Staroegipatska zbirka Narodnog muzeja u Beogradu

Abstract

U tekstu je po prvi put prezentovana, uključujući istorijat, detaljan opis, identifikaciju i datovanje, celokupna zbirka staroegipatskih predmeta iz Narodnog muzeja u Beogradu. U njoj se danas nalaze: celina poznata kao Beogradska mumija, prazan kovčeg Nefer-renepet, bronzane statuete Izide sa Horusom, te Horusa, tri skarabeja, po jedan amulet Tauret i Tota i tri ušabti figurine, od kojih jedna pripada Džed-Ptah-iu-ef-anku, svešteniku boga Amona.

In the first part of the article a history of the ancient Egyptian collection in the National Museum of Belgrade is presented, including a number of pieces now lost (e.g. pi. Ila-b). Since 1990/1992 the objects are situated in the Archaeological Collection of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade. Aside the coffins, the provenance of the objects is unfortunately unknown, as well as the date and manner of entering the museum. 1. "The Belgrade mummy." Decorated anthropoid wooden coffin with a plinth; vertical hieroglyphic inscription on the lid; L. 182.5 cm, max W. 52 cm (pi. la). Inside is the mummy (pi. Ib) of a ca. 50 years old male, about 165 cm tall, arms crossed on the breast, with gilded nails. Cranium partly filled with resin, with clear intercranial fluid level on the left side. Traces of spondylitis and scoliosis verified on the spine. A post osteomyelitis reparation of bone verified on the right fibula. The first right molar was extracted intravitally. The alleles of the Belgrade mummy do not differ from the most frequent alleles of the present human population, except for the FESFPS gene (Culjković, Anđelković, Stojković and Romac 2000). No spore-forming bacteria are detected (Anđelković, Andus and Stanković 1997). Decorated cartonnage, separate sections include: a collar with falcon-headed terminals; Isis and Nephthys in the mourning posture; Nut, Duamutef, and Imsety. Amulets include: faience djed-pillars; two flat-backed faience plaques showing Isis, Horus-the-Child and Nephthys in relief profile; a lapis lazuli wedjat-eye; a hollow sheet gold goddess Maat and ib (heart). The mummy was decorated by a faience bead necklace, and a bead net outer covering. Damaged papyrus roll (the Book of the Dead) located between the body and the outer bandages, near left upper arm. Such location, "under the left arm, close to the heart," is described by Goyon (1972: 229). The mummy, probably from necropolis of Akhmim, was purchased in Luxor in 1888 by Pavle Ridicki of Skribesce. Collection number 13 /VI. Date: 300 BC. (Andelković 1997). 2. Decorated anthropoid wooden coffin with plinth (pi. Ic) belonging, as stated by hieroglyphic inscription on the lid, to Nefer-renepet, dancer of Min; from Akhmim; Ptolemaic Period (Panic-Storh 1997). L. 183.7 cm, max W. 50.9 cm. Its interior shows figures of Nut and Maat, surrounded by hieroglyphs, probably portions of the Book of the Dead. Part of the former Amherst collection; wrongly attributed to Anpeti (N. N. 1921: 35 No. 351, pl.10/351). Attribution in Porter and Moss (1973: 821) also seems to be disputable. Purchased at Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge auction in London by Ernest Brummer, June 1921, and donated to the National Museum in Belgrade. Collection number 12 /VI. 3. Statuette of Isis nursing the infant Horus seated on her lap (pi. Id-f); solid-cast bronze. The goddess wears a headdress consisting of a vulture's wings, legs, and tail, surmounted by a solar disc between cow horns. The brow is not decorated with vulture's head but with the uraeus. The left forearm and the feet of the figurine are missing. Horus wears the sidelock of youth. Uneven green patination. H. 12.7 cm, max. W. 3.5 cm, max Dp. 3.1 cm. Collection number 4 /VI. Late Period. 