The Late Old Kingdom Archive from the Pyramid Complex of Netjerkhet

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During excavations at the pyramid complex of Netjerkhet at Saqqara in the 1920s, Firth and Quibell discovered a purpose-built archive with fragments of papyri still in situ. Although this important discovery received scant notice in the published reports, it can be determined that the archive was constructed when ”Temple T” or the ”Building with three fluted columns” was converted into an administrative centre around 2400 BC. The archive consists of a long corridor flanked by 26 mud-brick niches and it had the estimated capacity to store several thousand papyri. The contents of the papyri found in the niches suggests that the administrative centre was used by the vizier and that it was involved in the construction of the royal pyramids during the late Old Kingdom.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationLes archives administratives de l'Ancien Empire
EditorsPhilippe Collombert, Pierre Tallet
Number of pages30
Volume37
PublisherPeeters
Publication date2021
Pages117-146
ISBN (Print)9789042944527
ISBN (Electronic)9789042944442
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021
SeriesOrient & Méditerranée
Volume37
ISSN2101-3195

ID: 258852096