Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-10

Between the inclosure wall of this colon
made, or passage, round the pyramid and
the edge of the platform Is an outer colon
made of square pillars, like those in the
lower colonnades thanking the ramp This
outer upper coionnade 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 pave
ment. 1t contains cemetery of a peculiar
Kind, tombs excavated in the rock platform
below the pavement, each consisting of a
pit, about twelve feet to fifteen feet deem
leading to a small rectangular chamber in
"Aich had originally stood limestone sar-
cophagus These sarCophagi several of
"hlch We're found intact, were not ALWAYS
monollth!c. but made of several pieces low
cred separately into the tomb and put to-
setheF when the mummy was buried Most
OF these tombs have been rifed: some of
them were reoccupied by deceased persons
or later time, usually of the twenty first
dynasty. Originally they were made for a
number OF women. all of whom bore this
ute: The royal favorite the only one
the priestess of Hathor N"
All We're queens or princesses belonging TO
the kings harem; at the same time they
Were attached TO the worship of the chief
goddess of the place. HSthor represented
as a COW. Close to the tombs small shrines
dedicated to the priestesses had been made
IN the thickness of the inciosure of the
CoIonnade- In them We found beautiful
fragments of Colored sculpture. showing
the remarkable development OF art under
the eleventh dynasty The priestesses or
prinCesses are represented in relief in va
rlous scenes; offerings are being made to
them, and the holy cows and calves Of
Hathor are also represented II IS worthy
or remark that in each tomb was placed
skeleton OF a COW, the sacred animal OF
the goddess to whose service the fayorites
Of Mentuhetep had been devoted during
life. Two breeds of cows seem to be rep
resented; one brown and horned the other
dappled and horness.
For these priestesses were made the lime
stone sarcophagi mentioned above of
which three were found intact. One OF
these, which was made in six separate
pieces, is most beautifully sculptured but
not quite finished, since II IS evident that
color was intended to be added to the en-
craving The princess for whom IL was
made, I[autt by name, is seen in the rep
RESERVATIONS on its sides living That was
supposed TO be her life in the other world.
Offerings are being made to her, while an
attendant dresses her hair and artistically
inserts halrpin into the couture A priest
milks COW for her, and afterward brings
her the cup, saying, This is for thee drink
what l give" ION a finely sculptured and
colored slab from the shrine of another
princess, named Sadie. a priest or courtier
brings the deceased lady bowl Of beer,
saying. Beer for the ghost"O This Is the
! first time that sarcophagus has been
found sculptured with scenes of this kind.
This beautiful and unique monument the
finest of its kind of the middle empire peri
cd. and probably the finest relic yet
found of the eleventh dynasty, Is now in
the Cairo museum.
Many new fragments OF relets from the
Enclosure wall of the pyramid hall have
been found this year; especially noticeable
is fragment of a shrine with relief de-
plotting King Mentuhetep and his wife who
would seem to have been a Nubian judging
from her portrait. The portrait of the
king. though small. is very fine.