DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.10360#0070
52 BENI HASAN.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TOMB.
~...............L. . .............
Key Plan.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES.
(See Frontispiece and Plates II., XXII., XXIII.)
Dromos.
Fagade.
Main
chamber.
The tomb was approached in ancient times by a road or dromos (still distinguishable by tbe dark
brown boulders ranged on either side), which extended down the slope of the hill from an open outer court
to the edge of the cultivated land. The facade of the tomb is cut into the side of the hill, and presents
an imposing architectural front. It consists of a " portico in antis," i.e. it has two columns and antae.
The shafts of the column are polygonal, and stand on large circular bases slightly raised above the floor-
level, and with rounded sides. The shafts taper slightly, are fluted the whole of their length, and are each
surmounted by a plain square abacus, which projects beyond the upper periphery, but is of the same width
as the lower diameter of the shaft. The architrave, which rests upon the abacus, is of the same width and
without any architectural divisions. Its apparent supports on either wall are slightly projecting pilasters
corresponding to the antae in a Greek temple : they are plain and of the same width as the architrave.
Above the architrave and upheld by a narrow extension of the same pilasters there is a ledge of rock,
somewhat resembling a cornice, the soffit of which is sculptured with false rafter-ends, laid flat but rounded
below, and corresponding to the mutules of the Doric order (see Front elevation, PI. xxii.). The upper
part of the cornice is too much decayed to show the original form. The ceiling of the portico is of a
curved section taking the form of a segmental barrel vault, which is placed at right angles to the axis of
the tomb (see Longitudinal section, PI. xxii.); the arch therefore springs from the architrave of the column
on one side and from the wall which separates the portico from the principal chamber on the other. The
portico is separated from the Main chamber by a wall 3 feet 4 inches thick, and in this a doorway is
formed, the threshold of which is raised 5J inches. The door-posts and lintel (technically the "architrave
of the door ") project from the wall 1 inch, and are quite flat: on this surface is incised the inscription
given in PI. xxiv. Upon the jambs (i.e. in the thickness of the wall) are incised the two inscriptions
figured in PI. xxiv. : the soffit is plain. In plan the Main chamber is nearly symmetrical; it is lighted
only from the doorway, and originally could be shut off from the portico by a door (no traces of which,
except the pivot-hole for swinging it in, now remain) opening inwards. The roof was supported by four
columns in two rows, which ran parallel to the axis of the tomb, and which divided the chamber into three
aisles of nearly equal width. Of these columns, only a fragment (found at the bottom of the mummy-
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TOMB.
~...............L. . .............
Key Plan.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES.
(See Frontispiece and Plates II., XXII., XXIII.)
Dromos.
Fagade.
Main
chamber.
The tomb was approached in ancient times by a road or dromos (still distinguishable by tbe dark
brown boulders ranged on either side), which extended down the slope of the hill from an open outer court
to the edge of the cultivated land. The facade of the tomb is cut into the side of the hill, and presents
an imposing architectural front. It consists of a " portico in antis," i.e. it has two columns and antae.
The shafts of the column are polygonal, and stand on large circular bases slightly raised above the floor-
level, and with rounded sides. The shafts taper slightly, are fluted the whole of their length, and are each
surmounted by a plain square abacus, which projects beyond the upper periphery, but is of the same width
as the lower diameter of the shaft. The architrave, which rests upon the abacus, is of the same width and
without any architectural divisions. Its apparent supports on either wall are slightly projecting pilasters
corresponding to the antae in a Greek temple : they are plain and of the same width as the architrave.
Above the architrave and upheld by a narrow extension of the same pilasters there is a ledge of rock,
somewhat resembling a cornice, the soffit of which is sculptured with false rafter-ends, laid flat but rounded
below, and corresponding to the mutules of the Doric order (see Front elevation, PI. xxii.). The upper
part of the cornice is too much decayed to show the original form. The ceiling of the portico is of a
curved section taking the form of a segmental barrel vault, which is placed at right angles to the axis of
the tomb (see Longitudinal section, PI. xxii.); the arch therefore springs from the architrave of the column
on one side and from the wall which separates the portico from the principal chamber on the other. The
portico is separated from the Main chamber by a wall 3 feet 4 inches thick, and in this a doorway is
formed, the threshold of which is raised 5J inches. The door-posts and lintel (technically the "architrave
of the door ") project from the wall 1 inch, and are quite flat: on this surface is incised the inscription
given in PI. xxiv. Upon the jambs (i.e. in the thickness of the wall) are incised the two inscriptions
figured in PI. xxiv. : the soffit is plain. In plan the Main chamber is nearly symmetrical; it is lighted
only from the doorway, and originally could be shut off from the portico by a door (no traces of which,
except the pivot-hole for swinging it in, now remain) opening inwards. The roof was supported by four
columns in two rows, which ran parallel to the axis of the tomb, and which divided the chamber into three
aisles of nearly equal width. Of these columns, only a fragment (found at the bottom of the mummy-