DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4147#0032
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION.
25
for behind this we find the great altar, the Hall of
Offerings, and the central shrine.
Passing through the granite doorway we find our-
selves on the upper platform, standing in a court-
yard which was surrounded by double colonnades on
all sides. As we were able to trace the position and
plan of the columns of the upper colonnade by the
marks left on the floor by the masons, so we can
identify the positions and forms of the colonnades
surrounding this court. The intercolumniation for the
entrance doorway was wider than the adjoining spaces.
The columns were all polygonal in plan.
On the north, to our right, we see two doorways;
on our left, to the south, the wall is pierced by three.
The unusual feature is the range of tall and short
niches in the west wall which faces us (see section on
line A—B, pi. CLXX.), and in the centre of this wall we
observe a doorway leading into a long and deep speos,
built in an excavation made in the cliff. There is, on
either side of the doorway, a range of five tall openings,
with four smaller openings between them, the latter
having been closed by doors. Each set of five and
four openings is drawn into one architectural group by
a roll moulding which encloses them, and is surmounted
by the customary Egyptian cornice. We might reason-
ably expect that the taller and more important re-
cesses would range with the intercolumniations of the
colonnade, but in fact this is not so. The six columns
are planted without the least relation to the nine niches
which they shelter. Such irregularities as this, which
seem to show a want of foresight on the part of the
architects, are by no means unusual in Egyptian
buildings.
Some considerable alterations were made at a late
period about the doorway which forms the central
feature of this wall. The polygonal columns which had
sheltei'ed it on either side were removed, and columns
of quite a different form were substituted, engaged in a
low wall. In this way a porch was formed of that type
so much favoured by the builders of the later dynasties.
When we enter through the porch and find ourselves
in the Eastern Chamber of the speos, we observe that
after the building was finished some serious dislocation
took place, by which the north wall was much broken.
The clumsy repairs are but too manifest.
Beyond the first chamber we find a second, which
has not suffered ; its west wall is, however, not original,
but was reconstructed when the third or inner chamber
was made at a much later period.
Vestibule to
Altar Court.
The dislocation above referred to shows itself also at
the northern end of the west wall, where some of the
niches have suffered materially.
Turning towards the north we see a doorway in the
extreme north-east corner of the courtyard.
Passing through this, we find ourselves in the vesti-
bule of the Altar Court. The vestibule
was covered, its stone ceiling supported
by three columns. These columns are not equally
spaced, one intercolumniation being considerably wider
than any of the others. Where the wall is broken it
is easy to observe how careless is the construction of
its interior. An examination of the plan makes it
evident that the irregular spacing of the columns was
adopted so that the passage from the larger courtyard
to the Altar Court should be unobstructed.
The wall between the vestibule and the Altar Court
has been very much broken down.
Passing through a doorway in this wall, we enter the
Altar Court. Altar Court. On some of the earlier
plans printed by the Egypt Exploration Fund this
place is described as " Altar Chamber," which is not
correct. The space was never covered in; it was an
open courtyard, in the middle of which stands the
large base or platform of stone on which fruits and
vegetables were offered.
West of the Altar Court, but not accessible from it,
Northern Hall stands the Northern Hall of Offerings,
of Offerings. This is approached by a doorway in
the north-west corner of the upper platform court.
It was roofed with slabs of limestone, one or two of
which are still preserved at the northern end; but
placed as it is in a recess cut out of the cliff, it must
soon have suffered from the debris falling from the
heights above. It is probable that the stone roof—flat
stones, which have no power to sustain a 'weight, much
less the blow of falling masses—was broken in and
the chamber filled with the debris, and to this burial
we probably owe the excellent preservation of the
sculptures.
Returning to the central court we enter a doorway
at the south-east corner, and find ourselves in a room
very much ruined. The east wall is gone almost to
the floor level. The west is better preserved. Tin's
room was covered with a ceiling of stone slabs. No
doubt its ruin is in part clue to the stones of the wall
having been taken to assist in the construction of the
tower of the Coptic monastery which stood in part
on its north wall.
ir
25
for behind this we find the great altar, the Hall of
Offerings, and the central shrine.
