Seven pendants (180-6); see pp. 114, 259
Provenance
Standard early provenance.
Previous assessment
Winlock beheved that all ornaments came from the tomb, although he initially doubted granulated tube pendant 185 because of its silvery color (1948: 26, followed by Hayes 1959b: i33f). He did not query their Middle Kingdom associations, and guessed that the spiral pendant must be related to the granulated tube pendants, with wear on its suspension ring an indication of use. In 1976, while working for the MMA, Bruce Williams doubted that the shell pendants 180—i, tube pendants 182—5, and inlaid spiral 186 would have been in this Dynasty 18 tomb.
Current understanding
Proof that at least two Middle Kingdom types lasted into Dynasty 18 comes from Chaban’s excavations. The first is the ball bead with metal caps, represented in Wady Di by two vitreous examples with metal tubes that were presumably once equipped with metal caps (p. 31). Although this bead type is usually assigned to the late Middle Kingdom (C. Andrews 1981: Appendix W), a felspar and gold example was found in Camarvon-Carter’s tomb 70 in the Assasif (MMA 26.7.1345) and a carnelian and gold example inscribed “divine wife, Nefertary” is in the MMA (30.8.342). A variety of beads had metal tubes in Maiherpri’s tomb (Daressy 1902b: 30 no. 24068/1/5 c-d).
The second “Middle Kingdom” type Chaban found is the acacia-seed bead (pp. 29f); see C. Andrews 1981: Appendix U). These are of glass, thus date to Dynasty 18.
Other Middle Kingdom jewel-types associated with Wady Di are:
Bivalve pendants (C. Andrews 1981: Appendixes H, J; A. Wilkinson 1971: 6of);
Granulated tube pendants (C. Andrews 1981: Appendix E; C. WiUiams 1924: 49—54; Aldred 1971:
162; A. Wilkinson 1971: 55, 208 note i; Ogden 1973, 1992: 52).
Metal bivalve pendants certainly occur in Dynasties 13-7 (Lilyquist 1993c: 47f; Petrie 1914: 26, pl.14.112d). Abydos tomb E108, assigned to the 13 th dynasty, yielded both types as well as ridged bracelets—that perhaps link to earrings of Tuthmoside times, see 109—13—and inlaid fish (see 225). One of Passalacqua’s early New Kingdom graves at Thebes had a metal bivalve example with stone Conus-sheUs (cf. 197), but the grave was otherwise not described (Moller 1910: 18 no. 13). That the form still had meaning by the time of Tutankhamun is shown by a ridged Petunculus-shell edged with gold (Carter 62o[7i]; TAA neg. 90).
As for granulated tube pendants, although mainly associated with the late Middle Kingdom, C. Williams thought they extended into the New Kingdom (1924; 54); indeed, individual members of this class have different characteristics. Tubes from post-Middle Kingdom contexts at Kerma and Semna, for example, have a coarse quality (Lilyquist 1993b - 37b), and the largest example of the type (in the British Museum, unprovenanced; C. Andrews 1981: no.
397) is massive compared to the smaller and more delicate examples with sparse wire-wrapped granules. The largest example below is impressive in quality and scale, the second largest a bit less so; the remaining two, and parts of three others seen with Wady Qurud material in the 1980s, are less impressive yet (p. 114). Curiously, no granulated tubes with an excavated Theban provenance have been located. Thus, while size and quality prompt an association of the first two with the Wady Qurud, it is perhaps safer to place all the tubes here in the “maybe” category.
The Egyptian blue-inlaid spiral pendant appears to have no parallels whatsoever. In the Middle Kingdom there are tube pendants comprised of stacked disks of stone and gold, pendants of alternating colored ball beads, and pendants comprised of a plain stone cylinder or a section of gold braid. There is also a tube pendant with wire wrapped around the exterior (Engelbach and Gunn 1923; 13 §57, pi. 22) and another which is simply a wire spiral with suspension cap (Peet 1914: 45 tomb 44, pi. 9.2). Finally, there are vitreous tubular beads from the Middle Kingdom shaped with a spiral design (MMA 22.1.13 54 from LNP radim). Nevertheless, no exact parallel has been found for this pendant. The quality and scale, however, combined with the standard early provenance, suggest Wady Qurud.
