Three Decorated Ptolemaic Sarcophagus Fragments

Last week’s blog post discussed some Osiris figures in the Egypt Centre collection, drawing on parallels recently seen in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. The blog post for this week also draws on a parallel in the Vienna museum when discussing three wooden sarcophagus fragments in Swansea, which likely date to the Ptolemaic Period. The three fragments of thick wood were purchased by Harry Stow, an agent of Sir Henry Wellcome, for £6 from Glendining and Co., an auction house in 1932. The auction catalogue describes lot 37 as “three massive pieces of ancient Egyptian wood sarcophagus case, carved in hieroglyphs.” Stickers with the number 518 found on the fragments made it possible to trace them back to the collection of Henry Martyn Kennard (1833–1911), whose collection was sold in 1912. The auction catalogue describes this lot as “two ends and a corner post from a large wooden sarcophagus; carved with incised figures of gods, inscriptions, etc.” Unfortunately, it is not possible at present to trace the history of the objects back further. However, Kennard is known to have supported the excavations of Petrie and Garstang, in addition to that of the Egypt Exploration Fund (now Society).

EC357 is the most complete of the three fragments, with a width of 500mm, height of 275m, and 89mm thick (fig. 1). As noted in the Kennard catalogue, this represents the end fragment of a large wooden sarcophagus. Only the exterior face is decorated, with the central scene being carved at a slightly lower level than the border strips above and below. The upper strip is decorated with incised hieroglyphs, with both the hieroglyphs and figures below being crudely carved. Additionally, the line below the hieroglyphs in the upper strip is unfinished, while the lower strip is completely void of any decoration. In the upper strip, the centre of the inscription contains a sun-disk flanked by uraei, with parallel texts reading away from it. They read ḏd mdw hꜣ wsi͗r i͗mn pꜣ-di͗-wsi͗r, “Words spoken: Hail the Osiris, ‘He who Hides’, Petosiris.” While the final hieroglyphs of the name are partially lost, they are fully preserved on EC356, to be discussed below. The title i͗mn, meaning “He who Hides” or “The Hidden One”, is rarely attested and seems to have been mainly associated with the sixth Lower Egyptian nome. This priestly title is attested from the Late Period onwards (Klotz 2014, 731–2).

Fig. 1: Coffin end 1

 

The central scene of EC357 is decorated with an image of Isis (on the right) and Nephthys (on the left) flanking the so-called fetish of Abydos, the sacred emblem of Osiris. Behind Nephthys are Atum and his female counterpart Atumet, who wield knives. On the opposite side, behind Isis, are the deities Sobeq and Sobeqet, who are also shown holding knives. While Atum is, of course, well-attested, the other three are not. This is particularly the case with the pair of Sebeq and Sebeqet (LGG VI, 256–7). These four deities are commonly represented with Isis and Nephthys flanking the fetish of Abydos, as is the case with EC357. This includes the coffins of Wenenefer (Cairo CG 29310), Horemheb (Cairo TR 22/1/21/3), and Panehemisis (Kunsthistorisches Museum 4). Additionally, in pBrooklyn 47.218.138, which contains a series of spells for the protection of the king against poisonous snakes, scorpions, and spiders, these four deities are referred to as “the four Akh-spirits who keep watch over the majesty of Osiris” (Goyon 2012, 17).

Fig. 2: Coffin of Panehemisis

Since the wonderful publication of the coffin of Panehemisis (fig. 2) by Leitz (2011), I have been keen to visit Vienna to see it for myself. In particular, the see the parallel scene found on the sarcophagus fragment in the Egypt Centre collection. The coffin of Panehemisis, a priest of Amun-Re of Shena, was found in the necropolis of Saqqara. Notable for its excellent state of preservation as well as the high quality of its reliefs, it is made of basalt and is over two meters long. The inside of the coffin remained uninscribed, but the lid and the trough of the coffin in particular are decorated with an exceptionally large number of inscriptions and depictions. The scene in question is located on the underside of the coffin trough, where the head of the deceased would have been placed (fig. 3). Therefore, we can probably assume that EC357 represented the head panel of the sarcophagus. The elaborate depiction of the deities flanking the fetish of Abydos on the coffin of Panehemisis is accompanied by labels emphasising their role in protecting Osiris (Leitz 2011, 329–35).  

Fig. 3: Detail of the coffin of Panehemisis

 

If EC357 was located at the head end, then EC356 would have been at the foot end. EC356 is designed in a similar manner to EC357 with the central panel carved lower that the two border strips above and below. The upper strip contains the same inscription attested on EC357, with only the left side fully finished. The scene in the central panel is also unfinished, although the traces of decoration preserved indicate that it was intended to depict a djed-pillar flanked by two recumbent jackal figures (Anubis) atop shrines. Both jackals are also shown holding sceptres in their front paws (fig. 4).  

