DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4191#0013
PREVIOUS WORK AT THE TOMB.
In 1837 Wilkinson published a drawing of
the colossus on a sledge in his Manners and
Customs of the Ancient Egyptians,1 the source
of which was Mr. Bankes' lithograph. He had
searched for the tomb, but had failed to find
it,2 and it was not until 1841 that he arrived
at the spot. Some valuable sketches made on
this occasion are preserved among his papers
at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire, and copies of
them were made last year for our use.3
The Prussian expedition under Lepsius
visited the tomb in July, 1843,4 and several
subjects were selected for copying, including,
of course, the colossus on a sledge.5
pi. v.). Fol. 253, inscriptions on the doorway to the
temple (our pi. xvi.). Fol. 254, the long inscription behind,
the colossus (our pi. xiv.), together with part of the large
figure of Tehutihetep following, and the remains of the line
of inscription containing his titles (see p. 17). Fol. 255,
the scene of purification, with the inscriptions (our pi. x.).
Fols. 264-267, description of the tomb, with notes of the
inscriptions, including a slight sketch, to show the restora-
tion of the plan : strange to say, although he states that
no trace remains of the columns, he recognizes that they
must have existed : the inscription on the thickness of the
wall (see p. 15), and the names of the sons from the scene
of spearing fish (our pi. ix.), now partly destroyed, are also
given.
Vol. xi., p. 25, scene of the colossus, with inscriptions.
1 Vol. iii., p. 328 ; a second edition in 1847.
2 Modern Egypt and Thebes, vol. ii., pp. 64, 65.
3 These drawings of "Wilkinson are bound up with other
large ones, chiefly of a very early date, but with some later ones
inserted, and the volume is labelled " Egyptian Sculpture."
Between fols. 2 and 3 are a number of added leaves, the
first (a) with the scene of dragging the colossus (coloured),
and some of the inscriptions on the back. On the second
leaf (b) is a coloured copy of the portion of the right-hand
wall still standing, including the gardening scene, &c, in
our pis. xxv.-xxvi., but without the top row. On the third
leaf (c) are some fragments of inscriptions from the same
tomb, and on the fourth (d) the inscriptions of the colossus
scene (our pi. xv.).
4 Lepsius' Letters from Egypt, No. 15.
5 Published in the Denlcmaler, Abth. ii., Bl. 134, 135. Bl.
134, drawn by E. Weidenbach. (a) Scene of the colossus
on a sledge, without the short inscriptions, but with the
long inscription behind it. (b) Tehutihetep seated in the
seh, our pi. xix. (c) The inscriptions on the back wall of
the shrine, our pi. xxxiii. (d) The large standing figure of
Tehutihetep, in our pi. xx.; and (e) Another of the same
Since Sir Gardner Wilkinson's visit in 1850
hardly anything appears to have been done
in the way of preserving the inscriptions.6
There is, however, one exception. Major
Brown, of the Egyptian Irrigation Department,
took a photograph of the scene of the colossus
on a sledge in 1889. Of this one print was
taken, which Major Brown kindly gave us, but
the negative itself is lost.7
Then came the destroyer. The year after
Major Brown took his photograph, the im-
portant inscription behind the colossus was
cut away, and many other parts of the tomb
were wantonly injured. Thus the scenes
which decorated its walls for so many cen-
turies, and withstood the shock of the earth-
quake, had just undergone the most grievous
mutilation, when, in November 1891, our survey
party reached Bl Bersheh. The expedition
sent hither to rescue some of the most important
records of ancient Egypt from oblivion was
just too late to effect much of what was pur-
posed, yet not too late to save a great deal
that was valuable from its impending fate.
Fortunately, the copies of Lepsius, Hay,
Nestor de l'Hote, and Wilkinson, enable us
to restore much of what has been recently
destroyed, and the present volume will show
that a goodly harvest has been gathered from
this tomb.
from the hunting scene, our pi. vii. b, d, and e were selected
no doubt to illustrate the costume.
Bl. 135, drawn by'Eirunrl. (a, b, c, d) Inscription on the
"gateway" on the west wall, our pi. xvi. (e) Part of the
title of Kay from the right-hand Avail of the shrine, our
pi. xxxiv. (/) The inscription belonging to the figure of
ISTub-unut from the back wall of the inner chamber, our
pi. xx. (g) The inscription with royal names, from the right-
hand jamb of the portico, our pi. v..
6 We are pleased to hear from Dr. Spiegelberg that some
copies probably exist at Strassburg among the papers of the
indefatigable Professor Dumichen, whose recent loss we so
much deplore.
7 The print has been re-photographed, in order to preserve
the record, and copies can be obtained on application to the
Secretary, Egypt Exploration Fund.
