The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-12
later EXCAVATIONS
made IN EGYPT
Important Operations Under
taken by Our Mu-
scum.
SIZE OF THE TEMPLE
Interesting Architectural
Material Recovered for
Study.
SIZE OF THE TEMPLE


the Pyramids of Lisht, given in the
April Bulletin, the first stages in the
clearing of the eastern side of the pyra-
mid of Amenemhat 1. were described.
The work has continued without inter-
ruptlon during the last three months
and has now resulted in the complete
excavation of the pyramid temple and
IN the determination of the principal
external features Of the pyramid on the
eastern side.
The method employed in the earlier
stages Of the work at the southeast
angle Of the pyramid, as outlined in
the first report, has since been contin-
ued over the greater part of its entire
eastern side-frst, the removal of drift
sand and the disintegrated limestone
from the plundered core Of the pyra-
mid, thus exposing the house walls and
similar construction which were found
TO represent d later occupation Of the
site; and finally, after recording com
pletely these remains by means Of
plans and photographs, the continual
tion Of the excavation down to the orig
derneath. Owing to the great mass of
debris to be. removed, force Of $50
workmen was employed during the
month of March, and 1850 have since
continued the clearing of the lower lev
els during April and May.
Reference was made in the first re-
port to tentative excavations on this
part Of the site by the French expedi-
ton ten years ago. These resulted in
the partial uncovering of the remains
of the temple at its easternmost end,
and also of mastabatomb of Antef-
aker, an important official Of the
twelfth dynasty, just south of the tenn
pie Under the plan adopted in the
present worl--of clearing back com
pletely to the face Of the pyramid it.
self-important material and facts have
now been recovered which make dis
tinct contribution to the history Of
Egyptian architecture and art during
this period Of the Middle Empire.
The pyramid temple of Amenemhat I.
has been found to differ in its position
from other similar temples, in that it
stands on a lower level than the pyra-
mid to which 1t was directly attached
In its use. The rising slope Of the hill
on which this pyramid is built was met,
in the first instance by the construc-
tion Of platform along the eastern
face Of the pyramid, supported on its
-s-Alster, side by retaining wall parallel
with the pyramid face and of an aver
age height Of $50 metres. This platform
is interrupted about the middle Of its
length by recess, S6 metres wide,
which Is on O. level with the base Of
the platform wall and cuts back into
the bedrock Of the hill to perpendi-
cular face Of two metres at the rear
end nearest the pyramid. On both It's
northern and southern sides of the re-
cess Is flanked by heavy wall Of mud
brick, which abuts on the rock cut face
of the recess and runs eastward beyond
tho retaining wall Of the platform thus
framing in the position Of the temple,
The latter, with its entrance on It's
eastern end overlooking the Nile VAL
ley, has a total length of S1.60 metres,
resting in the rear against the rock
cut face of the recess.
AS the excavation progressed 1t be-
came clear that a reconstruction of the
temple had taken place at some period
subsequent to its erection, the evidence
for this resting in part on the occur
renee of limestone blocks bearing scenes
in relief with the names of Anenemhat
and which were without question
from the original construction of that
kind-as reused material in the found
atoms, as they are now preserved, OF
the temple walls. The date at which
this reconstruction took place can be
more certainly fixed when the excava-
items have been carried further and
have included the ground Immediately
east Of the front of the temple, where
indications point to the possibility OF
remains of an outer gateway. From this
long incline or footway can be plain
" discerned from the present surface
leading down to the cultivated fields OF
the Nile Valley.
The excavation Of the temple site
has yielded, however, a very consider
able amount of material from the orig
inal temple of tAmenemhat, from which
the ain features of the structure can b(
deterined This includese many frag-
nents and number of complete blocks
of painted relief from inscriptions and
scenes on the temple walls. In one
scene Amenemhat Is represented as re-
ceiying the gift of life from the gods
All the relief is most delicately an6
beautifully modelled and in many cases
has its color still freshly preserved
Blocks bearing inscriptions give the
names Of Amenemhat, and in one case
those Of Amenemhat and his Userteser
I. Jointly; from which it is certain eth
err that the temple was constructed II
mart during the last ten years Of Amen
emhat's reign, when, as we know, Us
ertesen acted as co-regent with him, o.
that It was finished after Amenenlhat'
death by Usertesen, who then PLACED
his own name on the temple walls will
that of his father.
Interesting architectural material ha
heen recovered also, such as fragments
of the temple columns, of the so-callet
sProto-Doric" style, bearing perpendic
Mar lines Of inscription on two oppo
sites sides: ceiling blocks of the tenn
ple with representations Of the star
in nainted relief; and two door jambs
zach bearing in double columns of tn
same beautiful relief the names o
Amenemhat.
II remained for the excavation of tn
rear end of the temple to result in tn
recovery of the two most important oh
jacts which If contained originally