Ancient Egypt ppt

AE 38 cover.qxd 6/9/06 1:40 pm Page 1 AEPrelim36.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 2 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 3 AA NNCCIIEENNTT EE GGYYPPTT www.ancientegyptmagazine.com October/November 2006 V OLUME 7, NO 2: ISSUE NO. 38 E DITOR: Robert B. Partridge, 6 Branden Drive Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 8EJ, UK Tel. 01565 754450 Email ancientegyptmag@aol.com A SSISTANT EDITOR: Peter Phillips C ONSULTANT EDITOR: Professor Rosalie David, OBE E DITORIAL ASSISTANTS: Victor Blunden, Peter Robinson, Hilary Wilson E GYPT CORRESPONDENT Ayman Wahby Taher P UBLISHED BY: Empire Publications, 1 Newton Street, Manchester, M1 1HW, UK Tel: 0161 872 3319 Fax: 0161 872 4721 A DVERTISEMENT MANAGER: Michael Massey Tel. 0161 928 2997 S UBSCRIPTIONS: Mike Hubbard P RINTED BY: Warners (Midlands) plc, The Maltings, Manor Lane, BOURNE, Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH, UK D ESIGN AND SETTING: Peartree Publishing and Design, 56 Albert St, Manchester M11 3SU, UK F RONT COVER DESIGNED BY: David Soper Main image: Face of a coffin from tomb KV63. Photo: courtesy of the University of Memphis Mission. T RADE DISTRIBUTION THROUGH: Diamond Magazine Distribution Ltd. Rye Wharf Road, Harbour Road, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7TE, UK Tel: 01797 225229 Fax: 01797 225657 ISSN: 1470 9990 From the Editor 4 Maps of Egypt 4, 5 Timeline 5 Bits and Pieces 6 Readers’ Letters 52 Subscribers’ Competition Winners 55 Subscribe 56 Back Issues 57 Book Reviews 58 Egyptology Society Details 62 Events Diary 64 Netfishing 67 CONTENTS 19 31 26 45 features Friends of Nekhen News Renée Friedman looks at the presence of Nubians in the city at Hierakonpolis, and their lives there, as revealed in the finds from their tombs. The New Tomb in the Valley of the Kings The fourth update on the recent discovery and the final clearance of the small chamber. ANOTHER new tomb in the Valley of the Kings? Nicholas Reeves reveals the latest news on the possibility of another tomb in the Royal Valley. The Rekhyt Bird Kenneth Griffin explains how the many representa- tions of the lapwing are much more than a simple image of a bird; they have a more significant meaning. 35 Royal Mummies on view in the Egyptian Museum A brief report on the opening of the second mummy room in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. From our Egypt Correspondent Ayman Wahby Taher with the latest news from Egypt and details of a new museum at Saqqara. 9 regulars The Ancient Stones Speak Pam Scott, in the first of three major articles, gives a practical guide to enable AE readers to read and understand the ancient texts written on temple and tomb walls, statues and stelae. 36 Per Mesut: for younger readers In this edition, Hilary Wilson looks at pomegranates. 54 AEPrelim38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 3 M y schedule of articles for inclusion in AE was completely disrupted this year by the discovery of a new tomb in the Valley of the Kings, tomb KV63. I am not really complaining, for I was as fascianated as anyone to find out what the contents of this tomb might be. Thanks to the splendid cooperation of members of the University of Memphis Team and with images sup- plied by them and the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, I have been especially pleased to have been able to include a total of four articles in consecutive edi- tions, telling readers of the progress of the excavation. The fourth and final account of the discovery and clearance of the tomb is included in this edition, and I am surprised to find that this means we have devoted a total of twenty-five pages to the discovery, undoubtedly the best and fullest account of the find so far, and sec- ond-best only to any official and more formal book pub- lished by the team (in the not too distant future we hope). Work on the contents of the tomb will continue when the new season begins and if there are any new develop- ments, I hope to be able to bring them to you. I am sure you will have found the articles of interest. My main frus- tration was the time delay in getting the latest news to you, which is always the problem with a bi-monthly pub- lication date. Almost literally as I was putting the finishing touches to the last KV63 article came news of another possible previously unknown tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Nicholas Reeves, Director of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project has written an article on the information avail- able at this stage. The prospects are exciting, but also, as you will see from his article, challenging. The news has already caused some interest and debate and rather than make my own comments here, I will let you read both the KV63 article and the article by Nicholas Reeves first and add my comments and observations (for what they are worth) after. No doubt AE readers will have their own views. I know some of you have noticed (and commented favourably upon) the fact that our “News from Egypt” section has been spreading over an increasing number of pages in recent issues. I was squeezing Ayman’s reports into a fixed and lim- ited number of pages, and they really warranted more space. I have now decided that the quality and amount of information from Ayman deserves as much space as I can manage. The number of pages allocated is not now set in concrete and will vary depending on the amount of news and photos available. Most articles are not time-critical; I suppose it is one of the “joys” of being Editor that, having reached the stage when an issue is full, I