the

ruins.

Like

Tell

It is plain that the s a n d w a l l traversed the r e m a i n s of

Yehud

it

closely

n o w inside of it, now on the t o p of it.

large part o f the sand wall still remains ;

which,

remains o f the brick wall, even as an outside retaining w a l l for the sand, e x c e p t at the east end, where I feel sure that the brick wall had stood at a greater height, and h a d been thus e m p l o y e d . H a l f - w a y a l o n g the e a s t side, h o w e v e r , the brick wall is a l m o s t c o m p l e t e l y u n d e r the s a n d wall, a n d

t a k e n t o g e t h e r with the a m o u n t of sand at the foot,

ends in a

s h o w s that it had originally reachcd a much g r e a t e r

to

h e i g h t than at present.

point not a

The

highest

point

of

the

T h e builders

of the sand w a l l e v i d e n t l y did not care to use the

resembles the s a n d - w a l l e d town at T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h . A

W h e n w e traced the e d g e s

of the brick w a l l itself f u r t h e r confirmation w a s found. t h e brick wall with little r e g a r d to its direction, b e i n g

n o r t h - w e s t of B e l b e y s , and the loftiest of the ancient be seen f r o m B e l b e y s station.

b r i c k - w a l l e d fortification.

a

finished

gate

in

face, which

the original

trace

of

must

have

fortification.

the m a s s i v e

belonged From

brick w a l l

this could

r e m a i n i n g part of the sand wall is a b o u t f o r t y feet

b e found on this side, b u t a little distance from its

a b o v e the level of the surrounding fields, and, on the

inner f a c e the inside retaining wall of the s a n d w a s

t o p of this, men are c o n s t a n t l y grubbing and c a r r y i n g

found, on

a w a y the s a n d for building purposes or fr-r

shows ; and this smaller wall ( t h o u g h the s a n d h a s

sebakh.

T h e fact that this place is b y popular associated with the patriarch

tradition

J o s e p h , and

generally

been of

older fort.

the X V I I Ith

certain XXIInd

assign

or

the

plan now

the s a n d fort b l o c k e d up even

the g a t e s of

the

not of the

T h e brick wall had a b r e a d t h of 3 3 or 3 5 feet at the b o t t o m , and s e e m s to h a v e sloped i n w a r d s on the

anything

t o the X X V I t h

d y n a s t y , if

scale, as

T h e earliest date which w e can for to

XlXth

smaller

c o m p l e t e l y r e m o v e d , a n d the people are

us to hope for e v i d e n c e of a settlement here as e a r l y H y k s o s period.

much

again using the old e n t r a n c e ) s h o w s that the builders

k n o w n as the B u r r u el Y u s e f , " the pits of J o s e p h , " led as

a very

found

here is from the

dynasties;

but

the

town

p r o b a b l y w a s older, and it seems likely to have been

outer height

f a c e till the of

160

top was

inches

the

much surface

narrower. breadth

In a

at

that

level w a s about 7 0 inches n a r r o w e r than the b r e a d t h

one of the fortified grain cities of the period of the

at the bottom.

e x p u l s i o n of the H y k s o s from L o w e r E g y p t .

of the east side, w h e r e the g a t e had been, right r o u n d

* [On pp. 1, 2, 33, this is mis-spelled Sharanba, owing to my having been misinformed at first.—W. M . F . I'.]

W e traced the w a l l from the m i d d l e

b y the south to the m o u n d of where

another

face o f the wall

the

sheykh's

tomb,

is still visible

and

T H E C E M E T E R Y OF S U W A

$2

G r a v e s 2 2 0 t o 2 2 3 w e r e situated here. brick-lined

to

the

h e i g h t of

220 was

the b o d y , a n d

brick-

covered, and contained one pilgrim-bottle, no. 1 1 1 . G r a v e 2 2 1 w a s a s h a l l o w and narrow m u d grave,

and

contained

one

red

pot

of

7 3 . T h e first p r o b l e m before us was, if possible, to settle

the

relative d a t e s of

the sand wall, and

large brick w a l l visible outside of it.

brick

X V I I Ith

the

F r o m the first,

e v e r y evidence p o i n t e d to the sand wall h a v i n g been s u p e r i m p o s e d upon the brick wall at

a

much

later

d y n a s t y , full of c a k e d mud, a n d a large white basin

date.

o f the s a m e period.

the sand, y e t a b o v e the level of the brick wall, several

Grave

222

w a s a pottery coffin burial

head to the west.

with the

I n s i d e of it were found t w o j a s p e r

Outside

feet of

town

rubbish

is discernible.

A b o u t ten or

fifteen feet up in the sand also are traces of a h u m a n settlement, as if the w o r k m e n h a d s t a y e d there d u r i n g

hair-rings. Grave

A t the east end of the s a n d w a l l u n d e r n e a t h

223

w a s a brick-built and covered

grave.

of the c o v e r i n g at the head stood a large

T h e g r a v e s of A l i M a r a h and this patch of gezireh been c o m m e n t e d

on in rny notes

In b o t h these c a s e s

the rubbish l a y , not as if it had been piled there from some other place, b u t the sherds, &c., lay e x a c t l y as

red pot of the s a m e t y p e and date as in ^;rave 2 2 1 . have already

the m a k i n g of the fortification.

on

w e find t h e m where there has been habitation. t o p of several houses, w h i c h are of the s a m e

the C e m e t e r y of Goshen.

On

the south-west corner the sand wall passes over the period

a n d a t the s a m e level as the brick wall, while at other points also it w a s seen that the sand passed o v e r the

CHAPTER

VIII

t o p s of m a n y houses t h a t had belonged to the original

S H A G H A N B E H , * OR B U R R U E L Y U S E F — " T H E PITS OF J O S E P H " BY

J.

GARROW

DUNCAN,

B.I).

7 2 . T E L L S H A G H A N B E H lies about one hour's w a l k fortifications, c r o w n e d b y the t o m b of a s h e y k h , can T h e small v i l l a g e of

S h a g h a n b e h and its t w o cemeteries c o v c r about o n e third

of

the

ruins.

Like

Tell

It is plain that the s a n d w a l l traversed the r e m a i n s of

Yehud

it

closely

n o w inside of it, now on the t o p of it.

large part o f the sand wall still remains ;

which,

remains o f the brick wall, even as an outside retaining w a l l for the sand, e x c e p t at the east end, where I feel sure that the brick wall had stood at a greater height, and h a d been thus e m p l o y e d . H a l f - w a y a l o n g the e a s t side, h o w e v e r , the brick wall is a l m o s t c o m p l e t e l y u n d e r the s a n d wall, a n d

t a k e n t o g e t h e r with the a m o u n t of sand at the foot,

ends in a

s h o w s that it had originally reachcd a much g r e a t e r

to

h e i g h t than at present.

point not a

The

highest

point

of

the

T h e builders

of the sand w a l l e v i d e n t l y did not care to use the

resembles the s a n d - w a l l e d town at T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h . A

W h e n w e traced the e d g e s

of the brick w a l l itself f u r t h e r confirmation w a s found. t h e brick wall with little r e g a r d to its direction, b e i n g

n o r t h - w e s t of B e l b e y s , and the loftiest of the ancient be seen f r o m B e l b e y s station.

b r i c k - w a l l e d fortification.

a

finished

gate

in

face, which

the original

trace

of

must

have

fortification.

the m a s s i v e

belonged From

brick w a l l

this could

r e m a i n i n g part of the sand wall is a b o u t f o r t y feet

b e found on this side, b u t a little distance from its

a b o v e the level of the surrounding fields, and, on the

inner f a c e the inside retaining wall of the s a n d w a s

t o p of this, men are c o n s t a n t l y grubbing and c a r r y i n g

found, on

a w a y the s a n d for building purposes or fr-r

shows ; and this smaller wall ( t h o u g h the s a n d h a s

sebakh.

T h e fact that this place is b y popular associated with the patriarch

tradition

J o s e p h , and

generally

been of

older fort.

the X V I I Ith

certain XXIInd

assign

or

the

plan now

the s a n d fort b l o c k e d up even

the g a t e s of

the

not of the

T h e brick wall had a b r e a d t h of 3 3 or 3 5 feet at the b o t t o m , and s e e m s to h a v e sloped i n w a r d s on the

anything

t o the X X V I t h

d y n a s t y , if

scale, as

T h e earliest date which w e can for to

XlXth

smaller

c o m p l e t e l y r e m o v e d , a n d the people are

us to hope for e v i d e n c e of a settlement here as e a r l y H y k s o s period.

much

again using the old e n t r a n c e ) s h o w s that the builders

k n o w n as the B u r r u el Y u s e f , " the pits of J o s e p h , " led as

a very

found

here is from the

dynasties;

but

the

town

p r o b a b l y w a s older, and it seems likely to have been

outer height

f a c e till the of

160

top was

inches

the

much surface

narrower. breadth

In a

at

that

level w a s about 7 0 inches n a r r o w e r than the b r e a d t h

one of the fortified grain cities of the period of the

at the bottom.

e x p u l s i o n of the H y k s o s from L o w e r E g y p t .

of the east side, w h e r e the g a t e had been, right r o u n d

* [On pp. 1, 2, 33, this is mis-spelled Sharanba, owing to my having been misinformed at first.—W. M . F . I'.]

W e traced the w a l l from the m i d d l e

b y the south to the m o u n d of where

another

face o f the wall

the

sheykh's

tomb,

is still visible

and

TWO ACES OF FORTIFYING w h e r e the direction o f t h e a n c i e n t street (still t r a c e a b l e ) s h o w s there h a d p r o b a b l y been a n o t h e r g a t e . F r o m the sheykh's t o m b round the north side o n l y o n e trace o f it w a s found. It has apparently b e e n c o m p l e t e l y carried a w a y b y t h e sebakhin. A t t w o points t h i s w a l l still r e m a i n s t o a c o n s i d e r a b l e h e i g h t , n a m e l y in t h i s m o u n d o f the s h e y k h ( a b o u t 50 feet h i g h ) and in a part o f t h e t o w n t o the south of it w h e r e it h a s been b u i l t u p o n , a n d s o been p r e s e r v e d , j u s t as t h e c e m e t e r y on t h e s h e y k h ' s m o u n d h a s p r e s e r v e d it. U n d e r n e a t h t h e b u i l d i n g s here a portion o f t h e sand w a l l still remains, a p p a r e n t l y g o i n g o f f a t r i g h t a n g l e s t o the d i r e c t i o n o f t h e original wall. This p o r t i o n o f t h e sand w a l l is 38^ feet b r o a d , a n d is e n c l o s e d b e t w e e n t w o b r i c k w a l l s 15 o r 18 feet thick. H e r e in f a c t there is a piece o f w a l l 68 feet l o n g o f solid b r i c k w o r k , w h e r e this o f f s h o o t l e a v e s t h e o r i g i n a l brick fortification. T h e s h e y k h ' s m o u n d is r e a l l y s o l i d b r i c k w o r k , b e i n g t h e w e s t c o r n e r of t h e o r i g i n a l fort, a n d h e r e the w a l l is 33 feet w i d e , a t a h e i g h t o f a b o u t 30 f e e t a b o v e t h e level of the ruins. T h e b r i c k w a l l all r o u n d this c o m e r w a s s t r e n g t h e n e d o n the o u t s i d e w i t h a sloping face of black mud plaster for three-quarters of the h e i g h t , a n d there is n o t h i n g t o s h o w t h a t this face w a s not p a r t of t h e o r i g i n a l fortification. The s i z e o f the b r i c k s is xo inches l o n g , 5 w i d e a n d 2\ t h i c k . F r o m t h e e v i d e n c e t h e n it w o u l d a p p e a r t h a t o r i g i n a l l y this w a s a s t r o n g l y fortified p l a c e , surr o u n d e d with m a s s i v e b r i c k walls, t h e w e s t a n d e a s t c o r n e r s b e i n g s p e c i a l l y fortified. T h a t it s t o o d a s i e g e is h i g h l y p r o b a b l e , a n d t h i s p e r h a p s e x p l a i n s t h e t o t a l d i s a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e wall, f r o m t h e e a s t g a t e to t h e g r a n a r i e s . A t a later period the place was a g a i n fortified, t h e w a l l s b e i n g c o m p o s e d o f sand a n d t o w n rubbish, g a t h e r e d w h e r e v e r t h e y c o u l d be procured. A n inside r e t a i n i n g w a l l w a s t r a c e d m o s t o f t h e w a y r o u n d , for k e e p i n g the s a n d in p l a c e ; b u t the outside w a s p r o b a b l y a m u d p l a s t e r s l o p i n g face, a n d t h i s wall w a s built o v e r the r e m a i n s o f t h e b r i c k w a l l , e v e n w h e r e it w a s still s t a n d i n g t o a c o n s i d e r a b l e h e i g h t , w i t h o u t a n y a t t e m p t b e i n g m a d e to u s e it as an outside r e t a i n i n g wall. M a n y o f the b u i l d i n g s o f t h e original fortification are e m b e d d e d in t h e sand wall. A t the s o u t h - w e s t corner a portion o f the sand w a l l ran s t r a i g h t i n t o the t o w n , i n d i c a t i n g p e r h a p s a n o t h e r fort, a n d this w a s flanked on e a c h side w i t h a brick wall. A c o n s i d e r a b l e part of this encased sand w a l l still r e m a i n s , a n d b u t for t h e direction of it, it

53

w o u l d a t first s e e m a s if t h e s a n d w a l l a n d t h e original b r i c k w a l l w e r e r e a l l y c o n t e m p o r a r y , s o c l o s e l y d o t h e y r u n t o g e t h e r at t h i s point. The c a s i n g w a l l of t h e sand a n d the s l o p i n g t h i c k n e s s o f the original brick wall here m a k e altogether a width o f 68 feet of solid b r i c k w o r k . A comparison of the plan with that of the sandfortified t o w n o f T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h l e a v e s little d o u b t t h a t this fort is a l a t e r i m i t a t i o n o f t h a t c a m p . They resemble each other v e r y closely. In all p r o b a b i l i t y also the fort at T e l l Y e h u d (Gheyta), which Dr. NavilJe h a s c a l l e d t h e V i c u s J u d a e o r u m o f R o m a n times, is a n o t h e r i m i t a t i o n o f t h e s a m e . 74. A s t o t h e interior o f t h e t o w n the w a l l s o f t h e h o u s e s a n d t h e lines o f s t r e e t s a r e e a s i l y t r a c e a b l e still, e s p e c i a l l y a f t e r rain, w h e n t h e y s h o w u p c l e a r a n d w e t a f t e r t h e s u r r o u n d i n g soil is d r y . A g o o d m a n y rooms and complete houses were cleared, down t o a d e p t h s o m e t i m e s o f t e n feet o r o v e r , a n d t h a t t o o in p a r t s w h e r e the s u r f a c e ruins h a d b e e n c a r r i e d a w a y for m a n y f e e t t o be u s e d a s sebakh, s o t h a t t h e d e p t h o f d e p o s i t p o i n t s t o a m u c h earlier d a t e for t h e original t o w n t h a n the s a n d w a l l s w o u l d indicate. W e s e a r c h e d v e r y c a r e f u l l y , b u t f o u n d n o trace ot t e m p l e ruins. In t h e r o o m s n o t h i n g of i n t e r e s t w a s f o u n d e x c e p t p o t t e r y , a n d a c o n s i d e r a b l e n u m b e r of p o t s w e r e p i c k e d u p , w h i c h are o f h i t h e r t o u n k n o w n types. T h e commonest t y p e w a s the large roundbodied pot with pointed bottom and a short narrow neck. Various forms of these were found, some more r o u n d e d (PI. X X X I X L , 2 1 ) , others m o r e e l o n g a t e d in s h a p e (28) ; s o m e o f t h e s a m e s h a p e a s 2 1 , b u t r i b b e d at t h e s h o u l d e r ( 2 5 ) a n d w i t h e a r s (29), a n d o t h e r s e l o n g a t e d l i k e 24 b u t w i t h a m u c h l o n g e r n e c k ( 2 3 ) . P o t s o f all sizes b e l o n g i n g to this t y p e were f o u n d , a n d m a n y were b o u g h t f r o m t h e sebakhin w h o had f o u n d t h e m in their w o r k . T h e y a p p e a r t o b e l o n g t o the X X I Ind d y n a s t y . P o t s closely resembling them, w i t h the n e c k j u s t w i d e e n o u g h for a w o m a n ' s h a n d to g e t in, w e r e f o u n d a t S u w a C e m e t e r y later in t h e season, b u t t h e y w e r e n o t q u i t e s o well m a d e a s t h o s e at S h a g h a n b e h . A n o t h e r t y p e h i t h e r t o u n k n o w n in E g y p t w a s t h a t o f t h e thick h e a v y red pots, w h i c h a r e v a r i a t i o n s of the C y p r i o t e l e a t h e r w a t e r - b o t t l e t y p e , a n d b e l o n g also t o t h e X X I I n d d y n a s t y or later. S o m e w e r e o n e - e a r e d (30), o t h e r s h a d t w o e a r s (31), a n d o t h e r s t h r e e (33). T h e y are v e r y thick a n d c l u m s y , b u t h a v e a b e a u t i f u l l y finished surface. T h e average height was six and a half inches. I n t h e c o r n e r o f a r o o m o f a h o u s e , the b a c k w a l l

54

SHAGHANBEH,

OR

BURRU

EL

of which appeared to be part of the inside retaining wall of the sand, was found an interesting deposit of pots mixed with bones. The bones did not belong to a human skeleton so far as we could judge, but the pots obviously seemed to have been purposely arranged as we found them. In another room of this same house we picked up the fine sculptured trial-piece, one side of which represents a profile view of a head, and the other side a full length figure (18). It is cut in limestone. And in yet another room we found the square schist bead with the cartouche of Thothmes III, and the two feathers on one side, and a representation of Bes and two apes, half broken off on the other (i -)), A scarab representing a fish was found under the sand on the surface of the old brick wall on the east side. A most interesting vase obtained here was the large alabaster jar (17), which we bought from a native who had found it in the ruins. It is of a X l X t h dynasty type, and bears an inscription in hieroglyphics on one side. The inscr ption runs as follows: " T h e Singer of Amen R a King of the Gods, the praiser of (the temple in) the Fountain of Horus, Taitha." This would seem to show that the ancient name of this site was the " Fountain of Horus." In one room of a house, quite under Ihe sand wall, we came upon a complete mud-baked oven, the upper portion of which was shaped like a bee-hive with an opening at the top to allow the smoke to pass out. The furnace was underneath. The whole rested on a brick-built platform, waist-high. 75. The Granaries or so-called "pits of Joseph" are on the north-west side of the town, and had evidently been partially excavated before, as the people assert that the storehouses o" Joseph were found here with remains of the wheat in the bottom of them. A t first no trace of them could be found, but a circular mound yielded the first chamber, and later on we unearthed a double row of three chambers surrounded by a solid square platform of mud bricks. A sloping platform from the west side led up to the top to facilitate the filling of them. Only the roofs of them would have been visible originally, as they projected above the platform, and in each roof there was a door or opening by which they could be filled. Each chamber measures 13 feet in diameter, and is about 12 feet deep from the point where the domeshaped roof began. The roofs had fallen in. The chambers were circular and of similar dimensions.

