DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3559#0024
PYRAMIDS OF BIAHHMOO AND EL KOOFA, AND CAMPBELL'S TOMB.
21
PYRAMIDS OF BIAHHMOO.
PLATE XVIII. Figs. 6 and 7.
These remains are about five miles from Medeenet el Faioum, and about half a mile from the village of Biahhmoo. They
consist of two masses, about 30 feet in height, and in length and breadth about 30 feet by 22, and also of a few smaller heaps
of well-constructed masonry, composed with large blocks of compact limestone.
Fig. 6 is a Plan. The original bases appear to have been squares of about 120 feet, with a space of the same dimensions
between them. They are at present about 4 feet 6 inches in height, and upon them the Pyramids may be supposed to have
been placed, with bases about 114 feet square.
The inclination of the sides was 63° 30', and the sections, when complete, appear to have been those of pedestals, as shewn
in section, at Fig. 7.
According to Pocock, and to other authors, these ruins were called by the people of the country, " Rigl Faraoon" (the
Legs of Pharaoh); but that name is not at present known, and the ruins are generally styled " El Senem "* (the Statue), or
"Mustahmel" (the Bathed).
PYRAMID OF EL KOOFA.
PLATE XVIII.
In lat. 25° 10', near the village of Bisaleh, between Esneh and Edfoo, is a Pyramid called "El Koofa," of which a view
is given in Plate XVIII. It stands upon a mountain, at the verge of the cultivated land, and about two miles from the
river. The present base is 59 feet 6 inches square, and it does not appear to have been much larger. Twenty-seven courses
of blocks, built in three stories or degrees, remain, and are 38 feet 6 inches in height above the rock, which forms the base.
The stones composing it are from the adjoining mountain, and consist principally of petrifactions. They are small, and roughly
hewn into a quadrangular form. Several pyramidal structures have also been found amongst the tombs at the western mountains
of Thebes.
CAMPBELL'S TOMB.
PLATES XIX. XX. XXI. XXII.
This Tomb was concealed beneath the sands to the northward of the Sphinx; but it was well known by the Arabs, and
was shewn to M. Caviglia by Abd El Ardi, who had formerly cleared out an adjacent shaft, and who had found the Tomb
too large to work on his own account. M. Caviglia was employed upon it in January 1837, and he continued his researches
until the 12th of February, when the work was abandoned.f It was again resumed on the 28th, by Colonel Howard Vyse,
and, with some intermissions, was continued until the 29th of June. The interior of the building in the central excavation
was examined on the 8th of April, J and a detailed account of the manner, in which the work was performed, and of the
discoveries, which were gradually made, is given in " Operations carried on at Gizeh," Vols. I. and II.
Mr. Perring observes that the masonry of the arch in the central building proves, that that mode of construction must
have been well understood when the edifice was erected, and that, therefore, many arches had been no doubt previously formed.
He likewise remarks that Sir J. G. Wilkinson is of the same opinion respecting the arch at Saccara,§ which he considered
the most antient arch composed of stone then discovered ;|| and also, that he concludes from the drawings at Beni Hassan, that
the invention was known in the time of Osirtasen the First, the cotemporary of Joseph.^
Views of the Tomb, and of the building in the excavation, are given in Plate XX.
Plate XIX. Fig. 1, is a general plan. A A mark the central excavation, which is 30 feet 6 inches from east to west,
26 feet 3 inches from north to south, and 53 feet 6 inches in depth. B is the arched Tomb. C C C C shew a surrounding
trench, about 5 feet 4 inches in width, and about 57 feet 3 inches square, measured on the inner side. It is not equidistant
from the central excavation, on account, probably, of the sepulchral grottoes proceeding from the shafts on the southern side.
Fig. 2 is a section of the eastern side of the trench, and shews the parts of the rock which have been left, apparently,
to support the sides of the excavation. (See 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and also in Fig. 1.) The upper surface of the rock is
not level. The trench is about 73 feet deep, and was 15 feet 6f inches lower than the surface of the inundation in 1838.
The grottoes w, x, y, %, in the different shafts, appear to have been first made. The sarcophagus in the British Museum was taken
from y; another, made of basalt, the fragments of which are also in the Museum, was found near, or rather under it; a third,
apparently of white granite, was discovered at %; and at x another of basalt, inscribed with a few rows of hieroglyphics. They
had all been opened, and the bodies had been removed.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, shew the form and construction of the Tomb in the central excavation. The bed-course, composed of slabs
5 feet in length, was placed upon a layer of sand about 2 feet 6 inches thick, and the superstructure was formed with small
stones. In the centre of the building a large block, a, had been hollowed out to receive the sarcophagus, and another block,
b, was placed over it as a cover. Upon the lower surface of this last block a row of hieroglyphics had been inscribed. They
are given at Fig. 6; but the inscription was imperfect, owing to the stone having been broken. There were also a few characters
(see Fig. 8) at the end of the first-mentioned block, in a place, which had the appearance of a pit.
#
Mr. Perring conceives that these are the Pyramids described by Herodotus (Bh. II. C. c. xv. ix.) to have been surmounted by colossal statues of marble; but it is to be observed that those Pyramids are stated to have been built in the Lake Mceris.
f "Operations carried on at Gizeh," Vol. I. p. 152. % Ibid. Vol. I. p. 216. § "Manners of Antient Egyptians," Vol. II. p. 116.
|| "Thebes," and "General View of Egypt," p. 337. f "Manners of Antient Egyptians," Vol. II. p. 117-
21
PYRAMIDS OF BIAHHMOO.
