DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6551#0075
46
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEH.
lead to discoveries of great interest, and, at all events,
would exhibit the Great Temple to considerable ad-
vantage.5
Both of the temples are said to bear, in many respects,
a striking resemblance to the excavations in India.
They are, certainly, wonderful specimens of antient in-
dustry and science; the carving being very fine, and
much of the detail, consisting of birds, animals, &c, is
described with great truth and spirit, and painted with
colours, yet preserving their freshness and brilliancy,
after a probable lapse of above 3000 years. Their pre-
servation, however, is in a great degree owing to the
dryness of the atmosphere, and, also, to the protec-
tion afforded by the accumulated sands. It may be
observed, that although great labour has been bestowed
upon the colossi and portals, the surrounding face of the
rock has been left in its natural state, excepting that near
the entrance of the Great Temple there are some square
holes, like those at Ferradj, possibly intended as guides
to the work. The colossal figures, as seen at present,
lose much of their effect from their oblique position, for
they are inclined backwards like a buttress; and, although
it is difficult to imagine how they would appear when
seen from a proper distance, yet their features and pro-
portions are not only extremely broad for their height,
but coarse and ill-defined, and reminded me, in a great
degree, of the Metopes at Selinus. These statues are of
an enormous size, being six feet from the ground to the
2 In the following cursory remarks, it is not intended to enter into
any detailed account of these monuments, which have been not only
repeatedly described, but accurately drawn.
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEH.
lead to discoveries of great interest, and, at all events,
would exhibit the Great Temple to considerable ad-
vantage.5
Both of the temples are said to bear, in many respects,
a striking resemblance to the excavations in India.
They are, certainly, wonderful specimens of antient in-
dustry and science; the carving being very fine, and
much of the detail, consisting of birds, animals, &c, is
described with great truth and spirit, and painted with
colours, yet preserving their freshness and brilliancy,
after a probable lapse of above 3000 years. Their pre-
servation, however, is in a great degree owing to the
dryness of the atmosphere, and, also, to the protec-
tion afforded by the accumulated sands. It may be
observed, that although great labour has been bestowed
upon the colossi and portals, the surrounding face of the
rock has been left in its natural state, excepting that near
the entrance of the Great Temple there are some square
holes, like those at Ferradj, possibly intended as guides
to the work. The colossal figures, as seen at present,
lose much of their effect from their oblique position, for
they are inclined backwards like a buttress; and, although
it is difficult to imagine how they would appear when
seen from a proper distance, yet their features and pro-
portions are not only extremely broad for their height,
but coarse and ill-defined, and reminded me, in a great
degree, of the Metopes at Selinus. These statues are of
an enormous size, being six feet from the ground to the
2 In the following cursory remarks, it is not intended to enter into
any detailed account of these monuments, which have been not only
repeatedly described, but accurately drawn.