Pregnancy on New Kingdom Sai: A Cowroid of Taweret

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Kenneth Griffin Meg Gundlach

Cowroid bead SAV1W 723.

One of the highlights of this season’s excavation within the town area at Sai was the discovery of a beautiful cowroid bead (SAV1W 723) containing an image of the Egyptian goddess Taweret. The object was uncovered in SAV1 West within the first few weeks of the excavation (17 Jan). It measures 17x9x5 mm, is made of a glazed composite material, and is longitudinally pierced to enable suspension. While the object was found in a mixed area, it is likely that it dates to the New Kingdom—and specifically to the Eighteenth Dynasty—based on examples known from elsewhere (e.g. BM EA 3737).

Cowroid BM EA3727.

The cowroid is a popular form of scaraboid with a circular or elongated oval base with markings on its back, which show that it was based on the cowrie shell. The cowrie shell was believed to have amuletic significance because of the resemblance to the female genitalia. These shells are even found in graves dating to as early as the Predynastic Period. However, from the late Old Kingdom onwards they were being imitated in blue-glazed composition and other semi-precious stones, with gold and silver examples known from the Middle Kingdom (e.g. BM EA 3077). Usually part of a woman’s girdle, the cowroids would have been in exactly the right place to ward off evil influences from the relevant bodily part of the wearer, especially if she were pregnant.

BM EA 3077.

Taweret, whose name means “the great one”, was one of the most popular female deities throughout the Dynastic Period. She is mainly depicted in composite form: the head of a hippopotamus, the legs and arms of a lion, and the tail of a crocodile. Perhaps the most well-known representation of her is the stunning schist statue, dating to the Saite Period, which is now in the Cairo Museum (CG 39194). Taweret is often shown next to a s3-sign, the symbol of “protection”, as can be seen with the cowroid in question. Despite her ferocious appearance, Taweret was invoked as protector of pregnant women and childbirth. In fact, Taweret is depicted with pendulous breasts and a large belly, thus imitating the appearance of a pregnant woman. On the cowroid from Sai Taweret can be seen wielding a knife, an iconography commonly attested on Middle Kingdom apotropaic wands, such as the one discussed here (Met 30.8.218).

The mixed symbolism of a cowrie shell and the representation of Taweret would seem the prefect remedy to protect a pregnant woman during this vulnerable period. The fact that the cowroid is pierced longitudinally would suggest that it was worn across the pelvic region as part of a girdle. While it will never be known if the cowroid had the desired effect, or if it was worn by an Egyptian or Nubian inhabitant, objects such as this provide us with a small glimpse into the private and religious lives of the ancient population on Sai.

Cemetery, seals, pots and Nun-bowls in week 8

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Julia Budka

This week work focused again on fieldwork in the cemetery SAC5 and registration and studying of various find categories in the dig house.

Excavation in area 1 in the southern part of SAC5 proved to be very interesting: we now know that this large sector set between two small hill outcrops probably was completly void of tombs. No burial monuments were located, but rather various interesting topographical features exposed – Martin Fera will compose a digital landscape model in the next weeks attempting a first interpretation of this topography. The fresh information will allow some new insights into the landscape, evolution and size of the New Kingdom cemetery SAC5.

Area 1 with newly exposed topographies.

In agreement with Florence Thill, we started digging another area in SAC5: area 2 is located north of area 1, just next to various 18^th Dynasty monuments like tomb 8. The surface material discovered so far covers all the periods attested for the use of SAC5 as a burial site: mid-late 18^th Dynasty, Late Ramesside, Pre-Napatan and Napatan.

Today, a sandy depression was found, surrounded on three sides by bedrock – we’ll continue excavating there, of course hoping for a shaft opening belonging to a new tomb.

Promising new area 2 in SAC5.

