The Griffith Institute
University of Oxford
Bersha Watercolours

Griffith Institute w&d 155 | Offering bearer carrying fish and a waterlily


Griffith Institute Watercolour 155
Griffith Institute w&d 155
© Griffith Institute Watercolours & Drawings Project

Artist Not signed, probably Howard Carter or perhaps Marcus W. Blackden.

Date 1891 or 1893.

Site
Deir el-Bersha.
Tomb of Djehutihotep. Temp. Sesostris II and Sesostris III.
Hall (Inner Room). North wall, East part.

Description
Offering bearer carrying three fish on a tray and a waterlily, from eighth register.
From scene: Djehutihotep with daughter accompanied by their servants, receiving eight registers of offering bearers bringing fish and fowl.

Technical data
Watercolour.
234 mm x 339 mm.
Annotations:
Mount, recto,
'Cf. El Bersheh I. Pl. XX.'; '55 Man bringing fish p. 14'.
Mount, verso,
'? Cl. Plate ?'; 'Mr Carter'; 'El Bersheh I. Pl. XX.'.

Griffith Institute w&d
155

Publications
See PM iv.180(19) | TopBib 409-060-010-020; GI w&d Deir el-Bersha Project; Newberry, P. E. El Bersheh i [1894], 32 pl. xx.



The whole of the North Wall of the Hall is covered with hunting and fishing scenes, the processing of the catch and, on the half to the east of the Shrine Door, the presentation of these items to the deceased (Newberry's plate xx). Howard Carter's detail of an offering bearer with two Mullet on a plate and a Waterlily stem and flower over his arm comes from that section and the bottom register thereof. Three species of Mullet (Mugil spp) did and still occur in the Nile. The Waterlily, Nymphaea caerulea, is also referred to as the blue Egyptian Lotus although no actual Lotus species occur in Egypt as they all belong to a strictly Asian family.


Cataloguing John Wyatt & Lee Young | Commentary John Wyatt
Photography Jenni Navratil, assisted by Hana Navratilova
Editing and web pages Elizabeth Fleming, assisted by Francisco Bosch-Puche & Cat Warsi.