Fig. 4: Coffin end 2

The third fragment is EC434, which represents the corner post of the sarcophagus (fig. 5). The two exterior faces are decorated with hieroglyphs. On the first, a rearing cobra wearing the Red Crown is depicted atop a bundle of papyrus. The beginning of the column of hieroglyphs behind this figure is damaged, but it does at least contain the partial name of the deceased’s mother. Since there is no space above for both the names of Petosiris and his father, it is likely that this column continued on from one of the horizontal inscriptions found on EC356 or EC357. Following the name of the mother, the phrase “I am Nephthys” is written, which must be associated with the uraeus in front of it. This would suggest that each of the four corner posts contained a protective uraeus representing the tutelary goddesses Isis, Nephthys, Selket, and Neith. On the other face of the post, two columns of hieroglyphs are included, with traces of a horizontal inscription above. Once again, the name of the mother is preserved, which can tentatively be read as nb-ꜣḫt, Nebakhet (PN I, 183: 03).

Fig. 5: Corner post

Further research is needed on these fragments in order to fully understand them. It is hoped that this blog post will lead to more pieces of the sarcophagus being identified in other museum collections.   

 

Bibliography:

Goyon, Jean-Claude 2012. Le recueil de prophylaxie contre les agressions des animaux venimeux du Musée de Brooklyn: papyrus Wilbour 47.218.138. Studien zur spätägyptischen Religion 5. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. 

Klotz, David 2014. Regionally specific sacerdotal titles in Late Period Egypt: soubassements vs. private monuments. In Rickert, Alexa and Bettina Ventker (eds), Altägyptische Enzyklopädien. Die Soubassements in den Tempeln der griechisch-römischen Zeit: Soubassementstudien I 2, 717–792. Studien zur spätägyptischen Religion 7. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.

Leitz, Christian 2011. Der Sarg des Panehemisis in Wien. Zeichnungen von Victoria Altmann. Mit einer detaillierten Bilddokumentation der Särge des Panehemisis und Horemhab auf DVD. Studien zur spätägyptischen Religion 3 ([1]). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.

Two Curious Wooden Osiris Figures

Of the many objects housed in the Egypt Centre store, two crudely carved figures of Osiris have intrigued me for some time. W538 and W539 both formed part of lot 469, which was purchased for Sir Henry Wellcome at J. C. Stevens auction house (14–15 July 1931). The lot is described in the auction catalogue as “two wood Osiride figures, 5in. high; 4 terra-cotta groups (1 an equestrian figure) Romano-Egyptian, and a limestone group, in pieces.”

Fig. 1: Wooden Osiris figure (W538)

W538 (fig. 1) is a standing wooden mummiform Osiris figure wearing the Atef-crown. The figure stands in front of an obelisk, both supported on a thick plinth. The back of the obelisk has been hollowed out to create a rectangular niche. The innermost surface of this niche is crudely executed, with deep chisel gauges remaining. W539 (fig. 2) is a seated wooden mummiform Osiris figure wearing the Atef-crown. His seat is depicted as a rough cube with a short plinth for his feet, but any backrest intended has not been delineated from the body of the god. Though the wood is roughly carved into shape, the remains of gesso indicate a more finished surface. A wooden peg remains through the centre of the chest but appears to correspond to a knot in the wood, making it a plug rather than a functional element. Likewise, the back of the figure has been hollowed out to create a rectangular niche. They both measure just over 150mm in height.

Fig. 2: Wooden Osiris figure (W539)

While statues of Osiris are some of the most commonly attested figures of deities during the First Millennium BC, these usually come in the form of copper alloy votives. Wooden figures of Osiris are, of course, known, particularly Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures. Although Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures do often have a cavity in the back, just like the two statues in the Egypt Centre, their iconography is very different. Since I had never seen direct parallels to the Swansea figures, I often wondered whether they were Victorian fakes, perhaps intended to resemble Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures; it was certainly not unusual for Wellcome to purchase fakes at auction! Therefore, I was very excited to see close parallels on display in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, which I visited in December (figs. 3–4). They are of a similar size, depict Osiris seated with an obelisk behind, and each has a cavity in the rear. One of the figures in Vienna (ÄS 951a–b) even has its back panel preserved, which contains an illustration of Osiris. ÄS 955 contained a small statuette of Isis nursing the infant Horus while ÄS 956 contained an elongated mummified mass. The accompanying label notes that in at least one case—although it is unclear if referring to an example in Vienna—a mummified foetus was discovered! These figures have been dated to the Late Period to Ptolemaic Period (c. 664–30 BC).

Fig. 3: Osiris figures in Vienna

Fig. 4: Osiris figures in Vienna

One thing that is clear about the figures in Vienna is that they are all gilded. While those in Swansea are not, I was keen to return to the Egypt Centre in the New Year to take a closer look at our figures and to check if there were any traces of gilding. I was therefore quite excited on Wednesday last week when I was able to spot traces on both figures, particularly on the legs of W539 (fig. 5)! One of the distinguishing features of this type of object seems to be the presence of an obelisk behind the figure of Osiris. Small obelisks were commonly used in the cult of the dead in connection with Osiris. In particular, obelisks were depicted behind certain figures of the god Osiris in the tombs.