Feature 15 keeps us busy in the digging house – most of the washing of the ceramics is now done, but sorting is still ongoing. 60 vessels have been reconstructed so far – dozens of more are still waiting to be joined. Oliver Frank Stephan concentrates on drawing the complete profiles and reconstructed pots. Registration of finds from feature 15 continued – Ken Griffin and Meg Gundlach have been very productive in entering different types of objects into the database. By now, a total of 329 small finds were registered from feature 15! And I am not yet done with sieving, some bags with material from directly above the pavement are still unchecked, for sure comprising more objects. Already 171 seal impressions were documented, mostly dating to Hatshepsut and Thutmose III. We continue to be a bit baffled about the large amount of clay sealings from such a small structure!

Exciting: this week a substantial number of new seal types were registered.

Sabine Tschorn started with drawing representative fragments of faience vessels – most of which are Nun-bowls, but other shapes like small chalices are also attested. The number of fragments from SAV1 West is much higher than from SAV1 East – probably related to the different character of the areas, but it could also be explained by the slightly later date of deposits in SAV1 West. The late 18^th Dynasty, a well-known heyday of faience production, is better attested in our western area than within the surroundings of Building A towards the East.

Happy with small, but diagnostic pieces of Nun-bowls from SAV1 West.

Happy about small, but diagnostic pieces of Nun-bowls from SAV1 West.

Last but not least I am very thankful to Stuart Tyson Smith and his team for welcoming us this week in Tombos – we got a splendid tour through the cemetery and the town site. There are many parallels to Sai Island and I am looking much forward to future results of the Tombos mission and a continous open exchange and collaboration.

First glimpses of Post-New Kingdom use in SAC5, area 2

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Julia Budka

Sai Island in Northern Sudan has been continuously settled from Prehistory to modern times being occupied by various people throughout the ages. It is well known that the New Kingdom monuments, both the town site and the cemeteries, were reused in periods after the Pharaonic era. We found plenty of evidence during our excavations at SAV1 West and SAV1 East this year – one very nice piece is the adorable giraffe graffito.

For the cemetery SAC5, a re-use of 18^th Dynasty tombs in the Late New Kingdom and in the Prenapatan and Napatan Period is well attested thanks to the excavations of the French mission (see Thill 2006-2007). This period, roughly the late 11^th century up to the 8^th century BCE, is still little understood in Northern Sudan (as it is the case for Egypt) – current excavations, especially at Tombos and Amara West, illustrate that much remains to be discovered from this era.

Today, we started the surface cleaning in a new area in cemetery SAC5. Thanks to the arrival of Florence Thill, who joined us for the upcoming weeks as external expert, we agreed to investigate an as-yet unexplored zone between the already excavated tombs.

Work has started in area 2, cemetery SAC5.

Work started in area 2, cemetery SAC5.

We are currently focusing on the southeastern surroundings of tomb 8. This 18^th Dynasty tomb was also used as burial place in the Napatan period – therefore it came as no surprise that the ceramics we collected today from the surface cover a large time span: mid-late 18^th Dynasty, Late Ramesside, Pre-Napatan, Napatan and Christian period! Most of the material dates to the 10^th-8^th centuries BCE – very exciting!

The sorting of the pottery fragments is undertaken at the site – wares and forms are counted, diagnostic pieces selected for further analysis.

Thanks to our amazing washing man, the diagnostics found this morning were already clean after lunch: nice painted pilgrim flasks, amphorae (including 2 oases ones!) and especially Napatan cups and beakers.

The next days of work will hopefully tell us whether there are more reused 18^th Dynasty tombs in this sector of SAC5, or even a Post-New Kingdom burial place. The first finds are very promising in many respects!

Reference:

F. Thill. 2006-2007. Les réoccupations “(pré)napatéennes” dans la cimetière égyptien 8B5/SAC5 de Sai, in: Mélanges offerts à Francis Geus, CRIPEL 26, 353–369.

More dogs from Sai Island

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Julia Budka

Our colleagues working at Amara West just made a somewhat surprising discovery of dog-paw prints in one of their houses! This is the perfect opportunity to present one of the highlights of our season, coming from SAV1 West.

