DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4222#0020
10
ROYAL TOMBS OF THE 1st DYNASTY.
the granite floor, as seen in pi. Ma. 1 ; these
are laid as three lengths and one breadth,
making up 27 inches width of brick bordering.
At the north side the brick border is 16 inches
wide. Some of the slabs are of grey gneissic
granite,
which splits into thin masses, the
western slab being 111 X 64 inches, and only
5 inches thick; other slabs are of hammer-
dressed massive pink granite. The blocks on
the north side are (1) 53 X 28, running 6
inches under the east wall; (2) 98 X 28; (3)
52 + x X 27 inches. That there were other
blocks is clear by the cast of a block remaining
against the side of this line of blocks. The
eastern recess of the chamber was, however, all
paved with brick, like the bordering of the
pavement on the other sides. A block lying in
the middle of the chamber is 55 + x X 47 X 10
inches thick ; it has been called an uninscribed
stele, but is clearly a paving stone. The stele
of Den was probably of limestone, like those of
Zer and Zet, as the back of a limestone stele
with rounded top, 21 "6 inches wide, is lying in
the tomb of Den.
Having now described what is left of the
granite, we turn to the traces of the structure
over it. Upon the three northern granite blocks
traces remain of the wooden structure, casts of
two beams, two planks, and seven post ends.
It will be best if I describe the structure which
they prove to have existed, rather than state
the details. Against the north wall was a
timber side, of planks laid horizontally, the outer
skin 3 inches thick, the inner 2 inches; it is
possible, however, that one cast might be due to
a plank dropping out of place, so that there may
have been only one skin 2 or 3 inches thick.
These horizontal planks were fastened to upright
posts to maintain them; the posts were on the
inner side, and were much like modern joists,
3 X 10 inches, with the narrow edge against the
planks ; and they were at intervals of about 35
inches. Having thus faced the brick wall,
much like a modern timbering of an earth face
m
excavations, a second
such timbering; was
built to form the chamber side, with the joist
uprights towards the other joists, and the smooth
plank face forming the inside of the chamber.
The space in which the joists stood between the
outer and inner plank facings was 38 inches
wide. This space, partially divided by the
upright joists, was floored over with brickwork
on the granite, 5 inches thick. And in the
space were placed large quantities of stone bowls
and vases. In the burning of the tomb, the
resins, ointment, &c, which were in these, melted
and ran out, forming a paste with the mud, and
so the vases became bedded. Afterwards these
stone vases Avere all removed, probably at the
time of clearing out the tomb and rebuilding1
the door jambs, a restoration which is dated by
a piece of a stele of Aahmes II., found here by
Amelineau. On the east side of the tomb there
appears to have been only a single screen of
planks, as a beam 7 inches wide is placed at the
foot of the wall. It may be noted that the
joists were roughly hewn at the lower end, of
Avhich the impression was left in the mud brick ;
and every joist had twisted on the base where it
had no attachment, showing that it was firmly
attached at the top. This twist, due to winding
in the wood, is about 20°, and is exactly like
that often seen in the posts supporting railway
platform roofs. The twist was that of a left-
handed screw in all cases.
The height of the chamber is quite unknown.
The thick wall has a definite flat top, plastered
over 259 inches (21-| feet) above the granite
floor. This top has a sharp outer edge, which I
carefully searched for, regarding it as a dwarf
wall like that of Zet; but when it was defined
it proved to be in line with the outer face of the
thick wall where broken down; and hence it is
the wall itself which was smooth plastered flat
on the top, while a coat of mud plaster was
also spread out eight inches lower than the wall,
on the native marl, far beyond the wall, to the
outer rows of graves.
***
&**
con^oUS
^t the so
stairway 1*
turns to tla«
of steps is
taickwoark.
ing of the c
This sma1
tended to
three bloc
was still i
(see cross
itwastb
inches.
a hole in
X 23 in
therefore
A kick
chamber
of limes'
support
of suita1
it. Its
footing
o
others
posts tl
weight
this sn
the ro'
wecai
Oft
wop
ROYAL TOMBS OF THE 1st DYNASTY.
the granite floor, as seen in pi. Ma. 1 ; these
are laid as three lengths and one breadth,
making up 27 inches width of brick bordering.
