In memoriam Květa Smoláriková

91EULOGIES In memoriam Květa Smoláriková (1.9.1961 Šurany– 21.5.2024 Prague) Ladislav Bareš On May 21, 2024, Květa Smoláriková, Assistant Professor in Egyptology at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University and along ‑time member of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, passed away. Born in Šurany, she spent her youth in the village of Komjatice, where her family had settled for several generations. The position of Komjatice, situated almost exactly half ‑way between Nitra and Šurany, two well ‑known and important archaeological localities,1 might have influenced her choice of future life and career and oriented her towards archaeology. 1 Nitra as an archaeological locality has avery rich history (see e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Nitra; last accessed on June 17th, 2024). Zámeček, asite in the local part of Šurany, called Nitrianský Hrádok, has been dubbed „Slovak Troy“ because of the number and importance of archaeolocal finds coming from this site (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitriansky_Hradok; last accessed on June 17th, 2024). Fig. 1 Květa Smoláriková at Abusir (Archive of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo M. Frouz) 92 PRAGUE EGYPTOLOGICAL STUDIES XXXII/2024 Already during her school years, at secondary school, she started working as avolunteer during archaeological excavations in the vicinity of Komjatice. Later on, having finished secondary school, she started working at the Institute of Archaeology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Nitra as atechnician and documentarist. Those several years, spent in such ajob in the team of Anton Točík,2 one of the leading personalities of Slovak archaeology at that time, added much to her knowledge and ability in that work and became astarting point for her long and successful career in archaeology. In 1985, she unsuccessfully applied for admission to the study of archaeology at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague. Although her knowledge and ability were excellent without any doubt, she was not admitted to the study due to the constraints set up by the then regime, such as “numerus clausus” above all. One year later, in 1986, she tried her luck again and, at that time, was admitted to the Faculty and started to study Classical Archaeology and General History. Three years later, in 1989, when the study of Egyptology was opened again 2 On the life and activities of Anton Točík (1918–1994), see e. g. Bátoraetal. (2018). Fig. 2 Květa Smoláriková documenting afragment of aGreek amphora found in the tomb of Iufaa in 2001 (Archive of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo K. Voděra) Fig. 3 Květa Smoláriková with reis Ahmad el ‑Kereti during the work in the tomb of Iufaa in 2001 (Archi‑ ve of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo K. Voděra) Fig. 4 Květa Smoláriková copying the text on the inner side of the lid of the inner sarcophagus of Iufaa in 2004 (Archive of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo K. Voděra) Fig. 5 Květa Smoláriková documenting faience vessels from the burial shaft of Wahibremeryneith in 2022 (Archive of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo K. Arias) 2 4 3 5 93EULOGIES after along pause, she changed from History to that discipline and thus became amember of agroup of very promising future Egyptologists, counting among her class ‑mates Miroslav Bárta, Jozef Hudec, Jaromír Krejčí among others. She finished her studies successfully in the shortest time possible, graduating from Classical Archaeology in 1991 and from Egyptology in 1994. In 1993, i.e. still being astudent, she took part in the archaeological work of the Czech mission at Abusir, namely in the shaft tomb of the famous dignitary Udjahorresnet (Smoláriková 1999). Already at that time, she chose aspecialization in pottery, which remained her main