DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4664#0020
THE TOWN.
15
dynasties being found ; such as the stele of Pepy, a
granite table of offerings with the cartouche of
Usertesen I, and the paving slab with Sebekhotep's
cartouche, already mentioned.
And further, we have a conspicuous absence of
Middle Kingdom burials, while those of the Old and
New are very numerous and important. This may
be because the population was reduced at this period,
and revived with the rise of the New Kingdom. As
it is very improbable that this temple belongs to the
Old Kingdom, this seems to point to the foundation
of the temple at the later and more prosperous time
of the New Kingdom. The sandstone cornice and
polygonal column shown on Pl. LXVII. may be part
of the New Kingdom temple, or part of an earlier
structure ; but there is no evidence in favour of one
of these dates more than the other. They were found
at a considerable height, and above the floor which
surrounds the sanctuary on the N.W. side.
CHAPTER V.
THE TOWN.
The Wall.
37. The remains of what was once the town 'of
Hierakonpolis are enclosed by a crude brick wall,
which, as may be seen from the plan, does not form
a rectangular but a somewhat irregular figure: the
line joining the north and south angles dividing the
area into two nearly equal triangles having two of
their sides bounded by walls meeting at right angles.
Unfortunately the wall has been in parts destroyed,
or is now encumbered with modern huts, so that it
could not be followed in its entire circumference.
On Pl. LXXUl. the heavy black shows where the
wall was actually examined, while the probable direc-
tion of the rest is drawn in outline only.
This town wall is built of small bricks, of about
the same dimensions as those used in the houses
(26 X 13x7 cm., 10-2 x 5-1 X 2-8 ins.), but where
it forms part of the outer enclosure of the temple on
the S.W. side the bricks used are the same as those
of the rest of the temple, 37 x 19 X 11 cm. (14-6 x
7-5x4-3 ins.).
The general thickness varies but little from 6-0
metres where it is built of the small sized bricks, but
where built of larger bricks it is but 3-0 metres
thick. As the cultivation is close to the wall at this
point, it is extremely unlikely that there was an
outer wall of greater thickness, and traces of such a
wall would surely have been preserved.
The Gateways.
38. Of the gateways which gave access to the
town only two were found. One, which is in a very
bad condition, the wall having been much broken at
this point, is situated opposite to the north eastern
entrance to the temple. Near it, and running at right
angles to the town wall, are walls made of large crude
bricks (37 x 19 X n cm.), which seem to be part of
some building forming an approach to the crude
brick temple, and contemporary with it.
Another gateway is situated about two-thirds of
the way along the wall towards the Northern angle.
The gateway itself, which is little more than 2-0
metres wide, had been paved originally with stone,
part of which was found in situ resting on a mud
bedding reddened in places by fire.
The stones forming the pavement rest on ground
1 • 7 m. below datum level, which is also the approxi-
mate depth of the foot of the wall.
Just outside the gateway on the north side, part
of the base of a limestone statue had been placed
upside down during some repairs of the pavement.
Only the feet remain ; they are coloured red as well
as the plinth, which has had an additional coat of
blue black put over the red. Judging by the work
the statue seems to have belonged to the Old
Kingdom.
2 ■ 6 metres in front of the gateway, and at a
slightly lower level than the paved part, is a row of
three stones roughly squared, resting on earth. Under
them were a few pieces of rough red, and polished
red, pottery of the prehistoric or early historic period.
Archaic Limestone Statue.
39. The southernmost of the above stones was
found to be a much mutilated limestone statue, of the
most archaic and crude type, being very similar in
technique to the limestone statues of Min found by
Professor Petrie at Koptos. See Pl. LVII.
The statue lay on its left side, with the upper
part of the body towards the south. The head as
well as the feet were wanting. Along the upper side,
as it lay, was a row of shallow holes, evidently made
by its being used as the lower socket to take the
pivot of a door.
15
dynasties being found ; such as the stele of Pepy, a
granite table of offerings with the cartouche of
Usertesen I, and the paving slab with Sebekhotep's
cartouche, already mentioned.
And further, we have a conspicuous absence of
Middle Kingdom burials, while those of the Old and
New are very numerous and important. This may
be because the population was reduced at this period,
and revived with the rise of the New Kingdom. As
it is very improbable that this temple belongs to the
Old Kingdom, this seems to point to the foundation
of the temple at the later and more prosperous time
of the New Kingdom. The sandstone cornice and
polygonal column shown on Pl. LXVII. may be part
of the New Kingdom temple, or part of an earlier
structure ; but there is no evidence in favour of one
of these dates more than the other. They were found
at a considerable height, and above the floor which
surrounds the sanctuary on the N.W. side.
CHAPTER V.
THE TOWN.
The Wall.
37. The remains of what was once the town 'of
Hierakonpolis are enclosed by a crude brick wall,
which, as may be seen from the plan, does not form
a rectangular but a somewhat irregular figure: the
line joining the north and south angles dividing the
area into two nearly equal triangles having two of
their sides bounded by walls meeting at right angles.
Unfortunately the wall has been in parts destroyed,
or is now encumbered with modern huts, so that it
could not be followed in its entire circumference.
On Pl. LXXUl. the heavy black shows where the
wall was actually examined, while the probable direc-
tion of the rest is drawn in outline only.
This town wall is built of small bricks, of about
the same dimensions as those used in the houses
(26 X 13x7 cm., 10-2 x 5-1 X 2-8 ins.), but where
it forms part of the outer enclosure of the temple on
the S.W. side the bricks used are the same as those
of the rest of the temple, 37 x 19 X 11 cm. (14-6 x
7-5x4-3 ins.).
The general thickness varies but little from 6-0
metres where it is built of the small sized bricks, but
where built of larger bricks it is but 3-0 metres
thick. As the cultivation is close to the wall at this
point, it is extremely unlikely that there was an
outer wall of greater thickness, and traces of such a
wall would surely have been preserved.
The Gateways.
38. Of the gateways which gave access to the
town only two were found. One, which is in a very
bad condition, the wall having been much broken at
this point, is situated opposite to the north eastern
entrance to the temple. Near it, and running at right
angles to the town wall, are walls made of large crude
bricks (37 x 19 X n cm.), which seem to be part of
some building forming an approach to the crude
brick temple, and contemporary with it.
Another gateway is situated about two-thirds of
the way along the wall towards the Northern angle.
The gateway itself, which is little more than 2-0
metres wide, had been paved originally with stone,
part of which was found in situ resting on a mud
bedding reddened in places by fire.
The stones forming the pavement rest on ground
1 • 7 m. below datum level, which is also the approxi-
mate depth of the foot of the wall.
Just outside the gateway on the north side, part
of the base of a limestone statue had been placed
upside down during some repairs of the pavement.
Only the feet remain ; they are coloured red as well
as the plinth, which has had an additional coat of
blue black put over the red. Judging by the work
the statue seems to have belonged to the Old
Kingdom.
2 ■ 6 metres in front of the gateway, and at a
slightly lower level than the paved part, is a row of
three stones roughly squared, resting on earth. Under
them were a few pieces of rough red, and polished
red, pottery of the prehistoric or early historic period.
Archaic Limestone Statue.
39. The southernmost of the above stones was
found to be a much mutilated limestone statue, of the
most archaic and crude type, being very similar in
technique to the limestone statues of Min found by
Professor Petrie at Koptos. See Pl. LVII.
The statue lay on its left side, with the upper
part of the body towards the south. The head as
well as the feet were wanting. Along the upper side,
as it lay, was a row of shallow holes, evidently made
by its being used as the lower socket to take the
pivot of a door.