The second temple found by Steindorff, erected by the same “Prince and Ruler of the Oasis” Ded-Khens-ef-Onkh, lies about 2 kilometres south-west of El Qasr. It was erected in the reign of Amasis (B.C. 569-526) and is therefore of somewhat later date than the foregoing. The large room, excavated from sand by Steindorff, has its walls ornamented with representations of Egyptian deities, the colours of which are admirably preserved.
It is curious to note that at least one, and perhaps both, of the temples discovered by Steindorff had been previously visited by Ascherson in 1876. This observer mentions (op. cit. p. 140) “a well preserved underground chamber which serves as a dwelling for the servants of the Omda, which may be of Egyptian origin. On the roof of this chamber (which is 7·25 metres long, 2·40 metres broad, and 2·90 metres high) is a line of inscription,” which latter he was unable to read owing to the darkness. There can be no doubt of the identity of this place with the first of the temples described by Steindorff. Further on in his memoir (p. 142) Ascherson also mentions a ruin called “Qasr Megasba, a sandstone structure having its sides oriented to the four cardinal points, 8·5 metres long, 6·9 metres broad, with a small entrance-hall to the south and a large room which can only be entered through the smaller one.” He relates that the door-way is walled up with crude brick, and does not say whether he entered the building or not, so that it is not certain whether this place is identical with Steindorff’s second temple. The distance of the ruin from El Qasr, as shown on Ascherson’s map, is about 4 kilometres, i.e., double that mentioned by Steindorff, but otherwise the nature of the building is strongly suggestive of an identity.
In his exploration of the large Necropolis east of El Qasr and Bawitti, Steindorff records the finding of a tomb of the New Empire, dating from the beginning of the 19th Dynasty (B.C. 1300). On clearing out this tomb, extremely interesting decorations were found on its walls. The tomb consists of several chambers hewn in the rock, only two of which are decorated with reliefs, and belonged to a certain Amenhotep, prince of the Northern Oasis and of the Oasis Huye. The explorer records that on one of the walls of the first chamber Amenhotep is represented sitting by his wife, his people bringing to him all kinds of drinks and food, including fish; on another wall he is seen superintending the manufacture of wine, while on a third is a lively representation of the funeral of the deceased. The pictures on the walls of the second room are of similar kind, but of a more religious character.
Steindorff remarks that this is the first important tomb of Egyptian age to be found in the oases of the Libyan Desert. It appears to have been used later on for other interments, as several clay mummy-shaped coffins were found; from these the mummies had disappeared, but a few relics such as scarabei, a gold earring, a bronze mirror, etc., were found.
To the Egyptian period also belongs a limestone statue of the same Ded-Khens-ef-Onkh who erected the two temples of the 26th Dynasty already mentioned; Steindorff found this in one of the houses at El Qasr.
A sandstone ruin situate 2 kilometres due west of Zubbo, mapped but not examined by the Survey, would appear to be that of another small Egyptian temple. It is marked on Cailliaud’s map as “débris de Temple,” but is not mentioned in his description.
Yet a fifth temple in Baharia would seem to be represented by the ruin “Qasr Mayesra,” 2 kilometres north-west of Mandisha, visited by Ascherson. This ruin, which is also mentioned by Belzoni, Cailliaud, and Wilkinson, is a small structure of sandstone 7·91 metres long, 6·24 metres broad, having only one room (entered from the north), and oriented to the cardinal points. The stones of this ruin have Greek letters and other signs cut in them, possibly mason’s marks; they are so striking as to have been seen from a distance through a telescope by Belzoni.
The rock-tombs south-east of Mandisha, mentioned by Ascherson (l.c. p. 145), may possibly be further remains of the Egyptian epoch, and the same is the case with some rock-chambers found by the Survey in the south part of the oasis, some 3 kilometres south of Ain el Haiss. The latter are excavated in an isolated rock-mass (sandstone) some 20 metres in diameter and 6 metres high. The chief entrance is on the south-east side of the rock, by what looks from a short distance like a mere crack; this entrance leads into a series of four small low chambers (each about 3 metres square), with a deeper channel running along the centre. Other similar chambers are found entering from the north side. No inscriptions appear to exist except a few Arabic scratches near the principal entrance, and the chambers were empty.
(b) Roman Antiquities.
The Roman structures in the oasis differ generally from those of the Egyptian era in being built of crude brick instead of stone. They show, however, a great solidity of construction; for this reason these erections of the Romans have in many cases outlasted those of the Coptic period which were built long afterwards; in Baharia the old Roman underground aqueducts still serve for the conveyance of water from the springs to the irrigated tracts, and the present inhabitants are far too indolent to construct similar channels for themselves.