Bubastis

Bubastis ( ancient Egyptian Baset, also Per- Bastet ) was an ancient Egyptian town and was located in the southern part of the eastern Nile Delta in Lower Egypt. Their remains can be seen today at the southeastern edge of the modern city of Zagazig, the capital of the province Scharkiya. The site of the ancient settlement is called ' in Arabic as Tell Basta / تل بسطة / Tall Basta / hills of Bastet. In the Old Testament it appears as Pi beseth (Ezekiel 30, 17). The common name in Egyptology " Bubastis " goes to the Hellenized form of the city name Per- Bastet; House back of Bastet. The city was the center of worship of the goddess Bastet, who was often worshiped in later years as the cat.

Historical significance

Because of its strategic location close to major trade and transport routes, such as the Pelusiac and Tanitic branch of the Nile and the Wadi Tumilat, Bubastis took since the Early Dynastic period among the settlements of the delta occupies an important position. The Bubastis region originally belonged to the 14th Lower Egyptian nome, the so-called " Ostgau ", and was in the 5th Dynasty (ca. 2504-2347 BC ) was transferred to the 13th Lower Egyptian nome. In the Ramesside Period (about 1290 BC to about 1070 BC) was the area of Bubastis after separation of the 18th Lower Egyptian nome.

The highlight their importance which the city is finally among the kings of the 22nd Dynasty (ca. 946-713 BC) extensions comprehensive and monumental, probably resided partly in this town and the temple city goddess Bastet. Bastet was often depicted lions and later katzenköpfig. From Bubastis come numerous bronze statues of cats. Want to Herodotus Bubastis for his great temple and every year in honor of the goddess Bastet - held fortress was widely famous. The city was still in Greek and Roman times is important. From this period the temple of the Agathos Daimon is attested. Components in a purely Hellenistic style show also archäoglisch, public buildings in that time.

Archeology

It can be assumed that Bubastis was early of importance because the city goddess Bastet is mentioned in several inscriptions of the 2nd dynasty. From the following Old Kingdom (about 2750-2150 to BC), some decorated mastabas, such as of the Anchchaf from the 6th Dynasty (ca. 2318-2150 BC), the ruler of storage and head of the priests of Pepi was the grave of the only friend and scribe of the royal documents Anchembastet and the head of the priest Ihy. These plants have grave decorated grave chambers and show there memory, offerings, and the title and name of the grave owner. From the so-called west necropolis come some more mastabas, which were decorated on the east side with a limestone stele. The stelae show the grave owner before a short inscription, dating probably to the very end of the 6th Dynasty or the beginning of the First Intermediate Period. The person buried under other wear the title of head of the Mautjeret and overseer of the priests. From about this time that the grave of the only friend Mermerire that a number of inscribed copper model tools contained. From the 6th Dynasty also two royal Ka Temple, which is better preserved built by Pepi I (c. 2295-2250 BC). The complex of Pepi I. has added a large courtyard with a small temple, which is not in the center of the courtyard, but something. This temple was decorated at the entrance with two pillars. There was a decorated with eight pillars hall and on the back wall five chapels. A relief from the plant is standing in front of Pepi I Bastet and Hathor behind him, and Iunmutef and a fertility deity. The other Ka - temple belonged Teti II Its perimeter was approximately 112 x 56 m tall, but is actually the temple poorly preserved. Royal Ka Temple of the Old Empire are well known from inscriptions. The temple in Bubastis is the best preserved and only certain temples of this type from the Old Kingdom and is therefore of particular importance for research. From the late Middle Kingdom (ca. 2000-1750 BC ) where a large palace and another necropolis were found burials of the mayor of that time. In the palace there was a relief to the name of Amenemhat III. and the mention of his first Sed - festival. In the palace there were also various statues, including the mayor and chief of the priests Chakaureseneb. In the room adjacent to the palace necropolis mayors have been buried obvious. This necropolis consists of a large building with different rooms that served as grave chambers. The central grave chamber is covered with limestone. More extensive necropolis date from the New Kingdom. There were numerous Tonsärge and many simple shabtis. From the 20th Dynasty the family grave of the king's son of Kush, Hori III. In which his gross, but large granite sarcophagus, as well as numerous shabtis found comes from. In the western part of the ruin field, there were cats cemeteries and numerous bronze statues of cats. In the area of ​​Ka - Temple of Pepi I also find the remains of a Roman bath.

