TELL EL MOQDAM  [66] (LEONTOPOLIS)

 
 
 
 
 
 

Information collected by Renee Friedman and Carol Redmount Southern end has been cleared for school, cemetery, factory, sporting facility. Lake now in process of being filled. Tower of stratified debris in centre of lake fell during 1992 earthquake. Roman cemetery at SE sector being removed for housing extensions. Cemetery site at NW, partially within lake. Tomb of Queen Kama at far NW corner of lake, lid still present in fields. Stone blocks to N and E of lake might mark remants of temple. Roman town S of lake and Roman cemetery in SE sector. Town of THIP to at least early Ptolemaic to E of lake. Mound was formerly much larger.  Excavation: 1823, Rifaud (1830) structures and cemetery? in area of present lake; 1885?, Mariette (1889) in cemetery area north of lake; 1884, Illicit excavation finds cache of bronze temple furnishings, many sold to Fouquet (Chassinat 1922; Perdrizet 1022); 1892, Naville (1894) on east side of tell in area under cultivation searching for temple; and on north side of mound where he found statue fragments (Rameses II, Osorkon II, Sesostris III); 1900, large sum of money spent by SAE for excavation but results not reported (SAE Reports: 21); 1910, SAE excavation? result in removal of large granite lion to Cairo (SAE Reports, 327) 1915, Local landholder, Radwan bey Nasrat, excavated with SAE permission a two-chambered tomb in the northwestern part of the tell. The walls of both chambers were inscribed with mythological scenes. The northern chamber contained a plundered and smashed limestone sarcophagus, and a limestone block inscribed with the name of Osorkon II and the titles of one of his officials. The Southern chamber contained a red granite sarcophagus with a block of Ramesses II as lid (still in place on site) and four canopic jars. Within the sarcophagus, intact, collection of jewelry and heart scarab identifying owner as Queen Kama (Gauthier 1921); 1972, EAO excavation on south side of mound before school construction found Roman houses; 1992-1996 Redmount and Friedman excavate on east side of mound, find sequence of domestic habitation from TIP-early Ptolemaic. Small excavation in Roman portion of town; core samples taken throughout preserved tell. Site Type: Large tell with domestic quarter and cemetery. Cemetery area in northwest,directly adjacent and partially within lake. Two chambered limestone Tomb of Queen Kama and husband? at far Northwestern corner of lake, lid still present in fields. Fragments of sarcophagi still along banks of lake. Towers of stratified debris remaining from Rifaud excavation of central tell, originally topped with 9thc AD towers known as "seven Chambers". Suggests that in Roman period, cemetery area is built over. To north and east of lake, spit of remaining tell possibly containing remants of temple, many large stone blocks present. To south of lake is Roman sector of town, houses, and possible church located. Roman cemetery in south east sector of tell. To east of lake domestic quarter of town from TIP to at least early Ptolemaic. Large and small houses excavated. Evidence of canal in eastern sector in pre-Saite period. Site clearly experienced settlement shift probably in response to shifting water courses, moving from North to South over time. Tomb of Queen Kama: JE45337-45362 Portable finds from tomb of Queen Kama, Found intact in sarcophagus was a collection of jewelry and amulets, two and a half ushabtis (one either uninscribed with the standard formula or inscribed with a foreign personal name according to Spencer and Spencer 1986, 201, fig. 4), and a glazed steatite scarab inscribed with Royal Wife Kama, 4 canopic jars of alabaster (Gauthier 1921; Vernier 1925). The sarcophagus lid is still at Tell el Muqdam to the north of the lake. ( Muhs forthcoming) Inscribed block of Osorkon II possibly still in tomb (PM IV, 39). Site Magazine, Door jamb of official of Ramses III in fields near Kama tomb On Site, Red granite upper torse of Rameses II; two inscribed red granite blocks of Ramesses II (Muhs forthcoming) Lion Cache: The "lion cache" was supposedly found in 1884 and sold to a leading antiquities dealer, who in turn sold a large portion of it (80 objects) to Dr. Fouquet in July 1885. The remainder are reputed to have been sold to the Berlin and