Roberts, David; Croly, George: The Holy Land: Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia (Band 5): = Egypt & Nubia [2] (1849)

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This Temple is situated on an island close to that of Philae; owing to its greater elevation, it
overlooks that island and the Nile, and one of the finest points of view of the Temples of Philae,
from Bigge, is a scene which has already been given in this Work. Wilkinson considers that
the Temple of Bigge is of great antiquity, from some granite remains and the inscriptions which
they bear. The columns, however, which are seen in this sketch as part of the grand entrance,
are evidently Ptolemaic, and have formed a portion of a previous portico. In advance of these,
ascending from the river, once stood the flanking towers of the propylon, which commanded the
outer court or dromos, of which that which now surrounds the arch was a portion; this may be
traced by the sculpture which still exists. The arch is an addition of a later period; Wilkinson
says, of the Christian era: it presents a singularly incongruous appearance in the midst of Egyptian
architecture. The ruins are surrounded by a miserable mud-built Arab village. The Temple of
Bigge, from its elevated situation, to which the approach was by a flight of steps, must have
exhibited a noble appearance and produced a very striking effect. The present Temple appears
to have been commenced by Euergetes I., and was dedicated by him to Athor; it was completed
by the Caesars: but Wilkinson conjectures, from a red granite statue found there, that an edifice
existed on Bigge as old as Thothmes III. or Amunoph II., and that Bigge is the Abaton of
Seneca, in spite of the doubts expressed by other Egyptian antiquaries.

Roberts's Journal.

Wilkinson's Ejjvpt.