Abu Ghâlib, an early middle kingdom town in the Western Nile Delta: Renewed work on material excavated in the 1930s

Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archaologischen Instituts - Abteilung Kairo

Volumn 58, Issue , 2002, Pages 29-58

  Bagh, Tine ^a  

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EID: 61449163256     PISSN: 03421279     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
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References (87)

1. This article is a revised and extended version of a paper presented by the author at the 8th International Egyptological Congress in Cairo, May 2000. The author wishes to thank the former General Director of the Medelhavsmuseum in Stockholm, BENGT PETERSON, for the initial permission to publish the Abu Ghâlib material, the Museum Curator BEATE GEORGE for her kind help and especially Museum Curator KAREN SLEJ; DAVID ASTON for correcting the English of one of the last drafts of this article and AASE GHASEMI for drawing of the plans and inking of the pottery drawings.
2. H. LARSEN, in: MDAIK 6, 1936, pp. 41-87
3. and ID. , in: MDAIK 10, 1941, pp. 1-59
4. (hereafter cited as LARSEN, MDAIK 6
5. and LARSEN, MDAIK 10).
6. Also two reports appeared in Swedish: P. LUGN, in: Arkeologiske studier tillägnade H. K. H. Kronprins Gustav Adolf, Stockholm 1932, pp. 329-350 (on the first seasons)
7. and H. LARSEN, in: Ymer, Tidskrift utgiven av Svenska sällskapet för antropologie och geografi, årg. 1938. h. 1, pp. 18-41.
8. H. JUNKER, Bericht über die von der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien nach dem Westdelta entsendete Expedition (20. Dezember 1927 bis 25. Februar 1928), DAWW 68, 3. Abh. , Wien-Leipzig 1928.
9. JUNKER'S seven excavation seasons were published in six preliminary reports. Part of the original documentation was lost during the Second World War, but subsequently the material, as far as possible, was re-studied, in connection with the new excavations in the area between JUNKER'S two larger areas with test pits and more limited trenches. These results are now published in EIWANGER, Merimde-Benisalâme I-III.
10. The preliminary reports by JUNKER are listed in ID. , Merimde-Benisalâme I, p. 126.
11. Except in more specialized Egyptological literature dealing specifically with the early Middle Kingdom, such as SEIDLMAYER, Gräberfelder, or Egyptian residential architecture, such as Z. E. SZAFRANSKI, Patterns of Settlement Life in Egypt in the 1st half of the 2nd Millennium B. C. , Warsaw 2001 (unpublished Doctor Habil. Dissertation, hereafter cited as SZAFRANSKI, Patterns). For additional references cf. below and below in the text.
12. This term has been adopted from D. L. HOLMES, The Predynastic Lithic Industries of Upper Egypt, BAR International Series 469
13. (= Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology 33), Oxford 1989, p. 399.
14. P. LUGN had also participated in the excavations at Merimde in 1931 before starting at Abu Ghâlib, and the excavations there were partly funded by money from Sweden, cf. LARSEN, MDAIK 6, p. 41.
15. Some of the finds from Merimde are thus now also stored in the Medelhavsmuseum in Stockholm as mentioned in EIWANGER, Merimde-Benisalâme I, pp. 7 and 15.
16. Most of the heights in the field diaries for Trench A/A1-2, however, are given as below the surface, that is 2. 80 m (sic) less than the heights stated in MDAIK 6.
17. W. M. F. PETRIE, Illahun, Kahun and Gurob, London 1891.
18. and ID. , MDAIK 10, p. 6 confirms the statement about the lack of difference in date for the finds.
19. LARSEN, MDAIK 10, p. 11, pl. 9b.
20. Cf. LARSEN, MDAIK 10, p. 6 for the list of JE nos. , all other finds went to Sweden.
21. E. CZERNY, Tell el-Dab'a IX.
22. Eine Plansiedlung des frühen Mittleren Reiches, Wien 1999
23. (hereafter cited as CZERNY, Tell el-Dab'a IX)
24. and for the pottery from Ezbet Rushdi that will be published by E. CZERNY and the author, cf. E. CZERNY, in: ÄgLev III, 1998, pp. 41-46.
