Qubbet el-Hawa

Qubbet el- Hawa ( from Arabic Qubba, " dome " and Hawa, "wind" ) is a rock mountain near Aswan. It is about 130 meters high and is known for a necropolis of ancient Egypt. On the southern tip of the mountain is the mausoleum of Muslim sheikhs Sidi Ali Bin el - Hawa, from which the mountain was given its present name. It is a white, well to be seen from afar pavilion with a dome. Below is a Coptic monastery ruins (St. George).

About two running side by side stairs to get to the rock tombs. The Tombs of the necropolis are in three rows one above the other halfway up the mountainside. Qubbet el- Hawa is the necropolis of senior officials from the area. On the hill about 80 graves have been found so far.

History

Burials took place from the time of the Old Kingdom to the Greco - Roman period. Most of the rock-cut tombs were created in the period 6 to 12 Dynasty. Abu, like the island of Elephantine was called at that time, was an outpost of the Egyptians in the land of the Nubians and a large and important trading post and administrative center on the border of black Africa. The administrator ( governor ) was also the supreme commander of the military forces stationed there.

Were first mentioned in the rock tombs in 1819 by Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (also known as Sheikh Ibrahim Ibn Abdallah ) in his book " Travels in Nubia ." 1885 began the excavations at el- Hawa Qubbet. Only dug the Briton Sir Francis Grenfell 1885-1886 some tombs and 1892 led the Italian Ernesto Schiaparelli continued the excavations. He discovered, among others, the grave of the manufacturer chuf. Jacques de Morgan put in the time around 1894 or more graves free. 1903-1904 Lady William Cecil dug some graves in the overlying series of.

In 1946, the Egyptologist Labib Habachi his excavations, which lasted until 1951. In 1959, the Bonn Egyptian seminar headed by Elmar Edel renewed excavations that were carried out until 1984. Furthermore, were E.A.T. Wallis Budge, Mohi El -Din and Michael R. Jenkins participated in the excavations. Recent excavations carried out by Karl Seyfried ( DAI).

Architecture of the rock tombs

The rock tombs are carved into the stone grown. The later pillars or columns were left standing there. Cracks and other irregularities were plastered with mortar of lime and sand mix. On the walls of some tombs there are also remains of stucco.

It is " broad-room tombs ". This is a shape other than the shape used at all other times in Egypt. During excavations of later periods are generally to "Long graves ". The entrance is at all tombs of el- Hawa Qubbet approximately in the center of the main chamber ( also cult room). In the main chamber there are columns or pillars which support the ceiling. Before the main chambers are partially atria.

Among some of the main chambers, there is a so-called Serdab (basement), which was used as a statue room. At most, there are slots in the bottom graves or slots in the side walls, which also have been found statues. The actual grave space is usually at the end of a tunnel or shaft, behind a " false door " ( a partially or completely walled passage).

Some graves have small side rooms or have directly in the main chamber further " false doors " behind which family members were buried. In some tombs the false door to the main chamber is mounted deeper into the bay, so that before was a small niche. This niche also called main cult niche, the input usually located directly opposite. In the cult rooms of the larger tombs sacrifice altars or offering tables were found.

The most important tombs

The tombs described here are sorted by grave numbers next to these graves, there are a variety of other tombs, in which even the grave owner was found, and also many unknown graves.

S3bnj and mhw, grave 25/26; Both tombs are connected to each other, they are father and son. They also belong to the time of Pepi II ( 6th dynasty ). You must have been very wealthy families, as to these graves, the two staircases include the Nile ago. Mechu and Sabni were nomarchs of Elephantine. Mechu Inscriptions on the outer wall missing and the entrance is very simple. At the time of the creation of the tomb, the outer wall was covered with stucco, this show surviving remnants of lining. On the wealth of its owner, the three rows of columns down with six columns. The grave is about 150 m². Located on the rear wall, the main false door, it lies behind a cult niche. Before the cult niche in the main chamber is a sacrificial table made ​​of granite. Another four false doors are in the system, two in the west, one in the south and one next to the main false door on the back wall. Mechu bore the title of " head of the foreign countries ", " Prince " and " The only friend." He led expeditions into the territories of Nubia. During the last expedition to Wawat he was killed in the desert. His son Sabni moved ( so the grave inscription ) of 100 donkeys, the crew of the Dead Foundation, anointing oil, honey and canvas to salvage his father. Sabni The grave of Sabni is approximately 120m ². The cover resting on pillars 14 in two rows. In addition to his father's grave this is one of the largest in the plant. Sabni was like his father nomarch, he bore the title " Prince ", " bearer of the royal seal ," " Governor of the country of the south ", " sole companion " and " ritual priest." From the inscriptions on the walls of the tomb shows that the Pharaoh ( Pepi II ) abundantly bestowed as a reward for the mountains of his father Sabni corpse. He received, among other ointment, food, and him the best embalmers of the country were sent. On the back wall of the tomb Sabni is pictured with his daughters at the bird and fishing. It is one of the most beautiful and best -preserved wall paintings on the Qubbet el- Hawa.