4. Figurine of the Infant Horus in sitting posture; solid-cast bronze (pi. Ilc-d). Obviously once the part of a composite group of Isis nursing Horus, as indicated by traces of Isis' hand on the figurine's nape. Horus wears the sidelock of youth. Lower part of legs and right forearm are missing. Uneven green patination. H. 3.3 cm, max W. 1.8 cm, max Dp. 1.4 cm. Collection number 6/VI. Late Period. 5. Shabti figurine; limestone, black-colored surface (pi. Illa-b). Lower part is missing. Front side bears a barely legible inscription (fig. 1). A vertical cartouche on chest, with the signs: LI, Y5, N5 (Gardiner 1957); the name is to be read Mn-hpr-r* (Menkheperra), the prenomen of Thutmose III of Dynasty 18. His name occurs on many objects of all subsequent periods (Hall 1913: XXXVI). Two horizontal rows of incised signs below are damaged and beyond understanding. H. 10.6 cm, max W. 5.1 cm, max Dp. 2.6 cm. Collection number 7/VI. The authenticity of the figurine is questionable. 6. Shabti figurine of Djed-Ptah-iw-ef-ankh (pi. Illc-d) very schematic, flat -backed, light greenish -blue glazed faience, mold-made, arms not crossed (cf. Schneider 1977: fig.!2:10). Eyes and eyebrows are painted in black. Front side bears vertical text (fig. 2). The inscription, in black, reads ( lt -t): Wsir hm-ntr 2-nw n Imn Dd-pth-i[\v-f]-nh "The Osiris, the 2nd God's Servant of Amun, Djed -Ptah-i[w-ef]-ankh." The shabti is likely that of Djed-Ptah-iw-ef-ankh D, 2nd God's Servant of Amun and son of Takelot III. The late orthography makes it unlikely to be that of Djed-Ptah-iw-ef-ankh A, 3rd and 2nd God's Servant of Amun during the reign of Shoshenq I. H. 8.2 cm, max W. 2.32 cm, max Dp. 1.55 cm. Collection number 8/VI. Dynasty 23. (We are grateful to Mr. T. Sagrillo, University of Colorado at Boulder, for his kind help in this shabti's identification.) 7. Uninscribed shabti (pi. Ille-f) brownish-red terra-cotta, with traces of heavily worn blue coloring, mold-made. Fingerprints of a craftsman who pressed the clay into the mold on the back of the shabti. H. 4.8 cm, max W. 1.5 cm, max Dp. 1.1 cm. Collection number 9/VL The authenticity of the piece is questionable. 8. Taweret amulet in the round (pi. IVa-b) glazed-composition. Pale-green glaze is heavily worn. Her breasts are pendulous and she wears tail of a crocodile. The right hand and part of a base are missing. Suspension loop on the back. H. 4.3 cm, W. 1.1 cm, Dp. 1.65 cm. Collection number 10/VI. Dynasty 26 and later. 9. Amulet of the striding figure of ibis-headed Thoth wearing a kilt (pi. IVc-d) green glazed-composition. Pierced horizontally, approximately 1 cm below the top. Somewhat degenerate form (cf. Petrie 1994: pi. 36:202j; Andrews 1994: 13 fig. 7e, 24 fig. 20a). H. 4 cm, max W. 0.89 cm, Dp. at base 1.45 cm. Collection number 11/VI. Late Period. 10. Naturalistic scarab; diorite (pi. IVe-f; fig, 3a). The center of underbelly is pierced from side to side (cf. Ben-Tor 1989: 77/15; Andrews 1994: 59) so the scarab might be stitched to mummy wrappings. L. 1.85 cm, W. 1.42 cm, H. 0.85 cm. Collection number 2/VI. Dynasty 26 and later. 11. Schematic, undecorated scarab (pi. IVg; fig. 3b) translucent blue glass. L. 2 cm, W. 1.38 cm, H. 0.56 cm. Collection number 1/VI. According to Ben-Tor (1989: 42) glass scarabs usually date to the New Kingdom, but manufacture was revived under the late dynasties as well. Late Period. 12. Scarab (pi. IVh-j; fig. 3c) faience, brown in color, partially veined with greenish-yellow. A magic formula for the protection of the god Amun-Re engraved on the base (cf. Ben-Tor 1989: 34, 71-72). As stated by Newberry (1906: 190, PI. XL,23) this type of scarab seems to be very common. The signs constituting the vertical text are: N5, P3, S42 and most probably an unusual version of S33 twice (Gardiner 1957). Accordingly, the formula is (I): 'Imn-Rc shm tbwt "May Amun-Re (give) power to the soles of (your) feet." The piercing runs from head to tail. V-shaped notch at the top of each wing-case. Legs pierced through (cf. Hall 1913: XXXI A5). L. 1.54 cm, W. 1.13 cm, H. 0.71 cm. Collection number 3/VI. New Kingdom.