field of interest throughout her life and scientific career. From the very beginning, she most successfully benefitted from the knowledge obtained by the study of Classical Archaeology and soon became internationally renowned for her publications dealing with Egyptian pottery dating to the First millennium B. C. E. (Smoláriková 1997; Smoláriková 2016b) and Graeco ‑Egyptian relations including Greek imports to Egypt predating Alexander the Great (Smoláriková 1994; Smoláriková 2001; Smoláriková 2002; Smoláriková 2004; Smoláriková 2007; Smoláriková 2010b; Smoláriková 2010c; Smoláriková 2014c). At the same time, her first archaeological season in Egypt, spent in excavating the sepulchre of Udjahorresnet, become astarting point for her long ‑life inter‑ est and engagement in the excavation of the Saïte ‑Persian cemetery at Abusir, which, in her opinion, belonged to agroup of mighty and influential military leaders of the 6th century B. C. E. Egypt (Bareš– Smoláriková 1997; Bareš– Smoláriková 2008; Bareš– Smoláriková 2011; Coppens– Smoláriková 2009; Smoláriková 2013b). Her long ‑time activities in excavating sepulchres of generals and admirals at Abusir might have brought her to adeep interest in the Egyptian military and military affairs of the mid ‑first millennium BC, which resulted in abook and anumber of studies (Smoláriková 2006c; Smoláriková 2008a; Smoláriková 2013a; Smoláriková 2015; Smoláriková 2016a; Smoláriková 2023a). Květa Smoláriková was active not only at Abusir, but on anumber of other archaeological sites in Egypt and Sudan as well. Her work in the oasis of Bahriya was limited by the unsuitable situation in the area (Kučová– Smoláriková 2014; Smoláriková 2014d). For anumber of seasons, between 2004 and 2009 and in 2011, she was amember of the British Museum mission at Kom Firin in the western Delta, headed by Neal Spencer (Smoláriková 2006d; Smoláriková 2008b; Smoláriková 2008c; Smoláriková 2014a; Smoláriková 2014b); later, she refused his offer to work with that mission at Amada in Sudan. Starting from 2015, and until the very end of her life, she took part in the Polish ‑Slovak excavations at Tell el ‑Retaba in the eastern Delta, led by Sławomir Rzepka and her former class ‑mate Jozef Hudec (Smoláriková 2019a). Together with the Slovak archaeological mission, she spent several archaeological seasons also in Sudan, excavating at the site of Duweim Wad Hajj (Hudecetal. 2019; Hudecetal. 2021; Hudecetal. 2022; Smoláriková– Hudec 2021). In her research, she concentrated on ancient Egyptian pottery and Greek imports to Egypt, but largely published on the history and development of the Late Period shaft tombs, those situated at Abusir above all (Smoláriková 2006b; Smoláriková 2010c; Smoláriková 2010d; Smoláriková 2017; Smoláriková 2020; Smoláriková 2022; Smoláriková– Bareš 2020; Barešetal. 2022). Due to anumber of embalmers’ deposits that had been unearthed in the Late Period Abusir shaft tombs, she devoted special attention to that feature of Egyptian funerary ar‑ chaeology (Smoláriková 2006a; Smoláriková 2009a; Smoláriková 2009b; Smoláriková 2010a; Smoláriková 2019b; Smoláriková 2023b). Her bibliography counts more than one hundred 94 PRAGUE EGYPTOLOGICAL STUDIES XXXII/2024 works (including four monographs) that she wrote or co ‑authored. Sadly enough, some of her research projects, including the complete final publication of the embalmers’ deposit found in 2021 in the tomb of Wahibremeryneith at Abusir, perhaps the largest embalmers’ deposit known from Egypt at the moment, have remained unfinished.3 Throughout her entire life, Květa Smoláriková was deeply dedicated to her work. Her ability and efforts were acknowledged and appreciated by not only other members of the mission, but by our Egyptian colleagues as well, be it the inspectors of the Antiquities Organization, or local workmen and their foremen from Saqqara and Abusir. For all of them, “doktoorah Kfeeta” was apermanent symbol and synonym of hard work, knowledge and efficiency. Everybody knew that she was able to spend– without the slightest word of complaint or any sign of discontent– the entire working time (except perhaps for ashort midday break) in the burial chambers or embalmers’ deposits cachettes situated deep under the ground and accessible 3 She was lucky enough to finish the basic documentation of that unique find, counting more than 370 large storage jars and amphorae, during her last season at Abusir in spring 2023 (see also Barešetal. 