YUSEF—"THE

PITS

OF

JOSEPH"

The solid platform in which they were embedded measured about 73 feet square. In front of them, on the side next the town, the surrounding wall was 25 feet broad and—as the plan shows—seems at one time to have formed part of the town wall, running from the sheykh's mound. The granaries in that case would have served as a buttress on. the outside of the wall. We have described these chambers as being surrounded by the platform. Each chamber stood quite separate, a circle within a square, the circle touching the square only at the middle points of the sides. At each corner of the square around any of the chambers there was therefore a clear space down to the floor-level of the chamber. These corners were of course filled with rubbish, but when we cleared them out we found that the platform wall and the chamber wall had each a finished face, showing that they were not originally built in contact. During our stay here the sheykh of the village showed me a block of red granite about 18 inches square and 2\ feet long, which had belonged to some part of a temple in the vicinity, but certainly did not belong to the ruins at Shaghanbeh, as we found not a single trace of red granite in all our work. He had it brought in from a neighbouring village between Shaghanbeh and Burdeyn. It may have originally belonged to Belbeys, but the probability is that it came from the ruins of Bubastis. It bore the name of Nekhthorheb of the X X X t h dynasty.

CHAPTER TELL

YEHUD

OR

IX GHEYTA

B Y J . GARROW D U N C A N ,

B.D.

76. NEARLY two hours' walk along the desert, from Belbeys to the south-east, lie the ruins known as Tell Yehud. This is the site which Dr. Naville proposed to accept as the Vicus Judaeorum of the Itinerary of Antoninus. The modern village which stands on part of the ancient ruins is named Gheyta, or according to another transliteration Rheyta. The Gh or Rh represents the Arabic ghayn or guttural Gh. It is pronounced almost as if it were spelt Chreyta. The town ruins belong to a class of which the sand-girt Hyksos fort at Tell el Yehudiyeh is probably the prototype in this region, and the fort of Burru el Yusef (Shaghanbeh) another imitation. It must have been a very extensive place originally, for even yet the sand walls cover a very considerable

54

SHAGHANBEH,

OR

BURRU

EL

of which appeared to be part of the inside retaining wall of the sand, was found an interesting deposit of pots mixed with bones. The bones did not belong to a human skeleton so far as we could judge, but the pots obviously seemed to have been purposely arranged as we found them. In another room of this same house we picked up the fine sculptured trial-piece, one side of which represents a profile view of a head, and the other side a full length figure (18). It is cut in limestone. And in yet another room we found the square schist bead with the cartouche of Thothmes III, and the two feathers on one side, and a representation of Bes and two apes, half broken off on the other (i -)), A scarab representing a fish was found under the sand on the surface of the old brick wall on the east side. A most interesting vase obtained here was the large alabaster jar (17), which we bought from a native who had found it in the ruins. It is of a X l X t h dynasty type, and bears an inscription in hieroglyphics on one side. The inscr ption runs as follows: " T h e Singer of Amen R a King of the Gods, the praiser of (the temple in) the Fountain of Horus, Taitha." This would seem to show that the ancient name of this site was the " Fountain of Horus." In one room of a house, quite under Ihe sand wall, we came upon a complete mud-baked oven, the upper portion of which was shaped like a bee-hive with an opening at the top to allow the smoke to pass out. The furnace was underneath. The whole rested on a brick-built platform, waist-high. 75. The Granaries or so-called "pits of Joseph" are on the north-west side of the town, and had evidently been partially excavated before, as the people assert that the storehouses o" Joseph were found here with remains of the wheat in the bottom of them. A t first no trace of them could be found, but a circular mound yielded the first chamber, and later on we unearthed a double row of three chambers surrounded by a solid square platform of mud bricks. A sloping platform from the west side led up to the top to facilitate the filling of them. Only the roofs of them would have been visible originally, as they projected above the platform, and in each roof there was a door or opening by which they could be filled. Each chamber measures 13 feet in diameter, and is about 12 feet deep from the point where the domeshaped roof began. The roofs had fallen in. The chambers were circular and of similar dimensions.

YUSEF—"THE

PITS

OF

JOSEPH"

The solid platform in which they were embedded measured about 73 feet square. In front of them, on the side next the town, the surrounding wall was 25 feet broad and—as the plan shows—seems at one time to have formed part of the town wall, running from the sheykh's mound. The granaries in that case would have served as a buttress on. the outside of the wall. We have described these chambers as being surrounded by the platform. Each chamber stood quite separate, a circle within a square, the circle touching the square only at the middle points of the sides. At each corner of the square around any of the chambers there was therefore a clear space down to the floor-level of the chamber. These corners were of course filled with rubbish, but when we cleared them out we found that the platform wall and the chamber wall had each a finished face, showing that they were not originally built in contact. During our stay here the sheykh of the village showed me a block of red granite about 18 inches square and 2\ feet long, which had belonged to some part of a temple in the vicinity, but certainly did not belong to the ruins at Shaghanbeh, as we found not a single trace of red granite in all our work. He had it brought in from a neighbouring village between Shaghanbeh and Burdeyn. It may have originally belonged to Belbeys, but the probability is that it came from the ruins of Bubastis. It bore the name of Nekhthorheb of the X X X t h dynasty.

CHAPTER TELL

YEHUD

OR

IX GHEYTA

B Y J . GARROW D U N C A N ,

B.D.

76. NEARLY two hours' walk along the desert, from Belbeys to the south-east, lie the ruins known as Tell Yehud. This is the site which Dr. Naville proposed to accept as the Vicus Judaeorum of the Itinerary of Antoninus. The modern village which stands on part of the ancient ruins is named Gheyta, or according to another transliteration Rheyta. The Gh or Rh represents the Arabic ghayn or guttural Gh. It is pronounced almost as if it were spelt Chreyta. The town ruins belong to a class of which the sand-girt Hyksos fort at Tell el Yehudiyeh is probably the prototype in this region, and the fort of Burru el Yusef (Shaghanbeh) another imitation. It must have been a very extensive place originally, for even yet the sand walls cover a very considerable

T H E SITE OF

area. It was an important place in the period of the Roman occupation, as is proved by the great quantity of pottery of that date, broken and strewn on the surface, as well as buried in the sand, and by the equally conclusive results of our work in the cemetery out in the desert there. A s a matter of fact the ruins are really a quarry for potsherds, and loads of them are being continually carried away to be used in the foundations of any new house of importance that is being built in the neighbourhood, as for instance quite recently the new English mission-station in Belbeys. There is little doubt that there was a fortified town here as early as the X X I Ind dynasty, and I am inclined to believe that it is really another of the series of forts in this neighbourhood connected with the warlike operations against the Hyksos,and dating as early as the X V I I I t h or X l X t h dynasty. 77. But it is to the period of Roman occupation that our work in the cemetery belongs; and in this connection, as Dr. Petrie pointed out, the name of the modern village built near the ruins is significant. It is called Gheyta or Rheyta, and this is not a common village name in Egypt. From the results attained in the cemetery near by, we found several indications pointing to the burials of a class of warriors certainly not Egyptian, and probably from Central Europe, as some of their possessions showed. Now, in the Notitia Dignitatum, we learn that at the place called Scenae Veteranorum the Romans had a garrison stationed, which consisted of an A r a b tribe called Thamudeni, and of a wing of Rhaetians. Dr. Naville suggested that Tell el Yehudiyeh was the Scenae Veteranorum of the Notitia, but the distances in this case do not correspond with those of the Itinerary of Antoninus. It is further significant that no trace of soldier burials was found in the cemetery of Tell el Yehudiyeh, nor any burial later than the first century A.D. On the other hand, though many burials of soldiers were found at Gheyta, and though these appear from several indications to have been the Rhaetian mercenaries referred to, the identification of Gheyta as the site of Scenae Veteranorum would suit neither the distances given nor the order in which the places are named. A s for the name Gheyta or Rheyta, there is little doubt that it is a reminiscence of the settlement of the Rhaetians here—the rho aspirate of Greek being represented by the ghayn of Arabic. It is true that Gheyta means " fields " in Arabic, but nothing is more common in the adoption of a name from another language, than to give it a form and spelling which

GHEYTA

55

bears a totally new significance in the language which has adopted it. Thus, as Dr. Naville has elsewhere pointed out, the word " Moses" in Hebrew means " drawn out of the water," but it is really the hieroglyphic word " Mesu," which means " child," adopted into Hebrew. This seems to be a clear case of tradition handing on an historical fact by the name of the place itself. The ruins of Gheyta or Tell Yehud lie a short distance to the east of the Ismailiyeh Canal, about six miles from Belbeys, and are now altogether surrounded with cultivated land, the desert having been more and more laid under cultivation of late years. Following a footpath due east to the desert, in fifteen minutes we were walking over the ancient cemetery ; and here for four weeks we worked, walking to and fro every day from our camp at Belbeys. The cemetery is a very extensive one, and all that we were able to do was to make trial of various portions here and there. Altogether we worked in five different parts of it, and the results belonged all of them pretty much to the same period. The few mummies found were perhaps a little earlier, but the bulk of the material belongs to the first four centuries A.D. The whole of the drawings of the antiquities from this cemetery I owe to the skill of Mr. T. Butler-Stoney. 78. T Y P E S OF G R A V E S .

T h e graves of the ceme-

tery fall into seven different classes. (1) The Double-ledge graves cut in the hard black soil to a depth of 7 or 8 feet The peculiarity of this class was that the grave proper, or place of the corpse, was a narrow slit wide enough to admit the body on its back, the rest of the width of the excavated hole being used as ledges to support the stone slabs or bricks placed over the corpse after burial. No coffin of any sort had been used in these. (2) The Brick-arched graves. In place of stone slab coverings supported on ledges, brick walls were built all round the pit to a height of 18 or 20 inches, or even higher. After the body was placed within these they were arched over with sun-dried bricks. In several cases the bricks were simply laid across the body resting on these brick walls. Obviously these graves were found in a part where there was loose sand, in place of hard soil. No coffin or trace of one was ever found in this class. (3) The Brick-lined, plastered and white-washed graves. These were really of the same type as no. (2), only with the difference that the brick-lining was carefully mud-plastered, and sometimes covered with blue, white or pink colouring.

56

TELL

YEHUD

(4) T h e Side-scoop graves. In place of a wide well-shaped hole a much narrower one was cut t o t h e usual depth, and instead of ledges t h e y simply scooped a hole into the side of the pit large enough t o hold t h e corpse. T h e bottom of t h e pit was t h u s used as a platform at the side of the real grave. Usually t h e scoop was on t h e west side, a n d it was most frequently used for children. I n a few cases we found a double side-scoop, with a b o d y on each side, a n d the bottom of the hole serving as a ledge between. Sometimes also an infant was found buried in a small hole thus scooped on the west side, and half-way down the wall of an ordinary double-ledge g r a v e ; perhaps this was a later burial, but is more likely to be of the same period, the child being inserted in the parent's grave. W h a t the purpose of these side-scoop graves was, or why they were used in preference to the ordinary form of burial, it is not easy to say. T h e y were found all over the cemetery in hard soil as well as in s a n d y soil. At first, judging by the things found in them, I set t h e m down as burials of the poor, who could not afford a more elaborately finished grave. It is just possible t h a t they were meant to evade ^rave-riflers, for the original hole might be opened and these side burials pass unnoticed. W h e n , however, we consider t h e fact t h a t these were t h e only graves in the cemet e r y where the body was allowed to come into direct contact with the soil, without a n y protection except the cloth wrapping, there is little doubt t h a t a n o t h e r principle underlies the use of them, viz. the principle of dust to dust. In every other t y p e of burial the b o d y was in a measure protected b y stone or brick coverings, or b y coffins, so that it could riot immediately mingle with the dust. In this class alone the b o d y was simply covered with the sand or soil, a n d t h e opening of t h e side-scoop was then built u p in most cases with bricks. (5) T h e Double-pot coffin grave. T w o large pots or ziyehs, varying from 3 or 4 feet in length, 18 to 20 inches in diameter at the mouth, and about 14 inches in diameter at the bottom, were placed mouth to mouth with the corpse enclosed, a n d the earth piled over them. (6) T h e P o t t e r y slab coffin burial. In this case the body was placed in a complete coffin of red firebaked pottery about 1 t o inches thick. F r o m those which were found a n y t h i n g like complete it appeared t h a t each side consisted of two distinct slabs meeting at t h e middle of the coffin, while the bottom, another slab complete in itself, was totally distinct

OR

GHEYTA

f r o m the sides. T h e lid was also a separate slab. I t usually had t h e face of a m a n or woman incised at the top, a n d the h a n d s at t h e sides b y the waist were also modelled on the lid. S o m e t i m e s the lid a n d sides were b a k e d in one piece a n d placed over the b o d y after it was laid upon the bottom. E a c h end was affixed to one part of a side. T h e coffins of course varied in size according to the size of t h e body. F r o m 7 to 8 feet was the average length of t h o s e which we unearthed, a n d they mostly contained m u m m i e s . Inside of t h e coffin, space was always left for the pottery and valuables buried with t h e corpse, a n d for this reason we found the lids of all of t h e m smashed over the face by those who had plundered the graves of their contents, as was the case also with ciass (5). T h i s class of burial is obviously a later modification of t h e slipper-shaped coffin burials of t h e X V I I I t h a n d X t X t h dynasties. (7) Pot-buriais of children. A few burials ot this class were found on the side of the cemetery nearest to the village of Gheyta. T h e y e x a c t l y resemble those which we have already described in the Cemetery of Goshen, and the pots were all of a late date. In one case a rather fine specimen of a Bes pot was found (20), and other large ornamented p o t s were also used (I, 17, 18, 21). In every case the b o t t o m s of the pots were broken off, and the ends closed with other sherds or basins. 79.

DISPOSITION

OF T H E B O D Y .

T h e position

of

t h e body in the grave was in every case uniform. T h e body was laid on its back, stretched at full length, with the hands down b y the sides, and there was no cutting u p of the corpse. Variations consisted chiefly in t h e dressing and a d o r n m e n t of t h e corpse, in the utensils placed in the grave with it for f u t u r e use, and in the direction of the grave. In classes (1), (4), (5). a n d (6)> the head pointed invariably N . N . W . A n y exceptions t o this rule, found in this part of the cemetery, were later burials at a higher level, intersecting the lower graves, with heads to the west. These later burials a p p e a r to have been m a d e without the lower ones having been discovered, and they help to d a t e another part of the cemetery. In the brick-arched graves, which belonged, I believe, to a Christian people, t h e graves had t h e head to the west with the feet to the east, as in Christian burials in our own country. N o case was found of a doubleledge grave [class (1)], containing two corpses side b y side. But in classes (5) a n d (6) this appears to have been quite usual. V e r y commonly an adult was buried in a scooped-out hole on one side, and a b a b y

57

DISPOSITION OF THE BODY in a s m a l l e r s c o o p e d h o l e o n t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e s a m e g r a v e , at t h e s a m e l e v e l . Occasionally two a d u l t s in a d o u b l e s i d e - s c o o p g r a v e w e r e f o u n d . D o u b l e b u r i a l s w e r e not c o m m o n in t h e b r i c k arched graves. In n o c a s e d i d w e find t w o c o r p s e s u n d e r t h e s a m e arch, but f r e q u e n t l y g r a v e s w e r e b u i l t w i t h a v e r y n a r r o w m a r g i n of s a n d b e t w e e n t h e t w o walls, a s if t h e t w o b u r i a l s had b e e n made simultaneously. In t h e d o u b l e p o t a n d s l a b c o f f i n s , t w o burials s i d e b y side, a n d e v e n three in t h e s a m e l a r g e s q u a r e hole, w e r e q u i t e c o m m o n , t h o u g h , in spite of c a r e f u l e x a m i n a t i o n , n o t h i n g w a s f o u n d t o indicate w h y s o m a n y w e r e a p p a r e n t l y buried s i m u l t a n e o u s l y . E v e n w h e r e b o n e s w e r e left b y t h e spoilers, t h e y w e r e s o far d e c a y e d a s t o c r u m b l e into d u s t a t the s l i g h t e s t t o u c h . A n d there w a s n o certain c a s e o f t w o c o r p s e s in t h e s a m e coffin. In four o u t o f t h e s e v e n classes, viz. (i)«(4)>(5), a n < 3 (6), the b o d y a p p e a r s t o h a v e been w r a p p e d all r o u n d w i t h s o m e sort o f cloth, t h e l e g s a n d a r m s b e i n g so w r a p p e d as t o be l e f t free. S h r e d s o f c l o t h d e c o m p o s e d t o a light b r o w n p o w d e r fell o f f a n y b o n e s that remained, whenever they were moved. In classes (2) a n d (3), the b r i c k - l i n e d a n d a r c h e d g r a v e s , the b o d i e s w e r e e v i d e n t l y buried d r e s s e d a s t h e y h a d b e e n in life ; a n d in e v e r y w o m a n ' s g r a v e b e a d s , o r n a m e n t s and j e w e l l e r y , s u c h as she w o u l d h a v e been in t h e h a b i t o f w e a r i n g w h e n alive, w e r e f o u n d in a b u n d a n c e b e s i d e t h e ears, n e c k , wrists, fingers a n d a n k l e s . In the flat b r i c k c o f f i n s t h e c o r p s e s were i n v a r i a b l y e m b a l m e d , and w r a p p e d in m a s s e s of coarse linen, which kept together while untouched, but crumbled a w a y into a fine b l a c k dust, t h e m o m e n t t h e y w e r e handled, no matter how carefully. A close e x a m i n a tion o f l a y e r u p o n l a y e r o f t h e s e w r a p p i n g s s h o w e d n o t r a c e o f p a p y r u s h a v i n g b e e n used. T h e linen w r a p p i n g s of t h e c o r p s e w e r e p l a s t e r e d over w i t h a thin l a y e r o f stucco, a n d a f t e r w a r d s p a i n t e d w h i t e , a n d b l u e , a n d p i n k , w i t h gilt all o v e r the face, a n d a strip d o w n the c h e s t ( a b o u t 4 inches). There were a l s o t r a c e s of red, b l u e , a n d w h i t e c h e c k e r w o r k on t h e sides o f t h e h e a d . T h e m a r v e l is that, in t h e d a m p soil, s o m u c h of t h e s e r e m a i n e d as e n a b l e d us t o d e s c r i b e t h e m . S c a r c e l y a fraction o f t h e m c o u l d b e r e m o v e d entire. 80. T H E C O N T E N T S OF THE GRAVES. In a large percentage of the graves opened, n e x t to nothing was found, a n d w h e r e a n y t h i n g w a s f o u n d b o n e s did n o t predominate. T h e cemetery had been most systema t i c a l l y rifled m a n y y e a r s a g o , p e r h a p s b y p r o f e s s i o n a l spoil-hunters, o r it m a y be b y s u c c e e d i n g g e n e r a t i o n s ,