25. DO. ARNOLD, in: D. ARNOLD, The Pyramid of Senwosret I. The South Cemeteries of Lisht I, PMMA 22, New York 1988
26. and EAD. , in: D. ARNOLD, The Pyramid Complex of Senwosret I. The South Cemeteries of Lisht III, PMMA 25, New York 1992
27. (hereafter cited as ARNOLD, SCL I
28. and ARNOLD, SCL III).
29. DO. ARNOLD, in: MDAIK 38, 1982, pp. 25-65.
30. Cf. The latest description in CZERNY, Tell el-Dab'a IX, pp. 47-50
31. also with references to the Vienna system as described in ARNOLD/BOURRIAU, Introduction, pp. 168-186. As the material from Abu Ghâlib has many parallels to the early Middle Kingdom material from the Tell el-Dab'a area, it is useful to follow this system as the author is also familiar with that material, cf. n. 20 above.
32. Cf. LARSEN, MDAIK 6, p. 66 ff.
33. In MDAIK 10, p. 25, LARSEN admitted that a modification, especially concerning the large group classified as Type A1aI, of which a more strict division could be needed, would be appropriate, but nevertheless stuck to the original division.
34. The modern Egyptian term for a large water jar, zir, is now commonly used for the ancient large jar of Marl IIc clay with a wide mouth, cf. for example ARNOLD, SCL I, p. 112;
35. M. BIETAK, in: BASOR 281, 1991, p. 36, fig. 9
36. The groups d and e are only mentioned in the first report.
37. and the varying numbers of combined square rooms in the Middle Kingdom fortresses of Lower Nubia as for example in Buhen and Askut, cf. D. ARNOLD, Lexikon der ägyptischen Baukunst, Zürich 1994, pp. 135-136
38. and B. J. KEMP, in: ZÄS 113, 1986, pp. 120-136.
39. The storage facilities of Abu Ghâlib are also dealt with by SZAFRANSKI, Patterns.
40. Cf. DO. ARNOLD, in: MDAIK 28, 1972, pp. 44-45 for the distribution of the so-called "Sedment jars" that are also found in Middle Egypt, but seem to become more rare as one goes further south.
41. The similar, but more broad than most of the Abu Ghâlib flasks from Tarkhan ARNOLD/BOURRIAU, Introduction, p. 172, fig. 11, is described as of Nile B2 with a red wash, and the often floating dividing line between Nile B2 and C is commented on.
42. CZERNY, Tell el-Dab'a IX, Nf 247-254 describes the similar flasks from Tell el-Dab'a Area F as of Nile Ib and ICI, respectively, and most of them with a red wash (RF = rotes Farbbad). Here the more neutral 'coating' is preferred to slip and wash.
43. and EAD. , in: SCL I, pp. 140-141 (Lisht).
44. For example, M. BIETAK, in: AJA 88, 1984, pp. 480-481.
45. ARNOLD, SCL I, fig. 75.
46. Cf. also B. BADER, Tell el-Dab'a XIII.
47. Typologie und Chronologie der Mergel C-Ton Keramik, Wien 2001 (hereafter cited as BADER, Tell el-Dab'a XIII), and below in the text.
48. B. PETERSON, in: Medelhavsmuseet Bulletin 18, Stockholm 1983, pp. 20-21. He referred to the entry in the diary from the 8th of January 1932 by P. LUGN and the correspondence which also mentions the seal.
49. A. HERMANN, in: MDAIK 6, 1936, pp. 83-87.
50. P. KAPLONY, Die Rollsiegel des Alten Reichs II, MonAeg 3, Bruxelles 1981, pp. 3-5, pl. 2. 2.
51. The Archaic Horus unknown sign is also a possibility, although the sign seems too high for that.
52. LARSEN, MDAIK 6, p. 65 mentioned two seals with inscriptions, but only specified no. 1934: 387, i. e. , the one with the name of Sneferu.
53. A study of P. LUGN'S excavation diary from the winter of 1931-1932 and the list of photos from that season, including the one showing the seal with the number "Plåt 18", proves that Findspot 11 was where the cylinder seal was located.
54. W. M. F. PETRIE, Scarabs and Cylinders with Names, BSAE 29, London 1917, pl. XIII. 6 (3rd row).
55. M. BIETAK, in: M. BIETAK (ed. ), The Synchronisation of Civilisations in the Eastern Mediterranean in the Second Millennium B. C. , DenkschrWien 19, Wien 2000, p. 87.
56. D. BEN-TOR, in: L. H. LESKO (ed. ), Ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean Studies in Memory of William A. Ward, Providence, Rhode Island 1998, pp. 1-17.
