DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4142#0010
DOORWAY TO THE VESTIBULE.
Dynasty, when the Necropolis of Thebes was the
resort of gangs of robbers and treasure-seekers, who
pillaged the tombs and especially the royal sepulchres.
The painted reliefs have experienced a singular
fate; for a yellow smudge, strong enough to spoil the
original colouring, but not to conceal it wholly, seems
to have been spread over figures and hieroglyphs
alike. This smudge is not an alien colour, and it is
not due to malevolence or to a desire to obliterate the
sculptures ; it is the result of the decomposition of
the old varnish, which originally was quite trans-
parent and was applied in order to preserve the
colours. The same phenomenon may be noticed on
many painted coffins.
The North-Western Hall op Offerings.
The narrow hall, which is situated between the
Altar Court and the cliff, opens only into the Inner
Court of the Upper Platform, through a door which is
in the middle of its southern wall. The dimensions
of the Hall are 31 feet 6|- inches long, 8 feet wide,
and 18 feet 1\ inches high. The slabs of the stone
ceiling are 21 inches thick. The Hall is in a good
state of preservation, except for its pavement, which
has disappeared almost entirely, several mummy-pits
having been cut in the ground. Two only of the
starred blue slabs of the ceiling are still in situ, and
the wall above the door-lintel is much ruined (see
pi. xvii.). A dado of two red stripes, bordered and
divided by black lines, runs round the three sides at
a uniform height of about 55 inches above the pave-
ment level; above it are sculptured scenes in low
relief. The figures are of heroic size. The decora-
tion of the walls belongs to the period when Hatshepsu
and Thothmes III. were co-regnant, and is of the
same period as the sculptures in the sanctuary,
and later than those of the Altar Court and its
Vestibule.
It is clear that the Hall was included in the
Coptic Convent, for Coptic graffiti occur on the
door-jambs and the walls.
PLATE II.
THE DOORWAY TO THE VESTIBULE.
Inside the "Western Jamb of the Door leading
from the Inner Court to the Vestibule of the
Altar Court. It is probable that sculptures were
contemplated on both jambs, but one scene only was
executed. It extends over the whole width of the
jamb. On the right side the batter of the wall of
the Vestibule may be noticed. This sculpture must
be one of the latest in the temple, for it bears one
of the few original cartouches of Thothmes II.
King Thothmes II., (q ~-=~ || —J Aa Jcheper n Ba,
wearing the double diadem, is standing between Amon
on the right and Harmakhis on the left. Amon holds
him by the hand and introduces him into the Vesti-
bule, at the same time presenting the •¥•, the sign of
life, to the king's nose. The figure of Amon had
been erased, and also his name. Both were subse-
quently restored, probably by Rameses II., but a
peculiarity about the epithet added to the name of
Amon makes one suspect some error or confusion of
different words, as in the case of several restorations
in the temple. Some of the signs are defaced. The
whole would read, Anion Ba the bull of the two lands,
of the stars, (who resides) in \\» cm Serui (the usual
name of Deir el Bahari). The god bestows the usual
gifts upon the king, in a formula which we shall find
repeated on nearly every plate.1
^ f j i ra - o e
tu-f ankh tet uas seneb neb Rcl md
he gives life stability purity health all Ra like
" He gives him all life, stability, purity and health
as to Ra."
Behind the king stands the Heliopolitan god—
D ^
Hot k/mti neter aa neb pet
Harmakhis god great lord of the sky
Behind Amon, as behind all the figures in general,
we find the following words :—
,T
an kh
tet
ha-f
protection life stability purity behind him
A rude head of Christ and some Coptic emblems are
daubed on the apron of Harmakhis.
1 In order not to multiply the systems of transliteration in the
publications of the Egypt Exploration Fund, I have adopted on
the whole the system used in Bent Hasan, Vol. II.
2 In this case the first sign V is not complete on the original.
As this inscription, with the variant »!»> for ty sa, is found in
nearly every plate, and sometimes twice over, I shall not repeat it.
