TAA i.3.25.7

...........

This third outer shrine completely enclosed the second shrine. It is constructed of wood, and its external and internal surfaces are entirely coated with gesso overlaid with a layer of thin sheet gold, laid on as gold leaf.

Specimens of wood from two of the tongues fixed to the lower edge of the crowning members, for insertion into corresponding mortises in the upper edge of the under-structure of this shrine, were examined by Mr L.A. Boodle. He identified one to be oak, possibly Quercus cerris, Linn. (Turkey oak), which could have come from Asia Minor or North Syria; the other to be Christ's-Thorn wood - Zizyphus Spina-Christi, Willd., common in Egypt to-day. The fibre of the boards resembles that of the wood employed for the first innermost shrine, which undoubtedly is cedar, and probably Cedrus Libani, Berrelier, from the Lebanon or Asia Minor (cf. First Shrine, p. ; Boodle's report, pp. ).

Although this shrine is of larger dimensions than the second shrine of this series, its method of construction and structural form is the same.

The following are its dimensions given in 'mean measurement':-
Dimension at base - 383 x 252 cents.
" at abutment of cornice - 376.7 x 247 cents.
" at extreme edge of cornice - 403.2 x 275 cents.
Height from ground to highest point of roof - 225 cents.
" to top of cornice - 200 cents.
" to abutment of cornice - 175 cents.
Opening of doorway - 139 cents. high; 192 cents. wide.
The batter of its walls - i.e. receding slope from ground upwards - 16.8 mills. per one metre vertical.

TAA i.3.25.8

This shrine is made up of sixteen separate members and sections in the following manner:- The roof in two sections; two side and one end crowning member, each comprising the cavetto cornice and roll moulding; one front crowning member, which includes the cavetto cornice, roll moulding, and chief beam or over door frieze; four corner posts; two side and one end wall section, consisting of the chief beam or frieze, panel and dado; one sill; and two (folding) doors.

The two roof sections are of the same form, and are fitted on to the cornice members in similar manner as those of the second shrine (see fig. ). They also have silver coated copper handles of staple-form, two on each side, for convenience of transport and lowering them on to the cornice pieces.

The two side and crowning cornice members, with roll moulding, are tongued and mortised on to the sections of the under-structure, the tongues being of wood and copper alternate (see fig. ), but the front crowning cornice member differs by including both the cavetto cornice, the roll moulding, and the chief beam or over door frieze, in one piece, and it is mortised on to the upper stub tenons of the front corner posts (see fig. ). These four crowning members are also locked together by means of <>-shaped dowels of copper sunk into slots cut in the upper edges of the cornice at the corners (see fig. ). The copper dowels are inscribed with their respective cardinal points.

The two side and end sections of the under-structure comprise only the chief beam or frieze (top rail), panel, and dado (bottom rail). Here, as in the preceding shrines, the boards of the top and bottom marginal pieces and panel are horizontal; the two vertical end pieces, called the clamps, extend the whole height of the sections and are mortised to receive the fitted tenons on the transverse boards, the tenons

TAA i.3.25.9

being sufficiently long to project for insertion into corresponding mortise holes in the rebated vertical edges of the corner posts which form the side and end styles (see fig. ).

The four corner posts, which act as the styles as well as the door posts, are made up of several pieces of wood joined into one piece. They are mortised to the rest of the under-structure, and stub tenoned to the chief beam or over door frieze and sill. (see fig. ).

The sill is a separate member mortised to the stub tenons of the door posts. (see fig. ).

The bottom edges of the whole of the under-structure are bound with copper, painted a dark greenish-blue.

The opening of the framework of the doorway is rebated to receive the folding doors.

The right and left leaves of the folding doors are constructed and hung in alike manner to those of the preceding shrines, but their pivots and sockets are of copper. The doors were bolted and secured with cord and seal (discovered intact) in precisely the same way as the second shrine. However, the clay seal in this case was on the left door instead of on the right (see fig. ). The two seal impressions, although very imperfect imprints, could be identified as from the same matrixes employed for sealing the second shrine. For their description see second shrine, p. ...