Fig. 5: Traces of gilding on W539

What were these figures used for and where might they have been deposited? Following my visit to Vienna, I came across another figure in Bolton (1972.36.A). While this figure is now badly preserved (fig. 6), it does have a provenance. It was excavated by the Egypt Exploration Society at the Sacred Animal Necropolis sometime between 1964–1973. This object was a surface find from the Old Kingdom necropolis (Martin 1981, 107 [nr. 1541]). Other similar figures were discovered within the structures associated with the Sacred Animal Necropolis, including one within block 3. This object is described as being a “seated wooden statuette of Osiris, wearing the White Crown flanked by ostrich feathers. Worn and damaged. The column or pedestal behind is hollowed out to receive a mummy or amulet” (Martin 1981, 30 [nr. 322]). Another, found in the dump to the west of sector 7, is described as a “wooden statuette of Osiris. Back hollowed out, and containing a mummified package.” (Martin 1981, 103 [1407]). Unfortunately, the publication does not note what this mummified package contained.

Fig. 6: Osiris figure in Bolton (1972.36.A)

Knowing that several of these figures originated from the Sacred Animal Necropolis, I decided to look through the EES archival photos, which are available on their Flicker site. I was amazed to see several photos of a similar Osiris statue, which was discovered within a wooden shrine (figs. 7–9). This object and its contents are now in the Cairo Museum (JdE 91108). It was published by Hastings (1997, 27–28 [nr. 88]), who wrote on the sculpture from the Sacred Animal Necropolis. Given how unique this find appears to be, I include here the detailed description provided by Hastings for the statue of Osiris (JdE 91108a):

Fig. 7: EES archival photo of the shrine (SAQ-SAN.SLI.VO.010)

“This curious statue was found wrapped in linen and occupying the left wall of the wooden shrine which also contained a seated figure of Isis suckling Harpocrates, and a miniature faience figurine of the same subject, together with two bronze figures of Harpocrates. The shrine lay in drift-sand a few centimetres above the foundation of the north enclosure wall of the temple.”

Fig. 8: EES archival photo showing the figures found in the shrine (SAQ-SAN.SLI.VO.077)

“It is made in three separate parts: the figure of Osiris, and also the truncated obelisk before which he stands, are carved from two different pieces of wood and slot into grooves in the large rectangular base. Osiris wears a foreshortened version of the atef-crown with uraeus; his right hand is held above the left, and there are no attributes. The eyebrows and rims of the eyes are inlaid with blue glass, the pupils of the eyes are black with white paste surrounds. The statue and obelisk were overlaid with gesso and gilded, but there are no traces of gilding on the base.”

Fig. 9: EES archival photo showing Osiris within the shrine (SAQ-SAN.SLI.VO.011)

This find from the Sacred Animal Necropolis is quite remarkable, particularly as it was found as part of an assemblage. The question remains as to whether any of the other Osiris figures like the ones discussed here were originally deposited in a similar way. Additionally, are they specific to Saqqara or have they been found at other sites? If any readers of this blog know of further examples or research on these figures, I would love to hear!

Postscript

Following the publication of this blog, I was made aware of the detailed article by Musso & Petacchi cited in the bibliography. See also the article by Satzinger.

Bibliography:

Emery, Walter Bryan 1967. Preliminary report on the excavations at North, Saqqara 1966–7, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 53, 141–145.

Green, Christine Insley 1987. The temple furniture from the Sacred Animal Necropolis at North Saqqara 1964–1976. Egypt Exploration Society, Excavation Memoir 53. London: Egypt Exploration Society.

Hastings, Elizabeth Anne 1997. The sculpture from the Sacred Animal Necropolis at North Saqqara. 1964–76. Egypt Exploration Society, Excavation Memoir 61. London: Egypt Exploration Society.

Martin, Geoffrey Thorndike. 1981. The Sacred Animal Necropolis at North Saqqara. The southern dependencies of the main temple complex. Egypt Exploration Society, Excavation Memoir 50. London: Egypt Exploration Society.

Musso, Simone and Simone Petacchi 2017. The Osirian obelisk-shaped "reliquaries": new evidence from European collections. In Kóthay, Katalin Anna (ed.), Burial and mortuary practices in Late Period and Graeco-Roman Egypt: proceedings of the international conference held at Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, 17–19 July 2014, 337–345. Budapest: Museum of Fine Arts.

Satzinger, Helmut 1998. Osirianische Obelisken in der Wiener Sammlung. In Clarysse, Willy, Antoon Schoors, and Harco Willems (eds), Egyptian religion: the last thousand years. Studies dedicated to the memory of Jan Quaegebeur: part I, 413–423. Leuven: Peeters.

Smith, Harry S. 1974. A visit to Egypt. Life at Memphis & Saqqara (c. 500–30 BC). Warminster: Aris & Phillips Limited.

New Course on the Egypt Centre Collection

Firstly, Happy New Year to all our readers and supporters!

2023 promises to be an exciting year for the Egypt Centre as we celebrate 25 years since the museum opened to the public. During this time, school groups, students, researchers, and other interested parties have come to visit the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in Wales. To mark this occasion, we will be organising a variety of events, both in-person and online, say stay posted for further announcements.

