DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4144#0016
10
DTCIR EL BAFTAFU.
south of the Middle Colonnade, whilst it differed con-
siderably in detail, was made to balance in all its chief
features the facade of the Northern Speos. It pre-
sented a front of five intercolumniations, flanked on
the right and left by a massive pier, and surmounted
by a cornice carrying on the horizontal line common
to the whole colonnade. From a distance the two
facades must have looked almost alike.
As first built, the wall forming the southern end of
the Middle Colonnade ended with its face on a line
with the east faces of the columns. It balanced
exactly with the north end of the north half of this
Colonnade. A terrace, the depth of the Middle
Colonnade, was left in front of the original facade of
the Hathor Speos. In result, the front of the temple
at this level was not evenly balanced, the Northern
Speos standing forward whilst the Southern was
retired. A change in the scheme was made, and that
not long after the Middle Colonnade was finished. A
portico of five intercolumniations in the front, but
seven within, was added to the original front; and
although the columns in the south portico differed
from those in the north, a general appearance of
similarity and balance was established.
Before this addition was built, the east face of the
south wall of the Colonnade had been so far finished
that the stonework had been dressed down to a smooth
face, the torus or roll moulding had been cut on the
outer angle, and shallow-sunk panel-work had been cut
just above the ground level. The new portico was
built against this and hid it, the torus being cut away.
The Southern or Hathor Speos consists of a
Hypostyle Hall and an Inner Hall, from which open
out eleven chambers more or less subordinate one to
the other.
As first built, the Hypostyle Hall was, as it still is,
at a lower level than the floor of the adjoining
Colonnade, in this, as in many other general features,
balancing the Northern Speos. The front was of five
intercolumniations, its depth of three. In front of it,
and at a very slightly lower level, was added the outer
part of the Hall, with a front of five intercolumnia-
tions and a depth of three. A sloping ascent in the
middle intercolumniation took one up the few inches
of difference which exist between the floors of the
outer and inner parts of the Hall.
In the middle of the western wall of the Hall is a
doorway approached by four shallow steps. This
opens upon a small rectangular hall, its roof supported
by two sixteen-sided columns. The walls and roof of
this hall are in a very perfect state, retaining much of
their original colour. From the north and south walls
respectively opens out a small chamber. In the west
wall is a central doorway flanked on either side by a
small door. The central doorway opens into a narrow
corridor, leading westward into the side of the hill,
and from this, on either side, open out three small
chambers.
The walls, roof, sculptures, and colouring in this
corridor are exceedingly well preserved.
Excavation.
This part of the temple had been excavated before
the Fund began to work at Deir el Bahari. In
1858 Mariette discovered the wall of the Punt expedi-
tion, as well as the Hathor shrine. He cleared the
shrine ; at its end was a large mummy-pit containing
a great number of coffins, which were taken to the
Boolak Museum with many other ones found in the
pits of the Eastern Platform. The Hypostyle Hall
was excavated by Mariette only deep enough to free
the door of the shrine, and to allow visitors to enter it,
so that several feet of rubbish still covered the pave-
ment. When wo cleared this away, between two
columns on the northern side we discovered a pit
which had not been touched. It was about twelve
feet deep ; on the western side was a door closed by
bricks and stones ; when this had been removed, we
entered a small chamber cut in the rock, of sufficient
size to contain three rectangular coffins with arched
lids. They were covered with wreaths of flowers ; on
the poles at the four corners stood wooden hawks,
another bird was placed across the legs, and a wooden
jackal at the feet. Several boxes contained hundreds
of rude porcelain " ushabti." The style of the coffins
clearly pointed to the NXVIth Dynasty, when the
temple was used as a cemetery. Each mummy
was enclosed in three coffins. The finest, placed in
the middle, belonged to a prophet of Menthu
called 2l ^ $\ ^> *—- f Zet-Tehuti-auf-anM. His
burial-place was shared by his mother, the lady
'~~\ ^\\<>~^' •% Nesmutaatner, and by his aunt
on his father's side, the lady ^ <g\ ^fe^ ^^ ^ ^J
Tabehenkhonsu. In front of the Punt wall was a high
mound of stones and rubbish, which we had to carry
away, so as to open entirely the southern side of the
large central platform.
