Despite over a century of exploration and study, many aspects of the funerary complex of netjerykhet still remain a mystery, mainly due to almost complete lack of any textual or iconographic evidence in the complex itself. nevertheless, it is commonly accepted that the complex was planned as a multi-layered setting for the eternal life for the king, and the numerous structures contained within the temenos were intended to enable the king to be reborn and to execute his rule eternally.
It seems, however, that the ritual significance of the complex extended also outside the temenos wall. In 1985 Nabil swelim identified a large trench (which he named the ‘Dry Moat’) that is visible at several places outside the step Pyramid complex.1 Since that time the existence of this feature has been commonly accepted and our knowledge of it has been significantly (although still not sufficiently) enriched.2
It was proposed that the Dry Moat was an enormous trench of uniform width (about 40 m), enclosing an area of approximately 750 by 600 m. In plan, it resembles the hieroglyph O with two overlapping channels on the southern side (Fig. 1).
He outline of the northern and western channels of this trench is quite clearly visible on maps as well as on
1 N. Swelim, ‘he Dry Moat of the Netjerykhet Complex’, in J. Baines, T. G. H. James, A. Leahy and A. F. Shore (eds), Pyramid Studies and Other Essays Presented to I. E. S. Edwards (London 1988), 12—22.
2 For example K. Mysliwiec, ‘The “Dry Moat” west of the Netjerykhet enclosure’, in M. Barta (ed.), he Old Kingdom Art and Archaeology. Proceedings of the conference held in Prague, May 31—June 4, 2004 (Prague 2006), 233—237; N. Swelim, ‘he Dry Moat, the South Rock Wall of the Inner South Channel’, in E. Czerny, et al. (eds), Timelines. Studies in Honour of Manfred Bietak (3 vols, OLA 149; Leuven-Paris-Dudley 2006), I, 363—376.
Aerial and satellite photographs. he northern channel was never excavated and its depth and appearance are not known. he western channel was excavated at two places: a roughly 40 m long fragment of its western bank was cleared in its northern part (near the tomb of Ptahhotep490) and an approximately 20 m long one in its middle part (west of the tomb of Merefnebef, see below).
Also the eastern channel can be seen on some photographs, although not as clearly as the two mentioned before. However, no archaeological work has been carried out there which could verify the existence of this trench.
He case of the southern channels is much more complicated. As said before, it seems that south of the Step Pyramid complex there are two overlapping channels of the Dry Moat. hey are poorly visible on aerial photographs, but, on the other hand, here the longest sections of this structure have been excavated, recently analysed anew by Nabil Swelim, based mainly on an unpublished documentation of work done by Selim Hassan and Zaki Saad before and during World War II.491
In 1937—1938, between and under mastabas south-east of the Step Pyramid complex, Selim Hassan unearthed the
Fig. 1: he ‘Dry Moat’ of the funerary complex of Netjerykhet
EXCAVATED SECTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN CHANNEL OF THE 'DRY MOAT’
(VIEW FROM THE NORTH-EAST)
(Based on plans by J.-Ph. Lauer, S. Hassan, N. Swelim and B. Blaszczuk)
Easternmost known part of the inner southern channel. It consists of a sequence of three long and narrow compartments, interconnected by means of ‘doorways’ or ‘tunnels’ and possibly originally roofed. Two of the compartments are said to be 25 m deep, with the third of lesser depth. he upper parts of these compartments can still be seen between the mastabas of Kairer and Bebi.5
He second fragment of the southern channel is situated between the mastabas of Kairer and queen Nebet. It was excavated in 1939-1940 by Zaki Saad who found it to be a long and narrow trench. Steps leading westwards have been reached at the depth of 25 m, but then the work was stopped. In the southern wall of this trench a large niche was hewn, which still can be seen. Also in the southern wall, below the level of the niche, there is a protrusion visible, running along all the excavated part of the trench. As suggested by Nabil Swelim, the protrusion may be interpreted as remains of a collapsed roof.6
