The XIth dynasty temple at Deir el-Bahari .. - NYU | Digital Library ...

u THE XlTU DVXASl'V TEMPLE AT J)E11! EL-liAIJ A Ur.
during the quarrying operations out of a block of
the granite west doorway, close to which it Avas
found. Trough-pedestals of this kind have some-
times been taken for basins of ablution. No real
basin of ablution has Ijeen found in this temple.
The plan of the temple is at the west
end modified. The east front has three rows
of sixteen columns each, reckoning from north
to south, or sixteen rows of tliree columns
each, reckoning from east to west. But the
west face of the pyramid has a colonnade
of only two rows of sixteen columns each,
instead of three, Avith the incidental result that
the north, and south faces, which have, like
the eastern face, three rows of columns, have
only fifteen columns in each row. Behind this
double row of columns is the surrounding wall
of the pillar-hall, which was originally decorated
with the reliefs already referred to It is in the
same line with this that the shrines or chapels
were built, with a considerable projection beyond
it to the east, so that they came up to the bases
of the westernmost row of columns, and their
east walls were practically built up against the
columns. It is evident from this that the chapels
were an afterthought, a modification introduced
after the plan of the temple had been settled, but
before it had been completed. The fact also that
the chapels ai^e placed asymmetrically with
regard to the general plan of the temple, the
northern group being at the end of the northern
corridor or part of the pillar-hall, the southern
group opposite the southern half of the west face
of the pyramid-base, points also to their having
been an addition. But the asymmetrical posi-
tion of the western door-threshold, which is
placed not in the axis of the eastern threshold
and centre of the pyramid, but one intercolum-
iiiation to the north of it, is evidence that the
addition of the chapels was made before the
completion of the temple, which we can there-
fore with some confidence attribute to Neb-
hepet-Ra II., to whom the erection of the
chapels may well In; due. IMie threshold of
the western door is of red granite, like that
of the eastern door, already described. Only
the westernmost, or outer, block of it is in place ;
the inner one, which contained the socket aiid
rcAeal for the door, &c., has vanished. A
block of the Avail rests in place on top of part of
the threshold-slab. The portion of Avail to the
north of the door, Avhich Avas not altered by the
addition of chapels, is preserved up to the height
of the dado, and the loAver portions of the legs of
the figures of people represented in the paintings
are visible. This fact is of use in enabling us to
determine the probable height of the wall, and so
to arrive at the probable height of the colvimns
of the ambulatory or pillar-hall, and its roof.
Passing through the door, Ave enter the west-
ern colonnaded court, in Avhich is the dromos of
the /.'(^-sanctuary (p. 35). In the colonnade
AvhichAve have entered are Tombs 7 to 12. The
columns here are octagonal, like those of the
ambulatory round the pyramid-base. There
Avere tAvo rows, each of eight pillars. Some of
these were placed directly over the tombs ;
Nos.
7, 9, 11, 12 had each one a pillar oA'er it ; only
Nos. 8 and 10 Avere placed betAveen columns.
All these tombs are placed directly up against
the western face of the Avail, beneath the nearest
row of columns.
The discovery of this colonnade and the
tombs in it marked the Avesternmost limit of the
excavations of the second season. During the
remainder of the season the Avork Avas trans-
ferred to the southern portion of the temple, in
ordei' to complete the excavation of the
southern loAver colonnade and to see if a south
court existed analogous to the court on the
north. The discovery of this court and of the
southern cross and temenos-Avalls has already
been referred to. Before, hoAvever, describin"-
these discoveries in greater detail, it Avill be con-
venient to complete the description of the Avestern
end of the temple as the Avork of the third and
fourth seasons has exhibited it to us.
The colonnade in Avhich lie Tombs 7 to 12 is