PLATE XVIII. Figs. 6 and 7.
These remains are about five miles from Medeenet el Faioum, and about half a mile from the village of Biahhmoo. They
consist of two masses, about 30 feet in height, and in length and breadth about 30 feet by 22, and also of a few smaller heaps
of well-constructed masonry, composed with large blocks of compact limestone.
Fig. 6 is a Plan. The original bases appear to have been squares of about 120 feet, with a space of the same dimensions
between them. They are at present about 4 feet 6 inches in height, and upon them the Pyramids may be supposed to have
been placed, with bases about 114 feet square.
The inclination of the sides was 63° 30', and the sections, when complete, appear to have been those of pedestals, as shewn
in section, at Fig. 7.
According to Pocock, and to other authors, these ruins were called by the people of the country, " Rigl Faraoon" (the
Legs of Pharaoh); but that name is not at present known, and the ruins are generally styled " El Senem "* (the Statue), or
"Mustahmel" (the Bathed).
PYRAMID OF EL KOOFA.
PLATE XVIII.
In lat. 25° 10', near the village of Bisaleh, between Esneh and Edfoo, is a Pyramid called "El Koofa," of which a view
is given in Plate XVIII. It stands upon a mountain, at the verge of the cultivated land, and about two miles from the
river. The present base is 59 feet 6 inches square, and it does not appear to have been much larger. Twenty-seven courses
of blocks, built in three stories or degrees, remain, and are 38 feet 6 inches in height above the rock, which forms the base.
The stones composing it are from the adjoining mountain, and consist principally of petrifactions. They are small, and roughly
hewn into a quadrangular form. Several pyramidal structures have also been found amongst the tombs at the western mountains
of Thebes.
CAMPBELL'S TOMB.
PLATES XIX. XX. XXI. XXII.
This Tomb was concealed beneath the sands to the northward of the Sphinx; but it was well known by the Arabs, and
was shewn to M. Caviglia by Abd El Ardi, who had formerly cleared out an adjacent shaft, and who had found the Tomb
too large to work on his own account. M. Caviglia was employed upon it in January 1837, and he continued his researches
until the 12th of February, when the work was abandoned.f It was again resumed on the 28th, by Colonel Howard Vyse,
and, with some intermissions, was continued until the 29th of June. The interior of the building in the central excavation
was examined on the 8th of April, J and a detailed account of the manner, in which the work was performed, and of the
discoveries, which were gradually made, is given in " Operations carried on at Gizeh," Vols. I. and II.
Mr. Perring observes that the masonry of the arch in the central building proves, that that mode of construction must
have been well understood when the edifice was erected, and that, therefore, many arches had been no doubt previously formed.
He likewise remarks that Sir J. G. Wilkinson is of the same opinion respecting the arch at Saccara,§ which he considered
the most antient arch composed of stone then discovered ;|| and also, that he concludes from the drawings at Beni Hassan, that
the invention was known in the time of Osirtasen the First, the cotemporary of Joseph.^
Views of the Tomb, and of the building in the excavation, are given in Plate XX.
Plate XIX. Fig. 1, is a general plan. A A mark the central excavation, which is 30 feet 6 inches from east to west,
26 feet 3 inches from north to south, and 53 feet 6 inches in depth. B is the arched Tomb. C C C C shew a surrounding
trench, about 5 feet 4 inches in width, and about 57 feet 3 inches square, measured on the inner side. It is not equidistant
from the central excavation, on account, probably, of the sepulchral grottoes proceeding from the shafts on the southern side.
Fig. 2 is a section of the eastern side of the trench, and shews the parts of the rock which have been left, apparently,
to support the sides of the excavation. (See 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and also in Fig. 1.) The upper surface of the rock is
not level. The trench is about 73 feet deep, and was 15 feet 6f inches lower than the surface of the inundation in 1838.
The grottoes w, x, y, %, in the different shafts, appear to have been first made. The sarcophagus in the British Museum was taken
from y; another, made of basalt, the fragments of which are also in the Museum, was found near, or rather under it; a third,
apparently of white granite, was discovered at %; and at x another of basalt, inscribed with a few rows of hieroglyphics. They
had all been opened, and the bodies had been removed.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, shew the form and construction of the Tomb in the central excavation. The bed-course, composed of slabs
5 feet in length, was placed upon a layer of sand about 2 feet 6 inches thick, and the superstructure was formed with small
stones. In the centre of the building a large block, a, had been hollowed out to receive the sarcophagus, and another block,
b, was placed over it as a cover. Upon the lower surface of this last block a row of hieroglyphics had been inscribed. They
are given at Fig. 6; but the inscription was imperfect, owing to the stone having been broken. There were also a few characters
(see Fig. 8) at the end of the first-mentioned block, in a place, which had the appearance of a pit.
#
Mr. Perring conceives that these are the Pyramids described by Herodotus (Bh. II. C. c. xv. ix.) to have been surmounted by colossal statues of marble; but it is to be observed that those Pyramids are stated to have been built in the Lake Mceris.
f "Operations carried on at Gizeh," Vol. I. p. 152. % Ibid. Vol. I. p. 216. § "Manners of Antient Egyptians," Vol. II. p. 116.
|| "Thebes," and "General View of Egypt," p. 337. f "Manners of Antient Egyptians," Vol. II. p. 117-