24th April 2013
Intef (Antef) Tomb TT386 - Asasif - West Bank
I have been to this site before. I have come back this time to see if there are any changes. I don't think anything has changed but it is not always easy to know what is happening inside.
It is one of my favourite areas. It's quite complex and large with several tombs in it. Three tomb doorways have 386 above them and there are other tombs; perhaps for the family of Intef. It's a site where I find you can just stare and wonder what it was like in its original finished state.
It is quite easy to imagine what this must have looked like when it was all under ground and in good condition. I take a guess and think that the ceilings must have collapsed during the many earth quakes that shook this area way back in history, as did very many other tomb sites.
Intef (Antef) Tomb TT386 - Asasif - West Bank
I have been to this site before. I have come back this time to see if there are any changes. I don't think anything has changed but it is not always easy to know what is happening inside.
It is one of my favourite areas. It's quite complex and large with several tombs in it. Three tomb doorways have 386 above them and there are other tombs; perhaps for the family of Intef. It's a site where I find you can just stare and wonder what it was like in its original finished state.
It is quite easy to imagine what this must have looked like when it was all under ground and in good condition. I take a guess and think that the ceilings must have collapsed during the many earth quakes that shook this area way back in history, as did very many other tomb sites.
Intef (Antef) was an Ancient Egyptian of the 11th Dynasty, around 2000 BC, under king Mentuhotep II. His main title was overseer of troops often translated as general. Other titles include royal sealer and sole friend (of the king).
The tomb is a saff-tomb. It was fully decorated. The facade has several pillars with paintings, while the corridor behind was covered with relief decorated stone slabs. Behind the corridor there is a chapel also once decorated with slabs of stone, this time painted. Several of the paintings are well preserved on the front pillars and the wall behind them. They show the siege of a Palestine fortress, hunting in the marshes, agricultural scenes and workshops. The slabs of the corridor and cult chapel are only preserved in fragments. In the tomb appears the throne name: Mentuhotep II, confirming the dating of Intef under this king. At the cult chamber is the entrance to the underground burial chamber where there is a standing uninscribed sarcophagus of Intef. In the tomb was also found a statue of Intef.
There are three doorways that have 386 above them.
Doorway 1. Doorway 2. Doorway 3.
Behind the cardboard there are some very nice relief painted walls.
Intef Tomb site to the left, unknown site as yet to the right with little mummy, coffin and feet.
There are several mummies in this tomb and I am not sure if they all belong to the owners family or are just being stored here from other tombs. I would guess that they are being stored here.
A further tomb with two very nice flights of stairways leading down to it. Inside you can make out a false door.
Inside here there is another little Mummy
Further Tombs or chambers at Intef Site.
The following are from the site adjoining Intef.
As yet, I have no information on the site to the right. It is mostly constructed of mud bricks and does have several tombs in and around it.
This sad little person or child lays out in the open at the entrance to a tomb. It was covered just in the material as seen. I recovered it when I left; I felt for it. I doubt it was important enough to be looked after.
I find this very sad. This person was laid to rest a long time ago and is now neglected and obviously not in its original burial place. Other important people are now in museums all over the world and hopefully are honoured for who they are and were. This little person has no place as yet and will not be remembered by anyone. I hope in time that someone will put it in a nice place.
I find this very sad. This person was laid to rest a long time ago and is now neglected and obviously not in its original burial place. Other important people are now in museums all over the world and hopefully are honoured for who they are and were. This little person has no place as yet and will not be remembered by anyone. I hope in time that someone will put it in a nice place.
17th February 2015
8th December 2015 - Update