He third section has been discovered by Zaki Saad in
5 Swelim, in Czerny et al. (eds), Timelines I, 370-373.
6 Swelim, in Czerny et al. (eds), Timelines I, 373.
1939-1940 and 1942-1943, west of the mastaba of queen Khenut. As can be concluded from the evidence published by Saad and by Swelim,492 this feature has the form of a deep, long and narrow, rectangular compartment, 3 m wide and probably about 60 m long (judging by photographs). All four walls of this compartment seem to be regular and almost vertical. A row of ten niches was hewn in the southern wall, probably at a depth of approximately. 7.5 m, and a second row, consisting of only three niches, 9 m below them. If the sketch published by Zaki Saad493 is drawn to scale, the niches would be over 3 m high. No information concerning their depth is available and it is not known if anything was found inside any of these niches. (However, it may be assumed that any inds would have been reported.) A protrusion in the south wall above the niches may indicate
That the compartment was originally roofed. A pavement made of stones and mortar was found at a depth of 26 m.494
He northern edge of the southern channel of the Dry Moat has not been found where it might be expected, that is roughly 40 m north of the southern one, close to the temenos wall and parallel to it. he rocky shelf into which several late Old Kingdom tombs (those of larti, Ankhi, snofruhotep and Nengem) are hewn is too irregular and not in a proper position so as to be identified with the expected northern bank of the Dry Moat.495 Moreover, there is no evidence of any ‘trench’ or ‘compartment’ in the area between the structures described above and the temenos wall.
He regular form of these features, the rocky dividing walls with ‘doorways’, the niches and steps as well as the pavement, indicate that these were not abandoned elements of the unfinished trench, but rather intentionally created structures. It is also noteworthy that the ‘doorways’ and niches described above are situated in such way that they were not accessible from the ground level or from the bottom of the respective compartments, which may suggest a purely symbolic function.
Hus, although only a few sections of the southern channel of the Dry Moat have been unearthed so far, the available evidence suggests that it was a structure quite different from the initial picture of a simple, wide and quite regular trench. Instead, there is a sequence of interconnected, long and narrow rooms hewn in the bedrock, some of them possibly roofed. he term ‘Dry Moat’ seems to be somewhat inadequate, at least in relation to the southern channel.
In this context, the section of the western channel excavated by the Polish mission seems particularly interesting. Fragments of the eastern and western edges of a north-south depression have been unearthed, hewn in the bedrock west of the Step Pyramid complex.496
He eastern bank has been excavated to a depth of approximately 5 m without reaching the bottom of the trench. In contrast to what can be seen of the southern sections, the rocky wall here is not vertical, but it slopes at an angle of approximately 55°. However, the rock is very friable and heavily eroded at this section and the original appearance of the edge remains unknown. here are two unusual features hewn in the eastern bank of this trench, the so-called Corridors 1 and 2.497
Corridor 1 runs 22 m eastwards and ends in a rectangular chamber situated on its northern side. Its loor was
Paved with irregular slabs of tafla bonded with mud. In the chamber, a large wooden harpoon was found, lying in a cylindrical box.498 he unusual form of Corridor 1 as well as the harpoon found inside may indicate that it was not a sixth dynasty structure, but rather it formed part of the Dry Moat in a way similar to the compartments, openings and, above all, niches in the southern channel.
Corridor 2 is situated slightly over 10 m north of Corridor 1; it is 12.5 m long and 3.60 m high, and in its walls funerary chapels dating from the late sixth dynasty are hewn.14 Despite apparent differences in their form and purpose, a closer analysis reveals significant similarities between the two corridors. In Corridor 2, there is a distinct division between its upper (above the facades of the chapels) and lower part. he upper part is wider and more regular, reaches deeper into the rock, and its rear wall is very irregular, giving the impression of an unfinished work.15 Moreover, the roofs of both corridors are placed at the same level, approximately 1 m below the surface of the bedrock. It may be supposed, therefore, that Corridor 2 was planned as a structure similar in form to Corridor 1, but unfinished and adapted at a later date for funerary purposes by increasing its height and hewing the chapels in its walls. Assuming that Corridor 1 dates from the time of Netjerykhet, then also the original Corridor 2 could be of similar date.
