DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4372#0101
85
Apollinopolis; tins he calls Phatnitcs, the capital of which may
have been on this spot.
Besides the enormous size of the quarries above described, they
derive additional interest both from the many representations of
instruments used in quarrying the stone, which are engraven on
the walls*, and from the Greek inscriptions interspersed with
others in the Egyptic character. Accurate drawings of the for-
mer, together with further observations, might perhaps instruct
us in the means that were then in use for separating each block
from its bed, for transporting it to the river, for shaping, engrav-
ing, and finally fixing it in its place on the temple or on the
pyramid. The latter are interesting in the proofs they give us
of the share that Creek workmen bore in these labours, and
consequently afford us some insight into the importance and
number of monuments that might have been raised by the suc-
cessors of Alexander. They are in general merely the names of
individuals, accompanied with an expression of veneration and
obeisance to the sovereign, as 7i^a<rx.vvvi^oi UTohi^ata. The rock in
which these quarries have been excavated, is a very uniform,
compactygranular sand-stone, enclosing sometimes ligneous petri-
factions. It is extremely hard when exposed to a dry climate
and a warm snn, but easily softened by rain, so as to be damaged
when moist by whatever touches it too rudely. The exterior
of those temples which have been built of it, preserves a very
clear sandy colour; but the walls of the inner apartments are
blackened by the confined damps, and by the action of the nitre
with which the air is impregnated f In these rooms the surface
of the stone is easily detached in thin flakes.
From Hadjar Silsili ayc proceeded to Edfou. The banks of
the
* Vide fig. in plate.
t These nitrous efflorescences are the *x^ ItwUeva, of which Herodotus says that
even.
Apollinopolis; tins he calls Phatnitcs, the capital of which may
have been on this spot.
Besides the enormous size of the quarries above described, they
derive additional interest both from the many representations of
instruments used in quarrying the stone, which are engraven on
the walls*, and from the Greek inscriptions interspersed with
others in the Egyptic character. Accurate drawings of the for-
mer, together with further observations, might perhaps instruct
us in the means that were then in use for separating each block
from its bed, for transporting it to the river, for shaping, engrav-
ing, and finally fixing it in its place on the temple or on the
pyramid. The latter are interesting in the proofs they give us
of the share that Creek workmen bore in these labours, and
consequently afford us some insight into the importance and
number of monuments that might have been raised by the suc-
cessors of Alexander. They are in general merely the names of
individuals, accompanied with an expression of veneration and
obeisance to the sovereign, as 7i^a<rx.vvvi^oi UTohi^ata. The rock in
which these quarries have been excavated, is a very uniform,
compactygranular sand-stone, enclosing sometimes ligneous petri-
factions. It is extremely hard when exposed to a dry climate
and a warm snn, but easily softened by rain, so as to be damaged
when moist by whatever touches it too rudely. The exterior
of those temples which have been built of it, preserves a very
clear sandy colour; but the walls of the inner apartments are
blackened by the confined damps, and by the action of the nitre
with which the air is impregnated f In these rooms the surface
of the stone is easily detached in thin flakes.
From Hadjar Silsili ayc proceeded to Edfou. The banks of
the
* Vide fig. in plate.
t These nitrous efflorescences are the *x^ ItwUeva, of which Herodotus says that
even.