Abstract
Decoration in the tombs of Middle Kingdom officials often resembles a jigsaw puzzle because many of them have suffered damage, both from natural disasters and human intervention, and their scenes are often preserved only in fragments. This applies to the tomb of Djehutyhotep II at Deir el-Bersha, dating to the second half of the 12th Dynasty, and especially to the right-hand wall of the inner chamber, which was once decorated with scenes related to agriculture, food production, wine-making, gardening and crafts. The present paper examines a set of tiny fragments from this wall that are now kept in the British Museum, which show the cultivation of a plant from the Cucurbitaceae family with the aid of a trellis. The plant depicted there can probably be identified with the vegetable melon (Cucumis melo), a popular vegetable crop. The illustration is unparalleled in Egyptian art, and may be considered an innovation of the Middle Kingdom.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
