View source for Malkata

{{short description|Archaeological site of Egypt}}
{{Infobox ancient site
| name = Malkata
| native_name =
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| map_type = Egypt
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| coordinates    = {{coord|25|42|55|N|32|35|28|E|region:EG_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| location       = [[Luxor]], [[Luxor Governorate]], [[Egypt]]
| region         = [[Upper Egypt]]
| type           = Palace complex
| part_of        = [[Theban Necropolis]], [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]]
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| epochs = [[New Kingdom of Egypt]]
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| occupants      = {{hlist|[[Amenhotep III]]|[[Tutankhamun]]}}
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| excavations    = [[Georges Daressy]] (1888) <br> The [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] (1910–1920) <br> University Museum of Pennsylvania (1970s) <br> The Archaeological Mission of [[Waseda University]] (1985)
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}}
'''Malkata''' (or '''Malqata'''; {{langx|ar|الملقطة|lit=the place where things are picked up}}), is the site of an [[Ancient Egypt]]ian palace complex built during the [[New Kingdom of Egypt|New Kingdom]], by the [[Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt|18th Dynasty]] pharaoh [[Amenhotep III]]. It is located on the West Bank of the [[Nile River|Nile]] at [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]], [[Upper Egypt]], in the desert to the south of [[Medinet Habu (temple)|Medinet Habu]]. The site also included a temple dedicated to Amenhotep III's [[Great Royal Wife]], [[Tiy]], which honors [[Sobek]], the crocodile deity.

[[Image:Malkata from the air.jpg|thumb|350px|The ruins of the west villas of the Ancient Egyptian palace, Malkata; north is at the top.]]

==Palace of Amenhotep III==
{{Infobox hieroglyphs
|name = {{center|<hiero>Q3:N35-M17-V13:N35-N5-U33-V28-N35-S15</hiero>}}
|name transcription = Pn-ṯḥn-Jtn
|name explanation = ''The Dazzling [[Aten]]''
}}
[[File:Egyptian - "Malqata Kateriskos" Vessel - Walters 4732 - Profile.jpg|thumb|Polychrome glass vase from Malkata. [[Walters Art Museum]]. The city had an extensive glass industry, the first in Egypt]]
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 of mud bricks.

The palace was built in the 14th century BC and its ancient name was ''[[Per (hieroglyph)|Per]]-Hay'', "House of Rejoicing". <!--copied as part of merge from [[Malqata]]-->
Originally, the palace was known as ''the Palace of the Dazzling [[Aten]]''. Built mostly out of mud-brick, it was Amenhotep's residence throughout most of the later part of his reign. Construction began around year 11 of his reign and continued until the king moved there permanently around his 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 harbour or quay, now called ''[[Birket Habu]]''.  While excavating the ''Birket Habu'' Egyptologists [[David O'Connor (Egyptologist)|David O'Connor]] and [[Barry Kemp (Egyptologist)|Barry Kemp]] discovered fragments of painted wall plaster from a palace they termed Site K.  This palace had apparently been demolished when the lake was built in the last decade of Amenhotep III's reign. These were unique as their artistic style closely resembled that of the [[Minoan art|Minoan civilization]], similar to those found at the earlier Thutmosid palace of [[Tell el-Dab'a|Tell el-Dab’a]] in the Delta.<ref>Barry Kemp, “The Discovery of the Painted Plaster Fragments at Malkata,” in ''Κρητη-Ανγυπτος'',
ed. Alexandra Karetsou, 45-46 (Athens: Kapon, 2000), 45-46.</ref> 

===Layout of the palace===
[[File:Bench End-Panel from a shelf support in the Palace of Amenhotep III-Fruit Stand MET 11.215.454.jpg|thumb|left|Painted bench end-panel at Malkata depicting a fruit bowl. In the collection of the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]]]
The palace contained many audience halls, central halls, courtyards, villas, smaller palace complexes for the royal family, and apartments for officials. The harbor and canal connected the palace with the [[Nile]], allowing easy travel across the river to the city of [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]], which was situated on the eastern bank. There is little evidence of this lake today and little but the foundations of the palace itself remain. 