Fig. 1: Relief depicting Khabekhnet and Sahte before Ptah, Ptah-Sokar, and Isis

First up, I’ll be teaching a five-week course called 25 Years of the Egypt Centre: History and Highlights (fig. 1). As the title says, this course will be devoted to the history and highlights of the museum, from its origins with the Wellcome loan in 1971 to its online engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Each week we will examine selected objects on display in the House of Life and House of Death galleries, in addition to those kept in storage. This includes objects from sites such as Amarna, Armant, Abydos, Beni Hasan, Deir el-Bersha. Esna, Naqada, Tarkhan, and Thebes. The anthropoid coffin of the Chantress of Amun Iwesenhesetmut, the offering stand of the infamous Paneb, a limestone relief depicting the God’s Wife Neferure, and the lintel of the Overseer of Craftsmen Tjenti are just some of the objects to be discussed. Using 3D models of many of the objects (fig. 2), it is now possible for participants to get closer than ever to the collection in a virtual capacity. In doing so, it will provide participants with an in-depth knowledge of the museum and its collection.

Fig. 2: 3D model of a sandstone relief depicting a procession of deities (EC376)

In order to be as accessible as possible, this course will be run twice, with sessions taking place via Zoom:

- Sunday evenings 6–8pm (UK time) - Starting Sunday 08th January

- Wednesday mornings 10am–noon (UK time) - Starting Wednesday 11th January

Schedule

Week 1: (Sunday 08 January or Wednesday 11 January): The History of the Egypt Centre

Week 2: (Sunday 15 January or Wednesday 18 January): Highlights of the Egypt Centre

Week 3: (Sunday 22 January or Wednesday 25 January): The House of Death

Week 4: (Sunday 29 January or Wednesday 01 February): The House of Life

Week 5: (Sunday 05 February or Wednesday 08 February): Treasures in Storage

This course costs £40, with fees going directly to supporting the Egypt Centre. In particular, the funds will be used to support the development of the Egypt Centre displays. Full details and tickets can be purchased through our Eventbrite page. 

If you would like to receive updates on any Egypt Centre blog posts, you can now subscribe by using the recently added subscription button at the top right of this page!

Identifying Coffin Fragments from the Collection of a Banjo-Playing Barmaid

Several weeks ago, I wrote about identifying a limestone stela in the Egypt Centre as belonging to an official called Dedusobek. This identity was made possible thanks to the unpublished manuscripts cataloguing Sir Henry Wellcome’s Egyptian and Sudanese material between 1907 and 1914. The manuscripts were mainly compiled by William St Chad Boscawen (1854–1913) between 1907–1912 (Horry 2015). Since getting access to these manuscripts, which are housed at the Petrie Museum, in October this year, I have been able to identify many objects in the Egypt Centre collection. The manuscripts often include additional details otherwise unknown, such as previous owners, auction details, and related objects. This weekend, while working through the transcription of volume three, I spotted two entries for objects I’d been hoping to find information on for several years. Both pieces are wooden panels, which likely belong to the same object (W1042 & W1042a).

Fig. 1: W1042

W1042 (fig. 1) is a wooden panel depicting the god Osiris seated on a throne, with a cobra (Wadjet) wearing the Red Crown twisting around a papyrus and lotus plant shown behind. W1042a (fig. 2) is a larger wooden panel consisting of two registers. On the top, the deceased (or priest?) is depicted at either end with his hands raised in adoration before a winged scarab with two cobras (Wadjet and Nekhbet) emerging from it. A large solar disk was once present at the head of the scarab, but this is now missing and is only identifiable from the circular paint mark. Below this register is a scene depicting Isis (right) adoring Osiris, and Nephthys (left) adoring Re(?). At the top of the panel is a horizontal inscription, while the sides depict a frieze of rosettes between rectangular decoration. The colour scheme and decoration of both pieces is identical, which suggests that they belong to the same object. Additionally, both pieces have large numbers (6 & 7) written in square brackets in black ink. These were likely a numbering system used by an early collector, which is identical to two other objects in the Egypt Centre collection. But whose collection do they originate from? The answer to this had eluded me until this past weekend!

Fig. 2: W1042a

Both objects have their Wellcome registration numbers (R6909 & R6865) written on them, which is usually the key to identifying their origins. However, the records list these objects as simply being recorded in the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum (HMM) in November 1927. It seems that it was at this time that the objects on display in the museum were retrospectively registered. Thus, all that could be determined was that the object was deposited in the museum sometime between 1913 (when it was first opened to the public) and 1927. Given that the formal registration of Wellcome’s objects only started in 1913, it was likely that they were purchased at some point before this date.

When going through the unpublished manuscript on Saturday, I came across the following two entries (fig. 3):

Fig. 3: Boscawen manuscript page 
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

65: “Wooden panel cut out of a large coffin coloured red. Painting represents Osiris seated on his throne holding whip & Ankh. Behind him a large Uraeus serpent issuing from a Lotus plant. The throne of Osiris rests on a bed of water plants.”

66: “Large panel cut out of a coffin in two tiers. Upper tier representation of winged solar disk (disk missing) with two Uraei as supporters to the disk. In middle of the wings the Solar Kheper beetle. Two priests on either side adore the disk. Second Tier, Ra & Horus seated on their thrones being advised by Isis & Nephthys. Line of hieroglyphs on top giving the titles of Horus, Isis, Osiris Seb, & Khnum.”

