Table Of Content1, 
-, 
A  TYPOLOGICAL 
STUDY  OF  EGYPTIAN  WOODEN  STATUES  OF  THE 
OLD  KINGDOM 
by  Julia  Carol  Harvey 
Ph.  D. 
University  College  London 
IBIBL 
LUNIV  IV 
_JLONDON
ALL  MISSING  PAGES  ARE  BLANK 
IN 
ORIGINAL
Abstract: 
A  217  dating  from  Egyptian  Old  Kingdom  is 
corpus  of  wooden  statues  the 
examined 
discussed  in  detail.  127  have  been  dated  individual  Old 
and  statues  to  the 
reigns  within 
Kingdom  in 
(Catalogue  A).  They  form  basis 
and  are  placed  chronological  order  the  of  a 
chronological  feature  list.  Using  the  dating  from  the  feature  list,  by  drawing 
criteria  and 
Catalogue 
A,  further  75  (Catalogue  B)  have  been 
parallels  with  a  statues  assigned  to 
individual 
Old  Kingdom.  New  features  from  Catalogue  B 
the 
reigns  within  then 
are 
to  the  feature  list.  Catalogue  C  have 
added  chronological 
comprises  statues  which  no 
in  Catalogue 
A,  but  do  have  in  Catalogue  B,  in 
parallels 
sometimes  a  parallel  and  which, 
far 
the  absence  so  of  evidence  to  the  contrary,  may  be  assigned  to  the  Old  Kingdom. 
Appendix  I  discusses 
the  texts  inscribed  on  51  of  the  statues.  These  consist  of  the  names 
and  titles  of  the  tomb  owner.  The  texts  inscribed  the  bases,  but  in  two 
are  usually  on 
instances 
in  detail 
they  are  on  the  skirt,  and  once  on  the  sceptre.  The  titles  are  examined  to 
date  is  dates  in 
see  whether  their  range  consistent  with  the  suggested  the  text. 
Unfortunately  inscriptions  further  dating  The  hr  is 
the 
give  no  assistance.  phrase  un3hVI, 
in  detail  it  its 
time. 
examined  and  emerges  that  use  changed  over 
Appendix  2  is  discussion  far  is known.  Only  8 
the  the  this 
a  of  material  of  statues,  as  as 
have  been  further  4  have  been  identified 
statues  scientifically  analysed,  a  visually,  and 
2  have  From  information  it 
this 
another  unconfirmed  analyses.  meagre  emerges  that 
indigenous  to  imported  The  indiginous 
woods  were  preferred  woods.  most  popular 
woods  are  sycamore  and  acacia. 
Appendix  3  is  dating  features  based  Catalogue  A 
table  the  to 
a  of  on  which,  when  applied 
in  in  date 
the  to  them. 
statues  not  corpus,  can  assist  assigning  a 
3
TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 
Page 
3 
Abstract 
........................... 
5 
Table  Contents 
of 
........................ 
7 
Acknowledgments 
....................... 
9 
Chapter  1:  Introduction 
..... 
................ 
15 
Chapter  2:  The  Feature  List 
..... 
............... 
15 
Introduction 
..... 
................ 
17 
Glossary 
..... 
.................. 
20 
Coiffures  Wigs 
and 
..... 
.............. 
20 
Male 
..... 
................. 
27 
Female 
..... 
................ 
32 
Dress 
..... 
................... 
32 
Male 
..... 
................. 
41 
Female 
..... 
................ 
44 
Arms 
..... 
................... 
44 
Male 
..... 
................. 
56 
Female 
..... 
................ 
59 
Accessories 
..... 
................. 
66 
Jewellery 
...... 
................ 
71 
Stance 
...... 
.................. 
71 
Male 
...... 
................ 
75 
Female 
...... 
............... 
78 
Chapter  3:  The  Dating  Statues  in  Catalogue  A..... 
the 
of 
...... 
114 
Chapter  4:  The  Dating  Statues  in  Catalogue  B..... 
the 
of 
..... 
