The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-06
THEBESs OLDEST TEMPLE,
High Artistic Development Of tho Eiev-
enth Dynasty in Egypt. 4 400 Years Asa'
From the London Times.

teIupi6 VI Ming MeutuuSSp AA''t W vs.
| Eleventh Dynasty tB. C. $500. the Oldest
temple at Thebes. The discoveries OF this
year have raised important questions as
regards the development Of Egyptian art
and architecture.
We have unearthed the remains OF build
ing which at present Is unique In Its type.
1t consists OF rock platform. which was
reached by means of ramp. like the terraces
Of the neighboring temple OF Queen Hatshepsu.
Of the Eighteenth Dynasty. At the top OF
the ramp a granite doorway (of which the
threshold only remains) led to triple row
OF octagonal sandstone columns. The columns
formed a double peristyle. which ran along
the four sides OF central construction. the
nature and purpose OF which are not yet
absolutely settled. This construction Is a
rectangular block, the outside Of which was
formed by casing OF large limestone slabs.
beautifully Joined and resembling those OF
the facing wall Of the court discovered last
year. Behind the casing is a wall Of rough
and heavy nodules OF flint and the middle
is filled with rubbish and loose stones, 30
that the whole was compact mass.
What is most probable is that it was base
ment or platform. with the usual Egyptian
cavetto cornice and torus or angle bead at
each corner tof these we have found frag-
ments), on which was raised further con-
structon of some kind. This cannot have
been an altar or sanctuary, as in this case we
should have found remains of a stepway CIV
ing access to the top. But on the basement
may have stood small pyramid, which gave
to the building the appearance OF Itinerary
monument Of a type which We often see in the
papyri This monument may have marked
the presence Of tomb chamber at great
depth below in the rock, which could not be
reached from the top but only by side pas
sage opening some way of. or II may have
been merely an architectural survival. kind
Of atrophed pyramid retained in the design
of the Itinerary temple, and indicating no
tomb. This suppostion that a small pyramid
stood on the central erection squares best
with the Egyptoloeical evidence, which de-
mands a pyramid here. but the effect Of the
whole must have been peculiar. since We have
also an absolutely unusual arrangement: the
pyramid base was surrounded by triple row
OF columns, which certainly supported q CELL
ing and formed hypostyle passage or colon
made. which must have been quite dark or
nearly 40 like the ambulatories surrounding
the shrnes In later temples). for the outside
was closed by thick wall the wall which WAS
decorated with the sculptured reliefs found
both last year and this. 1t would seem. judy
ing from the appearance OF the columns. that
the ceiling corresponded to the height OF the
platform. but the ruined state Of the temple
does not allow us to assert this more definitely,
In any case We have here new and interest,"
ing TACT In Egyptian architecture.
Between the enclosure wall Of this colonnade,
or passage. round the pyramid and the edge
Of the platform Is an outer colonnade OF
square pillars. like those in the lower colon
nades fankng the ramp. This outer, upper
colonnade was found last year; the actual
pillars themselves no longer exist. but their
shape and size are evident from the traces
left by them on the pavement 1t contains
a cemetery Of a peculiar kind. tomhs exca-
81 .lot( LNtA 49,
ment. each consisting Of pit, about twelve
feet to fifteen feet deep, leading to a small
rectangular chamber in which had originally
stood a limestone sarcorhaRus. Theee sar-
cophaai. several Of which were found intact
were not ALWAYS monothic, but made Of
several pieces lowered separately into the
tomb and put together when the mummy
rihed; some of them were reoccupied by
deceased persons Of later time. usually, Of
were made for a number, Of women. all Of
whom bore this title: The royal favorite,
the only one the pIie,stess Of Hsthor. n"
attached to the worship Of the chief goddess
os se to he % aSnes
to the priestesses had been made in the thick
ssm 9 Me foe found Of
ment Of art under the Eleventh Dynasty.
in retet in various scenes offerings are being
made n them. and the holy cows and calves
Of Hathor are also represented. 1t is worthy
skeleton Of a COW. the sacred animal Of the
goddess 70 whose service the favorites OF
Two breeds OF cows seem TO be represented;
one brown and horned, the other dappled
and hornless.
stone sarcophagi mentioned above, OF which
three were found intact. One of these, which
pans soptr sspi ba ee aHe ns %ed.
since it. is evident that color was intended
70 be added to the endgsayins The princess
what was supposed TO be her life in the other
w wST dr nsas G
artst icaly inserts hairpin into the couture;
priest milks COW for her an and aftsrGsrd
s and soo4ed from the sS 9Hs
Brnss he N lady DaeSt S Of be
saying. Beer for thy Ghost!.1 This is the
fret time that sareopha gus has beer been found
ts Kind Of the Mdde Empire ne pered
sSs sn st' is oS Ts n the uR ea
Many new fragments of ,reliefs from, the
found this year; especially noticeable is a
ira sment Of a shrine with a relief depicting
King Mentuhetep ana Ma vile, VINO would
seem TO have been Nuhian. iud ging from
her portrait. The portrait of the king,
though small. is very fine.
II will be remembered that on the front or
eastern face Of the temple platform. on either
side Of the ramp, there are .colonnades. each
These colonnades. OF which the northern
was excavated last year. the southern this
season. were designed to protect sculptures
engraved on the facing wall Of the platform.
The same Arrangement was adopted by the
architects Of the neiehbor temple OF Queen
Hatshepsu. and it is permissible to suppose
facing wall. originally built Of large l!mestone
blocks like those Of the similar wall in the
north court Ia now nearly destroyed, but
during the excavations we found many fraa-
ments Of its reliefs. hunting scenes, In which
the king is seen chasing antelopee and other
Biz game OF the desert; boats carrying soldiers
or passing across the river in solemn religious
procession; heaps Of enemies slain by the
king. arrows. &c. Mentyhetep was Ger
tainiy warrior. and Wa Red war against the
Semites: the slain enemies. yellow men with
pointed boards. are called In an accompany
ing inscription ADMIT e.. nomads of the
Sinaitc peninsula.
The excavation OF the temple began last
year with the discovery, on the north side,
Of a court, with facing walls OF ma gniAcent
masonry separating II from the temple OF