Form

Most of the funerary cones can be classified into the following four types: pyramidal (Fig. 1), brick-formed (Fig. 2), triangular pyramidal (wedge-formed) (Fig. 3), and conical (Figs. 4–6).

However, horn-shaped (Fig. 7. MAF: 2356 = Davies & Macadam # 594.) and trumpet-shaped (Fig. 8. MAF: 2357 = D. & M. # 385 & MAF: 2367 = D. & M. # 170.) cones are also present at the Museo Archeologico di Firenze (Florence), Italy (Pellegrini 1902: 38, 41, and 47). Furthermore, D. & M. # 518 has stopper-like examples (Fig. 9. cf. page 258 of Davies's notebook. He states that Winlock had found a "stopper like type" of the cone. The same type in the British Museum, EA62700, is 'with a domed back', which probably means the cone also is like a stopper. Also, four examples unearthed by the Hungarian mission were of this type (Bács 2015: 14-15 n. 36). Interestingly, the other two cones (# 21 and # 517) of the same official do not seem to have had the stopper-like type).  In addition, Kunsthistorisches Museum in Wien, Austria, has another rare type of cone (Fig. 10); this bone-shaped cone belongs to Djedhor, whose other cones are also housed in the same museum. Nevertheless, more significant are the double-headed and triple-headed cones, albeit there is only one example at present (Figs. 11-12. Both of them originated in TT 11 - the tomb of Djehuty. Triple-headed cone is referred to in Galán and Borrego 2006: Fig. 37.). The most astonishing shape is mentioned by E. Kruck. According to her, DAI has found two cone-brick intermediate configurations, which she thinks are cone-imitated bricks (Fig. 13. Kruck 2012: 28-29, Taf. 10a) and 10b)). So far, this type of 'cone' has not been found except for the two owned by TT 232 Minmontu. 

Yet another type is a triangular prism (one of the wedge-formed types. Fig. 14). As for the so-to-speak ‘wedge type’ cone/brick, we have two types: triangular prism and triangular pyramid. Because of the single terminology ('wedge type'), researchers, including me, seem to have tended to confuse the two different formed objects.

Each cone bears the name of an ancient official and his title, which is stamped on the face of the cone; the average diameter of the surface base is between 5 to 10 centimetres. While some Egyptians had several types that bore the same seal impression, others, such as the owner of TT 32 whose cones are D. & M. # 336 and # 346, only had the brick type. Therefore, while the term 'funerary cone' is used in English, the Germans refer to it with two terms: Grabkegel (tomb's cone) and Friesziegel (ornamental brick). Donald Ryan suggested that funerary cones be termed 'funerary stamps' (Ryan 1988). Erño Gaál, a Hungarian archaeologist who excavated TT 32, referred to the unearthed objects bearing seal impressions # 336 and # 346 as 'stamped bricks' (Gaál 1993). Thus, the conical-shaped funerary cones are not exclusive. However, since they are the most abundant, this website refers to all such objects as 'cones', except when specific types are indicated.

(Added to this, Di. Arnold reports that the Middle Kingdom cones found from Saff el-Kisasiya have rounded dents on their bottoms (Arnold 1973 [MDAIK 29]: 139). For more details, see this section on the 'Functions' page)