Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (10.1998(1999))

_DEIR EL-BAHARI

EGYPT

between the western and central niche had
been filled with blocks decorated with
a representation of the sm3-t3wy ceremony
of the symbolic union of Upper and Lower
Egypt. The localization of the scene imme-
diately below the entablement of the holy
bark of Amun seems to indicate that it was
Amun to whom the role of guarantor of
Egypt's unity was ascribed.10) An analo-
gous composition was to be found on the
opposite, south wall. This part of the wall,
damaged in an earthquake and threatening
to collapse, was dismantled in the
Ptolemaic period; in place of the original
blocks, other blocks taken from different
parts of the temple were installed, the
principal criteria of choice being the
required size of a given block and its near-

ness to where it was supposed to be moved.
Hence, one of the blocks here was with all
certainty brought from the inner chamber
of the sanctuary, which had been taken
apart at the time. The surviving decoration
(the relief on the remaining sides had been
cut off) shows a fragment of a procession of
priests bearing offerings (Fzg. 3).
This block was installed in the second
course from the bottom regardless of the
different decoration that was still visible
on the surrounding original stones. Its
identification is of capital importance for
a theoretical restoration of the as yet
unknown iconography of the sanctuary.
For reasons of safety the assembly work
was carried out in stages. It was preceded
by the conservation and reconstruction of

Fig. 3. Block with representation of priests bearing offerings, inserted in Ptolemaic times into the
original decoration of the northern wall of the room of the bark (Drawing R. Gazda)


10) J. Karkowski, PAM VIII, Reports 1996 (1997), p. 51.

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