DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3388#0019
THE QUARRY MARKS
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The position seems peculiar, but is in keeping
with the general scheme of one-sidedness which
characterizes the pyramid buildings ; for the cause-
way is not at right angles to the temenos wall, whose
gateway is not opposite the doorway of the temple,
which is not in the middle but at the south end of
that building.
The feature of a causeway starting from the north
side of the low temple is also to be seen in the
granite temple. That causeway, as well as this of
Meydum, does not run at right angles to the pyramid.
CHAPTER III
THE QUARRY MARKS.
By FLINDERS PETRIE.
18. SOME quarry marks of the pyramid of Khufu
at Gizeh were long ago published by Lepsius in the
Denkmdkr (ii, i). But such inscriptions have hardly
been collected with sufficient care, considering the
historical information which they give. In the course
of clearing the eastern face of the pyramid of Sneferu
at Meydum, tunnelling beneath that, and turning
over masses of the masons' chips elsewhere, many
different kinds of graffiti have been noticed. These
are published here in pis. v, vi; and the general
account of them is given here. The discussion of the
historical dating of 4800 B.C., shewn by them, will
appear in the chronological papers in the second
volume of the year, Historical Studies.
First there is the most important group of dated
inscriptions, pi. v, 1-6. These were in red ochre
paint, roughly daubed on, apparently with a coarse
brush. They are mostly on the sloping rough faces
of casing stones which would be outermost, painted
on the rough surface which would later be trimmed
away in finishing the slope. The purpose of putting
them on this face was probably to enable the architect
to notice the date of the material until it was finally
dressed. That we should occasionally find them is
probably due to some casing stones having been built
in otherwise in the masonry, and thus escaped dress-
ing down.
(1) " 2nd month of Pert (Mekhir), day 22."
(2) "Year 17, 2nd month of Pert, day 24" (?).
(3) " Year 17, 2nd month of Pert, day . . ."
(4) "Year 17, 3rd month of Pert(Phamenoth), clay
of completion (30th)."
(5) " 1st month of Shemu (Pakhons), day 22 " (?)
(6) "Year i7(?), 3rd month of Shemu (Epiphi),
day 8 " (?).
19. The next group is of various other inscriptions,
which are found on flat faces of rough quarried stones.
(7) Sethes, " cause to be lifted up," or in modern
phrase " this side up."
8 apparently shews a boat, and an unknown sign
to the left of it. Across it at right angles, reading
down from the right, is again " cause to be lifted up."
9 has also a boat, and at the left end the begin-
ning of a date, " Year i/\. + x."
11, " Great, divine house." As we see tor, " great,"
on the following to 14, with different designs, it may
refer to the king, or possibly be the name of the quarry,
or of the quality of the stone. The "divine house"
or temple doubtless shews that it came from a stone
for the temple here. The writing is in black. The
flake was struck off and thrown away with the
masons' waste in the approach.
10, 12, 13, "Great" with a sign following which
varies in each case, but which seems as if intended
for the same.
We now come to signs on pi. vi.
15 to 18 are evidently figures of the step pyramid
of Meydum before it had its final uniform slope of
casing; 18 is on the footing of the outer casing.
These marks were to shew the destination of the
stone. Above 16 are two signs incised ; one is a
Jiotep upside down.
19 is indistinct, and the direction is uncertain.
20 is a hotep sign, from the foundation of the outer
casing.
2i is a town sign.
22 is the base of a khaker sign.
23 is a survey mark painted in red on the whitened
retaining wall over the chamber of mastaba No. 17.
24 is an incised sign on a block in the pyramid
rubbish.
25 is part of a word, possibly maa-th{en\ " road,"
as the maat sign is a square-ended cubit in this age.
26, 27, are diagrammatic signs unknown.
The best dated quarry mark was left at Cairo
Museum, and others were sent to Manchester,
University College London, Munich, and Chicago.
Lastly there are some much ruder quarry marks
inscribed in black on the paving stones of the S.E.
chamber of the palace of Apries, pi. vi, 28-36.
28A is a small inscription at the side of 28, naming
the 13th year.
(29) "Year 13."
