| Discussion of virtual reconstruction and interpretative choices |
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The tomb of Tia and Tia consisted of an open forecourt, pylon, outer courtyard, columned peristyle, a central antechapel flanked by two side chapels, and a cult sanctuary with small side room; a pyramid faced with limestone blocks stood behind the structure. The 3D model of the tomb was built based primarily on the description, ground plans, and cross-section reconstruction drawings in Martin (1997: 3–11, pls. 1, 2, 4, 5); the plan and description of the open forecourt come from Raven et al. (1991: figs. V.1, V.2, V.4). The 3D model is a highly simplified version of the monument.The main pylon was hypothesized to stand 6m tall from floor level, including the cavetto cornice; walls of the outer courtyard were reconstructed as ~3.65m, and the papyriform columns in the peristyle 2.9m, with a roof above at ~3.65. The central antechapel was slightly lower, with an estimated column height of ~2.5-2.65m, and the roof ~3.15. The northern side chapel off the antechapel (chapel C) was mostly destroyed, but the excavator suggested that it originally had two doorways, including one leading into the side room of the cult sanctuary (room I); this suggested detail was included in the model, although highly speculative. The excavators suggested that the pyramid’s original height stood to 6.35m, with a 67 degree slope, on a 0.65m tall plinth, lined with limestone bricks. The original pyramidion that they believe was the one inscribed for Tia and Tia, removed from Egypt and now lost, was described as approximately 2.5 feet tall (~ 0.76m) and likely made of diorite. These details have been followed in the 3D visualization of the pyramid and capstone.The excavator also mentioned that the difference between the pavement levels of Horemheb and Tia was a full 1m, done intentionally by the builders to elevate Tia’s structure (Martin 1997: 3). This terrace was added to the model in order to position it correctly in relation to that of the neighboring tomb of Horemheb.On the south wall of the outer courtyard (F), a small chapel of a man named Iurudef was added, based on the description of Raven et al. (1991).
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