In 1837 Wilkinson published a drawing of
the colossus on a sledge in his Manners and
Customs of the Ancient Egyptians,1 the source
of which was Mr. Bankes' lithograph. He had
searched for the tomb, but had failed to find
it,2 and it was not until 1841 that he arrived
at the spot. Some valuable sketches made on
this occasion are preserved among his papers
at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire, and copies of
them were made last year for our use.3
The Prussian expedition under Lepsius
visited the tomb in July, 1843,4 and several
subjects were selected for copying, including,
of course, the colossus on a sledge.5
pi. v.). Fol. 253, inscriptions on the doorway to the
temple (our pi. xvi.). Fol. 254, the long inscription behind,
the colossus (our pi. xiv.), together with part of the large
figure of Tehutihetep following, and the remains of the line
of inscription containing his titles (see p. 17). Fol. 255,
the scene of purification, with the inscriptions (our pi. x.).
Fols. 264-267, description of the tomb, with notes of the
inscriptions, including a slight sketch, to show the restora-
tion of the plan : strange to say, although he states that
no trace remains of the columns, he recognizes that they
must have existed : the inscription on the thickness of the
wall (see p. 15), and the names of the sons from the scene
of spearing fish (our pi. ix.), now partly destroyed, are also
given.
Vol. xi., p. 25, scene of the colossus, with inscriptions.
1 Vol. iii., p. 328 ; a second edition in 1847.
2 Modern Egypt and Thebes, vol. ii., pp. 64, 65.
3 These drawings of "Wilkinson are bound up with other
large ones, chiefly of a very early date, but with some later ones
inserted, and the volume is labelled " Egyptian Sculpture."
Between fols. 2 and 3 are a number of added leaves, the
first (a) with the scene of dragging the colossus (coloured),
and some of the inscriptions on the back. On the second
leaf (b) is a coloured copy of the portion of the right-hand
wall still standing, including the gardening scene, &c, in
our pis. xxv.-xxvi., but without the top row. On the third
leaf (c) are some fragments of inscriptions from the same
tomb, and on the fourth (d) the inscriptions of the colossus
scene (our pi. xv.).
4 Lepsius' Letters from Egypt, No. 15.
5 Published in the Denlcmaler, Abth. ii., Bl. 134, 135. Bl.
134, drawn by E. Weidenbach. (a) Scene of the colossus
on a sledge, without the short inscriptions, but with the
long inscription behind it. (b) Tehutihetep seated in the
seh, our pi. xix. (c) The inscriptions on the back wall of
the shrine, our pi. xxxiii. (d) The large standing figure of
Tehutihetep, in our pi. xx.; and (e) Another of the same
Since Sir Gardner Wilkinson's visit in 1850
hardly anything appears to have been done
in the way of preserving the inscriptions.6
There is, however, one exception. Major
Brown, of the Egyptian Irrigation Department,
took a photograph of the scene of the colossus
on a sledge in 1889. Of this one print was
taken, which Major Brown kindly gave us, but
the negative itself is lost.7
Then came the destroyer. The year after
Major Brown took his photograph, the im-
portant inscription behind the colossus was
cut away, and many other parts of the tomb
were wantonly injured. Thus the scenes
which decorated its walls for so many cen-
turies, and withstood the shock of the earth-
quake, had just undergone the most grievous
mutilation, when, in November 1891, our survey
party reached Bl Bersheh. The expedition
sent hither to rescue some of the most important
records of ancient Egypt from oblivion was
just too late to effect much of what was pur-
posed, yet not too late to save a great deal
that was valuable from its impending fate.
Fortunately, the copies of Lepsius, Hay,
Nestor de l'Hote, and Wilkinson, enable us
to restore much of what has been recently
destroyed, and the present volume will show
that a goodly harvest has been gathered from
this tomb.
from the hunting scene, our pi. vii. b, d, and e were selected
no doubt to illustrate the costume.
Bl. 135, drawn by'Eirunrl. (a, b, c, d) Inscription on the
"gateway" on the west wall, our pi. xvi. (e) Part of the
title of Kay from the right-hand Avail of the shrine, our
pi. xxxiv. (/) The inscription belonging to the figure of
ISTub-unut from the back wall of the inner chamber, our
pi. xx. (g) The inscription with royal names, from the right-
hand jamb of the portico, our pi. v..
6 We are pleased to hear from Dr. Spiegelberg that some
copies probably exist at Strassburg among the papers of the
indefatigable Professor Dumichen, whose recent loss we so
much deplore.
7 The print has been re-photographed, in order to preserve
the record, and copies can be obtained on application to the
Secretary, Egypt Exploration Fund.