Berkley, E.: The pharaohs and their people: scenes of old Egyptian life and history (New York, [1883])

THE TERRACED TEMPLE. 9 7

king, was sent by order of his imperious sister
to the almost inaccessible marshes of the Delta,
where he was doomed to wear out the years
of his dreary boyhood, cherishing, there can
be little doubt, the most vindictive feelings
towards the sister who, having usurped his
place, was ruling Egypt with splendour and
renown.

No reign was more distinguished than that
of Hatasu for art and architecture. She com-
pleted the magnificent temple begun during
her joint reign with her brother. An avenue
of sphinxes led up to the gate towers and
the obelisks, which were 97 feet in height,
and made of red granite capped with gold.
The temple itself stood upon four broad and
stately terraces, which rose one above another
until they touched the dazzling marble-like
limestone cliff against which they rested; the
terraces were covered with hieroglyphic in-
scriptions and carvings in bas-relief. In the
limestone rock above were excavated vast
funeral chambers, and here were buried the
queen's father and mother, a sister who died
young, and Thothmes 11. Here also Hatasu

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