Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/236

 204 HISTORY OF ABCHITECTUKE. Part I. CHAPTER V. INVENTION OF THE ARCH. BEFORE leaving this early section of architecture, it may be as well briefly to refer to the invention of the true arch, regarding which considerable misconception still exists. It is generally sujjposed that the Egyptians were ignorant of the true principles of the arch, and only employed two stones meeting one another at a certain angle in the centre when they wished to cover a larger space than could conveniently be done by a single block. This, however, seems to be a mistake, as many of the tombs and chambers around the pyramids and the temples at Thebes are roofed by stone and brick arches of a semicircular form, and perfect in every respect as far as the principles of the arch are concerned. Several of these have been drawn by Lepsius, and are engraved in his work ; but, as no text accompanies them, and the drawings are not on a suflicient scale to make out the hieroglyi^hics, Avhere any exist, their date cannot now be ascertained. Consequently these examples caimot yet be used as the foundation of any argument on the subject, though the curved form of the roofs in the Third Pyramid would alone be suflicient to render it more than proba1)le that during the period of the 4th dynasty the Egyptians were familiar with this expedient. At Beni Hassan, during the time of the 12th dynasty, curvilinear forms reappear in the roofs (Woodcut No 15), used in such a manner as to render it almost certain that they are copied from roofs of arcuate construction. Beliind the Khaniession at Thebes there are a series of arches in brick, which seem undoubtedly to belong to the same age as the V»uilding itself; and Sir G. Wilkinson mentions a tomb at Thebes, the roof of which is vaulted with bricks, and still bears the name of Amciiopli I., of the 18th dynasty.^ The temple at Al)ydos, erected by Rhameses IL, shows the same peculiarity as the tombs at Beni Hassan, of a flat segmental arch tlirown across between the stone architraves. In this instance it is also a copy in stone, but such as must have been originally copied from one of l»rick construction. There is also every reason to believe that the apartments of the little pavilion at Mcdinet Habou (Woodcuts 1 Wilkinson's " Egypt and Thebes," pp. 81 and 126.