EGT

354

EGT

usual disposition, the intercolumn being seldom greater thana diameter and a half, except in the centre of a portico,where a doorway intervened, which practice is identical withthat of the Greeks, as evinced in the Doric order. Theheight of the colonnade from the base of the columns to thetop of the projecting cornice, with which they were sur-mounted, is about 38 feet. This court is not level, but has aconsiderable ascent towards the farthest side, which is effectedby a series of low and very wide steps, extending the wholewidth of the quadrangle, and commencing at its entrance.The width of each step is that of a column and inter-column, and the total rise is 56 feet. This alteration of levelseems to have been introduced for the purpose of givingelevation to the grand portico which forms the farther side ofthe court, and consists of eighteen columms, in three rows ofsix each, placed one behind the other, and flanked on eitherside by a wall so as to resemble a Greek hexastyle inantis, with the exception that here there are three parallelrows one behind the other, while in Grecian templesthere are never more than two. The portico, however, bears agreater resemblance to the propylasa of the Greeks, than totheir temples, both being open in front, and enclosed on theirother sides, having several rows of columns one behind theother. The columns in this portico, or pronaos, are loftierthan those in the court below, and are surmounted like themwith a projecting cornice. The spaces between the frontrow of columns are filled up to about half their height witha screen or dado, which gives the upper part of the inter-column the appearance of a window. The middle intercolumnis treated in a somewhat different manner, the wall or screenbeing carried up somewhat higher, and advanced a little infront of the general line ; the sides likewise being flankedwith short columns, and the entrance to the pronaos beingcut through the screen. In the wall at the further end ofthis first hall, is an entrance into a second of smaller dimen-sions, a space being taken off each side for passages. Thishall is hypostyle, covered with a flat roof composed of thickslabs of stone, resting on large stone beams, which aresupported again by twelve columns disposed in three rowsof four each, closely set, so as to leave only narrow passagesbetween them. From this hall we come into a chamber,having its greatest length in the width of the building, asalso has the portico, and having entrances to the passagesat the side of this chamber, and the hypostyle hall, fromwhich access is obtained by means of steps to the top of thesehos. Beyond this is another similar chamber of smallerdimensions, having a cell on either side, supposed to havebeen for the priests. Entrance is obtained from this chamberinto the sanctuary, which is a small covered chamber,having its greatest length parallel with that of the mainbuilding ; its size is about 33 feet by 17, and in it wasplaced the image of the deity. Bound the two sides andfurther end of the sanctuary, is a passage, to which accessis obtained from the second chamber, and round this againa larger area of similar shape, into which the smaller one led,and which gave access to the top of the sanctuary. In mostinstances, in front of the whole building, and a short distancein advance of the propylasa, were erected two obelisks ofgreat height, and covered with hieroglyphics, and in frontof them a long avenue, or dromos, as it is called, formed bytwo rows of sphinxes, placed at short intervals from eachother, the space between the two rows forming a way or roadto the temple. Strabo, the historian , who saw this templewe have been describing, alludes to this avenue—“Beforethe pillars or propylasa,” says he, “ is a paved road or avenueabout 100 feet in breadth, or sometimes less, and in lengthfrom the entrance from 300 to 400 feet, or even more. This

, nfwhick

is called the dromos; through the whole length ^ ^ tb®and on each side of it, sphinxes are regularly P* aCdistance of 30 feet from each other, which form 8 ^^ a jiC erow on each side. Between the sphinxes y° u oftowards the temple, until you come to a large prop! ^ yoUtriumphal entrance, through which you pass; 8® pas9advance, you come to another propylteum, whieh y^.j y 0 athrough ; then to a third; and still keep passing oncome to the entrance into the temple.” xadff^

The above description, although of a particular ewill answer with but little alteration for any °.^ u t glig^all such buildings being built on a similar plan, with g f %variations in particular instances. They all c0 ^ gar on 8sekos, or sanctuary, of small dimensions, situate ^ ^jthextremity of the building, surrounded on all ®j iro0 gh 8chambers, passages, and courts, and approached th®

series of covered halls and colonnaded atria, the w joyingbuildings being inclosed within an outer wall, aI ' o j eg N°a grand entrance flanked by two pyramidal ®° flg jtio8matter to what date a building may belong, or w a differ'it may occupy, the general form is the same, the 0 7 c0 uft 8ence being in the size, and in the number of a fCmor e£and buildings. In some cases, we have two or me tiBi eS

- and 80U * t he

line ee°cou>' ts ’

entrance. The temple at Luxor has as many as th re ® ,joU^ ethe first with a double peristyle, the second wit ^ {fierange of columns extending throughout its l er) S 0 ’ u ble r °'fthird flanked by colonnades, each consisting of a ^ tbi®of columns. To give some idea of the magnitu ^j urI) ii9work, we may add, that in the second court,were 56 feet high, and lli feet in diameter. ^ ^ buildi^

pylsea, and courts preceding the temple,avenues of columns crossing the courts in a

ci 1 . 1 $ teet in aiameici. ],buh l, "‘'iWe now pass on to consider the elevation of sue rat ni<l tlmore in detail. The contour of the elevation was P v res e °

- a r . t !,e

mu. c ... uoitiu. The contour of the elevationthroughout; not only did the obelisks and pT°pythis appearance, but even the walls, spreading^^ fo rrne gbase, and converging towards the apex, and as ivh°^ uthe external face of the building, they gave con3 ide rapyramidal appearance, which doubtless adds , ara0 ter> 8tl (yto the expression of strength, which is a marked e j^jldidoof the style. The columns are the only parts o ^ e jng ,in which this form is not observable, their p r0 „ (Jrec ,athe most part vertical. This is just the reverse ^ c0 lua irlarchitecture ; for there the walls are vertical, an . sail 1 ®'

sloping or conical, the general effect,pyramidal; for whereas in the Grecian b lnse S 0 S fcolumns are placed on the exterior, in l —- s j u!lll )S, s ° 1walls are external, surrounding the upright c° t j l6 gad 1 'the profile of the building, taken as a who e, ^

although the arrangement is reversed. ter®'"” C r tg

An Egyptian order—if we may so apply ^iflch Pt- eJ .sists, like the Greek, of column and entablatur ’ reJO a’° s 0 „ e ,we proceed to consider separately. ,® X ' S jqp, r ing 111 jjlchus examples of columns in great variety, di j 0 f vV , gn jproportions, and decoration, a few specimen 8 in 1

we can pretend to notice. The diversity °“ seI t ais so great, that it would be futile to a ! te q ar ;tie 8 . a joclassification ; for examples which present sia3 | )ge ag reel jyle 8 >or decoration, differ in proportions, whil e t l0 .^ 0 (her 8the latter vary in many other particulars. A 8 gliaf*’the column consists of three members, _a d* 9 , i:

however,

i the, the

slop 1

lOg

id

jai<*

UC OU1UU1U UL - ter ®eu “ ,

apital; the first, however, can scarcely o j za ble, 8member, being in some cases scarcely recog uS ually 8 jy 0 rnnone forming a very prominent feature. I v roj eet ^ gidd 8circular slab of stone or plinth, sometimes the

and at others flush with the face of the sha ^ gbaprojection as the widest or bulging portion