Dogs have been integral parts of AcrossBorders since our very first season in 2013 – over one hundred fragments of fire dogs were found and processed and a small puppy has grown up to become a faithful companion, proud mum and well-known representative of its species even beyond Sai Island.

Dog bones are probably present in the animal bones from the New Kingdom town – small amounts were identified from 18^th Dynasty levels in SAV1 North. However, discriminating between dog, jackal and fox bones is challenging and not always possible.

This season the first three-dimensional representation of a New Kingdom dog was discovered within the Pharaonic town! In Square 1 South, a small clay figurine (58 x 35 x 15 mm) was found.

We christened the adorable figurine “Wastl” – Viennese dog owners will understand why! Wastl has a long snout, pointy ears and a small tail. He wears a black collar and his fur is decorated with black dots.

We are still discussing the original use and context of Wastl – some of us think that he is a small figurine and was possibly used as a toy in the 18^th Dynasty. Dog figurines are not very common as small objects, but there are parallels from different periods and various sites (cf. Stevens 2006, 52). My first impression was rather a vessel application – especially because of the small width of the figurine and the broken legs despite the otherwise very good state of preservation. Furthermore, the back side of the figurine is less carefully made and not painted, suggesting a front side and thus not a use as an object.

I am grateful to Anna Stevens of the Amara West team who supported this opinion during their visit last week – Anna pointed out large bowls with animal figurines attached to the rim found at Amarna (Stevens 2006: 177-178, fig. II.8.12). While there is no doubt about the identification of Wastl, the Amarna fragments are all broken and just “quadrupeds”.

May it be a figurine or a vessel application – Wastl clearly seems to refer to a domestic dog, emphasized also because of the collar. This opens many questions – was the presumed bowl with small dog applications just a decorative piece? Did it hold a symbolic meaning? Was it maybe even a dog’s bowl? Or was it of personal value for the owner, carrying specific memories from back home?

After eight weeks of absence, nothing is more understandable than the comfort playing with “other” dogs gives, but also pictorial reminders work fine…

It is completely possible that Wastl belonged to one of the Egyptian officials sent off to Nubia who was a real dog-lover… He definitely managed to delight the AcrossBorders’ dog-lovers – like the other dogs on Sai Island!

Reference:

Stevens 2006 = A. Stevens, Private Religion at Amarna, BAR International Series 1587, Oxford.

End of week 7: mud sealings, pottery vessels & not yet a tomb

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Julia Budka

The final phase of our 2015 field season is approaching, only three more weeks to go!

This week, Miranda Semple and Sayantani Neogi successfully completed their geoarchaeological research respectively the micromorphological sampling within the New Kingdom town area – several profiles of cultural deposition were taken from SAV1 West and SAV1 East. This set of soil blocks is the starting point for thin section manufacture and micromorphological analysis in the upcoming years. Taken from 18^th Dynasty contexts, they will allow us addressing questions of site formation processes and the ancient use of space.

Our group of Viennese physical anthropologists (Anna Sonnberger, Andrea Stadlmayr and Marlies Wohlschlager) started their work with sorting bones from the town excavation – even if there are some interesting human remains from SAV1 West and SAV1 East, they are of course eagerly waiting for new material from the cemetery site SAC 5. At the cemetery, the group of workmen supervised by Pierre Meyrat and Huda Magzoub were busy with surface cleaning in area 1. No clear outlines of possible superstructures or shafts of New Kingdom tombs were yet found, but several sandy areas are notable.

Work in progress, area 1, SAC 5.

In the magazine, registering of both finds and pottery continued. In addition, Sabine Tschorn has joint us to work on the quite substantial corpus of Nun-bowls from the town site. The current focus of find processing, however, is still on the large amount of material coming from feature 15 – Oliver Frank Stephan is currently drawing the intact and almost complete vessels from this important context. A large number of pots is broken in many fragments – reconstructing and gluing them is very time-consuming, but of course essential.

30 complete or almost complete pots from feature 15 were already drawn this week.

