DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4669#0230
THE GREAT TEMPLE 201
of the goddess. The noble hall below it contains
twenty-four lofty and massive columns in four rows
of six each. Every one bears the Hathor-headed
capital, which is met with here for the first time.
These capitals are square, and bear on each side a
woman's head in high relief; the hair is confined
over the forehead by three bands ; it falls behind the
ears, which resemble those of a cow, and hangs over
the shoulders. Above each head is a shrine—
between two volutes, which, seen from a distance,
suggests the sistrum. The entire surface of the
columns and walls is covered with sculpture, paint-
ing, and inscriptions. The various processions
were formed within this hall, and were headed by
the king. The wall has four paintings of the king
preparing for the ceremony. The first is his recep-
tion ; the second the ceremony of purification, per-
formed by the gods Tholh and Horus pouring over
the king from libation vases a stream of water. The
ceremony "f purification is always represented in this
manner, just as the servants of the present day
throughout the East cleanse the hands of their
master and his guests by pouring water over them
after a meal. The ceremony of cleansing was called
ab, or abab f-J^[ aw^,, —U -JU / ~~,, " to cleanse," or
W//M
"make pure"; the priests in attendance were known
by the same name, ab / ^X ww ; and the place 01
•.-.-.-.-.•
purification was abt *«* . (Is it possible that
the Greeks can have derived their word ficnrTo)
from this source? it is almost identical in sound, and
conveys the same ide
of the goddess. The noble hall below it contains
twenty-four lofty and massive columns in four rows
of six each. Every one bears the Hathor-headed
capital, which is met with here for the first time.
These capitals are square, and bear on each side a
woman's head in high relief; the hair is confined
over the forehead by three bands ; it falls behind the
ears, which resemble those of a cow, and hangs over
the shoulders. Above each head is a shrine—
between two volutes, which, seen from a distance,
suggests the sistrum. The entire surface of the
columns and walls is covered with sculpture, paint-
ing, and inscriptions. The various processions
were formed within this hall, and were headed by
the king. The wall has four paintings of the king
preparing for the ceremony. The first is his recep-
tion ; the second the ceremony of purification, per-
formed by the gods Tholh and Horus pouring over
the king from libation vases a stream of water. The
ceremony "f purification is always represented in this
manner, just as the servants of the present day
throughout the East cleanse the hands of their
master and his guests by pouring water over them
after a meal. The ceremony of cleansing was called
ab, or abab f-J^[ aw^,, —U -JU / ~~,, " to cleanse," or
W//M
"make pure"; the priests in attendance were known
by the same name, ab / ^X ww ; and the place 01
•.-.-.-.-.•
purification was abt *«* . (Is it possible that
the Greeks can have derived their word ficnrTo)
from this source? it is almost identical in sound, and
conveys the same ide