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)

424 TUOT. GEBELAYN. [Chap. VII.

In the sculptures at the back of the temple are
the Camelopard and several Typhonian figures;
and those of the interior are interesting in a mytho-
logical point of view,* but their style is very in-
ferior, and proves that Egyptian sculpture had
already approached the era of its downfall.

The Christian ruin was evidently a church of
considerable size, being 75 paces by 33; and from
the style of the small portion of the outer wall that
still remains, and its granite columns, there is little
doubt that it was erected at a time when Chris-
tianity had become the established religion of the
country; but though of a date considerably less
remote than the neighbouring temple, it has suffered
much more from the ravages of time and human
violence.

Tuot, in Coptic Thouot, the ancient Tuphium,
lies on the opposite bank, in the district of Selemeeh,
and is easily distinguished by its lofty minaret.

The only ruins consist of a small temple, now
nearly concealed by the hovels of the villagers,
who inhabit the few chambers that remain, and on
one of the blackened walls I observed the name of
Ptolemy Physcon. It presents little worthy of a
visit, and will not repay the traveller for the trouble
of an excursion from the river.

Crocodilopolis is the next town mentioned by

* As it is not the object of this work to enter into the details
of the monuments, I do not detain the reader with any conjectures
respecting the meaning of their sculptures.