often find out about new discov- eries and information. If it is clear that readers would want to share this news as soon as possible, some shuf- fling around of articles is inevitable. By the time this October issue lands on your doorstep, the excavation season in Egypt will be back in full swing, with the onset of the cooler weather. The last season pro- duced some remarkable discoveries, so we wish all the expeditions well for another productive season. Whilst foreign missions only work in Egypt for rela- tively short periods, the work of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities is an all-year-round operation and often the opportunity is taken in the quiet season, when tourists are limited, to carry out much routine mainte- nance and inspection of the sites. It is always fascinating when returning to Egypt to spot the many changes and improvements being made. You will have all read about the huge amount of civil engineering and archaeological work being undertaken in the centre of Luxor and around the temples of Luxor and Karnak. Most of the work is due to be completed by the start of the tourist season. I am looking forward to seeing what has been going on when I make my planned visits at the end of this year. One of these visits will be our magazine trip to Cairo in September (this issue had to be completed before the trip, so I will bring you news of it in the December issue). If this trip goes well (and there is no reason to assume otherwise) we will consider other trips in the future, pos- sibly a week in Luxor. Prices for trips to Egypt and to Luxor in particular have been remarkably cheap this summer and I know a number of people who have taken advantage of this. For those willing to put up with the building works in Luxor and the very high temperatures, the rewards are great, notably being able to visit the main sites without the huge numbers of visitors there in the peak season. Tourist numbers have increased dramatically, although on-going concerns about the political stability of coun- ries around Egypt may have influenced the decision of some to travel at this time. It is, however, nice to see the sites full of people, and if you happen to be there at a busy time you just need to bear in mind that most groups spend a surprisingly short time there, and it is quite easy to find some peace and quiet at the larger sites. RP ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 20064 From the EDITOR Detailed Map of Thebes AEPrelim38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 4 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 5 Maps and Time-line by Peter Robinson. MAP of EGYPT Time-line Periods Dynasties Famous Pharaohs AEPrelim38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 5 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 20066 News of an award C ongratulation to Professor Gaballa Ali Gaballa, who has just been awarded one of the highest honours in Egypt, the 2005 “State Prize for Social Sciences”. This is awarded by the Higher Council of the Supreme Council of Culture. Professor Gaballa worked for many years at the University of Cairo and from 1997 to 2002 was the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. He is now a Professor at the University of Cairo and is a special consultant and advisor to the Minister of Culture. The award is in recognition of his many years of work, especially in the area of cul- ture and antiqui- ties. British Museum Colloquium and Sackler Lecture, 2006 I f you are ever planning a holiday in the UK and want to guarantee a sunny week, then you can do lit- tle better than choose the same dates as the annual British Museum Colloquium and Sackler Lecture, held each year in mid-July, which invariably enjoys (or suffers from) the hottest and sunniest weather of the year. This year was no exception; on one of the days London experienced its hottest July temperature on record. The air-conditioned lecture theatre was proba- bly the best place to be for the evening lecture and two- day Colloquium. The Sackler Lecture, given this year by Dr Laure Pantalacci, set the scene for the theme of the Colloquium, “Egypt’s Great Oases: the Archaeology of Kharga, Dakhla and the Roads of the West”. At the Colloquium, a series of lectures by experts from around the world presented papers on various aspects of the archaeology of the Oases, and much new informa- tion and research was revealed. Professor Gaballa Ali Gaballa of the University of Cairo spoke on the work of Ahmed Fakhry, an Egyptian archaeologist who pioneered research in the desert and was amongst the first to realise the importance of the sites, as well as the problems they faced. Tony Mills and other members of the Dakhleh Oasis Project covered their long-term work at the Oasis, and other speakers covered communication between the Oases and the Nile valley. It was clear from the presentations that, far from being provincial backwaters, the Oases were an important part of Egypt; over the last few years, our knowledge of the area has increased dramatically. Many of the sites are remote, some are being dam- aged by simple erosion, others are in close proximity to modern towns and villages and are in danger of being lost beneath modern buildings, and others are being deliberately damaged and vandalised. It was, however, in the closing remarks by Rudolph Kuper from the University of Cologne, that the real problems facing the many sites were highlighted. Tourism in the Oases has increased, and this presents real problems at many of the sites, which are often less than secure and open to anyone. An increased population in the “New Valley”, with