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Deir el-Bahari ( Western Thebes )
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Valley, which
name means i arabic Northern
Monastery, in
Western Thebes, between el-Asasif and Valleys,
Kings' and Queens',
comprising temples and tombs dating from the early Middle Kingdom to
the Ptolemaic Period. The site consists of a deep bay in the cliffs
containing the remains of of the temples of Mentuhotep II Nebhepetre,
Hatshepshut and Tutmosis III, excavated by Polish archeological expedytion. The temple of Hatshepshut is the best
preserved of the three, consisting of three colonnaded terraces imitating
the architectural style of Mentuhotep's much earlier funerary complex
immedietely to the south of it. Works on the design and
their performance were directed presumably by Senenmut, the queen’s
architect who held also many other court responsibilities. His second
tomb (the first – TT71 at el-Qurna necropolis) –
DB353 was found nearby. Works on reconstruction of this ancient Egyptian
structure for many years have been carried on by Polish archaeologists and
restorers. Examinations and restoration works started in 1960 by
Kazimierz Michalowski
and continued through next years resulted in partial opening of the temple
for visitors. |
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| 1 - temple of Nebhepetre 2 - shrine 3 - entrance to royal tomb of Mentuhotep II 4 - peristyle court 5 - mastaba (or pyramid) style bulding 6 - ramp 7 - Bab el-Husan - entrance to the royal cenotaph 8 - forecourt 9 - kiosk of Tuthmosis III |
10 - causeway of
Mentuhotep II 11 - causway of Tuthmosis III 12 - temple of Tuthmosis III 13 - shrine of Hathor 14 - upper colonnade 15 - middle colonnade 16 - third court 17 - sanctuary in temple of Hatshepshut 18 - shrine of Anubis |
19 - ramp 20 - north colonnade 21 - second court 22 - lower colonnade 23 - ramp 24 - first court 25 - causway of Hatshepsut |
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The most important private tombs excavated at Deir el-Bahari are those of Meketra (XII Dynasty), which contained many painted wooden funerary models, tomb of Senenmut (TT353) on necropolis of nobles, and XIth Dynasty shaft tomb at the southern end of Deir el-Bahari contained a cache (DB320) of many royal mummies from the Valley of the Kings reinterred there by priests of Amon during XXI Dynasty. Below full list of tombs on necropolis of nobles. |
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308 - Kemsit 310 - unknown (chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt) 311 - Khety 312 - Espekashuti (vizier) 313 - Henenu 314 - Horhotep 315 - Ipi 316 - Neferhotep 319 - Nofru (wife of Mentuhotep II) 320 - Inhapy (Pinedjem II, royal cache) 353 - Senenmut (71) 358 - Ahmes-Meritamun (daughter of Tuthmosis III and wife of Amenhotep II) |
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Copyright © 2000-2011 Dariusz Sitek, Czestochowa - Chicago - Ann Arbor |