The Burial of Gemniemhat at Saqqara

The undisturbed burial of Gemniemhat was discovered by C. M. Firth in 1922 at Saqqara. It probably dates to the early 12th Dynasty, and contained a number of fine models. The assemblage is now in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen (apart for a few items that are in the Cairo Museum).

Below is a plan of Gemniemhat's burial showing where the items were found. The tomb itself is of a form typical for this period: a shaft with a chamber dug out from the bottom and sealed after the burial. The coffin filled much of the chamber and the models and other objects were piled on and around the coffin.

Clicking on the plan gives further information on the objects.

1-4 Boats 5 Whetstone 6 Brewery 7 Granary 8 Kitchen 9 Weaving 10 Workshop/barbers 11 Boat 12 Statues of Gemniemhat 13 Offering bearers 14 Bowl with calf bones 15 Smaller bowl 16 Saucer 17-21 jars 22 Canopic chests

Tomb Models

• Two Female Offering Bearers (13)

  AEIN 1628 The standard complement of tomb models included female offering bearers. In some cases there were elaborate processions of such servants. Gemniemhat had the normal pair, but their workmanship is very good. Both are women carrying baskets on their heads and one grasps a bird by its wings.

• Granary (7)

  AEIN 1630 Besides the offering bearers, the models nearly always included a granary. Gemniemhat's granary is quite detailed. It includes a number of wooden figures who are loading am measuring grain. Another figure is a scribe who is recording information on a board. Some of the writing on the board is preserved and is legible. It lists large quantities of grain.

• Brewery (6)

  AEIN 1632 Besides a granary, the models generally represent other domestic activities, sometimes in model buildings, or in groups on a common base. Gemniemhat has four of these. The model brewers are placed in a building. This has lost its roof, but the wooden pillars supporting it at the front are still in place.

• Kitchen (8)

  AEIN 1631 This model consists of three open yards. In two of these servants are grinding grain and making bread. In the third workers are slaughtering an ox and roasting a fowl. These are also typical scenes, often shown simply by servants singly or in small groups each on a simple board base.

• Spinning and Weaving (9)

  AEIN 1634 This model shows a building in which 11 women are spinning and weaving on two looms. The room has unusual curved beams, although no roof was present. The looms originally had fabric on them, but this has decayed. Models of weaving are less common than other scenes - the basic requirement seems to have been for offering bearers, a granary, baking, brewing, and cattle slaughter.

• Workshop (10)

  AEIN 1633 The workshop consists of two rooms side by side. One contains figures of carpenters at work, the other smiths. In front of the first a potter throws a pot.

• Barbers

  JE-47929 Finally there was a model of four male servants, mounted on a board. Two are barbers and two are laundrymen.

The Rest of the Burial

• The Coffins

  Gemniemhat had two coffins. The outer coffin had decayed, but the inner (of cedar) was in an excellent state. They are typical rectangular coffins of the early Middle Kingdom, painted with a decorative scheme that includes false doors, geometric friezes, representations of funerary offerings and coffin texts.

  (See the coffins of Gua at the British Museum (Outer, Inner), which are from the same period.)

• The Mummy

  In the burial the mummy was placed with its head towards the tomb entrance (North), on its left side facing large Horus-eyes painted on the exterior of the two coffins (East). The body was bandaged and wrapped in shawls. A cartonnage mask was placed over the head of the mummy.

  In the burials of the rich, the mummy was decorated by a ritual collar and other jewelry. Gemniemhat's collar is made from green faience, carnelians, and wooden beads.

• Other items in the coffin

  The assemblage of goods in a Middle Kingdom burial of a high status individual included a pair of sandals, a headrest and a number of wooden staves. In the case of Gemniemhat there were two pairs of sandals, and also some wooden bows as well as staves, and a throw-stick.

• Statuettes of the Tomb Owner (12)

  Wooden statues of the deceased were one of the most important items in the burial. There were often, as here, two (or more) of these.

• The Boats (1-4, 11)

  Wooden models of boats were also an essential component of the burial assemblage. These are thought to be intended to assist the deceased make a magical pilgrimage to and from Abydos. Such boats were some of the most intricate and well crafted of the tomb models. Partly for this reason, they have been better published and studied than the other "models of daily life".

  This burial contained 5 boats, but only one has survived. The four on the floor of the chamber (1-4) had decomposed, however the boat which was on top of the coffin has survived (11).

• Other Items in the Tomb
  • whetstone (5)
  • food offering : bowl with calf bones (14)
  • pottery : small bowl and saucer (15, 16), jars (17-21)
    
  • canopic chests (22)