The second illustration gives a nearer view of the great trilithon
gate in the upper court, at the head of the ramp. The long hill of Dra'
Abu-'l-Negga is seen bending away northward behind the gate.
[Illustration: 346.jpg THE UPPER COURT AND TRILITHON GATE]
Of The Xviiith Dynasty Temple At Dek El-Bahari. About 1500
B.C.
This is the famous gate on which the jealous Thothmes III chiselled out
Hatshepsu's name in the royal cartouches and inserted his own in
its place; but he forgot to alter the gender of the pronouns in the
accompanying inscription, which therefore reads "King Thothmes III, she
made this monument to her father Amen."
Among Prof. Naville's discoveries here one of the most important is that
of the altar in a small court to the north, which, as the inscription
says, was made in honour of the god Ra-Harmachis "of beautiful white
stone of Anu." It is of the finest white limestone known. Here also were
found the carved ebony doors of a shrine, now in the Cairo Museum. One
of the most beautiful parts of the temple is the Shrine of Anubis, with
its splendidly preserved paintings and perfect columns and roof of
white limestone. The effect of the pure white stone and simplicity of
architecture is almost Hellenic.
The Shrine of Hathor has been known since the time of Mariette, but in
connection with it some interesting discoveries have been made during
the excavation of the XIth Dynasty temple.
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