DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4391#0015
THE MIDDLE KINGDOM.
I I
mint; and zerf, "written title," is muddled, especially
in 1. 11, where it was first spelled zedf.
Probably also of the Xlth dynasty or earlier is a
head and part of the base of a statuette, which was
found in the earth under the pavement of Antef
blocks (Univ. Coll.). It is carved in hard yellow
limestone, about a third of life-size. The head is
shewn in PL. V, g ; it is of careful and expressive work.
As the left ear is less prominent and much less finished
than the right, it is probable that this is part of a
group of two figures seated side by side. The frag-
ment of a base which was found bears the old entwined
lotus around the sain, and evidently belongs to the
head, being of precisely similar stone.
19. The remains of the Xllth dynasty are of far
finer work than the foregoing sculptures of Antef V.
They begin with Amenemhat I, of whom there is the
upper part of a scene (IX, 1) of the king adoring
Min. This is carved in very hard limestone, which
has been hammer-dressed and then scraped down, as
it was probably too hard for the copper chisels then
used. The work is superb for design and finish.
The most renowned sculptures of later times—those
of Sety I, at Abydos—are coarse and mechanical by
the side of this work of Amenemhat. The head of
Min is repeated on a larger scale here (V, 10) to shew
the art: and the exact resemblance between the king
and his ka behind him should be noticed. The three
blocks composing this scene were found face down in
the foundations of Tahutmes III, at the east end of
the temple. (Univ. Coll.)
Another slab, which from the fineness of the work
may be attributed to the same date, is the Nile figure
with offerings (XI, 2), in low relief. (Univ. Coll.)
Immediately after this work, and doubtless in the
course of the same building of the temple, there were
sculptures of Usertesen I erected here. These are
not so beautiful in execution as the relief of Amenem-
hat, but are yet far above any later sculpture known.
The style is exactly that of the reliefs on the sides of
the seated statues of Usertesen from Lisht. One jamb
of the eastern doorway of the temple was found,
bearing on its inner face the fine reliefs shewn in
PL. X, 2, representing Usertesen offering to Bast and
to Nekheb, probably the earliest figures of these
goddesses that are known. The two limestone blocks
bearing this sculpture are in the Ghizeh Museum.
On the outer face of the jamb was a line of in-
cised inscription (X, 3), which formed a border around
the doorway. Another door—of red granite—also
stood here (X, 1) ; as the jamb lay to the S.E. of the
limestone jamb (see Plan, PL. I), it probably belonged
to an outer gateway. (Oxford.)
Of the internal work of Usertesen one fine scene
was found (IX, 2) turned face down at the bottom of
the foundations of the Ptolemaic work (see Plan,
" Usertesen slab "). It had been covered with a thin
film of stucco to receive the paint, and this had per-
fectly preserved the texture of the stone, so that the
surface of the original sculpture was never exposed
from the time of Usertesen until I cleaned it in London.
The work is very brilliant, though not so delicate as
that of the previous reign. The subject of the king
dancing, with the oar and hap, is known from the
Vlth dynasty (L. D. ii 116) down to Roman times, in
connection with the sed festival, as here. (Univ. Coll.;
Another slab, probably of Usertesen I, with the
upper part of Min (XI, 3), bears the original colouring
in good condition ; the face of Min is black, (now at
Manchester). A fragment of a goddess in relief is
either of this or the previous reign (X, 4).
20. At the east end of the temple, close to the
overthrown south jamb of the door, stood a sandstone
box. It was on the basal clay, but disturbed, being
turned up on end, with the sunk lid still in place, but
the upper end broken open. From its position it had
evidently been in the axis of the doorway, where
foundation deposits are generally found. Both in-
side and out it shews the chisel-marks on every side,
so that it was never intended to be seen. Hence it
seems pretty certain that it was buried, and in the
centre of the doorway ; so that it probably contained
the foundation deposit, which was to be expected in
that position. The end was broken off, and the inside
full of earth. I emptied the whole of it most carefully
with my own hands, but no traces of the original
contents remained. The size of the box is as follows :
Outside, 24'3+^rlong, probably 28 inches originally ;
16-5 wide at top, 17-9 below; 16-5 high. Inside
22 long4-perhaps only a few tenths of an inch , 10-3
wide at top, 11*4 at base; 14*0 deep, less a ledge
2-2 to 2-4 deep. The lid, 12-i wide; 1-9 thick.
(Univ. Coll.)
In the temple of Illahun the deposits were placed
in a square pit in the rock, covered with a block of
stone ; and if such were the custom of the Xllth
dynasty, it would be likely that they would substitute
a stone box with a lid when building on a clay ground,
where no such rock-pit could be cut.
