Malkata

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Malkata (or Malqata) is a place located on the west bank of Thebes, Egypt, in Egypt, in the desert south of Medinet Habu. It is most famous for being the location of the palace of the king Amenhotep III. Amenhotep III built the temple for his favored queen Tiy and also to honor Sobek, the crocodile god. Malkata's modern Arabic name means the place where things are picked up.

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[edit] Palace of Amenhotep III

There are various structures in the desert, consisting of several residential palaces, a temple of Amun, a festival hall, elite villas, houses for the relatives of the Royal Family, apartments for attendants, and a desert altar termed the Kom al-Samak, all of which were constructed by mud bricks.

Palace of Malkata from the air, looking north
Palace of Malkata from the air, looking north

The palace was built in the 14th century BC and its ancient name was Per-Hay, "House of Rejoicing". Originally the palace was known as the Palace of the Dazzling Aten. It was constructed mostly out of mud-brick, the palace was Amenhotep's residence throughout most the later part of his reign. Begun around year 11 of his reign and continued until the king moved here permanently around year 29. Once completed it was the largest royal residence in Egypt.

To the east of the palace a large ceremonial lake was dug. The palace area was connected to the Nile through a system of canals, which end in a large habour or quay, now called Birket Habu.

[edit] Layout of the palace

The palace contained many audience halls, central halls, courtyards, villas and smaller palace complexes for the king's family, and apartments for cabinet members. A harbor and canal connected the palace with the Nile, allowing easy travel across river to the city of Thebes situated on the East Bank. There is little evidence of this lake today, and little but the foundations of the palace itself remain.

The King's Apartments featured a bedroom, a dressing room, a private audience chamber, and a harem, which, after the reign of Amenhotep III, was used simply for storage. The palace had a central courtyard, and across from the king's rooms were apartments for his daughters and son. His Great Royal Wife, Tiye, had her own smaller palace complex diagonally across from the King's. The palace grounds contained gardens, and a large pleasure lake.

Remains of a temple of Amun to the north of the palace, but still in the complex, have been found. Also, a "desert altar" on the outskirts of the ruins has been excavated. Other remains of a temple to the goddess Isis lies south of the main palace complex.

Malqata was managed by a veritable army of servants and staff. Remains of kitchens, near the king's chamber, have been found, and servant's quarters. The palace was in itself almost like a city, with officials in charge of different sections such as the gardens and the different apartments and quarters.

[edit] Palace decorations

Fragments of plastered wall paintings have given archaeologists a glimpse of how the palace was decorated. Various paintings of the goddess Nekhbet made up the ceiling of the king's bedchamber. The walls were decorated with scenes of wildlife - flowers, reeds and animals in the marshes, and decorative geometric designs complete with rosettes. Ornate wood columns painted like lilies supported the ceilings. In the palace archaeologists also found some pictures of queen Tiye.

[edit] History of the palace

The palace seems to have been begun by Amenhotep III in the early 14th century BC, and the site was occupied as late as the Roman-Byzantine Period. Malqata was most definitely Amenhotep's main residence in Thebes, the capital of ancient Egypt, and therefore probably his main palace in all of the country. Remains of other smaller palaces in Thebes and other cities across Egypt have been found, but none as large as Amenhotep's palace at Malqata.

Malqata was abandoned by Akhenaten, Amenhotep III's son and successor, when he moved the capital to his new city at Amarna. However, it may have been inhabited again by Tutankhamen, when the traditional religion, and capital, were restored. Tutankhamen's successor Ay probably inhabited it briefly, and King Horemheb after him, but obviously by the ascension of Ramses II, it was simply a minor residence, as the capital was moved to Pi-Ramesses in the far north.


[edit] Excavations

The palace ruins were "rediscovered" in 1888 by Daressy, then by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1910-1920, then by University Museum of Pennsylvania in the 1970s and have been the site of excavations by the Archaeological Mission of Waseda University since 1985.

[edit] Deir el-Shelwit

[edit] Temple of Isis

Just south of the palace there is a temple devoted to Isis which was built in the Roman period. The modern name for this temple is Deir al-Shalwi.

[edit] Roman settlement and cemetery

Excavations of the area by the Waseda team in the early 1970's unearthed the remains of a Roman settlement and cemetery, finding remains from the times of Trajan and Hadrian.

[edit] Malkata today

Next to the site is a modern village. Here there is a tiny church and monastery dedicated to St Tawdros.

[edit] References

  • Fletcher, J. Egypt's Sun King: Amenhotep III, 2000
  • Uphill, Eric P.: Egyptian Towns and Cities. Shire Egyptology Series 8 (1988).

[edit] External links


Coordinates: 25°42′55″N, 32°35′28″E

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