DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3350#0013
THE GREAT COURT
deep, to be added to the above depths. The sides
draw together *i to '2 inch at the corners, but as a
whole they are very flat and finely wrought. The
purpose of this cist is not known. It was not for
water, as there is no hole in it, and no drain or catch
to gather in water at the top. It is a monolith, so
that it must have been protected from the rain, or
it would hold what fell on it. The contents up to
the ledge do not agree with any of the large standards
of measure used in Egypt or other countries, nor
have the dimensions any exact relation to each other.
The outside is rough, and was not intended to be
seen. The only purpose that I can suggest is that
the throne in the centre of the court was lowered
into it, and covered with a stone slab, so that it
could not be robbed of its gold fittings. But it
would seem strange to prefer such protection instead
of removing the throne to a locked chamber.
To the south-east of it is another monolith cist,
circular in form. This is 43^5 inches across inside,
23-5 deep, and 5 inches thick in the sides.
6. About the middle of the Great Court are
lying the drums and capitals of limestone columns,
inscribed on each quarter " Horus, uah ab; suten
baty; nebti, neb khopesh; Horus (on) nubti,
suaz taui ; Haa-ab-ra; si en Ptah." These blocks
mainly lie from 12 to 16 feet south of the central
cist. But no pavement or bases exist to shew the
original place of the columns. There were certainly
three of them, and probably many more. The
diameters are 59/7 inches under the capital, 6yo inches
at 93'6 down, and probably 72 at the base. The
blocks of the capital are 32 ins. high at the top of
the palm, then one block lost, 297 high below that,
and 2 5 "9 high divided into 5 bands. Probably the
whole capital was 118 inches high, agreeing with
the proportions of the monolith capital found in
one of the halls, PL XII. From a comparison of
the dimensions with those of the standard palm
capitals at Ehnasya, the total height must have
been about 520 inches, or 43J feet.
To what kind of structure could these columns
have belonged ? There are but three proven, and
those all together near the middle. It seems difficult
to suppose a peristyle colonnade around the sides of
the court, as in the courts of Egyptian temples ; or
a general hypostyle, like the temples, and like the
Persian palaces, as no fragments were found except
in the middle of the court. To realise the situation,
we must consider what the relation of the columns
to the court must have been. Approximately the
court is 107 feet wide ; the columns 43J feet high,
6 feet wide at base, and 16 feet between them if
spaced as in the portico of Ehnasya. If the columns
filled the court there would have been 4x4; being
6 feet diameter, the spaces would be 16J feet E,
to W. and 18 feet N. to S. Such a space is not at all
improbable, as cedar beams were used for roofing.
If there were only a central group of columns to
shade the throne, two each way would not suffice,
as there would be only 14 feet of roof from the
middle, which at 43 feet high would be useless
against sun, wind, or rain. There might be 3 x 3
columns, but then the centre and axis would be
occupied by columns, leaving no space for a throne
or central ceremony. It seems then that a closed
hypostyle hall of 4 x 4 columns filling the whole
of the Great Court is the only form that is likely
for a columnar structure here.
7. Beyond the Great Court a large stone gateway
led into the hall, about 35x29 feet. On each side
of this is a narrower hall. That on the west, marked
" workshop," had a bench all round the sides, shewn
in the right side of the photograph at the top of
PI. XII. This bench is about 39 to 46 inches wide,
doubtless for workmen to sit on as a diwan. In the
middle area was a rough box of stone slabs, probably
a tank for water used in work. It was destroyed by
stone-seekers before being planned. All about this
room large quantities of scrap bronze were found,
mainly many pounds of nail tips, broken off after
long bronze nails had been driven through planks.
At the west edge of the area was a small hole in the
floor filled with sand, evidently a workman's hiding-
place. In it was the silver and gold fitting shewn on
PI. XIV.
North of all the other buildings is a wide space,
with walls on three sides ; the north end has been
entirely denuded away. This open space seems to
be the equivalent of the wide court with a colonnade
found on the north of private mansions, as at Kahun ;
it was used for general public reception, in the shade
of a portico facing the north. In the mansions this
public use is shewn by there being a long passage
to give direct access from the entrance door, without
interfering with the rooms of the house. It was
therefore the same as the modern Egyptian mandara
or reception hall. The plan of the whole palace is
closely on the same lines as the mansions of the
Xllth dynasty—the entrance on the south, the long
straight passage leading right through to the mandara
on the north, the servants' quarters and kitchens to
deep, to be added to the above depths. The sides
draw together *i to '2 inch at the corners, but as a
whole they are very flat and finely wrought. The
purpose of this cist is not known. It was not for
water, as there is no hole in it, and no drain or catch
to gather in water at the top. It is a monolith, so
that it must have been protected from the rain, or
it would hold what fell on it. The contents up to
the ledge do not agree with any of the large standards
of measure used in Egypt or other countries, nor
have the dimensions any exact relation to each other.