people being encouraged to move to the Oases from the Nile Valley, has meant that, whereas the local inhabi- tants were familiar with their monuments and appreci- ated them, others new to the area often realise the “value” of them, and damage and looting has increased. The presence of more archaeologists often exacerbates this problem, for the implication is that there must be something of value there. The discovery of a hoard of gold in the temple of Dush in Kharga Oasis a few years ago did not help. Only recently at least two mud-brick temples have been flattened by a bulldozer, in an attempt to discover such treasure. Further south, one of the most remote hieroglyphic inscriptions has been deliberately vandalised, and this has to have been done by someone in a tour group vis- iting the area, for that is the only way anyone can get there. This news was quite depressing, but on the positive side, measures are now being put in place to secure the sites, and the Gilf Khebir, in the south west corner of Egypt, is to be made a National Park, which will restrict and control visits to the site. In Dakhla, there are plans for a new museum dedicat- ed to the Oases of the Western Desert and it is hoped that a programme of education will encourage all the people who live in the area to see the antiquities as part of their own heritage, important for their livelihood and for tourists, rather than something to be plundered. The annual British Museum Colloquium and Sackler Lecture is open to anyone. Tickets usually go on sale in News and views from the world of Egyptology BITS and PIECES AEEgypt News 38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 6 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 7 June each year. Details of the 2007 Colloquium will be included in AE, when available. More on the Lion of Amenhotep III I n AE 33 (Dec. 2005/Jan. 2006) an article featured a “new “ lion of Amenhotep III, at the Citadel in Cairo, which was very similar to the two well-known lions of Amenhotep III from Soleb, now in the British Museum in London Two other similar lions of Amenhotep are known from Tanis, but the question was raised, where did this example come from? One of the Tanis lions was moved to Cairo and I did wonder if this was the one now at the Citadel. In AE issue 34 (Feb./Mar. 2006), the lion was men- tioned again as, following a visit to Cairo, the Tanis lion was spotted in a garden at Zamalek, in Cairo, leaving the issue of the original location of the Citadel lion wide open. I am pleased to say that the problem has been solved, thanks to Hourig Sourouzian, the Director of the Colossi of Memnon and Amenhotep III Temple Conservation Project. Hourig saw the article in the magazine, and her knowledge of the sculpture of Amenhotep III meant that she knew that the “Citadel lion” was actually a cast of one of the British Museum Soleb lions! Close exam- ination of the less-well preserved of the two lions (I included a photograph of the best preserved example, and it is the second lion that was cast), reveals this to be correct. Hourig was not certain when the plaster cast was made, or when the lion was placed at the Citadel. Older guide books about the citadel state that two lions were located there at the base of the steps of the Police Museum, but only one is there now. Perhaps casts of both lions were once located there? The Soleb lions came into the collection of the British Museum in 1835. It does seem an extraordinary amount of work to mould the lions in the UK and to send a cast (or casts) to Egypt, so it is possible that the lions were cast when they were still in Egypt, en route to the UK. However, at the end of the nineteenth century and in the early years of the twentieth, many international museums exchanged plaster casts of some of their best- known objects. This was a time when few travellers went to Egypt and when there were hardly any books on the subject; museums were quite happy to display casts. The British Museum sent casts of many of its objects all around the world, as far afield as Australia. In return, casts of objects in other collections were sent back and, in the main sculpture gallery, the Museum displayed for many years a number of casts of statues from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. As museums filled up with newly-excavated statues, the casts were removed and placed in storage. It is most likely, therefore, that the lions were cast as a special request from the Egyptian Museum, in return for bits and pieces AEEgypt News 38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 7 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 20068 examples of their main exhibits. The casts of the Soleb lions (and other stat- ues) may have been sent to the Egyptian Museum. When such casts were removed from display, they were often sent to other institu- tions and this is probably how, and when, the Soleb lion casts were moved to the Citadel. I am not sure what sort of plaster was used, but it is clearly very hard, for the Citadel example is undamaged (other than ancient damage seen on the original). The exposure to the air and the pollution in Cairo over a peri- od of a hundred years, or possibly even more, has given the lion a unique and well-weathered patina, which is why I thought it was carved from limestone (unlike the originals, which are carved in pink granite). The original lion was dam- aged and in several pieces, and has been repaired in the British Mus- eum (the best- preserved lion is still in one piece). Parts of the statue have been restored, but an ancient repair to the base, visible in the original, is