Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (11.1999(2000))

DEIR EL-BAHARI

EGYPT

UPPER PORTICO

During the previous seasons five gigantic
stone statues of Hatshepsut were set up in
front of the pillars of the Upper Portico
facade. All of them depicted the temple
founder standing, encased in the white
shroud of Osiris. Several corrections were
now introduced into three already restored
statues. Many original fragments from the
surviving statuary elements were fitted
into the torso, shoulders and arms of the
statues. The head of one of them was
replaced with another original piece, the
temple thus acquiring a fine portrait of
Queen Hatshepsut. Though a little pathet-
ic in expression, her features still show
a certain feminine softness: delicate point-
ed chin and almond-shaped eyes in an
attractive oval face (Fig. 3).8)
The restoration of a lion-shaped gar-
goyle in the southern section of the Upper
Portico was completed as well. A disinte-
grated and partly broken piece was

replaced with another original statue cho-
sen from the open-air reserve. The missing
parts of the lion's face and paws were
sculpted in modern mortar, then given
a final coat of plaster. The huge block of
the gargoyle was then fitted into the
balustrade of the portico and fastened to
the slabs of the pavement with steel
anchors.9) The drainage gutter running
alongside the balustrade was cleaned and
repaired. With all these operations com-
pleted, the conservation of the pillars of the
Punt Portico was initiated.
To protect the northern section of the
Birth Portico from rainwater, the pave-
ment in the northern wing of the Upper
Portico was repaired. The accumulated soil
was removed and replaced with waterproof
mortar. A water disposal system including
a sandstone gargoyle above the neighbor-
ing Lower Shrine of Anubis had already
been restored in the 1997/98 campaign.

MAIN SANCTUARY OF AMUN

Ever since the mission resumed work in
1993, top priority has been accorded to the
conservation and restoration of the tem-
ple's main sanctuary. This season the con-
servation of all the chambers of the sanctu-
ary has been finished. During the re-exca-
vation of the tombs of priests of Amun,
some 30 decorated blocks were found and
introduced into the niches and walls of the
Hall of the Bark. Among fragments found
in the burial shafts there were pieces

belonging to the offering-list, the offerings
- and the elements of the prow of the sacred
bark depicted on the southern wall.
H. Winlock first ascertained that there
were four statues of Queen Hatshepsut
standing in each corner of the Hall of the
Bark.1()) The shoulder and crown outlines
are still visible on the original blocks pre-
served in the eastern wall of the room. Two
of these figures have now been restored.
The missing elements (but not the heads)

8) The head of the statue was restored by Wojciech Myjak.
9) The restoration was carried out by Janusz Smaza, who is also responsible for the restoration of the Osiriac statues in the
Hall of the Bark and in the niche of the southern section of the western wall of the Upper Court.
I0> H. Winlock, Excavations at Deir el-Bahari 1911-1931 (New York 1942).

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