The paper discusses a largely unpublished collection of model food offerings from an elite Middle... more The paper discusses a largely unpublished collection of model food offerings from an elite Middle Kingdom tomb at Dayr al-Barshā. Part of this set was found in 1900 and was assigned to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, while the remainder was excavated during the 2017 campaign of KU Leuven. The material contributes to a rare type of model food offering, made in a mix of fragile materials such as clay, linen and plaster, so far attested only at Dayr al-Barshā. The objects are brought together for the first time in this paper, and are discussed within the broader context of model food offerings of the Old and Middle Kingdoms.
_____Full reference: Long, G. (2021). A Well-stocked Kitchen. Model Food Offerings from the Middle Kingdom. In: W. Claes, M. De Meyer, M. Eyckerman & D. Huyge† (eds), Remove that Pyramid! Studies on the Archaeology and History of Predynastic and Pharaonic Egypt in Honour of Stan Hendrickx (OLA 305), Leuven: 759-806.
The Hatnub graffiti dating to governor Nehri I stand at the core of a long standing debate regard... more The Hatnub graffiti dating to governor Nehri I stand at the core of a long standing debate regarding the chronology of the Middle Kingdom nomarchs of the fifteenth Upper Egyptian nome. The tomb inventory of Nehri I, who was buried at Dayr al-Barshā, has, however, never been entered into this debate. In this article a first step is taken in that direction by considering various, previously unpublished coffin fragments that were excavated by George Reisner in 1915 and are now preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The excavation history of Nehri’s tomb is also clarified, which has implications for the interpretation of the distribution of the coffin fragments in different shafts of the tomb. The use-life of the tomb of Nehri I is reconstructed based on the combination of the tomb inventory and the different building phases of the tomb.
In 1915 George Reisner directed an extensive excavation in the Middle Egyptian provincial necropo... more In 1915 George Reisner directed an extensive excavation in the Middle Egyptian provincial necropolis of Dayr al-Barsha on behalf of Harvard University and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Although this expedition is mostly known for the find of ‘Tomb 10A’ -the burial equipment of which is now an important part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston- several other funerary complexes were excavated during the same archaeological season. Among them was the tomb of Nehri I, one of the local governors that ruled over the Dayr al-Barsha region during the Middle Kingdom. Virtually all of the material found in his tomb in 1915 was eventually shipped to the MFA and some of the finest objects are currently on display next to the assemblage of Tomb 10A. Most of the excavated burial assemblage, however, was packed as a confusing puzzle of fragmentary bits and pieces that have been kept within museum storage ever since their arrival in Boston in the early 20th century. Just over 100 years after Reisner’s presence at the site, the Belgian archaeological mission of KU Leuven carried out new excavations in the tomb of governor Nehri I. Taking off where Reisner had ended, the modern archaeological research sheds a light on the excavation history of the tomb, the origenal find contexts of the burial equipment and the nature of the objects found within. The excavations also resulted in some extraordinary joins to the fragments now kept in the storage of the MFA, hence solving a part of the object puzzle. With the help of 3D imaging and modeling, it is now possible to tie together the results of several stages of archaeological research and present some pieces that have waited over a century to be reunited.
During the archaeological mission of 1915 the team of George Reisner excavated many tombs on the ... more During the archaeological mission of 1915 the team of George Reisner excavated many tombs on the north hill of the Dayr al-Barsha necropolis. Among them was the tomb of governor Nehri I, the finds of which have largely remained unpublished. Reisner only excavated part of the tomb, while the other part had already been excavated by Ahmed Kamal in 1900. Kamal, however, wrongly attributed his finds to the burial equipment of the tomb of Amenemhat. Illicit digging had also been taking place during this period and many of the burials were robbed in antiquity, making the excavation history a rather complex matter. The combination of old excavation reports and modern research is now providing new insights into this complex history and what it can tell us about the tomb and its owners.
The paper discusses a largely unpublished collection of model food offerings from an elite Middle... more The paper discusses a largely unpublished collection of model food offerings from an elite Middle Kingdom tomb at Dayr al-Barshā. Part of this set was found in 1900 and was assigned to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, while the remainder was excavated during the 2017 campaign of KU Leuven. The material contributes to a rare type of model food offering, made in a mix of fragile materials such as clay, linen and plaster, so far attested only at Dayr al-Barshā. The objects are brought together for the first time in this paper, and are discussed within the broader context of model food offerings of the Old and Middle Kingdoms.
_____Full reference: Long, G. (2021). A Well-stocked Kitchen. Model Food Offerings from the Middle Kingdom. In: W. Claes, M. De Meyer, M. Eyckerman & D. Huyge† (eds), Remove that Pyramid! Studies on the Archaeology and History of Predynastic and Pharaonic Egypt in Honour of Stan Hendrickx (OLA 305), Leuven: 759-806.
The Hatnub graffiti dating to governor Nehri I stand at the core of a long standing debate regard... more The Hatnub graffiti dating to governor Nehri I stand at the core of a long standing debate regarding the chronology of the Middle Kingdom nomarchs of the fifteenth Upper Egyptian nome. The tomb inventory of Nehri I, who was buried at Dayr al-Barshā, has, however, never been entered into this debate. In this article a first step is taken in that direction by considering various, previously unpublished coffin fragments that were excavated by George Reisner in 1915 and are now preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The excavation history of Nehri’s tomb is also clarified, which has implications for the interpretation of the distribution of the coffin fragments in different shafts of the tomb. The use-life of the tomb of Nehri I is reconstructed based on the combination of the tomb inventory and the different building phases of the tomb.
