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The Sands of Time—3000 Years of Human Activity at Saqqara,...
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The Sands of Time—3000 Years of Human Activity at Saqqara, Egypt

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408). This special issue belongs to the section "Archaeological Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 19032

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lidija Mcknight

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
Interests: mummified animal remains; experimental mummification; ancient Egypt; Egyptology lends; animal mummies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The site of Saqqara, Egypt provides evidence for 3000 years of continuous funerary activity with human burials of all social groups, including royalty, the nobility and ordinary people. It is the site of the world’s oldest stone funerary complex—Djoser’s Step Pyramid. The site provides the unparalleled opportunity to chart human burial practices from the 1st Dynasty through to the advent of Christianity in Egypt. It is the home of the Serapeum, the burial catacomb of the cult Apis bulls, as well as the largest of Egypt’s known animal necropolis, where millions of animals were deposited as votive offerings. This Special Issue will investigate the site and its wealth of material culture.

Dr. Lidija Mcknight
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 11598 KiB  
Article
The Leiden-Turin Excavations at Saqqara
by Lara Weiss and Christian Greco
Heritage 2022, 5(4), 3188-3210; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5040164 - 26 Oct 2022
Viewed by 2557
Abstract
This article highlights the history of almost 50 years of Leiden archaeological work at Saqqara, in the cemetery south of the Unas causeway, and places the recent findings of the current Leiden-Turin Expedition within a broader historical context, both ancient and modern. The [...] Read more.
This article highlights the history of almost 50 years of Leiden archaeological work at Saqqara, in the cemetery south of the Unas causeway, and places the recent findings of the current Leiden-Turin Expedition within a broader historical context, both ancient and modern. The relationship between the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden and Egypt started almost 200 years ago, with the acquisition of the first objects. The arrival of a collection of important objects coming from Saqqara triggered an interest in finding the context from which they originated. This led to the creation of the joint Dutch-British mission, that made the first important discoveries. Over the time, Museo Egizio, Torino, joined the mission; the current Dutch-Italian mission has been working on unearthing further structures as well as documenting in detail all the aspects of the site, from the buildings to the reliefs, from the finds to the overall context. Discoveries on the field are led and followed by the careful study of objects belonging to museum collections, in an interplay between archaeological sites and museums that goes beyond their physical boundaries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sands of Time—3000 Years of Human Activity at Saqqara, Egypt)
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13 pages, 4688 KiB  
Article
Long Live the Step Pyramid!
by Kamil Omar Kuraszkiewicz
Heritage 2022, 5(3), 2615-2627; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5030136 - 7 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3586
Abstract
The paper discusses the role of the funerary complex built for Netjerykhet (Djoser) in the landscape of Memphis and Saqqara necropolis as a ritual, cultural and visual reference point. Additionally, an interpretation of its meaning and purpose, including the above- and underground structures [...] Read more.
The paper discusses the role of the funerary complex built for Netjerykhet (Djoser) in the landscape of Memphis and Saqqara necropolis as a ritual, cultural and visual reference point. Additionally, an interpretation of its meaning and purpose, including the above- and underground structures as well as the so-called Dry Moat, is presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sands of Time—3000 Years of Human Activity at Saqqara, Egypt)
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14 pages, 1884 KiB  
Article
The Legacy of Prince Khaemwaset at Saqqara
by Campbell Price
Heritage 2022, 5(3), 2196-2209; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5030115 - 12 Aug 2022
Viewed by 3453
Abstract
Saqqara in particular, and the Memphite necropolis in general, constituted the arena for the prolific and significant monumental self-presentations of Prince Khaemwaset, fourth son of King Ramesses II (c. 1279–1213 BCE). The present paper explores the role of the prince in fashioning a [...] Read more.
Saqqara in particular, and the Memphite necropolis in general, constituted the arena for the prolific and significant monumental self-presentations of Prince Khaemwaset, fourth son of King Ramesses II (c. 1279–1213 BCE). The present paper explores the role of the prince in fashioning a persona that addressed past, present and future audiences. This discussion is used to contextualise results of the 2009 Saqqara Geophysical Survey Project, showing the greater-than-expected extent of the New Kingdom necropolis south of the Unas Causeway. It considers responses to the deep palimpsest of the sacred landscape of the Memphite necropolis by—and later commemorations within it of—this notable Ramesside individual. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sands of Time—3000 Years of Human Activity at Saqqara, Egypt)
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17 pages, 5474 KiB  
Article
Living amongst the Dead: Life at the Ancient Memphite Necropolis of Saqqara during the Late Period/Early Ptolemaic Era
by Scott Williams
Heritage 2022, 5(3), 1462-1478; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5030077 - 29 Jun 2022
Viewed by 2979
Abstract
The Memphite Necropolis of Saqqara is situated approximately 20 km south of modern Cairo on a plateau at the edge of the western desert and was in use as a funerary site for a period of nearly three and a half millennia. Today, [...] Read more.
The Memphite Necropolis of Saqqara is situated approximately 20 km south of modern Cairo on a plateau at the edge of the western desert and was in use as a funerary site for a period of nearly three and a half millennia. Today, the site is popular with visitors and archaeologists alike, but its ruinous condition and a proscribed visitor experience does little to offer visitors an understanding of the necropolis and how it was inhabited during the ancient past. This article examines the current documentary and excavation research on the Memphite Necropolis of Saqqara during the Late Period/early Ptolemaic era and considers its inhabitants, their routes of movement, and where they may have lived and worked. This article contends that the landscape of the necropolis was dynamic and full of activity. A mixture of priests, craftsmen, merchants, and others involved in the daily activities of the temples and cults, along with pilgrims, worshippers, and casual visitors, would have been moving in and around the necropolis daily. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sands of Time—3000 Years of Human Activity at Saqqara, Egypt)
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13 pages, 43520 KiB  
Article
Sacred Animals at Saqqara
by Paul T. Nicholson
Heritage 2022, 5(2), 1240-1252; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5020064 - 2 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4696
Abstract
Saqqara, the necropolis of the first capital city of a unified Egypt, is best known today for the Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser (2667–2648 B.C.). However, the Step Pyramid is only the most visible feature of this great burial site, and the tombs [...] Read more.
Saqqara, the necropolis of the first capital city of a unified Egypt, is best known today for the Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser (2667–2648 B.C.). However, the Step Pyramid is only the most visible feature of this great burial site, and the tombs of many thousands of individuals are hidden beneath the sands, some excavated, others not. These human burials are only a part of Saqqara’s funerary history. This paper examines the catacombs of the numerous animals revered by the Egyptians at Saqqara and whose burial places have come to be known collectively as ‘The Sacred Animal Necropolis’ (SAN). First amongst these, both in importance and inception, was the Apis bull, the living image (ba) of Ptah, creator god of Memphis. However, it was the work conducted by Professor W.B. Emery (1903–1971) which brought to light the burial place of the Mother of the Apis as well as those for ibises, falcons, and baboons and which has provided much of what we know of the Sacred Animal Necropolis at North Saqqara. More recent work has built upon the discoveries made by Emery and others and taken a new approach to these subterranean catacombs for sacred animals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sands of Time—3000 Years of Human Activity at Saqqara, Egypt)
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