136 
Chapter  5:  The  Dating  Statues  in  Catalogue  C..... 
the 
of 
..... 
141 
Chapter  6:  The  Catalogues 
..............  ..... 
143 
Catalogue  A............. 
..... 
271 
Catalogue  B..;.......... 
..... 
347 
Catalogue  C............. 
..... 
363 
Chapter  7:  Conclusions 
...............  ..... 
5
365 
Appendix  1:  The  Inscriptions 
..............  .... 
hi  367 
h0hu,  ............... 
.... 
369 
Titles 
.... 
................ 
383 
Appendix  2:  Wood  Types 
.... 
............... 
Indigenous  383 
..............  .... 
Foreign  385 
...............  .... 
386 
Appendix  3:  Feature  Cross-References 
...........  .... 
386 
Male 
................  .... 
393 
Female 
...............  ....  . 
395 
Appendix  4.  Concordance  Museum  Catalogue  Nos 
of  and 
.... 
..... 
400 
Indices 
..  .....................  .... 
400 
1.  Personal  Names 
.... 
................. 
402 
2.  Titles 
.... 
..................... 
403 
3.  Sites 
.... 
..................... 
405 
Concordance 
Plates  Catalogue  Nos 
of  the  the 
and 
.... 
........ 
412 
List  Sources 
Plates 
the  the 
of  of 
.... 
.............. 
419 
Abbreviations 
.... 
.................... 
421 
Bibliography 
.... 
..................... 
430 
Figures 
.... 
..  ..................... 
430 
Male 
Fig.  la  Coiffures  Wigs, 
and  .... 
....... 
431 
) 
Wigs,  Male  (cont. 
Fig.  lb  Coiffures 
and  .... 
..... 
432 
Male  (cont.  ) 
Wigs, 
Fig.  Ic  Coiffures 
and  .... 
..... 
432 
Female 
Wigs, 
Fig.  2a  Coiffures 
and 
.... 
....... 
(cont.  )  433 
Female 
Wigs, 
Fig.  2b  Coiffures 
and 
....  .... 
434 
Male 
Fig.  3  Dress, 
.... 
............ 
435 
Female 
Dress, 
Fig.  4 
.... 
............ 
435 
Male 
Stance, 
Fig.  5 
............  .... 
Male  436 
Standing 
Arms, 
Fig.  6a 
.........  .... 
Arrns,  Standing  Male  (cont.  )  437 
Fig.  6b 
......  .... 
. 
Arms,  Seated  Male  437 
Fig.  7 
.....  .....  .... 
Plates 
6
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
The  data  for  help 
compilation  of  the  this  study  was  only  possible  thanks  to  the  and 
individually,  but 
assistance  of  many  museum  curators,  too  numerous  to  mention  none 
less  As  far  in  by 
the  warmly  appreciated.  as  possible,  the  statues  this  study  were  viewed 
I  Cairo  Museum  in  1986-7  Petrie 
to  the  thanks  to 
me  personally.  was  able  visit  a 
Fellowship,  I  in  United  States  in 
to  twenty-three  the  two 
and  was  able  visit  museums 
in  1988  EES  Centenary  Studentship.  Most  European 
months  thanks  to  the  of  the 
institutions  individually  by  five  The  few 
were  visited  me  over  a  period  of  years. 
institutions  I  kind  in  information 
to 
was  unable  visit  were  most  supplying  about,  and 
in  I 
the  their  to  thanks  to 
sometimes  photographs  of,  pieces  possession.  wish  extend  my 
did  best  facilitate 
all  the  museum  curators  and  assistants  who  welcomed  me  and  their  to 
This 
to  take 
my  researches,  and  who  without  exception  permitted  me  study  photographs. 
for  Several  display 
was  not  always  easy  them.  museums  were  unable  to  open  their  cases, 
lighting 
and  the  subsequent  photographs  are  not  always  top  quality,,  conditions  varied 
dramatically,  did  locations  The  for 
as  the  of  the  statues  within  the  cases.  responsibility  the 
illustrations  is  I  deeply  Erik  Tack 
quality  of  the  mine  alone,  and  am  grateful  to  who 
into  his  in  best 
thus  the 
scanned  my  photographs  computer  and  assisted  me  attaining 
quality  possible. 
