Helwan 3

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The volume presents grave 1 to 50 of the 218 graves hitherto documented at Helwan-Operation 4, which forms part of a large necropolis of more than 10,000 graves south of Cairo and was excavated by Australians in 1997-2004. It is a pure presentation of material in shape of a catalogue so that dating is of a preliminary nature. An introduction to the site, excavation methods, preservation, and post-excavation processing are followed by contributions on graves, other features, human remains, pottery, other artefacts, faunal remains, and first conclusions. The larger and richer a grave was the more prone it was to disturbance. The graves reach from 2,900 to 2,600 B. C. and were often reused secondarily. They were dug into the hard ground either as an open pit [type I] or a subterranean chamber [type II] and completed by mud bricks and stones with or without mortar and plaster, timber, and mats. There were more than 1,200 artefacts such as pottery and stone vessels, seals, lids, tools, jewellery etc. The over 200 deceased belonged to all ages, both sexes, and different classes, mainly poorer ones. They were deposited without embalming in a crouched position in cloths, mats, mud or timber coffins.