At the north side the brick border is 16 inches
wide. Some of the slabs are of grey gneissic
granite,
which splits into thin masses, the
western slab being 111 X 64 inches, and only
5 inches thick; other slabs are of hammer-
dressed massive pink granite. The blocks on
the north side are (1) 53 X 28, running 6
inches under the east wall; (2) 98 X 28; (3)
52 + x X 27 inches. That there were other
blocks is clear by the cast of a block remaining
against the side of this line of blocks. The
eastern recess of the chamber was, however, all
paved with brick, like the bordering of the
pavement on the other sides. A block lying in
the middle of the chamber is 55 + x X 47 X 10
inches thick ; it has been called an uninscribed
stele, but is clearly a paving stone. The stele
of Den was probably of limestone, like those of
Zer and Zet, as the back of a limestone stele
with rounded top, 21 "6 inches wide, is lying in
the tomb of Den.
Having now described what is left of the
granite, we turn to the traces of the structure
over it. Upon the three northern granite blocks
traces remain of the wooden structure, casts of
two beams, two planks, and seven post ends.
It will be best if I describe the structure which
they prove to have existed, rather than state
the details. Against the north wall was a
timber side, of planks laid horizontally, the outer
skin 3 inches thick, the inner 2 inches; it is
possible, however, that one cast might be due to
a plank dropping out of place, so that there may
have been only one skin 2 or 3 inches thick.
These horizontal planks were fastened to upright
posts to maintain them; the posts were on the
inner side, and were much like modern joists,
3 X 10 inches, with the narrow edge against the
planks ; and they were at intervals of about 35
inches. Having thus faced the brick wall,
much like a modern timbering of an earth face
m
excavations, a second
such timbering; was
built to form the chamber side, with the joist
uprights towards the other joists, and the smooth
plank face forming the inside of the chamber.
The space in which the joists stood between the
outer and inner plank facings was 38 inches
wide. This space, partially divided by the
upright joists, was floored over with brickwork
on the granite, 5 inches thick. And in the
space were placed large quantities of stone bowls
and vases. In the burning of the tomb, the
resins, ointment, &c, which were in these, melted
and ran out, forming a paste with the mud, and
so the vases became bedded. Afterwards these
stone vases Avere all removed, probably at the
time of clearing out the tomb and rebuilding1
the door jambs, a restoration which is dated by
a piece of a stele of Aahmes II., found here by
Amelineau. On the east side of the tomb there
appears to have been only a single screen of
planks, as a beam 7 inches wide is placed at the
foot of the wall. It may be noted that the
joists were roughly hewn at the lower end, of
Avhich the impression was left in the mud brick ;
and every joist had twisted on the base where it
had no attachment, showing that it was firmly
attached at the top. This twist, due to winding
in the wood, is about 20°, and is exactly like
that often seen in the posts supporting railway
platform roofs. The twist was that of a left-
handed screw in all cases.
The height of the chamber is quite unknown.
The thick wall has a definite flat top, plastered
over 259 inches (21-| feet) above the granite
floor. This top has a sharp outer edge, which I
carefully searched for, regarding it as a dwarf
wall like that of Zet; but when it was defined
it proved to be in line with the outer face of the
thick wall where broken down; and hence it is
the wall itself which was smooth plastered flat
on the top, while a coat of mud plaster was
also spread out eight inches lower than the wall,
on the native marl, far beyond the wall, to the
outer rows of graves.
***
&**
con^oUS
^t the so
stairway 1*
turns to tla«
of steps is
taickwoark.
ing of the c
This sma1
tended to
three bloc
was still i
(see cross
itwastb
inches.
a hole in
X 23 in
therefore
A kick
chamber
of limes'
support
of suita1
it. Its
footing
o
others
posts tl
weight
this sn
the ro'
wecai
Oft
wop