Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/155

 Bk. I. Ch. IV. KINGDOM OF THE PHARAOHS. 123 according to the original design, and strictly a temple, without any- thing about it that could justify the supposition of its being a palace. It was erected by the first king of the 19th dynasty, and consists of two pylons, approached through an avenue of sphinxes. Within this is an hypaethral court, and beyond that a small hypostyle hall, lighted from above as shown in the section (Woodcut No. 26). Within this is the cell, surrounded by a passage, and with a smaller hall lieyond, all apparently dark, or very imperfectly lighted. The gate- way in front of the avenue was erected by the Ptoleniys, and, like many Egyptian buildings, is placed at a different angle to the direction of the building itself. Besides its intrinsic beauty, this temple is interesting as being far more like the temples erected afterwards under the Greek and Roman domination, than anything else be- longing to that early age. At Tanis, or Soan, near the mouth of the Xile, the remains of a temple and of 13 obelisks can still be traced. At Soleb, on the borders of Xubia, a temple now stands of the Third Ameno- ]this, scarcely inferior in beauty or magnificence to those of the capital. At Sedinga, not far below the third cataract, are the remains of temj^les erected by Amenophis III., of the 18th dynasty, which is interesting as introducing in a completed form a class of pillar that afterwards became a great favorite with Egyptian architects (Woodcut No. 27). Before this time we find these Isis heads, either painted or carved on the face of square piers, but so as not to interfere Avith the lines of the ])illars. Gradually they became more important, so as to form a double capital, as in this instance. In the Roman times, as at Dendera (Woodcut No. 39, ]i. 13G), all the four faces of the pier were so adorned, though it must be admitted in very questionable taste. It would be tedious to attempt to enumerate without illustrating all the fragments that remain of temples of this age. Some are so ruined, that it is diflicult to make out their plan. Others, like those of Memphis or Tanais, so entirely destroyed, that only their site, or at most only their leading dimensions, can be made out. Their loss is of course to be regretted ; but those enumerated above are sufticient to enable us to judge both of the style and the magnificence of the great building epoch. peeo o Pillar, from Sedinga.