AFRICA. CHAPTER III. LOWER AEGYPT, OR THE DELTA. General description of the Aegyptian Delta.-Aegyptian architecture, CHAP. III. its religious character contrasted with the aesthetic character of the architecture of Greece.-Plan of an Aegyptian temple.--Approached by an avenue lined with sphinxes.-Colossi and obelisks before the grand entrance, which consisted of a lofty gateway between two oblong pyramidal moles.-Interior, consisting of an open court, a portico, an hypo-. stile hall, and a holy recess.-Frequent multiplication of the entrances, courts, porticoes, and halls, both in front and on each side of the holy recess.-Ñames and description of the several parts.—The sacred enclosure or ieron. The avenue or dromos.-The entrance or propylaea, consisting of a gateway or pylon between two oblong flat-topped pyramids or ptera. -The open court behind the propylaea surrounded by colonnades.-The portico or pronaos supported by columns.-The second pronaos or hypostile hall. The proper temple or naos, including the holy recess or sekos, and the side adyta.-Chambers, galleries, and passages, for the use of the priests.-Topography of the Delta.-Bubastis.-Magnificent temple of Bubastis or Artemis.-Entirely surrounded by water, excepting at the entrance.-Conspicuous site.-The enclosure or temenus, (ieron,) a square of 600 feet each way, surrounded by a sculptured wall.-Propylaea (ptera) 60 feet high, and adorned with sculptures 9 feet high.Grove of trees planted round the naos.-Paved avenue or dromos of a mile long, and 400 feet broad.—Ancient settlements of the Ionians and Carians. Modern site of Bubastis indicated by the mounds of Tel Basta.Busiris.-Temple of Isis.-Sais.-Palace of Apries.-Temple of Athene. -Splendid propylaea built by Amasis. Colossi, obelisks, and androsphinxes.-Huge rock chamber, or monolith.-Tombs of the Saïte kings, Apries, Amasis, etc.-Tomb of Osiris.-Circular lake.-Modern site of Sais identified with that of Ssa.-Heliopolis.-Temple of Helios with two obelisks 250 feet high and 12 feet broad, dedicated by Pheron.— Papremis.-Temple of Ares.-Buto.-Temple of Apollo and Artemis.Temple and oracle of Leto.-Floating island of Chemmis with temple of Apollo.-Naucratis.-Anciently the only Aegyptian port for Greek ships.-The Hellenium sanctuary.-Sanctuaries built by the Aeginetans, Samians, and Milesians.-Anthylla, given to the wife of the Persian satrap.-Archandropolis.-Marea. Apis.-Momemphis. — Pelusium.— Daphnae.-Magdolus.-Buto.-Taricheia of Pelusium.-Tower of Per-Temple of Heracles at Taricheia.-Lake Serbonis. - Mount Casius. Marshes of the Delta.--Island of Elbo.-Present state of the Delta marshes. Great canal from Bubastis to Suez, commenced by Neco, and finished by Darius.-Survey of the course of the canal.Division of the route into four sections.-1. Line from Suez to the Bitter seus. Lakes.-2. Basin of the Bitter Lakes.-3. Elbow round through the CHAP. III. the Aegyp LOWER AEGYPT, or the DELTA, is a triangular tract AFRICA. whose soil consists of the mud of the Nile resting upon the desert sand. Its breadth along the Medi- General deterranean coast is now about eighty-five miles, and scription of its length from the Mediterranean to the fork of the tian Delta. Nile is about ninety miles. It is thus shaped like a huge fan, whose green centre from the handle to the broad end is represented by fertile meadows, plantations, and orchards; and whose semicircular border is formed by successive bands of marsh, sand-hills, and beach, beyond which is the blue expanse of the Mediterranean. In the time of Herodotus this region was covered with beautiful cities, and adorned with magnificent temples, obelisks, and colossal statues. But now the scene is changed. Many of the temples have furnished materials for the building of modern towns; obelisks and colossi are buried beneath earth and rubbish; whilst smaller works of art have been broken up or carried away by the successive pillagers of the country. Monuments of Aegyptian art have adorned the cities of Rome and Constantinople; and other European capitals besides our own are enriched with the spoils of this ancient land. architec ligious cha racter con the archi Before we commence our topographical descrip- Aegyptian tion, it will be necessary to pay an imaginary visit ture, its reto an Aegyptian temple, survey its different parts, and form a general idea of its plan and arrange- trasted with ments. At first we are struck with the marked character of difference between the architecture of Aegypt and tecture of that of Hellas, which may be regarded as its off- Greece. spring. The traveller who visits the sanctuaries of Greece, is filled with admiration at the beauty, the harmony, and the grace of those exquisite creations of refined and thoughtful intellect; but he who penetrates the gigantic masses which compose an Aegyptian temple, is impressed with the deepest awe and reverence; he sees, not the elegance and temple. ed by an avenue lined with sphinxes. obelisks be fore the grand entrance, africa. loveliness of classic art, but the solemn approaches CHAP. III. to the inner dwelling-place of mysterious deity. The pyramid seems to be the type of the whole Plan of an building. The walls and gateways are perpenAegyptian dicular on the inside, but