DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4200#0010
■ '
THE TEMPLE OF AMENHOTEP II.
were also found, the style of which agrees well with
what we know of this period otherwise (V, I, 2, 4).
In the space to the north of the line of approach,
close to the east of the portico, was an extensive
levelling up of the ground with broken pottery.
Among this pottery were many painted pieces, of
which some are shown on PL. V, 7-12. The shading
on these is upright for red, and horizontal for blue.
The date of this filling up of the ground is not certain,
for though it would seem probable that Amenhotep II
would have required to level the ground, yet the bases
of the columns here were all built by Amenhotep III
from the ground upward for four courses. Hence it
would be more likely that the material piled against
the retaining wall of these foundations would also
belong to the later king. The presence of much blue
colouring on the pottery is in accord with this, for—
so far as is yet known—this use of blue was introduced
by Amenhotep III. A curious kind of pottery, not
known otherwise, is incised with lines and spots,
coloured white in alternate sections, and dabbed with
white on the brown clay (III, 13).
13. The work of Amenhotep III on this site
appears to have been an extensive remodelling. The
whole of the portico was entirely built by him, as the
foundation piers of the columns consist of pieces of
sculpture of Amenhotep II, including a long lintel of
sandstone broken in two. The sculptures in the
temple were also due to him, for among the fragments
is a relief of a princess, whose cartouche ends in si
(VI. 6), which cannot be any known person but
Sitamen, daughter of Amenhotep III. Another block
bore the figures of a row of Libyans, and the work
appears much more like that of the Illrd than of the
Ilnd Amenhotep. Many glazed tubes of pottery
were found (III, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20), coloured light
blue, dark violet, and yellow, with inlays of dark blue
and light green. These all bear the name of Amen-
hotep III, and refer to the festivals in which they
were probably dedicated as part of some furniture.
A beautiful bust from a small group in limestone,
which was found here, appears from the hair to belong
also to this age. A kneeling figure in grey syenite
bears a tablet with adoration by a royal scribe, Sesh
(VIII, 4), but as the head is lost, the reign cannot be
assigned. In this region was also found a seal carved
in pottery under Akhenaten, with the inscription
" Aten temple" (III, 24).
The last use of this site was for a tomb chapel of
about the XXIIIrd dynasty. The walls are shown
in mottled black and white, and three tomb pits
marked by diagonal lines. These pits were cleared
out, but contained only very poor beads, and a bronze
statue of a queen about eight inches high ; this figure
is apparently nude, with a circular crown, a short
close wig (like the statue of Takushet in Athens), and
wide flat sandals. Other figures of the same class are
known. Some work was done here in Greek times,
as a vase of Saitic period was found by the wall of
this chapel, and with it an iron chisel and adze.
14. Behind the temple of Amenhotep II, toward
the Ramesseum, stood another funerary chapel,
which is shown on the plan PL. XXIII. The only
object found in it is a bust of a queen in hard white
limestone (VI, 2, 3), and hence this is called the
White Queen's chapel. Unfortunately the name is
lost, and only some priestly titles remain on the back
of the bust (IX, 2). The date is quite unfixed ; there
is no very close parallel to the work, and only general
considerations are available. Some points would lead
to an early period, the locality just behind the temple
of Amenhotep II and III, the hard white limestone
just like that used by Amenhotep III, and the
rosette on the breast, which is like that on the statue
of Tua, wife of Sety I, in the Villa Verospi (Monu-
menti Inediti dall' Instituto, ii, 40). Dr. Spiegelberg
remarks that he would place it to theXIXth dynasty,
and calls attention to the wrinkle in the neck, which,
so far as he has observed, is a peculiarity of the artist
of the time of Sety I, and Ramessu II.
The double uraeus on the head is not decisive, as
it occurs on Queen Tyi at Soleb, and on a later statue
(of XXV dyn. ?) at Berlin ; while a triple uraeus is
on the head of Amenardus. The ear stud belongs
equally to the XVIIIth and XXVth dynasties. But
other points indicate a later date, of about the XXVth
or XXVIth dynasties. The mention of Sais on the
back would point to the XXVIth dynasty ; though
concentration of so many priesthoods into the queen's
hands points also to the priestly character of the high
priestesses of Amen. And the elaborate treatment
of the hair seems quite as late as the XXVIth
dynasty, and almost more like Ptolemaic work. On
the whole I should be inclined to see in this one of
the queens of the XXVIth dynasty, who held Thebes
as being a ruler of the sacerdotal line.
The bust was found lying in the northern long
chamber; it is now in the Cairo Museum. A few
small fragments of coloured stucco were also found,
but nothing distinct as to date; one piece reads,
m
fc
THE TEMPLE OF AMENHOTEP II.
were also found, the style of which agrees well with
what we know of this period otherwise (V, I, 2, 4).
