DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9059#0298
THE TEMPLE OF EDFOU.
277
themselves, we thus possess an exact and valu-
able standard of comparison between the ancient
and modern Egyptian measures. Moreover,
the architect of the temple, whose name was Mr
em-hotep Oer-si-Phtah (Imouthes, the great son
of Plitali) has put his name to his work. Nor
must we omit to mention that another inscrip-
tion tells us that the temple, begun under
Philopator, finished under Euergetes II., was
completed, after interruptions caused by wars,
in ninety-five years ; which statement doubtless
applies to the actual construction only, and not
to the decoration, since from the beginning of
the reign of Philopator to the death of Dionysos,
the last of the kings whose cartouches appear
on the temple, no less than 170 years elapsed.
In a corner of one of the chambers, where it
has most probably been thrust by comparatively
modern hands, is a monolith of fine speckled
gray granite which deservedly attracts attention.
At Denderah the sanctum sanctorum is a niche
in the wall of one of the chambers at the extreme
end of the temple. Here the most holy place
is represented by the monument we are now
considering. The inscriptions with which it is
covered certify both as to its date and as to the
277
themselves, we thus possess an exact and valu-
able standard of comparison between the ancient
and modern Egyptian measures. Moreover,
the architect of the temple, whose name was Mr
em-hotep Oer-si-Phtah (Imouthes, the great son
of Plitali) has put his name to his work. Nor
must we omit to mention that another inscrip-
tion tells us that the temple, begun under
Philopator, finished under Euergetes II., was
completed, after interruptions caused by wars,
in ninety-five years ; which statement doubtless
applies to the actual construction only, and not
to the decoration, since from the beginning of
the reign of Philopator to the death of Dionysos,
the last of the kings whose cartouches appear
on the temple, no less than 170 years elapsed.
In a corner of one of the chambers, where it
has most probably been thrust by comparatively
modern hands, is a monolith of fine speckled
gray granite which deservedly attracts attention.
At Denderah the sanctum sanctorum is a niche
in the wall of one of the chambers at the extreme
end of the temple. Here the most holy place
is represented by the monument we are now
considering. The inscriptions with which it is
covered certify both as to its date and as to the