DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26359#0086
A Note on the Building Activity of Thutmosis III in Elkab
There exist a number of Thutmoside architraves
decorated according to the same pattern. None
of them has been preserved in situ. However, it
seems possible to reconstruct the way they were
employed within the building on the ground of
their features. The most important feature of this
pattern of architrave inscription is that it is ar-
ranged symmetrically and occupies only one
block. Thus this pattem of the inscription occurs
on the transversal architraves employed either
as a perpendicular junction between the row of
the architraves of the colonnade and the portico
wall, or a junction between two parallel rows of
the architraves.
The preserved architraves of this type were
probably arranged in such manner within:
1. The temple of Khnum in Elephantine. Archi-
trave F 144.10 W. KAISER considered this
block the extreme southem architrave of the
facade of the temple. The name of the king
would then read from left to right towards the
centre of the facade. Providing this suggestion
is correct, one should assume that the axis of
the temple was moved to the south comer of
the facade and that the name of the king was
the first element of the longer inscription going
to the northem end. However, it does not seem
likely. There is no other Thutmoside temple
facade that would have been decorated in such
manner. The plan of the temple provided by
KAISER allows for another suggestion con-
ceming the original position of this block. It
seems to be a transversal junction between the
colonnade of the court and the wall of the en-
closure. It could have been placed at the south-
west extremity of the portico.
2. The open court ofThutmosis IV in front ofthe
fourth pylon in Kamak.* 11 There are two blocks
that have one face decorated according to the
pattem in question. Both are employed as the
transversal architraves between two rows of
architraves of the double colonnade.
10 W. KAISERetal.,MDA/A'51 (1995), pp. 152-154.
11 B. LETELLIER, Thoutmosis IV à Kamak, BSFE122
(1991), plan p. 47; the architrave inscriptions are
unpublished.
Block A2 was decorated in sunken relief, signs
painted yellow
The sign cnh is inscribed in the middle of the block.
Similar text reading from the middle to the right and
to the left contains the Homs name of Thutmosis
III: klnhthcm /THTfollowed by asign ntr.
The inscription carved in sunken relief is typical
and enables one to assume that the block in ques-
tion was employed at the central part of a tem-
ple facade. That would mean that the portico was
erected against the temple entrance.
Block A3 was decorated in sunken relief, signs
painted yellow
The text reads from the right to the left
Two Ladies [...] ßwj Golden Homs hrw hr nht
njswt bjtj (Mn-hpr-Rc nb hps\ jr.n=f m
[mnw=f...]
The text contains the end of the royal protocol
and the beginning of the dedication formula. Thus
the row of architraves must have consisted of at
least three, more probably four or five blocks.
In the Thutmoside architecture the row of archi-
traves long enough to contain such a long inscrip-
tion exposed to the sunlight could have been
connected either with a colonnade surrounding
the temple building, or the portico erected within
the open court in front of main temple.
According to J. CAPART, the New Kingdom
temple of Nekhbet was built by Amenhotep I and
decoratedbyThutmosisII.12 He also commented
on the building activity of Thutmosis III: ‘ Thoutmès
III a laissé sa marque dans de beaux reliefs et des
inscriptions décoratives en grands hiéroglyphes sur
des architraves.”13 In the light of the observations
of CAPART and the above considerations, it would
seem reasonable to assume that Thutmosis III added
his open court - wsht-hbjt - to the temple of
Nekhbet built by Amenhotep I.
That Hatshepsut took her part in constmcting
the temple may be deduced from the lintel pub-
lishedby CAPART.14 The block is decorated with
an inscription composed symmetrically in three
12 CAPART, Fouilles, 2e rapport, p. 16.
13 CAPART, Fouilles, 2e rapport, p. 16.
14 CAPART, Fouilles, 2e rapport, pl. 20.
83
There exist a number of Thutmoside architraves
decorated according to the same pattern. None
of them has been preserved in situ. However, it
seems possible to reconstruct the way they were
employed within the building on the ground of
their features. The most important feature of this
pattern of architrave inscription is that it is ar-
ranged symmetrically and occupies only one
block. Thus this pattem of the inscription occurs
on the transversal architraves employed either
as a perpendicular junction between the row of
the architraves of the colonnade and the portico
wall, or a junction between two parallel rows of
the architraves.
The preserved architraves of this type were
probably arranged in such manner within:
1. The temple of Khnum in Elephantine. Archi-
trave F 144.10 W. KAISER considered this
block the extreme southem architrave of the
facade of the temple. The name of the king
would then read from left to right towards the
centre of the facade. Providing this suggestion
is correct, one should assume that the axis of
the temple was moved to the south comer of
the facade and that the name of the king was
the first element of the longer inscription going
to the northem end. However, it does not seem
likely. There is no other Thutmoside temple
facade that would have been decorated in such
manner. The plan of the temple provided by
KAISER allows for another suggestion con-
ceming the original position of this block. It
seems to be a transversal junction between the
colonnade of the court and the wall of the en-
closure. It could have been placed at the south-
west extremity of the portico.
2. The open court ofThutmosis IV in front ofthe
fourth pylon in Kamak.* 11 There are two blocks
that have one face decorated according to the
pattem in question. Both are employed as the
transversal architraves between two rows of
architraves of the double colonnade.
10 W. KAISERetal.,MDA/A'51 (1995), pp. 152-154.
11 B. LETELLIER, Thoutmosis IV à Kamak, BSFE122
(1991), plan p. 47; the architrave inscriptions are
unpublished.
Block A2 was decorated in sunken relief, signs
painted yellow
The sign cnh is inscribed in the middle of the block.
Similar text reading from the middle to the right and
to the left contains the Homs name of Thutmosis
III: klnhthcm /THTfollowed by asign ntr.
The inscription carved in sunken relief is typical
and enables one to assume that the block in ques-
tion was employed at the central part of a tem-
ple facade. That would mean that the portico was
erected against the temple entrance.
Block A3 was decorated in sunken relief, signs
painted yellow
The text reads from the right to the left
Two Ladies [...] ßwj Golden Homs hrw hr nht
njswt bjtj (Mn-hpr-Rc nb hps\ jr.n=f m
[mnw=f...]
The text contains the end of the royal protocol
and the beginning of the dedication formula. Thus
the row of architraves must have consisted of at
least three, more probably four or five blocks.
In the Thutmoside architecture the row of archi-
traves long enough to contain such a long inscrip-
tion exposed to the sunlight could have been
connected either with a colonnade surrounding
the temple building, or the portico erected within
the open court in front of main temple.
According to J. CAPART, the New Kingdom
temple of Nekhbet was built by Amenhotep I and
decoratedbyThutmosisII.12 He also commented
on the building activity of Thutmosis III: ‘ Thoutmès
III a laissé sa marque dans de beaux reliefs et des
inscriptions décoratives en grands hiéroglyphes sur
des architraves.”13 In the light of the observations
of CAPART and the above considerations, it would
seem reasonable to assume that Thutmosis III added
his open court - wsht-hbjt - to the temple of
Nekhbet built by Amenhotep I.
That Hatshepsut took her part in constmcting
the temple may be deduced from the lintel pub-
lishedby CAPART.14 The block is decorated with
an inscription composed symmetrically in three
12 CAPART, Fouilles, 2e rapport, p. 16.
13 CAPART, Fouilles, 2e rapport, p. 16.
14 CAPART, Fouilles, 2e rapport, pl. 20.
83