MAGICAL FIGURES, Nos. 257, 258, 259, and 260, hidden in four niches in the walls of the Burial-chamber "to repel the enemy of Osiris, in whatever form he may come."
The four niches (i.e. roughly cut recesses in the walls of the Burial-chamber) to receive the four magical figures were made before the walls of the chamber were decorated. After the walls were decorated the figures were placed in their respective niches. The niches, closed with suitable but quite rough splinters of limestone, were plastered over flush with the surfaces of the walls and were then painted over to match the colour decorating the walls.
Testimony for the above conclusions: (1) the interiors of some of the niches bear splashes of the yellow paint employed when decorating the walls; (2) the colour used when the niches were closed does not match exactly the rest of the decoration, and it was obviously painted over that already decorating the walls; and (3) the name of one of the cynocephalus apes, west wall centre of lower register, is missing owing to the presence of the open niche (No.258) when the wall was being decorated.
The actual positions of the four magical figures hidden in the walls of the Burial-chambers, with relation to the cardinal points, North, S. E. and W., and the actual symbols employed, vary in the New Empire royal tombs as well as in the vignettes representing the nether chamber in the copies of the Book of the Dead.
For comparison of measurements I have used the following reckoning for the
cubit:
1 Cubit = 52.310 cents., 1 Palm (= 1/7 cubit) = 7.472 cents.,
1 Digit (= ¼ palm = 1/28 cubit) = 1.868 cents. This reckoning being
the mean of the various examples of the xviiith. Dyn.cubits.
The four wooden examples of cubit found in this tomb (see chest No. 50)
show:
a mean of 52.675 = 1 cubit
7.525 = 1 palm
1.881 = 1 digit
No.257.
A NICHE cut in the east wall, facing the foot end of the sarcophagus (right,
S.E., corner), 120 cents. above the floor of the Burial-chamber.
THE NICHE takes the form of a shallow roughtly cut recess of rectangular shape, 27 cents. high, 20 cents. wide, and 18 cents. deep. It was closed by the means of a suitable but irregular shaped splinter of limestone, which was plastered over flush with the surface of the wall and then painted over to match the colour decorating the wall.
THE NICHE CONTAINED an Osiris figure standing upon a brick-like-pedestal, facing south, and made, like the brick-pedestal itself, of unbaked clay. Both the figure and the brick pedestal were completely swathed in narrow srips of fine linen averaging 3 to 4 cents. in width.
THE OSIRIS FIGURE, 16.8 cents. high (= 9 digits), wearing the simple form of the atef-crown and beard, is modelled upon a stick support inserted in the brick (pedestal). The figure is cracked in several places due to shrinkage of the clay when drying.
THE BRICK (pedestal), 13.1 cents. long, 6.5 cents. wide, and 3.7 cents. thick (= 7 x 3½ x 2 digits), has graven upon its upper surface, in front of the figure, the following incantation in hieroglyphic characters:
?msh <> crocodile
On the bottom of the brick (pedestal) are traces of red paint.
This unique figure appears to take the place of the reed torch mentioned in the Book of the Dead (Ch. CLI), however, it must not be forgotten that a small reed torch with its brick-pedestal of unbaked clay bearing an incantation graven in hieroglyphic characters was found on the floor within the threshold of the entrance of the Treasury (see No. 263).
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No.259
A NICHE cut in the centre of the west wall, facing the head end of the
sarcophagus, 125 cents. above the floor of the Burial-chamber.
THE NICHE takes the form of a roughly cut shallow recess, of rectangular shape, 24 cents. high, 20 cents. wide, and 10 cents. deep. It was closed by the means of three irregular splinters of limestone, which were plastered over flush with the surface of the wall, and then painted over to match the colour decoration of the wall.
THE NICHE CONTAINED a recumbent figure of the jackal-like dog Anubis, resting upon a brick (pedestal), facing north, and made, like the brick (pedestal) itself, of unbaked clay. The figure of the jackal-like dog Anubis was completely swathed with strips of fine linen varying in width from 2 to 5 cents. - the linen on the figure was discoloured, while that adhering to the plaster employed in closing the niche was almost white.
THE FIGURE OF THE JACKAL-LIKE DOG ANUBIS measures 13.0 cents. in length from root of tail to tip of fore feet, and 9.5 cents. high from pedestal to the tips of its ears (= 7 x 5 digits). The eyes and eye-brows have been tinted with a lemon yellow pigment (?orpiment); exuding from the surfaces of both body and limbs are minute globules of resinous material, suggesting resin or the like was mixed with the clay; the fore-feet have five toes, the hind-feet four toes only.
