DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4104#0042
THE TOMB OF AAHMES I.
33
large brick wall; and on each brick was the
cartouche of Aahmes I, evidently made with the
same stamp as those found in the Aahmes
tomb.
These walls were so very long, and there was
such a mass of rubbish heaped above them, that
it took some time to find out what the structure
was. When at last it was cleared, we saw
that it was a large terraced temple, with a
frontage of over 400 ft. (see plan liii). As the
structure was on ground sloping steeply, the
terraces were supported by two long retaining
walls. The first one was of brick built in hollow
squares. The inside measurement of one square
was 3 ft. 9 in. by 4 ft. 7 in., and of another 3 ft.
8 in. by 6 ft. The top, however, was built over,
so that it looked like a solid wall.
The brick wall was 370 ft. long. The height
of course varied with the nature of the ground ;
in one place it Avas 97 in. high on the inside and
108 in. on the outside. The first terrace was
made by filling in with sand to a level with the
top of the wall. At certain intervals (see plan)
brick pilasters were built on the outer face, and
at the two ends there was a wall a single brick
thick connecting these. This was about 38 in.
high.
The second retaining wall was of rough stone
set with a sandy mortar; it is about 160 in.
high; but, like the front wall, of course varies
with the ground underneath. This wall has a
batter of about 2 ft. In the plan two sections
are shown that will give an indication of the
relative positions and heights of the walls and
terraces.
59. Of the great stone temple nothing was
left but the hundreds of tons of chippings.
Every stone had been carried aAvay to build one
of the great temples nearer Abydos—either the
one built by Sety I or that of Ramessu II ; and
our knowledge of the father and son does not
leave much room for doubt which saved himself
the expense of getting out his own stone. The
temple of Ramessu is very badly ruined, and is of
to see a
the ordinary white limestone of the neighbour-
hood, so I could not identify the stone ; nor did
I find any marks to show that the stone now in
place had been recut from an earlier building.
The stones had been recut to suit their new
position before leaving the terraced temple. At
first I thought that this was only the rough
dressing to save the extra weight in dragging
them across the desert, but later we came on the
place where the fine cutting had been done. On
the leeward side of this the depth of the lime
dust was 30 in. As will be seen from the plan,
the pile of chippings in front of the brick
retaining Avail is the highest, it is about 160 in.
in height.
Aahmes chose for the site of his temple one of
the most conspicuous places in the neighbour-
hood. From the earliest times the high roads
have been the great dykes that divide the
country. Opposite one of these, and about a
third of the way up the cliffs, stood the long
AAdiite temple.
60. The only thing Ave could definitely call
an eiftrance Avas found at the south end of the
terrace (see plan, pi. liii A). Here Avas a
paved platform Avith tAvo steps that led up to
the gate. This had a Avooden threshold let into
the bricks, and the gate or door turned on
a stone socket. The court B was brick-paved,
and seemed to have had a seat in the angle of
the front wall. From this court a sloping ascent
led to a higher level Avhere the spaces divided
by the brick Avails Avere all paved with a pinkish
marl. Part of this sloping way was open, as if
it had once been paved with slabs of stone noAv
removed. By stepping across this, the irregular
enclosure B was entered, and from there a gate
led to the first terrace. This gate, Avhich Avas
of the height of the narroAv wall running round
the large retaining wall, had certainly not been
cut down, so it cannot have been the door of a
room.
The part on a higher level, F, Gr, H, I, and J,
looked as if it might have contained a number of
33
large brick wall; and on each brick was the
cartouche of Aahmes I, evidently made with the
same stamp as those found in the Aahmes
tomb.
These walls were so very long, and there was
such a mass of rubbish heaped above them, that
it took some time to find out what the structure
was. When at last it was cleared, we saw
that it was a large terraced temple, with a
frontage of over 400 ft. (see plan liii). As the
structure was on ground sloping steeply, the
terraces were supported by two long retaining
walls. The first one was of brick built in hollow
squares. The inside measurement of one square
was 3 ft. 9 in. by 4 ft. 7 in., and of another 3 ft.
8 in. by 6 ft. The top, however, was built over,
so that it looked like a solid wall.
The brick wall was 370 ft. long. The height
of course varied with the nature of the ground ;
in one place it Avas 97 in. high on the inside and
108 in. on the outside. The first terrace was
made by filling in with sand to a level with the
top of the wall. At certain intervals (see plan)
brick pilasters were built on the outer face, and
at the two ends there was a wall a single brick
thick connecting these. This was about 38 in.
high.
The second retaining wall was of rough stone
set with a sandy mortar; it is about 160 in.
high; but, like the front wall, of course varies
with the ground underneath. This wall has a
batter of about 2 ft. In the plan two sections
are shown that will give an indication of the
relative positions and heights of the walls and
terraces.
59. Of the great stone temple nothing was
left but the hundreds of tons of chippings.
Every stone had been carried aAvay to build one
of the great temples nearer Abydos—either the
one built by Sety I or that of Ramessu II ; and
our knowledge of the father and son does not
leave much room for doubt which saved himself
the expense of getting out his own stone. The
temple of Ramessu is very badly ruined, and is of
to see a
the ordinary white limestone of the neighbour-
hood, so I could not identify the stone ; nor did
I find any marks to show that the stone now in
place had been recut from an earlier building.
The stones had been recut to suit their new
position before leaving the terraced temple. At
first I thought that this was only the rough
dressing to save the extra weight in dragging
them across the desert, but later we came on the
place where the fine cutting had been done. On
the leeward side of this the depth of the lime
dust was 30 in. As will be seen from the plan,
the pile of chippings in front of the brick
retaining Avail is the highest, it is about 160 in.
in height.
Aahmes chose for the site of his temple one of
the most conspicuous places in the neighbour-
hood. From the earliest times the high roads
have been the great dykes that divide the
country. Opposite one of these, and about a
third of the way up the cliffs, stood the long
AAdiite temple.
60. The only thing Ave could definitely call
an eiftrance Avas found at the south end of the
terrace (see plan, pi. liii A). Here Avas a
paved platform Avith tAvo steps that led up to
the gate. This had a Avooden threshold let into
the bricks, and the gate or door turned on
a stone socket. The court B was brick-paved,
and seemed to have had a seat in the angle of
the front wall. From this court a sloping ascent
led to a higher level Avhere the spaces divided
by the brick Avails Avere all paved with a pinkish
marl. Part of this sloping way was open, as if
it had once been paved with slabs of stone noAv
removed. By stepping across this, the irregular
enclosure B was entered, and from there a gate
led to the first terrace. This gate, Avhich Avas
of the height of the narroAv wall running round
the large retaining wall, had certainly not been
cut down, so it cannot have been the door of a
room.
The part on a higher level, F, Gr, H, I, and J,
looked as if it might have contained a number of