TEMPLE. 



559 



the houses of the inhabitants clustered round the 

 temples. 



The form most generally given to temples was 

 that of a long square ; sometimes, however, they 

 were circular. Those of the former shape com- 

 monly had a depth or length double their breadth, 

 and their cellce had ordinarily, at the exterior, por- 

 ticoes which sometimes adorned only the fa9ade of 

 the anterior, sometimes that also of the posterior, 

 and was occasionally carried round all four sides. 

 Over the entablature of the columns, at both the 

 fronts, was a pediment. The principal fa9ades of 

 the temples were always ornamented with an even 

 number of columns, while the sides had generally 

 an uneven number. The circular form was by no 

 means common. Those temples were generally 

 covered with a cupola, the height of which about 

 equalled the semi-diameter of the entire edifice. 

 The most celebrated instance of the circular temple 

 is the pantheon of Rome. It has some peculiarities 

 not common to its class. (See Pantheon.} Several 

 of the very ancient Etruscan temples have an ob- 

 long shape, or one approaching to a perfect square. 

 In several of the ancient buildings of this character 

 were stair-cases, by means of which people mounted 

 to the roof. These were constructed within the 

 walls, by the side of the entrance fronting the cella, 

 and, that they might occupy less space, were made 

 winding. The Egyptian temples had a species of 

 openings or windows. The statue of the divinity 

 to whom the structure was dedicated was, as may 

 be supposed, the most venerated object of the tem- 

 ple, and the most prominent ornament of the cella. 

 It was, in almost every instance, executed by a dis- 

 tinguished artist, even when destined only for a 

 small building. In the earliest instances, these 

 statues were of terra cotta, and were commonly 

 painted red ; others were of wood. In succeeding 

 times, as the fine arts advanced, iron and bronze 

 were occasionally substituted, but still more fre- 

 quently marble. (See Sculpture, and Statue.) The 

 primitive bronze statues were not cast in one single 

 jet, but in separate pieces, afterwards joined to- 

 gether. Besides the statue of the presiding deity, 

 there were generally others, either in the cella or 

 pronaos, or both, some of which had a special rela- 

 tion to the principal figure, whilst others served 

 merely for ornament. The altar, on which the 

 sacrifices were offered, was placed before the statue 

 of the divinity, a little less elevated than it, and 

 turned towards the east. CSee Altar.} Some- 

 times single cells contained altars raised to sundry 

 deities. To the sacred architecture of the Greeks, 

 as exhibited in their various temples, we are indebted 

 for the purest and best canons of architecture that 

 the world has ever seen. The Egyptian temples 

 were remarkable for the number and disposition of 

 the columns, contained in several enclosures within 

 the walls. The little cella appeared like a kind of 

 stable, or lodging, for the sacred animal to whom, as 

 it may be, the building was consecrated. This was 

 never entered but by the priests. The porticoes 

 were magnificent in size, proportions, and often in 

 style. Obelisks and colossal statues were or- 

 dinarily placed before the entrance. These were 

 sometimes preceded by alleys of sphinxes, or of 

 lions, of immense size. Near the gates two 

 masses of a pyramidal form were erected : these 

 were often covered with hieroglyphic bassi-relievi. 

 A corbel, scooped out in the shape ot a gorge, was 

 the only substitute for the entablature, whether to 

 the gate itself, or to the two lofty masses adjoining. 



No pediment or shape of roof interfered with the 

 horizontal line of the platform above, with which 

 the temples were covered, and on which it is pro- 

 bable that the priests passed the nights in making 

 astronomical observations. (See Architecture, also 

 Denderah, Hieroglyphics, Elephantine, and Thebes.} 

 The Indian temples, or pagodas, are sometimes of 

 immense size. See Pagoda, Elora, and Salsette ; 

 also the article Architecture. For Christian tem- 

 ples and churches, see Architecture, Cathedral, and 

 Masonry. 



The first Hebrew temple was built by Solomon 

 on mount Moriah, in Jerusalem, with the help of a 

 Phoenician architect. It was an oblong stone build- 

 ing, sixty cubits in length, twenty in width, and 

 thirty in height. On three sides were corridors, 

 rising above each other to the height of three stories, 

 and containing rooms, in which were preserved the 

 holy utensils and treasures. The fourth or front 

 side was open, and was ornamented with a portico, 

 ten cubits in width, supported by two brazen pillars, 

 Jachin and Boaz (stability and strength). The in- 

 terior was divided into the most holy place, or ora- 

 cle, twenty cubits long, which contained the ark of 

 the convenant, and was separated, by a curtain or 

 veil, from the sanctuary, or holy place, in which 

 were the golden candlesticks, the table of the shew- 

 bread, and the altar of incense. The walls of both 

 apartments, and the roof and ceiling of the most 

 holy place, were overlaid with wood work, skilfully 

 carved. None but the high priest was permitted 

 to enter the latter, and only the priests, devoted to 

 the temple service, the former. The temple was 

 surrounded by an inner court, which contained the 

 altar of burnt-offering, the brazen sea and lavers, 

 and such instruments and utensils as were used in 

 the sacrifices, which, as well as the prayers, were 

 offered here. Colonnades, with brazen gates, sepa- 

 rated this court of the priests from the outer court, 

 which was likewise surrounded by a wall. See 

 Hirt's Tempel Solomonis (Berlin, 1809). This 

 temple was destroyed by the Assyrians, and, after 

 the return from the Babylonish captivity (see He- 

 brews}, a second temple, of the same form, but 

 much inferior in splendour, was erected. Herod 

 the Great rebuilt it of a larger size, surrounding it 

 with four courts, rising above each other like ter- 

 races. The lower court was 500 cubits square, on 

 three sides surrounded by a double, and on the 

 fourth by a triple row of columns, and was called 

 the court of the Gentiles, because individuals of all 

 nations were admitted into it indiscriminately. A 

 high wall separated the court of the women, 135 

 cubits square, in which the Jewish females assem- 

 bled to perform their devotions, from the court of 

 the Gentiles. From the court of the women fifteen 

 steps led to the court of the temple, which was en- 

 closed by a colonnade, and divided by trellis-work 

 into the court of the Jewish men and the court of 

 the priests. In the middle of this enclosure stood 

 the temple of white marble, richly gilt, 100 cubits 

 ong and wide, and sixty cubits high, with a porch 

 100 cubits wide, and three galleries like the first 

 temple, which it resembled in the interior, except 

 thiit the most holy vvas empty, and the height of 

 Herod's temple was double the height of Solomon's. 

 Rooms, appropriated for different purposes, filled 

 the upper slory above the roof of the inner temple. 

 The fame of this magnificent temple, which was 

 destroyed by the Romans, and its religious signi- 

 ficance with Jews and Christians, still render it 

 more interesting to us than any other building of 