(30) " Year 11 + x."
2
l<>
The position seems peculiar, but is in keeping
with the general scheme of one-sidedness which
characterizes the pyramid buildings ; for the cause-
way is not at right angles to the temenos wall, whose
gateway is not opposite the doorway of the temple,
which is not in the middle but at the south end of
that building.
The feature of a causeway starting from the north
side of the low temple is also to be seen in the
granite temple. That causeway, as well as this of
Meydum, does not run at right angles to the pyramid.
CHAPTER III
THE QUARRY MARKS.
By FLINDERS PETRIE.
18. SOME quarry marks of the pyramid of Khufu
at Gizeh were long ago published by Lepsius in the
Denkmdkr (ii, i). But such inscriptions have hardly
been collected with sufficient care, considering the
historical information which they give. In the course
of clearing the eastern face of the pyramid of Sneferu
at Meydum, tunnelling beneath that, and turning
over masses of the masons' chips elsewhere, many
different kinds of graffiti have been noticed. These
are published here in pis. v, vi; and the general
account of them is given here. The discussion of the
historical dating of 4800 B.C., shewn by them, will
appear in the chronological papers in the second
volume of the year, Historical Studies.
First there is the most important group of dated
inscriptions, pi. v, 1-6. These were in red ochre
paint, roughly daubed on, apparently with a coarse
brush. They are mostly on the sloping rough faces
of casing stones which would be outermost, painted
on the rough surface which would later be trimmed
away in finishing the slope. The purpose of putting
them on this face was probably to enable the architect
to notice the date of the material until it was finally
dressed. That we should occasionally find them is
probably due to some casing stones having been built
in otherwise in the masonry, and thus escaped dress-
ing down.
(1) " 2nd month of Pert (Mekhir), day 22."
(2) "Year 17, 2nd month of Pert, day 24" (?).
(3) " Year 17, 2nd month of Pert, day . . ."
(4) "Year 17, 3rd month of Pert(Phamenoth), clay
of completion (30th)."
(5) " 1st month of Shemu (Pakhons), day 22 " (?)
(6) "Year i7(?), 3rd month of Shemu (Epiphi),
day 8 " (?).
19. The next group is of various other inscriptions,
which are found on flat faces of rough quarried stones.
(7) Sethes, " cause to be lifted up," or in modern
phrase " this side up."
8 apparently shews a boat, and an unknown sign
to the left of it. Across it at right angles, reading
down from the right, is again " cause to be lifted up."
9 has also a boat, and at the left end the begin-
ning of a date, " Year i/\. + x."
11, " Great, divine house." As we see tor, " great,"
on the following to 14, with different designs, it may
refer to the king, or possibly be the name of the quarry,
or of the quality of the stone. The "divine house"
or temple doubtless shews that it came from a stone
for the temple here. The writing is in black. The
flake was struck off and thrown away with the
masons' waste in the approach.
10, 12, 13, "Great" with a sign following which
varies in each case, but which seems as if intended
for the same.
We now come to signs on pi. vi.
15 to 18 are evidently figures of the step pyramid
of Meydum before it had its final uniform slope of
casing; 18 is on the footing of the outer casing.
These marks were to shew the destination of the
stone. Above 16 are two signs incised ; one is a
Jiotep upside down.
19 is indistinct, and the direction is uncertain.
20 is a hotep sign, from the foundation of the outer
casing.
2i is a town sign.
22 is the base of a khaker sign.
23 is a survey mark painted in red on the whitened
retaining wall over the chamber of mastaba No. 17.
24 is an incised sign on a block in the pyramid
rubbish.
25 is part of a word, possibly maa-th{en\ " road,"
as the maat sign is a square-ended cubit in this age.
26, 27, are diagrammatic signs unknown.
The best dated quarry mark was left at Cairo
Museum, and others were sent to Manchester,
University College London, Munich, and Chicago.
Lastly there are some much ruder quarry marks
inscribed in black on the paving stones of the S.E.
chamber of the palace of Apries, pi. vi, 28-36.
28A is a small inscription at the side of 28, naming
the 13th year.
(29) "Year 13."
(30) " Year 11 + x."
2