Architectural Drawing of a Garden

1295-01-01T00:00:00Z

This fragmentary architectural drawing shows part of a small shrine (at upper right, in red) facing a body of water (at far left) and surrounded by trees within an enclosure wall of mud brick (in back). An orchard, also enclosed, runs parallel to the water. The measurements of the walls are written from right to left, and each begins with a hieroglyph in the shape of a forearm, which means "cubit," the Egyptian unit of length. This symbol is followed, in each case, by a number: an elongated semicircle stands for ten, and a stroke stands for one. Thus, the width of the orchard is thirty-two cubits.