An approximately 10 m long section of the western bank has been unearthed about 40 m west of the eastern one. However, the rock on this side is even more eroded than in the east and sixth dynasty funerary chapels were cut into it, thus the original shape and width of the Dry Moat at this place cannot be reconstructed. However, the presence of the two corridors may suggest that the
13 K. Mysliwiec, ‘Le harpon de Sakkara’, in H. Gyory (ed.), ‘Le lotus qui sort de terre’: Melanges offerts a Edith Varga. Bulletin du Musee Hongrois des Beaux-Arts. Supplement, (Budapest 2001), 395—410; he chamber also contained a deposit of animal bones and a pottery deposit dating from the sixth dynasty; it seems, however, that the contents of Corridor 1 were re-arranged during the sixth dynasty. cf S. Ikram, ‘West Saqqara. Preliminary Zooarchaeological Report’, PAM XII (2001), 127—132; id., ‘Typhonic bones: A ritual deposit from Saqqara?’, in S. J. O’Day, W. Van Neer and A. Ervynck (eds), Behaviour Behind Bones. he zooarchaeology of ritual, religion, status and identity. Proceedings of the 9th Conference of the International Council of Archaeozoology (Durham 2002), 41—46; K. Kuraszkiewicz, ‘Remarks on Corridor 1’, PAM XII (2001), 133-137; T. I. Rzeuska, ‘he Pottery’, PAM XII (2001), 138-140.
14 cf for example K. Mysliwiec, ‘West Saqqara in 2002’, PAM XIV (2003) 119-120; id., in Barta (ed.), he Old Kingdom Art and Archaeology, 237; K. Kuraszkiewicz, ‘he title htmtj ntr — god’s sealer — in the Old Kingdom’, in Barta (ed.), he Old Kingdom Art and Archaeology, 193—195.
15 K. Mysliwiec, ‘West Saqqara. Archaeological Activities 2003’, PAM XV (2004), 121-122, fig. 8.
Sequence of rock-cut rooms found on the southern side of the Netjerykhet’s funerary complex continues also on its western side (and possibly on northern and eastern too, as suggested originally by nabil swelim).
All the sections excavated so far of the Dry Moat reveal additional elements: dividing walls with doorways, niches and corridors. his, as well as the appearance of the southern channel of the Dry Moat, suggests that the function of this enormous structure could not have been restricted to separating the funerary complex of netjerykhet from the outside world. On the contrary, the arrangement of the interconnected underground compartments with niches and corridors, which probably were intended to house statues or ritual objects (like the harpoon in the corridor 1), brings to mind a sequence of regions to be passed through on the way into the afterlife, as described and depicted in later underworld books.
He deepest excavated section so far of this structure is situated at the depth of 26 m. considering that the rock level is irregular and generally higher inside the temenos than outside it, it may be assumed that the Dry Moat’s bottom is level with the burial chambers (both under the pyramid and under the south Tomb) and the blue tiled rooms that accompany them. It seems therefore that the dry moat and the underground rooms in the pyramid complex were related to each other. he rooms inside the temenos were conceived as a device for resurrection of the king who proceeded from the burial chamber(s) towards the outside. A path leading towards the heaven would be a logical continuation of this process. hus, it may be proposed that the dry moat was intended as a route to lead the resurrected king from his tomb into the afterworld. his road, at least in its presently known part, required the king alternately to descend and ascend, passing through a sequence of underground rooms/regions that probably contained statues or ritual objects. he function of these objects could have been protective or they could have represented dangerous places and beings to be defeated by the king before reaching the heaven.
Comparing this arrangement with the tripartite model of the Beyond proposed by James P. Allen,499 one can find three related sections in netjerykhet’s funerary complex: sarcophagus chamber(s)—blue-tiled chambers (= antecham-ber/Duat) — the ‘Dry Moat’ (= corridor opening to heaven).
It should be remembered, however, that the present knowledge of the theology and eschatology in the time of Djoser is still too limited to draw any final conclusions, and several questions remain open.500 However, if the hypothesis presented above is true, it would mean that the funerary complex of Netjerykhet had one further symbolic dimension, completing those represented by its above - and underground levels.
World History
