42 SEN MUT—AN EGYPTIAN CRICHTON 
Cloisters and courts enclosed three sides of the temple, and 
beyond the precincts wall a horse-shoe shaped lake environed the 
cloistered sides. From pylon to sanctuary the temple measured 
355ft. and was 160ft. wide. 
Here for more than 2,000 years the native and alien Pharoahs 
and their people worshipped ; and Egyptian, Ethiopian, Babylonian, 
Persian, Assyrian, Greek and Romans restored, embellished, added 
to or endowed, with rich gifts, the treasury. 
Earthquakes in the Ist century pB.c. and the Ist and 2nd 
centuries A.D. completely ruined the building; the sand and dust 
covered it over, and it lay shrouded for nearly 1,700 years. Many 
explorers made fitful attempts to remove the shroud, but the task 
was a great one, and it was left to two ladies, the Misses Benson and 
Gourlay, in 1895-6 and 7 to complete the work. They made out a 
perfect plan of the original building, and discovered a large number 
of statuesof gods, Pharoahs, historical personages, and rich nobodies. 
There were also some richly-carved blocks of the time of King 
Pianki, with representations of some of the vessels of his fleet. By 
the side of each ship was given its name, the name of its commander, 
the length, breadth, and the cargo. A shrine, built by Ptolemy 
Philadelphus, was found near the steps leading down tothe lake. At 
the north-east corner of the Court, amongst many others, was found a 
statue of Sen Mut. This is of hard red sandstone, beautifully 
polished, and in an excellent state of preservation. He is repre- 
sented kneeling, and holding a Hathor-headed altar in front of him. 
The face is, without a doubt, a portrait, and, in spite of its uncomely 
appearance, there is that about it indicative of the man’s genius and 
untiring energy. The front and back of the figure, and the base on 
which it rests, are covered with hieroglyphics. 
It will perhaps be as well to explain that an Egyptian believed 
his entity consisted of six parts: the Ret or body, Ba or soul, Karbit 
or shade, Khu mind or spirit, Salm the spiritual body and the Nen or 
name. It was essential the latter should be kept in evidence, 1.¢., 
made to live, or the dead person would become an unidentified waif, 
liable to all sorts of indignities, privations, tortures, and even a 
second death. The name, Sen Mut, is recorded thirty-five times on 
this statue, and is always followed by Maa Kevon, ¢ ¢., triumphant, 
