In front of the pyramid of Usertsen (Senusret) III at one time stood the
usual funerary temple, but it has been totally destroyed. By the side of
the pyramid were buried some of the princesses of the royal family, in
a series of tombs opening out of a subterranean gallery, and in this
gallery were found the wonderful jewels of the princesses Sit-hathor and
Merit, which are among the greatest treasures of the Cairo Museum. Those
who have not seen them can obtain a perfect idea of their appearance
from the beautiful water-colour paintings of them by M. Legrain, which
are published in M. de Morgan's work on the "Fouilles a Dahchour"
(Vienna, 1895). Altogether one hundred and seven objects were recovered,
consisting of all kinds of jewelry in gold and coloured stones. Among
the most beautiful are the great "pectorals," or breast-ornaments, in
the shape of pylons, with the names of Usertsen II, Usertsen III, and
Amenemhat III; the names are surrounded by hawks standing on the sign
for gold, gryphons, figures of the king striking down enemies, etc., all
in _cloisonne_ work, with beautiful stones such as lapis lazuli, green
felspar, and carnelian taking the place of coloured enamels. The massive
chains of golden beads and cowries are also very remarkable. These
treasures had been buried in boxes in the floor of the subterranean
gallery, and had luckily escaped the notice of plunderers, and so by a
fortunate chance have survived to tell us what the Egyptian jewellers
could do in the days of the XIIth Dynasty.
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