not part of the cast. The question remains, though … what has happened to the other cast? There have been many improvements and restorations at the Citadel and if the other lion has survived, perhaps it is still there somewhere. The Citadel is a fascinating place to visit and there is now a great deal to see there; AE readers should keep their eyes open for the missing lion! RP bits and pieces Cairo Cairo Return Return £139 rtn £139 rtn Alexandria Alexandria Return Return £149 rtn £149 rtn Luxor Luxor Return Return £235 rtn £235 rtn Hotels - Tours - Middle East Cruise Bookings AEEgypt News 38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 8 9ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 Touring Exhibition in Japan from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo A special Exhibition has been put together that will tour ten Japanese cities over a period of two years. This is a token of gratitude for Japan’s major support for the establishment of the new Grand Museum of Egypt to be built at Giza. The Egyptian Minister of Culture Farouq Hosni explained that the Exhibition of over three hundred pieces would include many objects discovered during the last forty years by the Japanese Waseda University’s archaeological mission to Egypt. One of the objects, a Middle Kingdom cartonnage mask (shown above, photo: J. Rutherford) was temporarily on display in the new Imhotep Museum at Saqqara. Found at South Abusir and belonging to a man called Senw, it was in a very damaged and delicate state. To enable it to go on the tour, it has been expertly con- served, by conservators Richard and Helena Jaeschke, using the latest techniques for the conservation of car- tonnage (linen and plaster). Re-Opening of the Coptic Museum in Cairo A t the end of June, President Hosni Mubarak for- mally re-opened the Coptic Museum in Cairo, following a major refurbishment that has cost over £E30 million. In his address during the opening ceremony, the Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni said the Coptic Museum is one of Egypt’s most important museums, with a collection of over one thousand three hundred objects on display in twenty-six galleries. Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Zahi Hawass said, during a tour of the museum conducted by the President, that the restoration project included the addition of a new gallery devoted to the history of churches in Old Cairo and that a special gallery for temporary exhibitions has also been built. The restoration began in 2003 and meant that the museum was closed for almost three years. The Museum has an important collection of manu- scripts, some of which date back to the fourth century AD, including thirteen bibles. The collection also fea- tures textiles, icons and woodwork, as well as many large pieces of stone sculpture and carvings from sites around Egypt. New Appointment by the SCA D r Zahi Hawass is pleased to announce a new appointment, that of Adel Hussein Mohamed to the post of General Director of Sharkia. Adel began his career with the Supreme Council of Antiquities in 1979, where he worked as an Inspector in Minia; in his later career he held Directorships of the New Valley, Ain Shams, Saqqara and the Giza From our EGYPT CORRESPONDENT News from Egypt AEAyman38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 9 10 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 Pyramids. Adel brings much expe- rience to his new job in the Nile Delta, which is rich in antiquities. He is responsible for six missions work- ing together with Egyptian archaeol- ogists on the main sites at Tell Basta, Tanis and Qantir. I am sure many of our readers have visited these sites and will continue to do so in the future. Adel is extremely happy to be in his new role and he is looking forward to his Egyptian colleagues and mis- sions uncovering more ancient artifacts from this area. ANCIENT EGYPT magazine wishes him every success for the future. New Development Plan for Saqqara T he SCA has recently announced a development project for Saqqara, following the opening of the New Imhotep Museum. The project is to be completed in thirty months and will cost £E40 million. The work will be in three stages: 1. Preparing the area for improved systems for tourism. 2. Building new administration offices, conservation laboratories and improved security systems. 3. Cleaning modern graffiti from tombs, providing humidity systems and testing equipment for them. The project will also help to improve the documenta- tion of tombs with the help of the Italian Mission and may involve about six hundred tombs in the area. At present only seventeen tombs are open to visitors and this number will be increased. A new storage museum with improved security will be built to house objects from excavations. This will help students of Egyptology and secure and conserve the antiquities. The Serapeum at Saqqara I n AE issue 33 (December 2005) I mentioned the huge restoration and conservation project being undertaken by the SCA at the Serapeum at Saqqara. The Serapeum (the burial vaults of the sacred Apis Bulls), which has been closed to visitors for many years now, has been in serious danger of collapse and the impressive and costly repair work by the SCA is still on- going. The scale of the work can be seen from these pic- tures. Initial restoration included the building of stone arches inside the vaults to prevent the collapse of the roof, but this was not enough and heavy steel girders are now being fitted in the damaged parts of the vaults. Work like this, out of sight and not noticed by visitors, is from our Egypt Correspondent Above left: the new General Director of Sharkia, Adel Hussein Mohamed. Photo: J. Rutherford. Above right: the entrance to the Serapeum at Saqqara. Photo: RP. Right: view of one of the corridors inside the Serapeum, showing the new stone arches to support the roof, the additional scaffolding now needed as a temporary measure and some heavy girders waiting to be fitted into place as a more permanent measure. Photo: J. Rutherford. AEAyman38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 10 [...]