DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4104#0013
THE sH
ABYDOS III.
8. On the plan, at 153 in. to the Avest of
the east wall, will be noticed a long narrow
trench in the sand. At one time this probably
held the foundations of a wall. Mariette on his
plan notes the existence of a wall running west
from the east wall in the south-east corner, and
then north, as though to join a wall built in
this position; but of this no trace could be
found. In the eastern corner the wall was
found to have been built on the top of a
thickness of 20 in. of brick rubbish, ox bones,
and pots of the rough hand-made type, which
is known from the end of the 1st to the IVth
Dynasties (pi. xxxii, 1—4). Evidently the
builders on comma; to a hollow in the around,
filled it to the required level with the nearest
rubbish, making use of even their own food
vessels.
When the building of the Shuneh was begun,
the Middle Fort Avas evidently considered
inadequate for the purpose of defence, and
consequently the Shuneh was built on a larger
and more imposing scale. The Middle Fort
Avas probably no longer a royal dAvelling, as no
care Avas taken to avoid interfering Avith the
entrances.
9. The Avestern trench of the Shuneh was
half full of rubbish in Ramesside times, since
many small bronze figures of Osiris belonging to
that period were found at the depth of ^ metre
from the firm floor. A very fine pot of the
Coptic period, ornamented Avitli hunting scenes
in yelloAv and black on a polished red surface,
similar to the designs on the textiles, was found
-| metre higher. The fort itself, or at least the
northern portion, had fallen into disuse before
the Xllth Dynasty, because in the N.W. corner
a great drift of sand reaches to a height of
4 metres, and in this, at 2 metres from the
ground, was found a child's burial of the
Xllth Dynasty. A burial of the same date
was found in an almost similar position in the
rubbish of the north trench.
In the walls of the fort which were most
sheltered from the cold Avinds the Copts had
dug out holloAvs, and lining them with stucco
had turned them into small rooms. In fact,
the Avestern Avail is so honeycombed on the
outer side in this Avay that it is marvellous
it should have stood so long ; the inner side of
the eastern wall had been similarly Aveakened,
but did not stand the test, and only some 12 ft.
of Avail remain (cf. photograph, pi. v). The
Shuneh, then, narroAvly escaped being turned
into a Coptic village like the Deir; and it
seems probable that, had it not been for the
Copts, the four Avails Avoulcl still be standing as
they Avere built.
10, The dating of the Middle Fort is also
given by sealings. At A Avas found a very fine
sealing of Perabsen, fourth kino- of the Ilnd
Dynasty (pi. ix, No. 3), besides two scraps
(Nos. 1 and 2), similar to some found at the
Royal Tombs (R.T. i, 184-5); together Avith
other sealings Avhich from their style appear
to belong to the same date. A fine sealing
of Khasekhemui Avas found at B, and several
sealings Avere discovered in the court of the
gate. In room K was found the pottery
marked jx 46 on pi. xxxii: a fine Ilnd Dynasty
jar of AAdritenecl pottery with dishes of the same
date.
The Middle Fort was therefore older than
the Shuneh, as it contains the earlier sealings,
those of Perabsen. That it had fallen into
disuse by the beginning of the Vlth Dynasty is
shown by the number of burials of that date in
the courtyard.
It is probable, then, that here are a series of
royal forts built in the Ilnd Dynasty, Avhich
served as residences for the kings Avhen they
came to worship at the temple of Abydos,
Avhich stood between these buildings and the
cultivated land. (Gen. plan, pi. a^.)
11. The fort at Hierakonpolis, although
smaller, is similar to the Shuneh in most
respects. (Cf. Quibell, Hierakonpolis II, pp.
19 and 20, and pi. lxxiv.) There are two
wall ar
As iQ tn
1.:^ one- , witb
|f Uthoutany tr.
J^Uwall. Onlyo
nilar in P**° °
,e comparative thi.
\hsbeen built out
lb walls are of un
mud pWermg, tt
Led. The pilasters]
L to correspond with t
itnll has a thickness o
.0neof72in. tfoopenii
in the Shuneh like th
ay. Unfortunate
could help to (
! Old Kingdom potter
i of the Old Kingdom
ABYDOS III.
