DOI Artikel:
Petrie, William M. Flinders: Egypt Exploration Fund: excavations at Dendereh
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11174#0013
I.-EG-YPT EXPLORATION FUND.
A.—EXCAVATIONS AT DENDEREH.
The excavation work of the Exploration Fund was carried on at
Dendereh last winter, partly to see if any remains of the prehistoric age
could be found, and partly because it was a large cemetery almost un-
touched in modern times. Although nothing came to light earlier than
the Illrd Dynasty, yet of the historical times several good results were
obtained. In the first place the history of Dendereh can now be outlined.
Beginning in the Illrd or IVth Dynasty the place rose to great impor-
tance in the middle of the Vlth, when the princes of the nome built large
and sumptuous mastabas. This importance continued on well into the
VTIth Dynasty; and though decaying in art like the rest of the country,
the city continued with some amount of luxury and importance on to the
Xlth DyDasty, as there is no break whatever in the style of the monu-
ments, but only gradual changes from the time of Pepy I. to the Antefs
and Mentuhoteps. Then an abrupt change occurs. The rise of Thebes
as the capital of the Xllth Dynasty.seems to have drained the strength
of Dendereh ; not a single private name of the Xllth Dynasty occurs,
there is not a single stele of that age. Only in one poor grave, without
any stonework, was found a name of the great Theban Dynasty,
Amenemhat III.
Of the wealthy and luxurious ages of the XVIIIth and XlXth Dynasties,
only two or three tombs were found, and only one of these with inscribed
stonework. A temple was still in use, as bronzes of its furniture, made
in the XVIIIth and XlXth Dynasties, were found hidden in the cemetery.
After that the history is again an entire blank until about the XXVIth
Dynasty. Then some of the old mastabas were reopened and coarse
sarcophagi of sandstone were buried in them. Three tablets of this age
and some amulets from this on to the XXXth Dynasty are, however, all
the remains.
b
A.—EXCAVATIONS AT DENDEREH.
The excavation work of the Exploration Fund was carried on at
Dendereh last winter, partly to see if any remains of the prehistoric age
could be found, and partly because it was a large cemetery almost un-
touched in modern times. Although nothing came to light earlier than
the Illrd Dynasty, yet of the historical times several good results were
obtained. In the first place the history of Dendereh can now be outlined.
Beginning in the Illrd or IVth Dynasty the place rose to great impor-
tance in the middle of the Vlth, when the princes of the nome built large
and sumptuous mastabas. This importance continued on well into the
VTIth Dynasty; and though decaying in art like the rest of the country,
the city continued with some amount of luxury and importance on to the
Xlth DyDasty, as there is no break whatever in the style of the monu-
ments, but only gradual changes from the time of Pepy I. to the Antefs
and Mentuhoteps. Then an abrupt change occurs. The rise of Thebes
as the capital of the Xllth Dynasty.seems to have drained the strength
of Dendereh ; not a single private name of the Xllth Dynasty occurs,
there is not a single stele of that age. Only in one poor grave, without
any stonework, was found a name of the great Theban Dynasty,
Amenemhat III.
Of the wealthy and luxurious ages of the XVIIIth and XlXth Dynasties,
only two or three tombs were found, and only one of these with inscribed
stonework. A temple was still in use, as bronzes of its furniture, made
in the XVIIIth and XlXth Dynasties, were found hidden in the cemetery.
After that the history is again an entire blank until about the XXVIth
Dynasty. Then some of the old mastabas were reopened and coarse
sarcophagi of sandstone were buried in them. Three tablets of this age
and some amulets from this on to the XXXth Dynasty are, however, all
the remains.
b