Badarian Bowl Burial
In an era where the
display of human remains has become a contested issue, the presentation of this
individual in his burial bowl is particularly arresting. This is the well-known
Burial 59 from the pre-dynastic North Spur site at Hemamieh
near Badari. The large red earthenware pot contained the deceased individual wrapped
in a linen shroud, without grave goods, and was capped by a second, slightly
smaller, bowl. The burial is one of a number that cut into the pre-dynastic
domestic refuse mound and is tentatively dated to the Protodynastic/Old Kingdom
periods.
I was particularly taken by the sign near the entrance
of the museum that noted that there are human remains on display inside. This
is contextualised in terms of how the collections are treated with respect and
are the subjects of ongoing research ‘in order to return aspects of their
individual identities’.
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