The outside is rough, and was not intended to be
seen. The only purpose that I can suggest is that
the throne in the centre of the court was lowered
into it, and covered with a stone slab, so that it
could not be robbed of its gold fittings. But it
would seem strange to prefer such protection instead
of removing the throne to a locked chamber.
To the south-east of it is another monolith cist,
circular in form. This is 43^5 inches across inside,
23-5 deep, and 5 inches thick in the sides.
6. About the middle of the Great Court are
lying the drums and capitals of limestone columns,
inscribed on each quarter " Horus, uah ab; suten
baty; nebti, neb khopesh; Horus (on) nubti,
suaz taui ; Haa-ab-ra; si en Ptah." These blocks
mainly lie from 12 to 16 feet south of the central
cist. But no pavement or bases exist to shew the
original place of the columns. There were certainly
three of them, and probably many more. The
diameters are 59/7 inches under the capital, 6yo inches
at 93'6 down, and probably 72 at the base. The
blocks of the capital are 32 ins. high at the top of
the palm, then one block lost, 297 high below that,
and 2 5 "9 high divided into 5 bands. Probably the
whole capital was 118 inches high, agreeing with
the proportions of the monolith capital found in
one of the halls, PL XII. From a comparison of
the dimensions with those of the standard palm
capitals at Ehnasya, the total height must have
been about 520 inches, or 43J feet.
To what kind of structure could these columns
have belonged ? There are but three proven, and
those all together near the middle. It seems difficult
to suppose a peristyle colonnade around the sides of
the court, as in the courts of Egyptian temples ; or
a general hypostyle, like the temples, and like the
Persian palaces, as no fragments were found except
in the middle of the court. To realise the situation,
we must consider what the relation of the columns
to the court must have been. Approximately the
court is 107 feet wide ; the columns 43J feet high,
6 feet wide at base, and 16 feet between them if
spaced as in the portico of Ehnasya. If the columns
filled the court there would have been 4x4; being
6 feet diameter, the spaces would be 16J feet E,
to W. and 18 feet N. to S. Such a space is not at all
improbable, as cedar beams were used for roofing.
If there were only a central group of columns to
shade the throne, two each way would not suffice,
as there would be only 14 feet of roof from the
middle, which at 43 feet high would be useless
against sun, wind, or rain. There might be 3 x 3
columns, but then the centre and axis would be
occupied by columns, leaving no space for a throne
or central ceremony. It seems then that a closed
hypostyle hall of 4 x 4 columns filling the whole
of the Great Court is the only form that is likely
for a columnar structure here.
7. Beyond the Great Court a large stone gateway
led into the hall, about 35x29 feet. On each side
of this is a narrower hall. That on the west, marked
" workshop," had a bench all round the sides, shewn
in the right side of the photograph at the top of
PI. XII. This bench is about 39 to 46 inches wide,
doubtless for workmen to sit on as a diwan. In the
middle area was a rough box of stone slabs, probably
a tank for water used in work. It was destroyed by
stone-seekers before being planned. All about this
room large quantities of scrap bronze were found,
mainly many pounds of nail tips, broken off after
long bronze nails had been driven through planks.
At the west edge of the area was a small hole in the
floor filled with sand, evidently a workman's hiding-
place. In it was the silver and gold fitting shewn on
PI. XIV.
North of all the other buildings is a wide space,
with walls on three sides ; the north end has been
entirely denuded away. This open space seems to
be the equivalent of the wide court with a colonnade
found on the north of private mansions, as at Kahun ;
it was used for general public reception, in the shade
of a portico facing the north. In the mansions this
public use is shewn by there being a long passage
to give direct access from the entrance door, without
interfering with the rooms of the house. It was
therefore the same as the modern Egyptian mandara
or reception hall. The plan of the whole palace is
closely on the same lines as the mansions of the
Xllth dynasty—the entrance on the south, the long
straight passage leading right through to the mandara
on the north, the servants' quarters and kitchens to