w h o , u s i n g t h e s a m e c e m e t e r y , a p p r o p r i a t e d t h e spoils of preceding peoples, w h e n t h e y opened their graves t o re-use t h e m . T h i s is p r o b a b l e f r o m t h e f a c t t h a t in m a n y o f t h e l a t e s t b u r i a l s w e find s o m e o f t h e o l d e s t E g y p t i a n relics u n e a r t h e d f r o m the c e m e t e r y , a l o n g s i d e o f coins, j e w e l l e r y , or utensils o f a period d e c i d e d l y a f t e r Christ. A s will be g a t h e r e d f r o m our remarks at the beginning, we were entitled to e x p e c t t o find h e r e r e l i c s o f a c o m p a r a t i v e l y e a r l y d a t e in E g y p t i a n h i s t o r y a n d civilisation, a n d a s a m a t t e r o f f a c t w e did, b u t n o t in E g y p t i a n burials, n o r in E g y p t i a n s u r r o u n d i n g s . It is p r o b a b l e theref o r e t h a t w e d i d n o t g e t b a c k to t h e earliest period a t w h i c h t h e c e m e t e r y w a s used. Continual using and r e - u s i n g o f t h e c e m e t e r y w o u l d a c c o u n t for this. The c o n t e n t s a s f o u n d m a y b e d i v i d e d into t h e f o l l o w i n g classes: ( 1 ) Pottery and Stone Vases. T h e p o t t e r y bel o n g e d t o a c o m p a r a t i v e l y late d a t e , a n d consisted m a i n l y o f t h e a l r e a d y w e l l - k n o w n t y p e s of p o t t e r y o f t h e R o m a n period d a t i n g from t h e 1st c e n t u r y B.C. t o a b o u t t h e e n d o f t h e 2 n d o r 3rd c e n t u r y A.D. Owing t o t h e fact t h a t t h e c e m e t e r y h a d been t h o r o u g h l y l o o t e d , v e r y few c o m p l e t e p o t s w e r e f o u n d , t h o u g h t h e filling a n d t h e s u r f a c e o f t h e soil were t h i c k l y strewn with potsherds. T h e r e were the familiar double-eared, long, rough, brown and ribbed amphorae, tapering sometimes to a r o u n d e d k n o t , s o m e t i m e s to an e l o n g a t e d point (PL X L I , 1, 2). T h e y v a r i e d in b u l k a n d l e n g t h considerably. T h e s e elongated, peg-bottom pots w e r e w a t e r - p o t s , a n d t h e t a p e r i n g s h a p e as well a s the p e g were originally designed to facilitate their s t a n d i n g u p r i g h t in t h e sand. A t a later d a t e t h e p e g w a s used t o fit i n t o a s t r a p for c a r r y i n g o v e r t h e shoulder. T h e p e g therefore developed a shape suitable for h o l d i n g the strap, viz. t h e r o u n d e d k n o t . T h e s h a p e of t h e p o t itself also, it will b e o b s e r v e d , fits t h e h o l i o w o f t h e b a c k . In o n e g r a v e w e f o u n d a l a y e r o f t h e s e p o t s laid h e a d a n d tail across t h e b o d y f r o m h e a d to feet, all o f t h e s a m e size a n d t y p e , t h u s t a k i n g the place of the stone a n d brick coverings of other graves. N o p o t w a s w i t h o u t t h e usual q u a n t i t y o f d a r k soil u n d e r its s a n d - f i l l i n g , s h o w i n g t h a t it had o r i g i n a l l y c o n t a i n e d s o m e o r g a n i c m a t t e r o r liquid. N o trace o f s c e n t e d m a t t e r w a s p e r c e p t i b l e , s u c h a s t h e s c e n t e d lard or g r e a s e f o u n d in p o t s in the Naqada Cemetery. T h i s rough brown pottery was t h e c o m m o n e s t t y p e f o u n d , a n d it d a t e s f r o m t h e 2nd c e n t u r y A.D. o n w a r d s . P o t s o f a v e r y similar t y p e w e r e found, o n l y w i t h 8

58

TELL YEHUD OR GHEYTA

s m o o t h surface, and the y e l l o w - w h i t e p o t s o f the s a m e m a k e were quite c o m m o n . T h e s e latter g o b a c k to the ist c e n t u r y A.D. In o n e section of the c e m e t e r y f r a g m e n t s of the large double-eared thin hard b u f f wine-jars, w i t h G r e e k inscriptions on the neck or shoulder, were c o m m o n ( X L I , 3). T h e s e t y p e s are of t h e m s e l v e s a t o l e r a b l y safe g u i d e to the d a t e of the burials w h i c h we were unearthing. I h e y belong r o u g h l y to the period from the 3rd to the 5th centuries A.D. O f other t y p e s found, o n e (5) is a curious bells h a p e d piece of p o t t e r y , a n d appears tc> h a v e been a lid. A s m a l l fiat-bottomed pot with a lid beside it (7), several small j u g s w i t h o n e h a n d l e and of v a r i o u s sizes (8-10), and t w o b r i g h t red flat-bottom pots like m o d e r n flower-pots ( 1 1 ) are other t y p e s found. T w o r o u g h h e a v y pots of u n c o m m o n l y thick t e x t u r e , 2 feet long, 13 inches at the widest part, and flat-bottomed were f o u n d in one g r a v e ( i 2 , 14). T h e i r c o n t e n t s g a v e n o indication of what t h e y were o r i g i n a l l y used for, and t h e y certainly did not contain the corpse. O f a similar coarse t e x t u r e were t h e f r a g m e n t s of p o t t e r y burial b o x e s , a n d the large p o t s ( 1 3 ) used in pot-burials of class (5).

S t . L u k e vii, 37, and M a r k x i v , 8. I t has h i t h e r t o b e e n s u p p o s e d that the a l a b a s t r o n w a s the s o m e w h a t e l o n g a t e d vase w h i c h d a t e s from the X X V I t h d y n a s t y , a n d w h i c h is an E g y p t i a n t y p e . T h e a l a b a s t e r s f o u n d here are not E g y p t i a n , b u t m u c h more l i k e S y r i a n w o r k m a n s h i p . T h e d a t e of the c e m e t e r y t o o f a v o u r s t h i s view. In the identification of these " a l a b a s t e r b o x e s " there is of course the difficulty, that the b o x in M a r k x i v , is said to h a v e been " b r o k e n in pieces," and the G r e e k word used u n d o u b t e d l y bears t h a t signification. W i t h o u t a c o n s i d e r a b l e a p p l i c a t i o n of s t r e n g t h it w o u l d be impossible to b r e a k in pieces either of these t y p e s of alabasters, and on the face of it the b r e a k i n g in pieces seems h i g h l y i m p r o b a b l e and u n n e c e s s a r y , if o n l y for the fact t h a t the pieces of the b o x m u s t g e t m i x e d u p with the o i n t m e n t . T h e prob a b i l i t y is t h a t " b r e a k " here m e a n s s i m p l y " b r e a k the seal o f resin, or w a x , " with w h i c h the lid w o u l d h a v e been fastened. I f y o u ask an A r a b to open a b o t t l e or sealed b o x , the m o d e r n A r a b i c w o r d to use w o u l d be part of the verb " b r e a k , " and he w o u l d understand " t o b r e a k the seal." I f the G r e e k word used here stands for an A r a m a i c w o r d in c o m m o n use then, t h a t w o r d v e r y likely bore this signification.

8 1 . T h e Stone Vases found are feu in n u m b e r , b u t t h e y are of g r e a t interest, and such are hitherto u n k n o w n ( X L I I I , 24-31). T h e y are all of g y p s u m alabaster, and j u d g i n g b y the o b j e c t s found w i t h t h e m w e c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e y were all found in g r a v e s of w o m e n , and were a usual part of a lady's toilette equipment. T h e y v a r y in shape and s ze, a n d each h a s a lid. O n e is c o n s i d e r a b l y worn clown a t the e d g e of the m o u t h , as if b y a b r o n z e s p o o n (89-92) c o n t i n u a l l y r e s t i n g upon it. T h e y are in s h a p e a n d design quite new to us, and w o u l d be more p r o p e r l y described as " b o x e s , " than as vases.

82. Iron. T h e c e m e t e r y b e l o n g s to t h e period when bronze was being more and more relegated to o r n a m e n t a l purposes, and iron w a s t a k i n g its p l a c e for the more useful and p r a c t i c a l ends of life. Swords. In the series of d o u b l e - l e d g e g r a v e s o p e n e d on the eastern e d g e o f the c e m e t e r y , w h e r e v e r a m a n h a d been buried a l m o s t i n v a r i a b l y a s w o r d of iron, c o m p l e t e or in part, w a s f o u n d b y his r i g h t side w r a p p e d in s o m e sort of cloth, w h i c h had ' o n g since c r u m b l e d into powder. T h e y w e r e h e a v y w e a p o n s , a v e r a g i n g t w o feet and a h a l f in l e n g t h , and had been fitted into w o o d e n handles, parts of which were occasiona l l y p i c k e d up. F r e q u e n t l y also part of the leather or skin belt had the b u c k l e ( 3 4 - 4 1 ) still a t t a c h e d . T h e s e were found o n l y in this portion of the c e m e t e r y , a n d were so numerous that at first it s e e m e d that it had been set aside for the burial o f w a r r i o r s alone, but several g r a v e s o p e n e d w e r e u n d o u b t e d l y burials of women. It is m u c h m o r e l i k e l y t h a t the different parts of the c e m e t e r y w e r e used a t different dates, and these warrior burials are those of a R o m a n garrison o f mercenaries, w h o s e w i v e s h a d not accompanied them.

T h e r e is n o t m u c h d o u b t that these are fair s p e c i m e n s o f the alabaster " b o x e s " in c o m m o n use in the e a r l y C h r i s t i a n centuries, and referred t o in

Buckles. A m o n g the iron b u c k l e s found t h e m o s t interesting w a s the s i m p l e r i n g and pin b u c k l e . M a n y of these large iron r i n g s were p i c k e d up, a n d

S e v e r a l t y p e s of o r n a m e n t e d pots ( i s , 16, 17, 18, 20, 21) were found c o m p l e t e or in part. O f these 20 is a g o o d s p e c i m e n of the Bes pot used in child pot-burials. It is of a late period. In the- decoration of t h e others t h e leaf-pattern seems to h a v e p l a y e d a considerable part. F i g s . 22, 23, represent the incised faces on t w o p o t t e r y coffin lids. Where the b o t t o m s of the larger p o t s h a v e been b r o k e n off, it is a safe inference t h a t t h e y h a v e been used 1 n burials of children.

IRON WORK w i t h t h e m occasionally iron p i n s w h i c h h a d g o n e w i t h t h e m . I n o n e c a s e t h e pin was g r o o v e d t o fit t h e ring, a l t h o u g h it h a d n e v e r b e e n w e l d e d to it (33). T h i s is t h e m o s t p r i m i t i v e f o r m of t h e b u c k l e , a n d is a m u c h earlier t y p e t h a n t h e E g y p t i a n s were using a t this period. It m u s t t h e r e f o r e b e l o n g t o a n o t h e r r a c e n o t so far a d v a n c e d . T h e o n l y e x p l a n a t i o n is t h a t t h e s e " l o o s e pin a n d r i n g b r o o c h e s " b e l o n g e d t o t h e g a r r i s o n of R h a e t i a n s , w h i c h t h e R o m a n s h a d s t a t i o n e d here, a n d t h e s e w a r r i o r b u r i a l s b e l o n g e d t o t h e m too. O t h e r i n d i c a t i o n s will b e n o t e d u n d e r " Bronze." O t h e r t y p e s of iron b u c k l e s are nos. 36-41. Nails. I n a l m o s t e v e r y g r a v e of t h e w a r r i o r c l a s s a b u n d a n c e of nails w e r e f o u n d of all s h a p e s , s o m e even w i t h d o u b l e c r o s s - c u t incisions o n t h e h e a d , t h o u g h n o n e of t h e m w e r e screw nails. Usually t r a c e s of d e c a y e d w o o d c l u n g t o t h e m . What p u r p o s e t h e y h a d originally served t h e r e was n o t m u c h t o d e t e r m i n e . N o f r a g m e n t s of a coffin were ever f o u n d in this class, b u t s o m e t i m e s d e c a y e d pieces of w o o d were p i c k e d u p a t t h e feet of t h e skeieton, w h e r e nails were m o s t f r e q u e n t l y f o u n d . A possible e x p l a n a t i o n is t h a t t h e y b e l o n g e d t o s o m e b o x o r chest of wood buried with t h e d e a d , t h e c o n t e n t s of which m a y h a v e been carried a w a y b y t h e spoilers of t h e c e m e t e r y . T h i s , o r t h e d a m p n e s s of t h e soil, w o u l d sufficiently e x p l a i n t h e d i s a p p e a r a n c e of t h e w o o d (53, 54). L o c k s were occasionally f o u n d , w h i c h m u s t h a v e b e l o n g e d t o s o m e s u c h b o x or chest. T h e r e was o n e n o t i c e a b l e f e a t u r e in t h e i r w o r k i n g of iron. T h e y f r e q u e n t l y used b r o n z e a l o n g with it, a n d o f t e n b o l t e d t h e iron pieces t o g e t h e r w i t h a b r o n z e stud (43-48). A n illustration of this is t h e lock (49), t h e i n n e r side of w h i c h is bronze, a n d t h e o u t e r iron. P i n s (50), r i n g s (51, 52), knives, s p e a r s , j a v e l i n h e a d s (55, 56), a r r o w - h e a d s (57), a n d h o o k s of iron were f o u n d all over t h e c e m e t e r y , t h o u g h u s u a l l y b r o k e n . T h e k n i v e s h a d b e e n fitted w i t h w o o d e n or ivory h a n d l e s , v e r y m u c h a s a t t h e p r e s e n t day. 83. Bronse. M o s t of t h e b r o n z e o b j e c t s b e l o n g t o t h e class of jewellery, a n d t h e b r a c e l e t s were m o s t numerous and interesting. Altogether nine different types were found : ( 1 ) A plain b r o n z e ring u n i t e d s o t h a t n o j o i n t is visible (59, 60). (2) A plain piece of b r o n z e b e n t r o u n d w i t h t h e t w o e n d s finished, b u t n o t ioined in a n y w a y (61, 62).

59

( 3 ) T h e s a m e as (2), o n l y t h e t w o e n d s a r e r o u g h l y u n i t e d t o g e t h e r (63, 64). (4) T h e e n d s are finished a n d b e n t t o f o r m t w o h o o k s , w h i c h f a s t e n t o g e t h e r , a n d can b e u n d o n e a t will (65-67). (5) T h e e n d s a r e t h i n n e d d o w n so a s t o b e n o t h i c k e r t h a n o r d i n a r y c o p p e r wire, t h e n b e n t r o u n d e a c h o t h e r , a n d t h e loose wire w o u n d r o u n d t h e r i n g o n e a c h side of t h e f a s t e n i n g (68). ( 6 ) T h e t w o loose e n d s s i m p l y p a s s e a c h o t h e r , a n d a r e t h e n w o u n d r o u n d t h e r i n g (69, 70). (7) A plain iron or b r o n z e r i n g w i t h b r o n z e o r c o p p e r wire w o u n d r o u n d it (71-74). (8) A d o u b l e c o p p e r wire t w i s t e d a n d j o i n e d a s in (5), a n d a t t h e j o i n t a b r o n z e bell a t t a c h e d (75)(9) T h e e n d s w e r e j o i n e d as in (6), a n d on t h e t w o places w h e r e t h e e n d s a r e w o u n d r o u n d t h e r i n g t w o discs a r e a f f i x e d (77). In g r a v e s 221 a n d 279 b r o n z e bells or c a s t a n e t s (79- 80) were f o u n d . B o t h were children's burials. S m a l l b r o n z e discs (81, 82) w e r e p i c k e d u p g e n e r a l l y in g r a v e s of w o m e n , a n d v e r y m u c h r e s e m b l e t h e b r a s s discs w o r n on t h e face-veil a t t h e p r e s e n t day. B r o n z e s p o o n s w e r e o n l y found a c c o m p a n y i n g a l a b a s t e r pots, a n d t h e y w e r e p r o b a b l y used b y t h e w o m e n for e x t r a c t i n g t h e o i n t m e n t f r o m t h e s e b o x e s (84, 85, 88-92). B r o n z e coins were f o u n d all over t h e c e m e t e r y . T h e best of t h e s e w a s a collection of 9 coins in g r a v e 31. S e v e n of these were of C o n s t a n t i n u s , o n e of M a x i m i n u s , w h o i m m e d i a t e l y p r e c e d e d h i m ( 3 0 7 - 3 1 3 A.D.), a n d o n e of Licinius. F o r b r o n z e pins, rings, earrings, p e n d a n t s , lock, etc., s e e 86, 87, 9 3 - 1 1 8 . T h e b r o n z e b u c k l e 4 1 , f r o m g r a v e 329, is specially i n t e r e s t i n g . It is inlaid w i t h t h r e e pieces of g a r n e t , a n d is a c c o m p a n i e d w i t h t w o o b l o n g pieces of bronze, which a p p e a r t o h a v e b e e n w o r n o n t h e belt, o n e on e a c h side of t h e b u c k l e , w h i c h w e r e also inlaid w i t h g a r n e t (40, 42). T h e y a r e n o t E g y p t i a n , b u t a p p e a r t o b e of a d i s t i n c t l y n o r t h e r n t y p e . O n e of t h e side pieces is a d o r n e d with t h e cross. T h e p r o b a b i l i t y is that they belonged to some immigrants from Central E u r o p e , a n d t h a t we h a v e h e r e a n o t h e r t r a c e of t h e R h a e t i a n m e r c e n a r i e s e m p l o y e d by t h e R o m a n s . 84. Silver a n d Gold w e r e of r a r e o c c u r r e n c e , p e r h a p s b e c a u s e t h e c e m e t e r y h a d b e e n looted a n d t h e finest t h i n g s c a r r i e d a w a y . E a r r i n g s ( 1 2 9 - 1 3 2 ) ,

6o

T E L L Y E H U D OR GHEYTA

r i n g s ( i 19-125), a S a s s a n i a n c o i n (PI. X L ) , a n d a l a r g e toq ( 1 2 6 ) of silver w e r e f o u n d . G o l d e a r r i n g s ( 1 3 3 - 1 4 1 ) , a n d g o l d in g l a s s b e a d s ( 1 4 2 , 1 4 3 ) w e r e found.