Sbk - htp, grave 29; The grave of Sobek - Hotep is approximately 15 m² in size. The ceiling is supported by a pillar in the middle of the main chamber. The pillars obscure the view of the entrance opposite false door. Two additional wells go on the main chamber. The grave inscriptions are mostly destroyed. Together with the inscriptions on the pots found 55 but it has been sufficient to identify the grave owner. The grave also originates from the epoch of King Pepi II

HSW - jb, grave 30; The grave of Hekaib is approximately 78 m² in size, the ceiling rests on six pillars, arranged in two rows. The cult niche lies with the associated false door opposite the entrance. It lies about 30 cm higher than the main chamber and is covered with a layer of stucco and painted. In the main chamber two more grave shafts were found. The inscriptions in the cult niche are in poor condition, but could the grave owner and one of his title " chief of the priests of God " are determined by this. A chronological placement in the 6th Dynasty was also possible.

Grave 30b; The grave of Ankh - nef IETF is about 10 square meters, the ceiling is supported by only one pillar. The grave has a grave shaft with associated burial chamber. From the main chamber there is a small " window " into a side chamber, which probably served as a kind of magazine space. The pots 15 found shed light on the grave owner and the time in which he lived. Precious dates the grave in the first split. The grave no inscriptions or paintings have been found. Ankh - nef ITEF is titled "Captain ".

Hwjns - hnmtj sm3, grave 34h; A grave from the VI. Dynasty. This architecturally elaborate grave features various tunnels and chambers, it is about 85 square meters and the ceiling is supported by eight pillars. Here Chunes and his wife were buried, suggesting a special connection between the two, because in most cases the women were buried in the cemetery at Elephantine.

Hrw - hwj.f, also Herchuf or Harkhuf, grave 34n; The main chamber has a size of approximately 25 m², the ceiling is supported by three pillars. This grave dates from the reign of Pepi II (c. 2300 BC ) in the VI. Dynasty. Production chuf is titled " Head of all the western and eastern foreign countries." The additive belonging to the title " brings the products of all foreign countries to his master " is also recorded. " Chief of Upper Egypt " was another title he wore. This title was borne for example by a prince. He was also a "carrier of the royal seal ", " lector priest " and " army chief ". From the records in the grave indicates that manufacturing chuf with his father ( Iri ) under King Mer -en- Ra various expeditions to Jam ( Lower Nubia ) and has led to Libya. Of this, he came back with, among others, " holy oil ", ivory, grain, animals and other objects. In another inscription, King Pepi II would like to thank ( in his second year of reign ) that manufacturers chuf him a " dwarf of God dancers from the land of the horizon dwellers " (probably a diminutive Nubians or a man of the people of Akka from Sudan, a pygmy can be ruled out since the expeditions never went so far into the interior of Africa to achieve such strains would bring ).

HK3 jb Pjpj - nht, grave 35d; On Qubbet el- Hawa, there are three tombs whose owners bear the name Heqa - ib. The Heqa - ib in grave 35d lived in the time of Pepi II The grave was 35 ( after precious ) also created by him, but then abandoned because of the small size. He bore the title " army chief ", " ruler of the interpreter ", " recorder on the pyramid of Neferkare " and " head of the foreign countries." Labib Habachi found in 1947 beneath the tomb a cult hall, decorated with well-preserved murals. In the immediate vicinity of the grave many small graves were found from the same period, suggesting that it is in this Heqa - ib to those acts, who was worshiped in later years as the " saint".

S3bnj nj nbw - nbt, grave 35e; In the forecourt to the grave of Heqa - ib is the entrance to the grave of Sabni II. Beside him there is another grave in which a man named Sabni was buried. The magnificent wall paintings show Sabni among others, scepter and hrp scepter and the typical beard of officials. In another inscription describes how Sabni create two obelisks and was transported to their destination. He bears the title " Overseer of the Hall " (presumably the " pantry " of the king ")," Keeper of the Seals of the King of Lower Egypt ". The grave is about 60 square meters, the ceiling is supported by four pillars

Z3 - rnpwt, grave 36; The grave of Prince Sarenput I. is one of the oldest from the Middle Kingdom. Sarenput I was employed by King Sesostris I as Prince of Elephantine. From the grave inscriptions had the allegiance of nomarchs from this time to the king becomes clear. But even the king assured the loyalty of his nomarchs.

Grave 88; The grave of Henebaba is not nearly as gorgeous as those of the princes of Elephantine. The main chamber is relatively small, the ceiling is supported by four pillars. The grave has an almost square shape. From the main chamber leading off four tunnels that grave chambers behind it were filled with a total of 434 pots. Throughout the grave there are no inscriptions, but the pots have extensive writing on findings. In addition to the pots other small objects, jewelry, beads and vases have been found.

Sbk - htp, grave 90; It is one of the larger tombs, about 80 m². The ceiling is supported by 13 pillars. From the found in grave 185 pots shows that the grave dates from the time of Pepi II. Sobek - Hotep was entitled " God Siegler ".

Stj.k3 jj - sm3, grave 110; The grave has a size of approximately 70 m², the ceiling is supported by two pillars rows of eight pillars. This grave has a window in the outer wall, the window was beaten at a later period in the wall when the grave was used by the Coptic monastery. Are located on the side opposite the entrance two cult niches with the associated false doors. This raises the suspicion that it is also this is a double grave, which can no longer be clarified. A table of offerings, which previously stood in front of the cult niche, now leaning against the wall of the main chamber. The grave was loud Habachi in the 1st split. Inscriptions and murals are partially destroyed, others in very poor condition. But it is apparent from those that set- Ka made ​​the following title: " Overseer of the Priests of the Pyramid Pepi II ", " overseer of foreign countries" and " Agent in Nubia ."

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