Hopkins In Egypt Today

Mut Temple Platform

Looking west across the front of the Mut Temple platform, we see the surface that will be cleared down in search of reused architectural elements. The large bases from the lotiform columns sit atop foundations that were extended. The front part where we begin our work was expanded in the 25 th Dynasty (ca. 800-700 B.C.), while the rear area may has an 18 th Dynasty foundation. We are interested to learn whether in this sector, as in that behind (to the west), the platform was enlarged during the 18 th Dynasty by reusing material of the coregency of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III.

Fatma Supervising Work

Fatma supervises and makes notations as the work begins to clean the surface debris. This area will be dug well below the level of the column bases before the end of the day.

Inscribed Block

As expected, inscribed blocks begin to appear. This foundation extension of the 25 th Dynasty was hastily constructed of stone rubble, available reused blocks, and soil. This block that emerged was a section of a Hathoric square pillar (a pillar topped by a capital with two faces of Hathor). Down the center of the front was an inscription with the titles of king Ramesses III. This is the "nebty" or "two ladies" name of the king.

Franck Burgos at Work

In the Second Court proper, Franck Burgos, the stone mason, and his crew are rebuilding a small chapel that once had a staircase adjoining the second pylon. Here is Franck moving a section of the stair into position.

Sarah's Square   Taking Measurements
Sarah Recording Measurements   Sarah Completes the Drawing

Sarah's square (no. 7) has the remains of a wall (the area that resembles a platform has lighter colored bricks on it) that must now be drawn before we can go down further in the trench. They triangulate with the tapes to place the wall within the square, and Elizabeth helps her to do measurements at certain locations. Those points are placed on a the graph paper. Then Sarah completes the drawing using the points.


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