T h o t h m e s I I I , but m o s t o f t h e m b e a r m e a n i n g l e s s d e s i g n s or are i m i t a t i o n s a t a late d a t e o f earlier w o r k . T h e y w e r e all f o u n d a m o n g s u r r o u n d i n g s which p o i n t e d to b u r i a l s o f w o m e n o r c h i l d r e n (PI. X L ) .

Ivory. N e x t to bronze ivory was the favourite m a t e r i a l for toilette essentials. Bronze, ivory, and alabaster seem to have figured l a r g e l y in t h e outfit o f a w o m a n o f t h e b e t t e r class. Hairpins (158-160), beads (161, i6z), kohl-bottles (155), b r a c e l e t s ( 1 6 1 -163), a n d s p o o n s ( 1 6 4 ) of i v o r y were f o u n d in m a n y g r a v e s , t h o u g h o n l y w h e r e t h e a c c o m p a n y i n g m a t e r i a l s p o i n t e d to a burial o f t h e b e t t e r class. In s o m e o f the b e s t g r a v e s (590, 4 7 5 , 562, 7 1 , a n d 76) w h e r e t h e a l a b a s t e r b o x e s w e r e found, fine i v o r y c u p s w e r e f o u n d also, but t h e y w e r e so f r a g i l e t h a t t h e m o m e n t w e r e m o v e d t h e sand o u t s i d e o f t h e m t h e y fell to pieces. N o t o n e u n b r o k e n c u p w a s s e c u r e d , t h o u g h the pieces w e r e all c o l l e c t e d . W h a t purpose they served we found nothing to d e t e r m i n e . T h e y were full o f s a n d , a n d there did not a p p e a r t o h a v e been a n y o r g a n i c m a t t e r in t h e m o r i g i n a l l y . T h e i r s u r r o u n d i n g s point t o their h a v i n g b e e n p a r t o f a l a d y ' s t o i l e t t e requisites. S o m e o f the s m a l l e r c y l i n d r i c a l ivories w e r e u s e d for h o l d i n g koh\ or e y e - p a i n t , a s t h e interior of t h e m s h o w s b y its blackened appearance.

86. Plaster Busts a n d Plaques. In g r a v e 7 6 t h e s m a l l p l a s t e r m o d e l o f a w o m a n ' s h e a d a n d face, p a i n t e d p e r h a p s t o r e s e m b l e the o c c u p a n t , w a s f o u n d (180). G r a v e 422 c o n t a i n e d a s i m i l a r h e a d , a n d b o t h may have belonged simply to stucco ornaments. A t e r r a c o t t a s t a t u e t t e of a w o m a n w i t h a child on her left arm ( 1 8 1 ) and other f r a g m e n t s of terracotta were found. No. 182 r e p r e s e n t s t h e side and f r o n t v i e w s o f a p l a s t e r b u s t of a w o m a n , t h e f a c e h a v i n g b e e n painted.

85. Beads. A g r e a t v a r i e t y of b e a d s o f m a n y periods w a s f o u n d , from t h e X l l t h d y n a s t y t y p e s d o w n t o t h e c o m m o n carnelian b e a d s o f R o m a n t i m e s a n d later. T h e b e a d s a l o n e b r i n g the d a t e o f this c e m e t e r y d o w n t o t h e 1 st or 2nd c e n t u r y A.D. T h e E g y p t i a n b e a d s f o u n d in such n u m b e r s , s i m p l y s h o w t h a t the p e o p l e w e r e finding t h e m e i t h e r in this c e m e t e r y or s o m e w h e r e else, w e r e p r o b a b l y wearing them, and afterwards burying them with their d e a d . M a n y o f t h e t h i n g s found w e r e t h u s b e i n g u n e a r t h e d for at least t h e s e c o n d t i m e . The v a r i o u s m a t e r i a l s a n d d e s i g n s can b e studied from t h e plates. T h e y are : O n y x ( 1 6 5 ) , c a r n e l i a n ( 1 6 7 , 171), c r y s t a l ( 1 6 8 , 1 7 0 ) , a m b e r ( 1 7 1 ) , g l a s s ( 1 7 1 ) , g l a z e ( 1 7 1 ) , t u r q u o i s e (176), H o r u s e y e , g l a z e d ( 1 7 5 ) , i v o r y ( 1 6 1 , 162), and g o l d in g l a s s ( 1 4 2 , 143). T h e b l a c k s t a m p e d b e a d ( 1 7 3 ) and t h e b l a c k s q u a r e b e a d ( 1 7 4 ) a r e special t y p e s . B l a c k stone f a c e p e n d a n t s ( 1 7 7 , 179) w e r e f o u n d in g r a v e s 245 a n d 140 ; a n d m o t h e r of pearl p e n d a n t s ( T l . X L ) r e p r e s e n t i n g a d u c k a n d a d o g also in g r a v e 245. The value.

Scarabs Some

f o u n d are of no g r e a t interest of t h e m bear t h e c a r t o u c h e

or of

O n e of t h e m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g finds w a s t h e series o f s t u c c o p l a q u e s f o u n d in v a r i o u s g r a v e s , b u t a l w a y s w i t h o t h e r t h i n g s w h i c h i n d i c a t e d a burial o f a woman. T h e y w e r e of v a r i o u s s h a p e s a n d d e s i g n s , and h a d e v i d e n t l y b e e n h u n g o n a wall o r i g i n a l l y , a s e a c h o f t h e m h a d a h o l e p i e r c e d in it for this p u r p o s e ( 1 8 3 - 1 8 6 ) . A c o m m o n f o r m is t h e r o s e t t e (185, 186). W e f o u n d s e v e r a l of this t y p e c o m p l e t e , a s w e l l a s m a n y fragments. T h e y had often only one small p i e c e o f r o u n d g l a s s in the c e n t r e . In larger types b e s i d e s t h e c e n t r e piece t h e r e w e r e o f t e n a s m a n y as s i x pieces o f g l a s s o f d i f f e r e n t s h a p e s i n l a i d in t h e s t u c c o (183). A n o t h e r t y p e w a s an o b l o n g w i t h a t r i a n g u l a r t o p (184). T h i s p a r t i c u l a r one w a s inlaid with p i e c e s of g l a s s all r o u n d t h e c e n t r e piece, a n d t h e s e w e r e most irregular in s h a p e . T h e C o p t i c cross a t t h e t o p w a s inlaid w i t h g l a s s in t h e s a m e w a y . O n l y in o n e c a s e did w e find a n y a t t e m p t at o t h e r d e c o r a t i o n ( 1 8 6 ) . T h e f r a g m e n t s o f this o n e s h o w traces o f d r a w i n g a n d p a i n t i n g . T h e s e a r e t h e e a r l i e s t s p e c i m e n s o f g l a s s mirrors we possess. T h e g l a s s at this s t a g e w a s s i m p l y b l a c k e n e d , s i l v e r i n g b e i n g still unknown. 87. Inscribed Stones. In t h e l e d g e - s h a p e d g r a v e s s t o n e s of e v e r y k i n d w e r e p r e s s e d i n t o service, a s c o v e r i n g s a b o v e t h e b o d y laid f r o m l e d g e t o l e d g e . D o o r - s o c k e t s of l i m e s t o n e , b e a u t i f u l l y cut l i m e s t o n e " bricks," r o u g h flat slabs e v i d e n t l y p i c k e d u p in t h e ruins o f T e l l Y e h u d , w e r e used t h u s in t h e c e m e t e r y in c o n s i d e r a b l e q u a n t i t i e s . A m o n g these stones the m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g were t w o b e a r i n g inscriptions, w h i c h w e r e w r i t t e n p a r t l y at least in G r e e k characters, t h o u g h t h e r e are o t h e r c h a r a c t e r s w h i c h h a v e n o t y e t been m a d e out. C o m p e t e n t authorities to w h o m t h e y h a v e been s u b m i t t e d are o f o p i n i o n t h a t w e are t o r e g a r d t h e m a s a r c h a i c G r e e k , d a t i n g from t h e

INSCRIBED

6th or 7th century B.C. From the position in which they were found, we naturally are inclined to regard them as gravestones, and the stones themselves plainly show that the unfinished ends had been embedded originally, either in the soil or in a building. Similar gravestones were found by Dr. Naville at Tell el Yehudiyeh, though not similarly inscribed. The larger one had evidently been embedded in a building. For copies of the inscriptions see PI. X L V I I I . Though they are written in Greek characters, the language of them is unknown to us. V e r y few specimens of Roman glass vases were found complete, though to judge from the countless fragments found there must have originally been large numbers of them in the cemetery (187-190). Of the fine bottle 190, only fragments were found, but these are sufficient to show that the original was an exceptionally fine specimen of this class of work. 88. D E S C R I P T I O N O F S E L E C T E D G R A V E S .

O f the

double-ledge graves a large number were burials of warriors, as evidenced by the presence of swords, knives, spears, and sword-belts with buckles. So numerous were they on the western edge of the cemetery that for a time it appeared to be a case of separation of the sexes in burial, or a contemporaneous burial of many who had fallen in some siege or battle. The most probable explanation is that they were the burials of the Rhaetian mercenaries already referred to, perhaps only a few of whom had brought wives with them. This would explain why so few burials of women were found in this part. Other parts of the cemetery had been used contemporaneously with this part by different peoples. Grave 28 is a good illustration of this class. It measured 10 feet long, 5 feet wide, and feet deep. A large skeleton was found in it lying with the head to the north-west. The arm-bones were by the sides, but the head and vertebrae were completely gone. The grave was brick-built on the east side, red baked bricks having been used, and these had most likely also covered the body originally. B y the right side a complete iron sword was found, but badly corroded. The buckle of the sword-belt, and part of the leather belt itself were picked up at the waist. Part of a bronze knife or dagger was also found near the sword. The grave had been rifled before. Grave 26 measured 8 feet long, 4 wide, and 6\ deep. It was a double-ledge grave of the usual type. A fine string of ivory beads was found in it of a large size. The pottery was of the late brown and ribbed type. About 1 4 inches down the S . E .

STONES

61

end of the grave the pot-burial of an infant was found, and the pot used was of the same type and date. Grave 31 is another good example of this class. It measured 8 feet long, 7 feet deep, and 5 feet wide. T w o persons had been buried in it, the one placed above the other, and probably buried later. Both skeletons lay on the back, with the hands down by their sides, and the head as usual towards the N.W. B y the right side of the lower skeleton half of a large sword was found. Nine bronze coins in a corroded mass, 2 blue glaze beads, and 2 cylindrical carnelian beads were all that the spoilers had left us, but they were sufficient to guide us to the date of the burial. A f t e r an application of strong acid with zinc the coins showed up clear, and seven proved to belong to Constantine, the other two to about the same period, so that we have got here a date before which this interment cannot have been made. T h e fragments of pottery found belonged also to a type of peg-bottom pot common only in the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D., the peg having developed the ring for holding the leather strap by which it was carried on the water-carrier's back ( X L I , 1). The beads were found at the feet of the upper skeleton, and might indicate that this was the burial of a husband and wife. But no other indication was found, and since the grave had been rifled the position of things found is no safe basis of inference. Grave 71 is a somewhat different example of this class. Its dimensions and the position of the body were exactly similar to grave 3 r. Here however we found every one of the covering stories in place, and it appeared to be an unrifled grave. A s was invariably the case in this class of graves, between the skull and the upper end of the grave proper a space was left for the disposition of the valuables buried with, but not worn by, the deceased. In this grave we found here the ivory cups (146, 147, 150, 154), 5 alabaster boxes (25, 27, 30, 3 1 ) for ointment, 2 bronze spoons (91, 92), which had probably been used for extracting the ointment from these boxes, as may be inferred from the deep groove worn in the lip of one of them ; at the waist a quantity of large ivory beads ( 1 6 1 ) which had perhaps formed a bracelet, and a shell. B y the right wrist were found twelve scarabs ( X X X V I I , 59-69), all of a much earlier date than the burial itself, showing that the women had acquired the habit of wearing the jewellery of their predecessors unearthed from various sources. The shell appears to have been used as a palette for

62

TELL YEHUD OR GHEYTA

t h e g r i n d i n g and m i x i n g of k o h l or eye-paint. The c o n t e n t s s u f f i c i e n t l y indicate that it w a s the burial of a w o m a n , and that she had been in a good position. A l l t h r o u g h t h e season's w o r k w e w a t c h e d w i t h c a r e t o discover if s c a r a b s were ever found in m e n ' s g r a v e s ; and in e v e r y c a s e w h e r e w e f o u n d scarabs t h e other c o n t e n t s of the g r a v e s h o w e d b e y o n d d o u b t t h a t it w a s the burial of a w o m a n , or child. Almost a t t h e surface of t h e filling of this g r a v e w a s found the n e c k and shoulder of a b u f f pink a m p h o r a o f G r e e k style, w i t h an inscription in G r e e k on the shoulder (3- 4)In this g r a v e were found also several silver c y l i n d e r s of a p e c u l i a r t y p e about inches l o n g , a n d w i t h t w o small " e y e s " a t the top for s u s p e n d i n g t h e m (PL X L ) . deep, a n d G r a v e 66 m e a s u r e d 7J feet l o n g , 4 feet wide. It had c o n t a i n e d a v e r y large skeleton, b u t n o t h i n g of it r e m a i n e d e x c e p t the leg-bones. T h i s w a s a v e r y u s u a l thing. A l l the rrost v a l u a b l e t h i n g s were d e p o s i t e d a t the head, and w e f r e q u e n t l y f o u n d all the c o v e r i n g stones over t h e head r e m o v e d , w h i l e the rest remained in their places, in this case t h e s t o n e s and t h e v a l u a b l e s and the u p p e r portion of t h e skeleton h a d all been r e m o v e d by the thief. B y t h e right side h o w e v e r w e found a collection o f iron k n i v e s and spears. F o u r were c o m p l e t e , and there were eight other f r a g m e n t s . A l l of them h a d had w o o d e n handles. G r a v e 68£ w a s of e x a c t l y the same d i m e n s i o n s as t h e last. T h e s k e l e t o n w a s a l m o s t c o m p l e t e . The g r a v e w a s r e m a r k a b l e for the v a r i e t y of b e a d s f o u n d in it. A l t o g e t h e r 13 different k i n d s were p i c k e d u p . A m o n g t h e m were s o m e ivory, a n c some glass o r n a m e n t e d beads, t w o H o r u s eyes, one of g l a z e and o n e of g r e y granite. A n ivory knitting needle and a small ring c o m p l e t e the contents. G r a v e 76 c l o s e l y resembled g r a v e 7 1 , b u t contained g r e a t e r v a r i e t y of material, though it had been p a r t i a l l y rifled. It m e a s u r e d 8 x 7 x 5 feet. Only o n e a l a b a s t e r b o x r e m a i n e d (29). T h e i v o r y c u p s a n d hairpins were b a d l y b r o k e n . O n e b r o n z e spoon (92), several b r o n z e rings and bracelets, and beads of m a n y varieties were found. T h e b e a d s had all been scattered and m i x e d w h e n t h e g r a v e w a s rifled, and in c o n s e q u e n c e n o t h i n g could be learnt of the a r r a n g e m e n t of t h e m , or how t h e y had been w o r n . T h e n u m b e r of painted sherds found in the filling s h o w s t h a t this had also been a burial of the better class, the p o t t e r y b e i n g far superior to the a v e r a g e found in t h e c e m e t e r y . D i s t i n c t traces, o f c l o t h

w r a p p i n g of the b o d y w e r e f o u n d . T h e h e a d of a s m a l l s t u c c o ( 1 8 0 ) p a i n t e d o r n a m e n t found in t h e filling, w a s p r o b a b l y part of a b u s t or s t a t u e t t e of the o c c u p a n t of the g r a v e , buried w i t h her, j u s t as in other cases w e f o u n d t h e features of the d e a d p a i n t e d on m u m m y w r a p p i n g s , or incised on p o t t e r y coffin lids. T h e R o m a n glass bottles, o f w h i c h m a n y f r a g m e n t s were p i c k e d u p , had shared t h e s a m e fate as the p o t t e r y . G r a v e 72 w a s the g r a v e of a child, a n d m e a s u r e d 80 inches long, 80 d e e p , a n d 40 w i d e . A l l t h e c o v e r ing s t o n e s were found, t h o u g h not in situ. T w o 01 these were inscribed. T h e t w o were really p a r t s of o n e and fitted t o g e t h e r (PI. X L V 1 I I ) . G r a v e 61 c o n t a i n e d the other ¡Inscribed stone, w h i c h h a d been used for the s a m e purpose (PI. X L V I I I ) . Both have a l r e a d y been discussed. G r a v e 1 1 6 w a s a c o m m o n v a r i e t y of this class. It w a s cut in a m o r e s a n d y part of the gebel, a n d w a s b r i c k - b u i l t all round from b o t t o m to top to k e e p the sand in place. T h e n t h e l e d g e s inside were built up w i t h bricks, rounded at the head, and the u s u a l s p a c e left for the b o d y . T h e g r a v e w a s a speciallyfine one and m u s t have b e l o n g e d to a f a m i l y of t h e better class. A small R o m a n g l a s s b o t t l e w a s f o u n d c o m p l e t e , a stone c u t r e a d y f o r s e t t i n g , b r o n z e twisted bracelets, and a piece of p i n k m a t e r i a l like ochre, w h i c h m i g h t have been used as face-paint, c o m p l e t e t h e contents, and s h o w also t h a t the g r a v e w a s a burial of a w o m a n . In all these the s k e l e t o n w a s rarely c o m p l e t e , a n d even w h e n c o m p l e t e it w a s in s u c h a state t h a t it c r u m b l e d a w a y to p o w d e r a t the slightest t o u c h . D i s t i n c t traces of w r a p p i n g were found in m o s t g r a v e s of this class, e v e r y l i m b h a v i n g b e e n s e p a r a t e l y w r a p p e d , t h e b o d y not b e i n g s w a t h e d as in the c a s e of a m u m m y , but the limbs left free. T h e swords w h e n buried w i t h o u t w o o d e n s h e a t h s w e r e w r a p p e d in linen or o t h e r cloth ; and all the deposits at the h e a d or feet of t h e b o d y had been most c a r e f u l l y w r a p p e d in cloth, t h o u g h it c o u l d n o t l o n g h a v e w i t h s t o o d the salt a n d the d a m p n e s s o f the soil. In t h e g r a v e s w h e r e w e f o u n d t h e i v o r y c u p s and alabasters there were traces of cloth by them, w h i c h s h o w e d t h a t t h e y h a d been o r i g i n a l l y wrapped. 89. BRICK-BUILT AND A R C H E D GRAVES. Grave I t w a s really a b r i c k 5 is an interesting e x a m p l e . a r c h e d g r a v e built o v e r a d o u b l e - l e d g e g r a v e , the s t o n e c o v e r i n g o f the latter s e r v i n g as the b o t t o m of the u p p e r burial. T h e sides b e i n g c u t in t h e hard

BRICK-BUILT soil i t w a s n o t n e c e s s a r y t o b u i l d

them

up, but

roof w a s carefully arched over with sun-dried

the

bricks.

