280 Route 24. THEBES (W. BANK). 5. Temple of
of the temple-obelisks; ships and soldiers hastening to a festival. PL d.
Two ships bringing the obelisks from the quarries of Assuan to Thebes.
Within the S. colonnade, at intervals of about 10 ft., are holes hewn
in the rock, which were formerly filled with Nile mud and used for plants.
Remains of palms, vines, and the like are still extant.
We now ascend the approach to the Central Court, on the S.
side of which we can best observe the caTeful workmanship of the
retaining walls, intended to obviate any movement ofthe soil. They
consist of finely polished blocks of limestone, with simple but
effective ornamentation. Broad pilasters, only 3 inches in depth,
and placed at wide intervals, project from the wall. Above each
are a gigantic hawk and a serpent. The W. side of the court is
bounded by a terrace bearing two colonnades, that to the right
named the Birth Colonnade, that to the left the Punt Colonnade.
The Birth Colonnade contains 11 pairs of square pillars sup¬
porting the roof. On all four sides of the pillars is the same scene:
Ammon (a later addition) laying his hand in blessing upon the
shoulder of Makere (figure defaced throughout) or Thutmosis III.
The inscriptions and representations on the walls of the colonnade
refer to the procreation and birth of the queen (PI. e). Among
these are two fine figures of the queen-mother Ahmes, once in
presence of the ram-headed Khnum and the frog-headed Heket,
and once in presence of the ibis-headed Thout. — Two steps at the
N. end of this colonnade descend to a Vestibule with 12 sixteen-
sided columns in three rows. On the walls are fine reliefs.
In the S. Wall is a small Recess with representations of the queen (ef¬
faced) before various deities; above appears the queen (again scratched
out) before Osiris. To the left of the recess is Anubis with the queen
standing behind him; to the right are Nekhbet and Harmachis, between
whom were the names of the queen. — In the N. Wall is a similar Recess.
Above it is Thutmosis III. making a wine-offering to the hawk-headed
Sokaris, god of the dead; to the right, Anubis and the queen (sciatched
out); to the left, the queen (scratched out) standing in a chapel before the
fetish of Eme-wet. — On the W. (rear) Wall, the queen (scratched out) sacri¬
ficing to Ammon (to the left) and to Anubis (to the right), with the sacri¬
ficial gifts heaped up before each god.
Three steps at the back of the antechamber lead to a Chapel of Anubis,
which has three chambers with pointed vaulting. The colouring of the
mural decorations is admirably preserved, though the figure of the queen
is invariably scratched out. They represent Makere (Thutmosis occurs
once on the E. wall of the second chamber) before various deities, espe¬
cially Anubis.
On the N. side of this court is another Colonnade, the roof of
which is supported by 15 sixteen-sided columns. It is unfinished
and the walls were never decorated. Behind it are four chambers
(now walled up), the walls of which were also left undecorated.
We now turn to the Colonnade oe Punt, on the S. side of the
W. terrace, exactly corresponding with the Birth Colonnade. The
*Sceneson the walls, unfortunately much damaged, commemorate an
Expedition to Punt (p. 232), undertaken during the queen's reign.
On the S. Wall we see a village in Punt (Pi. f). The houses are
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