DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49271#0074
52
G. A. Reisner
the contemporary and probably the queen of Maleneqen, may be explained by assuming
that Amtalqa was a younger brother or a cousin of Aspalta. But of course other explana-
tions are possible.
In any case, the only order of these three kings compatible with all the evidence is:
Aspalta, Amtalqa, Maleneqen.
(8) Pyr. V, 2759 cm. square. Maleneqen.
The pyramid of Maleneqen was, according to the conclusion reached above, the
last of the large pyramids of group b, and is as might be expected on the least desirable
site of all the pyramids of that group which were built on the “western” ridge. The
ground is bad and sloping; the area is so cramped that the distance between V and VI is
only five meters, and the site blocks the outlook of pyramid III. The choice at that time
lay between the site selected, the space between VI and VIII, and the circumscribed
area “south” of IX. The site “south” of IX was apparently regarded as'the less desir-
able, and in fact the pyramid afterwards built here had to be turned askew, and set
slightly back, in order to avoid the poor ground on the “south”. As for the other two pos-
sibilities, Maleneqen evidently shows more respect for Tirhaqa than for Senkamanseken.
He was the first to block the westward outlook of an older king. At that time, Senkaman-
seken had according to my calculation been dead about 100 years, and three kings had
been buried in the meantime. If the kings had paid any attention to the requirements
of their successors, more pyramids might have been built in the row. If for example,
Amtalqa had moved his tomb five meters nearer VIII, which he could have done without
lessening the advantages of his site, there would have been a fairly good place left on the
“south”.
The ground under pyramid V, under the “northern” side and the “northeastern”
corner slopes down to the “north” and has a deep layer of surface earth. The stairway
is on fair ground, but the upper layer consists of about two meters of soft red sandstone,
and the schist below has concealed fissures formed by water. Actually, below ground
the rejected site “south” of IX offered sounder rock, but this fact would not have been
superficially discernible.
(9) Pyr. XVIII, 1068 cm. square. Nalma’aya.
The small size of pyramid XVIII and the general poverty of the objects which can be
ascribed to its king, Nalma’aya, would ordinarily make difficult the task of determining
its chronological position. The identification is again beyond dispute, although the
name is written in two ways: jBS. -J7 and J- All difficulty is, how-
ever, removed by two facts: (1) the foundation deposits are identical with those of
G. A. Reisner
the contemporary and probably the queen of Maleneqen, may be explained by assuming
that Amtalqa was a younger brother or a cousin of Aspalta. But of course other explana-
tions are possible.
In any case, the only order of these three kings compatible with all the evidence is:
Aspalta, Amtalqa, Maleneqen.
(8) Pyr. V, 2759 cm. square. Maleneqen.
The pyramid of Maleneqen was, according to the conclusion reached above, the
last of the large pyramids of group b, and is as might be expected on the least desirable
site of all the pyramids of that group which were built on the “western” ridge. The
ground is bad and sloping; the area is so cramped that the distance between V and VI is
only five meters, and the site blocks the outlook of pyramid III. The choice at that time
lay between the site selected, the space between VI and VIII, and the circumscribed
area “south” of IX. The site “south” of IX was apparently regarded as'the less desir-
able, and in fact the pyramid afterwards built here had to be turned askew, and set
slightly back, in order to avoid the poor ground on the “south”. As for the other two pos-
sibilities, Maleneqen evidently shows more respect for Tirhaqa than for Senkamanseken.
He was the first to block the westward outlook of an older king. At that time, Senkaman-
seken had according to my calculation been dead about 100 years, and three kings had
been buried in the meantime. If the kings had paid any attention to the requirements
of their successors, more pyramids might have been built in the row. If for example,
Amtalqa had moved his tomb five meters nearer VIII, which he could have done without
lessening the advantages of his site, there would have been a fairly good place left on the
“south”.
The ground under pyramid V, under the “northern” side and the “northeastern”
corner slopes down to the “north” and has a deep layer of surface earth. The stairway
is on fair ground, but the upper layer consists of about two meters of soft red sandstone,
and the schist below has concealed fissures formed by water. Actually, below ground
the rejected site “south” of IX offered sounder rock, but this fact would not have been
superficially discernible.
(9) Pyr. XVIII, 1068 cm. square. Nalma’aya.
The small size of pyramid XVIII and the general poverty of the objects which can be
ascribed to its king, Nalma’aya, would ordinarily make difficult the task of determining
its chronological position. The identification is again beyond dispute, although the
name is written in two ways: jBS. -J7 and J- All difficulty is, how-
ever, removed by two facts: (1) the foundation deposits are identical with those of