drawing;
print study
- Museum number
- 2012,5033.67
- Description
-
Tombs to the westward of Ptolemais, with Porcher drawing in the foreground; preparatory drawing for plate 52 in Smith and Porcher, 'History of the Recent Discoveries at Cyrene', 1864
Watercolour, heightened with white, on a sheet of paper stuck down onto a sheet of card
- Production date
- 1861
- Dimensions
-
Height: 456 millimetres (mount)
-
Height: 233 millimetres
-
Width: 571 millimetres (mount)
-
Width: 354 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Robert Murdoch Smith and Edwin Augustus Porcher, 'History of the Recent Discoveries at Cyrene, made during an Expedition ot the Cyrenaica in 1860-61, under the auspices of Her Majesty's government' (London, 1864), p.65-67:
' Next day, the 18th...we started about mid-day for Tolmeitah (Ptolemais) ...Towards evening we came within view of a high building that marks from a great distance the situation of Tolmeitah. As we approached, we found that it was a large tomb of excellent construction, about half a mile to the westward of the city. It was now getting dark, and we pitched our tent in an ancient quarry between the large tomb and the western gate of the city, choosing this spot...on account of the shelter it afforded from the wind...Of all the remains of Ptolemais, the most prominent is the large tomb to the westward of the city, which we passed on the evening of our arrival (Plates 52 and 53). It is 55 feet in height, and is still in very perfect condition. It is built on a square platform of rock with scarped sides, about five or six feet above the surrounding ground, and contains a central chamber which occupies the whole length of the tomb, with lateral recesses for the reception of the sarcophagi. Close to the entrance is a staircase, which we found sufficiently perfect to enable us to climb to the top. In the neighbourhood are a number of quarries containing excavated tombs similar to those at Teuchira, many of which have the names of the occupants inscribed on the face of the rock.'
Dorothy M. Thorn, 'The Four Seasons of Cyrene: The Excavation and Explorations in 1861 of Lieutenants R. Murdoch Smith, R.E. and Edwin A. Porcher, R.N.' (Rome, 2007), pp.181-204
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1894
- Acquisition notes
- See Officers Reports 7 June 1894
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 2012,5033.67