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

PEEFACE.
The excaviition ol the Xlth Dynasiy temple at Deir el-Bahari finishes the work which the Egypt
ExpU)ration Fund undertook in IS!):], when, on the 7th of February, I set eighty-tive workmen to
dig in the Great Temple, one third of which had been uncovered by Mariette.
Ten years afterwards, on November nrh, 1 !)03, 1 started the excavation of the huge mounds on
the south side of the Great Temple, which I wjis certain concealed interesting relics of the Xlth
Dynasty. Remains of that time had been found in the former work, especially in the court at
the foot of the Hathor-shrine, where one of the iinest wooden cotfins of that epoch, with all its
paraphernalia, had been discovered. This led me to thinlv that it was a cemetery which lay under
these mounds ; and I was very much surprised, when, a few days after having begun, Ave came
upon a platform, the ceutral part of the temple now completely unearthed, the oldest one which
is to be seen at Thebes.
My first and inosi pressing duty is to thank all my fellow-workers, without whose valualile
help and persevering labour the work of four winters could not have been carried out.
In Noveml)er, I'JOo, a few days after 1 had started the excavation, I was joined by Mr. 11. \l.
Hall, whom I had to leave very soon. After my departure Mr. Hall had alone the charge of the
excavations during the whole of the first season, and he directed them in each of the two
following winters before my arrival. In the second season, at the end of October, l'.l04, the work
was resumed by Mr. Hall aii