2022; Smoláriková 2023b and Barešetal. 2024). Fig. 6 Květa Smoláriková during the excavation in the embalmers’ deposit in the tomb of Wahibremery‑ neith in 2021 (Archives of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo P.Košárek) Fig. 7 Květa Smoláriková documenting large pottery storage jars from the embalmers’ deposit of Wahib‑ remeryneith (Archive of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo K. Arias) Fig. 8 Květa Smoláriková preparing to descend to the burial chamber in the tomb of Djehutiemhat (Ar‑ chive of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo P.Košárek) 6 8 7 95EULOGIES only by shaky ladders, documenting the precise finds in detail. And to continue her work in total solitude for weeks and weeks. At the same time, during the breaks she always enjoyed the little delights that working in the field brought– the unforgettable tea, dubbed “whisky Abouseiri” because of its dark colour and density and, above all perhaps, the excellent coffee, carefully prepared by the long ‑time guardsman Sayyed Abu Ghazzal, still remembered by the members of the Czech mission at Abusir as “omdah” or “Abu Inti” (Bártaetal. 2020). Květa Smoláriková was not only arenowned researcher but, at the same time, an excellent teacher much respected and beloved by her students. From 1999, she gave anumber of lectures on the later periods of ancient Egyptian history, on Egyptian material culture (pottery above all) and on the contacts between ancient Egypt and the Greek world, not only in Prague, but in other places as well. In 2011, she was promoted to the position of Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University. In addition to that, she was an enthusiastic lecturer to the general public, participating in aseries of presentations about ancient Egypt or Classical Antiquity in Prague, Bratislava and many other places. Among her colleagues, Květa Smoláriková was famous for her– rather English ‑like– sense of humour, and her e ‑mail messages starting with “Ave” and ending with “Cordiallement, Květa” were famous and will always be remembered. At the same time, she was dedicated to sport, karate above all, but to classical music and opera as well. When in Cairo, she kept aclose eye on the programme of the Cairo Opera and always was ready to drop in at the box ‑office there and get tickets for not only herself but for any other member of the mission ready to accompany her there. At the same time, she was an enthusiastic traveller, who crossed not only Egypt, Czechia and Slovakia. She was brave enough to make– quite alone– long trips even to Libya (resulting in abook dedicated to the heritage of the Classical Antiquity there, Smoláriková 2006e) and Iran, and also visited China. Sadly enough, her desired trip to India, planned in spring 2024 and almost completely prepared, had to be cancelled because of her illness. Perhaps the best ever characteristics of Květa Smoláriková– her life and deeds, as well as her attitudes to the world around her– can be found in apoem dedicated to her memory that Anthony Arias composed in the moment when the sad news about her departure had reached him: Fig. 9 Květa Smoláriková saying farewell to the tomb of Djehutiemhat at the end of the 2023 season at Abusir (Archive of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo P.Košárek) Fig. 10 Květa Smoláriková (fourth from right) among other members of the mission enjoying alunch