on the outside they slope upwards, as if towards a common centre which they never reach. The entire structure thus appears selfApproach- reposing and immoveable. In ancient times it was approached by a long paved avenue, lined on each side with colossal sphinxes-mysterious compounds of the human form with that of a lion or of a ram, thus denoting the union of intellect and strength in Colossi and the attributes of deity. At the termination of the avenue, and in front of the vast entrance, stood colossal figures in attitudes of profound repose, or obelisks of granite placed in pairs. The entrance itself consisted of a lofty gateway between two huge wings or oblong pyramidal moles, flat at the top, and of immense breadth, height, and thickness, and covered with sculptures. Within these wings probably dwelt the porters or priests. Over the gateway in the centre was the emblem of the Good Genius, Agathodaemon, consisting of a Sun supported by two asps with outspread vulture's wings. Passing through the gateway the worshipper entered a spacious court, open to the sky and surrounded by colonnades. On the opposite side of this court was the portico, supported by columns, and leading to a covered court or hall, also supported by pillars. Beyond this hall was the proper temple or holy recess, in which appeared the image of the deity or the sacred animal which formed his emblem. which conlofty gate sisted of a way between two oblong py ramidal moles. Interior consisting of an open court, a porpostile hall, tico, an hy and a holy recess. Frequent multiplica courts, por halls, both Such was the general arrangement of the Aetion of the gyptian temple-an avenue of sphinxes, a lofty gateentrances, way with pyramidal wings, an open court surroundticoes, and ed by colonnades, a portico, a covered hall supported in front by columns, and lastly, the holy recess. It will and on each however readily be seen, that the vast entrances and holy recess. exterior courts and halls might be multiplied to an indefinite extent, and not only in front of the sacred recess, but on each of its sides. The holy recess side of Propylaea. Open Court, by a colonnade. CHAP. III. itself was frequently separated into three or four AFRICA. saloons, which were probably intended for processions; and only the last saloon, consisting of a monolith of granite or porphyry, contained the sacred animal, or statue of the deity. Again, on both sides of the saloons as well as behind them were corridors leading into chambers and apartments for the use of the priests; and these were all carefully protected by outer walls from the gaze of the vulgar crowd. We must now mention the names of the several parts of the Aegyptian temple, and enter into a Names and description veral parts. of the se or ieron. or dromos. The en trance, or AFRICA. more detailed description, which will be best underCHAP. III. stood by a reference to the accompanying groundThe sacred plan. The sacred enclosure, which we may call the enclosure, temenus, or ieron, was generally a square surrounded by a wall, and it was within this square that the The avenue, temple was most frequently situated. From a gateway in the wall a broad avenue of sphinxes, called a dromos, led to the great entrance of the temple, but we have not room to represent the outer wall of the temenus, or the dromos, upon our present plan. The entrance including the wings was called the propylaea, propylaea; the gateway being called the pylon, consisting of whilst the wings or pyramidal moles were named the ptera. The open court with the colonnades was sometimes considered as belonging to the propylaeum. In our ground-plan, which is that of the temple of Edfou, there are sixteen columns, and the space between the tops of these columns and the walls are roofed over, and thus is formed the colonnade. This court seems to have been intended for the congregation of the people, in order that they might see the holy processions and ceremonies at a The portico, certain distance. Beyond the court was the portico, or pronaos, which was called the pronaos, and was supported by columns. by three or four rows of immense columns. In our a gateway, or pylon, between two oblong pyramids, The open flat-topped or ptera. court behind the propylaea surrounded by colonnades. supported ground-plan there are three rows of six columns each, making eighteen in all; the intercolumniation between the central ones being the greatest, and forming the doorway. The intercolumniations of the front pillars were built up to more than half The second the height. To this great pronaos a second pronaos, hypostile or hypostile hall, generally succeeded, as in our hall, with ground-plan. The roof of this hall, in the temple of Edfou, is flat, and formed by large beams of stone resting on the pillars, and covered with thick flat slabs. Light was obtained through small apertures The proper in the roof. All beyond the pronaos was called the pronaos, or stone roof, also supported by columns. temple, or Strabo, p. 805, Casaub. There is however some uncertainty, as Strabo has apparently confounded the ptera of the propylaea with the pronaos. Herodotus sometimes refers to the propylaea, and sometimes only to the ptera under the name of propylaca. |