Skeleton from 5th ancient Egyptian dynasty found in Abusir

A Czech archaeological team working on a site in Abusir on Monday unearthed the skeleton of a top governmental official, referred to as Nefer during studies carried out in his tomb after it was discovered last year.
Nefer held several titles in the royal palace and the government during the reign of the fifth dynasty king, Nefereer-Ka-Re. He was the priest of the king's funerary complex, the supervisor of the royal documents scribes and also of the house of gold.
Egypt's antiquities minister Mohamed Ibrahim said that the skeleton was found inside the deceased's sarcophagus, which was carved in limestone. A stone head rest was found under the skeleton's head.
Ali El-Asfar, head of the ministry's ancient Egyptian antiquities section, told Ahram Online that the tomb – discovered last year by the Czech mission led by Mirislav Barta – is an unfinished rock-hewn tomb within a funerary complex and consists of four corridors, with the eastern one devoted to Nefer and the other three for his family members.
Also found were five burial wells and a limestone false door engraved with the deceased's different titles.

 

animal worship

 

For decades, 30 boxes lay forgotten in the storage vaults of the Brooklyn Museum’s Egyptology department. The contents had not been catalogued, or even seen, since the 1930s and 40s, when they were purchased from the New-York Historical Society. But in 2009, curatorial assistant Kathy Zurek-Doule finally opened the boxes. Lying nestled inside each one was an elaborately wrapped mummy in the shape of an animal. Ibises, hawks, cats, dogs, snakes, and even a shrew were all represented in the collection, which had been amassed by a wealthy New York businessman in the mid-nineteenth century. Faced with an unexpected trove of objects unlike any other the museum has, Egyptology curator Edward Bleiberg and his team embarked on a comprehensive study of the mummies. The rediscovered objects gave Bleiberg the chance to investigate a question that has puzzled archaeologists ever since they first realized that vast animal cemeteries along the Nile hold millions of mummies: Why did the ancient Egyptians invest so much in the afterlife of creatures?

Unlike Greeks and Romans, ancient Egyptians believed animals possess a soul, or ba, just as humans do. “We forget how significant it is to ascribe a soul to an animal,” says Bleiberg. “For ancient Egyptians, animals were both physical and spiritual beings.” In fact, the ancient Egyptian language had no word for “animal” as a separate category until the spread of Christianity. Animal cults flourished outside the established state temples for much of Egyptian history and animals played a critical role in Egypt’s spiritual life. The gods themselves sometimes took animal form. Horus, the patron god of Egypt, was often portrayed with the head of a hawk; Thoth, the scribe god, was represented as an ibis or a baboon; and the fertility goddess Hathor was depicted as a cow. Even the pharaohs revered animals, and at least a few royal pets were mummified. In 1400 B.C., the pharaoh Amenhotep II went to the afterlife accompanied by his hunting dog, and a decade later his heir Thutmose IV was buried with a royal cat.

However, large numbers of mummies in dedicated animal necropolises did not appear until after the fall of the New Kingdom, around 1075 B.C. During the subsequent chaotic 400-year span known as the Third Intermediate Period, the central Egyptian state collapsed and a series of local dynasties and foreign kings rose and fell in rapid succession. This time is often depicted as calamitous in official accounts, but Bleiberg notes that during the First Intermediate Period, a similarly chaotic era without central authority that lasted from 2181 to 2055 B.C., life for the average Egyptian went on as normal. In fact, University of Cambridge Egyptologist Barry Kemp has shown that villagers were relatively prosperous during this time, perhaps because they paid taxes only to local authorities, and not to the central state. If life in the Third Intermediate Period was similar, then the average Egyptian may have had more disposable income. With no pharaoh to mediate Egypt’s relationship to the gods, and with foreigners undermining religious traditions, there was also a turn to personal piety among the general public. “Without the pharaoh, people needed to approach the gods on their own,” says Bleiberg.

 

Tomb from 18th dynasty discovered in Luxor

Tomb of 18th dynasty government official accidentally found by Spanish-Italian team on Luxor's west bank in the Sheikh Abdel-Gournah area

 A Spanish-Italian team carrying out routine excavation work on Luxor's west bank has stumbled upon what is believed to be the tomb of Maayi, a top governmental official in the 18th dynasty.
Egypt's antiquities minister Mohamed Ibrahim told Ahram Online that the tomb was accidentally found by the excavation team via a hole in the wall of tomb number TT109, in the Sheikh Abdel-Gournah area.
Paintings on the tomb's walls show Maayi in different positions with family members, offering details on his daily life and family relations.
"The tomb is very well decorated, which reflects the luxurious life of its owner," Ibrahim said, adding that one wall painting depicts a feast with men and women gathered in front of a table filled with a variety of food.
Ibrahim said that the tomb is only partly discovered due to debris blocking the entrance. Excavation work is moving ahead to remove sand and rubble so that the rest of the tomb can be explored.

