Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/164

 l:il THE AXCIRXT CHRISTIAN CHrRCHES OK ilUSR KL ATERKAH. of folio size. It is aJornetl with a cross in relief in the centre of each side, with small crosses at the angles, and with Coptic and Arabic inscriptions and foliage-work. This fine work of art cannot, I snppose, be less than 400 or 500 years old, I also saw here some rich vestments of crimson and p:old, and a u;irdle whose clasps of silver-gilt arc enriched with niello. To the right of the church is another small chapel of Abou Eer and Abou llanna, sepa- rated by open grill- work from the aisle. Within, the bones of these Saints are preserved in the usual bolster-like relicpiaries covered with crimson silk. Church of Teodrtts. — The plan ol" this clnu-ch is three aisles, supported upon two masses of masonry, and two groups of two elegant pillars each, and surmounted by four domes. Before the Iconostasis stands a large candlestick still in use. The night before my last visit, the aged priest, who resides in Cairo, had .slept in the nave of the church, on whose floor were spread his mattrass, pipe, and coffee pot. Here are one old silver, and one iron Evangelis- torion, many silver hand-crosses, and a silver fan ornament. I was able to purcliasc fVuiu the adjoining house a beautiful glass Araliic lamp, now in the Christy Collection in the British .Museum, with the inscription, " 0, the Learned One,'' in Arabic, repeated several times round the l)owl VI, Daiir Mi'lek Afichaccl. — This convent contains the church of the Archangel Michael, and is the occasional residence of the Metropolitan." The church is of no great antiquity, tln^ugh vei'y pi(turcs(jU(']y situated, ']I. JJfif/r Adra Miriam. Tins convent is exquisitelv situated close to the Kil(>, and at a lincbciid of (lie river. In its external wall is imbedded at a c(»iisidcrable height a stone covered with Egyptian hiei-oglyjthics, and peilia|>s brought from tlu; neighbouring (piarries of Toorali, The church of Adra Miiiam is of no great anti(|iiity. In it I observed asmall bronze bell atta»;hed toai'od; this is the only sjx'cimen I hae seen in a Coptic church. I r<.uiid here a <|uantity of books in an onion-room I The}' are all wiiiteii on cotton j)aper, and an; of no j»articular interest, with the e.ce{)tion of on(.- NNhich Contains some cuiious illuiiiinalions. hiomrcliy w(!ro tliUHuniiiiicrnb'd Ui tiiu liy G. Kitliilj; 7. Sbntntiiuji. an inUlligviit Copt : -1. Halr&cL ; 'J.
 * 'I'lio lic Mitnii;."<. Inoof; 4. I'lii-inuoH ; C. Ahci-b;