DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4664#0014
THE TEMENOS AREA.
S.W. Side of Temenos.
22. On the South Western side of the temple en-
closure little was found except the walls, the low-lying
stone-work, and the rough limestone pillars. The
upper layers resulted from habitations of Roman or
Coptic times, as was shown by numerous fragments of
domestic pottery of that period. Of the houses them-
selves, little remains except the floors, and the broken
cooking pots, many of which are blackened by fire.
In some places drains descend from the level of the
floors to the depth of the foot of the crude brick
walls of the temple. These drains are made by a
series of tall pottery jars, fitted end to end, the bottom
of each being broken off and fitted into the mouth of
the one below. A drawing of the best example is
shown on Pl. LXV.
In a quantity of rubbish, consisting chiefly of
pottery of this period, which had been deposited in
a hole in the floor of one of the huts, were numerous
fragments of XVIIIth Dynasty pottery decorated in
blue, a piece of prehistoric slate palette, and the
handle of an alabaster jar, in the form of a snake's
head, which seems from its technique to belong to
the archaic period. This object is illustrated on
PL. LIX. 3.
The Well.
23. In that quarter of the temple area in which
the well is situated, no structure belonging to the
archaic period was found, except the rough stone
pavement. There were, however, such small objects
as flint flakes, and fragments of pottery, which are
met with in both the charcoal-discoloured stratum
(third stratum), and the one above it (fourth stratum).
The well itself cuts through these two strata, the
section thus exposed showing them with great clear-
ness.
The stairway leading down to the well was com-
pletely cleared during the second season's work ; but
nothing was found except a few earthenware vessels
of Roman or Coptic date ; the continual presence of
water in the well prevented any extensive exploration
in this direction.
The stone-work of the well and stairway is good,
the sandstone blocks of the building being carefully
squared and fitted together. The general slope of
the steps is I : 2.
Outside that part of the outer enclosure wall
which is nearest to the well, is a mass of broken
water jars, resting on what must have been the
ground level when the temple was rebuilt. The earth
on which this mass rested contained pottery and flint
flakes of the archaic period. The mass of pottery
which has evidently been thrown out from the well
consists of jars of the New Kingdom. At the bottom
of the mass was a piece of green glaze of the same
period. No piece which could be definitely assigned
to the Middle Kingdom was observed, but Middle
Kingdom and Early New Kingdom water jars, such
as these seem to be, do not present sufficient differen-
tiation to enable me to state positively that no Middle
Kingdom pottery was present.
Southern Angle.
24. The Southern angle of the temple enclosure
appears to have been broken away. There are also
traces of walls, which may be of earlier date, perhaps
part of the town wall.
Traces of a crude brick pavement were met with
here ; this does not seem to have formed part of that
which occurs on the outside of the enclosure walls
near the circular pits. Its surface had a strong dip
towards the broken angle. This pavement may be of
comparatively recent date.
Well outside the temple enclosure, towards the
S.E., several walls are shown on the town plan. These
seem to be generally earlier than the enclosure, and
are related in some way to the town wall.
South East Walls.
25. The South East side of the temple is bounded
by two parallel enclosure walls, the outer i*o metre
(39 ins.), the inner o*8 metre (31 ins.) thick. Their
bases rest on a bed of broken pottery a few cm.
(a couple of inches) thick.
The space between these two walls has a flooring,
of crude bricks 30 cm. (a foot) thick ; its upper sur-
face is level with the remains of the temple pavement
within the enclosure.
Above this floor another similar floor has been
laid, with its upper surface 0*5 metre higher than
that of the lower pavement or floor.
No evidence was observed that either of these
crude brick floors had been paved with stone.
Beyond a few fragments of pottery, of apparently
the New Kingdom, no object of interest was found
C
S.W. Side of Temenos.
22. On the South Western side of the temple en-
closure little was found except the walls, the low-lying
stone-work, and the rough limestone pillars. The
upper layers resulted from habitations of Roman or
Coptic times, as was shown by numerous fragments of
domestic pottery of that period. Of the houses them-
selves, little remains except the floors, and the broken
cooking pots, many of which are blackened by fire.
In some places drains descend from the level of the
floors to the depth of the foot of the crude brick
walls of the temple. These drains are made by a
series of tall pottery jars, fitted end to end, the bottom
of each being broken off and fitted into the mouth of
the one below. A drawing of the best example is
shown on Pl. LXV.
In a quantity of rubbish, consisting chiefly of
pottery of this period, which had been deposited in
a hole in the floor of one of the huts, were numerous
fragments of XVIIIth Dynasty pottery decorated in
blue, a piece of prehistoric slate palette, and the
handle of an alabaster jar, in the form of a snake's
head, which seems from its technique to belong to
the archaic period. This object is illustrated on
PL. LIX. 3.
The Well.
23. In that quarter of the temple area in which
the well is situated, no structure belonging to the
archaic period was found, except the rough stone
pavement. There were, however, such small objects
as flint flakes, and fragments of pottery, which are
met with in both the charcoal-discoloured stratum
(third stratum), and the one above it (fourth stratum).
The well itself cuts through these two strata, the
section thus exposed showing them with great clear-
ness.
The stairway leading down to the well was com-
pletely cleared during the second season's work ; but
nothing was found except a few earthenware vessels
of Roman or Coptic date ; the continual presence of
water in the well prevented any extensive exploration
in this direction.
The stone-work of the well and stairway is good,
the sandstone blocks of the building being carefully
squared and fitted together. The general slope of
the steps is I : 2.
Outside that part of the outer enclosure wall
which is nearest to the well, is a mass of broken
water jars, resting on what must have been the
ground level when the temple was rebuilt. The earth
on which this mass rested contained pottery and flint
flakes of the archaic period. The mass of pottery
which has evidently been thrown out from the well
consists of jars of the New Kingdom. At the bottom
of the mass was a piece of green glaze of the same
period. No piece which could be definitely assigned
to the Middle Kingdom was observed, but Middle
Kingdom and Early New Kingdom water jars, such
as these seem to be, do not present sufficient differen-
tiation to enable me to state positively that no Middle
Kingdom pottery was present.
Southern Angle.
24. The Southern angle of the temple enclosure
appears to have been broken away. There are also
traces of walls, which may be of earlier date, perhaps
part of the town wall.
Traces of a crude brick pavement were met with
here ; this does not seem to have formed part of that
which occurs on the outside of the enclosure walls
near the circular pits. Its surface had a strong dip
towards the broken angle. This pavement may be of
comparatively recent date.
Well outside the temple enclosure, towards the
S.E., several walls are shown on the town plan. These
seem to be generally earlier than the enclosure, and
are related in some way to the town wall.
South East Walls.
25. The South East side of the temple is bounded
by two parallel enclosure walls, the outer i*o metre
(39 ins.), the inner o*8 metre (31 ins.) thick. Their
bases rest on a bed of broken pottery a few cm.
(a couple of inches) thick.
The space between these two walls has a flooring,
of crude bricks 30 cm. (a foot) thick ; its upper sur-
face is level with the remains of the temple pavement
within the enclosure.
Above this floor another similar floor has been
laid, with its upper surface 0*5 metre higher than
that of the lower pavement or floor.
No evidence was observed that either of these
crude brick floors had been paved with stone.
Beyond a few fragments of pottery, of apparently
the New Kingdom, no object of interest was found
C