In the space to the north of the line of approach,
close to the east of the portico, was an extensive
levelling up of the ground with broken pottery.
Among this pottery were many painted pieces, of
which some are shown on PL. V, 7-12. The shading
on these is upright for red, and horizontal for blue.
The date of this filling up of the ground is not certain,
for though it would seem probable that Amenhotep II
would have required to level the ground, yet the bases
of the columns here were all built by Amenhotep III
from the ground upward for four courses. Hence it
would be more likely that the material piled against
the retaining wall of these foundations would also
belong to the later king. The presence of much blue
colouring on the pottery is in accord with this, for—
so far as is yet known—this use of blue was introduced
by Amenhotep III. A curious kind of pottery, not
known otherwise, is incised with lines and spots,
coloured white in alternate sections, and dabbed with
white on the brown clay (III, 13).
13. The work of Amenhotep III on this site
appears to have been an extensive remodelling. The
whole of the portico was entirely built by him, as the
foundation piers of the columns consist of pieces of
sculpture of Amenhotep II, including a long lintel of
sandstone broken in two. The sculptures in the
temple were also due to him, for among the fragments
is a relief of a princess, whose cartouche ends in si
(VI. 6), which cannot be any known person but
Sitamen, daughter of Amenhotep III. Another block
bore the figures of a row of Libyans, and the work
appears much more like that of the Illrd than of the
Ilnd Amenhotep. Many glazed tubes of pottery
were found (III, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20), coloured light
blue, dark violet, and yellow, with inlays of dark blue
and light green. These all bear the name of Amen-
hotep III, and refer to the festivals in which they
were probably dedicated as part of some furniture.
A beautiful bust from a small group in limestone,
which was found here, appears from the hair to belong
also to this age. A kneeling figure in grey syenite
bears a tablet with adoration by a royal scribe, Sesh
(VIII, 4), but as the head is lost, the reign cannot be
assigned. In this region was also found a seal carved
in pottery under Akhenaten, with the inscription
" Aten temple" (III, 24).
The last use of this site was for a tomb chapel of
about the XXIIIrd dynasty. The walls are shown
in mottled black and white, and three tomb pits
marked by diagonal lines. These pits were cleared
out, but contained only very poor beads, and a bronze
statue of a queen about eight inches high ; this figure
is apparently nude, with a circular crown, a short
close wig (like the statue of Takushet in Athens), and
wide flat sandals. Other figures of the same class are
known. Some work was done here in Greek times,
as a vase of Saitic period was found by the wall of
this chapel, and with it an iron chisel and adze.
14. Behind the temple of Amenhotep II, toward
the Ramesseum, stood another funerary chapel,
which is shown on the plan PL. XXIII. The only
object found in it is a bust of a queen in hard white
limestone (VI, 2, 3), and hence this is called the
White Queen's chapel. Unfortunately the name is
lost, and only some priestly titles remain on the back
of the bust (IX, 2). The date is quite unfixed ; there
is no very close parallel to the work, and only general
considerations are available. Some points would lead
to an early period, the locality just behind the temple
of Amenhotep II and III, the hard white limestone
just like that used by Amenhotep III, and the
rosette on the breast, which is like that on the statue
of Tua, wife of Sety I, in the Villa Verospi (Monu-
menti Inediti dall' Instituto, ii, 40). Dr. Spiegelberg
remarks that he would place it to theXIXth dynasty,
and calls attention to the wrinkle in the neck, which,
so far as he has observed, is a peculiarity of the artist
of the time of Sety I, and Ramessu II.
The double uraeus on the head is not decisive, as
it occurs on Queen Tyi at Soleb, and on a later statue
(of XXV dyn. ?) at Berlin ; while a triple uraeus is
on the head of Amenardus. The ear stud belongs
equally to the XVIIIth and XXVth dynasties. But
other points indicate a later date, of about the XXVth
or XXVIth dynasties. The mention of Sais on the
back would point to the XXVIth dynasty ; though
concentration of so many priesthoods into the queen's
hands points also to the priestly character of the high
priestesses of Amen. And the elaborate treatment
of the hair seems quite as late as the XXVIth
dynasty, and almost more like Ptolemaic work. On
the whole I should be inclined to see in this one of
the queens of the XXVIth dynasty, who held Thebes
as being a ruler of the sacerdotal line.
The bust was found lying in the northern long
chamber; it is now in the Cairo Museum. A few
small fragments of coloured stucco were also found,
but nothing distinct as to date; one piece reads,
m
fc