I am back. Today I will continue to share with you the Museo Egizio trip. In this post, we are still in the Old Kingdom period. I would like to share with you the tomb of the unknown.
In 1911, the Italian mission found a tomb still untouched by antique hunters in Gebelein, 30km south of Luxor. The tomb, dug out of solid rock, was accessed by a two meter corridor which led to three chambers. One of these had been left empty, while the other two were packed with coffins, mummies, pots, wooden models and other grave goods. The exhibition of these artifacts in the museum keeps the original position exactly same as at the time of the excavation, thanks to the notes taken by excavator.
The central chamber
The large central chamber contained three coffins, one of stone, the other two of wood. Of the latter, one contained only rolled-up lengths of cloth. Inside the larger one there was yet another coffin. Around these coffins, a rich array of grave goods was arranged, including baked clay vessels, wooden boxes, sandals, headrests, raw clay models of granaries, and model boats with oars and rudders. At the corner of the chamber, near the door, were a raw clay bowl and bundles of reeds resembling those typically used to make arrows.
The secondary chamber
In the secondary chamber, there was a rectangular coffin made of wooden boards bound by leather thongs and covered with a layer of whitish plaster. In side it was a mummy wrapped in shrouds, lying on its left side.
Along the right side of the coffin were five vessels of fine clay, including a washbowl-and-beaked-pitcher set made in imitation of more valuable metal specimens. Ropes were found underneath and next to the coffin. They had been presumably used to carry it into the tomb.
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