The shabtis of the Lady TENT- IPET By Niek de Haan Second edition 2008

Transcription

1 The shabtis of the Lady TENT- IPET By Niek de Haan Second edition 28

2 Table of content. Introduction. Introduction to this study.2 Who was?.3 Description of the shabtis 2. Museum pieces 3 Private collections and unknown current location 2

3 . Introduction. Introduction to this study This study provides an overview of all published shabtis for the lady. In addition to the published examples I added the shabtis I have come across in the world. I will start of with a short introduction of the ancient owner and describe her funerary items and shabtis in general. In the following chapters you will find the museum parallels (chapter 2) and the privately owned parallels (chapter 3)..2 Who was? This lady was found in the famous Second Cache in Deir el Bahri for the Priest of Amun and their family members. After the discovery of the Royal Cache (the first Cache, with the royal mummies), the El-Rassul brothers helped the Antiquities service with the discovery of a Second Cache, also known as the Bab-el Gusus tomb. No less then 57 coffins were unearthed there, of which Daressy listed the coffin of as number 9. The location of the coffin 9 is at the far end of the inferior tunnel was presumably the wife of the Second Prophet of Amun, Padi-amun, who s pottery shabtis were also found in Cache 2. The study of Niwinsky reveals that the Cairo museum holds the Outer coffin, the inner coffin and the mummy cover. The coffin mentions the name of the owner. Her name means: She of Karnak. Note the temple as determinative of Ipet, as to make sure that one reads the Temple of Karnak instead of Harum and her title chief of the second choir of Chantresses of Amun. Daressy recorded the find of the coffin and the other funerary equipment as follows : 9. The large shroud has an Osiris figure and an inscription: Wsir wr.t Xnr.t n Imn nsw.tntr.w sa 2-nw Tn.t-ipt. A red dress was found in the mummy wrappings. The scarab is made of soapstone [steatite] and is inscribed. The inscription on the leather braces is ir n Hm-nTr tpy n Imn pa-ndm sa Mn-xpr-Ra, and the pendants [plaquettes?] are inscribed ir n[n] HmnTr tpy n pay-ndm sa-nsw pa-sba-xa-n-niw.t mr Imn. The red wax plaque was very thin and was found broken. The geniuses [four sons of Horus?] were made of wax and showed poor craftsmanship. The coffin is of the Type identified as II-b by Niwinsky, for the lid of the outer coffin, see the next page which shows a scan of the lid, 2 st Dynasty coffins from Thebes, A. Niwinsky, Plate IV. Thanks to Miquel and Dik for their help with the translation 3

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5 .3 Description of the shabtis The limited amount of shabtis known for this lady all have a very glossy and shiny faience. A distinction can be made between worker types and overseer types. The size is between 7.8 and 8 centimetres for the worker type and some centimetres for the overseer type. Both types are inscribed with a short inscription: The Osiris,. On the front, apart from the inscription, two hoes are depicted and the eyes with brows. On the back side a seed back is depicted, sometimes hanging horizontally, sometimes from one sholder hanging down to one side. On the head a seshed headband is depicted (see picture below). Private collection NH 5

6 2. Museum pieces According to L. Aubert there are only two musea that possess shabtis of. These musea are Chigaco and Dole. In Chigaco there are two overseers with the inventory numbers and and two workers with the inventory numbers and In Dole there is only one shabti with the inventory number 2. I have not been able to find any further parallels in musea nor pictures of the museum pieces. Private collection NH 6

7 3 Private collections and unknown current location The amount of shabtis known in private collections is also very limited. Below you will find the recent status of my parallel research. Private collection VB 7

8 Coll. AM Published: A.W. Meijer, Holland, published in Objects for eternity, 2.44 Provenance: coll. A.W. Meijer, acquired in 995, ex-collection Mr. J. Beekmans, soldf by Schulman in 98, who acquired it from Moger. Height: 7.9 cm Comments: Very nice faience. 8

9 Coll. JT Published: Ede catalogue, unknown date and catalogue, number 4. Provenance: ex-moger. Height: 9.8 cm Comments: Note the beard! A surprisingly common feature for overseer types in Cache 2, even for the woman. 9

10 Coll. MP Published: Les statuettes funeraires de la deuxieme Cachette a Deir el Bahri, page 95. Provenance: coll. Michel Philippe, acquired at auction at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 7 December 98, lot 52. Height: 7.5 cm Comments: Text a bit fainted.

11 Coll. NH Published: Online at SC/3. Provenance: Ex-Canadian professor. It was sold in 28 on ebay by a colleague of the former professor, Mr. J.P. Fedak residing at Nova Scotia, Canada. Height: 7.8 cm Comments: Faience very well preserved. Tiny chip to the feet.

12 Coll. NS Published: No. Provenance: Sold on ebay in 26/27. Height: Unknown Comments: Faience not as well as some of the others, details as ears and mouth section not as clearly defined. 2

13 Coll. VB Published: No. Provenance: Sold on German auction 28. Height: Unknown Comments: The blue is a bit paler than on some of the others, but very shiny. 3

14 Unknown coll. A Published: No. Provenance: Sold by Schulman in 978, who acquired it from Moger. Height: 7.7 cm Comments: Right eye appears to be faded. 4

15 Unknown collection B Published: No. Provenance: Archea, Amsterdam Height: unknown Comments: Very nice details, faience is well preserved. Unknown collection C Published: No. Provenance: Sold by Isthar Gallery, at the BAAF 27 Height: 7.7 cm Comments: Overseer type. 5

16 Index Museum collection (inventory number) Chigaco (overseers: and 94.38, workers and 94.44) Dole (2) W O T Museum totals Private collections Coll. AM, Arnold Meijer Coll JT Coll. MP, Michelle Philippe Coll. NH Coll. NS Coll. VB Unknown collection A Unknown collection B Unknown collection C Private collection totals

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