 

In addition to the descriptions of the pieces, the manuscript states that these objects originate from the Meux collection, which was sold in 1911. While the lot number was not recorded by Boscawen in his manuscript, it was easy to identify it as lot 1504, which is described as follows (fig. 4):

Fig. 4: Auction catalgoue entry

“Inner wooden coffin of a lady who probably lived towards the end of the period of the XXVI dynasty, about B.C. 500. Cover of a coffin of a lady who probably lived during the Ptolemaic period, about B.C. 200. Painted end of a wooden coffin wherein are depicted the deceased adoring a winged disk, and the goddesses Isis and Nephthys. Panel from the same coffin, whereon is painted Osiris. Wooden face from the inner coffin of a man, about the period of the XXVIth dynasty, about B.C. 550; the face is painted red and the eyebrows blue. Wooden face from the inner coffin of a lady who flourished about B.C. 300.  Unpainted wooden face from the coffin of a man who flourished about B.C. 300. Fragment of wood from the coffin of Sheps-ta-Mat.”

Lady Valerie Susan Meux (1852–1910) was a socialite of the Victorian era. She was the wife of Sir Henry Bruce Meux, 3rd Baronet (1856–1900), who came from one of Britain’s richest brewing dynasties, Meux’s Brewery, founded in 1764, which was a major brewer of porter ale in London in the nineteenth century. Before her marriage, Lady Meux claimed to have been an actress, but was apparently on the stage for only a single season. She is believed to have met Sir Henry Meux at the Casino de Venise in Holborn, where she worked as a banjo-playing barmaid (fig. 5) and had a stage name Val Langdon. Lady Meux was a flamboyant and controversial figure, given to driving herself around London in a high phaeton, drawn by a pair of zebras. Their house at Theobald’s Park in Hertfordshire was lavishly improved and enlarged; additions included a swimming pool and an indoor roller-skating rink. It was at Theobald’s Park where Lady Meux amassed a collection of some 1800 Egyptian artefacts, which were first published by Sir E. A. T. Wallis Budge (1857–1934) in 1893 with a second edition in 1896.

Fig. 5: Lady Meux and her banjo

As mentioned previously, two other objects in the Egypt Centre collection bear the same numbering as found on the fragments discussed here. W352 is a wooden face from a coffin, which is painted red with blue eyebrows. It carries the number 8 in square brackets just below the chin. W1022 is an unpainted (except for the eyes) black wooden coffin face, which has the number 10 written on the forehead. These coffin fragments are described in the aforementioned lot, thus meaning that four of the eight pieces sold together are now housed in the Egypt Centre collection. Looking through Budge’s catalogue, I was delighted to find that the numbers correlated to his cataloguing (fig. 6). Thus, the mystery of the numbering and the identity of the former owner had finally been solved!

Fig. 6: Budge's catalogue entry

As for the two large wooden coffin panels, these have long been displayed in the Egypt Centre galleries. I remember being brought to the Egypt Centre back in 2004 as part of an MA module on museum collecting to be told (by a non-Egyptologist teaching the session) that W1042a was a forgery because the inscription above didn’t make sense. In reality, while the hieroglyphs do look unconventional, the inscription is perfectly readable (fig. 7):

Fig. 7: Inscription of W1042a

ꜥnḫ nṯr nfr ḥr ꜣst wsi͗r ḫnty-i͗mntt nṯr ꜥꜣ nb ꜣbḏw sꜣ n wr tp n gb

“Life to the Good God. Horus, Isis, and Osiris, Foremost of the West, the Great God, Lord of Abydos, the eldest son, the first born of Geb.”

 

This style of coffin is well-known as dating to the Roman Period (second century AD) and coming specifically from the necropolis of Tuna el-Gebel. The coffin of Teuris in the Allard Pierson Museum of Antiquities (APM 7069) being the most notable example (Kurth 1990). Unfortunately, with the Swansea fragments, the identity of the coffin owner remains a mystery that is unlikely to be solved any time soon!

 

Bibliography:

Budge, E. A. Wallis 1896. Some account of the collection of Egyptian antiquities in the possession of Lady Meux, of Theobald’s Park, Waltham Cross, 2nd ed. London: Harrison & Sons.

Haarlem, Willem M. van 2010. De sarkofaag van Teuris. APm: Allard Pierson Mededelingen 101–102, 8–11.

Haarlem, Willem M. van 1998. Allard Pierson Museum, Amsterdam, fascicle 4: sarcophagi and related objects. Corpus antiquitatum Aegyptiacarum: Lose-Blatt-Katalog ägyptischer Altertümer. Amsterdam: Allard Pierson Museum.

Horry, Ruth 2015. Assyriology at the margins, the case of William St. Chad Boscawen (1855–1913). Iraq 77/1, 107–128.

Kurth, Dieter 1990. Der Sarg der Teüris: eine Studie zum Totenglauben im römerzeitlichen Ägypten. Aegyptiaca Treverensia: Trierer Studien zum Griechisch-Römischen Ägypten 6. Mainz am Rhein: Philipp von Zabern.

Reuniting the Statue of Djedhor the Saviour

Back in September 2021 at our conference to mark fifty years since part of the Wellcome collection arrived to Swansea, it was announced by Anna Garnett of the Petrie Museum that the plaster cast of the statue of Djedhor the Saviour would be gifted to the Egypt Centre so that it could be reunited with its base (W302). In the intervening fourteen months, preparations for this transfer have been taking place. The base was sent to Cardiff for conservation, as previously discussed in a blog post by Krystina Parker, before returning to us in September. With the base back in Swansea, it was now time to arrange for the statue to be reunited with it. Anna and I had the chance to discuss this when I visited the Petrie Museum in October. This past Tuesday (29 November) was quite an exciting day at the Egypt Centre as the statue of Djedhor finally arrived to the Egypt Centre (fig. 1). It was appropriate that the statue arrived on Giving Tuesday, a global initiative that encourages people and organizations to donate their time and money to charitable causes.