THE BRICK (pedestal), 14.1 to 14.9 cents. long, 5.3 to 5.6 cents. wide, and 4.8 to 5.2 cents. thick (= 8 x 3 x 2½ digits), bears no incantation nor inscription whatsoever! - possibly because the recumbent figure of Anubis occupied all the available space.
It rested upon a second brick, of similar dimensions but only 2.7 cents. thick (= 1 ½ digits), and this brick was placed upon a third thin slab of unbaked clay of somewhat irregular shape and showing traces of red paint on the bottom surface. The second brick and third slab of clay were in all probability for the purpose of raising the first brick (pedestal) sufficiently high as to prevent the long drooping tail of the Anubis figure from touching the floor of the niche.
Like the Anubis figure the two bricks and slab of clay shew traces, minute globules, of a red resinous material exuding from their surfaces (one of these globules when passed through a flame gave out a resinous odour).
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NO.258 continued.
The rubric included in Ch. CLI of the Book of the Dead which refers to this figure and its brick (pedestal) roads as follows:
"This formula is to be spoken over an Anubis of unbaked clay, sprinkled(?) with incense, and fastened on a brick of clay on which this formula has been graven. A hole is made for it in the east wall, its face towards the west, and it is covered up."
A similar figure of Anubis was found in the Burial-chamber of Thothmes iv. (in situ) in a niche cut in a square column on the south side of the sarcophagus (= s. wall), and it faced north.
No.259.
A NICHE cut in the w. corner of the north wall, facing beyond (left) the head end of the sarcophagus, 130 cents. above the floor of the Burial-chamber.
THE NICHE takes the form of a roughly cut shallow recess of rectangular shape, 24 cents. high, 18 cents. wide, and 10 cents. deep. It was closed by the means of two irregular splinters of limestone, which were plastered over flush with the surface of the wall and then painted over to match the colour decoration of the wall.
IT CONTAINED a small wooden shawabti-like figure stood upon a brick (pedestal) of unbaked clay, and faced south. The figure was partially swathed with strips of fine linen - the head and face left uncovered.
THE WOODEN SHAWABTI-LIKE FIGURE, 13.3 cents. high (= 7 digits approx.), takes the form of a mummy, having the winding sheet painted white, the head-dress black, the face and hands tinted lemon (?orpiment) yellow, and the features delineated in black.
THE BRICK (pedestal), 9.5 cents. long, 4.5 cents. wide, and 1.8 cents. thick (= 5 x 2½ x 1 digits), has graven upon its upper surface, in front of the figure, the following incantation in hieroglyphic characters:
<>
The brick (pedestal) has minute globules of a resinous material exuding from its clay, and it has traces of red paint on its under surface.
The rubric included in Ch. CLI of the Book of the Dead referring to this figure and its brick reads:
"This formula is to be spoken over a brick of unbaked clay, on which this formula has been graven, and a hole made for it in the wall of the nether chamber; and a figure of im-wood seven fingers in height, whose mouth has been opened, is fastened on this brick in the northern wall, its face towards the south, and it is covered up."
No. 260.
A NICHE cut in the w. corner of the south wall, facing beyond (right) the head end of the sarcophagus, 165 cents. above the floor of the Burial-chamber.
THE NICHE takes the form of a roughly cut shallow recess of rectangular shape, 26 cents. high, 16 cents. wide, and 10 cents. deep. It was closed by the means of a suitable but irregular splinter of limestone, which was plastered over flush with the surface of the wall and then painted over to match the colour decoration of the wall.
IT CONTAINED a wooden ded-emblem, 9.2 cents. high (= 5 digits), overlaid with thin gold-foil (largely fallen from decay) and inlaid with blue glazed pottery, stood upright, facing east, upon a brick (pedestal) of unbaked clay.
THE BRICK (pedestal), 9.3 cents. long, 4.2 cents. wide, and 1.4 cents. thick (= 5 x 2¼ x ¾ digits), has upon its upper surface, in front of the ded emblem, the following incantation graven in hieroglyphic characters:
<>
Scratched on the brick, under the emblem, is the sign <>; a few minute globules of resinous matter exude from the clay; and there are traces of red paint on the under surface.
The rubric included in Ch. CLI of the Book of the Dead that refers to this emblem and its brick (pedestal) reads:
"This formula is to be spoken over a ded of glaze, the cross-bars of which are fine gold, which has been covered with royal linen, and oil allowed to fall on it. It is fastened on a brick of unbaked clay, [on which has been graven this formula], and a hole is made for it in the western wall, its face towards the east, and it is covered up with earth that has been under an aru-tree."
There was not a trace of linen, oil, nor of earth, visible on the above specimen!
(July 6, 2009)
