to Assiut.
TELL EL-'AMARNA.
18. Route. 209
of their bodies wanting). Beside the queen are the three youthful
princesses, one of whom strokes her mother's chin. In the court¬
yard of the palace wait the royal retinue (chariots, scribes, fan-
bearers, and soldiers), raising their hands in respectful homage to
the royal pair. The curious bent attitudes of the courtiers should
be observed. Below are boys frisking for joy. To the right Eye
emerges from the portal of the palace, receiving the congratulations
of his retainers, who raise their hands in exultation; servants carry
the gifts away. In the top row are the door-keepers sitting and
conversing with their yeomen over the sounds of jubilation that
reach their ears.
Those who devote two days to Tell el-'Amarna may farther visit the
reputed Tomb of Amenophis IV., which is situated about 572 M. distant,
in a mountain-valley stretching towards the E. between the N. and S.
groups of tombs. The tomb, unfortunately greatly damaged, is closed
by a gate (keeper at Hagg-Kandil). A flight of 20 Steps (PI. a), with a
smooth inclined plane in the middle for the transportation of the sarco¬
phagus, leads to the Entrance (PI. 6), whence a sloping Corridor (PI. c)
leads to a second flight of 16 Steps (PI. d), beyond which is an Antechamber
(PI. e), with a shaft now filled up, and damaged mural reliefs. Beyond
this lies the Tomb Chapel (PI. /), in which the sarcophagus once stood.
All the pillars but one have disappeared. The mural representations were
carved in stucco, but all are much damaged with the exception of those on
the left entrance-wall (king, queen, and princesses adoring the sun) and
the left wall (king, queen, princess, and professional mourners beside a
bierV). In the right wall is a small recess (PI. g). — We now retrace our
steps towards the entrance. To the left of the steps at d lie three rooms
(PI. /*, i, k), embellished with reliefs and inscriptions, forming perhaps the
grave of the Princess Meket-aion. lioth the main walls of the First Room
(PI. h) show almost exactly the same scene: the king and queen, four
princesses, and the royal retinue presenting offerings to the sun, which is
seen rising over the mountains behind the pylon of the temple (on the
left); at the foot of the mountains are various animals. To the left (i.e.
on the left part of the entrance-wall and between the doors on the rear-
wall) the king's non-Egyptian subjects, negroes, and Asiatics in their
distinctive costume, worship the sun. In the lower row on the right
part of the entrance-wall we see tho deceased princess on the bier, beside
which stand the king and queen and professional mourners; in the upper
row the royal pair, the nurse with a little princess, and the mourners loudly
lament the deceased. The Second Room (PI. t) contains no representations.
Baedeker's Egypt. 5th Ed. 14
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