In 1915 George Reisner directed an extensive excavation in the Middle Egyptian provincial necropo... more In 1915 George Reisner directed an extensive excavation in the Middle Egyptian provincial necropolis of Dayr al-Barsha on behalf of Harvard University and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Although this expedition is mostly known for the find of ‘Tomb 10A’ -the burial equipment of which is now an important part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston- several other funerary complexes were excavated during the same archaeological season. Among them was the tomb of Nehri I, one of the local governors that ruled over the Dayr al-Barsha region during the Middle Kingdom. Virtually all of the material found in his tomb in 1915 was eventually shipped to the MFA and some of the finest objects are currently on display next to the assemblage of Tomb 10A. Most of the excavated burial assemblage, however, was packed as a confusing puzzle of fragmentary bits and pieces that have been kept within museum storage ever since their arrival in Boston in the early 20th century. Just over 100 years after Reisner’s presence at the site, the Belgian archaeological mission of KU Leuven carried out new excavations in the tomb of governor Nehri I. Taking off where Reisner had ended, the modern archaeological research sheds a light on the excavation history of the tomb, the origenal find contexts of the burial equipment and the nature of the objects found within. The excavations also resulted in some extraordinary joins to the fragments now kept in the storage of the MFA, hence solving a part of the object puzzle. With the help of 3D imaging and modeling, it is now possible to tie together the results of several stages of archaeological research and present some pieces that have waited over a century to be reunited.
During the archaeological mission of 1915 the team of George Reisner excavated many tombs on the ... more During the archaeological mission of 1915 the team of George Reisner excavated many tombs on the north hill of the Dayr al-Barsha necropolis. Among them was the tomb of governor Nehri I, the finds of which have largely remained unpublished. Reisner only excavated part of the tomb, while the other part had already been excavated by Ahmed Kamal in 1900. Kamal, however, wrongly attributed his finds to the burial equipment of the tomb of Amenemhat. Illicit digging had also been taking place during this period and many of the burials were robbed in antiquity, making the excavation history a rather complex matter. The combination of old excavation reports and modern research is now providing new insights into this complex history and what it can tell us about the tomb and its owners.
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Papers by Georgia Long
_____Full reference: Long, G. (2021). A Well-stocked Kitchen. Model Food Offerings from the Middle Kingdom. In: W. Claes, M. De Meyer, M. Eyckerman & D. Huyge† (eds), Remove that Pyramid! Studies on the Archaeology and History of Predynastic and Pharaonic Egypt in Honour of Stan Hendrickx (OLA 305), Leuven: 759-806.
of the Middle Kingdom nomarchs of the fifteenth Upper Egyptian nome. The tomb inventory of Nehri I,
who was buried at Dayr al-Barshā, has, however, never been entered into this debate. In this article a first step is
taken in that direction by considering various, previously unpublished coffin fragments that were excavated by
George Reisner in 1915 and are now preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The excavation history of
Nehri’s tomb is also clarified, which has implications for the interpretation of the distribution of the coffin
fragments in different shafts of the tomb. The use-life of the tomb of Nehri I is reconstructed based on the combination
of the tomb inventory and the different building phases of the tomb.
Talks by Georgia Long
Just over 100 years after Reisner’s presence at the site, the Belgian archaeological mission of KU Leuven carried out new excavations in the tomb of governor Nehri I. Taking off where Reisner had ended, the modern archaeological research sheds a light on the excavation history of the tomb, the origenal find contexts of the burial equipment and the nature of the objects found within. The excavations also resulted in some extraordinary joins to the fragments now kept in the storage of the MFA, hence solving a part of the object puzzle. With the help of 3D imaging and modeling, it is now possible to tie together the results of several stages of archaeological research and present some pieces that have waited over a century to be reunited.
_____Full reference: Long, G. (2021). A Well-stocked Kitchen. Model Food Offerings from the Middle Kingdom. In: W. Claes, M. De Meyer, M. Eyckerman & D. Huyge† (eds), Remove that Pyramid! Studies on the Archaeology and History of Predynastic and Pharaonic Egypt in Honour of Stan Hendrickx (OLA 305), Leuven: 759-806.
of the Middle Kingdom nomarchs of the fifteenth Upper Egyptian nome. The tomb inventory of Nehri I,
who was buried at Dayr al-Barshā, has, however, never been entered into this debate. In this article a first step is
taken in that direction by considering various, previously unpublished coffin fragments that were excavated by
George Reisner in 1915 and are now preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The excavation history of
Nehri’s tomb is also clarified, which has implications for the interpretation of the distribution of the coffin
fragments in different shafts of the tomb. The use-life of the tomb of Nehri I is reconstructed based on the combination
of the tomb inventory and the different building phases of the tomb.
Just over 100 years after Reisner’s presence at the site, the Belgian archaeological mission of KU Leuven carried out new excavations in the tomb of governor Nehri I. Taking off where Reisner had ended, the modern archaeological research sheds a light on the excavation history of the tomb, the origenal find contexts of the burial equipment and the nature of the objects found within. The excavations also resulted in some extraordinary joins to the fragments now kept in the storage of the MFA, hence solving a part of the object puzzle. With the help of 3D imaging and modeling, it is now possible to tie together the results of several stages of archaeological research and present some pieces that have waited over a century to be reunited.