DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4664#0024
THE FORT.
19
friable paste similar to that of the green glazed
objects from the main deposit.
The plaque and the vase are shown on PL. LXIII.
The earthenware vase shown next to the green
glazed one came from near where the main deposit
was found, and at the same level; these vases are
here shown together for the sake of comparison.
Besides these objects were two vase borers, one
the same shape as the largest of the group shown on
PL. LXII. 5 ; and the other like the medium sized
one of the same group.
A large piece of quartz crystal, roughly chipped
to shape, ready for grinding and polishing, came from
this group of rooms, Pl. LXII. 4, The borer shown
on the top of it in the plate was not so found ; it is
shown thus to give an idea of the probable mode of
manufacture.
House 168.
48. A little north of the group just described is
another set of dwellings, marked 168 on the plan.
The group consists of a series of rooms opening into
a passage 1 • 8 m. wide, running at right angles to the
town wall. These rooms must have had entrances
higher than the present height of the walls (about
30 cm.), as the actual doorways were not found.
The most westerly room is the largest; it is divided
into two parts by a low wall. In a room adjoining it
on the north side is a " shuna," or circular structure,
like that already described as occurring in group 89.
The room next to the first is nearly square ; and
next to this again, is another square room, but larger
and divided into two parts by a low thin wall. Still
further towards the town wall, separated by a recess
or blind passage 2*0 m. long by 0"6 m. wide, are two
rectangular rooms 2-4 m. by 2-o m. and 2-6 by 2-0
respectively.
These rooms contained the same kind of objects
as all the rest, but a greater number of rectangular
flint blades were scattered about the floors in this
group than in any of the others examined, most
coming from room No. I. Here, as elsewhere, were
found pottery of the Old Kingdom, a few green glaze
barrel-shaped beads, one made of a bright green
stone, a human tooth, several inscribed fragments of
clay sealings, and a small ivory bangle.
Among the clay sealings one was found in a
remarkably good state of preservation in the most
westerly room, in the angle formed by the partition
wall and the low cross-wall. Its original shape had
been a cylinder whose height is less than its breadth.
It bore the impression of having been round a roll of
papyrus or papyrus knot. Unfortunately it had been
broken in half and the other part was not recovered.
The impression of a cylinder runs round the side
and over both ends, the inscription reading KHA
NETER AKHT KHENU. (LXX. 3.)
Besides the Old Kingdom pottery a piece of the
dark ware with incised cross lines belonging to the
period from the Middle to the New Kingdom was
found.
Still further to the northern angle of the town
wall some walls are shown on the plan. These appear
to have formed part of a large room, but they have
been so destroyed by sebakhin that they stand now
only about 20 cm. above their foot at the highest
point, while the greater part has been removed al-
together. That they belong to the same period as
the rest of the houses is evident from the size of the
bricks, and from the nature of the few objects, such as
pottery, that were recovered. Nothing of interest
except a few fragments of pottery was found.
CHAPTER VI.
THE FORT.
By Somers Clarke, F.S.A.
49. THIS building lies on the desert edge, but
very little removed from the cultivated ground, and
at the mouth of a valley which runs into the western
desert. In plan it is rectangular, with the entrance
towards the cultivated land. An outer wall has been
built 2-34 m. thick, standing in advance of the inner
and chief wall, which is 4*87 m. thick. There is a
space of 2*23 m. between the walls. The outer wall
was lower than the inner.
The entrance is formed in a sort of bastion, or
tower-like projection, and is sufficiently circuitous to
make it impossible for any body of persons to rush
through quickly. There is not evidence that any
other entrance existed. The outer wall follows the
plan of the projecting bastion. It is, however, so
much ruined at this point that it is impossible to say
definitely whether the doorway was in the long face
towards the N.E., or in the short return face towards
the N.W. There are indications which suggest that
it may have been in the return face, and this arrange-
ment would have made it most easy to defend.
