Pottery Sherd from 18th Dynasty - 13356 Bytes

Kathy Barbash holds a sherd that came up today south of the sacred lake where we're finding a great deal of mud brick. The sherd is a fine example of 18th Dynasty "blue painted ware", and it allows us to assign it quite narrowly to the period between 1400 and 1350 B.C. This doesn't mean that our walls are of that date, however, since so far we are not sure how much mix of material is on the mud brick tumble.

Labeled Pottery Sherd - 15823 Bytes

Our highly diagnostic sherd, labeled with information identifying its find place, is photographed by Jay Van Rensselaer. All diagnostic sherds are photographed - but normally along with others from the same locus.

Gateway Excavation Continues - 21758 Bytes

The Thutmose III gateway continues to be excavated. The large chiseled rectangles on the jambs are the result of ancient repairs (ca. 1300 B.C.). The name of Amun (the major god of the New Kingdom) had been mutilated by the henchmen of king Akhenaten (ca. 1350-1333), and king Sety I restored Amun's name. To do this, however, it appears that he may have first chiseled out more of the jambs, then refitted pieces of sandstone into the holes.

Mud Brick Walls Revealed - 22498 Bytes

Behind the sacred lake our work has come down on several sets of mud brick walls. In the foreground you see a large round storage jar (?) appearing. Looks like a definite domestic setting, but we have more to determine.

Sketching Excavation Area - 17404 Bytes

J.J. Shirley begins a sketch of the area she is excavating behind the sacred lake.

Taking Notes on Excavation - 23238 Bytes

Tom Kittredge is supervising work to the east of the gate of Thutmose III. Still only at a shallow level, Tom nonetheless carefully takes notes about his work.

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