Figuring Out a Backstory of a Figure from a Funerary Model

The blog for this week is a guest post by Sam Powell, MA student of Egyptology and Egypt Centre volunteer.

In the House of Death, the offerings case contains several wooden figures (fig. 1). A predecessor of the better-known shabti, these figures are from funerary models that were included in burials from the First Intermediate Period until the reign of Senwosret III in the Middle Kingdom. These models are believed to have been a substitute for food provisions, as they would continue to magically prepare bread, beer, and meat in the afterlife. I have been intrigued by these figures since seeing the beautiful models in the Cairo Museum belonging to Meketre. This year, I attended Ken Griffin’s object handling classes, which included some of these figures, and subsequently chose to use several for an assignment for the Women and Gender in Ancient Egypt module of the MA in Egyptian Material Culture. Having enjoyed this research so much, I have decided to use this set of objects as the basis of my MA thesis.

Fig. 1: Display of funerary models in the House of Death

The Egypt Centre is home to sixty-seven objects identified as figures from funerary models, as well as over fifty detached limbs, and various tomb model ‘furniture’, such as oars, masts, jars, and boxes, none of which have any known provenance. One ‘complete’ model is that of a boat (W361), which will be the subject of a curator’s talk by Carolyn Graves-Brown as to its authenticity later in the year (fig. 2). Many were acquired from the Wellcome collection and have acquisition slips and auction details, which may help in tracing provenance.

Fig. 2: Model funerary boat (W361)

For my MA thesis, I intend to build on the work of Gersande Eschenbrenner-Diemer (2017), who has created four phases of chronology from examples with known provenance, which I will use to determine probable origins for the Egypt Centre examples. Additionally, it may be possible to identify the types of model that the figures originated from (fig. 3).

Fig. 3: Examining one of the servant figures

The starting point for my research is to complete condition checks on all the figures and examine them in closer detail. Ken Griffin is kindly photographing each of the objects from several angles with a macro lens so that I can create a comprehensive catalogue for easy comparison, for which I am very grateful (fig. 4).

Fig. 4: Photographing W361

Although in the early stages of my research, one figure can already be given a probable provenance. W687 is a figure with typical features for models originating from Beni Hasan. He has reddish skin, a flat-based, cheek-length wig, high waisted ‘trousers’ (likely covered with linen to represent a kilt), and dowel legs that would slot into the base (fig. 5). On closer examination of the figure, ‘380’ is written on the reverse in pencil. From the Wellcome flimsy slip (65926), we know this figure was purchased by Henry Wellcome from the collection of the Charles James Tabor (1849–1928) in 1928. The catalogue entry (lot 219) indicates that Tabor acquired it via the collection of the Reverend William MacGregor (1848–1937) in 1922 (lot 618). MacGregor acquired many objects from John Garstang (1876–1956), who excavated at Beni Hasan between 1902 and 1904 (Garstang, 1907).

Fig. 5: W687

On checking the report for Garstang’s excavation, an “inventory of objects found within the tombs” is given in the appendix. This states that there was a tomb 380, which did include funerary models, the current location of which are unknown (Garstang 1907: 224).

The entry lists:
Objects:
i.                 Figures and oars from boat.
ii.               Figures from brewing group.
iii.             Model of bull lying down being fed(?) by girl.
iv.              Figure of embalmed body from boat (as in Fig.92)
v.                Blue ball beads
vi.              Piece of ivory.
vii.            Pottery figure, seated (no head).

Therefore, it seems certain that W687 originates from this tomb. Whether he was part of the boat or brewing group is unclear, but a contemporary brewing and butchery scene from tomb 723 of Sobek-hetepa at Beni Hasan, now in the British Museum (BM EA 41576), shows a figure in a similar stance (fig. 6).

Fig. 6: BM EA 41756

Although there is a lot more work to be done on these figures over the next year, I am really enjoying piecing together the available clues about this interesting set of objects (fig. 7). As a Swansea University student, having access to the objects I want to study is invaluable. I would not have been able to spot the pencil note on the reverse of W687 from a photograph, and spotting trends in materials and styles is so much easier and accurate when handling with the physical objects.

Fig. 7: Matching figures to Wellcome flimsy slips

I hope to provide a future blog post to update with my progress. With any luck, I will be able to reunite W867 with some of his original companions!

Bibliography:

Eschenbrenner-Diemer, G. (2017) ‘From the Workshop to the Grave: The Case of Wooden Funerary Models’. In Company of Images: Modelling the Imaginary World of Middle Kingdom Egypt (2000–1500 BC). Proceedings of the International Conference of the EPOCHS Project held 18th–20th September 2014 at UCL, London, ed. G. Miniaci, M. Betrò and S. Quirke. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 162. Leuven: Peeters. 133–191.

———. (2018) ‘The Petrie Museum’s Collection of Funerary Wooden Models: Investigating Chronology and Provenances’. Archaeology International 21: 101–108.

Garstang, J. (1907) The Burial Customs of Ancient Egypt as Illustrated by Tombs of the Middle Kingdom: Being a Report of Excavations Made in the Necropolis of Beni Hassan during 1902–3–4. London: Constable.

Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge (1922) Catalogue of the MacGregor Collection of Egyptian Antiquities. London: Davy.

———.(1928) Catalogue of Antiquities, etc., Comprising the Collection of Prehistoric Implements, the Property of Miss Carey, Egyptian, Greek and Roman Antiquities, etc., Comprising the Collection of the Late C.J. Tabor, the Property of Princess Ghika, the Property of Mrs O. Gregory, the Property of Mrs A. Belcher, the Property of Mrs de Burley Wood, the Property of W. Kennett, and other Properties, including Indian and South American Objects; which will be Sold by Auction by Sotheby and Co. ... on Monday, the 12th of November, 1928, and Following Day. London: Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge.

Winlock, H. E. (1955) Models of Daily Life in Ancient Egypt from the Tomb of Meket-Re’ at Thebes. Publications of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Egyptian Expedition 18. Published for the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts.