see: Edwards, D. & Ali Osman. 2001. 'New Kingdom & Kushite sites in the Third Cataract Region, Sudanese Nubia. Gottinger Miszellen 182: 17-30.

During an inspection of the quarry area (Harrell 1999) on the north side of Tombos village, a number of graves were located, probably a cemetery identified by Arkell some 50 years ago, but otherwise not investigated (1950: 35). At least 10 graves were located and surface material collected including both New Kingdom and Napatan pottery. One grave selected for testing proved to be of New Kingdom date. Located close to the edge of the granite outcrops where the quarry is located, this tomb (TMB005/1) had a rectangular mudbrick superstructure c.4.9 x 4m with traces of further walls at the east end. The main shaft, c.5.3m deep, led into a central chamber from its west end. Further chambers lay on its north and south sides, that on the south side lying at a lower level. This was not excavated in 1991 but would appear to be of broadly similar size to the other two chambers. The tomb had been heavily disturbed and, with the exception of a single intact skeleton in the northern chamber, little order remained in the mass of highly fragmentary and disturbed skeletal remains and other finds. Some of the pottery and bones had been removed from the tomb chambers during the robbing, but no Napatan or other intrusive material unconnected with the original burials was found in the shaft or chambers.

Small Finds
A small but interesting group of finds were recovered from the two excavated chambers. These included part of an ‘alabaster’ (travertine) bowl, part of the base of an ‘alabaster’ (travertine) vessel in the form of a kneeling figure, and a small pot and lid. In addition, a near complete green-glazed steatite pot was found, decorated with a continuous band of incised decoration. Jewellery elements included four limestone rings, two rings of what appears to be bone or possibly ivory, and two of jaspar.. A large heavy copper-alloy signet ring, very heavily corroded, awaits cleaning and conservation. In addition, two small fragments of faience were found. A few small scraps of gold foil were also found in the central chamber, possibly from cartonnage, of which no other traces survived.

The Pottery
A substantial quantity of ceramics was also recovered from the tomb chambers and shaft fill. Initial sorting and refitting of the sherds indicated the presence of at least 27 vessels, as well as three bread-moulds and two ceramic cones, forming a small but useful group. Its interest is increased due to the sparsity of published material from other New Kingdom sites in the region; with no pottery published from either Sesibi or Amara West, and relatively little surviving in the heavily plundered cemeteries at Soleb (Schiff-Giorgini 1971). The pottery included 6-7 Amphorae/Large jars, 1 Spouted Flask, 8 ‘Flowerpots’ or large Bowls, 1 Blue-Painted Jar and lid, 9 Shallow Dishes and 1 Paired Vessel.
Dating a group of such material poses considerable problems, with only a small number of more distinctive vessel types to which (relatively broad) date ranges can be suggested. Some may date to quite early in the XVIIIth Dynasty. The most surprising finds were perhaps the very fine Blue-Painted vessel and the rather coarser lid. This unusual vessel (Amarna Fabric I.1) may be dated to the late XVIIIth Dynasty, probably after the first two decades of the reign of Amenhotep III (C. Hope pers. comm). Very few finds of Blue-Painted pottery are known from Nubia and, until now, none further south than Amara West. Two well-fired ceramic cones were recovered from the shaft fill and several others were noted elsewhere on the cemetery surface. The cones vary in length between 11 and 17cm and were up to 6cm wide, with an approximately rectangular section. Very faint traces of a stamp impression was visible on the end of one example, but this could not be read. Funerary cones are generally considered to be a Theban phenomenon (Strudwick 1996: 154-5) and this occurrence in this Nubian context is noteworthy.

Fine Blue-Painted pot XVIIIth Dynasty

Part of Paired vessel, 'alabaster' vessel and glazed steatite pot. XVIIIth Dynasty

A large quantity of fragmentary bones was recovered from the lower shaft fill and the two excavated chambers. In the north chamber, a single, relatively well-preserved and near complete adult male skeleton was found largely undisturbed, probably of strong stature, aged 35-45 years. It was dorsally extended, oriented approximately east-west with its head to the west. A single stone ring, the glazed steatite pot and the copper alloy ring were found associated with this burial. Elsewhere in the tomb, it was possible to identify elements of 32 skeletons but, allowing for individual skeletons being dispersed through the different chambers, this may be reduced to perhaps 26. Within this sample the numbers of males and females are quite similar, while sub-adults and especially young children are poorly represented.

This single grave has produced an interesting and unusual group of New Kingdom material. The general character of the tomb and its contents contrasts markedly with the burials of New Kingdom date so far found at Kerma, which are much smaller and retain many Nubian features, including contracted burials and the use of local pottery types, with only limited quantities of Egyptian pottery or other artefacts (Bonnet 1978: 116-20). The markedly Egyptian character of the Tombos tomb more closely relates to that encountered in cemeteries further north at, for example, Soleb (Schiff-Giorgini 1971) and especially Sai, where very similar shaft-graves with one or two chambers are known. (Minault 1976; Minault & Thill 1975) as well as parallels for much of the pottery and small finds. The most unusual features are the funerary cones and the presence of Blue-Painted pottery, the most southerly examples yet found. On present evidence such a burial suggests the presence of an Egyptian group rather than Egyptianised Nubians in the Tombos area, during a relatively early phase of New Kingdom ‘colonisation’.

References
Arkell, A.J. 1950. Varia Sudanica. JEA 36: 24-60.
Bonnet, C. 1978. Fouilles archéologiques à Kerma (Sudan). Genava 26: 107-27.
Bonnet, C. 1999. The Funerary Traditions of Middle Nubia. in D. A. Welsby (ed.) Recent Research in Kushite History and Archaeology. (Proceedings of the 8th International Conference of Meroitic Studies): 1-17. London.
Edwards, D. & Osman A. 1992. Mahas Survey Reports 1. (The Mahas Survey 1991, Interim Report & Site Inventory). Cambridge.
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Porter, B. and Moss, R.C.B. 1951. Nubia, the deserts and outside Egypt. (Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs and Paintings, Vol.VII). Oxford.
Schiff-Giorgini, M. 1971. Soleb II. Les Necropoles, Florence.
Strudwick, N. 1996. The Tombs of Amenhotep, Khnummose, and Amenmose at Thebes. Oxford.