Palace of Apries

Memphis: palace of Apries, background information

The main palace building was excavated in two seasons between 1908 and 1910. It is located on a massive artificial platform. Most of the walls of the palace are constructed in mud-brick, while important elements such as columns, pavements and wall cladding (at least to a certain height) are of limestone. Some of the capitals of the columns still bore the name of king Apries (589-570 BC), who was therefore most likely the builder of main parts of the complex. The palace is part of an extensive complex, called 'camp' by Petrie. On Digital Egypt for Universities it is assumed that this 'camp' was once a great palace complex, of which the building called the Palace of Apries was only a small, though perhaps the main part. The original location of the reliefs found is not known. Digital Egypt offers therefore different possible versions of a reconstruction: the reliefs as part of a separated gateway or the reliefs as decoration of the palace facade.