break (Archive of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, photo M. Frouz) 9 10 96 PRAGUE EGYPTOLOGICAL STUDIES XXXII/2024 Three Camels (for Květa) Continue, you must continue And reaching me you are re ‑done World and wonder Melodies and memories Feel the feather blow Then continue, you must continue Then here with me you will become Form and feature Breath and aheartbeat Only the jackal knows Then continue, you must continue And the rest of me will give you one Touch and time Body and belief And into the west you go Then as you may, Continue … As such, Květa Smoláriková will stay in our hearts and memories forever. Fig. 11 Květa Smoláriková and three camels during acoffee break at Abusir (Archives of the Czech Institute of Egyptolo‑ gy, photo P.Havelková) 97EULOGIES BIBLIOGRAPHY Bareš, Ladislav– Bělohoubková, Dana– Janák, Jiří– Landgráfová, Renata– Smoláriková, Květa 2024 “Preliminary report on the excavation of the large Late Period shaft tomb of Wahibremeryneith at Abusir”, in: Kamrin, Janice– Mohamed Ismail Khaled– Leitz, Christian (eds.). The kingdom of the mummies: essays in memory of Ramadan B. Hussein, Cairo: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, pp. 137–149. Bareš, Ladislav– Smoláriková, Květa 1997 “The shaft tomb of Iufaa at Abusir (preliminary report for 1995/1996)”, Göttinger Miszellen 156, pp. 9–26. 2008 The shaft tomb of Iufaa, Vol. I: Archaeology, Prague: Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague [Abusir XVII]. 2011 The shaft tomb of Menekhibnekau, Vol. I: Archaeology, Prague: Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague [Abusir XXV]. Bareš, Ladislav– Smoláriková, Květa– Janák, Jiří– Landgráfová, Renata 2022 “Preliminary report on archaeological activities on the Late Period shaft tomb necropolis at Abusir, mainly the tomb of Wahibremeryneith (AW 6)”, Prague Egyptological Studies 29, pp. 7–26. Bárta, Miroslav– Brůna, Vladimír– Mohamad Megahed– †Vachala, Břetislav 2020 “Abú Inti odešel” [“Abu Inti passed away”, in Czech], Pražské Egyptologické Studie/Prague Egypto‑ logical Studies 24, pp. 118–119. Bátora, Jozef– Kujovský, Rudolf– Ruttkay, Matej– Vladár, Jozef 2018 Anton Točík: legenda slovenskej archeológie [Anton Točík, aSlovak archaeology legend, in Slovak, partly in German and English, with English summaries], Nitra: Archeologický ústav Slovenskej akadémie vied [Archaeologica Slovaca Monographiae: Communicationes XX]. Coppens, Filip– Smoláriková, Květa 2009 Lesser Late Period tombs at Abusir. The tomb of Padihor and the anonymous tomb R3, Prague: Czech In‑ stitute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague [Abusir XX]. Hudec, Jozef– Cheben, Michal– Kovár Branislav 2019 “Report on surveys in Duwaim Wad Haj”, Asian and African Studies 28/2, pp. 168–179. Hudec, Jozef– Kovár, Branislav– Fulajtár, Emil– Lieskovský, Tibor– Horáková, Lenka– Černý, Miroslav– Barta, Peter 2021 “Abrief report on the 2019 season in Duweim Wad Haj”, Asian and African Studies 30/1, pp. 202–224. Hudec, Jozef– Kovár, Branislav– Lieskovský, Tibor– Fulajtár, Emil– Černý, Miroslav– Horáková, Lenka– Smoláriková, Květa 2022 “Preliminary Report on the Duweym Wad Haj Season 2022”, Asian and African Studies 31/2, pp. 379–398. Kučová, Stanislava– Smoláriková, Květa 2014 “Roman transport amphorae from Bir Showish, el ‑Hayz, Bahariya Oasis”, Bulletin de liaison de la céramique égyptienne 24, pp. 153–159. 98 PRAGUE EGYPTOLOGICAL STUDIES XXXII/2024 Smoláriková, Květa 1994 “Chios ‑Keramik in Abusir”, Göttinger Miszellen 141, pp. 81–88. 1997 “Abusir– South Field: Late Period”, Bulletin de liaison du groupe international d’étude de la céram‑ ique égyptienne 20, pp. 13–14. 1999 “The Pottery”, in: Bareš, Ladislav, The shaft tomb of Udjahorresnet at Abusir (with achapter on pottery by Květa Smoláriková and an appendix by Eugen Strouhal), Prague: Universitas Carolina Pragensis– The Karolinum Press [Abusir IV], pp. 87–104. 