Statue of Amenhotep III's daughter unearthed in Luxor(Ahram Online)

Iset, the daughter of Amenhotep III, was the aunt of Tutankhamun

Archaeologists have discovered a new statue representing the daughter of King Amenhotep III, Tutankhamun’s grandfather and ruler of Egypt over 3,000 years ago.

During routine excavation works at Amenhotep III's funerary temple in the Kom El-Hittan area on Luxor's west bank, a European archaeological mission uncovered the statue of the king's daughter Iset.

The statue, which is 1.7m tall and 52cm wide, forms part of a huge, 14m high alabaster statute of Amenhotep III.

Minister of Antiquities Mohamed Ibrahim told Ahram Online that several parts of the colossal Amenhotep statue had been unearthed during previous excavation seasons.

"It is a very important discovery because it is the first time to unearth a statue that shows the king with his daughter, alone without her mother, brothers or sister," Ibrahim said.

There are several extant statues that show Iset with all the members of her family.

Ali El-Asfar, head of the Ancient Egyptian antiquities sector at the Ministry of Antiquities, explains that the original colossus shows the king sitting on the throne with his hands on his legs, while between his leg stands Iset wearing a rounded wig and long tight garb.

The statue’s face has suffered serious damage due to erosion, and the statue’s legs are missing.

El-Asfar said that the Amenhotep III statue is being restored, and on completion the Iset statue will be installed in its original position between the king's legs. The colossus will be re-erected at its original position in the temple.

 

The Tomb of Ramesses IV, Valley of the Kings, Egypt

The tomb of Ramesses IV (KV 2) in the Valley of the Kings is rather different than most other royal tombs built here. Ramesses III, had been assassinated, and when his some, Ramesses IV took the thrown, he did so in a period of economic decline in Egypt. Though large, his tomb is highly simplistic, and unique in many ways. The tomb was known early on, and was in fact used as a sort of hotel by early explorers such as Champollion and Rosellini (1829), Robert Hay, Furst Puckler, Theodore Davis and others. It was also an important Coptic Christian dwelling, and was also frequently visited in antiquity. There was considerable Coptic and Greek graffiti on the tomb walls.

Interestingly, two sketched plans of this tomb are known, the most famous and complete of which is contained within the a papyrus in Turin.
One unusual aspect of the tomb is that there is very little decline as one travels from the first part of the tomb through to its rear. The entrance begins with a split stairways to either side of a ramp, opening into a first, second and third corridors. The final corridor leads to a smallish antechamber, and then to the burial chamber. To the rear of the burial chamber are some small annexes, but otherwise the tomb contains no lateral annexes. The corridors are unusual for their width and height, some measuring three meters (10 feet) wide and four meters (15 feet high).
The facade of the tomb is decorated with scenes of the king's coronation, as well as a scene depicting Isis and Nephthys venerating the sun disk. Within the first two corridors are scenes and text from the Litany of Ra, proceeded by a typical painting of the king worshipping the falcon headed sun god, Re-Horakhthy. On the ceilings are vultures, falcons and winged scarabs with spread wings.

In the third corridor we find the first and second parts of the Book of Caverns, with simple ceilings decorated with stars, but which later becomes vaulted. From this corridor, a ramp leads through the antechamber into the burial chamber. The antechamber is decorated with scenes from the Book of the Dead, mostly chapter 125 which deals with the judgement of the dead. The burial chamber, which is not large, is almost filled by the still resident sarcophagus. However, this sarcophagus is unusually large. The burial chamber is decorated with the second, third and fourth hours from the Book of Gates. The ceiling is uniquely decorated with two large figures representing Nut, rather than the usual stellar constellations. There are also scenes from the Book of Nut, and the Book of the Night. The annexes behind the burial chamber contain text from the first part of the Book of Caverns. Other parts of this annex are painted with burial offerings such as beds, shrines and canopic jars.

Note the complete absence of pillars within this tomb, as well as the lack of the Amduat within its decorative program.
Little funerary equipment is known to have been found within the tomb itself. The sarcophagus was broken into at one end during antiquity and the lid displaced. The king's mummy was eventually found in KV 35. There were a total of nine foundation deposits discovered, including five by Howard Carter. Edward Ayrton and Carter also found considerable funerary material that was thrown out of the tomb, probably during antiquity. These included ostraca, shabtis figures in wood, calcite and faience, fragments of faience, glass and potsherds.

