Great Temple gfCarnac in Thebes. 63 



its height ; and the elegance and perfection of its sculpture 

 are remarkable. An avenue of sphinxes conducts to it, which 

 runs in a direct line for 823 paces, where it meets an interest- 

 ing avenue, leading in one direction to the avenue of the south- 

 east propylon, and bending in the other direction towards the 

 great temple of Luxor, at the distance of a mile and a quar- 

 ter. The avenue of sphinxes may be traced by fragments for 

 two-thirds of the way. The sphinxes first mentioned have the 

 ram's head, the others, the female human head. They hold 

 between the paws a human figure, with the crook and flagel- 

 lum. The south-west propylon is 100 feet high ; over the 

 portal is the winged globe and serpent, of admirable execution. 

 This ornament is common to all the Egyptian temples. The 

 jambs bear presentations to Isis Lunata, (with the disk or cres- 

 cent) to Priapus ; amongst others, of four bulls driven by a 

 man, and held by a cord — a presentation of two bulls with 

 globes on their heads to Ammon — a sacrifice of kneeling and 

 supplicating figures to Isis and Ammon. He wears a blue, 

 red, and white dress — Isis wears a striped checked dress of 

 the same colours. The propylon is 37 feet 6 inches thick ; the 

 wall on each side of the portal extends only 10 feet 1\ inches, 

 width of the portal 18 feet. We now enter a court m, 1 18 feet 

 long, with sphinxes on each side, conducting through a pylone, 

 having a portal of 12 feet wide, in a mass of masonry, extending 

 47 feet 2 inches on each side, and bearing offerings of lotus 

 Howers, &c. Tliere is a stair formed in the east end of the in- 

 side of this pylone, by which the summit may be attained, 

 and whence a magnificent view is had of the temple. We 

 enter a court r, with double rows of columns forming porti- 

 coes, roofed with blocks. They are covered with sculptures. 

 Passing through a doorway, 6 feet 7 inches thick, and 8 feet 

 10 inches wide, there is a smaller court t, with a double por- 

 tico on each side, which leads to a passage v, having rooms 

 on either hand, and likewise underneath ; two of them have 

 a pillar. The passage leads to a small chamber x % 36 feet 

 by 10 feet, almost buried in rubbish. To the west, is a 

 small detached edifice w, the roof of which is supported 

 by two columns, with the budding lotus for their capi- 

 tal, ornamented with lotus flowers and palm-branches, and 