Of  have  in  in 
the  many  people  who  encouraged  me  my  work,  two  particular 
deserve  heartfelt  Dr  David  Dixon,  for  hours 
thanks: 
my  my  supervisor,  many  of 
discussion,  husband,  Dr  Jacobus  Dijk, 
and  my  van  who  offered  constant  support  and 
The  beautiful  handcopies  figures  drawn  by  him 
encouragement.  of  the  texts  and  the  are 
- 
inkpot  daubs 
the  natural  reaction  of  an  artist  to  the  spider  and  which  were  my  own 
he  ill  from  his 
took  time 
attempts  and  which  up  valuable  could  spare  own  researches. 
- 
7
CHAPTER1. 
Introduction 
The  Old  Kingdom  is 
this  the  to 
aim  of  study  of  private  wooden  statuaryl  of 
for  dating  have  dating 
establish  criteria  statues  which  no  external  criteria  or  provenance. 
The  basis  is  hundred 
of  the  study  a  catalogue  of  one  and  twenty-seven  statues  which  can 
be  dated  by  dating  (Catalogue  A).  A  feature  list,  i.  list 
external  criteria  chronological  e.  a 
features  has  been  drawn  from  from  Catalogue  A, 
of  the  present  on  the  statues,  up  and 
is  basis  for  dating  dating  (Catalogue 
this  used  as  the  statues  with  no  external  criteria 
C, 
2 
B).  It  is  Catalogue  A,  feature  list,  be 
that  therefore  the 
of  course  obvious  and  cannot 
for  The  it  destruction 
comprehensive  the  period.  nature  of  wood  makes  susceptible  to 
from  have  It  however,  be 
and  many  of  the  statues  the  period  not  survived.  may,  regarded 
3 
On  basis 
as  reasonably  representative.  the  of  a  comparison  of  three  mainfeatures, 
Coiffure,  Dress,  Arms,  Catalogue  B  in 
and  the  seventy-five  statues  of  are  placed  a 
features  be  dated 
relative  chronological  order,  enabling  the  additional  to  relatively  as  well. 
Where  there  is  no  match  for  three  features,  two  are  used.  It  has  not  proved  possible  to 
date  basis  feature  A  Catalogue  C,  fifteen 
on  the  of  one  only.  third  catalogue,  comprises 
have  Catalogue  A,  but  in  be 
statues  which  no  parallels  with  which  can,  some  cases, 
by  in  Catalogue  B.  Statues  be  date  Old 
to  to  the 
paralleled  statues  which  must  supposed 
Kingdom  but  do  from  Catalogue  A  Catalogue  B 
not  parallel  any  statue  either  or  are  also 
in  Catalogue  C. 
The  followed  throughout  the  is  that  by  Baines  Malek 
chronology  study  given  and 
in  The  Atlas  Ancient  Egypt,  36-37.  More  divisions  in  is, 
time,  that 
of  p.  precise  within 
follow  Harpur,  Decoration,  34.  The  'the  End  Old 
the 
specific  reigns,  p.  phrase  of 
1 
Under  is  female, 
private  wooden  statuary  understood  any  statue  of  the  tomb  owner,  male  or  and 
husband  It  does  include  from 
the  wife  or  of  the  same.  not  royal  statues  of  wood  this  period,  statues 
domestic  began  burials 
of  gods,  or  statues  of  servants  which  to  accompany  the  towards  the  end  of 
Dynasty  VI. 
2 
This  has  been  by  Old  Kingdom 
achieved  comparing  the  results  of  a  number  of  studies  of 
Eaton-Krauss,  Representations;  Harpur,  Decoration;  Seidlmayer,  Graberfelder; 
material: 
Strudwick,  Administration;  Vandier,  Manuel;  and  Wood,  Sculpture  are  the  most  frequently  cited. 
