Helwan حلوان(in Arabic) | |
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archaeological site | |
Coordinates: 29°51′N31°20′E / 29.850°N 31.333°E | |
Country | Egypt |
Governorate | Cairo |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EST) |
At Helwan south of modern Cairo was excavated a large ancient Egyptian cemetery with more than 10,000 burials. The cemetery was in use from the Naqada Period around 3200 BC to the Fourth Dynasty and again at the beginning of the Middle Kingdom and then up to the Roman Period and beyond. The burial ground was discovered and excavated by Zaki Saad in 1942 to 1954. Further excavations started in 1997 by an Australian expedition. [1] The excavations of Zaki Saad were never fully published, only several preliminary reports appeared. Helwan was most likely the cemetery of Memphis in the first Dynasties. The tombs range from small pits to bigger elaborated mastabas. Regarding the underground parts of these tombs, two types are attested. There are on one side pits with the burial at the bottom and there are on the other side underground chambers, reached via a pit or via a staircase. The majority of burials are for one deceased.
There are some examples of multiple burials. The deceased were mostly placed in reed mats or coffins of different materials. Most of the bodies were found in a contracted position. Most tombs were built of mud bricks. Roofs are often made of timber. Some walls in the underground chambers were covered with plaster. In several tombs stones were found, used for roofing the tomb chamber, for blocking the entrance and in rare cases for paving walls. Some of the more elaborate tombs had several underground chambers. These chambers were often reached via a staircase. [2] The people buried here belonged to all levels of society, albeit the highest officials were buried at Saqqara. Over 40 stelae were found belonging to the upper levels of society. They are an important source for early writing in Egypt. A certain Meriiti bears many titles on his stela and dates most likely to the First Dynasty. A few stelae also belong to members of the royal family, such as the king's daughter Satkhnum, the king's daughter Khenmetptah and the king's son Nisuheqet. The stelae date from about the middle of the First Dynasty to the early Fourth Dynasty. [3]
Kerameikos also known by its Latinized form Ceramicus, is an area of Athens, Greece, located to the northwest of the Acropolis, which includes an extensive area both within and outside the ancient city walls, on both sides of the Dipylon Gate and by the banks of the Eridanos River. It was the potters' quarter of the city, from which the English word "ceramic" is derived, and was also the site of an important cemetery and numerous funerary sculptures erected along the Sacred Way, a road from Athens to Eleusis.
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Nisuheqet was an ancient Egyptian king's son of the Second Dynasty. Nisuheqet is only known from his stela found in tomb 964.H.8 at Helwan. The only title he bears on this monument is king's son. The stela is made of limestone and shows the prince on the left, sitting on a chair with an offering table and offerings in front of him. The stela was discovered in excavations by Zaki Saad at Helwan, that were conducted between 1952 and 1954. The royal father of this king's son remains unknown.
Khenmetptah was an ancient Egyptian king's daughter who lived most likely in the Second Dynasty. She is only known from her stela once placed in her tomb and found at Helwan. On the stela Khenmetptah is shown sitting on a chair in front of an offering table. Next to the offering table are shown many offerings. Above this scene is a short text: the king's daughter Khenmetptah. Her royal father is not known. On stylistical grounds the stela is datable to the Second Dynasty.
Satkhnum was an ancient Egyptian king's daughter who lived most likely in the Second Dynasty. She is only known from her stela once placed in her tomb and found at Helwan. On the stela Satkhnum is shown sitting on a chair in front of an offering table. Next to the offering table are shown many offerings. Above this scene is a short text: Satkhnum, the king's daughter. Her royal father is not known. On stylistical grounds the stela is datable to the Second Dynasty.
Meriiti was an ancient Egyptian official living at the end of the First Dynasty around 2900 BC. He is only known from his stela found in tomb 810.H.11 at Helwan. The stela was found in the burial chamber next to the coffin. It shows on the left Meriiti sitting on a chair with offerings in front of him. On the right side of the stela is a list of Meriiti's titles.
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