Fig. 1: The reunited Djedhor the Saviour cast

As many readers will know, Djedhor was a Priest and “Guardian of the Gates of the Temple of Athribis” (located in the tenth Lower Egyptian nome). The original statue, which is on display in the Tahrir Museum in Cairo (JE 46341), is one of several known for Djedhor. A statue base is in the Oriental Institute, Chicago (OIM E10589), and a headless torso of a standing, naophorous statue is in Cairo (4/6/19/1). In all probably, the latter two statues were part of the same monument. According to Sherman (1981), JE 46341 was likely produced after the other statue. This is because JE 46341 is the only one of the two in which Djedhor has the “good name” of pꜣ-šd, “the Saviour”, which must have been given to him later in his life. The words of Djedhor on the Cairo statue indicate that he was alive at the time of its creation: “It is I who caused this saviour-statue to appear, along with the saviour-statue which is in the necropolis”. This inscription highlights how the statue was used for healing. The entire statue of Djedhor is covered with magical texts that protect, or heal, against snakes, scorpions, and other malicious creatures. These texts were published by Jelínková-Reymond (1956) and Sherman (1981), with an English translation available here. Users would pour water over the statue of Djedhor, which would absorb the magical healing powers of the hieroglyphs. This water would then collect in the depression located on the base directly in front of the statue, which could then be drunk or applied to a wound. From the inscriptions, we know that Djedhor lived during the reign of Philip Arrhidaeus (c. 323–317 BC).

Fig. 2: Cast of Djedhor on display in the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum

The cast of the Djedhor statue and base was produced in 1933 by the Cairo Museum at the request of Sir Henry Wellcome. Wellcome was particularly interested in objects associated with medicine, healing, and magic, so the object was of great importance to him. Upon arrival in London, it was given the Wellcome acquisition number A129212, with the later registration number R77/1935. The cast was soon displayed in the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum until it was transferred to University College London (UCL) in 1964 (fig. 2). It was here that that statue was separated from its base, with the former going to the Petrie Museum and the latter to Swansea in 1971. Discussions between the Petrie Museum and the Egypt Centre over reuniting the statue with the base first occurred around twenty years ago, but it was only in the last few years that these discussions allowed the reunification to occur. As far as I’m aware, this is the first time objects from the Wellcome collection have been reunited after their separation. Additionally, it is possibly the only cast of the Cairo statue known (I’d be interested to know if any readers are aware of others).

Fig. 3: Newly photographed Djedhor statue

Since the statue (now numbered W302a) arrived in Swansea several days ago, it has been photographed (fig. 3), 3D scanned (fig. 4), and been the guest of honour at the Egypt Centre’s Christmas party on Friday (fig. 5). Future plans include putting it on display and using it for our object-based learning at the museum. We are also planning a study day on Djedhor to take place in 2023, so stay posted for further details about this!

Fig. 4: 3D model of the combined Djedhor statue (https://skfb.ly/oAUI6)

We are grateful to all involved in making this reunification happen, particularly our colleagues at UCL Culture. This transfer could not have taken place without the support of Anna Garnett, the Curator of the Petrie Museum, for being so willing to make this happen!

Fig. 5: Wendy Goodridge next to Djedhor at the Egypt Centre Christmas party

Bibliography:

Jelínkova-Reymond, E. 1956. Les inscriptions de la statue guérisseuse de Djed-ḥer-le-Sauveur. Bibliothèque d’étude 23. Le Caire: Institut français d’Archéologie orientale. 

Rowland, Joanne, Salima Ikram, G. J. Tassie, and Lisa Yeomans 2013. The sacred falcon necropolis of Djedhor(?) at Quesna: recent investigations from 2006–2012. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 99, 53–84.

Sherman, Elizabeth J. 1981. Djedḥor the Saviour statue base OI 10589. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 67, 82–102.

Identifying a Lost Stela of Dedusobek

Back in June 2019, I posted a blog about the reconstruction of a Middle Kingdom stela in the Egypt Centre collection. At the time, EC1848 consisted of around forty fragments, the largest of which I’d been able to group together to reveal some names and titles. Since then, the stela fragments were sent to Cardiff Conservation Department where it was treated and joined, as best as possible, by Seren Kitchener. Seren was able to make considerable improvements to my reconstruction (fig. 1). This helped to determine that the upper inscription contained at least four lines of hieroglyphs. Below this is a pictorial scene depicting a seated figure on the left before a large table of offerings in the centre. This is followed in the third register by the partial remains of at least two people. The named individuals on the stela include Bebi, who seemed to be the mother of the deceased (upper inscription), and two sons named Sahathor (lower right) and Khuniwtef (lower left). A further fragment, not joined, contained the partial name of a daughter, which likely read as Sathathor. 

