DOI Artikel:
Naville, Edouard; Hall, H. R.: Egypt Exploration Fund: excavations at Deir El Bahari
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12051#0015
Excavations at Deir el Bahaei.
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brick chambers were found (PI. i, fig. 5). They are probably of the XVIIIth
Dynasty. Certainly the Xlth Dynasty walls were partly broken down
when they were built. But they cannot be much later than the XVIIIth
Dynasty, since the level on which they stand, only a few inches above the
original level of the XIIlth Dynasty court, cannot have been seen since
Ramesside times. That they are earlier than Bamesside days seems to
be proved by fragments of pottery found in their bricks, which may be
XVIIIth Dynasty or earlier. The walls are very solid, and are covered with
stiff plaster. Possibly the houses were those of priests or store-houses : some
grain was found in one chamber. PI. i, fig. 4 shows the Southern Court with
the south temenos wall and these brick chambers. Fig. 3 continues this
photograph on the left, so that the two together give a panoramic view of
the south side of the temple, looking east. The shoot for bringing the
rubbish down from the platform to the ground level is seen in this view.
The southern face of the platform (fig. 3) had been covered by a wall of
great blocks like those of the north face ; all, however, have disappeared.
But though an emplacement had been made for the sandstone foundation-
blocks of a stone masking-wall along the hill slope on the opposite side of
the court, no stone wall seems ever to have been erected. Instead, a
great brick wall was built, which has mostly gone, only a small portion
being in position beyond and parallel to the south temenos wall. A similar
brick wall masked the rock-face above the end of the court, on the plat-
form : the lower part of this is in place. In the court a single tomb was
found this year. It contained practically nothing. It is of the same
type as the other tombs in the North Court and on the platform, but more
roughly made. Its interest lies in the fact that it is probably older than
the building of the temple, and was, so to speak, cut in two by the
excavation of the South Court. Originally its shaft must have been much
deeper; when the South Court was cut out it lost several feet of its
length. The line of the depressed emplacement for the masking-wall on
the south side of the court also bisects the shaft, so that at its south end
it is 1 ft. G in. shallower than at the north end. The tomb was probably
violated at this time. The shaft was filled up, and made up to the level
of the court at the south end, a little brick wall having been built round
this end to retain the filling.
Close by was found the lower part of a small crinkly or wavy wall, of the
same type as those of the Xllth Dynasty at Abydos.
On the platform the portion of the temple lying behind (west of) the
tombs of the priestesses was cleared nearly to the base of the cliffs. It is
simply a trench cut in the rock from the platform and at its level to the
3
brick chambers were found (PI. i, fig. 5). They are probably of the XVIIIth
Dynasty. Certainly the Xlth Dynasty walls were partly broken down
when they were built. But they cannot be much later than the XVIIIth
Dynasty, since the level on which they stand, only a few inches above the
original level of the XIIlth Dynasty court, cannot have been seen since
Ramesside times. That they are earlier than Bamesside days seems to
be proved by fragments of pottery found in their bricks, which may be
XVIIIth Dynasty or earlier. The walls are very solid, and are covered with
stiff plaster. Possibly the houses were those of priests or store-houses : some
grain was found in one chamber. PI. i, fig. 4 shows the Southern Court with
the south temenos wall and these brick chambers. Fig. 3 continues this
photograph on the left, so that the two together give a panoramic view of
the south side of the temple, looking east. The shoot for bringing the
rubbish down from the platform to the ground level is seen in this view.
The southern face of the platform (fig. 3) had been covered by a wall of
great blocks like those of the north face ; all, however, have disappeared.
But though an emplacement had been made for the sandstone foundation-
blocks of a stone masking-wall along the hill slope on the opposite side of
the court, no stone wall seems ever to have been erected. Instead, a
great brick wall was built, which has mostly gone, only a small portion
being in position beyond and parallel to the south temenos wall. A similar
brick wall masked the rock-face above the end of the court, on the plat-
form : the lower part of this is in place. In the court a single tomb was
found this year. It contained practically nothing. It is of the same
type as the other tombs in the North Court and on the platform, but more
roughly made. Its interest lies in the fact that it is probably older than
the building of the temple, and was, so to speak, cut in two by the
excavation of the South Court. Originally its shaft must have been much
deeper; when the South Court was cut out it lost several feet of its
length. The line of the depressed emplacement for the masking-wall on
the south side of the court also bisects the shaft, so that at its south end
it is 1 ft. G in. shallower than at the north end. The tomb was probably
violated at this time. The shaft was filled up, and made up to the level
of the court at the south end, a little brick wall having been built round
this end to retain the filling.
Close by was found the lower part of a small crinkly or wavy wall, of the
same type as those of the Xllth Dynasty at Abydos.
On the platform the portion of the temple lying behind (west of) the
tombs of the priestesses was cleared nearly to the base of the cliffs. It is
simply a trench cut in the rock from the platform and at its level to the