118 SCIOPTICON MANUAL. 



of Osiris, under the form of a bull. It was into this 

 form of idolatry that the Israelites were so constantly 

 lapsing, termed in Scripture, the Worship of the Golden 

 Calf. 



PHARAOH'S BED, PHIL^E. This temple is almost per- 

 fect; it never had and never was intended to have a roof. 

 It is one of that class termed Hypoethral temples, from 

 their being open to the sky. Its name, Pharaoh's Bed, 

 is derived from a tradition that Osiris was buried at 

 Philse, and from this it was that the Egyptians were in 

 the habit of swearing by him who lies at Philae. 



SCULPTURED GATEWAY. This is a good illustration of 

 the way in which almost all parts of the buildings were 

 covered with inscriptions. The large figures on this 

 doorway were originally painted in bright colors, and 

 on some of these, patches of the original paint still re- 

 main. 



TEMPLE EDFOU. This is perhaps the best specimen 

 extant of the pylon of the Egyptian temples; it is up- 

 wards of one hundred feet in height, but a considerable 

 part of the base is covered up with sand, which has also 

 almost filled up the area of the temple. In this part 

 the valley of the Nile is wider than in many places; it 

 varies from about ten miles in width to only enough to 

 allow of the passage of the river. Many of the temples 

 are built close to the waters of the sacred river. 



TEMPLE OP KALABSHE, NUBIA. The space inclosed 

 within the ruins of this temple is covered with sculp- 

 tured figures, among which the most remarkable is the 

 representation of a human sacrifice, where the victim, 

 whose whole clothing consists of a scanty waist-cloth, 

 is on his knees with his hands tied behind his back. 