Fig. 1: EC1848 after conservation

Just a few weeks after the stela returned to the Egypt Centre (September 2022), I was in London to examine the unpublished Catalogue of Egyptian Antiquities (six volumes) of objects in the Wellcome collection, which had been compiled by William St Chad Boscawen (1854–1913) between 1907–1912 (Horry 2015). I’d been very excited to finally see these since Anna Garnett, the Curator at the Petrie Museum, rediscovered them in August 2021. The manuscripts did not disappoint as they included descriptions, often with drawings, of approximately 4,000 objects, many of which are now in the Egypt Centre. This included objects purchased by Wellcome at auction from the collections of Robert de Rustafjaell (1906 & 1907), Hilton Price (1911), Martin Kennard (1911), Lady Meux (1911), and other miscellaneous sales. The manuscripts also included lists of objects purchased by Wellcome in Cairo (1911) and Luxor (1912). Finally, five collections of antiquities from Garstang’s excavations at Meroe (1909–1914), which were presented to Wellcome annually, were catalogued (fig. 2). Since Boscawen died in 1913, the latter additions were recorded in a different hand by an unidentified person.

Fig. 2: Sample page from Boscawen manuscript vol. V
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

So what have these manuscripts got to do with EC1848? Well, while transcribing volume 2, which contained objects purchased from the 1907 Rustafjaell sale, I noticed that entry number 1360 mentioned a “Mistress of the House, Bebi”. While Bebi is a very common name, with 297 entries on the Persons and Names of the Middle Kingdom (PNM) database, I decided to compare the four-page entry with EC1848. To my great surprise, the upper inscription matched, as did the description of the stela layout and the names of the children. The main difference is that the stela, when recorded by Boscawen in 1907–8, was complete rather than fragmentary. Thanks to Boscawen’s transcription, I was able to identify to owner of the stela as the “Chief of Tens of Upper Egypt, Dedusobek” (Quirke 2004, 87). Additionally, I was even able to place a further three fragments (fig. 3)! Unfortunately, unlike many of the other descriptions in the manuscripts, the measurements aren’t recorded. Given the importance of Boscawen’s entry for this stela, I present the description in full:

Fig. 3: EC1848 with additional fragments photoshopped in

“Large lime stone stela - rude drawing but carved as is also the inscription (fig. 4). It is divided into four tiers. In the upper are two [drawing] utchat eye. The two eyes of Horus and between them the sign [drawing] ‘eternity’ (sen). In the second is the inscription. In the third, the deceased [drawing] Sebek tattu is represented seated at a table altar. On which are spread palm leaves & a very large goose or duck. Beside it are loaves of bread and a beer jar. Before him is his daughter who holds a lotus flower in her hand. Her name is [drawing] his daughter Hathor Sat deceased. The wifes name does not appear.”

Fig. 4: Page from Boscawen manuscript vol. II
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

“The names of members of the family are preserved in the lower tier (fig. 5). We have here two sons and a daughter:

A. [drawing] Of which only a tentative translation can be given ‘his eldest son’.

B. Kneeling youth before whom is the inscription [drawing] ‘Her son Hathor-Sa’ deceased.

C. Seated female with lotus above whom is the inscription [drawing] She lady of the house. Deceased.”

“The work is good and of the period between the XIIth + XVIII dynasties.”

Fig. 5: Page from Boscawen manuscript vol. II
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

“Inscription [drawing].” (fig. 6)

Fig. 6: Page from Boscawen manuscript vol. II
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

“Translation (fig. 7).

1) Give a royal offering in Tattu to Osiris dwelling in Tattu. 2) Funeral offerings of bread, beer, oxen, fowl, linen, wax and all good and pure things 3) May he give the sweet (wind) breath of life, glory in heaven, power on earth, triumph in the Underworld 4) to the Ka of Sebek-tattu born of Hat-Heru-ma-Kha ... deceased & born of the Lady of the house Beba deceased.”

Fig. 7: Page from Boscawen manuscript vol. II
(Courtesy of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology)

While there are a few errors with Boscawen’s reading of the text, some of which are purely down to the accepted readings of personal names a century ago, the transcription does show that he was quite competent in reading ancient Egyptian. One important correction is that the name of Dedusobek’s father should be read as the “Governor, Horemkhawef” instead of “Hat-Heru-ma-Kha …”, a name which is attested on several monuments according to the PNM database.

With the names of Dedusobek’s parents and children known, is it possible to identify him on other monuments? While further research is still needed, it is possible that he is the same Dedusobek as recorded on a stela from Edfu (current location unknown), which was published by Alliot (1935, p. 30, pl. XVI.3). On this stela, the owner is identified as the “Chief of Tens of Upper Egypt, Dedusobek”, as found on the stela in Swansea. He is described “made by (i͗r-n) Bebi”. While the filiation i͗r-n is most commonly used in identifying the father, the writing of “the justified” in the feminine form (mꜣꜥt-ḫrw rather than mꜣꜥ-ḫrw) would imply Bebi is actually his mother (fig. 8). The problem occurs with the other names mentioned on the stela from Edfu, which do not match those on the stela in Swansea (there is a Satsobek, but she is listed as a “Mistress of the House” and not as “his daughter”).