The ''royal apartment'' 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 pharaoh's rooms were apartments for his daughters and son. His Great Royal Wife, [[Tiye]], had her own smaller palace complex diagonally across from the pharaoh's. The palace grounds contained gardens and a large pleasure lake. 

Remains exist of a temple of [[Amun]] to the north of the palace, within the complex. A "desert altar" on the outskirts of the ruins has also been excavated. Remains of a temple to the goddess [[Isis]] lie south of the main palace complex.

Malqata was managed by a veritable army of servants and staff. Remains of kitchens near the royal chamber have been found, as well as servant quarters. The palace resembled a complete city, with officials in charge of different sections, such as the gardens and the different apartments and quarters.

===Palace decorations===
[[Image:Malkata wall painting remains.jpg|right|thumb|Traces of wall painting on plastered mudbrick wall at Malkata]]
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 royal bedchamber. The walls, ceiling, and floors were painted with scenes of wildlife - flowers, reeds, and animals in the marshes, as well as geometric designs, complete with rosettes. Ornate wooden columns painted to resemble lilies supported the ceilings. Rare traces of original wall paintings are still visible on site, despite the badly ruined state of the mudbrick walls.

===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 [[Aegyptus (Roman province)|Roman-Byzantine Period]]. Malqata was most definitely Amenhotep's main residence near Thebes, the capital of [[ancient Egypt]], and therefore, probably his main palace in all of the country. Remains of other smaller palaces in [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]] and other cities throughout Egypt have been found, but none were 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]], perhaps in order to break the  influence of the powerful priests of the [[Temple of Amun]]. However, it may have been re-inhabited by the youthful [[Tutankhamen]], when the traditional religion and capital were restored and the priests of the temple regained their influence in the interwoven religion and government of Ancient Egypt. 

Tutankhamen's successor, [[Ay (pharaoh)|Ay]], probably inhabited the palace briefly, and pharaoh [[Horemheb]] after him as well, but by the ascension of [[Ramesses II]], it was simply a minor residence, as the capital was moved to [[Pi-Ramesses]] in the far north.

===Excavations===
The palace ruins were "rediscovered" several times: in 1888 by [[Georges Émile Jules Daressy|Daressy]]; by the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] in 1910–1920; by University Museum of Pennsylvania in the 1970s; and since 1985, they have been the site of excavations by the Archaeological Mission of [[Waseda University]].

==Deir el-Shelwit==
{{main|Deir el-Shelwit}}

===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''.

===Roman settlement and cemetery===
Excavations of the area by the Waseda team unearthed the remains of a Roman settlement and cemetery, finding remains from the times of [[Trajan]] and [[Hadrian]].

==Malkata today==
Next to the site is a modern village. Here there is a tiny church and monastery dedicated to Saint [[Theodore Stratelates]], also called Tawdros (or Tadros) of Shotep (AD 281-319).

{{commonscat|Malkata}}

==See also==
* [[Malqata Menat]]
* [[Aten (city)]], also known as ''The Dazzling Aten''.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* Fletcher, J. <cite>Egypt's Sun King: Amenhotep III</cite>, 2000
* Uphill, Eric P.: ''Egyptian Towns and Cities''. Shire Egyptology Series 8 (1988).

==External links==
*[http://www.waseda.jp/prj-egypt/sites/Msouth-E.html Malkat South excavations (Waseda University - in English)]
*[http://www.waseda.jp/prj-egypt/sites/MP-E.html Malkat excavations (Waseda University - in English)]
*[http://www.mnsu.edu www.mnsu.edu]

{{Landmarks of Luxor}}

<!-- part of merge from [[Malqata]] -->[[Category:Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Egypt]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Egypt]]
[[Category:Amenhotep III]]