Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/690

 654 ARCHITECTUEE was a row of sphinxes, leading to the propy- lon or gateway, before which stood the obe- lisks, thus forming an entrance into an open quadrilateral court surrounded by porticos. Ruins of the Temple of Quorneth at Thebei. Opposite this entrance was another leading into a spacious hall, whose ceiling was sup- ported by columns. In the rear of this prin- cipal hall were one or more smaller ones. The walls, ceilings, and columns were decorated with figures in bass-relief and hieroglyphics^ richly colored. The colors most generally em-" ployed were yellow, red, green, and blue. The palaces were constructed upon a plan very similar to that of the temples. We know little concerning the habitations of the great mass of the nation. According to some, houses were constructed in stories, while others assume that their abodes were mere huts. This people de- voted their lives and money to the construc- tion of their tombs. Besides their wonderful cities of the dead, hewn in rocks or imbedded in hills, the Egyptians reared their stupendous pyramids, the most gigantic monuments exist- ing. Their ground plan is perfectly square, the sides presenting nearly equilateral triangles. From the immensity of these constructions, some have suggested the probability of the existence of a natural rock or hill within. Whether or not the outer surface was smooth or graduated with steps, when finished, it is impossible for us to decide. The constructions of the Egyptians are in granite, breccia, sand- stone, and brick, which different materials are adjusted with much precision. We cannot but wonder at their monolithic obelisks, especially when we reflect upon the immense distances they were transported. The pyramidal shape pervades most of their works, the walls of their temples inclining inward. The jambs to their entrance gates also were generally in- clined. The Egyptians never used columns peripterally even under the dominion of the Greeks and Romans; when the column was used externally, the space intervening was walled up to a certain height. To these cir- cumstances, together with the fact that their monuments were terraced, can be ascribed their massive and solid appearance. With them, columns were employed to form porticos in their interior courts, and also to support the ceilings. The shafts, of different forms, being conical, or cylindrical, or bulging out at the base, sometimes presented a smooth surface; they were rarely fluted, being generally cov- ered with hieroglyphics. Occasionally they were monoliths, but were generally constructed in layers, and covered with hieroglyphics; a circular plinth formed the base. The capitals resemble the lotus, either spreading out at the top or bound together, assuming the bulbous shape; above is a square tablet forming the abacus. Others, of a later date, present pro- jecting convex lobes ; while other capitals are composed of a rectangular block with a head carved on either side, surmounted by a die also carved. Caryatic figures were also employed by the Egyptians, and were generally placed against walls or pillars, thus appearing to sup- port the entablature, composed of a simple architrave and a coved cornice, with a large torus intervening, which descends the angles of the walls. II. GRECIAN ARCHITECTURE. The Pelasgians appear to have been the first people settled in Greece numerous remains of whose structures are still extant. Subsequent- ly, from the knowledge possessed by the in- digenous tribes, together with that acquired from the Egyptians and the Asiatic nations, the Greeks extracted and developed a style peculiarly their own, and architectural art passed from the gigantic to the elegant and classic forms. Under the government of Per- icles it flourished with meridian splendor, and some of the most superb edifices the world has ever seen were erected during this pe- riod. The Grecian monuments belonged to the states, and upon the public works the governments lavished fabulous sums. Hee- ren informs us that the Greeks placed the necessary appropriation of funds for the public works at the head of the government expendi- tures. The thoughts of the whole Greek na- tion, it would seem, were turned toward the adornment of their cities. They forbade by law any architectural display on private resi- dences, and in fact, until after Greece became subject to Macedonia, architects were permit- ted to work only for the government. The Greeks loved recreation, and the government, as a political necessity, provided the populace with amusements. Hence the Grecian cities were adorned with temples, theatres, odeons, gymnasiums, choragic monuments, and the like. The Grecian temple consisted of a pro- naos or vestibule, and a naos or cella. These sometimes were accompanied by an opisthodo- mns, supposed to be the treasury, together with a rear portico, or posticum. According