DTCIR EL BAFTAFU.
south of the Middle Colonnade, whilst it differed con-
siderably in detail, was made to balance in all its chief
features the facade of the Northern Speos. It pre-
sented a front of five intercolumniations, flanked on
the right and left by a massive pier, and surmounted
by a cornice carrying on the horizontal line common
to the whole colonnade. From a distance the two
facades must have looked almost alike.
As first built, the wall forming the southern end of
the Middle Colonnade ended with its face on a line
with the east faces of the columns. It balanced
exactly with the north end of the north half of this
Colonnade. A terrace, the depth of the Middle
Colonnade, was left in front of the original facade of
the Hathor Speos. In result, the front of the temple
at this level was not evenly balanced, the Northern
Speos standing forward whilst the Southern was
retired. A change in the scheme was made, and that
not long after the Middle Colonnade was finished. A
portico of five intercolumniations in the front, but
seven within, was added to the original front; and
although the columns in the south portico differed
from those in the north, a general appearance of
similarity and balance was established.
Before this addition was built, the east face of the
south wall of the Colonnade had been so far finished
that the stonework had been dressed down to a smooth
face, the torus or roll moulding had been cut on the
outer angle, and shallow-sunk panel-work had been cut
just above the ground level. The new portico was
built against this and hid it, the torus being cut away.
The Southern or Hathor Speos consists of a
Hypostyle Hall and an Inner Hall, from which open
out eleven chambers more or less subordinate one to
the other.
As first built, the Hypostyle Hall was, as it still is,
at a lower level than the floor of the adjoining
Colonnade, in this, as in many other general features,
balancing the Northern Speos. The front was of five
intercolumniations, its depth of three. In front of it,
and at a very slightly lower level, was added the outer
part of the Hall, with a front of five intercolumnia-
tions and a depth of three. A sloping ascent in the
middle intercolumniation took one up the few inches
of difference which exist between the floors of the
outer and inner parts of the Hall.
In the middle of the western wall of the Hall is a
doorway approached by four shallow steps. This
opens upon a small rectangular hall, its roof supported
by two sixteen-sided columns. The walls and roof of
this hall are in a very perfect state, retaining much of
their original colour. From the north and south walls
respectively opens out a small chamber. In the west
wall is a central doorway flanked on either side by a
small door. The central doorway opens into a narrow
corridor, leading westward into the side of the hill,
and from this, on either side, open out three small
chambers.
The walls, roof, sculptures, and colouring in this
corridor are exceedingly well preserved.
Excavation.
This part of the temple had been excavated before
the Fund began to work at Deir el Bahari. In
1858 Mariette discovered the wall of the Punt expedi-
tion, as well as the Hathor shrine. He cleared the
shrine ; at its end was a large mummy-pit containing
a great number of coffins, which were taken to the
Boolak Museum with many other ones found in the
pits of the Eastern Platform. The Hypostyle Hall
was excavated by Mariette only deep enough to free
the door of the shrine, and to allow visitors to enter it,
so that several feet of rubbish still covered the pave-
ment. When wo cleared this away, between two
columns on the northern side we discovered a pit
which had not been touched. It was about twelve
feet deep ; on the western side was a door closed by
bricks and stones ; when this had been removed, we
entered a small chamber cut in the rock, of sufficient
size to contain three rectangular coffins with arched
lids. They were covered with wreaths of flowers ; on
the poles at the four corners stood wooden hawks,
another bird was placed across the legs, and a wooden
jackal at the feet. Several boxes contained hundreds
of rude porcelain " ushabti." The style of the coffins
clearly pointed to the NXVIth Dynasty, when the
temple was used as a cemetery. Each mummy
was enclosed in three coffins. The finest, placed in
the middle, belonged to a prophet of Menthu
called 2l ^ $\ ^> *—- f Zet-Tehuti-auf-anM. His
burial-place was shared by his mother, the lady
'~~\ ^\\<>~^' •% Nesmutaatner, and by his aunt
on his father's side, the lady ^ <g\ ^fe^ ^^ ^ ^J
Tabehenkhonsu. In front of the Punt wall was a high
mound of stones and rubbish, which we had to carry
away, so as to open entirely the southern side of the
large central platform.