GRAVES

63

f o u n d laid h e a d a n d on

the

brick-built

ledges

T h e u p p e r g r a v e o v e r l a p p e d t h e l o w e r b y a f o o t in

taking the place of

length, and both had been

covering.

thoroughly

looted.

G r a v e 198, l i k e m o s t o f t h i s c l a s s , w a s c u t in

90.

the

tail a c r o s s t h e b o d y a n d r e s t i n g at

the

sides,

the more usual

BRICK-LINED

AND

evidently

stone

or

PLASTERED

brick

GRAVES.

s a n d y soil, a n d o n t h e e d g e of t h e c e m e t e r y n e a r e s t

Grave 475

is t h e b e s t e x a m p l e

which we found.

to Tell Y e h u d .

measured

80

deep,

T h e skeleton was complete.

At

the

head were found the t w o stucco mirrors (184, one rosette-shaped, end.

the other oblong with

T h e pieces of glass showed

traces of paint on

t h e b a c k , and b o t h w e r e pierced for h a n g i n g . hairpins,

and

pendants

a

were

pair

of

found

silver

in

earrings

position.

bronze bracelets and a scarab, a n d under

the

were

neck

found.

eared bottle which

may

a

considerable

Fragments

of

be

seen

iri

G r a v e 200

measured

At

wrists

of

glass

completed

190.

gold

the

quantity

beads double-

drawing

T h e grave

80 i n c h e s l o n g , 50 d e e p , a n d 4 0

Bronze

with

on t h e chest a n d

a black

were found, the

185),

triangular

measured

10 feet

185,

A

long, 3 deep,

a

similar rosette-shaped

considerable

quantity

mirror

of

of

beads,

and

hairpins, were found at the head

B r o n z e rings at the

fingers,

a black

overstucco,

including

several large lozenge-shaped crystal beads, bronze

170, a n d and

neck.

glass bottle

and

a s m a l l r o u g h c l a y j u g (8), c o m p l e t e t h e c o n t e n t s . Most of

these graves

shaft leading of the d e e p

d o w n to

a

brick-built

square

the entrance, after the

shaft graves o f early dates, and

bling the four-chamber bricks at

had

Suwa.

intact, t h o u g h

In

it h a d

and carnelian

pit

graves arched

grave

style resem-

over

with

210 the brick vault

been sanded

up.

was

Limestone

b e a d s , a n d p i e c e s of i r o n a n k l e t s

221

woman,

who

60

to a height of

whitewashed

bricked over.

or

had

been

of swathing referred to above.

and

279 both

belong

b r o n z e o r n a m e n t or t o y

cymbals

( 7 9 , 80), w e r e

ivory,

resembling

found.

Grave

a

221

wide.

fragments

were

too

meagre

the case o f wrapping.

mirror, An

though

ivory

cup

rod

of

amber beads

were

found.

The

in

not

the

about

mirror

itself,

2 inches

high

were

and

found.

1 inch

ivory

tube, decorated

favourite decorative alabaster ointment

inch

with

in E g y p t ,

and

small

w i t h lid (24), w e r e all

found

A m o n g the b e a d s w e r e t w o

scarabs ( X X X V I I ,

7 7 , 78).

The

frag-

ments of pottery found belonged to the class of double-eared

large

c e n t u r i e s A.D.

A

a

a

a t t h e h e a d of t h e g r a v e . small raised

c o n c e n t r i c circles, still

design box

in

in

c o n t e n t s o f w h i c h s h o w e d t h a t it h a d b e e n a n kohl

£

hollow black

amphorae large

of

quantity

the of

3rd fine

buff

and

4th

plaits

of

f a l s e h a i r w e r e f o u n d a l s o in t h i s g r a v e . G r a v e s 482, 483, 494, a n d 4 9 7

all b e l o n g t o

4 9 4 is an i n s t a n c e o f a r e g u l a r d o u b l e - l e d g e

Roman

glass, bronze rings,

iron r i n g s , a n

some pieces of alabaster. narrow tapering and

Six

ribbed

amethyst

bead

or s e v e n d a r k

p o t s ( i , 2) o f a

usual w a t e r - p o t

of

as to dry them, and

this

grave

l o n g , 80 deep, a n d

Its contents 71.

and

their

The

small

c o m p l e t e in t h e

sand,

an and

smaller were

drip

some melted

so

paraffin w a x

around them when the sand was heated, they might

slightest

secured be

complete.

done, and

touch.

A

they

bronze

89, t h e g l a s s o f a r o s e t t e

Unfortunately

this

fell t o p i e c e s a t

spoon of

mirror, and

Roman

the type,

a quantity of

large ivory beads c o m p l e t e d the contents.

brown

this class,

80 i n c h e s

ivory pots stood at t h e head

not

of

It w a s

arrangement closely resembled grave

been

than the

usual

diameter, the

could

child.

G r a v e 240 c o n t a i n e d a l a r g e b r o n z e toq (76), beads,

make

swathing,

as w a s

G o l d earrings at the ears (135),

ivory about

apparently that of a

iron b u c k l e a n d

suggest

d i a m e t e r w i t h lid ( 1 5 2 ) , i v o r y h a i r p i n s ( 1 6 0 ) , a

have

fragments

to

to

The

carnelian, o n y x and a m b e r beads at the neck, bronze

t o m b measured o n l y about one cubic metre, and was

shells,

body seems

a n d h a d i t b e e n p o s s i b l e t o l i g h t a fire n e a r t h e m

In g r a v e 2 7 9 a b r o n z e coin, b r o n z e bells (as 75), large

The

and they did not cling to the limbs

to this class.

80 i n c h e s l o n g , 6 0 d e e p , a n d 4 0

earrings and

been

h a v e b e e n b u r i e d in a l o n g l o o s e r o b e o r d r e s s .

40 wide, and stone-covered.

of

had

class.

b r o n z e b e l l ( 7 5 ) , a b r o n z e s p o o n (88), s o m e

measured

and

b u r i e d d r e s s e d in h e r b e s t ;

a

pair

It

wide.

18 i n c h e s f r o m t h e

plastered,

whitewashed.

another

40

It was evidently the grave of a y o u n g

I n 221 a l a r g e r o s e t t e s t u c c o m i r r o r ( 1 8 3 ) , i r o n a n k l e t , and

and

and here w e appear to part with the ordinary custom

were

f o u n d in t h e g r a v e . Graves

It w a s b r i c k - l i n e d bottom,

long,

bracelets at the wrists, and the glass of a rosette-shaped

wide.

4 feet wide, a n d w a s b r i c k - b u i l t all r o u n d a n d arched.

of

inches

In the brick-built and of

elaborate

swathing

of

brick-lined graves no trace the

separate

limbs

f o u n d , a n d f r o m t h e f a c t t h a t t h e d r y s a n d y soil

was of

64

TELL

YEHUD OR GHEYTA

t h e s e g r a v e s w o u l d h a v e p r e s e r v e d it m u c h b e t t e r than t h e d a m p gebel o f t h e d o u b l e - l e d g e g r a v e s , w h e r e w e f o u n d e l a b o r a t e s w a t h i n g , w e are c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e r e w a s n o c a s e o f s w a t h i n g in t h e s e g r a v e s . A s a l r e a d y i n d i c a t e d , the t r a c e s o f c l o t h f o u n d p o i n t e d r a t h e r to a l o o s e dress h a v i n g b e e n w o r n . In g r a v e 4 7 5 t h e w o m a n a p p e a r s t o h a v e b e e n dressed in her b e s t , w e a r i n g all h e r j e w e l l e r y , a n d e v e n t h e false hair w h i c h s h e h a d w o r n w h i l e alive. T h i s q u i t e c o n f i r m s P r o f e s s o r Petrie's o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t d r e s s i n g o n l y b e g a n t o r e p l a c e s w a t h i n g in C h r i s t i a n times. T h i s g r a v e b e l o n g s t o a b o u t t h e m i d d l e o f t h e 3rd c e n t u r y , A.D. 9 1 . T H E SIDE-SCOOP G R A V E S were m o s t l y , t h o u g h not e x c l u s i v e l y , b u r i a l s of c h i l d r e n . G r a v e 37 is a c o m m o n t y p e , b e i n g a b o u t o n e m e t r e cube. The hole for t h e b o d y w a s u s u a l l y s c o o p e d o u t on t h e w e s t s i d e o f the g r a v e , a n d t h e s k e l e t o n l a y w i t h t h e h e a d t o the north-west. Usually nothing was found in b u r i a l s o f this class. In g r a v e 67, e x a c t l y similar t o g r a v e 37, a b r o n z e e a r r i n g w a s found. G r a v e 129 is interesting. It m e a s u r e d 7 0 i n c h e s long, 4 0 w i d e , a n d 50 d e e p , a n d c o n t a i n e d n o t h i n g b u t t h e l e g - b o n e s o f a child. In t h e filling, h o w e v e r ? s e v e r a l b u r n t b r i c k s w e r e t a k e n out of t h e u s u a l d i m e n s i o n s , n i n c h e s long, 5 w i d e , a n d deep, s h o w i n g t h a t the o p e n i n g o f t h e s i d e - s c o o p w a s c o m m o n l y built u p a f t e r t h e i n t e r m e n t of t h e b o d y . T h e s i d e - s c o o p g r a v e is t h u s a m u c h d e g e n e r a t e d f o r m of t h e s h a f t a n d c h a m b e r g r a v e , of w h i c h w e saw a n o t h e r f o r m in g r a v e 210. G r a v e 133 is a n o t h e r v a r i e t y . It w a s 100 i n c h e s long, 60 w i d e , a n d 60 d e e p , a n d w.is o b v i o u s l y i n t e n d e d f o r an adult. T h e hole here w a s s c o o p e d o u t on t h e east s i d e of t h e g r a v e , b u t on the w e s t side h a l f - w a y d o w n a s m a l l e r hole had b e e n m a d e a n d t h e b o d y o f an i n f a n t interred in it. N o t h i n g else w a s f o u n d in either. G r a v e 140 g i v e s t h e o n l y o t h e r v a r i e t y w h i c h w e f o u n d in this class, viz. a D o u b l e S i d c - s c o o p , o n e The grave on e a c h s i d e a n d a l e d g e left b e t w e e n . m e a s u r e d 80 inches l o n g , 60 deep, and 4 0 w i d e . A bronze anklet, an ivory charm, and some beads were found in it. 92. D O U B L E Z I Y E H BURIALS, w h e r e t w o large p o t s p l a c e d m o u t h t o m o u t h served a s a coffin, were of f r e q u e n t o c c u r r e n c e in o n e p a r t of the c e m e t e r y . G r a v e s 191, 1 9 3 - 1 9 6 , all in c l o s e p r o x i m i t y t o each other, c o n t a i n e d e a c h of t h e m t w o burials of this class side b y side. U s u a l l y one lay a little n e a r e r to the h e a d o f t h e g r a v e than t h e other, so t h a t the

widest parts were not contiguous. T h e r e was no a t t e m p t a t o r n a m e n t a t i o n o f these pots, t h o u g h in 191 s o m e m a r k s w e r e r o u g h l y s c r a t c h e d on o n e p o t . Nor w a s a n y attempt made to depict the features o f t h e d e a d o n t h e m , as used t o b e d o n e on l a r g e p o t - c o f f i n s of t h e X V I l I t h d y n a s t y , o f w h i c h t h e s e double pot-burials are p r o b a b l y a degenerated survival. B e y o n d the decayed wrappings of the b o d i e s n o t h i n g w a s f o u n d i n s i d e a n y of these, t h o u g h t h e usual p a r a p h e r n a l i a m u s t h a v e b e e n b u r i e d w i t h them. In e v e r y c a s e w e f o u n d t h e p o t s b r o k e n o p e n j u s t a b o v e the f a c e o f t h e d e a d , a n d f r o m this o p e n i n g t h e w h o l e of t h e c o n t e n t s h a d b e e n a b s t r a c t e d b y t h e e a r l y g r a v e spoilers, w h o rifled t h e place. The pits measured roughly 8 feet long, 5 wide, a n d 5 deep. P O T T E R Y S L A B COFFINS. D o u b l e b u r i a l s of t h i s c l a s s w e r e v e r y c o m m o n , as in g r a v e 184, a n d t h e f e a t u r e s o f the d e a d w i t h t h e h a n d s w e r e u s u a l l y incised on t h e lids. In g r a v e 433 t h r e e s u c h c o f f i n s l a y s i d e b y s i d e in a pit m e a s u r i n g 100 i n c h e s l o n g , 9 0 w i d e , a n d 7 0 deep. T h e coffin on t h e w e s t s i d e contained a m u m m y , the plaster of w h i c h w a s b e a u t i f u l l y d e c o r a t e d in b l u e , w h i t e , a n d p i n k , w i t h b l a c k outlines, t h e f a c e b e i n g d o n e in gilt. The c e n t r e coffin a l s o c o n t a i n e d a m u m m y in plain w h i t e plaster. T h e coffin o n t h e e a s t side w a s r e a l l y a d o u b l e coffin d o w n t o t h e w a i s t , a n d c o n t a i n e d t w o skeletons which apparently had never been mummified. T h e lids w e r e all c r u s h e d a n d b r o k e n o v e r t h e skulls, w h i c h in their turn w e r e b r o k e n b y t h e pressure. E a c h coffin c o n s i s t e d o f s i x parts, the b o t t o m a n d t h e lid b e i n g s e p a r a t e l y m a d e , a n d t h e s i d e s being each divided into t w o parts. T h e ends were e a c h a f f i x e d t o o n e of the s i d e parts. T h e j u n c t u r e s of t h e v a r i o u s parts w e r e s t u f f e d close w i t h h a r d b l a c k m u d plaster, w h i c h c r u m b l e d l i k e fine c i n d e r s . T h e r e was nothing to indicate w h y three interments in t h e s a m e g r a v e , a n d a p p a r e n t l y c o n t e m p o r a n e o u s , s h o u l d h a v e differed so m u c h in character. W e e x a m i n e d t h e m m o s t c a r e f u l l y in t h e h o p e t h a t p a p y r u s M S S . m i g h t h a v e been used in w r a p p i n g u p t h e m u m m i e s , b u t n o t h i n g b u t linen h a d b e e n used. T h e b o d i e s l a y w i t h h e a d s t o t h e n o r t h west. N o t h i n g w a s found inside t h e coffin of t h e n a t u r e o f j e w e l l e r y or p o t t e r y . G r a v e s 503 and 504 c l o s e l y r e s e m b l e d t h i s g r a v e , e x c e p t t h a t in 503 t h e r e w e r e o n l y t w o c o f f i n s w i t h h e a d s t o the west, a n d in 504 o n l y one i n t e r m e n t , all o f t h e m m u m m i e s , p a i n t e d a n d g i l d e d a s in 433.

BELBEYS

POT BURIALS of children were not numerous. Graves 172 and 248 were the two best instances» and nothing was found in them. They have already been described. 93. T E L L

SADUN,

BY

BELBEYS,

Belbeys

has

been identified as the " Bailos in the Water of R a " mentioned in the great Harris Papyrus, and to judge from the extent of its ruins, must have been a place of considerable importance. It stands also well within the limits usually assigned to the district of Goshen. Not much is known about the place, for the reason that the modern town is built upon the ruins of the ancient, and excavation is quite out of the question. There must have been an extensive and important cemetery somewhere near it, when the town was at its best, but it has never been discovered. In the hope of finding it Dr. Petrie and I spent a day examining the neighbouring desert within a radius of two or three miles, but found no place which could be identified as an ancient cemetery. The only place which held out the slightest hope was the mound known as Tell Sadun, about one mile along the desert from Belbeys, and here it was decided to work for some time. The site is just at the end of the camel-route across the desert to Ismailiyeh, and where caravans regularly encamped at the outset and completion of their journey, so that we rarely occupied the place alone. The Tell is crowned on one point by the tomb of the Sheykh et Tayr, and on another by a collection of tombs with a small minaret enclosed in a brick wall all round. This enclosure contains the tombs of four sheykhs of the Sadun family, and the tomb of Fatima, the wife of one of them, all honoured in their day and generation, and revered at the present day as saints and healers. The interest of this district is greatly increased when we remember that the same Harris Papyrus says of it, " that the country was not cultivated, but left as pasture for cattle, because of the strangers. It was abandoned since the time of the ancestors." The words tally very closely with the Biblical description of Goshen. 94. We began work upon the mound, hoping it might prove to be a portion of the cemetery of the old town, but in this we were disappointed. It proved to be the accumulated rubbish of two or three small settlements, built above each other at various periods, none of them belonging to a very early date ; for though we went down to a depth of 18 or 20 feet, we never got below Roman times. There had never

65

been an Egyptian settlement here, and certainly never any cemetery. The same result followed our efforts in the unreclaimed gebel between the mound and the Ismailiyeh Canal, behind the modern slaughter-house. There had been a small village there too, and we cleared several rooms, but everything was of a very late date, and there was no trace of a cemetery. In the mound itself, we cleared out several houses, and found a considerable quantity of Roman pottery, and Arab coloured earthenware. Close to the tomb of the Sheykh et Tayr, we unearthed a fine specimen of a Roman oven, built on a platform that stood waist high. The floor of the oven was of fire-baked mud about inches thick, and it was covered over by a bee-hive shaped roof, with an opening at the front for inserting the bread. Beneath the floor of the oven, the furnace was carefully built of brick, and there was an opening for inserting fire-wood below the door of the oven, but we found no trace of any arrangement for the smoke to escape from the oven, and from the room. A pile of fire-wood lay in the corner opposite to the oven, and a small crucible was found on the side of it. A considerable number of coins and pots and clay baked basins was found in the room. The coins were badly defaced, but all of them seemed to be early Arabic coins. The pottery was of very late Roman or Arabic age, see PI. X L I X . Smaller saucers and pots of the same type were quite common. The drinking pot (14) and the one-eared jug (15) were both found in the room adjoining the oven. In another part, we uncovered a rather interesting stable, with a neat arrangement of stalls all round it. Part of it had been cut ofif by a wall up the centre, to serve as a room, and on the side of this wall there .was a fire-place. It is a more elaborate arrangement than the Arabs employ nowadays for their animals. It was probably never roofed. In one of the rooms which we unearthed, we found a large ziyeh or water-pot (19) standing in its place behind the entrance; and this house was interesting further in having many pots embedded in its walls to serve as nests for pigeons, a common custom among Arabs at the present day. Though we made the most careful search of the neighbourhood, we were never able to find any portion of the gebel which gave the slightest indication of having been used as a cemetery, and we were ultimately driven to the conclusion that the important Cemetery of Belbeys has been incorporated in the area of cultivation, which has increased with much rapidity 9

66

TELL YEHÜD OR GHEYTA

d u r i n g t h e p a s t few y e a r s t h r o u g h artificial irrigation. O n t h e f a r m close t o T e l l S a d u n , t h e n e i g h b o u r i n g gebel is b e i n g r e c l a i m e d so speedily, t h a t in a f e w years, t h e T e l l m a y b e c o m e a m e r e gezireh in t h e m i d s t of fertile fields.

