Back again AND I have some actual archaeology to share! Was in Cairo late Thursday and Friday engaging in all manner of licentious behavior. And by ‘licentious’ I mean taking three showers in a 24-hour period. One after swimming! We snuck into the Le Meridien hotel pool. Otherwise, we went to the Pyramids in the morning after a nice breakfast at the Mena House: true colonialist luxury. And a surly waitress. Long morning at the ‘Mids. I haven’t been in years and there were hawkers crawling all over the place. I think Zahi had gotten rid of them, but now he’s gone they’re back. Like a swarm of mosquitoes selling postcards, camel rides, horse rides, etc. Irritating, but they mostly leave me alone. Two of us went by the Menkaure pyramid (met a Badger graduate there!) and back through the mastaba field, where I’d not been before.
No photos though, as my good camera is now stuck in the open position: dust and sand, you know. The following are the last ones from that one unless I get it unstuck. Otherwise, I’m hoping my iPod will provide backup. But I finally found some interesting stuff last week after long days plowing through sand and junk:
That’s the entrance to one of the rooms I’ve been working in. The one off to the left there is the one where the next photos are from. It’s in the granary area.
The above view of the room. The big thing in the center is a stone mortar, surrounded by various sherds, a whole pot, and some roofing material.
That is the entrance again; note the square holes in the threshold. Don’t know if those are door-related or not. It’s a fairly flat piece which is a nicer piece than is often found (many times it’s a rough, knotty piece of wood). You can also see a granite step just off from it.
Closer view. The sticks are sections of the roof bound together with cordage, some of which is still attached. There’s also a very small vessel, partially broken, sitting inside the stone mortar.
And yet a closer view. I don’t know what the bundle is; I thought it was part of the matting from the roof but perhaps not as it’s a nice bundle like that rather than a flat section. There was also a sole of a sandal that does not apparently appear in those shots, darn it. Perfectly preserved though, of woven cordage. And another nice whole vessel in one corner.
Will attempt to get a functioning camera working soon. Hopefully.