If there were stairs of ascent to the wall top, and
we cannot suppose there were not, these must have
D 2
19
friable paste similar to that of the green glazed
objects from the main deposit.
The plaque and the vase are shown on PL. LXIII.
The earthenware vase shown next to the green
glazed one came from near where the main deposit
was found, and at the same level; these vases are
here shown together for the sake of comparison.
Besides these objects were two vase borers, one
the same shape as the largest of the group shown on
PL. LXII. 5 ; and the other like the medium sized
one of the same group.
A large piece of quartz crystal, roughly chipped
to shape, ready for grinding and polishing, came from
this group of rooms, Pl. LXII. 4, The borer shown
on the top of it in the plate was not so found ; it is
shown thus to give an idea of the probable mode of
manufacture.
House 168.
48. A little north of the group just described is
another set of dwellings, marked 168 on the plan.
The group consists of a series of rooms opening into
a passage 1 • 8 m. wide, running at right angles to the
town wall. These rooms must have had entrances
higher than the present height of the walls (about
30 cm.), as the actual doorways were not found.
The most westerly room is the largest; it is divided
into two parts by a low wall. In a room adjoining it
on the north side is a " shuna," or circular structure,
like that already described as occurring in group 89.
The room next to the first is nearly square ; and
next to this again, is another square room, but larger
and divided into two parts by a low thin wall. Still
further towards the town wall, separated by a recess
or blind passage 2*0 m. long by 0"6 m. wide, are two
rectangular rooms 2-4 m. by 2-o m. and 2-6 by 2-0
respectively.
These rooms contained the same kind of objects
as all the rest, but a greater number of rectangular
flint blades were scattered about the floors in this
group than in any of the others examined, most
coming from room No. I. Here, as elsewhere, were
found pottery of the Old Kingdom, a few green glaze
barrel-shaped beads, one made of a bright green
stone, a human tooth, several inscribed fragments of
clay sealings, and a small ivory bangle.
Among the clay sealings one was found in a
remarkably good state of preservation in the most
westerly room, in the angle formed by the partition
wall and the low cross-wall. Its original shape had
been a cylinder whose height is less than its breadth.
It bore the impression of having been round a roll of
papyrus or papyrus knot. Unfortunately it had been
broken in half and the other part was not recovered.
The impression of a cylinder runs round the side
and over both ends, the inscription reading KHA
NETER AKHT KHENU. (LXX. 3.)
Besides the Old Kingdom pottery a piece of the
dark ware with incised cross lines belonging to the
period from the Middle to the New Kingdom was
found.
Still further to the northern angle of the town
wall some walls are shown on the plan. These appear
to have formed part of a large room, but they have
been so destroyed by sebakhin that they stand now
only about 20 cm. above their foot at the highest
point, while the greater part has been removed al-
together. That they belong to the same period as
the rest of the houses is evident from the size of the
bricks, and from the nature of the few objects, such as
pottery, that were recovered. Nothing of interest
except a few fragments of pottery was found.
CHAPTER VI.
THE FORT.
By Somers Clarke, F.S.A.
49. THIS building lies on the desert edge, but
very little removed from the cultivated ground, and
at the mouth of a valley which runs into the western
desert. In plan it is rectangular, with the entrance
towards the cultivated land. An outer wall has been
built 2-34 m. thick, standing in advance of the inner
and chief wall, which is 4*87 m. thick. There is a
space of 2*23 m. between the walls. The outer wall
was lower than the inner.
The entrance is formed in a sort of bastion, or
tower-like projection, and is sufficiently circuitous to
make it impossible for any body of persons to rush
through quickly. There is not evidence that any
other entrance existed. The outer wall follows the
plan of the projecting bastion. It is, however, so
much ruined at this point that it is impossible to say
definitely whether the doorway was in the long face
towards the N.E., or in the short return face towards
the N.W. There are indications which suggest that
it may have been in the return face, and this arrange-
ment would have made it most easy to defend.
If there were stairs of ascent to the wall top, and
we cannot suppose there were not, these must have
D 2