The ‘Phocas Pillar’ 1: Denon, 1798

Baron Vivant Denon made a drawing of a column on the same occasion as his long-distance drawing (this column may be discerned on its right-hand side). Grenfell and Hunt make no mention of this column, nor do they show it on their plans; it must have vanished by the time of their first visit in 1897. Features in the background, still visible today, enable its position to be located.

What we see in Denon’s view is only the upper part of the column. The lower part was presumably buried in sand; at any rate, it must have been buried in 1897-1907 because Grenfell and Hunt do not mention it either, but it was partially visible by the time of Petrie’s visit in 1922.

Phocas Pillar 2 / The Site