Wilkinson, John Gardner: The Architecture Of Ancient Egypt: In Which The Columns Are Arranged In Orders, And The Temples Classified; With Remarks On The Early Progress Of Architecture, Etc.; With A Large Volume Of Plates Ilustrative Of The Subject, And Containing The Various Columns And details, From Actual Measurement (Text) (London, 1850)

80 ARCHITECTURE OF EGYPT. PART IT.

use of polygonal fluted columns, Egyptian archi-
tecture bore a much closer resemblance, in the
earliest times, to that of Greece, than at any sub-
sequent period; and a more frequent affinity may
be observed in patterns, and other arbitrary de-
vices, in the old monuments of the Egyptians and
Greeks, than in those of a Ptolemaic age.

It might almost be supposed, that the Egyptian
peripteral temple was formed from the one chamber
of the original simple naos, and its portico in antis;
the walls being cut into square pillars, and a new
sanctuary being introduced within; and it is suffi-
ciently evident, that the temple in antis, which was
used in the earliest periods, may be traced in the
various plans of later times, however complicated,
or increased in size.

Peripteral edifices are now rare in Egypt; and
the two most perfect specimens, I have seen, were
destroyed by the Turks in 1822; one at Elephantine,
of Amunoph III; the other at Eilethyas, also of
early time. The western temple of Samneh still
remains, with part of its colonnade ;* but it has
been altered, and is neither so complete, nor so
satisfactory an instance, as the two former; and
the sanctuary of the smaller temple at Medeenet
Haboo may be cited, as another ancient peripteral
building, subsequently half enclosed by Remeses III,
within other chambers.f

There was another peripteral building, generally
square, formed of columns, supporting an entabla-

* Plate i, fig. 35 a. t Plate i, fig. 25.