CHAPTER THE Bv

ROMAN W.

M.

F.

X SITES

PETRIE

95. THE g e o g r a p h y of t h e e a s t e r n D e l t a in R o m a n t i m e s h a s n o t been s a t i s f a c t o r i l y settled. T h e d o c u m e n t s for it consist of t h e A t r t o n i n e I t i n e r a r y a n d t h e Notitia D i g n i t a t u m ; Ptolemy's Geography and the Peutingerian table are too incomplete and confused in t h i s p a r t t o a f f o r d a n y decisive i n f o r m a t i o n . T h e Itineraries which touch the region with which w e a r e h e r e d e a l i n g a r e as follows, with d i s t a n c e s in R o m a n miles (see PL L ) : Babylon H d i u

Scenae Veteranorum Vicus Judaeorum Thou Heroon Serapeum Clysma

- i s 12 — 1 2

-50

and— Pelusium Daphnae Tacasarta Thou Scenae Veteranorum Heliu Memphis

—16 — 18 —24

—26 — 14 —24

L o o k i n g a t first o n l y t o t h e well fixed places, a n d certain lines of road, w e h a v e : Roman mites. Itinerary. Memphis Nile ferry -r1 4 i2 Babylon -109 12 Heliopolis -46 0 40 or 44 Thou -217 24 Heroon -1&2 18 Serapeum 96. H e r e in t h e f o u r certain cases o u t of five t h e r e is a r a t h e r l a r g e r n u m b e r of miles in t h e I t i n e r a r y t h a n t h e r e is in t h e a c t u a l distance, a f t e r a l l o w i n g for a n y o b v i o u s b e n d s in t h e road. O r in o t h e r words, t h e

R o m a n mile h e r e is t o o s h o r t b y 1 in 9, a n d it w a s t h e r e f o r e a b o u t 52,000 i n c h e s i n s t e a d of 58,300 inches. T h i s is n o t likely t o b e d u e t o b e n d s in t h e r o a d , in so flat a c o u n t r y a n d a l o n g t h e o p e n d e s e r t b o r d e r . R a t h e r we have here an E g y p t i a n measure c h a n g e d i n t o R o m a n miles. T h e u n i t h e r e is 52,000 inches, a n d t h i s is 2,500 cubits, o r 5 of t h e 500-cubit s t a d i a w h i c h w e k n o w t o h a v e b e e n used. W e c a n g o a little f u r t h e r w h e n we n o t i c e t h a t m o s t of t h e d i s t a n c e s a r e m u l t i p l e s of 12 m i l e s ; for 12 s u c h m i l e s w o u l d b e 30,000 cubits, o r 2 \ schoeni. I t s e e m s t h e n t h a t t h e d i s t a n c e s w e r e in schoeni, a n d t h e n c e r e d u c e d t o n o m i n a l R o m a n miles a t 24 miles t o 5 schoeni. T h i s e x p l a i n s h o w 12 a n d 24 c o m e t o b e so f r e q u e n t a distance. T h e original follows :

f a c t s would

have

been

Schoeni = Memphis Babylon Heliopolis ~ xr u Scenae Veteranorum Vicus Judaeorum Thou Heroon Serapeum Clysma

then

as

Miles.

—2* ** —-3 J or 4 . ^

ye

"

14 or 18

-It]™**

\22)°r26

—5

24

—4

18

—10

50

97. A p a r t f r o m t h e u n c e r t a i n s i t e s of S c e n a e V e t e r a n o r u m and Vicus J u d a e o r u m these distances a g r e e v e r y well t o t h e facts, t h e n e a r e s t h a l f - s c h o e n u s b e i n g t a k e n . F u r t h e r , t h r e e s c h o e n i will a g r e e v e r y closely t o t h e d i s t a n c e f r o m H e l i o p o l i s t o T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h , w h i c h w o u l d if so b e S c e n a e V e t e r a n o r u m . B u t this would leave 3^ schoeni t o G h e y t a , w h i c h could not then be Vicus J u d a e o r u m . O n t h e other h a n d , if w e a c c e p t 4 schoeni t o S c e n a e V e t e r a n o r u m it m u s t b e a b o u t E l M e n a i r ; a n d t h e n t h e d i s t a n c e of 2 J s c h o e n i falls on t h e c a m p of G h e y t a , w h i c h w o u l d t h u s be V i c u s J u d a e o r u m . T h e n c e t o T h o u is 4 ^ i n s t e a d of 2 \ schoeni, or X h a s d r o p p e d o u t of t h e R o m a n miles, a n d X X I I h a s been copied as X I I ; f o r t h e r e c a n b e n o d o u b t t h a t T h o u , or T h o h u , is t h e l a t e R o m a n site, T e l l esh S h u q f i y e h , a m i l e long o n t h e d e s e r t to t h e s o u t h of T e l l el K e b i r . F r o m T h o u t o Heroon 5 schoeni exactly agrees with the distance to Pithom, which was H e r o or H e r o o n . A n d thence w e h a v e j u s t 4 schoeni t o S e r a p e u m , a n d f u r t h e r 10 s c h o e n i to C l y s m a . I t s e e m s t h a t we m u s t c o n c l u d e — (1) T h a t t h e d i s t a n c e s w e r e in r e d u c e d t o miles:

schoeni

and

66

TELL YEHÜD OR GHEYTA

d u r i n g t h e p a s t few y e a r s t h r o u g h artificial irrigation. O n t h e f a r m close t o T e l l S a d u n , t h e n e i g h b o u r i n g gebel is b e i n g r e c l a i m e d so speedily, t h a t in a f e w years, t h e T e l l m a y b e c o m e a m e r e gezireh in t h e m i d s t of fertile fields.

CHAPTER THE Bv

ROMAN W.

M.

F.

X SITES

PETRIE

95. THE g e o g r a p h y of t h e e a s t e r n D e l t a in R o m a n t i m e s h a s n o t been s a t i s f a c t o r i l y settled. T h e d o c u m e n t s for it consist of t h e A t r t o n i n e I t i n e r a r y a n d t h e Notitia D i g n i t a t u m ; Ptolemy's Geography and the Peutingerian table are too incomplete and confused in t h i s p a r t t o a f f o r d a n y decisive i n f o r m a t i o n . T h e Itineraries which touch the region with which w e a r e h e r e d e a l i n g a r e as follows, with d i s t a n c e s in R o m a n miles (see PL L ) : Babylon H d i u

Scenae Veteranorum Vicus Judaeorum Thou Heroon Serapeum Clysma

- i s 12 — 1 2

-50

and— Pelusium Daphnae Tacasarta Thou Scenae Veteranorum Heliu Memphis

—16 — 18 —24

—26 — 14 —24

L o o k i n g a t first o n l y t o t h e well fixed places, a n d certain lines of road, w e h a v e : Roman mites. Itinerary. Memphis Nile ferry -r1 4 i2 Babylon -109 12 Heliopolis -46 0 40 or 44 Thou -217 24 Heroon -1&2 18 Serapeum 96. H e r e in t h e f o u r certain cases o u t of five t h e r e is a r a t h e r l a r g e r n u m b e r of miles in t h e I t i n e r a r y t h a n t h e r e is in t h e a c t u a l distance, a f t e r a l l o w i n g for a n y o b v i o u s b e n d s in t h e road. O r in o t h e r words, t h e

R o m a n mile h e r e is t o o s h o r t b y 1 in 9, a n d it w a s t h e r e f o r e a b o u t 52,000 i n c h e s i n s t e a d of 58,300 inches. T h i s is n o t likely t o b e d u e t o b e n d s in t h e r o a d , in so flat a c o u n t r y a n d a l o n g t h e o p e n d e s e r t b o r d e r . R a t h e r we have here an E g y p t i a n measure c h a n g e d i n t o R o m a n miles. T h e u n i t h e r e is 52,000 inches, a n d t h i s is 2,500 cubits, o r 5 of t h e 500-cubit s t a d i a w h i c h w e k n o w t o h a v e b e e n used. W e c a n g o a little f u r t h e r w h e n we n o t i c e t h a t m o s t of t h e d i s t a n c e s a r e m u l t i p l e s of 12 m i l e s ; for 12 s u c h m i l e s w o u l d b e 30,000 cubits, o r 2 \ schoeni. I t s e e m s t h e n t h a t t h e d i s t a n c e s w e r e in schoeni, a n d t h e n c e r e d u c e d t o n o m i n a l R o m a n miles a t 24 miles t o 5 schoeni. T h i s e x p l a i n s h o w 12 a n d 24 c o m e t o b e so f r e q u e n t a distance. T h e original follows :

f a c t s would

have

been

Schoeni = Memphis Babylon Heliopolis ~ xr u Scenae Veteranorum Vicus Judaeorum Thou Heroon Serapeum Clysma

then

as

Miles.

—2* ** —-3 J or 4 . ^

ye

"

14 or 18

-It]™**

\22)°r26

—5

24

—4

18

—10

50

97. A p a r t f r o m t h e u n c e r t a i n s i t e s of S c e n a e V e t e r a n o r u m and Vicus J u d a e o r u m these distances a g r e e v e r y well t o t h e facts, t h e n e a r e s t h a l f - s c h o e n u s b e i n g t a k e n . F u r t h e r , t h r e e s c h o e n i will a g r e e v e r y closely t o t h e d i s t a n c e f r o m H e l i o p o l i s t o T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h , w h i c h w o u l d if so b e S c e n a e V e t e r a n o r u m . B u t this would leave 3^ schoeni t o G h e y t a , w h i c h could not then be Vicus J u d a e o r u m . O n t h e other h a n d , if w e a c c e p t 4 schoeni t o S c e n a e V e t e r a n o r u m it m u s t b e a b o u t E l M e n a i r ; a n d t h e n t h e d i s t a n c e of 2 J s c h o e n i falls on t h e c a m p of G h e y t a , w h i c h w o u l d t h u s be V i c u s J u d a e o r u m . T h e n c e t o T h o u is 4 ^ i n s t e a d of 2 \ schoeni, or X h a s d r o p p e d o u t of t h e R o m a n miles, a n d X X I I h a s been copied as X I I ; f o r t h e r e c a n b e n o d o u b t t h a t T h o u , or T h o h u , is t h e l a t e R o m a n site, T e l l esh S h u q f i y e h , a m i l e long o n t h e d e s e r t to t h e s o u t h of T e l l el K e b i r . F r o m T h o u t o Heroon 5 schoeni exactly agrees with the distance to Pithom, which was H e r o or H e r o o n . A n d thence w e h a v e j u s t 4 schoeni t o S e r a p e u m , a n d f u r t h e r 10 s c h o e n i to C l y s m a . I t s e e m s t h a t we m u s t c o n c l u d e — (1) T h a t t h e d i s t a n c e s w e r e in r e d u c e d t o miles:

schoeni

and

THE

IDENTIFICATIONS

(2) T h a t the late camp of tents, scenae, was not at the earlier town of Tell el Yehudiyeh, but along the desert about E l Menair ; (3) T h a t Gheyta is Vicus Judaeorum ; and (4) T h a t the only corruption is 2\ for 4J schoeni, or X I I for X X I I miles to Thou. From the Notitia we learn that at Scenae Veteranorum were the Saracen horsemen of the Thamudeni, and the A l a Quinta Raetorum. A t Castra Judaeorum, probably V i c u s Judaeorum, was the Cohors Prima Epireorum. A n d at Thohu was the Cohors Prima Augusta Pannoniorum. Thohu is evidently the Thou of the Itinerary ; and this may well be a late form of Succoth or T h u k u , which even under Ramessu II was corrupted to T h u , as on the scene in PI. X X X .

CHAPTER T H E

HISTORY BY

OF W.

T H E M.

F.

XI HYKSOS

PERIOD

PETRIE

98. HITHERTO the material remains belonging to the age between the X l l l t h and X V I I I t h dynasties have been sc scanty, and so little studied, that they have not yet been treated in a consecutive manner. Indeed it is only in the last few years that the scarabs of this age have been noticed, and that it has been possible to compare them in a systematic fashion. Those of the H y k s o s kings which we propose to classify in this chapter are about half of them from m y own collection and notes, and about half from Mr. Newberry's recent book on Scarabs, in which they appear without arrangement. This chapter is therefore but a first attempt to treat the period from the historical point of view. T h e series of graves now found at T e l l el Yehudiyeh gives the first decisive evidence of the age of this class of scarabs, including those of the kings K h y a n and Sekhanra. A further historical result is that we can trace the continuous degradation of the scarab types and work, accompanying changes in the black pottery which is found with them. And the series is at one end linked by the best scarabs to the age before the Hyksos, and at the other end linked by the worst pottery to the age after the Hyksos. Hence we can accept the degradation of type as a basis for an approximate arrangement in historical order ; and now it becomes possible to treat the period in detail.

67

A n o t h e r view to which we are led b y this classifying of the scarab types Is that a large part of the private scarabs which are commonly attributed to the X l l t h dynasty, may really belong t o the officials of the earlier H y k s o s age. It is the more likely that when the native rule was weakened or abolished, each official would seal the documents and goods of his office with his own name and titles rather than those of the king. T h e first evidence of a foreigner rising to supreme power after the X l l t h d y n a s t y is the appearance of the king Khenzer. A stele and three scarabs of his are known, and we see that he took the throne name copied from that of Amenemhat III, the most celebrated king of the X l l t h dynasty, who was revered in later ages. T h e stele in the Louvre is fairly cut and follows the style of the X l l t h dynasty ; hence it seems that we must place this king in the afterglow of the middle kingdom. It is obvious that Khenzer is a foreign name, and in later times there was a Babylonian king of the same name, Khinziros in Greek, or Yukin-ziru, who reigned at 731 B.C. This was probably a couple of thousand years after the E g y p t i a n Khenzer, but it shows that this intrusion in E g y p t was of Babylonian origin. Evidence of a similar case of a foreigner becoming king of E g y p t is shown by a green jasper cylinder of purely Babylonian work of before 2000 B.C., which I bought in Cairo. Beside the ornaments of a twist pattern, and a row of ibex couchant, there is a figure of a king of E g y p t , adored by two subjects, one an Egyptian, the other a Babylonian. T h e king's name is placed in a cartouche and reads K h a n d y , clearly a foreign name like that of Khenzer. These kings seem to have been able mercenary generals of Babylonian origin who succeeded in gaining power in E g y p t . T h e y probably belong to the X l l l t h or X l V t h dynasty, as their work is too good for the H y k s o s time. 99. Coming now to the scarabs which can be referred to the Hyksos, we find about twenty-eight names, and more than a dozen examples are known of some of the kings. T h a t there was a general course of degradation is fairly clear from the contents of the H y k s o s graves. A n d we may thus make a rough sequence by workmanship alone. But beside that there is the degradation of the ornamental designs, which also shows an approximate order. T h e classes of design should therefore be defined, and then it is possible to tabulate the examples, as shown on PL L I . T h e main types to notice are those which

THE

IDENTIFICATIONS

(2) T h a t the late camp of tents, scenae, was not at the earlier town of Tell el Yehudiyeh, but along the desert about E l Menair ; (3) T h a t Gheyta is Vicus Judaeorum ; and (4) T h a t the only corruption is 2\ for 4J schoeni, or X I I for X X I I miles to Thou. From the Notitia we learn that at Scenae Veteranorum were the Saracen horsemen of the Thamudeni, and the A l a Quinta Raetorum. A t Castra Judaeorum, probably V i c u s Judaeorum, was the Cohors Prima Epireorum. A n d at Thohu was the Cohors Prima Augusta Pannoniorum. Thohu is evidently the Thou of the Itinerary ; and this may well be a late form of Succoth or T h u k u , which even under Ramessu II was corrupted to T h u , as on the scene in PI. X X X .

CHAPTER T H E

HISTORY BY

OF W.

T H E M.

F.

XI HYKSOS

PERIOD

PETRIE

98. HITHERTO the material remains belonging to the age between the X l l l t h and X V I I I t h dynasties have been sc scanty, and so little studied, that they have not yet been treated in a consecutive manner. Indeed it is only in the last few years that the scarabs of this age have been noticed, and that it has been possible to compare them in a systematic fashion. Those of the H y k s o s kings which we propose to classify in this chapter are about half of them from m y own collection and notes, and about half from Mr. Newberry's recent book on Scarabs, in which they appear without arrangement. This chapter is therefore but a first attempt to treat the period from the historical point of view. T h e series of graves now found at T e l l el Yehudiyeh gives the first decisive evidence of the age of this class of scarabs, including those of the kings K h y a n and Sekhanra. A further historical result is that we can trace the continuous degradation of the scarab types and work, accompanying changes in the black pottery which is found with them. And the series is at one end linked by the best scarabs to the age before the Hyksos, and at the other end linked by the worst pottery to the age after the Hyksos. Hence we can accept the degradation of type as a basis for an approximate arrangement in historical order ; and now it becomes possible to treat the period in detail.