21. Of Amenemhat III a colossal vulture was found,
lying in a hole in the basal clay. It bore on the upper
surface of the pedestal a long cartouche containing
C 2
I I
mint; and zerf, "written title," is muddled, especially
in 1. 11, where it was first spelled zedf.
Probably also of the Xlth dynasty or earlier is a
head and part of the base of a statuette, which was
found in the earth under the pavement of Antef
blocks (Univ. Coll.). It is carved in hard yellow
limestone, about a third of life-size. The head is
shewn in PL. V, g ; it is of careful and expressive work.
As the left ear is less prominent and much less finished
than the right, it is probable that this is part of a
group of two figures seated side by side. The frag-
ment of a base which was found bears the old entwined
lotus around the sain, and evidently belongs to the
head, being of precisely similar stone.
19. The remains of the Xllth dynasty are of far
finer work than the foregoing sculptures of Antef V.
They begin with Amenemhat I, of whom there is the
upper part of a scene (IX, 1) of the king adoring
Min. This is carved in very hard limestone, which
has been hammer-dressed and then scraped down, as
it was probably too hard for the copper chisels then
used. The work is superb for design and finish.
The most renowned sculptures of later times—those
of Sety I, at Abydos—are coarse and mechanical by
the side of this work of Amenemhat. The head of
Min is repeated on a larger scale here (V, 10) to shew
the art: and the exact resemblance between the king
and his ka behind him should be noticed. The three
blocks composing this scene were found face down in
the foundations of Tahutmes III, at the east end of
the temple. (Univ. Coll.)
Another slab, which from the fineness of the work
may be attributed to the same date, is the Nile figure
with offerings (XI, 2), in low relief. (Univ. Coll.)
Immediately after this work, and doubtless in the
course of the same building of the temple, there were
sculptures of Usertesen I erected here. These are
not so beautiful in execution as the relief of Amenem-
hat, but are yet far above any later sculpture known.
The style is exactly that of the reliefs on the sides of
the seated statues of Usertesen from Lisht. One jamb
of the eastern doorway of the temple was found,
bearing on its inner face the fine reliefs shewn in
PL. X, 2, representing Usertesen offering to Bast and
to Nekheb, probably the earliest figures of these
goddesses that are known. The two limestone blocks
bearing this sculpture are in the Ghizeh Museum.
On the outer face of the jamb was a line of in-
cised inscription (X, 3), which formed a border around
the doorway. Another door—of red granite—also
stood here (X, 1) ; as the jamb lay to the S.E. of the
limestone jamb (see Plan, PL. I), it probably belonged
to an outer gateway. (Oxford.)
Of the internal work of Usertesen one fine scene
was found (IX, 2) turned face down at the bottom of
the foundations of the Ptolemaic work (see Plan,
" Usertesen slab "). It had been covered with a thin
film of stucco to receive the paint, and this had per-
fectly preserved the texture of the stone, so that the
surface of the original sculpture was never exposed
from the time of Usertesen until I cleaned it in London.
The work is very brilliant, though not so delicate as
that of the previous reign. The subject of the king
dancing, with the oar and hap, is known from the
Vlth dynasty (L. D. ii 116) down to Roman times, in
connection with the sed festival, as here. (Univ. Coll.;
Another slab, probably of Usertesen I, with the
upper part of Min (XI, 3), bears the original colouring
in good condition ; the face of Min is black, (now at
Manchester). A fragment of a goddess in relief is
either of this or the previous reign (X, 4).
20. At the east end of the temple, close to the
overthrown south jamb of the door, stood a sandstone
box. It was on the basal clay, but disturbed, being
turned up on end, with the sunk lid still in place, but
the upper end broken open. From its position it had
evidently been in the axis of the doorway, where
foundation deposits are generally found. Both in-
side and out it shews the chisel-marks on every side,
so that it was never intended to be seen. Hence it
seems pretty certain that it was buried, and in the
centre of the doorway ; so that it probably contained
the foundation deposit, which was to be expected in
that position. The end was broken off, and the inside
full of earth. I emptied the whole of it most carefully
with my own hands, but no traces of the original
contents remained. The size of the box is as follows :
Outside, 24'3+^rlong, probably 28 inches originally ;
16-5 wide at top, 17-9 below; 16-5 high. Inside
22 long4-perhaps only a few tenths of an inch , 10-3
wide at top, 11*4 at base; 14*0 deep, less a ledge
2-2 to 2-4 deep. The lid, 12-i wide; 1-9 thick.
(Univ. Coll.)
In the temple of Illahun the deposits were placed
in a square pit in the rock, covered with a block of
stone ; and if such were the custom of the Xllth
dynasty, it would be likely that they would substitute
a stone box with a lid when building on a clay ground,
where no such rock-pit could be cut.
21. Of Amenemhat III a colossal vulture was found,
lying in a hole in the basal clay. It bore on the upper
surface of the pedestal a long cartouche containing
C 2