8. On the plan, at 153 in. to the Avest of
the east wall, will be noticed a long narrow
trench in the sand. At one time this probably
held the foundations of a wall. Mariette on his
plan notes the existence of a wall running west
from the east wall in the south-east corner, and
then north, as though to join a wall built in
this position; but of this no trace could be
found. In the eastern corner the wall was
found to have been built on the top of a
thickness of 20 in. of brick rubbish, ox bones,
and pots of the rough hand-made type, which
is known from the end of the 1st to the IVth
Dynasties (pi. xxxii, 1—4). Evidently the
builders on comma; to a hollow in the around,
filled it to the required level with the nearest
rubbish, making use of even their own food
vessels.
When the building of the Shuneh was begun,
the Middle Fort Avas evidently considered
inadequate for the purpose of defence, and
consequently the Shuneh was built on a larger
and more imposing scale. The Middle Fort
Avas probably no longer a royal dAvelling, as no
care Avas taken to avoid interfering Avith the
entrances.
9. The Avestern trench of the Shuneh was
half full of rubbish in Ramesside times, since
many small bronze figures of Osiris belonging to
that period were found at the depth of ^ metre
from the firm floor. A very fine pot of the
Coptic period, ornamented Avitli hunting scenes
in yelloAv and black on a polished red surface,
similar to the designs on the textiles, was found
-| metre higher. The fort itself, or at least the
northern portion, had fallen into disuse before
the Xllth Dynasty, because in the N.W. corner
a great drift of sand reaches to a height of
4 metres, and in this, at 2 metres from the
ground, was found a child's burial of the
Xllth Dynasty. A burial of the same date
was found in an almost similar position in the
rubbish of the north trench.
In the walls of the fort which were most
sheltered from the cold Avinds the Copts had
dug out holloAvs, and lining them with stucco
had turned them into small rooms. In fact,
the Avestern Avail is so honeycombed on the
outer side in this Avay that it is marvellous
it should have stood so long ; the inner side of
the eastern wall had been similarly Aveakened,
but did not stand the test, and only some 12 ft.
of Avail remain (cf. photograph, pi. v). The
Shuneh, then, narroAvly escaped being turned
into a Coptic village like the Deir; and it
seems probable that, had it not been for the
Copts, the four Avails Avoulcl still be standing as
they Avere built.
10, The dating of the Middle Fort is also
given by sealings. At A Avas found a very fine
sealing of Perabsen, fourth kino- of the Ilnd
Dynasty (pi. ix, No. 3), besides two scraps
(Nos. 1 and 2), similar to some found at the
Royal Tombs (R.T. i, 184-5); together Avith
other sealings Avhich from their style appear
to belong to the same date. A fine sealing
of Khasekhemui Avas found at B, and several
sealings Avere discovered in the court of the
gate. In room K was found the pottery
marked jx 46 on pi. xxxii: a fine Ilnd Dynasty
jar of AAdritenecl pottery with dishes of the same
date.
The Middle Fort was therefore older than
the Shuneh, as it contains the earlier sealings,
those of Perabsen. That it had fallen into
disuse by the beginning of the Vlth Dynasty is
shown by the number of burials of that date in
the courtyard.
It is probable, then, that here are a series of
royal forts built in the Ilnd Dynasty, Avhich
served as residences for the kings Avhen they
came to worship at the temple of Abydos,
Avhich stood between these buildings and the
cultivated land. (Gen. plan, pi. a^.)
11. The fort at Hierakonpolis, although
smaller, is similar to the Shuneh in most
respects. (Cf. Quibell, Hierakonpolis II, pp.
19 and 20, and pi. lxxiv.) There are two
wall ar
As iQ tn
1.:^ one- , witb
|f Uthoutany tr.
J^Uwall. Onlyo
nilar in P**° °
,e comparative thi.
\hsbeen built out
lb walls are of un
mud pWermg, tt
Led. The pilasters]
L to correspond with t
itnll has a thickness o
.0neof72in. tfoopenii
in the Shuneh like th
ay. Unfortunate
could help to (
! Old Kingdom potter
i of the Old Kingdom