67

A n o t h e r view to which we are led b y this classifying of the scarab types Is that a large part of the private scarabs which are commonly attributed to the X l l t h dynasty, may really belong t o the officials of the earlier H y k s o s age. It is the more likely that when the native rule was weakened or abolished, each official would seal the documents and goods of his office with his own name and titles rather than those of the king. T h e first evidence of a foreigner rising to supreme power after the X l l t h d y n a s t y is the appearance of the king Khenzer. A stele and three scarabs of his are known, and we see that he took the throne name copied from that of Amenemhat III, the most celebrated king of the X l l t h dynasty, who was revered in later ages. T h e stele in the Louvre is fairly cut and follows the style of the X l l t h dynasty ; hence it seems that we must place this king in the afterglow of the middle kingdom. It is obvious that Khenzer is a foreign name, and in later times there was a Babylonian king of the same name, Khinziros in Greek, or Yukin-ziru, who reigned at 731 B.C. This was probably a couple of thousand years after the E g y p t i a n Khenzer, but it shows that this intrusion in E g y p t was of Babylonian origin. Evidence of a similar case of a foreigner becoming king of E g y p t is shown by a green jasper cylinder of purely Babylonian work of before 2000 B.C., which I bought in Cairo. Beside the ornaments of a twist pattern, and a row of ibex couchant, there is a figure of a king of E g y p t , adored by two subjects, one an Egyptian, the other a Babylonian. T h e king's name is placed in a cartouche and reads K h a n d y , clearly a foreign name like that of Khenzer. These kings seem to have been able mercenary generals of Babylonian origin who succeeded in gaining power in E g y p t . T h e y probably belong to the X l l l t h or X l V t h dynasty, as their work is too good for the H y k s o s time. 99. Coming now to the scarabs which can be referred to the Hyksos, we find about twenty-eight names, and more than a dozen examples are known of some of the kings. T h a t there was a general course of degradation is fairly clear from the contents of the H y k s o s graves. A n d we may thus make a rough sequence by workmanship alone. But beside that there is the degradation of the ornamental designs, which also shows an approximate order. T h e classes of design should therefore be defined, and then it is possible to tabulate the examples, as shown on PL L I . T h e main types to notice are those which

68

THE HISTORY OF THE HYKSOS PERIOD

h e a d t h e c o l u m n s in t h a t plate, a n d w h i c h m a y b e listed a s follows : A

T i t l e , Ji£q khastu, " p r i n c e of t h e deserts," o r f o r e i g n lands. Scrolls.

B C D E F

C o m p l e t e scroll p a t t e r n , l i n k e d a b o v e a n d below. Scroll o n l y linked below, or sides u n c o n n e c t e d . T w o loops a t side, l i n k e d below. T w o loops at side, sides u n c o n n e c t e d , R o w of circles.

G H J

C a r t o u c h e b e t w e e n fairly f o r m e d signs. „ „ badly „ „ „ s y m m e t r i c a l uraei, h a w k s , &c.

K L M N O P Q R

B a r s w i t h fairly f o r m e d s i g n s \ C o n t e r n p o r a r y w i t h „ „ badly „ „ J classes G, H . Nuter signs o n l y a t sides. „ „ joined to bar. C r o s s s t r o k e s d e r i v e d f r o m nuters, with nuters. C u r v e d lines derived f r o m nuters. Cross s t r o k e s a n d vertical. Cross s t r o k e s only.

Bars at

sides.

T h e basis for t h e o r d e r h e r e followed is g e n e r a l l y t h e d e g r e e of b a d a n d u n i n t e l l i g e n t work on t h e scarab. S u c h a scale of w o r k m a n s h i p is a u t h o r i s e d b y t h e s t e a d y d e g r a d a t i o n of t h e s c a r a b s associated w i t h t h e black incised p o t t e r y . T h e r e were considera b l e v a r i a t i o n s in t h e style u n d e r certain kings, a n d it will be s e e n a t a g l a n c e t h a t t w o or t h r e e t y p e s were in use s i m u l t a n e o u s l y ; b u t yet t h e e n t i r e a b s e n c e of some t y p e s f r o m t h e earlier reigns, a n d o t h e r s f r o m t h e later reigns, gives a n historical ^alue t o t h e classing here. IOO. It will b e seen t h a t t h e r e is a m a r k e d c h a n g e a t t h e reign of S h e s h a ; o l d e r t y p e s w h i c h last to his t i m e b e c o m e e x t i n c t , a n d later t y p e s of d e g r a d e d style b e c o m e general. T h e first test, t h e title " p r i n c e of t h e deserts," obviously b e l o n g s to t h e a g e w h e n t h e H y k s o s w e r e n o t y e t c o m p l e t e l y e s t a b l i s h e d in E g y p t . A n t - h e r is h e r e placed first, as his s c a r a b h a s only t h e n a m e , a n d no scroll p a t t e r n w h i c h was a d o p t e d b y t h e later kings. S e m q e n h a s t h e c o m p l e t e scroll circuit. K h y a n a d o p t s also t h e f r a g m e n t a r y scroll, a n d t h e t w o - b a r t y p e . A f t e r this t h e original title of p r i n c e is d r o p p e d . Y a q e b ' h e r M e r ' u s e r ra p r e c e d e s A p e p a I as his w o r k is m u c h better. A p e p a I begins t h e short-lived class of s y m m e t r i c scarabs with h a w k s ,

uraei, a n d o t h e r figures on e a c h side of t h e c a r t o u c h e . H i s t y p e s a r e v e r y m a r k e d ; t h e single u r a e u s a t t h e s i d e of t h e n a m e , t h e nub o v e r t h e c a r t o u c h e , t h e t w i s t of cord, t h e r o s e t t e b a c k , a n d t h e w i d e h u m p y s h o u l d e r of t h e s c a r a b are all peculiar t o this reign. This variety m a r k s the wider grip on different centres in E g y p t , a n d a g r e a t e r a m o u n t of t o u c h w i t h E g y p t i a n l i f e ; s u c h is t o b e e x p e c t e d of t h e k i n g w h o s e m o n u m e n t s a r e f o u n d even a s far as b e y o n d T h e b e s . N e f e r k a r a has t h e similar s y m m e t r i c g r o u p s , a n d similar backs. N u b k a ' r a is a s s o c i a t e d with A p e p a I b y t h e r o s e t t e on t h e b a c k of his s c a r a b o i d . K h e p e r r a h a s t h e c o n t i n u o u s scroll r o u n d t h e w h o l e s c a r a b l i k e N u b ' k a ' r a ; a n d h a s t h e c a r t o u c h e w i t h d o u b l e line, a n d w i t h s y m m e t r i c usa eyes, b o t h p o i n t s like t h e s c a r a b s of A p e p a . K a ? a a n d A a ' n e b ' r a h a v e t h e s y m m e t r i c a l uraei a n d h a w k s , as used b y A p e p a , b u t in a far r u d e r style. T h i s g r o u p of t h e A p e p a a g e is well s e p a r a t e d f r o m o t h e r s , a n d j u d g i n g b y t h e s t y l e of t h e w o r k is p r o b a b l y in this o r d e r . A change was m a d e by Uazed, who introduced t h e senseless ran ran b o r d e r , t h o u g h t h e scroll b o r d e r still a p p e a r s well f o r m e d . S e k t h a s a s h o r t e r scroll b o r d e r , of o n l y t w o links. S a n r k a ' r a h a s t h e n a m e s i m p l y b e t w e e n signs, or in a r o p e b o r d e r c a r t o u c h e ; t h e s i g n s a r e so c o a r s e t h a t t h e y can h a r d l y b e p l a c e d earlier t h a n t h i s . N e f e r u r u a h ' r a has a c a r t o u c h e b e t w e e n signs, of t h e style of t h e last t h r e e kings. Maa ab*ra, whose s c a r a b s a r e v e r y c o m m o n , s h o w s a d e b a s e m e n t b e l o w t h e style of all t h a t w e h a v e noticed. T h e signs a r e p o o r a n d o f t e n senseless, a n d t h e scroll is r e d u c e d t o o n l y t w o links, w i t h o u t c o n n e c t i o n f r o m side t o side. S h e s h a is of t h e s a m e s t y l e b u t m o r e d e b a s e d . T h e scrolls a p p e a r for t h e last t i m e , a n d a r e r e d u c e d t o a r o w of c o n c e n t r i c circles, l i n k e d b y lines or left s e p a r a t e . T h e n e w s t y l e of d e b a s e d nuter signs i n v e r t e d , b e g i n s here, a n d led o n t o a n e n t i r e l y new f a s h i o n of p a r a l l e l lines a t t h e m i d d l e of t h e sides of t h e field. T h i s reign s h o w s t h e close of t h e e a r l y H y k s o s s t y l e a n d t h e o p e n i n g of a m o r e d e b a s e d period. A a q e r h a s t h e last of t h e c a r t o u c h e s b e t w e e n intelligible signs, b u t t h e nuter is inverted. K h a ' u s e r ' r a h a s t h e last survival of t h e scroll p a t t e r n ; a n d t h o u g h t h i s is well d o n e , y e t t h e d e b a s e m e n t of t h e o t h e r e x a m p l e s , a n d t h e senseless m o d i f i c a t i o n of t h e i n v e r t e d nuter a l t e r e d to a m e r e curve, s h o w t h a t h e m u s t b e placed as late as this. S e - k h a n - r a is o f t e n m e t with, b u t his t y p e s a r e limited t o t h e l a t e varieties. Y a q e b ' e l is of t h e s a m e t y p e , b u t a l w a y s d e b a s e d a n d i r r e g u l a r ; t h e s p e l l i n g of t h e

ORDER OF T H E

name is even inverted. One scarab has the fuller form of the name Y a q e b ' e l , " J a c o b is G o d , " which is found in the monumental lists of S y r i a n places. T h i s shows that the name of Y a q e b when alone is to be taken as an abbreviation of the full form. T h e n e x t king A a has the hieroglyphs more debased ; and Aa'hotep-ra follows much the s a m e style. Q a r has what seems to be a senseless repetition of ankh at the du ankh group. Y k h a , Y a ; M a a ' r a , N u b y r a , and R a (or D u ' e r r a ) are all of the most debased and careless style. Without now saying that the order we h a v e proposed here is exact;, or that inversions m a y not be proved in future, y e t the general distribution into the following successive classes seems fairly c e r t a i n : Babylonian adventurers, Princes of the Desert, the Full scroll scarabs, Partial scroll, T w o loops, Circles, A p e p a group (rosettes and symmetrical), the division at Maa-ab-ra, Debased signs, and lastly Cross strokes derived from nuters. Henceforward it will be possible to approximately date the private scarabs of officials according to these types. T h e positions of the graves at T e l l el Y e h u d i y e h in this series are not certain within a reign or two, but are indicated pretty closely b y the styles of the scarabs. It seems that this cemetery covered the whole of the H y k s o s age, as might be expected if this were the capital city Avaris. 1 0 1 . W e are now in a position to compare the recorded information with the names on the scarabs. On collating the various versions of Manetho, which which were extracted by Josephus and b y Africanus, and edited b y Eusebius (Greek and A r m e n i a n ) and Syncellus, we find the following differences : Josephus.

Africanus.

Saiatis 13 Saites Beon 44 B e o n A p a k h n a s 36 P a k h n a n Staan Arkhles Apofis 61 Afobis Ianias 50 — Assis 49

19 44 61 50 49

Eusebius. Saites Bnon

Armenian.

19 S a i t e s 40 B n o n

Syncellus.

1 9 Silites 19 40 B a i o n 44 Apakhnas 36

(Afofis 14) A r k h l e s 3 0 A r k h l e s 30 A p o f i s 14 A f o f i s 61 Sethos

61 50

Kertos Aseth

29 20

Here there is only one inversion of the order of the names, though each list has dropped out some of the names. I t seems that w e should restore the whole list as f o l l o w s :

69

KINGS

Manetho. " X V dyn.

Shepherds. 6 foreign Phoenician kings, 284 years."

Salatis Beon Apakhnas Staan Arkhles Apofis " X V I dyn. Sethos Ianias Kertos

Scarabs.

2533

B.C. A n t - h e r Semqen Khyan Yaqeb-her Meruser'ra A p e p a Se*userra

32 Hellenic S h e p h e r d kings, 5 1 8 years." 2249

Assis, A s e t h

173 *

B.c. N e f e r k a T a Nub'ka'ra Kheperra Kara Aa'neb'ra Uazed Sekt Sam'ka'ra Neferui'uah'ra Maa*abra Shesha A a q er (mu) Khauserra Sekhan'ra Y a q e b ' e l (mu) A a (mu) Aa'hotep'ra Qar Y k h a (mu) Y a (mu) Maa'ra Nubyra B.C. R a , or E r ' d u ' r a (mu)

It is not possible yet to complete the equations between the list of Manetho and the scarabs. K h y a n would certainly become S i a a n in Greek, just as K h u f u becomes S o u p h i s ; this was pointed out b y Freiherr von Bissing, and w e m a y add that C T A A N would easily become corrupted b y copying into CTAAN, as in Manetho. A p e p a I has a l w a y s been recognised in the A f o f i s or A p o f i s of Manetho. And Prof. S a y c e long a g o saw that Assis was the late form of Shesha. B u t though more individuals cannot be identified, yet as a whole w e see that there are five names which belong to the s i x Phoenician kings, and 23 names from the 3 2 of the Hellenic Shepherd kings.

7o

T H E HISTORY OF THE HYKSOS PERIOD

102. T h e title o f P h o e n i c i a n is n a t u r a l for a people coming down through S y r i a into E g y p t ; but the description of the X V i t h d y n a s t y as Hellenic has been either ignored or emended b y historians. N o w the m o v e m e n t from east to west which brought t h e H y k s o s into E g y p t , w a s s h a r e d b y o t h e r tribes, w h o pushed on behind them, so that they built A v a r i s for fear o f an i n v a s i o n b y " t h e A s s y r i a n s " as M a n e t h o s t a t e s (Jos. c. Apion, i, 14). T h e y w e r e t h u s c u t o f f f r o m their o l d h o m e s a n d p u s h e d d o w n on t o t h e M e d i t e r r a n e a n c o a s t . T h a t t h e y had c o m m u n i c a t i o n b y sea a p p e a r s b o t h f r o m t h e jar-lid o f K h y a n f o u n d in C r e t e , a n d f r o m t h e fact t h a t s i x o f these k i n g s a d d viUy t h e d e t e r m i n a t i v e o f " sea," a f t e r their n a m e s , — t h e y w e r e , in f a c t , s e a - k i n g s . A n d the black Syrian pottery which t h e y brought into E g y p t w a s likewise i m p o r t e d into t h e e a s t e r n s i d e o f C y p r u s . N o w the m a i n p u r p o s e o f b e i n g s e a - k i n g s , w o u l d b e t h e control o f C y p r u s , w i t h its l a r g e s u p p l y o f c o p p e r , w h i c h w a s t h e n g r e a t l y in d e m a n d for w e a p o n s a n d t r a d e purposes. A n d t h e p e o p l e w h o ruled C y p r u s w o u l d be in E g y p t i a n c a l l e d Ha-nebu, " l o r d s o f t h e north," a t e r m used till m u c h later t i m e s for C y p r u s , a s is e v i d e n t b y t h e s t a t u e o f A d m i r a l H o r h e r e published. Ha-nebu is t h e r e g u l a r P t o l e m a i c t e r m for H e l l e n e , e s p e c i a l l y as t h e C y p r i o t e was, b e f o r e all others, t h e H e l l e n e to the E g y p t i a n . H e n c e the " s e a - k i n g s " o f t h e s c a r a b s w h o held C y p r u s w o u l d b e n a t u r a l l y t r a n s l a t e d as H e l l e n i c S h e p h e r d k i n g s b y M a n e t h o . 103. W e m a y n o w s u m u p in g e n e r a l t e r m s o u r p r e s e n t v i e w o f this a g e b e t w e e n t h e X I L t h a n d X V l I I t h d y n a s t i e s , a s c o n s o l i d a t e d b y our r e c e n t discoveries. E v e n in the X l l t h d y n a s t y , a s e a r l y as S e n u s e r t I I , a haq khast, o r " p r i n c e o f t h e desert," n a m e d A b s h a , is r e p r e s e n t e d w i t h his f a m i l y c o m i n g into E g y p t , as s h o w n on t h e c e l e b r a t e d s c e n e a t Beni H a s a n . This title (in the p l u r a l ) is t h e s a m e as t h a t of the H y k s o s rulers, t h e haq khastu," p r i n c e of t h e d e s e r t s ; " a n d as kh b e c a m e sk in later times, a n d so p a s s e d into t h e G r e e k s ( a l r e a d y n o t e d in the instances o f K h u f u = S o u p h i s a n d K h y a n = Siaan), so t h e khastu would r e a d sastu or sasu, a n d t h e haq sasu w e r e t h e hyksos of Manetho. T h i s prince o f t h e d e s e r t in the X l l t h d y n a s t y is e n t i r e l y o f t h e B e d a w y t y p e of S e m i t e , w i t h t h e a q u i l i n e nose a n d t h e g r o w t h c f b e a r d o f t h e modern Bedawy. H i s n a m e A b s h a is p r o b a b l y t h e A b i s h a i of Jewish usage. A n d the Semitic nature of this d e s e r t p r i n c e c a n n o t b e d o u b t e d . Further the n a m e s o f the H y k s o s k i n g s — a s I p o i n t e d o u t l o n g a g o — S e e m to b e S e m i t i c ; a n d Prof. S a y c e c o n s i d e r s

