This group of tombs ([Pl. XXX]) is under the Lower Court of the ‘Valley’-Temple. The chambers are cut into one another, and thus form a homogeneous series. They were choked up with sand, with but little of their plundered contents left. It was hopeless to try to tell to which of the tombs the few remains belonged, and hence in enumerating them the chamber in which they were found can alone be given.
Pit Tomb No. 31. A ‘dug-out’ painted coffin burial with roughly painted shawabti box, and the lower portion of the stela found in Tomb No. 27 ([Pl. LIV]). In its chamber were found a few examples of pottery.
Pit Tomb No. 32. First chamber—an interesting type of a female figure made of painted wood with pottery head.[36] Second chamber—a Rîshi coffin ([Pl. LIII]. 3) belonging(?) to the original burial. It was found lying on its right side in a space on the floor especially cleared for it, and was bound at head and foot with palm fibre cords, which makes it appear to have been re-used. Notwithstanding its appearance of perfect preservation when first discovered, the coffin and even the body inside were so completely rotten that they fell to pieces at the least touch; it was in such a condition that it was impossible to preserve it. It being the most complete mummy case hitherto found in these tombs, a lengthy description is necessary. The case, anthropoid in shape, was decorated as if enveloped by the wings of a bird. This Rîshi[37] decoration is on a light yellow ground, the feathers themselves being of deep bluish green, picked out here and there with red and white, and detailed in black. The face was flesh colour, with eyebrows and side-beard straps green, the eye sockets of copper with aragonite eyeballs and obsidian pupils. Down the centre of the front of the coffin was a vertical line of hieroglyphs reading:
Pit Tomb No. 33. This had nothing in it, and being under the temple construction it was too dangerous to attempt a total clearance of its chamber or chambers.
Pit Tomb No. 34. This had only three intrusive interments, which were in an almost unrecognizable condition. Examples of the pottery vessels scattered about in the chambers of this group are given in [Pl. LIII]. 2. Their material does not differ from the other examples already described as coming from this necropolis.
The stela of Auy-res ([Pl. LIV]) found in Tombs No. 27 and 31 is of limestone, measuring 59 x 31 cms.; the inscriptions are incised upon the stone face and coloured dark blue; the figures are in the usual colouring and have blue collarettes. The horizontal legend begins with:—
‘(1) May the king give an offering to Osiris Khent-amenti, the Great God, Lord of Abydos, that he may give (2) oblations of water, incense, wax, all good and pure things (3) upon which the god lives ... for the ka of the Keeper of the Bow, Auy-res, justified.’