Visite au quartier des potiers à Fustat

Visite au quartier des potiers à Fustat
Eau, terre et feu, font la passion du potier

Les poteries sont toujours là pour parler au cœur de l'homme, lui renvoyer le geste éternel de la main qui modèle, façonne, pétrit et décore. La tradition du travail de la terre se perpétue, en Egypte, grâce à des maîtres potiers ou des céramistes, qui reprennent souvent les techniques ancestrales. Le quartier des potiers au Caire, tout près de Salah Salem (quartier de Fustat), est un centre important de production d'objets en terre cuite et en argile. Découvrez au fil d'une rapide visite des lieux, ces nombreux artisans, leurs ateliers primitifs et les salles d'exposition de leurs produits, qui ne sont que les trottoirs mi-pavés, mi-détruits. Ils créent de nouveaux pots culinaires, des objets décoratifs d'une grande variété, d'inspiration classique et résolument moderne, du même coup.

Plus qu'aucune activité de l'homme, la poterie est conservatrice de la mémoire. Ni le feu où elle est cuite et dont elle est la fille, comme s'expriment ses artisans, ni même l'eau qui a constitué sa matière, avant le feu qui la fixe, n'ont de prise sur elle. C'est le temps qui semble lui donner de la valeur et de la noblesse, là où il corrompt toute autre matière.
De tout temps, l'homme a taillé la pierre. Il l'a empilée en muret ou l'a sculptée. En Egypte, les carrières et les ateliers de poteries sont nombreux, chacun extrayant une qualité et une couleur différente enrichissant ainsi l'offre.
Ils apprécient leur mode de vie
Les potiers, eux-mêmes, disent: "Nos ancêtres ont été les premiers à occuper cette terre dans la capitale", se vantent les vendeurs et les artisans des lieux. Leur bonheur et leur plaisir à pratiquer leur mode de vie, même si tout leur corps est couvert de blanc des effets du travail de calcaire, ou même si leurs mains sont salies d'agile et de pâtes qu'ils modèlent et façonnent, à tout gré, pour former de différentes pièces, ils apprécient leur mode de vie.

 Ils se plaignent désormais de mener une vie isolée presque de tout dans la société. "Nous vivons éloignés du reste de la population, car on nous juge comme pollueurs et ainsi on nous confère un regard de dédain", déplore Ragab, un jeune potier qui étalait ces produits sur la rue. Et son patron Chawki de continuer, sur un ton navré: "Ils viennent et apprécient nos produits et les achètent à tout prix, pourtant, ils se contentent de nous payer l'argent puis s'éloignent rapidement comme si nous étions une espèce de fléau."
“La pâte est ma vie”
Pépé Mahrous, est le cheikh des potiers, conçoit ce métier d'une vision très spirituelle, nous laissant admirer la philosophie quand elle sort spontanément des simples. "La pâte est dans mes mains, je la manie et façonne, et je me creuse la cervelle pour faire sortir toutes mes potentialités créatives, afin de présenter un produit admirable, mais toutes ces capacités s'évanouissent devant celles de Dieu qui nous a créés tous à partir de cette même terre… Que Dieu est grand !", s'exclame Pépé Mahrous avec une totale obédience.

 Pépé Mahrous, ou cheikh des potiers, comme tient-il à se faire appeler, vit dans le quartier et exerce ce métier depuis des dizaines d'années. "C'est un métier ancestral, que nous avons hérité de père en fils (…) Au début nous étions plus appréciés, mais voilà, tout comme chaque métier artisanal, nous sommes menacés de disparition, face au tapage et au bouillonnement de la vie moderne et de son évolution qui gagne tout et qui menace l'art et la créativité", se plaint-il.
En tenant en main la pâte, vous la contemplez et lui parlez
Le fameux potier parle avec amour de son métier, mais regrette qu'elle soit marginalisée et oubliée. "En tenant en main la pâte, vous la contemplez et lui parlez, comme si l'on parlait à un être humain", dit fièrement Pépé Mahrous. Ce sexagénaire, au visage brun et aux mains durs - tant par l'âge que les longues années durant lesquelles il façonnait l'argile - se vante d'avoir quatre enfants, à qui il a appris le métier. "C'est le plus précieux héritage que je peux leur léguer (…) ils sont tous diplômés, mais ont préféré travailler avec moi", fait-il remarquer.
Faire aimer le métier
aux enfants
Puis il ajoute fièrement: "Mon cadet, Nader, est le plus attaché au métier. Il est marié et a trois enfants. Il a pensé comment faire aimer ce métier à ses enfants, eux qui sont des écoles de langues et qui vivent à l’ère de l'internet. C'est pourquoi, il eut l'idée de faire une sortie pour les élèves de l'école pour visiter le quartier des potiers (…) c'est au cours de cette sortie de divertissement que les enfants ont eu la chance de toucher la terre et de la modeler, puis ont fait des décorations et des dessins là-dessus, et c'est ainsi qu'ils ont aimé ce qu'ils ont fait et intelligemment Nader a réussi à faire aimer ce métier autant à ses enfants qu'aux autres", raconte Pépé Mahrous. Dans la région de Fustat, détonne le quartier des potiers. Dans cet endroit a été créé un centre conjointement par les autorités égyptiennes et le ministère italien des Affaires étrangères, afin de promouvoir l'art de la poterie et d'offrir une vitrine de cet art aux touristes.

