Bamboula, Tombs (extracted from McFadden's notebooks)

NB VI, pp. 17,23 ff.

26 April 1938In the north end of S-W Trench (Trench 6) we find a deep section of what seems to be fallen bed-rock. Dig down in this with the idea that it may be the collapsed roof of a tomb. A patch of red earth appears in this section at the N-W corner of the trench, and investigation reveals human bones. This will be known henceforth as Tomb 2.

Open Tomb 2, finding the red earth with bones at ca. -40, covered with brown sandy soil and a few pieces of fallen rock. The red earth slopes away to the S and E.

27 AprilOpen more over Bamboula Tomb 2, and start finding skeletal material. There are the remains of two skeletons, I and II, in the top level, ca. 80 cm. from the surface, at the east. They are very incomplete. Pieces of fallen rock go right down on top of them, and there even seems to be some under them. There is no associated pottery, but the finds 1-4.

28 AprilFinish cleaning skeletons I and II. Lower skeletons appear, with pottery. A skull by II belongs to a lower skeleton.

Photos 241-243 of skeletons I and II with finds nos. 3 and 4 in situ, and with lower skeletons showing through.

29 AprilDigging below the level of skeletons I and II we find an earlier burial period directly below. There was only very little earth between (the skulls and pots of the lower period were visible above), but numerous stones went down onto the lower skeletons.

The more recent skeleton of period B is III, lying beneath II, and with the same orientation. It is lying outstretched, but on its side (indicated by the curvature of the spine and the position of the ribs), as was also I and maybe II. The upper right leg bone is not in place, but seems to lie by the head. The skeleton lies over stones and pithos sherds. There is only one associated pot, the pilgrim flask no. 5, at its left side.

Skeletons IV-V are slightly older than III, as they are covered by a greyish earth which goes under III. IV is an adult, stretched out, but rather rolled up against the east wall of the tomb. Lying on its right shoulder is the skull of a child, skeleton V. Only the skull and two arm (?) bones are preserved. At the head is the "milk bottle", no. 6.