Study of the Non-Excavated Objects, 1918-2001

The MMA acquired its funerary items, the majority of everyday jewels, and virtually all vessels of stone, metal, and glass between 1918 and 1922. They were accessioned in 1926; however, a great deal of time was needed to sort out, mend, and reconstruct the thousands of disparate beads and jewelry elements that had been acquired. Winlock supervised these efforts, having worked with Arthur Mace on Senebtisy’s objects (Mace and Winlock 1916) and alone on Sithathoryunet’s belongings (Winlock 1934). Yet his responsibilities as Director of the Egyptian Expedition (1928—32), Curator of Egyptian Art (1929—39, during which time the Expedition in Egypt closed down and the Museum galleries in New York were newly arranged), and as Director of the Museum (1932-39) surely interfered with the tedious attention needed to process the numerous objects said to be from Wady Qurud. The canopic jars were displayed from 1931, silver funerary and cosmetic vessels from 1932, headdresses and broad collars from 1933, and funerary jewelry and various jars from 1939. Photos of the objects were published first (Lythgoe 1923: 2y2f; Lythgoe 1927: 36; Winlock 1933, 1935; Metropolitan Museum of Art 1936: fig. i), then photos with descriptions (Winlock 1937, 1939; Lansing 1940; N. Scott 1944). When the new galleries of Egyptian art were opened in 1939, including all Wady Qurud material deemed worthy of exhibition, Winlock retired due to poor health. Between 1943 and 1944 he wrote The Treasure of Three Egyptian Princesses in Maine. It was printed in 1948.

After Winlock’s death, the funds that Edward S. Harkness had contributed to the purchase of early “Wady Qurud” objects were signaled in 1951 (Metropolitan Museum of Art 1951), and new “Wady Qurud” pieces came to hght. Between 1956 and 1970 the latter were recommended for purchase by Nora Scott, who also saw to their arrangement (Hayes 1958: 46; Redmond and Rorimer 1959: 34; Hayes 1959a; Hayes 1963: 66; N. Scott 1964: 231-4; Fischer 1966; Fischer 1970). These additions and adjustments were partially made in consultation with Cyril Aldred, a staff member at the MMA in 1955-56, and were illustrated in subsequent publications (Aldred 1971; A. Wilkinson 1971). During this period, the newly purchased elements were integrated and restrung with old. In two instances, necklaces were created by Scott from beads left aside by Winlock (MMA 26.8.212, .213; see 140, 200, 202—3).

The present author began working with the Winlock-Scott material in 1978, during the years of the reinstaUation of the Egyptian collection funded by Lila Acheson Wallace that was concluded in 1983. In 1978, some objects from earlier purchases were judged modem, and a complete review of all objects was then initiated. Major restringing was undertaken, a few new purchases were integrated into previous arrangements (Lilyquist 1982; 24; 1983: 25; 1988a), and some objects were temporarily set aside as having a doubtful connection to the tomb. In two instances, several items from the early purchases were accessioned for the sake of completeness (30, 31, 213, 225, 296—7, 323—4). Every attempt was made to identify the components of each assemblage created in 1978—83, but this was not always possible, notably in cases involving beads. In the winter of 1988, the tomb was excavated; one of the aims was a search for fragments of objects (Leclant 1990, 1991; Lilyquist 1991). Several reports appeared about the ongoing study (Lilyquist 1995b, 1996b); by 2001, all apparent issues concerning authenticity had been thoroughly investigated and the study was concluded.