Achaeology

Tell Ibrahim Awad

Cemetery

Burials of the Type I

The cemetery which consists of the burials of two types is situated to the east of the temple. 20 burials of the first type lined with mudbrick were dated from the time of XII Dynasty. 36 burials of the second type are simple grave pits. They can be dated from the I Intermediate period. In two of them there were buried two individuals. The anthropological survey of skeletons showed that in most cases the dead were young people without visible signs of illness. There were discovered the cases of the surgical operations on the extremities.

Burials of the Type II

There is an idea that the dead in the cemetery were relatives. The analysis of teeth made it possible to know about the food allowance of the ancient population of Tell Ibrahim Awad.

20% of found skeletons were covered by the layer of red ochre or coloured sand. A layer of white ash material on the skeletons and under them, which was discovered in 61% of burials, is the evidence of the practice of wrapping the dead in the reed mats. Thicker layers, which were found in 22% of burials, could be the remains of wooden coffins. The fragments of plaster discovered in these burials could cover wood. This reconstruction allows to observe the evolution of the funerary rites in the tell Ibrahim Awad cemetery.

All burials have very poor equipment. In most cases there are beads made of bone.

T. Sherkova, A. Krol