2001 “Archaic East Greek Amphorae in the tomb of the Egyptian dignitary Iufaa”, in: Höckmann, Ursu‑ la– Kreikenbom, Detlev (eds.). Naukratis: die Beziehungen zu Ostgriechenland, Ägypten und Zypern in archaischer Zeit. Akten der Table Ronde in Mainz, 25.–27. November 1999, Möhnesee: Bibliopolis, pp. 163–173. 2002 Greek imports in Egypt. Graeco ‑Egyptian relations during the first millennium B. C., Prague: Czech Insti‑ tute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague [Abusir VII]. 2004 “The Greek element in the Egyptian funerary ceremonies”, in: Bol, P.C.– Kaminski, G.– Maderna, C. (eds.). Fremdheit– Eigenheit: Ägypten, Griechenland und Rom. Austausch und Verständnis, München: Prestel, pp. 543–547. 2006a “Some remarks on embalmers’ caches from the Saite ‑Persian cemetery at Abusir”, in: Győry, Hedvig (ed.). Abusir and Pannonia III: Acta Symposii 2004, Budapest: The Hungarian ‑Egyptian Friendship Society– Ancient Egyptian Committee, pp. 261–270. 2006b “The Step Pyramid: aconstant inspiration to the Saite Egyptians”, in: Bárta, Miroslav– Krejčí, Jaromír (eds.). Abusir and Saqqara in the Year 2005: proceedings of the conference held in Prague (June 27– July 5, 2005), Prague: Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague, pp. 42–49. 2006c “The mercenary troops: an essential element of the Late Period’smilitary power”, in: Daoud, Khaled– Abd el ‑Fattah, Sawsan (eds.). The world of ancient Egypt: essays in honor of Ahmed Abd el ‑Qader el ‑Sawi, Cairo: General Organization for Government Printing Offices, pp. 245–248. 2006d “Recent identification of Greek imports from Kom Firin”, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 92, pp. 263–267. 2006e Antická Libye [Libya in Antiquity, in Czech], Brandýs: Foto–Grafika. 2007 “Egyptian and Aegean amphorae from the Saite shaft tombs at Abusir”, in: Marchand, Sylvie– Ma‑ rangou, Antigone (eds). Amphores d’Égypte de la Basse Époque à l’époque arabe, Le Caire: Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale, pp. 189–197. 2008a Saite forts in Egypt: political ‑military history of the Saite dynasty, Prague: Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague. 2008b “Ceramics from the Ramesside Temple”, in: Spencer, Neal, Kom Firin I: The Ramesside Temple and the Site Survey (with acontribution by Květa Smoláriková), London: The British Museum Press, pp. 58–63. 2008c “Appendix I: The Ceramic Typology”, in: Spencer, Neal, Kom Firin I: The Ramesside Temple and the Site Survey (with acontribution by Květa Smoláriková), London: The British Museum Press, pp. 79–99. 2009a “The embalmers’ cache as an heir of the South tomb”, in: Maříková Vlčková, Petra– Mynářová, Jana– Tomášek, Martin (eds.). My Things Changed Things: social and cultural exchange in prehistory, antiquity and Middle Ages, Prague: Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Arts, pp. 58–63. 2009b “Embalmers’ deposits of the Saite tombs at Abusir”, Göttinger Miszellen 223, pp. 79–88. 2010a “Embalmers’ caches in the shaft tombs at Abu Sir”, Egyptian Archaeology 36, pp. 33–35. 2010b “Fragment of an oinochoe from Abusir”, Ancient West & East 9, pp. 109–113. 2010c “The phenomenon of archaism in the Saite Period funerary architecture”, in: Bareš, Ladislav– Cop‑ pens, Filip– Smoláriková, Květa (eds.). Egypt in Transition: social and religious development of Egypt in the first millennium BCE. Proceedings of an international conference, Prague, September 1–4, 2009, Prague: Czech Institute of Egyptology, Charles University in Prague, pp. 431–440. 2010d “Some notes on the Saite religious texts from the shaft tombs at Abusir”, in: Győry, Hedvig (ed.). Abusir and Pannonia IV: Acta Symposii 2006, Budapest: Ibisz Bt., pp. 135–143. 2010–2014 Egyptské terakoty [Egyptian terracotta, in Czech], Praha: Univerzita Karlova vPraze, Filozofická fakulta. 99EULOGIES 2011 “Udjahorresnet and the others”, in: Callender, Vivienne Gae– Bareš, Ladislav– Bárta, Miroslav– Janák, Jiří– Krejčí, Jaromír (eds.). Times, Signs, and Pyramids: studies in honour of Miroslav Verner on the occasion of his seventieth birthday, Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague, pp. 335–340. 