DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4656#0011
DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLE.
5
shallow bases that project from 25 to 30 cm. all
round. The outline of these columns is perfectly
plain ; there are no projecting ornaments. They arc
not absolutely circular, as four flat stripes, each about
8 cm. wide, run down the length of each column,
dividing its surface into four quadrants. Almost
all the columns in the temple are divided in this
way; the photograph of the second Hypostyle
Hall (Pl. XI) shows some of these stripes. The
spacing of these columns is interesting ; they are
arranged in two parallel lines of twelve, at 4*40 m.
apart, but are grouped in six blocks of four columns
each, so as to leave a clear passage way leading to
the doors between the several groups of columns.
But the middle doors required a larger passage, so
in groups 3 and 4, to right and left of the central
passage, the columns are placed a little closer to each
other, so as to provide for the larger axial passage
without encroaching on the space required for the
side passages. The central passage is 4-65 m. wide
(measured from centre to centre of the columns on
either side) ; the side passages are 4*20 m. wide, and,
strange to say, are as nearly as possible equal to
each other (centre to centre), including the two side
passages that have the temple wall for one boundary,
this last measurement being from the centre of the
last column to the foot of the wall.
12. The Second Hypostyle Hall is 51-96 m.
long at the middle wall, 52 m. at the eastern, or
chapel wall, and 15 -90 m. broad. It contains thirty-
six columns arranged in three parallel lines of twelve,
or six groups of six each. The spacing of the groups
to allow for the passage-ways is the same as in the
first court, but the distance between the parallel lines
varies. The first line is 4-10 m. from the second
line, and the second 3 • 95 m. from the third or most
western line. The western wall of the Hall is pierced
by seven doorways leading to the seven chapels, as
these two Hypostyle halls with their sixty columns
were but an approach to the sanctuary of the temple.
Accordingly, we find that the floor, which has been
steadily sloping upwards from the outer gate, rises
suddenly just before the third row of columns in the
second hall, forming a broad terrace on which the
third row of columns stands. These columns differ
from all the others in the two halls, as instead of
being lotus-headed they have plain cylindrical shafts.
They only resemble the others in their abaci, which
are merely square corners left on the block out of
which the top drum of the shaft was cut. There is
naturally (or Egyptologically) an exception to this,
and it may be seen in the right hand column of the
Hypostyle Hall (see PL. XI), where the corners of
the head have been rounded off so as to leave only
a small flat on the front side, corresponding to the
flat stripe down the columns. The vertical rise from
floor to terrace is 55 cm. Seven stone slopes lead
from the ordinary temple floor up to the more
sacred chapel level; these slopes carry on the regular
passage-ways between the columns, and point directly
to the doorways of the seven chapels.
The chapel terrace is 5 ■ 95 m. wide, and runs the
full breadth of the temple, which is here 52 m. The
West wall is 2-10 m. thick. The doors are arranged
in the same way as the doors in the middle and E.
walls, one large one in the middle, and six smaller
ones to right and left. The middle one is 4*50 m.
high, 2-60 m. wide between the door-posts, or 3* 15 m.
if measured across the door recesses, like the doors in
middle and E. walls ; the other doorways vary be-
tween 2-15 m. and 2 ■ o m. wide between door-posts,
but are about 50 cm. more across the recesses, and
are all the same height, 4*50 m. In the same door-
way one jamb is often 10 cm. larger than the other.
In each space between the doorways there is a niche
in the wall, about 1 • 50 by i*o and "75 m- deep,
placed about 25 cm. from the ground, six niches
altogether. They may have contained small figures,
but there is no evidence on the point. Over the
centre of each door is an oval cartouche flanked by
uraei. These uraei stand out from a simple moulded
cornice, the same as in the middle wall. These
mouldings occur only on the E. side of these two
walls ; no other walls in the temple have them, and
the W. side of these middle and chapel walls are
perfectly flat.
13. In the left-hand corner of the Hall, leading off
the upper or chapel level, are two doors ; one very
small one leads to the corridor of the Kings, and the
other, a large one, leads to a small hall (A) with
three columns, and two small chambers leading off it.
In later times the upper part of the southern wall was
knocked down, leaving only three pieces of wall to
carry the roof; these pieces have been roughly
chipped into a column form, but it is evident that
originally the wall was solid. There are four niches
in this wall, the same size as the niches in the Hypo-
style Hall. The Hall is 16-30 m. long by 8-20 m.
wide ; the sides are fairly equal and parallel, but it is
one of the least rectangular chambers in the temple.