Passing through the granite doorway we find our-
selves on the upper platform, standing in a court-
yard which was surrounded by double colonnades on
all sides. As we were able to trace the position and
plan of the columns of the upper colonnade by the
marks left on the floor by the masons, so we can
identify the positions and forms of the colonnades
surrounding this court. The intercolumniation for the
entrance doorway was wider than the adjoining spaces.
The columns were all polygonal in plan.
On the north, to our right, we see two doorways;
on our left, to the south, the wall is pierced by three.
The unusual feature is the range of tall and short
niches in the west wall which faces us (see section on
line A—B, pi. CLXX.), and in the centre of this wall we
observe a doorway leading into a long and deep speos,
built in an excavation made in the cliff. There is, on
either side of the doorway, a range of five tall openings,
with four smaller openings between them, the latter
having been closed by doors. Each set of five and
four openings is drawn into one architectural group by
a roll moulding which encloses them, and is surmounted
by the customary Egyptian cornice. We might reason-
ably expect that the taller and more important re-
cesses would range with the intercolumniations of the
colonnade, but in fact this is not so. The six columns
are planted without the least relation to the nine niches
which they shelter. Such irregularities as this, which
seem to show a want of foresight on the part of the
architects, are by no means unusual in Egyptian
buildings.
Some considerable alterations were made at a late
period about the doorway which forms the central
feature of this wall. The polygonal columns which had
sheltei'ed it on either side were removed, and columns
of quite a different form were substituted, engaged in a
low wall. In this way a porch was formed of that type
so much favoured by the builders of the later dynasties.
When we enter through the porch and find ourselves
in the Eastern Chamber of the speos, we observe that
after the building was finished some serious dislocation
took place, by which the north wall was much broken.
The clumsy repairs are but too manifest.
Beyond the first chamber we find a second, which
has not suffered ; its west wall is, however, not original,
but was reconstructed when the third or inner chamber
was made at a much later period.
Vestibule to
Altar Court.
The dislocation above referred to shows itself also at
the northern end of the west wall, where some of the
niches have suffered materially.
Turning towards the north we see a doorway in the
extreme north-east corner of the courtyard.
Passing through this, we find ourselves in the vesti-
bule of the Altar Court. The vestibule
was covered, its stone ceiling supported
by three columns. These columns are not equally
spaced, one intercolumniation being considerably wider
than any of the others. Where the wall is broken it
is easy to observe how careless is the construction of
its interior. An examination of the plan makes it
evident that the irregular spacing of the columns was
adopted so that the passage from the larger courtyard
to the Altar Court should be unobstructed.
The wall between the vestibule and the Altar Court
has been very much broken down.
Passing through a doorway in this wall, we enter the
Altar Court. Altar Court. On some of the earlier
plans printed by the Egypt Exploration Fund this
place is described as " Altar Chamber," which is not
correct. The space was never covered in; it was an
open courtyard, in the middle of which stands the
large base or platform of stone on which fruits and
vegetables were offered.
West of the Altar Court, but not accessible from it,
Northern Hall stands the Northern Hall of Offerings,
of Offerings. This is approached by a doorway in
the north-west corner of the upper platform court.
It was roofed with slabs of limestone, one or two of
which are still preserved at the northern end; but
placed as it is in a recess cut out of the cliff, it must
soon have suffered from the debris falling from the
heights above. It is probable that the stone roof—flat
stones, which have no power to sustain a 'weight, much
less the blow of falling masses—was broken in and
the chamber filled with the debris, and to this burial
we probably owe the excellent preservation of the
sculptures.
Returning to the central court we enter a doorway
at the south-east corner, and find ourselves in a room
very much ruined. The east wall is gone almost to
the floor level. The west is better preserved. Tin's
room was covered with a ceiling of stone slabs. No
doubt its ruin is in part clue to the stones of the wall
having been taken to assist in the construction of the
tower of the Coptic monastery which stood in part
on its north wall.
ir