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A Harp music instrument from ancient Egypt

There were two different types of harps in ancient Egypt. The angular harp came from Mesopotamia. The arched harp originated in Egypt and was more popular.
King Ahmose I of the 18th Dynasty owned a harp constructed of ebony, gold and silver. Dunn describes a harp built for King Tuthmosis III that was made of silver, gold, lapis lazuli, malachite and other precious stones.
Egyptian stringed musical instruments date to ancient Egypt. Three types of stringed instruments were played in ancient Egypt. Relief sculptures and paintings on tomb and temple walls depict musicians playing the lute, lyre and harp. Egyptian stringed musical instruments were plucked rather than bowed. Stringed instruments played in the Old Kingdom were more complex than the percussion and wind instruments of ancient Egypt.
Lutes are stringed instruments similar to mandolins.
lutes were made of wood and partly covered with leather. The lute was used in Ancient Egypt around 2000 B.C.
This instrument originated in the Near East. In Egypt, it primarily was played by women ,a lute is a plucked stringed instrument with an oval or pear-shaped body, oblong sound box and long neck. Lutes are plucked with a small, thin piece of metal or bone called a plectrum.
Egyptians played three types of lyres,They are categorized as thin, thick and giant. The thin lyre was called the kinnarum.the lyre was thought of as a lower-class alternative to the harp; lyres were drawn in pictures of tombs of poorer people. The giant lyre had more strings than the thin lyre.

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New Kingdom tomb discovered in Luxor

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minister of Antiquities announced today a new discovery in Luxor.

The discovery is a tomb of an high official called "Maai" from the 18th Dynasty, it was discovered by the Spanish-Italian mission working in Sheikh Abd Qurna on the West Bank.

The team found a funerary cone made of pottery shows the titles of the deceased including, The Secret Keeper of the God, the Supervisor of the cattle, Overseer of the fields, Overseer of the King's horses, the Mayor,  Distinguished of Osiris and the Prince. 

The tomb was discovered during the mission's work in tomb TT109 where they made a hole in one of the walls which led to get to the newly discovered tomb.

The team is still working on removing the debris from the tomb. The inscriptions and scenes found so far are important in terms of showing the details of the daily life of the deceased beside his relation with his family. It also shows the luxury were available to high officials at that time.

  The scenes in the tomb include one of "Maai" and his wife who called "Nefert" as well as scenes of banquets, hunting and making offerings.

Dr. Mila Alvarez Sosa, the head of the mission said " I am happy with this discovery especially it is her first season of the concession in this site."

She added that there were different expertise cooperated in the excavation between the Egyptian and Foreign archaeologists of different specialties.

 

Tomb of chief beer-maker discovered in Egypt's Luxor

A Japanese mission from Waseda University uncovered the tomb of Khonso-Im-Heb, who was the head of beer production for goddess Mut and the head of the galleries during the Ramesside era.

The discovery occurring during routine cleaning work carried out at the frontcourt of tomb number TT47, which belongs to a top official in the reign of the New Kingdom king Amenhotep III.

The tomb of Khonso-Im-Heb is T-shaped with two halls and a burial chamber. It is also connected to an unfinished tomb of an as-yet unidentified person called Houn.

Jiro Kondo, head of the Japanese mission, said that the tomb is well preserved and is fully painted with scenes depicting the tomb’s owner with his family members and in front of different ancient Egyptian deities.

 

Scenes of the “Open Mouth” ritual also figures on one of the tomb’s wall while the ceiling is decorated with geometrical paintings with vivid colours. A solar boat is depicted at its core.

Minister of State of Antiquities Mohamed Ibrahim told Ahram Online that security has been tightened around the tomb until the completion of the excavation works there. He said that a comprehensive restoration would be carried out after it is fully excavated to allow visitors.