Cairo Museums (Perdrizet 1922, 349). Bronzes with similar lion motifs accessioned at about the same time in a number of other museum are also rightly or wrongly attributed to Tell el Muqdam (Mogensen 1930). The presence of so many objects with lions motifs, mostly bronzes, suggests that they came from a favissa in the lion (Mihos?) temple. The collection also included a number of classical bronze figurines (Perdrizet 1911, 1922). On stylistic bases the Fouquet collection is dated from the end of the Saite to the Ptolemaic period. Sold in two lots in Paris in 1922 (Fouquet Collection 1922), the location of many objects now unknown. Objects from this cache whose location is known: Five serpentine unguentaria in the shape of a lion guarding the vase, Brooklyn 53.221.1; 53.221.2; Berlin 8979, 8980 (Bissing 1933); The Hague (possibly ex collection Bissing) (Perdrizet 1922, 381, Chassinat 1922, Pl. 1-2; Cooney 1953). 8 Bronze lions walking to the right or the left with face turned to face the spectator or ahead. Tenons for attachment to furniture (Fouquet Collection no. 111-113, 115-118bis; Chassinat 1922; pl. IV; Perdrizet 1922, 371-376). Brooklyn 55.177 (Baines and Malek 1980, 172); Berlin 8982, 8915-7, 8985-6; Cairo 26926,(Maspero Guide 2nd ed, p. 505) . Bronze figurines with human bodies and lion heads, Berlin 8988-8992 (Perdrizet 1922, 365-366). Bronze votive thrones: Throne in form of temple terminating in torus moldings, Copenhagen Ny Carlsberg AE IN 295; Two lions on throne as arms, two Bes figures engraved on throne sides holding Hathor headed sistra, on back is falcon in papyrus marsh (Fouquet Collection 1922, no. 11; Mogensen 1930). Uninscribed thrones, Berlin 8918; Cracow; Throne with lion as legs and inscription: location unknown. (Fouquet Collection 1922, no. 106; Perdrizet 1922, 361, fig. 3); Throne: location unknown. Inscribed on plinth (Fouquet Collection 1922, no. 105, pl. VI; Perdrizet 1922, 362; von Bissing 1933, 100). Grey serpentine group representing Amun and Mut seated side by side (location unknown) (Chassinat 1922, 19; Fouquet Collection no. 10 Two small bowls of faience with 2 figurines of couchant lions applied to the rim (Fouquet Collection no. 102-3), pl.1; Chassinat 1922, 19 pl. VI) Three Couchant lions, with head turned right, paws crossed, of bronze. (Fouquet Collection no. 108-110; pl. vii; Chassinat 1922, pl.v). A sacred ensign of a couchant lion surmouned with a seven branched star of bronze (Fouquet Collection no. 120; Chassinat 1922; 17, pl. III.1; Perdrizet 1922;385, fig.15). Two Lion figures with handle, as weights (Fouquet Collection no.  121-122, pl.VII; Perdrizet 1922, 384, fig. 13-14;Chassinat 1922, 18-19; pl. III.3) Four bronze supports for furniture, cylindical ornamented with 4 protomes of lions (Fouquet Collection no. 119 pl. vi, von Bissing 1933) Small circular basin of bronze with six legs topped with lion protomes (Perdrizet 1922, 378-379; fig.12). Bronze Plaque depicting a lion walking to the right. Part of furniture inlay (Fouquet Collection no. 114, pl. vii; Bronze Hermes, nude with cloak and sandals,(Perdrizet 1922, no. 40, pl. XVII) Seated winged sphinx with female head, bronze (Perdrizet 1911, no. 40, pl. XIV) Head of negro boy (ibid no.  94, pl. XXV) Fisherman? (ibid no. 98, pl. XXVI) Possible also two handles with lion heads and an intact dish in Perdrizet 1911, pl. xxxvii, p. 87-88. Attributed to same cache: Alabaster unquentarium in Brooklyn 53.273,( Cooney 1954; fig. 5;). Amulet with lion and ram head back to back Brooklyn 53.174.(Cooney 1956, 55; pl.86, no. 69; 1954, 29-30, fig. 7). Votive throne in Cairo 37966. Lions support empty throne, standing adorant stands before the throne. Berlin 8988-8992 bronze statuettes of lion headed man.with and without atef crowns (Perdrizet 1922, 365-366). Couchant lions on plinth, face turned to face spectator. Berlin 8916-7, 8985-6; (Perdrizet 1922 pl. xxiv). Couchant lion, limestone, Berlin 9002 with traces of paint. Couchant lion, limestone, Cleveland 20.2001. Appliques for bronze vessel with lion heads, Berlin 8983-4. Handles with lion heads, bronze, Berlin 8993-4 Pottery vessels in the form of lions, fired black. Berlin 8950, 8998. Two faience libation bowls with lions on the rims, formerly in MacGregor Collection (Wallis fig. 182-3) Couchant Lion weight, Berlin 8987.

