Six groups of lentoid beads (38—43); see p. 202

Provenance

As stated in Document 3 (pp. 29f), Chaban found lentoid beads of Egyptian blue and faience in the tomb (Diam 1.5, Th 0.19-0.24; Fig. lya-b). Carter also found lentoid beads there (p. 41), an unspecified number of “turquoise and lapis lazuli paste” (Diam 1.5, Th 0.2). According to MMA accession cards. Carter gave eleven such beads to the MMA (cf. Winlock 1948: 24); ten were arranged with the MMA’s early purchases of such beads. In 1988, the author found faience and Egyptian blue lentoid fragments at the tomb; these measured 1.4—1.5 in diameter and 0.15—0.2 in thickness (Fig. 82a, c).

The diameters of the MMA examples below vary from i. i to 1.7. Some of the examples are coated with fine yellow silt (hiebr).

Previous assessment

Winlock termed aU of the MMA beads “faience” but his illustration includes both faience and Egyptian blue examples (Winlock 1948: 24f, pis. 3, 6, 15a). He believed the beads were for everyday use. Some are illustrated in Aldred (1971: pi. 62); A. Wilkinson considered them shebiu-coUnr imitations (1971: 108).

Current understanding

All MMA beads are now strung by type of material and by color. Further, the beads are classified as funerary because of their marked contrast with the numerous gold jewels from or associated with the tomb, and because of their material similarity to the four bangles which may be models (44—7).

However, the exact symbolism of strings of vitreous lentoid beads is unclear. Commonly they are considered inexpensive versions of the shebiu, a gold collar of one or more strands given for honor or reward to male officials (Bryan in KozlofF and Bryan 1992: I98f.), which formed part of the “gold of praise” (Wente 1980: 43f). However, females and children are shown wearing strings of lentoid beads (Feucht 1977; Kozloff in Kozloff and Bryan 1992: 436). As well, kings wore them in life and death (Tutankhamun: Carter 255 and 256a, both with faience), and Bryan has argued for their solar symbolism (loc. cit.). Vitreous blue lentoids have been found at Hathor shrines (Pinch 1993: 265—9, fig - 16), sometimes stitched to cloth (Petrie and Currelly 1906: 152) or threaded together so that the flat sides are displayed (Pinch 1993: pi. 57).

Various evidence comes from funerary contexts. The impressions of two strands were found in linen for Schiaparelli’s princess Ahmose (Schiaparelli 1923: fig. 13; material unknown, bead Diam ca. 1.2), while several private mummies had single strings of vitreous lentoids at the neck; an MMA burial at Thebes (5 A R2 F5; MMA 16.10.272), and an EES burial at Saqqara (Bourriau 1991: figs. 5, 6 [upper and lower left], pi. 7.3; C. Andrews 1981: no. 662). The later mummy ofKha had a single strand of precious-metal beads at the neck (Curto and Mancini 1968: 78; Curto et al. 1980: 149). Otherwise, vitreous strings have been found on top of a coffin (child Amenhotep, Hayes 1959b: fig. 100 [below]; MMA 36.3.154), and in baskets or boxes with a variety of funerary supplies, both in private burials (Hayes 1959b: fig. 100 [above], MMA 36.3.70) as well as royal (Tutankhamun, Carter 2iy and 44bb—dd, some examples more like rings strung on a thick tube).

The origin of the bead at the beginning of the i8th dynasty is a question. The gold necklace of Petrie’s Qurna lady—a burial with strong Kerma elements1—is considered a shebiu (A. Wilkinson 1971: 8; Petrie 1909: pi. 29; Eremin et al. 2000: 37f), so the concept may originate in the south, although her beads are rings rather than biconi-cal or piano-conical disks. (The burial is dated earlier than the reign of Kamose, Bourriau 1991: 132.) The grave at Saqqara cited above—dated about the time of Amenhotep I in Bourriau 1991—does point to the south, as it contained a Nubian; thick faience lentoids were in a line at the neck somewhat resembling the “disk” beads Reisner found at Kerma (Reisner 1923: 99). Those disk beads were used there alone as girdles (K 310: 2, K 332: 7) or with ring beads to form a necklace (K 1041: 2, MFA 13.3974), and they also occurred in shell, speckled stone, and red stone (cf Reisner 1923: iiif). In the Theban burial with faience lentoids at the neck, cited above, several thick disk beads were strung with the lentoids. A two-strand assemblage of smaller beads—more piano-conical than lentoid— was also at the neck there (JdE 45676). Finally, it may be noted that Amenhotep II wears a shebiu-coWzr when depicted in Nubian dress (Davies i93o[i]: pi. 17).

38 Short strand of light Egyptian blue lentoid beads Fig. 120 (top)

MMA 26.8.66 (P 89).

Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1920.

Material Egyptian blue is light turquoise; medium thickness.

Dimensions L of strand 21.0, Th of beads 0.015.

41 Short strand of thick faience lentoid beads Fig. 120 (fourth from top)

MMA 26.8.68b (P 91).

Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1920.

Material Egyptian blue(?). Light turquoise color; matt surface.

Dimensions L of strand 18.0, Th of beads 0.20.

39  Long STPj>tND of light Egyptian blue lentoid beads Fig 120 (second from top)

MMA 26.8.67 (P 90).

Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1920.

Material Egyptian blue is light turquoise; beads thinner than those of 38.

Dimensions L of strand 41.0, Th of beads o. i.

40  Long strand of thick faience lentoid beads Fig. 120 (third from top)

MMA 26.8.68a (P 91).

Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1920.

Material Shiny bright turquoise faience.

Dimensions L of strand 31.0, Th of beads 0.25.

42  Long strand of dark Egyptian blue lentoid beads Fig. 120 (fifth from top)

MMA 26.8.69a (P 92).

Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1920.

Material Dark Egyptian blue.

Dimensions L of strand 47.5, Th of beads o. i.

43  Short strand of dabjc Egyptian blue lentoid beads Fig. 120 (sixth from top)

MMA 26.8.69b (P 92).

Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1920.

Material Dark Egyptian blue.

Dimensions L of strand 10.5, Th of beads 0.3.

Now noted also by Lacovara (2002). For other possible Kerma connections at Thebes in the late lyth-early i8th dynasty, see Lilyquist 1997c: 342.