The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-10
Darg ssYPrfaN BxcAv4TNON


BaTB EGYPTIAN BxCAvATNpN
FURTHER Ne~s o. tire Inapcrtsut' Operations
Undertaken by our Museum
FROM the BsS,ess Of The Mssrorotsan MSsssrs
Of Art.
In the report OF tho excavations urteS-
taken by the museum expedition at the PyrsN'
mids Of Llsht, given In the April Bsistin. the
first stages In the clearing Of the eastern stdc
Of the pyramid Of Amenemhat /. were do
scribed. The work hiss continued without
interruption during the last three months
and has now resulted in the complete 'excsvs-
ton Of the pyramid tempi and In the deter
minstlon Of the principal external features
Of tho pyramid on this eastern tdes
The method employed in the earlier stages
Of the work st the southeast single OF the
pyramid, an outlined i'm the FIRST report, has
sfnce been continued over the greater part
| Of it's entire eastern side-htst. tho removal
Of drtft sand and the disintegrated limestone
from the pIundered core OF the pyramid. thus
exposing the house walls and similar oou-'
struction which were found to represent a.
sster occupation Of the site; and finally, after
recording completely these remains by means
Of plans snd photographs. the conttnustaon
of the excavation down TO the original tweffth
dynasty construction underneath. Owtng
to the great mass Of debris to be removed
q force Of $50 workmen was employed DURING
the month Of March. and $50 have ancs con-
tinued the clearing Of the lower levels during
April and May.
Reference was made In the fret report 10
tentative excavations on this part OF the ate
by the French expedition ten years $50.
Thsss resulted in the partial uncovenns ef
the remuins Of tho temple at its sssternunOsC
end. and also OF o mastabatomb OF Antef~
4 H. - l---.A.-A A H. f~Alffh
dynasty, juse south Of the temple. Under
the plan adopted In the present WORRIES
oiearinS back completely to thu fscs Of thu
pyreanid ttself-important material end facts
have now bsen recovered which mskU . dis
tinct c~cutrfbutiou to the history Of Esypttan
architecture and art dunns this period OF the
Middle Emptrs.
The pyramid temple Of Amensmhas ]. has
besn found to differ in its position from other
similsr temples. in that IL stands ON a lower
level thin the pyramid to which IL was d.
rectly attached In It's use. The nana slops
OF the hill ON which this pyramid Ia built Was
met, In the hrst instance. by the construction
OF q platform. aions the essesrn face OF the
| pyramid, supported on its outer ade by .
retaining wall parallel with the pyramid face
and OF an average height Of 80 metres. This
platform IL interrupted about this middle Of
Its length by q recess, % metres Wide, which
Is on q level with the base OF the platform
wall snd outs back into tho bedrock of the
hill to q perpedfcuis face Of . metres at the
northern and southern sides the recess. ~
thanked by. a heavy wall Of mud brick. which
Adults on the rock cut face Of the recess and
t tSsi pissfcrm. thus SsyS tanning ins IN she pSsisson Of
the temple. The latter, with It's entrance ON
its eastern end oysrl9osinx the Nile Valley:
IN the rear against the rock cut face Of tbs
! N"I . -- $1,000
clear that q reconstrucion Of this temple
/ had taken place at Some period subsequent
to 10 erection, the evidence for this restigs
10 part ON the occurrence OF Limestone blocks
Amsnsmhat-and WHICH were without aues-
hnd-ss reused material in the f~oundaHons,
e, they sre now preserved OF the temple
took place can be more certainly fixed when
the. excavations. have been carried further
and have included the ground immediately
ton. point to the possibility Of rsmains. OF an
outer gateway. From this q long incline or
I%ss.sy . Sse Be R Fs:alsys e asSs g &c from su Re
waited fields Of the Nile vsiley.
The exosYstion Of the temple site has yielded.
tsrial from the original temple Of A~mencinhat.
from which the main features OF the structure
fragments and q number or Complete blocks
Of painted relief from inscriptions and scenes
ON the temple walls. La one scene ApspsThat
The gods. Ali Z the rsiies i Is most !, dei i sssT
and beautifully modelled and In many oaass
bearing Inscriptions Gvs tie nsmes Of Amen
ernhsf. and in one case those OF Amenemhst
4 sn /. n Ssrs sSn e either ~. ( the iS.n ts%pI sso %ss ~ soSn
Hmsnemhat reign. when. Z. we know. Gserte-
ss% aSiShed GI.aSs Xmems@h as% d death BY
Usertesen, who then placed his own mans on
Interesting architsctursi material has been
recovered also, such as Fragments Of the tenn
pie, columns, Of the eo-cailsd -Proto-D orio"
uon ON two Opposite sides: ceiling blocks
Of the temple. with Representations Of the
each bearing il. double columns Of the same
beautiful relief the naues Of Amenerrhet.
end II pf% the ssm lSr t 70 r ssSSs' IN ss =. r rss 3 ysry
81 the two. most Important objects which
y contained originally; These are the false
place toward which the offerings we're made
70 The kins,-and the great temple altar. or
This stella is Of q fine grained limestone and
in slishtiy broken away at the top. It's present
thickne.s. = has on its eight panels per
pendicular lines Of inscription giving the
which has yet been found. Il is an object *
o' The altar i"I e Of red granite. and is ,.ss metre.
n lensth.. i.s2 metres In width and i.So pstrss
n height; III The lover y, Part; which or sins1ly
y only roughly blocked out, but Shove this
its four sides are worked to a finish surface
SO centimetres wide. At the bsck 10 Is un-
inscribed. but on ito other three sides 1t has
q procession Of figures. In sunken relief. rep
reeenting the varioue MONIES. or PROVINCES. Of
Egypt; These advance from either 80
eurtouehr, Of the king is inscr bed. each figure
bearing In Its hands an offering. Ths top
Of the altar Is worked out at-the front into q
rectangular Offering basin. and at the back
has 9 representation Of oHecincw-two vaaes
and the conventional loaf. the latter Inscribed
Both the stella and the altar u,rs found.
not IN their original positions in the rear end
OF the temple. but mt a point tn which they
had been moved lust outside its. northern
wsI-at the western end Or the passaae
between this wall and the mrd brfck wall
referred TO above. which bounds the temple
site on this aide. FINN tho mssUler Ia which
both objects. had been placed t~hers-care-
fully propped up with small blocks beneath
them-it IL clear that their removal from the
temple took place at = time vhee their sig
nincance; was still known. .pcasiely Ct the
TING Of the reconstruction. AZ the temple.
While this excavation OF the pyramid tenn