TAA i.3.25.10

The various members and sections of this shrine bear the following joiner's "guide" marks and cardinal points:-

EXTERIOR - front - cornice <> <>
frieze <> <> <> <>
posts <> <>
sill - <>
doors <> <> <> <>
back - cornice <> <> <>
frieze <>
right side - cornice <> <>
frieze <> <>
posts <> <>
left side - cornice <> <>
frieze <> <>
posts <> <>
INTERIOR - front - doors <> <>
posts <> <>
back posts <> <>
panel <> <> <>
right side - posts <> <>
panel <> <> <>
left side - posts <> <>
panel <> <> <>

TAA i.3.25.11

These marks clearly show the correct orientation of the shrine, but like the preceding shrines it was erected in the exact opposite direction, namely, the front facing east instead of towards the west.

The over-all decoration, incorporating various designations of the King, religious representations and texts, is incised upon the gesso-gold overlay. The cartouches in the texts show, however, distinct traces of having been altered: their gilding is in many cases of a mere brilliant yellow colour and less tarnished than the rest of the gold overlay. The decoration as a whole has also a more distinct El Amarna style than that of the preceding shrines. Thus, it was at first thought that the cartouches were originally the Aten-form of the King's name, but since both the prenomen and nomen have been changed it is not improbable that the shrine was originally intended for another monarch of this line of hereditary rulers - possibly Semenkh-ka-re. The decoaration of the upper surface of the roof varies from that of the preceding shrines. Here, instead being completely gilded and incised with formulae, it is coated all over with a black resinous material, which is divided into a number of small squares by longitudinal and transverses gilded bands of incised inscriptions.

TAA i.3.25.12 = line-drawing

THIRD SHRINE - NO. 237
SLOT FOR DOWEL
CORNICE
LINTEL
CORNER POST
SECTION OF CORNER POST
SILL

TAA i.3.25.13 to 43 = photographs of Second Shrine

TAA i.3.25.13 = Burton photo. 625c

TAA i.3.25.14 = Burton photo. 625a

TAA i.3.25.15 = Burton photo. 625a

TAA i.3.25.16

TAA i.3.25.17 = TAA i.3.25.16

TAA i.3.25.18

TAA i.3.25.19 = TAA i.3.25.18

TAA i.3.25.20

TAA i.3.25.21 = TAA i.3.25.20

TAA i.3.25.22

TAA i.3.25.23 = TAA i.3.25.22

TAA i.3.25.24

TAA i.3.25.25 = TAA i.3.25.24

TAA i.3.25.26

TAA i.3.25.27 = TAA i.3.25.26

TAA i.3.25.28

TAA i.3.25.29 = TAA i.3.25.28

TAA i.3.25.30

TAA i.3.25.31 = TAA i.3.25.30

TAA i.3.25.32

TAA i.3.25.33

TAA i.3.25.34 = TAA i.3.25.33

TAA i.3.25.35

TAA i.3.25.36 = TAA i.3.25.35

TAA i.3.25.37 = TAA i.3.25.35

TAA i.3.25.38

TAA i.3.25.39 = TAA i.3.25.38

TAA i.3.25.40

TAA i.3.25.41 = TAA i.3.25.40

TAA i.3.25.42

TAA i.3.25.43 = TAA i.3.25.42

TAA i.3.25.44

SECOND SHRINE - EXTERIOR
no. 237
published: W end
S side except frieze
N " " "
unpublished: Roof
E doors
Some published Piankoff: Les Chapelles de Toutankhamon (2).
2 sets & duplicates
all but one photo

TAA i.3.25.45

all collated with MMA negatives.

TAA i.3.25.46 = TAA i.3.25.40

TAA i.3.25.47

TAA i.3.25.48 = TAA i.3.25.47

TAA i.3.25.49

TAA i.3.25.50 = TAA i.3.25.49

TAA i.3.25.51

TAA i.3.25.52 = TAA i.3.25.51

TAA i.3.25.53

TAA i.3.25.54 = TAA i.3.25.53

TAA i.3.25.55

TAA i.3.25.56 = TAA i.3.25.55

TAA i.3.25.57

TAA i.3.25.58 =TAA i.3.25.57

TAA i.3.25.59

TAA i.3.25.60

TAA i.3.25.61 = TA i.3.25.60

TAA i.3.25.62

TAA i.3.25.63 = TAA i.3.25.62

TAA i.3.25.64

TAA i.3.25.65 = TAA i.3.25.64

TAA i.3.25.66

TAA i.3.25.67 = TAA i.3.25.66

TAA i.3.25.68

TAA i.3.25.69 = TAA i.3.25.68

TAA i.3.25.70

TAA i.3.25.71 = TAA i.3.25.70

TAA i.3.25.72

TAA i.3.25.73 = TAA i.3.25.72