Wilkinson, John Gardner: Topographie of Thebes, and general view of Egypt: being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the valley of the Nile, to the second cataracte and Wadi Samneh, with the Fyoom, Oases and eastern desert, from Sooez to Bertenice (London, 1835)

Chap. I.j HISTORICAL SUBJECTS. 65

offer incense to the monarch. The hawk, the em-
blem of the king, or of Horus, precedes them, and
eighteen priests carry the sacred emblem of the god
Nofri Atmoo, which usually accompanies the ark of
Sokari.

On the south wall marches a long procession,
composed of hieraphori, bearing different standards,
thrones, arks, and insignia, with musicians, who
precede the king and his attendants. The figure of
the deity is not introduced, perhaps intimating that
this forms part of the religious pomp of the cor-
responding wall; and from the circumstance of the
king here wearing the pshent, it is not improbable it
may also allude to his coronation.

The commencement of the interesting historical
subjects of Medeenet Haboo is in the south-west
corner of this court, on the inner face of the tower.
Here Remeses standing in his car, which his horses
at full speed carry into the midst of the enemy's ranks,
discharges his arrows on their flying infantry. The
Egyptian chariots join in the pursuit, and a body of
their allies assist* in slaughtering those who oppose
them, or bind them as captives. The right hands f
of the slain are then cut off as trophies of victory.

* The same whom this monarch is represented as having van-
quished in another battle scene of this temple. M. Champollion
calls them the Fekkaros; but is there any authority for the first
character ?

t Some of the slain are without the left hand; but I have
found no instance of both being taken from the same person.

F