57. For the Roman pottery and where it was found, cf. LARSEN, MDAIK 6, fig. 12
58. and ID. , MDAIK 10, pp. 41-42, fig. 16.
59. For carnelian beads, used at all times, cf. B. G. ASTON/J. A. HARRELL/I. SHAW, in: P. T. NICHOLSON/I. SHAW (eds. ), Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, Cambridge 2000 (hereafter cited as NICHOLSON/SHAW, Materials), pp. 26-27.
60. R. MOND/O. H. MYERS, Cemeteries of Armant I, EES 42, London 1937, pp. 77-78, pl. XXXVIII. 5-6.
61. J. E. QUIBELL/F. W. GREEN, Hierakonpolis II, ERA 5, London 1902, pp. 13-14.
62. also refers to finds from Hierakonpolis with a reference to K. W. BUTZER, in: Archivio Internazionale di Etnografia e Preistoria 2, 1959, pp. 17-20.
63. Drawings of three examples from Hk29A: drop shaped, obelisk shaped and needle, are shown by D. L. HOLMES, in: R. FRIEDMAN/B. ADAMS (eds. ), The Followers of Horus, Studies Dedicated to Michael Allen Hoffman, Egyptian Studies Association Publication 2, Oxford 1992, pp. 41-42, fig. 4.
64. T. E. PEET, The Cemeteries of Abydos II, EEF 34, London 1914, pl. IIIa.
65. D. S. STOCKS, in: K. A. BARD (ed. ), Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, London-New York 1999, p. 751 (hereafter cited as BARD, Encyclopedia mentions that even when copper drills were used for bead making, flint borers were needed to make the initial depression.
66. Cf. A. TILLMANN, in: BARD, Encyclopedia, pp. 262-265.
67. As, for example, B. NOLTE, Die Glasgefäße im alten Ägypten, MÄS 14, Berlin 1968
68. and most recently P. T. NICHOLSON/J. HENDERSON, in: NICHOLSON/SHAW, Materials, pp. 195-224
69. and B. SCHLICK-NOLTE, in: D. B. REDFORD (ed. ), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt 2, Oxford 2001, pp. 30-34.
70. SEIDLMAYER, Gräberfelder, pp. 389-392
71. Cf. Fig. 3b here.
72. All of these Gurob examples are shown in SEIDLMAYER, Gräberfelder, fig. 154.
73. comparable to LARSEN, MDAIK 6, fig. 10, 1933: 4000 from Sq. a3, Level I.
74. ARNOLD, SCL I, 143-146.
75. BADER, Tell el-Dab'a XIII, pp. 155-158, figs. 42-43, Type 2 (Fig. 10a) and 3 (Fig. 10b-d) (with reference to the work accomplished by K. KOPETZKY) dating to Str. H of Tell el-Dab'a, i. e. , the end of the 12th Dynasty - beginning of the 13th.
76. Cf. E. CZERNY, in: ÄgLev VIII, 1998. p. 44. fig. 16.
77. Another interesting site in the western Nile Delta which has yielded scarabs and pottery very similar to Abu Ghâlib is Kôm el Hisn. There the material stems mainly from a large number of tombs, cf. A. HAMADA/S. FARID, in: ASAE 46, 1947, pp. 101-111; 195-205
78. and in: ASAE 50, 1950, pp. 367-379.
79. For the dating cf. G. BRUNTON, in: ASAE 46, 1947, pp. 143-145
80. and for the recent survey and trial excavations see C. J. KIRBY/S. E. OREL/S. T. SMITH, in: JEA 84, 1998, pp. 23-43.
81. Cf. n. 6 above.
82. Abu Ghâlib is not mentioned in J. BAINES/J. MALEK, Atlas of Ancient Egypt, Oxford 1980 and does not have an entry in the recently published BARD, Encyclopedia nor in the three volumes of D. B. REDFORD (ed. ), Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Oxford 2001.
83. Neither did it have its own entry in LA, although it is mentioned under other headings. It may also be noted that B. J. KEMP, Ancient Egypt. Anatomy of a Civilization, London 1989, pp. 161, 166, fig. 58 was only using LARSEN'S first preliminary report with the limited 1934 excavating area
84. and he was followed by P. LACOVARA, The New Kingdom Royal City, London-New York 1997, p. 53, fig. 54.
85. In fact this lapse may be traced back to A. BADAWI, A History of Egyptian Architecture. The First Intermediate Period, the Middle Kingdom, and the Second Intermediate Period, Berkeley-Los Angeles 1966, p. 29, fig. 8.
86. Type ST733 corresponding to W. M. F. PETRIE, Sedment I, Type 64l.
87. ANNE SEILER kindly looked at a fragment of this jar and classified it as Marl A3, fine.