" The dead cats are brought to the city of Bubastis, embalmed and buried in holy grave chambers. "

In an experiment conducted in October 2008 geomagnetic survey, a further, large-scale construction was south of the Temple of Bastet discovered.

Temple of Bastet

The center of the ancient city was the Bastet Temple. However, the vast majority of his remains comes from the Third Intermediate Period and the Late Period, individual components already from the Old and Middle Kingdom. Much of the blocks of the temple have been found loose. The temple is so badly damaged, and it is difficult to make a precise idea of ​​its former appearance. In the delta stone is scarce, so that blocks of stone were often reused after a temple was demolished. Blocks are also often transported from one place to another. This means that not all of the components found in Bubastis necessarily originate from buildings from Bubastis. Some certainty you only if mentioned in inscriptions also obtained Bubastis or Bastet. Building remains from the Old Kingdom may have been abducted in fact from other places by Bubastis. The names of Khufu and Khafre appear on fragments. In parts of the Middle Kingdom is partially named Bastet, so they probably originate from a temple this time. An example is an inscription of Amenemhat I and his mother Bastet. Various rulers of the Second Intermediate Period, as Chajan and Apopi appear on stone fragments. Remains from the time of Amenhotep III. and with the name of Ramses II indicate construction work under these rulers, but to many blocks of the latter come from Ramses the city that served as a quarry in the Third Intermediate Period. From the under Amenhotep III. reigning Vizier Amenhotep found two statues. Much of that found in Bubastis royal statues bearing the name of Ramses II in the temple area is also the colossal statue of a Ramesside Queen, who was usurped by Karoma, wife of Osorkon II found.

Under Osorkon I. the Temple was greatly expanded. From its construction date remains of a portico. Her gates and pillars were made ​​of granite, the walls of limestone. Under Osorkon II the building was extended. From a gate made of red granite considerable remains are still preserved. They are illustrations of the Sed festival. These representations are among the most comprehensive sources for this festival that Osorkon II in its 22nd year of reign celebrated, which is unusual, because it usually took place in the 30th year of reign. Blocks of the gate are still on site, but also in various collections such as in Berlin, the Louvre or the British Museum. Osorkon II also built another portico with Hathorsäulen, that is, the capitals of the columns show the face of the goddess Hathor. The ruler consecrated in the temple also has a shrine of red granite. The God mahes Osorkon II consecrated a small temple, not far from the Temple of Bastet.

Under Nectanebo II, the temple was expanded and the Holy of Holies even completely redesigned. The new Holy of Holies of the ruler was about 60 x 60 m tall and likely replaced the the old temple. The walls of the new building consisting primarily of red granite. Fragments of basalt and quartzite suggest that important components of this material existed. Remains of four cry types are attested. The Hauptnaos of Bastet was about 3.5 m high and situated in the center of the temple house. Another shrine was Bastet, Lady of the shrine dedicated to that was once about 3 m high. Its fragments are now in London and in the field of Tell Basta. According to iconographic specifics of this naos was originally perhaps a barque shrine which housed the cult of the goddess bark and / or their bark cult image. In addition, all worshiped in Bubastis guest deities possessed at least one other Naos. They were the Month, Horhekenu, Harsaphis, of Sekhmet, the Wadjet and Schesemtet Dedicated to the Temple is also the location of a copy of the so-called Canopus - decree. It is the decision of a priest Synod in the year 238 BC, the 9th year of the reign of Ptolemy III.

Treasure finds

In Bubastis, there were various treasures. On September 22, 1906 came here in rail laying a hoard of silver and gold vessels to days of which a part of the Metropolitan Museum in New York was purchased. The objects date to the 19th Dynasty. A vessel called the reigning queen Tausert. Another treasure was born on October 17, 1906 in the field of Bastet Temple days, turn from silver and gold vessels consisting. This discovery came to the Egyptian museum of Cairo. A third hoard came on 9 April 1992, again in the temple area to days and consists of a set of golden amulets and jewels, which were found in two alabaster vases.