DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3990#0021
( 20 )
Plan VII., fig. 10.—The foundations of the Hall of Columns on the west side consist of ten courses of sandstone blocks about half a
metre in average thickness, and from one and a quarter to two metres in length. The wall shows very little outward " batter," and finally rests on
a mass of red granite one metre from the base of another wall consisting of nine courses which do not coincide in level with those of the temple wall
at this point, but agree very closely, at least in the upper part, with those of the northern and older part of the temple. It may be that we
have here the remains of an outer wall or some similar structure belonging to the original temple built by Ptolemy II. and III., which ended
on the north side of the Hall of Columns, as may be seen by the sloping face of the wall. The north face of the second (inner) pylon
shows where the end of this older wall abutted against the pylon, but it was not built into it.
Plan VII., fig. 11.—The north-west corner of this temple is carried on eighteen courses of masonry, which rest upon granite rock six
metres from the surface.
Plan VII., fig. 12.—The north-east corner has a foundation of thirteen courses, beneath which is the granite at a depth of about five and
a half metres, so that these three holes (figs. 10, 11, and 12), show the masonry of the foundations of this part of the temple to be particularly well
laid, to consist of large sandstone blocks of similar dimensions to those already described, and to show no sign whatever of any cracking, yielding,
or settlement. The topmost courses of the second pylon and of the main temple have been more or less displaced at several points, and this
displacement continues in some cases for five or six courses from the top of the building; but below this there is no sign of it, and the
foundations, too, are absolutely unharmed even at the north-west corner, where the top corner blocks have been shifted. It seems almost certain
that this movement lias been due to an earthquake shock, which affected principally the buildings founded on granite, and hardly any shift is
visible in the great pylon which has its foundations on earth. The movement of the blocks also has not been in any one direction, but in
vaiious azimuths, as though affected by a rotatory force. It is possible, of course, that the shock took place before the building of the great pylon,
but there is also other evidence of at least one, if not two, shocks long after that date (Part VI.). The second pylon has suffered most, which
is the highest part of the temple which is founded on granite, and where the granite forms the surface of the ground, but even here it is only the
top few courses which have been shifted as already mentioned.
It is noticeable that in both the north-east and north-west foundation holes the courses of masonry from the seventh stone upwards have
been painted red, while, in the former, lumps of yellow plaster have been stuck on the joints of courses 4, 5, and 6, but with what object is not clear.
The section passed through in each of the three holes (figs. 10, 11, and 12) is much the same. In the first (fig. 10) 2 metres of earth and mud
brick rubbish were succeeded by sandstone chip, which continued down to the granite surface. In the other two, earth and brick rubbish continued
for about a metre and a half, followed by two and a half metres of sandstone chip, beneath which were some ashes lying on the Nile earth
deposit which formed the remainder of the section.
At the Kiosk (K) the foundation hole sunk at the south-western corner (Plan VIL, fig. 13) showed a total depth of 4*2 metres of masonry,
which rested on Nile earth. The whole was in excellent condition and showed no signs of settlement. The first courses from the top form a nearly
vertical face and the blocks bear quarry marks (~|) and have draughted margins with the central portions left rough, while the fifth course is smooth
dressed on the top, with a chiselled line to mark the position of the course above. The sixth course is smooth dressed for 12 metre on the top and
then chiselled out to half a centimetre deep; two blocks in this course have smooth dressed faces. The section of the earth showed that for the first
five courses a wide trench had been cut, while below that the undisturbed earth was only from 10 to 20 centimetres from the masonry. Thus it
appears that the first four courses belong to the Kiosk (K), but that the remainder is an older foundation.
The Temple of Hathor (G) has foundations 4'7.3 metres deep for the original temple, and 3-38 metres for the added chamber at the
east end, which rest on Nile earth with many granite and diorite boulders. Both appear solid and in good condition, though the added
Plan VII., fig. 10.—The foundations of the Hall of Columns on the west side consist of ten courses of sandstone blocks about half a
metre in average thickness, and from one and a quarter to two metres in length. The wall shows very little outward " batter," and finally rests on
a mass of red granite one metre from the base of another wall consisting of nine courses which do not coincide in level with those of the temple wall
at this point, but agree very closely, at least in the upper part, with those of the northern and older part of the temple. It may be that we
have here the remains of an outer wall or some similar structure belonging to the original temple built by Ptolemy II. and III., which ended
on the north side of the Hall of Columns, as may be seen by the sloping face of the wall. The north face of the second (inner) pylon
shows where the end of this older wall abutted against the pylon, but it was not built into it.
Plan VII., fig. 11.—The north-west corner of this temple is carried on eighteen courses of masonry, which rest upon granite rock six
metres from the surface.
Plan VII., fig. 12.—The north-east corner has a foundation of thirteen courses, beneath which is the granite at a depth of about five and
a half metres, so that these three holes (figs. 10, 11, and 12), show the masonry of the foundations of this part of the temple to be particularly well
laid, to consist of large sandstone blocks of similar dimensions to those already described, and to show no sign whatever of any cracking, yielding,
or settlement. The topmost courses of the second pylon and of the main temple have been more or less displaced at several points, and this
displacement continues in some cases for five or six courses from the top of the building; but below this there is no sign of it, and the
foundations, too, are absolutely unharmed even at the north-west corner, where the top corner blocks have been shifted. It seems almost certain
that this movement lias been due to an earthquake shock, which affected principally the buildings founded on granite, and hardly any shift is
visible in the great pylon which has its foundations on earth. The movement of the blocks also has not been in any one direction, but in
vaiious azimuths, as though affected by a rotatory force. It is possible, of course, that the shock took place before the building of the great pylon,
but there is also other evidence of at least one, if not two, shocks long after that date (Part VI.). The second pylon has suffered most, which
is the highest part of the temple which is founded on granite, and where the granite forms the surface of the ground, but even here it is only the
top few courses which have been shifted as already mentioned.
It is noticeable that in both the north-east and north-west foundation holes the courses of masonry from the seventh stone upwards have
been painted red, while, in the former, lumps of yellow plaster have been stuck on the joints of courses 4, 5, and 6, but with what object is not clear.
The section passed through in each of the three holes (figs. 10, 11, and 12) is much the same. In the first (fig. 10) 2 metres of earth and mud
brick rubbish were succeeded by sandstone chip, which continued down to the granite surface. In the other two, earth and brick rubbish continued
for about a metre and a half, followed by two and a half metres of sandstone chip, beneath which were some ashes lying on the Nile earth
deposit which formed the remainder of the section.
At the Kiosk (K) the foundation hole sunk at the south-western corner (Plan VIL, fig. 13) showed a total depth of 4*2 metres of masonry,
which rested on Nile earth. The whole was in excellent condition and showed no signs of settlement. The first courses from the top form a nearly
vertical face and the blocks bear quarry marks (~|) and have draughted margins with the central portions left rough, while the fifth course is smooth
dressed on the top, with a chiselled line to mark the position of the course above. The sixth course is smooth dressed for 12 metre on the top and
then chiselled out to half a centimetre deep; two blocks in this course have smooth dressed faces. The section of the earth showed that for the first
five courses a wide trench had been cut, while below that the undisturbed earth was only from 10 to 20 centimetres from the masonry. Thus it
appears that the first four courses belong to the Kiosk (K), but that the remainder is an older foundation.
The Temple of Hathor (G) has foundations 4'7.3 metres deep for the original temple, and 3-38 metres for the added chamber at the
east end, which rest on Nile earth with many granite and diorite boulders. Both appear solid and in good condition, though the added