Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/382

 806 NORTH-EAST AFRICA. all the other sculptures also commemorate the glory of Ramses, conqueror of the Hittites. On the ceiling of one hall are carefully drawn various species of animals no longer met with in Nubia, but only in Kordofan and Senar. The smaller temple, consecrated to the goddess Ilathor, has six colossi over 30 feet in height before the facade, and four of these huge masses again represent Ramses IT. ; two of the statues, the second and fifth, reproduce the features of Nofreari, the " Divine Beauty," and their children are placed between the knees of the wedded pair. Maharrakah — Beit-el-'Walli. The imposing sanctuaries of Abu-Sirabel are succeeded by many other temples, which extend as far as the First Cataract. Fourteen have been described by archaeologists, without including the sepulchral grottoes, gateways, and towers. Passing beyond the temple of Sabua, almost buried in the sand, and the ruins of the ancient town of JIahendi, whose tunnel- shaped galleries are still to be seen passing under the houses, the traveller reaches the Roman ruins of Maharrakah, which crown a promontory commanding an extensive prospect. Then come Dakkch, with its gigantic gateways, and Garf-Hossain, a sombre cavern hewn out of the limestone rock, now infested by bats, like all the abandoned edifices of ancient Egypt. Beyond this point are seen the ruins of Kalahshah, another superb temple built by Ramses II., where a Greek inscription has been found recording the victories that the Nubian king, Silco, gained over the Blemmyes. Close by yawns the well-known speos or sepulchral cave of Beii-el- Walli, whose sculptures, representing triumphal processions, assaults, court and battle scenes, have been rendered more popular by engravings than any others. Although somewhat tarnished by the castings taken from them, the colours of the paintings of Beit-el-AValli are still remarkably brilliant. The defile leading from Egypt in the direction of Nubia is preceded by temples and necropolises, which form, as it were, a long avenue of tombs. Cata- combs are much more numerous than populated dwellings, and this region probably contains fewer living men than gods engraved on the walls of the temples or scidptured in the granite.