DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9059#0074
MAMMISI. 69
his palace and comes to lay the first stone of
the temple. He fashions a brick with his own
hands ; he traces on the ground the furrow
which shall mark the area of the temple. He
lays a foundation-stone. He performs the cere-
mony of the presentation of the temple to the
god in whose honor it has been erected. On
this occasion he decapitates a bird, etc.*
But, apart from these episodes, it is difficult
at first sight to discover the idea which has
presided at the decoration of a chamber. This
idea can eventually be realized in temples of
Ptolemaic origin (Denderah, Edfou, Thebes,
etc.), but we would look for it in vain elsewhere.
C. — By the side of • many temples of
Ptolemaic epoch may be seen smaller edifices,
remarkable for the monstrous forms which
decorate the capitals of the columns, and which
are also used as ornaments in various parts of
the interior. The authors of the great work of
the " Commission d'Egypte " gave to these tem-
ples the name of TypTionium. Champollion called
them Mammisi. According to Champollion,
* For similar scenes see the lower register on the
right-hand side on entering the hall B of the temples of
Denderah.
his palace and comes to lay the first stone of
the temple. He fashions a brick with his own
hands ; he traces on the ground the furrow
which shall mark the area of the temple. He
lays a foundation-stone. He performs the cere-
mony of the presentation of the temple to the
god in whose honor it has been erected. On
this occasion he decapitates a bird, etc.*
But, apart from these episodes, it is difficult
at first sight to discover the idea which has
presided at the decoration of a chamber. This
idea can eventually be realized in temples of
Ptolemaic origin (Denderah, Edfou, Thebes,
etc.), but we would look for it in vain elsewhere.
C. — By the side of • many temples of
Ptolemaic epoch may be seen smaller edifices,
remarkable for the monstrous forms which
decorate the capitals of the columns, and which
are also used as ornaments in various parts of
the interior. The authors of the great work of
the " Commission d'Egypte " gave to these tem-
ples the name of TypTionium. Champollion called
them Mammisi. According to Champollion,
* For similar scenes see the lower register on the
right-hand side on entering the hall B of the temples of
Denderah.