Finds: Mosaics, Roman and later (Rifaud 1830b) CGC 538 Base of statue of Nehesy, reinscribed by Merneptah (Rifaud 1930a, pl.92; Borchardt 1925, 87-88 PM IV, 38). Philadelphia E16135; Schist anthropoid sarcophagus of Pedimihos (Mariette 1889, pl.63e; Buhl 1953, 50-3; 1959, 214; PM IV, 38) JE37971/CGC29321: Black granite rectangular sarcophagus of Nesmihos, found NE of Seven chambers (Maspero and Gauthier 1939, 131-4; Kamal 1906a, PM IV, 38) London, British Museum EA 1145-6; Two quartzite bases of seated statues of Sesostris III, one reinscribed for Osorkon II (Naville 1894,28-30; PM IV, 37) ?: Red granite Statue of standing Ramesses II (Naville 1984, 29, 31) ?: Red granite statue fragment of Osorkon II (Naville 1894, 29-30) JE 45611 Black granite standing statue of Ramesses II (Kamal 1906b, 238) JE37686: Door jamb of Ramses III (Kamal 1906a, 24-25; Yoyotte 1953, 186; PM IV, 38) JE37956: Grey granite naophoric state base of Nimlot (Kamal 1906, 236-7) JE 37679 Headless statue of Ankhparkhered, found in Seven Chambers (Kamal 1906a, 24; Yoyotte 1953, 184) CGC 605 Group statue of Helly, Dyn 19 (PM IV;38; Borchardt 1925, 155) Cairo?: Statette of Min, Tutmosis III (PM IV, 38) ? Statue of Pedusiris, LP (PM IV, 38) JE41902 Granite lion, 2.38m high, removed by Edgar from tell in 1910 (Perdrizet 1922, 366-7) JE45611 Black granite seated statue base of Ramesses II (Daressy 1930, 93; Yoyotte 1953, 179) JE ? Stela of man adoring hawk headed deity (Gauthier 1923, 175-6) Cairo?, Ramses II statue of sandstone (PM IV, 38) JE26199 Green glazed brick with cartouche of Ramesses II JE33769: Red granite naophoric statue of Ptahames (Muhs forthcoming) JE27825/CGC38820 Faience Statuette of Ptah (Daressy 1906, 204-5) JE27826/CGC38818 Faience statuette of Ptah (Daressy 1906, 204-5) JE 32988-9/CGC27514,16, Two limestone reclining lions. Graeco-Roman (Edgar 1903, 31) JE32991/CGC27452: White marble torso of Aphrodite? GR (Edgar 1903, 11) CGC27477: White marble statue of elderly lady, 1-2 cent AD (Edgar 1903, 22) JE32898/CGC27564 Limestone funerary stela, inscribed in Greek (Edgar 1903, 47) JE32992/CGC27598 Limestone decorated column capital (Edgar 1903, 68) JE33977/CGC22222: Limestone stela in form of naos (Kamal 1905, 210) JE32986: Female head with headress JE32987: Model foot JE32990: Ostracon JE33770-1: Limestone door jamb fragment of Rameses II JE34196/CGC32871 Ceramic Bes statuette JE34197/CGC38409 Faience statette of Osiris JE34198a/b: Faience object. Steatite scarab with figures of Bes or mummers dancing and tossing a monkey. (Naville, 1890;57, pl. xviii.13) Purchased JE34201/CGC22225: Limestone stela depicting lion (Kamal 1905, 211; Perdrizet 1922, 376) JE 87840,1 Donation stelae similar to above, unpublished JE26923/CG22177: Limestone stela of king offering to lion (Kamal 1905, 156) Alex. Museum: Donation stela for lion similar to above (Daressy 1904, 119) Allard Pierson 7772: Donation stela with greek grafitto (Perdrizet 1922, 372; De Wit 1951, 278, Bianchi 1989, Cat. no. 106.) Copenhagen AEIN 309-312: 4 Donation stelae, purchased (Mogensen 1930, 333-4; Koefoed-Petersen 1948, 61-2) Hildesheim: Donation stela (Speigelberg 1914, 174-6) Bonn Akademische Kunstmuseum: Donation stela (Wiedemann and Portner 1906, 30-32) Oxford Hill End House: Donation Stela (Whitehouse, forthcoming) JE39422: Basalt bowl mounted on 4 feet topped with lion heads JE39423: Limestone statue of map holding vase JE39424: Green faience figurine of Bes JE39425: White faience female figurine JE39535: Bronze statue of Isis found in sebakh JE42902: Marble seated statue Attributed finds: Leiden AST 71: Black basalt kneeling statue of Pedimihos (Boeser 1953 ??) Louvre E 18834 Cube statue of Paiunefer. Saite (Yoyotte 1953, 179-80) Louvre E 10777: Basalt stelaphoric statue of Pedimihos? Ptolemaic (Yoyotte 1953, 181) Moscow 4993: Limestone kneeling naophoric statue of Pedimihos. Saite (Yoyotte 1953, 180-1; Bothmer 1970, 41) Brooklyn 64.146: Granite cube statue for Pedimihos. Dyn 25 (Bothmer 1970, 39-40) JE38262 Bronze door hinge of Iuput II (Daressy 1931, 628; Spencer and Spencer 1986; PM IV, 38) Recent excavated finds (See Redmount and Friedman forthcoming): Terracotta erotic figurines; bronze figurine of Osiris; bronze figurine of Isis lactans; fragmentary terracotta figurines of male and female deities, horse and rider figurines; snake plaques; inscribed blocks from temple of Nectanebo I; coins; Red figure and black glaze Attic pottery; stamped amphorae; faience amulets; foot plaque; moulds for amulets. Condition, In 1892 described as maze of walls, streets and alleys still clearly visible; by 1923 reduced to 60-65 hectares, walls sebakhed away. Presently low mound, roughly 1km x.75km with sector in center cut down for agriculture. Southern end has been cleared for school, cemetery, factory, sporting facility. Lake now in process of being filled. Tower of stratified debris in center of lake fell during 1992 earthquake. Roman cemetery at SE sector being removed for housing extensions. Literature: (see Redmount and Friedman forthcoming for complete Bibliography) PM IV, 37-39; Perdrizet 1922; Chassinat 1922; Yoyotte 1953; 1979; Gauthier 1921; Naville 1894; Redmount and Friedman 1994