Birds in the Nebamun tomb paintings (2 Viewers)

[Ivy]

Dear All,

I'm reading some books about ancient Egypt, and while I was reading one from the British Museum I was stunned by paintings from a tomb
in Thebes, showing bird hunting in the marshes around the Nile. The tomb and paintings are from the 18th Dynasty, around 1350 BC. I'm amazed to see so many birds in a painting thousands of years old. I can recognise the herons in Nebamun's hand, a nearby jay, and the Egyptian goose by his feet. I can see a tawny owl in the hieroglyphs behind him. I'd really like to know what other species are shown- does anyone know what the other birds are in the painting?Here is a link to a high res image of Nebamun and the birds: Tomb of Nebamun
Thanks very much!

 

[James Jobling]

"One of the finest examples of the traditional scene illustrating the tomb owner fowling in the swamplands is preserved on a fragment of wall painting, from the unlocated Dynasty XVIII tomb of Nebamun at Thebes. Standing on a papyrus raft, and accompanied by his wife and daughter, Nebamun is pictured in the act of hurling his throwstick (a boomerang-like sporting weapon) at a throng of birds which are roosting on and rising in flight from a stand of dense papyrus. His trained cat (Felis catus) is depicted busily retrieving the birds that he has already felled. Posed on the bow of his vessel is his tame Egyptian Goose. ... The bird was probably a domestic family pet, which was allowed to join the group on their outing as much for affectionate reasons as for its potential in serving as a decoy, so as to attract birds within the range of Nebamun's throwstick." (Houlihan & Goodman, 1986, The Birds of Ancient Egypt, p. 62). The birds are not drawn to scale, and I tentatively identify White Wagtail (held in the cat's hind claws; see Houlihan & Goodman, p. 125), Ruff (with wings held in the cat's mouth), White-fronted Goose, Little Egret, and ?Rose-coloured Starling.

 

[DMW]

It's tricky as many of the birds are very stylised, but I think the two birds directly above his head may be Egyptian Vultures, and the bird in the crook of his left arm a Barn Owl (although the depiction of barring on the upper parts would argue against this). The large bird in the top left corner appears to have a long narrow tail, which might represent Pintail, or a Sandgrouse.

 

[Ivy]

"One of the finest examples of the traditional scene illustrating the tomb owner fowling in the swamplands is preserved on a fragment of wall painting, from the unlocated Dynasty XVIII tomb of Nabamun at Thebes. Standing on a papyrus raft, and accompanied by his wife and daughter, Nebamun is pictured in the act of hurling his throwstick (a boomerang-like sporting weapon) at a throng of birds which are roosting on and rising in flight from a stand of dense papyrus. His trained cat (Felis catus) is depicted busily retrieving the birds that he has already felled. Posed on the bow of his vessel is his tame Egyptian Goose. ... The bird was probably a domestic family pet, which was allowed to join the group on their outing as much for affectionate reasons as for its potential in serving as a decoy, so as to attract birds within the range of Nebamun's throwstick." (Houlihan & Goodman, 1986, The Birds of Ancient Egypt, p. 62). The birds are not drawn to scale, and I tentatively identify White Wagtail (held in the cat's hind claws; see Houlihan & Goodman, p. 125), Ruff (with wings held in the cat's mouth), White-fronted Goose, Little Egret, and ?Rose-coloured Starling.

Thank you! I think one may be a bittern, but I'm not sure.

 

[Ivy]

It's tricky as many of the birds are very stylised, but I think the two birds directly above his head may be Egyptian Vultures, and the bird in the crook of his left arm a Barn Owl (although the depiction of barring on the upper parts would argue against this). The large bird in the top left corner appears to have a long narrow tail, which might represent Pintail, or a Sandgrouse.

Thank you! I just looked up Pintails and I saw that they're often featured in ancient Egyptian art, in figurines as well as paintings. It's amazing that the humans are very stylized but the birds and other animals are painted with such detail the species can be recognised today, more than 3000 years later.

 

[James Jobling]

I agree about the Pintail (abundantly pictured in Pharaonic art); sandgrouse are highly unlikely in the swamplands. The birds shown in the stylised hieroglyphs behind Nebamun's head include two Barn Owls, two Egyptian Vultures, and a Common Quail.

 

[Ivy]

I agree about the Pintail (abundantly pictured in Pharaonic art); sandgrouse are highly unlikely in the swamplands. The birds shown in the stylised hieroglyphs behind Nebamun's head include two Barn Owls, two Egyptian Vultures, and a Common Quail.

 

[Ivy]

I didn't see the quail, thanks. Any idea what the birds could be in the upper left hand corner?