DOI article:
Naville, Edouard; Hall, H. R.: Egypt Exploration Fund: excavations at Deir El-Bahari
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12053#0019
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Egypt Exploration Fund.
Three portraits of the king were found, one of which, of very delicate work-
manship, is here given (fig. 13). Three other specimens of reliefs are also
given (figs. 10-12). Their general resemblance to the work of the Old:
Kingdom, but with a certain difference, will be noticed. The colour is as
vivid as possible.
The mass of fragments found is at present placed in the storerooms of
the great temple or temporarily re-buried in the tombs which were
excavated in the course of the work. The task of sorting these and
piecing them together will have to be undertaken when the clearing of
the site is finished. None of those belonging to the pillared hall have yet
been found in situ, and from their smashed condition it is evident that the
temple was at some period purposely overthrown and broken up. The fact
that a large number of wooden mallets, wedges, and levers, a fine copper chisel
with hardened edge, workmen's baskets, etc., were found among the dehris ot
the reliefs, confirms this conclusion. They are the lost or thrown away tools
of the workmen who broke up the temple. The only reliefs discovered in
place are those, already mentioned, in the colonnade below, which represent
a procession of boats. Smaller fragments of this sculpture were also found
in the debris. The style is peculiar, the work being rough and poor, and
the surface of the stone is painted a peculiar dirty yellow of gummy or glazed
appearance. It looks very much as if the whole had been gilded. As by
the terms of the arrangement with the Service of Antiquities, all reliefs
which actually join on to those in situ, or which can be certainly
replaced in their original position, must finally remain in Egypt, it was
not thought advisable, owing to the certainty that they would have to be
returned eventually, to bring back any of the unplaced fragments of the
colonnade reliefs to England for exhibition.
Outside the pillared hall, on the platform (i.e. between the wall of the
hall and the edge of the platform), and on both the north and the east sides
of it, an upper colonnade seems to have existed, with pillars of greater
size than those in the colonnade below. Of this colonnade only the square
base-slabs of the pillars remain in position, but a few fragments of the
pillars or pilasters were found, and were exhibited with the reliefs at
University College. They are of sandstone, and were sculptured with
scenes representing the king being embraced by various deities, like the
colonnade pillars of Hatshepsu's temple. One of these is perhaps the god
Amen : if so, it is one of the oldest known representations of the Thcban
deity.
In this colonnade, on the platform, was found an Xlth Dynasty rock
tomb with a pit 15 ft. 10 in. deep and a chamber measuring 9 ft. 4 in. by
Egypt Exploration Fund.
Three portraits of the king were found, one of which, of very delicate work-
manship, is here given (fig. 13). Three other specimens of reliefs are also
given (figs. 10-12). Their general resemblance to the work of the Old:
Kingdom, but with a certain difference, will be noticed. The colour is as
vivid as possible.
The mass of fragments found is at present placed in the storerooms of
the great temple or temporarily re-buried in the tombs which were
excavated in the course of the work. The task of sorting these and
piecing them together will have to be undertaken when the clearing of
the site is finished. None of those belonging to the pillared hall have yet
been found in situ, and from their smashed condition it is evident that the
temple was at some period purposely overthrown and broken up. The fact
that a large number of wooden mallets, wedges, and levers, a fine copper chisel
with hardened edge, workmen's baskets, etc., were found among the dehris ot
the reliefs, confirms this conclusion. They are the lost or thrown away tools
of the workmen who broke up the temple. The only reliefs discovered in
place are those, already mentioned, in the colonnade below, which represent
a procession of boats. Smaller fragments of this sculpture were also found
in the debris. The style is peculiar, the work being rough and poor, and
the surface of the stone is painted a peculiar dirty yellow of gummy or glazed
appearance. It looks very much as if the whole had been gilded. As by
the terms of the arrangement with the Service of Antiquities, all reliefs
which actually join on to those in situ, or which can be certainly
replaced in their original position, must finally remain in Egypt, it was
not thought advisable, owing to the certainty that they would have to be
returned eventually, to bring back any of the unplaced fragments of the
colonnade reliefs to England for exhibition.
Outside the pillared hall, on the platform (i.e. between the wall of the
hall and the edge of the platform), and on both the north and the east sides
of it, an upper colonnade seems to have existed, with pillars of greater
size than those in the colonnade below. Of this colonnade only the square
base-slabs of the pillars remain in position, but a few fragments of the
pillars or pilasters were found, and were exhibited with the reliefs at
University College. They are of sandstone, and were sculptured with
scenes representing the king being embraced by various deities, like the
colonnade pillars of Hatshepsu's temple. One of these is perhaps the god
Amen : if so, it is one of the oldest known representations of the Thcban
deity.
In this colonnade, on the platform, was found an Xlth Dynasty rock
tomb with a pit 15 ft. 10 in. deep and a chamber measuring 9 ft. 4 in. by