Talking Pyramids

Director of the Giza Archives at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and Lecturer in Egyptology at Tufts University, Peter Der Manuelian also runs a blog called the Giza Archives Blog.

Continuing the momentum of what has become known as the ‘Giza Caves’ story, Peter has posted an article on his blog about the tomb known as NC2, short for ‘North Cliff 2′ and referred to by Collins as the ‘Tomb of the Birds’:

Members of the Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition, directed by George Reisner, were indeed aware of the tomb in question during the first half of the 20th century. It lies about 160 meters north of “Harvard Camp,” as the Expedition’s dig house was then called. The tomb is the central one of three rock-cut structures in the cliff, numbered from east to west by the Expedition as NC1 (for “North Cliff”), NC2, and NC3. In fact, Reisner designated NC2 as the air raid shelter for his Egyptian workmen during World War II. (Reisner himself and other crew-members used tombs on the east side of the Great Pyramid when the air raid sirens sounded.) I recently visited the area with two sons, now in their 70s, of one of Reisner’s foremen (see fig. 2).

Though he doesn’t actually refer to the the caves themselves in his blog post, Manuelian gives some interesting information and images including an archaeological drawing from 1939 of the façade on NC2, the pillared chamber behind, and the long corridor extending further to the south and also a hand written note by MFA Egyptologist William Stevenson Smith that reads:

“Rock cut tombs due north of Harvard Camp. Used as air raid shelters during War. In 1930 I saw traces of painting on columns in central one. Had the idea that this was an 18th Dyn. tomb or N.K. W[illiam] S[tevenson] S[smith] 1946”

Read the full story on Peter Der Manuelian’s blog: More on the So-called “Caves” at Giza

And if you haven’t already been there you must check out the Giza Archives website for up-to-date information on the Giza plateau, including photographs, drawings, plans, manuscripts and other documents.

Related posts:

1. The Latest on the Caves Under Giza Plateau Giza Plateau: September 10, 1983 Andrew Collins has once again...
2. Giza Caves Sealed Shut With Iron Gate Entrance to the 'Giza Caves'. Photo by Larry Hunter The...
3. The Giza Caves Officially Excavated Andrew Collins explores the cave system The cave saga continues...
4. Hawass Debunks Collins’ ‘Giza Caves’ Dr Zahi Hawass, the head of the Supreme Council of...
5. ‘Giza Caves’ – Continued…Collins Responds In the previous post on the ‘Giza Caves’ we heard...