Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (8.1996(1997))

the Middle Platform has been prepared. It was decided to repair
the pavement in the Lower Shrine of Anubis as well.
The lower ramp, excavated by a mission from the
Metropolitan Museum of Art2 and then reconstructed by a team
from the Service des Antiquites, was badly damaged recently by
rains. Water washed out a thick layer of accumulated soil, pitting
the surface that visitors walk on. The foot of the causeway was re-
excavated in search of the original ramp, revealing some steps of
huge limestone blocks. It became clear that originally the ramp had
been paved on either side of the sandstone steps which run down
the middle.
In the meantime, some original fragments with a sunken-
relief representation of a lion were selected among the loose blocks
and attributed to the causeway's northern parapet. They will be
restored in the coming season. Parallelly, the conservation of the
lowermost part of the southern parapet was completed. A badly
eroded, gigantic block decorated with a lion representation and
Hatshepsut's name carved in sunken relief was structurally
stabilised and consolidated.3
The final stage of the restoration of the southern wall of the
Upper Court was completed according to the programme. Some
twenty-three decorated blocks or fragments have been attributed to
the upper register of the eastern section of the wall. One of them,
representing the king and Amun, was recently removed from the
modern retaining wall built in the Bark Room. The decoration of
this section of the southern wall has been recreated. It presents the
kings being led by the gods Amun and Montu, and celebrating the
heb-sed jubilee in the presence of a pleiad of gods. Another scene
showing a king procession is visible above the entrance to the

2 H. Winlock, The Egyptian Expedition 1924-1925, p. 15, fig. 12.
J The block was found by the American mission. See Winlock, op. cit.,
fig. 16.

60