DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3390#0041
MEMPHIS
CHAPTER VIII
THE EXCAVATIONS
44. WHEN first surveying the position of the wall
which surrounded the great temenos of Ptah, I had
noted some blocks of granite on the northern side,
and expected that these would show the place of
the great north gateway, which is described by
Herodotus as having been built by Moeris—
Amenemhat III, of the xiith dynasty. With the
view of searching for the gate, this part was taken
in hand as the main Memphite work of this year,
Mr. Mackay being in charge of this site.
The position of the north wall I had presumed
to be shown by the pathway which leads eastward
from the north end of the village of Mitraheny.
Such proved to be the case, doubtless owing to the
harder brickwork giving a better footing amid the
swampy low ground. The present saqieh water-wheel
for irrigation is just inside the wall, and just west of
the gap of the gateway.
The remains found seem to show two periods,
that of the xiith and xixth dynasties. Of the earlier
work there remain two great blocks of quartzite,
mainly lying north of the great wall. One is part
of a gateway jamb 7 feet high, running 9 feet 7
inches along the thickness of the gateway, and 3 feet
4 inches thick. Fifty feet south of this lies the fallen
lintel, deep down ; it is 12 feet 11 inches long, 4 feet
2 inches high, and 30 inches thick. The inscription
on it is shown at the top of pi. lxxvii, " the king
Ne • maat • ra giving life eternally". This grand
block of Amenemhat III thus shows that Herodotus
was correctly informed as to the builder of this gate-
way. The plan of these and other remains is not
given, as it is hoped to extend it further this year.
The present form of the great brick wall is
probably Ramesside. The thickness of this gate-
way is 36J feet; and the gap in the brickwork
formerly filled by the stonework of the gate, is
115 feet wide. Of the great stone gateway nothing
remains, such large blocks of squared stone were
the most attractive to later builders. South of the
inner face of the wall are four column bases ; three
in a row, and doubtless another missing; the fourth
base being one of a second row. These seem to
have been part of a colonnade entrance way, with
four files of columns, and five lines of path. They
cannot be part of a peristyle hall as they are too
close to the great wall. Nor can they be merely
bases re-used for foundation—as is often the case—
because on one of them is still standing part of a
column in place. The bases are 15 feet 6 inches
wide, with a space of 4 feet 7 inches between them ;
thus the columns were 20 feet 1 inch centre to centre,
and being 5 feet 11 inches diameter, the inter-
columniation was 14 feet 2 inches, or 2-40 diameters.
The axis of this colonnade gateway was rather east
of the earlier gateway; for it lies \6\ feet from the
early jamb, and we cannot suppose a gateway of
33 feet wide.
Outside of the great wall a clearing was made
65 feet northward and about 200 feet along each
face, without meeting with any statuary or monuments.
45. Scattered within the temenos were found two
groups of foundation blocks and five large monuments,
in the cleared area of about 130 by 400 feet.
(1) The red-granite dyad of Ramessu II and Ptah ;
see pi. lxxvii, and the side-view of the upper part of
the figures on pi. lxxviii. The work is as good as
any red -granite work of that age, and the faces are
absolutely perfect, as we have noticed to be the case
on other statues of Memphis. The inscriptions are
only the usual titles and devotions to Ptah, found
on innumerable other monuments. The crowns were
cut in a separate block, and the figures had been
broken clean in two by falling over. The whole
height is S cubits, 8 feet 7J inches, width 4 feet
8 inches, thickness 25 inches. This group is now
at Ny Carlsberg Museum.
(2) Another dyad of the king and Osiris was found,
but was too badly injured to be removed.
(3) The red-granite sphinx of Ramessu II is 11 feet
S inches long, and 7 feet \\ inches high, see top of
32
CHAPTER VIII
THE EXCAVATIONS
44. WHEN first surveying the position of the wall
which surrounded the great temenos of Ptah, I had
noted some blocks of granite on the northern side,
and expected that these would show the place of
the great north gateway, which is described by
Herodotus as having been built by Moeris—
Amenemhat III, of the xiith dynasty. With the
view of searching for the gate, this part was taken
in hand as the main Memphite work of this year,
Mr. Mackay being in charge of this site.
The position of the north wall I had presumed
to be shown by the pathway which leads eastward
from the north end of the village of Mitraheny.
Such proved to be the case, doubtless owing to the
harder brickwork giving a better footing amid the
swampy low ground. The present saqieh water-wheel
for irrigation is just inside the wall, and just west of
the gap of the gateway.
The remains found seem to show two periods,
that of the xiith and xixth dynasties. Of the earlier
work there remain two great blocks of quartzite,
mainly lying north of the great wall. One is part
of a gateway jamb 7 feet high, running 9 feet 7
inches along the thickness of the gateway, and 3 feet
4 inches thick. Fifty feet south of this lies the fallen
lintel, deep down ; it is 12 feet 11 inches long, 4 feet
2 inches high, and 30 inches thick. The inscription
on it is shown at the top of pi. lxxvii, " the king
Ne • maat • ra giving life eternally". This grand
block of Amenemhat III thus shows that Herodotus
was correctly informed as to the builder of this gate-
way. The plan of these and other remains is not
given, as it is hoped to extend it further this year.
The present form of the great brick wall is
probably Ramesside. The thickness of this gate-
way is 36J feet; and the gap in the brickwork
formerly filled by the stonework of the gate, is
115 feet wide. Of the great stone gateway nothing
remains, such large blocks of squared stone were
the most attractive to later builders. South of the
inner face of the wall are four column bases ; three
in a row, and doubtless another missing; the fourth
base being one of a second row. These seem to
have been part of a colonnade entrance way, with
four files of columns, and five lines of path. They
cannot be part of a peristyle hall as they are too
close to the great wall. Nor can they be merely
bases re-used for foundation—as is often the case—
because on one of them is still standing part of a
column in place. The bases are 15 feet 6 inches
wide, with a space of 4 feet 7 inches between them ;
thus the columns were 20 feet 1 inch centre to centre,
and being 5 feet 11 inches diameter, the inter-
columniation was 14 feet 2 inches, or 2-40 diameters.
The axis of this colonnade gateway was rather east
of the earlier gateway; for it lies \6\ feet from the
early jamb, and we cannot suppose a gateway of
33 feet wide.
Outside of the great wall a clearing was made
65 feet northward and about 200 feet along each
face, without meeting with any statuary or monuments.
45. Scattered within the temenos were found two
groups of foundation blocks and five large monuments,
in the cleared area of about 130 by 400 feet.
(1) The red-granite dyad of Ramessu II and Ptah ;
see pi. lxxvii, and the side-view of the upper part of
the figures on pi. lxxviii. The work is as good as
any red -granite work of that age, and the faces are
absolutely perfect, as we have noticed to be the case
on other statues of Memphis. The inscriptions are
only the usual titles and devotions to Ptah, found
on innumerable other monuments. The crowns were
cut in a separate block, and the figures had been
broken clean in two by falling over. The whole
height is S cubits, 8 feet 7J inches, width 4 feet
8 inches, thickness 25 inches. This group is now
at Ny Carlsberg Museum.
(2) Another dyad of the king and Osiris was found,
but was too badly injured to be removed.
(3) The red-granite sphinx of Ramessu II is 11 feet
S inches long, and 7 feet \\ inches high, see top of
32