that t h e y are of the t y p e of Semitic names of the p e r i o d s h o r t l y b e f o r e 2000 B.C. Probably these people occupied the great triangle between Syria, A r a b i a , and Mesopotamia. T h e southward drift of t h e S e m i t e s m a y b e seen in t h e h i s t o r y o f a p r i n c e o f the desert with a following o f three hundred men w h o d r i f t e d d o w n , in t h e l a t e r H y k s o s times, f r o m H a r a n t o J u d a e a , a n d t h e n c e i n t o E g y p t , w h o is f a m i l i a r t o us a s A b r a h a m ; for t h e J e w s w e r e in f a c t a l a t e branch of the Semitic H y k s o s migration. A f t e r the X l l t h d y n a s t y a long period of gradual d e c l i n e c a m e o v e r E g y p t . F o r e i g n a u x i l i a r i e s rose i n t o p o w e r , j u s t a s the G o t h i c c h i e f s b e c a m e rulers o f t h e Such R o m a n Empire through means of the army. precursors of the H y k s o s were the kings of B a b y l o n i a n origin, K h e n z e r a n d K h a n d y . T h e Semitic tribes b o r d e r i n g o n M e s o p o t a m i a a n d S y r i a filtered in as f o l l o w e r s of t h e s e f o r e i g n chiefs, a n d s e e i n g t h e c o u n t r y an e a s y p r e y t h e y g r a d u a l l y s w a m p e d it. M u c h in t h e s a m e w a y t h e S a r a c e n h o r s e m e n a p p e a r as R o m a n a u x i l i a r i e s in t h e east o f E g y p t , t w o o r t h r e e c e n t u r i e s b e f o r e t h e Islamic i n v a s i o n ; or t h e S a x o n a u x i l i a r i e s a n d settlers a p p e a r in B r i t a i n a f e w centuries before the S a x o n invasion. T h e s e archers o v e r c a m e t h e solid Egyptian t r o o p s , w h o f o u g h t h a n d t o h a n d , m u c h as t h e P a r t h i a n a r c h e r s a n n i h i l a t e d the a r m y of C r a s s u s . A n d , as M a n e t h o states, t h e s e i g n o b l e p e o p l e f r o m the east subdued E g y p t without a battle. There was n o c h a n c e o f the h a r d - f o u g h t p i t c h e d b a t t l e , s u c h a s t h e E g y p t i a n t r i u m p h e d in ; b u t an elusive c l o u d o f a r c h e r s d e s t r o y e d all r e s i s t a n c e w i t h o u t b e i n g t o u c h e d b y t h e E g y p t i a n arms. A f t e r a c e n t u r y o f raids, plundering, and destruction, the Prince of the Deserts b e c a m e K i n g of E g y p t . A n d , b e i n g a c c e p t e d as t h e X V t h d y n a s t y , w e m a y believe that an E g y p t i a n h e i r e s s h a d l e g i t i m i s e d t h e rule o f t h e eastern invader. T h e fortress o f A v a r i s w a s t h r o w n u p d o m i n a t i n g the e a s t e r n road f r o m S y r i a t o M e m p h i s , a n d its l o n g s l o p e s w e r e a d a p t e d t o t h e d e f e n c e of t h e s e f o r m i d a b l e archers. B u t when a centralized government, l e g i t i m i s e d in E g y p t , h a d g a i n e d c o n t r o l o f t h e old E g y p t i a n work o f quarrying and building, then the great and m i g h t y wall was built which consolidated the H y k s o s p o w e r for s e v e r a l centuries. Salatis a n d his i m m e d i a t e s u c c e s s o r s still called t h e m s e l v e s P r i n c e s o f t h e D e s e r t s , b u t K h y a n c o n q u e r e d far a n d •wide b y t h e aid of t h e w e a l t h a n d skill of E g y p t , a n d t o o k the t i t l e " e m b r a c e r of territories." From B a g h d a d t o C r e t e his m o n u m e n t s are found. At

V I E W OF T H E H Y K S O S

the close of this dynasty the great king Apepa I identified himself further with the Egyptians, erected his own monuments as far south as Gebeleyn, and had a great variety of scarabs made with his name. After this the balance of power shifted, and Asiatic tribes pushed the Hyksos forward on to the Mediterranean and over to Cyprus ; and the X V I t h dynasty of " sea-kings," or Hellenic Shepherd kings, continued to rule E g y p t Two-thirds of these have

PERIOD

71

left actual remains, and the average reign of sixteen years stated by Manetho is very probable. Lastly, the X V I I t h dynasty consisted of a century and a half of brief reigns of two or three years each, during the struggle with the invading Berbers. This long warfare so much demoralised the power of the Asiatic nomads that finally E g y p t submitted to the southern invaders, who expelled the Hyksos, and who picked up again the threads of the old civilisation and founded the X V I I I t h dynasty.

ADDENDA P. 22. The use of the pottery cylinders for the passover sacrifices agrees with the account of the Jewish ritual in the Mishna, in which it is stated that " the oven was of earthenware and appears to have been in shape something like a beehive . . . the lamb was carefully so placed as not to touch the side of the oven" (SMITH, Dictionary of the Bible, art. Passover, p. 715). P. 31. Mr. Griffith considers that the title on the door-jamb is not that of " keeper of the granaries of Ta'nuter," but " keeper of the foreigners of Ta - nuter,"

or Syria, which he would connect with the Israelites living at Raamses. The difficulty that the sign could not mean " keeper of the hills of Syria," as the man was also keeper of the Residency in Succoth, is avoided by taking the hill sign as referring to foreign peoples. And the ne tkuku at the end Mr. Griffith separates from the name of the man, and refers it to the earlier titles; so he reads " chief archer, keeper of the foreigners of Syria in Succoth, keeper of the Residency in Succoth, USER'MAATRA-NEKHTU."

INDEX Abraham, a Hyksos chief, 70 Abram the brick maker, 20, 26 Absha, 70 Alabaster jar of Taitha, 54 Alabastra, 19, 39 AH Marah graves, 51 Attar slabs, inscribed, 51 Amber beads, 40, 43 Amenemhat I, scarab, 32 Amenemhat I I I , Yehudiyeh, 14 Amenhotep II, scarab of, 15 Amenhotep I I I , scarab of, 32 Amethyst bead, 13, 14 Amulets, gnostic, 16 in graves, 17-18, 31-3, 38-52 Animal sacrifices buried, 12, 13, 19 Anklets, copper, 19 Antonine Itinerary, 66 Apepa I, scarab of, 10, 15 Apepa II, altar of, 10 Arabic remains, 3 bottle, 19 jar, 45 Archery of Hyksos, 2, 6, 9, 70 Arms of ivory, 16 Avaris, 2, 70 position of, 9 Balista balls, 26 Base of statue, Yehudiyeh, 8 Basket for carrying cats, 32 Beads, 45 Hyksos age, 13 glass, 17, 18, 32, 33, 60 glazed, 19, 3 7 — ivory, 60, 61 stone, 32, 60 on bodies, 19, 36 Belbeys, 1, 3, 65 Bells, bronze, 17, 18, 39. 40» 4*. 4*> 45 Bes, figures of, 33, 46 pots, 49

Bodies, in daily clothes, 63 position of, 36, 51, 56 Bottles, green glazed, 19 Boxes of gypsum, 58, 61 Bracelets, bronze, 18, 33, 39— forms of, 59 heaped on breast, 36 iron, 19, 32, 33, 39— ivory, 60 Brick arched graves, 55, 62 Brick-lined graves, 16, 41 plastered graves, 55, 63 Brick tombs, arched, 1 3 , 49 walls of Onias, 21 Bricks, sizes of, 7, 30 British School of Archaeology, 1 Bronze horns amulet, 40 knife, 13 objects, 59 ornament, 16, 40 see

COPPKR

Bubastis agria, 8, 18, 20 Buckles, iron, 58 ; bronze, 59 Burials, difference between men's and women's, 46 dissevered, 12 see

CEMETERY

Bust, blue glazed, 16 Butler-Stoney, Mr. T., i, 35 drawings by, 55 Camp of Hyksos, 1, 4 area of, $ back wall of slope, 5 bank of, $ dimensions of, 5 entrance, 4, 6, 9 flanking wall, 6 foundations, 4 inner wall, 4 origin of, 8, 9 position of, 9 probably A v a r b , 10

INDEX C a m p of H y k s o s , stone wall, 4, 7 s t u c c o slope, 5, 6 angle, 5 plastering, 5 C e m e t e r y of G h e y t a , 55 o f G o s h e n , 35-52 of H y k s o s , 1 0 - 1 4 of R e t a b e h , 3 2-4 of Suwa, 47 see G R A V E S C i s t w i t h o u t bones, 17 C o i n s found, 59, 6 1 C o l o u r s on sculpture, 31' C o l u m n o f granite, 3, 8 C o p p e r anklets, 19 d a g g e r s , 12, 13 knife, 13 pins. 12 Corn grinders, 17 C r o c o d i l e amulet, 18 C r o m e r , E a r l of, I C y p r i o t e connections, 12, 15, 19, 32, 33, 37, 39, 51 D a g g e r s , 12, 13 D a r i u s , stele of, 2 D a t i n g of objects, 36 D e n u d a t i o n of c e m e t e r y , 32, 35 D e s h a s h e h , siege scene, 9 Destruction o f historical remains, 3 D i s c s of bronze, 59 D o u b l e - f a c e d pendants, 39, 46, 49 D o u b l e - i e d g e g r a v e s , 55, 6 1 D o u b l e - p o t coffin g r a v e s , 56, 6 4 D r a w i n g of u p r i g h t figures, 17 Drill caps, 19, 34 D u n c a n , R e v . J. G a r r o w , 1, 35-52 D y a d of R e t a b e h , 30, 31 o f Y e h u d i y e h , 8, 17 D y n a s t y , see various numbers E a r r i n g s , 19, 26, 32, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 51, 59 E a r t h w o r k , see HYKSOS E d i t i o n s , larger and smaller, 3 E & g of g o o s e buried, 13 E g y p t Exploration Fund, 1 Egyptian Research Account, 1 E x c a v a t i o n s at Y e h u d i y e h , 3 Exodus, 2 F a c e s of c l a y a t t a c h e d to coffins, 48, 51 F i b u l a e , 19

F i s h , buried, 12 vases, 14 F o u n d a t i o n deposit, 30, 32 " Fountain of Horus," 54 F o u r - c h a m b e r e d square pits, 49 F r o g b o w l , 31 G a r d n e r , Prof. E r n e s t , 1 G a r n e t inlaid b u c k l e , 59 G e o g r a p h y of eastern D e l t a , 66 G h e y t a cemetery, 2 g r a v e s of, 55-65 site, 54, 55 G i l b a r t - S m i t h , Mr,, 1, 35 G l a s s beads, 17, 18, 32, 33, 3 7 — bottles, 4 1 bracelet, 4 1 f a c e a m u l e t s , 1 7 , 39, 4 6 vases, 6 1 - 6 3 G l a z e d tiles of R a m e s s u I I I , 2, 8, 17 G n o s t i c amulet, 16 G o l d band, 4, 15 earrings, 60, 63 G o s h e n , 2, 35 G r a n a r i e s , 54 k e e p e r of, 31 G r a v e s , c h a n g e s in, 16 t y p e s of, 37, 47, 55 G r e e k archaic inscriptions, 6 0 vases, 50 G r e e k s c o m m a n d e d b y H o r , 18 Griffith, Mr. F . L., 2, 3, 7, 26 G y p s u m vases, 58, 6 1 H a i r pins, bronze, 40, 43, 45 i v o r y , 60 rings, 37, 38, 4 1 , 42, 45 H a n e b u , 18 H a f m e h y t , 33 H o e , iron, 19 H o r , admiral, 8, 18 H o r k h e b or H a r k h e b , son of Z e h o , 26 Hotep-hers, 32 H o u s e s of A r a b age, 65 H u m a n bones, buried s e v e r e d , 12, 13 H y k s o s , a r c h e r y of, 2, 6, 9 B e d a w y n , 70 c a m p of, 2, 4. See C A M P d e g r a d a t i o n under, 6 7 g r a v e s of, 2, 3, 1 0 - 1 4 " H e l l e n i c " k i n g s , 70, 71

74

INDEX

H y k s o s , list of k i n g s , 6 9 origin o f c a m p , 9 name, 70 p o t t e r y of, 2, 10-15 rulers of C y p r u s , 7 0 s c a r a b d e s i g n s , 68 sea k i n g s , 70, 7 1 I n f a n t sacrifice, 29 Iron bracelets, 19, 32, 33, 3 9 — knife, 43 s w o r d s , etc., 58, 59 I v o r y toilet o b j e c t s , 6 0 J a r burials of children, 16 J a s p e r ring a n d b e a d s , 39, 52 J e r u s a l e m , N e w , 2, 27 J e w i s h c e m e t e r y , 23 t o m b s t o n e s , 2, 3, 20 J e w s , return t o E g y p t , 2, 20 J o s e p h u s , c r e d i b i l i t y of, 20, 21 q u o t e d , 20 K a r i a n inscription, 1 9 K h a n d y , 67, 7 0 K h e n z e r , 67, 7 0 K h e t y , w e i g h t of, 32 K h y a n , 69, 70 s c a r a b of, 3, 10, 15 K n i v e s , b r o n z e , 33 K o h l tubes, g l a z e d , 39 i v o r y , 60, 63 L a m p burial, 22, 2 9 L e a d net-sinkers, 33 L e a t h e r - w a r e p o t t e r y , 16, 33, 37 L e o n t o p o l i s , 2, 18, 20, 21 L o o m w e i g h t s , 19, 3 4 M a n d o l i n e , earliest, 38 Marble column of Onias, 24 M e n , coffin of, 16, 17 M e n t u h o t e p I I , 32 M e r e n p t a h , c o l u m n of, 3, 8, 17 M e r n e f e r r a , 10, 15 M i r r o r s , b r o n z e , 38, 4 1 , 44, 45 in plaster, 60, 63 M o s e s a n d A a r o n , figures of, 30 M y r e s , M r . J. L., on foreign p o t t e r y , 15 Nails, iron, 59

Naukratite ware, 49 N a v i l l e , Dr., 2, 3, 8, 20, 28, 35 Neftr s u b s t i t u t e d for Ra, 11 N e k h t h o r h e b , b l o c k of, 54 N e w Y e a r presents, 19 N o t i t i a D i g n i t a t u m , 55, 66 O n i a s , district n a m e d from, 20 general, 26 g r a n t e d site for t e m p l e , 20 letters of, 20 t e m p l e of, 2, 19-27 b a s i s of, 2 4 b a t t l e m e n t s of, 26 closed, 20 c o l u m n s of, 2 4 c o p i e d f r o m J e r u s a l e m , 20, 21 C o r i n t h i a n s t y l e of, 26 c o r n i c e of, 2 6 c o u r t s of, 23, 2 4 d e s c r i b e d , 20-27 d e s t r u c t i o n of, 26 differed 21

from

that

at

d i m e n s i o n s of, 24 e n c l o s u r e w a l l of, 23 h e i g h t of, 2 1 , 25 p l a t f o r m level, 23, 25 position of, 20 r e p l a s t e r i n g , 23 sacrifices at, 26, 27 size of, 24 s t a i r w a y to, 23 t o w n of, builder's a c c o u n t s , 26 b u r n i n g of, 2 6 castle, 2 4 c o r n i c e of, 25 c y l i n d e r s b e n e a t h , 22 f o r m a t i o n o f m o u n d , 22 m a s o n r y of, 25 m o d e l l e d o n J e r u s a l e m , 27 o u t e r fortifications, 2 1 , 25 sacrifices a t f o u n d a t i o n , 22 s i e g e of, 26 s t o n e w a l l , 21, 25 s u m m a r y on, 27 P e d u - a s t scarab, 16, 18 Fetrie, M r s . H . , I, 35 P i l g r i m - b o t t l e s , 33, 4 1 , 52 Pin o f i v o r y , 33

Jerusalem,

INDEX P i n s with hole in middle, 12, 13 Pit burials, 48 Pithom, 2 Plaster busts, 60, 62 mirror frames, 60, 63 Pot-burials, 16, 36, 37, 43, 56, 65 P o t t e r y , black e d g e d , 16 incised, 3, 11, 12, 14, 15 smooth, 14 C y p r i o t e , 53 H y k s o s age, 11-14 u s u a l l y 4 of a class, 13 incised dishes, 14 p a i n t e d foreign, 17 red e d g e d , 16 S y r i a n , 15 of T e l l er R e t a b e h , 33 o f S h a g h a n b e h , 53 of G h e y t a , 57 P o t t e r y coffins, 16, 17, 42, 51 s l a b coffin, 56, 6 4 P s a m t h e k I I , 18 s c a r a b of, 1 9 P t a h - s o k a r amulet, 31, 32 Ra c h a n g e d to nefert

11

placed last in name, 32 R a a m s e s city, see T E L L ER R E T A B E H R a m e s s u II, figures of, Y e h u d i y e h , 8 R e t a b e h , 30 scarabs of, 15, 32 sed festival scarab, 45 s m i t i n g a S y r i a n , 29 stele of, 3 r t e m p l e s of, 2, 29 R a m e s s u I I I , c o l u m n base, 30 g l a z e d tiles of, 17 j a r c a p of, 15 p a l a c e of, 3, 8 sculpture of, 2 R a m e s s u V I , s c a r a b of, 15 p l a q u e of, 32 R a m ' s horn, 26 R a n e p a u a , 18 R a s p , bronze, 32, 33 Reels, 19 R e t a b e h , see T E L L ER R E T A B E H R h a e t i a n soldiers, 55, 67 R o m a n sites, 66 Sacrifices of animals, buried, 12, 13, 19

S a c r i f i c e s of animals, e x p i a t o r y , 13 o f infants, 22, 29 S a f t el H e n n e h , 1, 2, 35 Salatis, 9 S a n d filling e x c a v a t i o n s , 28 fortifications of, 5, 52 S a n d - p i t graves, 37, 47 S a r a c e n h o r s e m e n , 67 S c a r a b s of H y k s o s age, 10-12, 32, 68 see kings' names d e g r a d a t i o n of, 11 described, 15, 32 positions in g r a v e s , 12 reused, 60, 6 1 Scenae Veteranorum, 66 S c h o e n i in I t i n e r a r y , 6 6 S c r i b e ' s case, 4 0 S e k h a ' n r a , 10, 15 S e n a a , scarab of, 15 S e n u s e r t I, 11 S e t y I, s t a m p of, 15 S h a f t - p i t and c h a m b e r t o m b s , 50 S h a g h a n b e h , granaries, 54 inscription, 54 p o t t e r y , 53 site and walls, 52 S h a r a n b a (:= S h a g h a n b e h ) , 2, 33 S h u and T e f n u t , 33 S i d e - s c o o p graves, 41, 56, 64 S i l v e r cylinders, 62 earrings, etc., 59 Situla, bronze, 4 9 S i x t h d y n a s t y , 33 S k u l l s , m e a s u r e m e n t s of, 34 S l a t e rubber, 13 Soldiers, burials of, 55 S p e a r butt, 1 9 S p i n d l e whorls, 34 S p o o n , bronze, 40 S p o o n s of bronze, 59 i v o r y , 60 S t a d i a in Itinerary, 6 6 j o s e p h u s , 20 S t o n e busts, 14 coffins, 44, 51 implements, 1 9 vases a t Y e h u d i y e h , 14 at R e t a b e h , 33 a t G h e y t a , 58 w a l l round c a m p , 4, 7 S t u c c o slope, 4, 5

INDEX

7