Fig. 8: Transcription of the Edfu stela (Alliot 1935, 30)

It is unknown when the stela of Dedusobek was broken, but since around 50% of it is now missing, it is likely to have been before the Wellcome collection arrived in Swansea in 1971. Perhaps the remaining fragments went to one of the other museums that received Wellcome material and await identification. Further research is needed, with a full publication of the stela being prepared. This blog post highlights the importance of archival work in museums, with much potential from the Boscawen manuscripts for our understanding of Wellcome’s early Egyptian material!

Bibliography:

Alliot, Maurice 1935. Rapport sur les fouilles de Tell Edfou (1933). Fouilles de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale 10 (2). Cairo: Imprimerie de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale.

Horry, Ruth 2015. Assyriology at the margins, the case of William St. Chad Boscawen (1855–1913). Iraq 77/1, 107–128.

Quirke, Stephen 2004. Titles and bureaux of Egypt, 1850–1700 BC. Egyptology (Golden House) 1. London: Golden House.

3D Scanning of Objects

This past week has been quite an exciting and fun time at the Egypt Centre. On Monday, I joined the museum’s new Collections Access Manager, Meg Gundlach, and colleagues from the Richard Burton Archives at Swansea University in receiving training on using two newly purchased Artec 3D scanners. The training was delivered by Alex Chung, of Central Scanning Ltd. 3D Scanning is a fast and efficient process used to collect 3D point cloud data, for the creation of 3-dimensional models. These are particularly useful as they allow researchers to interact with the Egypt Centre collection in ways that is not always possible through 2D imagery. Additionally, with the creation of 3D models, it is possible to print replicas of our objects, something we plan to experiment with in the coming weeks.

Fig. 1: Alex Chung scanning the Djedhor the Saviour statue base

During the training, Alex introduced us first to the Artec Eva scanner, which is designed for larger objects. This structured-light 3D scanner is the ideal choice for making quick, textured, and accurate 3D models of larger-sized objects such as a coffin. It scans quickly, capturing precise measurements in high resolution. We decided to scan the plaster cast of the statue base of Djedhor the Saviour (W302), which had recently returned to the Egypt Centre following conservation work at Cardiff Conservation Department (fig. 1). While the exterior surface was generally straightforward to capture, the interior was quite challenging. This is because the cast is built around a wooden structure, which contains some hard-to-reach areas (fig. 2). However, with a little persistence, it should be possible to capture the entire surface. We then moved on to the Artec Spider scanner, which is perfect for capturing small objects.

Fig. 2: Scanning the underside of the Djedhor statue base.

There were several things I was very surprised about. Firstly, both hand-held scanners are extremely light, weighing less than 1kg each. Secondly, just how quickly it takes to scan an object (depending on size, of course). Thirdly, the software package, Artec Studio 17 Professional, is very easy to use. For smaller objects, it only took us on average of 30 minutes to scan, process, and upload the model to Sketchfab—processing times will, of course, differ for each person depending on the processing capabilities of their computers.

Meg scanning the amulet of Sopdu-Hor

 

Between Tuesday and Friday, we scanned eleven objects. While still experimenting and getting used to the scanner and software, we are really happy with the models so far. Some of them were relatively straightforward, such as the wooden ba-bird (W429), a wooden funerary figure (W453), and a Cypriot horse (W229a), while others were a little more complicated (fig 3). For example, PM18 is a very small amulet of a deity, who can be identified as Sopdu-hor thanks to the inscription on the back pillar. Measuring only 61mm in height, the scanner often had problems tracking the amulet on the turntable. Additionally, the inscription isn’t as clear on the models as I would like. However, the main purpose of the scanners is not necessarily to produce high-resolution textured images, but to make highly accurate models. The accompanying software actually allows users to incorporate photogrammetry into the models, which will produce high-resolution textured models. While we have yet to experiment with this, it is something that we will be doing over the coming weeks and months.

Fig. 3: Sketchfab image of the ba-bird

Five objects we did prioritise scanning this week are those that are currently being used by students in their Egyptian Archaeology module. Over five handling sessions at the Egypt Centre, the students in this module get to handle their objects, researching their life history. These objects are all pottery, including a black-topped redware jar (EC89), a tall cylindrical jar (AB91), and a small vessel closed by textile (W1287). This latter object appears to be a rattle, as the students quickly determined (fig. 4). The rattle was very easy to scan as it had a closed mouth. With the other four pots, scanning the interiors was difficult. In particular, with EC329 it was impossible to completely capture because of the closed form of the vessel. We also experimented with scanning a blue-painted pottery sherd (EC1369) from Amarna, which was excavated by the Egypt Exploration Society during the 1920s. This is one of many fragments from Amarna, which will be the focus of an undergraduate dissertation by Katie Morton. All of our 3D objects are now available on the Egypt Centre's Sketchfab page, where more will be added in due course. 

Fig. 4: Christian Knoblauch discussing the rattle with students

There is still a lot more to learn until we have mastered the various techniques and features. For example, one we were briefly shown at the end of the training was creating inverted object moulds, which can then be 3D printed. This will be particularly useful for school/workshop activities using casts of the Egypt Centre’s objects.

We are grateful to Alex for leading us through the training and for answering the many questions that we had. Thanks also to our colleagues in Archives and Academic Services for arranging the purchase of these scanners, which will really increase public and student engagement of the Egypt Centre collection!