2013a “Egyptian fortifications from the first millennium BC”, in: Jesse, Friederike– Vogel, Carola (eds.). The power of walls. Fortifications in ancient northeastern Africa. Proceedings of the international workshop held at the University of Cologne, 4th–7th August 2011, Köln: Heinrich ‑Barth ‑Institut, pp. 101–111. 2013b “Persian kings and their strategy towards the Egyptians: interpretation of recent archaeological finds from the Saite ‑Persian cemetery at Abusir”, in: Bombardieri, Luca– D’Agostino, Anacleto– Guarducci, Guido– Orsi, Valentina– Valentini, Stefano (eds.). SOMA 2012: Identity and connectivity. Proceedings of the 16th symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology, Florence, Italy, 1–3 March 2012, Vol. I, Oxford: Archaeopress, pp. 545–551. 2014a “Ceramics from the Ramesside enclosure”, in: Spencer, Neal, Kom Firin II: The urban fabric and land‑ scape, London: British Museum Press, pp. 47–52. 2014b “Ceramics from trench NA”, in: Spencer, Neal, Kom Firin II: The urban fabric and landscape, London: British Museum Press, pp. 272–275. 2014c “Greek imports unearthed at the Saite ‑Persian cemetery at Abusir”, Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections 6/3, pp. 3–10. 2014d “Bahríja 2014: študijná sezóna vmúzeu vBawiti” [“Bahriya 2014: study season in the Bawiti museum”, in Slovak], Pražské egyptologické studie 13, pp. 6–10. 2015 “Udjahorresnet: the founder of the Saite ‑Persian cemetery at Abusir and his engagement as alead‑ ing political person during the troubled years at the beginning of the Twenty ‑Seventh dynasty”, in: Silverman, JasonM.– Waerzeggers, Caroline (eds.). Political memory in and after the Persian Empire, Atlanta: SBL Press, pp. 151–164. 2016a “Ashurbanipal and Cambyses: two different approaches to the conquest of Egypt”, in: Landgráfová, Renata– Mynářová, Jana (eds.). Rich and great: studies in honour of Anthony J. Spalinger on the occasion of his 70th Feast of Thot, Prague: Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Arts, pp. 291–297. 2016b “Late Saite– early Persian assemblages of pottery from Abusir”, in: Bader, Bettina– Knoblauch, ChristianM.– Köhler, E. Christina (eds.). Vienna 2– ancient Egyptian ceramics in the 21st century: pro‑ ceedings of the international conference held at the University of Vienna, 14th–18th of May, 2012, Leuven: Peeters, pp. 545–555. 2017 “Some remarks on the architectural and religious aspects of the Late Period’sshaft tombs”, in: Bárta, Miroslav– Coppens, Filip– Krejčí, Jaromír (eds.). Abusir and Saqqara in the Year 2015, Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, pp. 641–647. 2019a “Fortified Delta: acase study from Tell el ‑Retaba”, Asian and African Studies 28/1, pp. 19–29. 2019b “Some reflections on embalmers’ cache of Udjahorresnet at Abusir”, Anthropologie: International Journal of Human Diversity and Evolution 57/1, pp. 75–78. 2020 “The nature of the Saite ‑Persian cemetery at Abusir”, in: Lopes, Maria Helena Trindade– Popielska‑ ‑Grzybowska, Joanna– Iwaszczuk, Jadwiga– Pereira, Ronaldo Guiglelmo Gurgel (eds.). Ancient Egypt 2017: perspectives of research, Warsaw– Wiesbaden: Polish Academy of Sciences– Harrassowitz, pp. 231–237. 2022 “Everywhere, only admirals”, in: Coppens, Filip– Janák, Jiří– Smoláriková, Květa (eds.). Knowledge and memory: Festschrift in honour of Ladislav Bareš, Prague: Charles University, Faculty of Arts, pp. 453–458. 2023a “Saite kings and their mercenaries”, Ancient West & East 22, pp. 159–180. 2023b “Embalming deposit of Wahibremeryneit from Abusir: apreliminary report of the 2022 spring season”, Prague Egyptological Studies 30, pp. 7–18. Smoláriková, Květa– Bareš, Ladislav 2020 “The shaft tomb of Udjahorresnet at Abusir”, Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections 26, pp. 176–184.