Identification
| ID in this catalogue | SD Gezer |
| Type | Semicircular |
| Current Location | Unknown - the piece has been lost since at least 1923 (Pilcher 1923). |
| Catalogue Numbers | Dialface ID 537 |
| Provenance | MacAlister's excavations at Gezer |
| Date | New Kingdom, Merneptah (c. 1210 BC) |
| Dimensions | L 57 mm (Borchardt 1920) |
| Material | Ivory |
| Markings and inscriptions |
The dial retained traces of ten radiating hour lines, out of an original thirteen. The noon line is vertical. The other side contains a scene with two cartouches of Merneptah framing a depiction of the king worshipping Thoth (MacAlister 1912) or perhaps the sun god, with both figures being located in a barque and each having a sun disc with uraeii over their heads. A row of stars runs above the scene. |
| Notes |
A hole was drilled transversely through the sundial (visible in the side view in MacAlister's drawings), presumably to suspend the dial. Recent enquiries in Israel and Turkey have found no trace of this object, which is extremely important to the narrative of Egyptian influence in this part of the world. |
| Literature |
MacAlister (1912) Vol. I p. 15; Vol II p. 331 Fig. 456 Borchardt (1920) p. 48 ff. Sloley (1931) p. 173 |
Images
After MacAlister (1912) Vol II Fig. 456:
