DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4104#0029
TO!
20
ABYBOS III.
3 in. high, was cut the whole length of the
passage on either side, about 3 ft. from the
ground. This, doubtless, was connected with
the lowering of the sarcophagi into the tomb.
The tunnel ran clown until it was met by the
perpendicular western shaft, at a depth of about
50 ft., that is to say, some 90 ft. from the desert
surface. This second shaft Avas very narrow
near the top, but widened out as it opened into
the sloping tunnel. Foot holes were cut down
its entire length, and it seems to have been
used by the workmen ; but its necessity, when
viewed in respect to its disadvantage as a
further help to the plunderers, is not obvious.
The passage now drops sharply, about 4 ft.,
and passes into a second tunnel, running level
towards the west. It was on March 7th, 1902,
that the sand was removed from this point, and
the Avay into the tomb opened. A quick
examination of the passages and chambers
beyond showed that they were more extensive
than those in any tomb known in Egypt. The
work of clearing away the debris left by the
plunderers, of examining the granite sarcopha-
gus which had been seen in one of the chambers,
of searching for other hidden burials, and of
measuring and planning the place, was thought
to be too great an undertaking for that season,
which was already drawing to a close. The
work was therefore discontinued, the shaft filled
with sand to the top, thus completely preventing
any entrance, and guards were ordered to visit
the mouth at regular intervals to see that it
was not tampered with by the Arabs from
the neighbouring villages, whose imaginations
had been inflamed to the point of laAvlessness by
the possibility of a find of jewellery.
30. About a quarter of a mile to the south
of the cemetery, excavations were made upon a
sandy holloAV Avhich appeared to be another
great tomb. A large pit, as big as that of
the great tomb in the hosh, was emptied, but
Avhen brick construction Avas reached near the
bottom, it Avas decided to leave the Avork until
the next season, as it was evident that another
great rock building Avas about to be disclosed
which would perhaps require several months
to clear.
In the cemetery there are two Ptolemaic
tombs. One, Avhich is completely Avrecked,
lies near S 2, and may have been an earlier
tomb re-used. The other is built inside the
hosh at the south end, not far from the front
Avail. Three steps lead down to a large rect-
angular chamber about 15 ft. by 12 ft. The
floor and Avails are plastered, but not Avhite-
washed, and the roof appears to have been
domed, and to have risen above the desert
surface, a mound having been formed over it.
Not a trace of the burial remains.
It is unlikely that there are more tombs of
any kind in the immediate neighbourhood.
Thanks to a great rainstorm all the Avails Avithin
a couple of feet of the surface Avere able to be
located; for the sand naturally dried more
quickly Avhere brick Avail or other hard matter
lay beneath ; and for the few hours Avhile the
rest of the desert was Avet the positions of all
buildings beloAV the surface Avere marked out.
Several climbs along the side of the cliffs in
search of rock tombs were fruitless, though a
few rough drawings in red paint Avere noticed,
dating probably from Roman times. Much
broken pottery of this date Avas observed on
the cliffs, and it seems that the plunderers
lived, during their work, under the shelter of a
terrace of overhanging rocks above the south
end of the hosh.
These Romans Avere, however, by no means
the first persons to be attracted to the site by
the prospect of treasure. Mr. Maclver points
out in his El Amrah and Abyclos, in Avhich he
describes the excavations at the small temple of
Senusert III upon the edge of the cultivation,
that even before the end of the Xllth Dynasty
the temple area had been intruded upon by
burials, and the XVIIIth Dynasty found it quite
Avrecked; and Ave have already seen that
ttt piously P
i*( Lore than a
„ tm *> liave '
k their work as a
0 Xhev have lett, 8
Mft quantity of pott<
^ their lamps and
to have been an
been led by
one's natural p
■ of the damage
5 fad to admire thei
mined maimer in ay
(obstacles set in th<
of the cemetery.
ugly thorough, for they
20
ABYBOS III.
3 in. high, was cut the whole length of the
passage on either side, about 3 ft. from the
ground. This, doubtless, was connected with
the lowering of the sarcophagi into the tomb.
The tunnel ran clown until it was met by the
perpendicular western shaft, at a depth of about
50 ft., that is to say, some 90 ft. from the desert
surface. This second shaft Avas very narrow
near the top, but widened out as it opened into
the sloping tunnel. Foot holes were cut down
its entire length, and it seems to have been
used by the workmen ; but its necessity, when
viewed in respect to its disadvantage as a
further help to the plunderers, is not obvious.
The passage now drops sharply, about 4 ft.,
and passes into a second tunnel, running level
towards the west. It was on March 7th, 1902,
that the sand was removed from this point, and
the Avay into the tomb opened. A quick
examination of the passages and chambers
beyond showed that they were more extensive
than those in any tomb known in Egypt. The
work of clearing away the debris left by the
plunderers, of examining the granite sarcopha-
gus which had been seen in one of the chambers,
of searching for other hidden burials, and of
measuring and planning the place, was thought
to be too great an undertaking for that season,
which was already drawing to a close. The
work was therefore discontinued, the shaft filled
with sand to the top, thus completely preventing
any entrance, and guards were ordered to visit
the mouth at regular intervals to see that it
was not tampered with by the Arabs from
the neighbouring villages, whose imaginations
had been inflamed to the point of laAvlessness by
the possibility of a find of jewellery.
30. About a quarter of a mile to the south
of the cemetery, excavations were made upon a
sandy holloAV Avhich appeared to be another
great tomb. A large pit, as big as that of
the great tomb in the hosh, was emptied, but
Avhen brick construction Avas reached near the
bottom, it Avas decided to leave the Avork until
the next season, as it was evident that another
great rock building Avas about to be disclosed
which would perhaps require several months
to clear.
In the cemetery there are two Ptolemaic
tombs. One, Avhich is completely Avrecked,
lies near S 2, and may have been an earlier
tomb re-used. The other is built inside the
hosh at the south end, not far from the front
Avail. Three steps lead down to a large rect-
angular chamber about 15 ft. by 12 ft. The
floor and Avails are plastered, but not Avhite-
washed, and the roof appears to have been
domed, and to have risen above the desert
surface, a mound having been formed over it.
Not a trace of the burial remains.
It is unlikely that there are more tombs of
any kind in the immediate neighbourhood.
Thanks to a great rainstorm all the Avails Avithin
a couple of feet of the surface Avere able to be
located; for the sand naturally dried more
quickly Avhere brick Avail or other hard matter
lay beneath ; and for the few hours Avhile the
rest of the desert was Avet the positions of all
buildings beloAV the surface Avere marked out.
Several climbs along the side of the cliffs in
search of rock tombs were fruitless, though a
few rough drawings in red paint Avere noticed,
dating probably from Roman times. Much
broken pottery of this date Avas observed on
the cliffs, and it seems that the plunderers
lived, during their work, under the shelter of a
terrace of overhanging rocks above the south
end of the hosh.
These Romans Avere, however, by no means
the first persons to be attracted to the site by
the prospect of treasure. Mr. Maclver points
out in his El Amrah and Abyclos, in Avhich he
describes the excavations at the small temple of
Senusert III upon the edge of the cultivation,
that even before the end of the Xllth Dynasty
the temple area had been intruded upon by
burials, and the XVIIIth Dynasty found it quite
Avrecked; and Ave have already seen that
ttt piously P
i*( Lore than a
„ tm *> liave '
k their work as a
0 Xhev have lett, 8
Mft quantity of pott<
^ their lamps and
to have been an
been led by
one's natural p
■ of the damage
5 fad to admire thei
mined maimer in ay
(obstacles set in th<
of the cemetery.
ugly thorough, for they