5
shallow bases that project from 25 to 30 cm. all
round. The outline of these columns is perfectly
plain ; there are no projecting ornaments. They arc
not absolutely circular, as four flat stripes, each about
8 cm. wide, run down the length of each column,
dividing its surface into four quadrants. Almost
all the columns in the temple are divided in this
way; the photograph of the second Hypostyle
Hall (Pl. XI) shows some of these stripes. The
spacing of these columns is interesting ; they are
arranged in two parallel lines of twelve, at 4*40 m.
apart, but are grouped in six blocks of four columns
each, so as to leave a clear passage way leading to
the doors between the several groups of columns.
But the middle doors required a larger passage, so
in groups 3 and 4, to right and left of the central
passage, the columns are placed a little closer to each
other, so as to provide for the larger axial passage
without encroaching on the space required for the
side passages. The central passage is 4-65 m. wide
(measured from centre to centre of the columns on
either side) ; the side passages are 4*20 m. wide, and,
strange to say, are as nearly as possible equal to
each other (centre to centre), including the two side
passages that have the temple wall for one boundary,
this last measurement being from the centre of the
last column to the foot of the wall.
12. The Second Hypostyle Hall is 51-96 m.
long at the middle wall, 52 m. at the eastern, or
chapel wall, and 15 -90 m. broad. It contains thirty-
six columns arranged in three parallel lines of twelve,
or six groups of six each. The spacing of the groups
to allow for the passage-ways is the same as in the
first court, but the distance between the parallel lines
varies. The first line is 4-10 m. from the second
line, and the second 3 • 95 m. from the third or most
western line. The western wall of the Hall is pierced
by seven doorways leading to the seven chapels, as
these two Hypostyle halls with their sixty columns
were but an approach to the sanctuary of the temple.
Accordingly, we find that the floor, which has been
steadily sloping upwards from the outer gate, rises
suddenly just before the third row of columns in the
second hall, forming a broad terrace on which the
third row of columns stands. These columns differ
from all the others in the two halls, as instead of
being lotus-headed they have plain cylindrical shafts.
They only resemble the others in their abaci, which
are merely square corners left on the block out of
which the top drum of the shaft was cut. There is
naturally (or Egyptologically) an exception to this,
and it may be seen in the right hand column of the
Hypostyle Hall (see PL. XI), where the corners of
the head have been rounded off so as to leave only
a small flat on the front side, corresponding to the
flat stripe down the columns. The vertical rise from
floor to terrace is 55 cm. Seven stone slopes lead
from the ordinary temple floor up to the more
sacred chapel level; these slopes carry on the regular
passage-ways between the columns, and point directly
to the doorways of the seven chapels.
The chapel terrace is 5 ■ 95 m. wide, and runs the
full breadth of the temple, which is here 52 m. The
West wall is 2-10 m. thick. The doors are arranged
in the same way as the doors in the middle and E.
walls, one large one in the middle, and six smaller
ones to right and left. The middle one is 4*50 m.
high, 2-60 m. wide between the door-posts, or 3* 15 m.
if measured across the door recesses, like the doors in
middle and E. walls ; the other doorways vary be-
tween 2-15 m. and 2 ■ o m. wide between door-posts,
but are about 50 cm. more across the recesses, and
are all the same height, 4*50 m. In the same door-
way one jamb is often 10 cm. larger than the other.
In each space between the doorways there is a niche
in the wall, about 1 • 50 by i*o and "75 m- deep,
placed about 25 cm. from the ground, six niches
altogether. They may have contained small figures,
but there is no evidence on the point. Over the
centre of each door is an oval cartouche flanked by
uraei. These uraei stand out from a simple moulded
cornice, the same as in the middle wall. These
mouldings occur only on the E. side of these two
walls ; no other walls in the temple have them, and
the W. side of these middle and chapel walls are
perfectly flat.
13. In the left-hand corner of the Hall, leading off
the upper or chapel level, are two doors ; one very
small one leads to the corridor of the Kings, and the
other, a large one, leads to a small hall (A) with
three columns, and two small chambers leading off it.
In later times the upper part of the southern wall was
knocked down, leaving only three pieces of wall to
carry the roof; these pieces have been roughly
chipped into a column form, but it is evident that
originally the wall was solid. There are four niches
in this wall, the same size as the niches in the Hypo-
style Hall. The Hall is 16-30 m. long by 8-20 m.
wide ; the sides are fairly equal and parallel, but it is
one of the least rectangular chambers in the temple.