Burial of Spi III

Site: el-Bersheh, Tomb:

Description:

In 1897 at el Bersheh Daressy found an undisturbed burial, blocked by stone slabs.

Daressy-1900 pp. 32-39

The sarcophagus was pushed against the west wall of the chamber, [... most] of the funerary furnishings were placed on the lid of the sarcophagus as shown in the sketch [...]

[precis of list of furnishings]
• two large vases probably contained water
• Two red clay dishes containing tree twigs
• Rectangular pedestal bearing 3 imitation cartonnage vases
• Cartonnage offering table containing terracotta replics of food offerings
• Boat painted yellow boat with crew
• Second boat with a green hull adorned below the edge with red bands, with crew.
• Large religious boat 90 cm in length. On this boat there is no crew but only various mythological attributes.
• A wooden model granary measuring 36 by 26 cm.
• The sarcophagus which is rectangular with bands of hieroglyphs and oudjas engraved on the outside, texts and figures on the inside only painted. Inside was an anthropoid coffin placed a little on the side so that the figure looks east, on the side where the two oudjas are traced outwardly. This coffin was decorated with painted imitation jewellery and the body had been stuffed with rags, some of which bore traces of bitumen.

Thus the burial only contained a single model, the granary, besides the boats. The deceased was name "Spi" and is called "Spi III", since it was the third person named Spi found in this group of tombs.