Cherpion,  Mastabas,  has  been  it  has 
used  with  caution  as  emerged  that  ordinary  representations  of 
follow  different  features  (see 
the  tomb  owner  a  progression  of  to  statues  or  representations  of  statues 
below,  ý). 
p. 
3 
The  feature  is  by  from 
sequence  supported  examples  the  repertory  of  representations  of  statues 
listed  by  Eaton-Krauss,  Representations,  by  from 
as  and  examples  the  repertory  of  stone  statues. 
9
Kingdom'  is  describe  death  Pepi  11,  Baines  Malek's 
to  the  the 
used  period  after  of  and 
7th/8th  Dynasty. 
It  has  been  intention 
the  this  to  the  the 
not  of  study  examine  question  of  actual 
4 
function  in  This  has  been  discussed  by  James  P.  Allen 
the  the  tomb. 
of  statues  others. 
in  his  'Funerary  Mummies  &  Magic  The  Funerary 
texts  their 
article  and  meaning'in 
Arts  Egypt,  38-49,  43-44,  discussion 
the 
ofAncient  especially  gives  a  very  succinct  of 
ka  ba,  function  in  The  ka  is 
nature  of  the  and  the  and  the  of  statues  the  tomb.  an 
individual's  life-force,  ba  individual's  The  ka  belongs 
the 
an  personality  or  character.  to 
the  body  during  the  life-time  the  individual,  death  it  to  the 
of  and  after  goes  next  world. 
The  deceased  then  travels  to  join  his  ka,  but  travels  is  his  ba.  The  body  is 
what  actually 
part  of  the  entire  human  being,  so  there  is  a  need  to  preserve  it.  "The  body  serves  as  an 
'anchor'for  the  ba  in  this  be  by  it  in  the  tomb.  So 
world,  and  can  revisited 
essential  was 
this  'anchor'  that,  in  the  Old  Kingdom,  'spare'  bodies  in  the  form 
of  statues  were  often 
in  -5 
placed  the  tomb  the 
along  with  mummy. 
In  Old  Kingdom,  inscriptions 
the  the  the  in  Catalogue  A 
on  wooden  statues  are 
exclusively  the  names  and  titles  of  the  deceased,  and  not  the  offering  formula  which 
became 
in  Middle  Kingdom  (See  Appendix  1).  Until 
popular  the 
to  the 
evidence  contrary 
it 
be  in  Old  Kingdoin 
appears,  must  that  the  designed 
assumed  wooden  statues  were  not 
to  receive  offerings  (n  A3  n)  and  are  therefore  not  ka  statues.  They  are,  in  the  words  of 
Wood,  "potential 
for  body  in  its 
substitutes  the  physical  two  aspects  of  eternal 
"6  The 
existence.  two  by 
aspects  are  passive  and  active,  represented  a  seated  and  a 
figure 
striding  respectively.  The  "stone,  being  impervious  than 
nature  of  more  wood, 
better  function  for 
was  suited  to  the  of  tomb  statues  as  enduring  substitutes  physical 
bodies", 
but  tomb  had  be  "enduring  forever, 
a  statue  not  only  to  capable  of  which 
impervious  inanimate  form,  but  it  had  be  life 
required  and  to  capable  of  which 
also 
fon-n.  Sculptors,  in 
required  animate  realizing  that  wood  could  not  compete  with  stone 
... 
durability,  form 
chose  to  emphasize  by  lifelike  effects  the  animate 
means  of  naturalistic, 
7 
that  " 
tomb 
a  statue  also  required. 
Wood  draws 
The  figure  in 
the  a  contrast 
seated  represents  a  passive  state  afterlife. 
between  have 
for  "Among  the  wooden  statues  that 
wood  and  stone  seated  statues: 
4 
For  Scharff,  JEA  26  (1941),  41-50;  Shoukhry,  SASAE  15;  Vandier,  Manuel; 
example, 
Hornemann,  7:  Eaton-Krauss,  Representations;  LA  IV,  Privatplastik,  1112-1119;  etc. 
ypes; 
5 
44. 
p. 
