DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24#0018
— 12 —
The wall east of the columns, which carries the eastern ends of the roof blocks, was on a
shallower foundation than the columns, descending to an average of only 1-4 metres below
pavement-level; it was also much narrower, spreading out to an average width of only
1-4 metres. The rock-surface under this wall runs about parallel with that under the
columns.
The underpinning here consists of two continuous walls of rubble masonry in 3 to 1
Portland cement, that under the columns being 2-5 metres thick, and that under the wall
1-5 metres. The walls extend in both cases down to saturation-level, except where rock
was met with above that datum. ^
The underpinning was accomplished in lengths of about 2 metres, of which three were
generally kept going at once at different points. The first excavations were got out from
the outside (i.e. the west side) of the colonnade, so as to avoid going through the pavement
within ; but as this pavement was very roughly put in, it was soon found better to remove
it (see p. 18) and sink down between the columns and the wall, driving headings east
and west simultaneously and thus accomplishing the underpinning of both colonnade and
wall at one operation. The foundation of the eastern wall being built of small indifferently
laid stones, a few stones from the bottom course were taken out and replaced, while the
joints of the whole interior face of the old foundation were raked out to a depth of about
15 centimetres and pointed with cement mortar ; this was done to prevent settlement from
any washing of the mud out of the joints westward.
The trench, formed by the junction of the different shafts when the work of under-
pinning was completed, was afterwards filled in with stones and earth, well flooded with
water and allowed to settle, the filling stopping about 50 centimetres short of the pavement-
level. After the filling had thoroughly settled and hardened, a new pavement 50 centimetres
thick, made of broken lintels which formerly encumbered the colonnade court, was laid down
(seepage 18).
THE GEEAT TEMPLE OF ISIS.
(Plate V.)
At the Great Temple of Isis the bed-rock comes to the surface at the second pylon
and on the east side of the interior of the hall of columns. In addition, it was found in
1896 that the walls of the temple descended to rock at the levels of 101-8 to 100-2 metres.
Hence this temple required no underpinning operations, and the only work done in it was
the filling of the crypts with rubble masonry in 5 to 1 Portland cement, to prevent accumu-
lation of stagnant water.
The wall east of the columns, which carries the eastern ends of the roof blocks, was on a
shallower foundation than the columns, descending to an average of only 1-4 metres below
pavement-level; it was also much narrower, spreading out to an average width of only
1-4 metres. The rock-surface under this wall runs about parallel with that under the
columns.
The underpinning here consists of two continuous walls of rubble masonry in 3 to 1
Portland cement, that under the columns being 2-5 metres thick, and that under the wall
1-5 metres. The walls extend in both cases down to saturation-level, except where rock
was met with above that datum. ^
The underpinning was accomplished in lengths of about 2 metres, of which three were
generally kept going at once at different points. The first excavations were got out from
the outside (i.e. the west side) of the colonnade, so as to avoid going through the pavement
within ; but as this pavement was very roughly put in, it was soon found better to remove
it (see p. 18) and sink down between the columns and the wall, driving headings east
and west simultaneously and thus accomplishing the underpinning of both colonnade and
wall at one operation. The foundation of the eastern wall being built of small indifferently
laid stones, a few stones from the bottom course were taken out and replaced, while the
joints of the whole interior face of the old foundation were raked out to a depth of about
15 centimetres and pointed with cement mortar ; this was done to prevent settlement from
any washing of the mud out of the joints westward.
The trench, formed by the junction of the different shafts when the work of under-
pinning was completed, was afterwards filled in with stones and earth, well flooded with
water and allowed to settle, the filling stopping about 50 centimetres short of the pavement-
level. After the filling had thoroughly settled and hardened, a new pavement 50 centimetres
thick, made of broken lintels which formerly encumbered the colonnade court, was laid down
(seepage 18).
THE GEEAT TEMPLE OF ISIS.
(Plate V.)
At the Great Temple of Isis the bed-rock comes to the surface at the second pylon
and on the east side of the interior of the hall of columns. In addition, it was found in
1896 that the walls of the temple descended to rock at the levels of 101-8 to 100-2 metres.
Hence this temple required no underpinning operations, and the only work done in it was
the filling of the crypts with rubble masonry in 5 to 1 Portland cement, to prevent accumu-
lation of stagnant water.