Wilkinson, John Gardner: Topographie of Thebes, and general view of Egypt: being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the valley of the Nile, to the second cataracte and Wadi Samneh, with the Fyoom, Oases and eastern desert, from Sooez to Bertenice (London, 1835)

122 BIBAN EL MOLOOK. [Chap. II.

11,12, 14, 15, and 18, fourteen out of the seventeen
mentioned by Diodorus ; so that the three others
have been again closed since that epoch, unless
some of the unsculptured ones may be admitted to
complete the number, which, from their being
unworthy of a visit, were also unworthy of an
inscription to record the fact of their existence.

There are four other tombs in the western valley,
behind that containing these sepulchres. But if
the traveller is pressed for time, they are scarcely
deserving of a visit. One * is of considerable size,
but the line of direction varies in three different
parts, the first extending to a distance of one hun-
dred and forty-five feet, the second one hundred
and nineteen, and the third eighty-eight, being a
total of three hundred and fifty-two feet in length,
with several lateral chambers. The name is of
Amunoph III., of the vocal statue; and in con-
sequence this is the oldest catacomb hitherto dis-
covered in these valleys, unless that marked W. 2
claims a prior antiquity. Towards the end of the
first line of direction is a well, now nearly closed,
intended to prevent the ingress of the rain-water
and of the too curious visiter; and this deviation
may perhaps indicate the vicinity of another tomb
behind it.

It is perhaps in this valley that other of the
oldest royal catacombs may some day be discovered,

- Marked W. 1.