6 
Wood,  Sculpture,  65. 
7 
14,17. 
op  cit., 
10
from  Fifth  Sixth  Dynasties,  is  This 
the  the 
survived  and  seated  pose  extremely  rare. 
be  due  however,  for  is  ideal 
to  the  the  type  the 
might  compatibility  of  with  stone,  stone 
in  form  form 
to  the  the 
material  which  render  compact  cubical  of  a  seat  and  static  of  a 
figure.,  '8  This  is  borne  by  Seated 
the 
seated  statement  out  evidence.  statues  are  very 
in  for  in  Tjeteti, 
the  tomb 
rare,  and  some  cases,  example  of  a  seated  stone  statue 
the 
accompanies  striding  wooden  ones. 
The  figure9  in  in 
the  the 
striding  represents  an  active  state  afterlife  which 
deceased  he  in  life.  This  is  by 
to  the  the 
continues  exercise  offices  attained  supported 
bases  (See  Appendix  1). 
evidence  of  the  names  and  titles  sometimes  present  on  the 
The  for  burial,  in 
the 
provision  of  several  statues  something  particularly  common 
Unas  Pepi  11,  be  linked  by 
to  to  the 
the  reigns  of  and  appears  several  offices  performed 
deceased  during  his  lifetime.  More  burials  have  inscriptions  bases 
the  elaborate  on  the  of 
list  does 
the  statues,  and  these  often  separate  titles,  although  the  present  evidence  not 
10 
The  ba  is 
confine  particular  titles  to  particular  costumes.  therefore  able  to  choose 
its 
which  persona  to  occupy  on  return  visits  to  the  tomb. 
in  be 
The  location  the  the  tomb  to  to  the 
of  statues  appears  more  closely  related 
In  Old  Kingdom, 
accident  of  survival  than  to  any  religious  purpose.  the  early  statues 
first  in  (Dynasty  IV),  in  (Dynasty  V 
the  then 
were  placed  chapels  and  serdabs 
II 
They  began  be  in  by 
to  the  too,  the 
onwards).  slowly  placed  main  chambers,  and  end 
Old  Kingdom  in  the  burial  itself.  Throughout  this 
the  were  even  chamber  period, 
of 
however,  to  be  found  in  the  locations.  The 
statues  continued  all  various  possible  priority 
have  been  base  ba  Most 
must  to  preserve  the  statues  as  a  to  which  the  could  return.  of 
in  being 
the  statues  the  corpus  were  excavated  without  an  accurate  record  made  of  their 
location  in  the  tomb.  The  the  have  had  their  location 
exact  majority  of  statues  which 
found  in  if  from  first  Old  Kingdom,  in 
recorded  were  serdabs  they  are  the  part  of  the  and 
burial  if  date  Old  Kingdom. 
the  chambers  or  shafts  they  to  the  end  of  the 
In  is  known  (see  Appendix  2). 
most  cases  the  exact  material  of  the  statues  not 
8 
22. 
op.  cit., 
Y 
13:  'The  description  "striding"  is itself 
op.  cit.,  of  the  conventional  male  stance  as  a  convention. 
A  figure  in  does  for  his  is  distributed  his 
this  stance  not  actually  appear  to  stride,  weight  equally  on 
feet.  "Striding"  is  however,  distinguish  from  "standing" 
a  convenient  term,  to  the  stance  that  of 
figures  legs  feet.  The  is  is 
with  straight  and  parallel  pose  static,  yet  the  power  to  move  conveyed 
... 
by  left  leg.  The  is  both  immobile,  ' 
the  extension  of  the  stance  active  and  temporal  and  eternal. 
