Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

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EXPLORATIONS IN BIBLE LANDS
head ; breastplates and other ornaments of value decorated
the mortal remains of the ruler. A wonderful statue of the
protecting deity of the king, nearly four feet
and there ornamented with gold
high and here
plates, was also discovered
in a wooden box which had the form of a shrine.
The sepulchral chamber of the princess was quite undisturbed.
All the objects were in the same place as when
deposited at the time of the funeral 4000 years ago. The
corpse lay peacefullv in its coffin of acacia wood, which was
ornamented with gold stripes. A silver diadem encircled
her head, and a rich necklace of gold and carnelian beads,
the ends of which ended in the heads of hawks, surrounded
her neck. A pretty little dagger stuck in her belt. Arms
and legs were ornamented with circlets of beads of gold,
carnelian and emeralds. On her brow shone the royal insignia,
— a
golden eagle's head and the head of the Uraeus
serpent, which were inlaid with emeralds and carnelian.
Near her, besides a club, were also deposited other signs of
royalty, a sceptre and a whip, both of very artistic workmanship.
Although we cannot with certainty fix the historical
position of King Hor and Princess
assume from the style of the objects found in
Nebhotep, yet we may
they also belong to the period of the Middle Empire.
the tomb that
The
brick pyramid under which they were discovered must accordingly
be placed in
the same period.
In the following year, 1895, t ^ie stone pyramid situated
between the two brick pyramids was examined by De Morgan.
It had been badly disturbed and almost carried away.
By this excavation it was proved that it was the tomb of
Amenemhat II. of the Twelfth Dynasty, and therefore
belonged to the same period as the other two pyramids.
Within the surrounding wall of this pvramid also other
smaller tombs were laid out for members of the royal familv.
Two of them, in which two princesses had been buried, had
fortunately escaped the hands of the ancient grave robbers.