Ken Griffin and Meg Gundlach continued with registering finds – our database now comprises a total of 3800 objects! Especially interesting is the corpus of seal impressions from feature 15 – 42 mud sealings were already registered, more than a dozen new ones just came up today! There is a number of well-preserved impressions of seals of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, but others are still in the style of the Second Intermediate Period.

One of the fragmented mud sealings with knotted geometrical patterns common in the Second Intermediate Period.

One of the fragmented mud sealings with a knotted geometrical pattern common in the Second Intermediate Period.

Processing and photographing different categories of finds, drawing and sorting of ceramics and of course the field work in the cemetery SAC 5 will keep us very busy in the next weeks.

Back to SAC 5, the New Kingdom pyramid cemetery on Sai Island

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Julia Budka

Recent fieldwork in the New Kingdom town, both at SAV1 East and SAV1 West, has added new data to our assessment that a very complex community of Egyptians and Nubians have been living on Sai Island during the 18^th Dynasty. However, it remains too early providing conclusive answers to the crucial questions who were the inhabitants of Sai in the New Kingdom era.

In the forthcoming years, a detailed comparison between the material found in the town and in the cemeteries will be undertaken – see already an earlier post.

For this purpose we just resumed work in the large New Kingdom cemetery SAC 5. This pyramid cemetery is probably the most important Egyptian cemetery of the island and was discovered in the season 1972-73. It lies approx. 800 m south of the Pharaonic town and was party excavated by the French mission, recently published as a substantial monograph in two volumes (Minault-Gout/Thill 2012). Similar to other Nubian sites like Aniba, Amara West and Tombos, Pharaonic-style tombs have been built at SAC5. This cemetery is of major importance because it was in use for a long period of time, covering the New Kingdom as well as the Pre-Napatan period (the so called Third Intermediate Period in Egypt). Its rock-cut tombs with mud-brick chapels and mostly pyramidal superstructures find close parallels at Aniba, Soleb and Amara West but also in Egypt, e.g. in the Theban necropolis.

Surface cleaning at SAC5, southern part.

I am very happy that we finally resumed work at this important site – we have chosen the southern part of the cemetery for our new investigation. We are currently cleaning the surface – of course hoping that we’ll soon have information whether this part of SAC5 still holds tombs to be excavated or not… As yet, the finds are still limited and range in date from the Neolithic period to the Ottoman and sub-recent era! However, some of the sherds are clearly mid-late 18^th Dynasty in date – very promising.

I am especially grateful that our work is undertaken in close cooperation with our French colleagues – Florence Thill, the former excavator of SAC5, will join us next week. Hopefully just in time for some exiting new discoveries!

Reference:

Minault-Gout, A./Thill, F. 2012: Saï II. Le cimetière des tombes hypogées du Nouvel Empire (SAC5), FIFAO 69, Cairo.

Beyond New Kingdom ceramics – our first giraffe from SAV1 East?

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Julia Budka

With the end of the town season and because the work in the cemetery has just started, I finally have the opportunity to go back to the substantial backlog of sherds waiting in the courtyard. Today I processed some of the mixed material coming from the debris above our 18^th Dynasty walls and floors in SAV1 East. Apart from re-used sherds, there are frequently fragments of animal figurines within the pottery baskets (which are then transferred to the desk of Meg and Ken for registration). A considerable number of mould-made animal figurines, especially of horses and other quadrupeds came up from the mixed fillings of SAV 1 East from 2013-2015. With the finds from today, I think we can add another animal to the group of quadrupeds from Post-Pharaonic times.

One very nice pottery fragment caught my attention: it is a Post-New Kingdom, most likely Christian sherd of a large closed vessel. On its interior, the fragment was incised – this was done after firing and because of its location on the inner side definitely for a secondary use when the vessel was already broken.

The adorable sherd from SAV1 East with an incised zoomorphic motif.

The motif of this “pot mark” is just adorable: the upper part of a giraffe eating from a tree is preserved. I was immediately reminded of the work undertaken by Cornelia Kleinitz on the graffiti at Mussawarat es Sufra – among her large corpus of pictorial graffiti there (dating to the Meroitic Period and later times) the “giraffe + tree” group is well attested (see http://musawwaratgraffiti.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/musalib?fn=permanent/Musawwarat/Graffiti/Website_Photos/Historical_Graffiti/Musawwarat2011-11-29_120553). The motif can also be found within rock art corpora, for example in the Fourth Cataract area.

Discussing this lovely piece with some of our team members, the idea was put forward whether our “giraffe” might be a donkey or antelope after all. Any thoughts here! ? I am personally very happy with our first giraffe-like animal from SAV1 East, but of course open to other suggestions…

Coming and going…

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Julia Budka

We just said goodbye to three of our team members, while six new ones have arrived this morning in Khartoum, preparing to travel up North in the next hours!

I would just like to thank Jördis Vieth and Stefanie Juch for a great job out in the field at SAV1 East respectively SAV1 West!

And many thanks of course to Giulia D’Ercole for her work in the last weeks – including the workshop in Kerma, photography of ceramics and first of all the sampling for INAA!

Vaults, pavements, pots and sealings: closing the New Kingdom town season

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Julia Budka

6 weeks have passed since we started work in SAV1 East and SAV1 West – today, we managed to finish the final tasks in the field and with the coming week we will move to the New Kingdom cemetery SAC5; work in the cemetery will keep us busy until the end of the 2015 season. Of course processing of finds and pottery from the town season will continue – the amount of finds was very impressive this season!

Martin Fera and Stefanie Juch finished documentation at SAV1 West – the cellar discovered in the last days of fieldwork in week 5 was successfully cleaned – its vault was still partly preserved.

Very nice small finds and a good collection of pottery were found in it – all datable to the 18^th Dynasty. At the moment, a mid (to possibly late) 18^th Dynasty date is most likely. All in all, SAV1 West yielded in 2015 both new features and more parallels to sector SAV1 North. Loads of useful data to deepen our understanding of domestic architecture and daily activities in 18^thDynasty Sai!

At SAV1 East, Feature 15 almost seemed like a never-ending story – but we managed to finish its excavation today! A very nice red brick pavement was reached in a depth of 1.20 m, still partly covered with a mud floor.

Dozens of intact vessels were found on this pavement and in the deposit above it, together with a substantial amount of clay sealings, small finds like figurines, gaming pieces, stone tools and faience beads. A large number of charcoal and numerous bones (often burnt) imply an association with food preparation respectively consumption. Besides work in the cemetery, processing of finds and ceramics from feature 15 will be one of the main goals of the upcoming 4 weeks. This structure is definitely of key importance for many aspects of living in a “temple town” like Sai Island.

More complete pots from Feature 15

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Julia Budka

Back in 2013, I was extremely happy to find two in situ vessels in the small storage bin in SAV1 East. Given the poor state of preservation of standing architecture and undisturbed deposits in this area, this really was – and still is – important, especially for the early New Kingdom use of our site.

However, things have now changed: never would I have imagined to find dozens and dozens and dozens of intact 18th Dynasty vessels in feature 15… we are currently progressing in cleaning the very ashy deposit within this large cellar – and cleaning more and more pots and other finds!

Especially along the northern and southern wall intact vessels were left there, stacked together and often piled one above the other. The variety of the corpus is large and comprises different types of dishes and plates, large storage vessels and zirs, amphorae, pot stands and bread moulds and bread plates.

Two almost complete vessels set agains the southern wall of feature 15.

Two almost complete vessels set against the southern wall of feature 15.

Imported amphora, set with other vessels close to the northern wall of feature 15.

Imported amphora, found together with other vessels close to the northern wall of feature 15.

One of the nicest pieces so far is an almost complete Canaanite amphora! We took it out today and Ken Griffin kindly helped sieving its contents. Being just half way through, he already found some nice clay sealings! More tomorrow insha’allah…