180 Bivalve pendant
Fig. 205 (right)
MMA 26.8.71 (P 51).
Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1919.
Material Gold.
Dimensions H 7.7.
Manufacture Convex/concave shell with suspension effected by scored loop fused to top. The ends of the loop do not meet; on the exterior, at the back, there is a circle of gold opposite the loop, and the point of attachment is reinforced by a strip.
Condition Tear in shell near top; reddish film with fingerprints in it.
Bibliography Winlock 1948: 25, pi. 12b; Hayes 1959b; 133.
181 Small bivalve pendant
Fig. 205 (left)
MMA 26.8.72 (P 98).
Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1920.
Material Electrum (see Appendix 2).
Dimensions H 4.9.
Manufacture Convex/concave shell with suspension effected by scored loop fused to front and back surfaces of shell. Reinforcement strip along front seam modern?
Bibliography Lansing 1940: pi. 9; Winlock 1948: 25, pi. 12a.
182 Large tube pendant
Fig. 206 (left)
MMA 26.8.76a, b (P 49).
Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1919.
Material Gold, copper alloy.
Dimensions H 5.5.
Manufacture Gold tube with lengthwise seam contains an inner tube of copper alloy. Outer tube is decorated with nine rows of twelve rings; a granule is fused in each. Cap at either end of tube is comprised of a disk fused to a truncated cone. Scored suspension tube on top surface is set towards edge.
Condition Top cap dented, bottom has losses. Gold bright, probably from cleaning.
Bibliography Lansing 1940: pi. 9; Winlock 1948: pis. i2d, 42c (a rather schematic drawing); Muller and Thiem 1998: fig. 193 (left).
183 Medium-sized tube amulet
Fig. 206 (second from left)
MMA 26.8.77a, b (P 48).
Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1919.
Materials Gold, copper alloy.
Dimensions H 4.8.
Manufacture As 182, but with seven rows of thirteen rings holding granules. Caps not as neatly braised, with disk on top example separated from its flared sides, and suspension loop a curl of metal—reinforced by an ancient coupon—placed toward edge.
Condition Some rings and balls missing. Gold bright, probably cleaned.
Bibliography Winlock 1948; pi. i2g; Muller and Thiem
1998: fig. 193 (right).
184 Reddish tube pendant
Fig. 206 (third from left)
MMA 26.8.78 (P 154).
Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1920.
Material Gold.
Dimensions H 4.4.
Manufacture Caps not removable, therefore interior uncertain. Exterior decorated with six rows of rings and granules. Disk of top cap separated from sides; loop placed towards edge.
Condition Reddish film. Some rings and granules bent.
Bibliogilaphy Winlock 1948: pi. I2f; Muller and Thiem 1998: fig. 193 (second from right).
185 Silvery tube pendant
Figs. 88b (right), 206 (right)
MMA 26.8.79 (P 97).
Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1920.
Material Probably electrum.
Dimensions H 3.95.
Manufactuile The tube, joined along its length, has five rows of granules, one row on the seam. In each row, pairs of granules are linked by spiral wires. There appears to be a metal tube inside; the remaining cap has no evidence of a suspension ring.
Condition Only one cap preserved; several spiral wires missing.
Bibliography Winlock 1948: pi. 42c; Muller and Thiem 1998: fig. 193 (second from left).
I86 Inlaid spiral pendant
Fig. 207
MMA 26.8.137 (P 140).
Source Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1921.
Materials Gold, Egyptian blue.
Dimensions H 7.41.
Manufacture Main part is a central tube that appears to be a thin metal sheet with overlapping seam. Both ends of this tube are closed off, that above by a cap with a suspension loop in its top surface, that below with what
Appears to be a disk with a concave center. The tube has a punched hole in its side, presumably to allow air flow when the pendant was fused from parts. A thick strip of gold sheet is wound around the tube between the caps, not completely symmetrically. This strip does not always He flat against the tube, and between the strip and the tube are traces of Egyptian blue. As a whole, the object tapers sHghtly from top to bottom. When intact, the pendant was a long, thin, slightly tapered spiral of blue and gold. Bibliography Winlock 1948: pi. 130.
World History
