New Book: Abusir XIII

Abusir XIII. Abusir South 2: tomb complex of the vizier Qar, his sons Qar Junior and Senedjemib, and Iykai Hardbound, 364p. with many illus and b/w photos, 43 col pls. (Czech Institute of Egyptology 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-80-87025-21-5
ISBN-10: 80-87025-21-0

List of authors: Miroslav Barta, Ales Bezdek, Viktor Cerny, Salima Ikram, Petr Kocar, Roman Krivanek, Martina Kujanova, Petr Pokorny, Colin Reader, Zdenka Suvova, Petra Vlckova.


The current volume is the first of three planned publications dedicated to the 1995-2002 discovery of the Sixth Dynasty complex of the vizier Qar and his sons, officials who lived during the reigns of Teti - Pepy II. The report provides a full record of the tombs of the vizier Qar, his sons Qar Junior, Senedjemib and Tjenti, and Iykai. In addition, there are chapters on the geology and geophysical survey of Abusir South as well as the faunal, floral, and human remains discovered in the tombs.

The second volume will contain the full publication of the tomb complex of Inti with chapters on faunal remains and on the restoration of individual tombs belonging to the family. The final volume is to document numerous unique finds discovered during the excavation of the tombs, which together provide a great deal of information about the cemetery's development down to the First Intermediate Period.

This tomb complex provides a vast array of evidence with respect to architecture, decoration, tomb equipment, administrative titles and personal names. The fully preserved and decorated cult chapel of the vizier, his decorated burial chamber, and several groups of finds from individual burial chambers-among them hundreds of copper implements, imitations of foreign vessels, cult tools, copper vessels, etc. stand out as particularly important.

The current publication illuminates the lives of the ancient Egyptian administrative elite in Memphis at the end of the Old Kingdom. Their richly decorated tombs and lavish burial equipment demonstrate the care with which they approached the afterlife as well as their bold attempts to emulate the tomb complexes of even higher status elites. At the same time, faunal and floral remains provide new evidence on the depredation of the natural environment that contributed to the ultimate demise of the Old Kingdom state.