DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.619#0038
THE GREAT TEMENOS.
29
around, the left-hand one always fitting the corner,
and the right-hand one butting against its face—
the regular alternate bonding of the corners in
Egyptian work making this a likely arrangement.
The same position will be seen to be taken for
the one gate deposit of which I can fix the site;
the black spot on the south side of the inner door-
way of the building shows the position, and it is
similiarly on the left hand of the corner of the
supposed central passage-hall. This completes
all that is yet known of the arrangement of this
building; the height may be conjectured to have
been as much as that of the great wall of the
temenos, some forty or fifty feet, both on account
of the appearance, and also as otherwise the rain
would have washed down the mud from the brick
wall on to the building.
We will now turn to the details of the ceremo-
nial models, and describe a completed set. They
may be ranged in three classes, ceremonial in-
struments, tools, and materials. Of the first there
are the two libation vases (pi. xxv. 12, 13), of
green glazed sandy ware, the spouts perforated ;
the four cups for offerings (14, 15, 16, 17), of
similar ware. The long bronze knife (18), and
the long-handled bronze axe (19), apparently for
sacrifices. The model pair of corn-rubbers (pi.
xxvi. 32, 33) are of sandstone, such as the actual
rubbers are made of; the upper stone (33) has
the two handles, which are almost always lost
from the real rubber; a perfect example, however,
I picked up at Tanis, and it is now in the British
Museum. The mortar of limestone (34). These
corn-rubbers and mortar we may probably class
as ceremonial, most likely referring to some cere-
mony of grinding corn and pounding food; it
is possible, however, that the building may have
been a granary belonging to the emporium, and
these implements then symbolic of the use of the
building.
Next are the models of the tools. The iron
hoe (5) for digging the foundations, and still
more for digging the mud of which the bricks
were made. The iron mortar-rake (6) for mixing
the mortar for the building; the hollow handle
has wood still in it from a wooden handle ; and
in removing the sand, a long brown vein was
observed in it, probably the remains of the wooden
handle. Strange to say, a few weeks after finding
this, I bought in Cairo the only actual mortar-
rake that is known from ancient Egypt; it is of
bronze, of just the shape of this model, with a
hollow handle: I was told it came from Abu
Horns, north of Damanhur : I have now presented
it to the British Museum. The bronze adze (3),
such as is represented in the hands of masons.
The bronze chisel (4), either for stone or wood ;
it is of exactly the form of a modern morticing
chisel, splayed end, deep body, and hollow socket:
two large iron chisels of this type and fragments
of several others I obtained at Naukratis, one cer-
tainly of about the middle of the sixth century b.c.
The bronze trowel (2) for laying the mortar; or
possibly another form of chisel. The bronze
hatchet (1); this and the axe (19) might be both
for the same purpose, as they were not found
together in any one deposit, but the difference in
form suggests that one would be better for slaugh-
tering an animal, and the other for chopping and
trimming wood. The four pegs of alabaster
(7, 8, 9, 10); as four of these were found in two
of the deposits, it seems as if this number was
intentional; the only objects that they can repre-
sent seem to be four white pegs for marking out
the four corners of a building.
Thirdly, the samples of materials. The model
mud-brick (21); just a piece of Nile mud squared
neatly like a brick of the wall. The brick of green
glazed sandy ware (20), representing that material
used for decorations. The cut and ground plaques
of precious stones, turquoise (27), jasper (28),
pale lapis-lazuli (29), and agate (30). The chips
of more valuable stones (31), comprising the
richest blue lapis-lazuli, best red jasper, best green
turquoise, and translucent obsidian : all these
stones were probably used in some decorations of
mosaic-work in the place ; the chips were found in
about half the instances in the glazed cups, placed
29
around, the left-hand one always fitting the corner,
and the right-hand one butting against its face—
the regular alternate bonding of the corners in
Egyptian work making this a likely arrangement.
The same position will be seen to be taken for
the one gate deposit of which I can fix the site;
the black spot on the south side of the inner door-
way of the building shows the position, and it is
similiarly on the left hand of the corner of the
supposed central passage-hall. This completes
all that is yet known of the arrangement of this
building; the height may be conjectured to have
been as much as that of the great wall of the
temenos, some forty or fifty feet, both on account
of the appearance, and also as otherwise the rain
would have washed down the mud from the brick
wall on to the building.
We will now turn to the details of the ceremo-
nial models, and describe a completed set. They
may be ranged in three classes, ceremonial in-
struments, tools, and materials. Of the first there
are the two libation vases (pi. xxv. 12, 13), of
green glazed sandy ware, the spouts perforated ;
the four cups for offerings (14, 15, 16, 17), of
similar ware. The long bronze knife (18), and
the long-handled bronze axe (19), apparently for
sacrifices. The model pair of corn-rubbers (pi.
xxvi. 32, 33) are of sandstone, such as the actual
rubbers are made of; the upper stone (33) has
the two handles, which are almost always lost
from the real rubber; a perfect example, however,
I picked up at Tanis, and it is now in the British
Museum. The mortar of limestone (34). These
corn-rubbers and mortar we may probably class
as ceremonial, most likely referring to some cere-
mony of grinding corn and pounding food; it
is possible, however, that the building may have
been a granary belonging to the emporium, and
these implements then symbolic of the use of the
building.
Next are the models of the tools. The iron
hoe (5) for digging the foundations, and still
more for digging the mud of which the bricks
were made. The iron mortar-rake (6) for mixing
the mortar for the building; the hollow handle
has wood still in it from a wooden handle ; and
in removing the sand, a long brown vein was
observed in it, probably the remains of the wooden
handle. Strange to say, a few weeks after finding
this, I bought in Cairo the only actual mortar-
rake that is known from ancient Egypt; it is of
bronze, of just the shape of this model, with a
hollow handle: I was told it came from Abu
Horns, north of Damanhur : I have now presented
it to the British Museum. The bronze adze (3),
such as is represented in the hands of masons.
The bronze chisel (4), either for stone or wood ;
it is of exactly the form of a modern morticing
chisel, splayed end, deep body, and hollow socket:
two large iron chisels of this type and fragments
of several others I obtained at Naukratis, one cer-
tainly of about the middle of the sixth century b.c.
The bronze trowel (2) for laying the mortar; or
possibly another form of chisel. The bronze
hatchet (1); this and the axe (19) might be both
for the same purpose, as they were not found
together in any one deposit, but the difference in
form suggests that one would be better for slaugh-
tering an animal, and the other for chopping and
trimming wood. The four pegs of alabaster
(7, 8, 9, 10); as four of these were found in two
of the deposits, it seems as if this number was
intentional; the only objects that they can repre-
sent seem to be four white pegs for marking out
the four corners of a building.
Thirdly, the samples of materials. The model
mud-brick (21); just a piece of Nile mud squared
neatly like a brick of the wall. The brick of green
glazed sandy ware (20), representing that material
used for decorations. The cut and ground plaques
of precious stones, turquoise (27), jasper (28),
pale lapis-lazuli (29), and agate (30). The chips
of more valuable stones (31), comprising the
richest blue lapis-lazuli, best red jasper, best green
turquoise, and translucent obsidian : all these
stones were probably used in some decorations of
mosaic-work in the place ; the chips were found in
about half the instances in the glazed cups, placed