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

Xlth Dynasty walls had lalluu iutu luiii. In one
chamber some grain was fnund. It seems most
probable that they were either magazines or
priests' liouses connected with the service of the
temple.'
Tlic rest of the court was thoroughly cleared
down to the rock Hour ami the whole clid-face
on the south l.iid Imre. Kvidently tliere had
])een a splentlid limestone wall hei-e, as elsewhere
in the temple, to mask the rock face ;
TlIK TKMI'IJO AM" IT- ;X('.\VATIi)X. 39
and a foun-
dation-trench, 7 ft. broad and IS ins. below the
level of the rest of the court, had been made
along the face of the clift' for the base- blocks,
which remain in position at the extreme W.
end for a length of 15 ft. (5 in. On the plat-
form side the base blocks (.5 ft. wide) of the
masking wall of the platform still exist for a
length of 54 ft., and at the npcK of the court the
base blocks of both walls join. Here some of
the limestone blocks of the platform wall arc
still in position for a length of iS ft. G in. In
front of the AV. angle is a brick wall measuring
18 ft. by .') ft. and 3 ft. 3 in. high, which crosses
the court and ends at the trench at the S. side.
In clearing the covu't a cliamber tomb (No. lo
see p. 51) was found, with nothing whatever in
it. which seems to be more ancient than the
temple. Tt is probable that this solitary tomb
had been made in this place under the shadow
of the cliff in the time of the Old Kingdom, and
that when Mentuheteps workmen excavated the
rock to make a symmetrical coiu't on llie south
side of the rectangular platform, which Avas
the main feature of the design for the king's
temple, they cut the shaft of this old tomb,
wliich mnst originally have been of some
depth, in half. Still further, they hewed a piece
out of it to make room for the base-blocks of
the wall wliich was to mask the rock-face, and
keep their even line. The violation of the
' But not the original magazines of the temple, as they
are of later date than it. The original magazines, which
must have been close by, but have been destroyed, were
no doubt also of brick (see p. 30).
;
tomb and the tilling of what remained of the
shaft with rubbish probably took place at this
time. (For farther description of this tomb,
see p. .")1, and for phin and section of it sec
PI. .\i., where will also be found a sketch
diagram showing its original construction and
later alteration.)
9. CoNOLUSiox.—I may conclude with a
few paragraphs on certain points of interest in
connection with the art of the temple. Its
architecture v.ill be specially dealt Avith in the
second volume, by Mr. Somers Clarke.
We have seen that the XVII Ith Dynasty
artists sculptured the rear walls of their
colonnades just as the ancient artists of the
Xlth Dynasty had sculptured theirs. Some of
their work reminds us occasionally of that of the
Xlth Dynasty sculptors improved and beautified,
and it may be that both the style and subjects of
the sculptures in the older temple were some-
times imitated by the artists of Hatshepsu.
An imitation of the reliefs of the older temple
is perhaps seen in the sculptures of the south-
ern funerary hall on tlio upper platform of
Hatshepsu's temple. These reliefs have a very
archaistic appearance, and look like copies of the
work of the Middle Kingdom; no doubt the
walls of the Xlth Dynasty temple were decorated
with many such scenes depicting the slaying of
the animals for the funerary offerings, the
brincjino; of birds and other food for the roval
/,•(/. Of reliefs of this type we have found a good
many fragments belonging to the Xlth Dynasty
temple. They depict men gathering reeds, driv-
ing animals, sowing and reaping, and so forth,
for the maintenance of tlie royal funerary cult
{Arch. liepurt, lOOo, pi. iv.). There are also
dadoes of plants and birds of beautiful execution
(Xew York), and reliefs of animals (V\. xvi.),
wliicli no doubt formed part of scenes of the
kinir huntini;- in the marshes and deserts." These
- Cf. similar reliefs of the Vth Dynasty in the funerary