0
Dynasty, when the Necropolis of Thebes was the
resort of gangs of robbers and treasure-seekers, who
pillaged the tombs and especially the royal sepulchres.
The painted reliefs have experienced a singular
fate; for a yellow smudge, strong enough to spoil the
original colouring, but not to conceal it wholly, seems
to have been spread over figures and hieroglyphs
alike. This smudge is not an alien colour, and it is
not due to malevolence or to a desire to obliterate the
sculptures ; it is the result of the decomposition of
the old varnish, which originally was quite trans-
parent and was applied in order to preserve the
colours. The same phenomenon may be noticed on
many painted coffins.
The North-Western Hall op Offerings.
The narrow hall, which is situated between the
Altar Court and the cliff, opens only into the Inner
Court of the Upper Platform, through a door which is
in the middle of its southern wall. The dimensions
of the Hall are 31 feet 6|- inches long, 8 feet wide,
and 18 feet 1\ inches high. The slabs of the stone
ceiling are 21 inches thick. The Hall is in a good
state of preservation, except for its pavement, which
has disappeared almost entirely, several mummy-pits
having been cut in the ground. Two only of the
starred blue slabs of the ceiling are still in situ, and
the wall above the door-lintel is much ruined (see
pi. xvii.). A dado of two red stripes, bordered and
divided by black lines, runs round the three sides at
a uniform height of about 55 inches above the pave-
ment level; above it are sculptured scenes in low
relief. The figures are of heroic size. The decora-
tion of the walls belongs to the period when Hatshepsu
and Thothmes III. were co-regnant, and is of the
same period as the sculptures in the sanctuary,
and later than those of the Altar Court and its
Vestibule.
It is clear that the Hall was included in the
Coptic Convent, for Coptic graffiti occur on the
door-jambs and the walls.
PLATE II.
THE DOORWAY TO THE VESTIBULE.
Inside the "Western Jamb of the Door leading
from the Inner Court to the Vestibule of the
Altar Court. It is probable that sculptures were
contemplated on both jambs, but one scene only was
executed. It extends over the whole width of the
jamb. On the right side the batter of the wall of
the Vestibule may be noticed. This sculpture must
be one of the latest in the temple, for it bears one
of the few original cartouches of Thothmes II.
King Thothmes II., (q ~-=~ || —J Aa Jcheper n Ba,
wearing the double diadem, is standing between Amon
on the right and Harmakhis on the left. Amon holds
him by the hand and introduces him into the Vesti-
bule, at the same time presenting the •¥•, the sign of
life, to the king's nose. The figure of Amon had
been erased, and also his name. Both were subse-
quently restored, probably by Rameses II., but a
peculiarity about the epithet added to the name of
Amon makes one suspect some error or confusion of
different words, as in the case of several restorations
in the temple. Some of the signs are defaced. The
whole would read, Anion Ba the bull of the two lands,
of the stars, (who resides) in \\» cm Serui (the usual
name of Deir el Bahari). The god bestows the usual
gifts upon the king, in a formula which we shall find
repeated on nearly every plate.1
^ f j i ra - o e
tu-f ankh tet uas seneb neb Rcl md
he gives life stability purity health all Ra like
" He gives him all life, stability, purity and health
as to Ra."
Behind the king stands the Heliopolitan god—
D ^
Hot k/mti neter aa neb pet
Harmakhis god great lord of the sky
Behind Amon, as behind all the figures in general,
we find the following words :—
,T
an kh
tet
ha-f
protection life stability purity behind him
A rude head of Christ and some Coptic emblems are
daubed on the apron of Harmakhis.
1 In order not to multiply the systems of transliteration in the
publications of the Egypt Exploration Fund, I have adopted on
the whole the system used in Bent Hasan, Vol. II.
2 In this case the first sign V is not complete on the original.
As this inscription, with the variant »!»> for ty sa, is found in
nearly every plate, and sometimes twice over, I shall not repeat it.
0