10 
See  for  from  Tjeteti,  Catalo(-,  Nos.  A83  102 
example  the  statues  the  tomb  of  ue 
-A 
II 
For  detailed  discussion  Shoukhry,  SASAE  15,19  1  ff. 
a  of  the  serdab  see 
II
12 
Eaton-Krauss,  lists  five  is  known: 
representations  of  wooden  statues  whose  material 
13  14 
§pnn-wood, 
No.  99  is  No.  98  is  (Ind),  No.  43  is  No.  44  is  ksbt- 
ebony,  acacia 
15 
No.  83  is  imported  (ht  h3s(vv)),  It 
wood,  and  an  wood  as  yet  unidentified.  seems 
likely  imported 
that  the  the  timbers16 
majority  of  statues  were  made  of  native  and  not  of 
17  l  8 
Five  fig, 
three 
woods.  statues  are  made  of  sycomore  of  acacia,  and  one  of 
19  20 
Four  be  identification 
tamarisk.  to 
are  said  ebony,  an  which,  although  not 
by  be  "on  its 
supported  any  analysis,  may  provisionally  accepted  since  account  of 
it  be  "recognized 
characteristic  colour  and  appearance"  can  readily  without  microscopical 
22 
i  -21  One  is  Where 
exam  nati  on.  statue  supposedly  cedar.  possible  the  statues  were 
from  but  if  dowelled 
made  one  single  piece,  necessary  several  pieces  were  together,  or 
limbs 
joints.  The  joins 
the  tenon 
attached  with  mortise  and  are  usually  at  the  shoulders, 
the  fronts  the  feet,  left  forearm.  The 
of  and  sometimes  the  statues  were  then  covered  with 
layer 
joins,  by  linen 
a  of  paint  or  of  painted  plaster,  which  concealed  the  and  occasionally 
The  layer 
detail 
garments  as  well.  painted  was  the  medium  on  which  much  additional 
for 
The  deterioration  disappearance 
was  added,  example,  sporrans  and  neck-laces.  and  of 
this  layer  due  to  the  ravages  of  time  has  meant  the  loss  of  much  information  about  the 
ongin  ecoration  of  most  of  the  statues.  This  is  particularly  inconvenient  when  trying  to 
establish  the  variety  of  a  skirt  such  as  the  half-goffered  kilt. 
Discussion  involved  in  lies 
of  the  techniques  the  these  outside 
making  of  statues 
23 
the  this  Although  from 
scope  of  study.  the  style  of  several  statues  one  tomb  can  vary 
12 
55-56. 
op.  cit., 
13 
See  Wood,  Sculpture,  10  for  discussion 
the 
a  of  properties  of  ebony. 
14 
Kcimer,  Gartenpflanzen  11,31-32  1pnn  is  but  Eaton-Krauss. 
suggests  that  poppy,  as 
Representations,  133  n.  701,  points  out,  it  must  be  the  material  of  the  statue  which  is  meant,  not 
the  pigment  used  to  paint  it.  That  is,  a  type  of  tree  and  not  a  flower. 
15 
1,166-7  (A  11). 
Posener-Kri6ger,  Les  Archives  du  Temple  Funiraire  de  Niferirkar; 
-Kak-aY 
16 
fig  because  its 
Wood,  Sculpture,  of 
says  that  the  most  common  wood  used  was  sycamore 
Hildesheim, 
associations  with  the  cult  of  Hathor  (pp.  25-7).  On  pp.  73-4  she  states  that  the  statue 
is 
Roemer-  Pelizaeus-Museum  Inv.  Nr.  1572  is  fig,  but  there  no  confirmation 
und  made  of  sycamore 
for  is. 
of  this  in  the  recent  CAA  publication  and  I  do  not  know  what  her  source  this  statement 
17 
Catalogue  Nos.  A3,  B  13,  B54,  B59  A78. 
and 
18 
Catalogue  Nos.  A126,  BIO  B33. 
and 
19 
Catalogue  No.  A  103. 
20 
Catalogue  Nos.  A43,  A46-48. 
21 
Lucas, 
Materials,  434. 
22 
Catalogue  No.  B75. 
23 
Sliwa,  Studies 
For  discussion  the  techniques  of  wood-working  see  in  Ancient  Egyptian 
a  of 
Handicraft  Wood-working,  (Krakow,  1975),  and  Drenkhahn,  Die  Handwerker  ih"  Tdtigkeit  im 
und 
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