Granary Model

The granary is surrounded by a wall and has an outward-opening door. Inside the courtyard is a flight of five steps leading to three silos which are accessible from above. Three men are engaged in dragging sacks of grain up to the silos. One of them is shown emptying his sack, whereas one other has already emptied his. The men are all represented with dark, reddish-brown skins and white knee-length kilts. Another man is missing. Two squatting men sit before a table and are perhaps scribes. One is wearing a white cloak that entirely covers his body. The other is wearing a cloak that exposes his right shoulder. Surface cracks but good preservation generally. From the Egypt Exploration Fund 1899 excavations at Deir el Bahri. Interestingly a catalogue card made in the 1940s describes one of the standing figures as carrying "two birds", which is also illustrated in an accompanying line drawing. Would these birds have been placed with the model in error by the excavators/EEF before donation to the museum? In a letter from Emily Paterson of the EEF dated 7.12.1899 she writes: "Dear Mr Forbes, I am pleased to inform you that my Ctee. have voted the Liverpool Museum "a model of a granary from Der el Bahri XI Dynasty" I am sending it. Yrs faithfully, Emily Paterson (Secretary)." There is no record of any tomb number.