RESULTS OF EXCAVATIONS AT BUBASTIS. 161 
every one of them was found to be a fragment of a statue, or 
of a group which had been cut up, sometimes partly erased 
and afterwards walled in; one of the sides being flattened in 
order to engrave on it the sculptures of Osorkon IT. Most of 
these fragments bear the name of Rameses II. Sometimes 
the remains of the old statue are in a fair state of preservation, 
such as, for instance, the block which has been given to the 
Museum of Liverpool, where there is on one side a very good 
head of Rameses; on the other, a sculpture of the sacred boat 
in which the emblem of Amon was carried ; the piece of statue 
was used simply as building material, for when it was walled 
in, the head was turned upside down. Sometimes also we 
come across the feet of a colossal statue; on the base, what 
would be under the feet, if the statue were standing, there are 
sculptures of Osorkon. [I do not believe all this wanton 
destruction was done by Osorkon intentionally; although he 
usurped a good number of the cartouches of Rameses, I cannot 
fancy that it was he who broke such a great number of statues, 
while he respected others bearing also the name of Rameses. 
I presume that the Bubastites found the temple in a state of 
ruin, and that they made use of what they found on the spot, 
leaving intact the statues which had not suffered any damage, 
and taking what was broken for their building, instead of 
fetching granite blocks all the way from Assooan. Osorkon 
II. was also a king very little known. I had already discovered 
some constructions of hisat Pithom. At Bubastis he recorded 
one of the principal events of his life, a great festival given 
in the temple in the 22nd year of his reign, on the Ist 
of the month of Choiak. It is extraordinary that the 
festival is not given in the honour of Bast, but of Amon. 
It is evidently an old tradition which Osorkon had to 
follow, something which “took place since the days of 
his father,” as he says in the inscription. It was very 
likely for the purpose of this festival that he re-built the 
second hall to which he gave the name of the “ festive hall.” 
The walls are covered with sculptures representing the scenes 
of the festival ; unfortunately, although every block on which 
there was an inscription or a sculpture has been stamped or 
photographed, it will never be possible to make a connected 
description of it. The king is generally represented as a god ; 
he sits in a sanctuary, the goddess Bast is standing before 
him, or he has with him his queen, Karoama, as may be seen 
on a large sculpture now in the British Museum. Sometimes 
they are accompanied by three of their daughters, whose 
names are given. The gods of Hgypt are supposed to be 
present at the festival, and there are long series of them 
VOL. XXIII. M 
