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)

PART II. SUBJECTS OF THE SCULPTURES. 101

there, small square holes are still seen, which were
probably intended for the insertion of pieces of
wood, in which chains were fixed for holding lamps.
The sculptures mostly represented the king
making offerings to the triad of the place, and to the
principal deities, worshipped in the Temple; the
king's name, who erected, or enlarged, the building,
was frequently repeated in the dedications upon the
architraves, as well as on the ornamental cornices,
and other parts of the building; and as it was " the
prince's part" to make the offerings in the temple,
he alone was represented presenting libations, and
various offerings before the Gods. On the outer
walls, similar subjects were repeated; but in the
large temples, especially of the capital, the chief
places, both on the outer and inner walls, were
occupied by battle scenes, representing the vic-
tories obtained by the monarch over the enemies
of Egypt; and upon the great towers of the facade
he was pourtrayed routing them in battle, or in the
act of smiting the captive " chiefs of the Gentiles",
in the presence of the Great God of the place.*

Among the peculiarities of Egyptian architec-
ture, one of the most important is the studied
avoidance of uniformity, in the arrangement of the
columns, and many of the details. Of the latter,
some are evident to the eye, others are only in-
tended to have an influence on the general effect,
and are not perceptible without careful examina-
tion. An example of these imperceptible arrange-
ments has already been noticed, in the great hall

* Vide supra, p. 76.