... chisels found in the deposit Photos: courtesy of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Centre Franco-Egyptian d’Etude des Temples de Karnak (CFEETK) 12 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 AEAyman38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 13 from our Egypt Correspondent Cairo, and Dr Zahi Hawass, head of the SCA, organised an exhibition in Room 44 of the Egyptian Museum entitled “Treasures of the Dakhleh... nyone visiting Egypt or museums with Egyptian collections, or even reading magazines such as ANCIENT EGYPT, cannot fail to be aware of the huge number of hieroglyphic inscriptions to be found both on the monuments and on objects of all kinds Since the decipherment of the hieroglyphic script in the early nineteenth century, these texts have added immeasurable to our knowledge of the ancient Egyptian civilisation... the SCA 14 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 AEAyman38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 15 from our Egypt Correspondent The Imhotep Museum at Saqqara gypt’s first “site” museum was opened in late April this year The idea of a series of new museums at specific archaeological sites in Egypt was suggested in the early 1990s but it was kept under wraps until 1997 E was also venerated in late pharaonic Egypt as... head with inlaid eyes, moved to the Imhotep Museum from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo Photo: RP ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 15 AEAyman38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 16 from our Egypt Correspondent the early Dynastic Periods right up to Greek and Roman times, and even beyond into the Coptic era (I had better mention that the last two Egyptologists on the list are very much alive and well, and still... one of the tombs at Saqqara Photo: J Rutherford 18 Ayman is currently a full-time lecturer in Egyptology at the University of Mansura, Egypt Prior to this he worked for the Supreme Council of Antiquities for seven years under the guidance of Dr Zahi Hawass He is also a qualified tour guide in Egypt ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 AENekhen5.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 19 AE Suppor ting Eg yptolo gical... friendsofnekhen@yahoo.com or contact: The Hierakonpolis Expedition, Dept of Ancient Egypt and Sudan, The British Museum, London, WC1B 3DG Above right: a petroglyph of a hunted ostrich from near the ostrich feather deposit at HK64 ANCIENT EGYPT August/September 2006 Explore the past by distance learning Introductory courses in archaeology • Archaeology of Egypt, Nubia and the Middle Nile • Aims and Methods • Early... still partly buried Right: detail of the face of the second image of the king Photos: courtesy of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Centre Franco-Egyptian d’Etude des Temples de Karnak (CFEETK) ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 11 AEAyman38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 12 from our Egypt Correspondent Neferhotep is shown holding hands with a double of himself, probably his ka The statue,... objects – and indeed the ancient Egyptian actually the picture of a sandal-strap (imagine the loop going around the ankle, the crossbar across the instep and the post between the toes), the word for which was ankh in ancient Egyptian However, the word ankh (or something very similar) also meant “live” and other related words so, in order to express this rather more complex concept, the ancient scribes used... found there The Memphis team and their Egyptian colleagues have laboured long and hard on this tomb and are to be congratulated on their work Inevitably in the world of Egyptology, the excavation has posed more questions than given answers, but has nevertheless added a new and important chapter to the history of the Valley of the Kings and a fascinating era of ancient Egyptian civilisation A special study... Valley, close to the tomb of Tutankhamun, might reveal about the fascinating history of the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty RP ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 AEhieroglyphs1.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 35 Royal Mummies in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo he second Royal Mummy room in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo has recently been opened and several mummies that have not been on view to the public for many years, . 6/9/06 1:40 pm Page 1 AEPrelim36.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 2 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 3 AA NNCCIIEENNTT EE GGYYPPTT www.ancientegyptmagazine.com October/November 2006 V OLUME 7, NO 2:. view in the Egyptian Museum A brief report on the opening of the second mummy room in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. From our Egypt Correspondent Ayman Wahby Taher with the latest news from Egypt and. and quiet at the larger sites. RP ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 20064 From the EDITOR Detailed Map of Thebes AEPrelim38.qxd 13/02/1950 19:25 Page 4 ANCIENT EGYPT October/November 2006 5 Maps