ARCHITECTURE. 13 
slender in Egypt, except those at Phil, are composed of single pieces, each 
1 foot, 10 inches high; the full height is 65 feet, 83 inches, with a diameter 
of 9 feet, 2 inches. The greatest width of the capitals is 15 feet, 4 inches, 
84 lines, their circumference being 46 feet, 2 inches. The shaft and the 
cube upon the capital are covered with hieroglyphics. Whether the space 
between the two rows of columns was covered, and if so, whether the ceiling 
was formed by beams of cedar or by a tent (velariwm), is a question that 
has not yet been decided. The French writers are of opinion that statues 
of the gods were placed upon the columns, and that they did not support 
any ceiling at all. Thetemple (pi. 5, jig. 7g), a portion of the large palace, 
projects into the court f, 36 feet, and had a propyleum 67 feet, 11 inches 
long, which is very much dilapidated. The central line of the temple is not 
strictly perpendicular to that of the palace, from which it has been inferred 
to be of greater antiquity, an opinion which is supported by the fact that 
the temple is completely finished and covered with hieroglyphics, which 
are found in no other part of this court. The fore-court has a peristyle, 
with statues of Osiris in front of the columns; and the court leads to the 
pronaos, the ceiling of which is supported by eight columns ranged in two 
rows. This temple, which was probably the private chapel of the palace, is 
160 feet long by 65 feet wide. The large court, / contains the ruins of the 
second propyleum, in front of which were two granite statues. The southern 
one of these, a monolith, is still in existence: it is 21 feet high, and repre- 
sented in the act of walking. Seven steps lead to the entrance of the propy- 
leeum, which was 20 feet wide, 63 feet, 5 inches high in the clear, and 91 feet to 
the top of the cornice. It is the largest in the world ; the folding-doors were 
of bronze. The propyleum is nearly destroyed; nothing remains of it but 
the doorposts, which are decorated with bas-reliefs representing Horus, the 
symbol of the fructifying sun, and with paintings, the colors of which may 
still be traced. 
The saloon or hall, e, 307 feet, 10 inches long, by 154 feet, 5 inches wide, 
_ the ceiling of which is supported by 1384 columns, is the most astonishing 
and magnificent edifice of ancient Egypt. It has three divisions. The 
centre is formed by 12 columns 66 feet high without the entablature, by 11 
feet in diameter, the capitals being 10 feet high, 21 feet in diameter, and 64 
feet in circumference. All these columns remain entire. The two lateral 
divisions contain 61 columns each, 40 feet, 6 inches in height, and 8 feet, 6 
inches in diameter. The row of smaller columns nearest to the larger ones 
supports a stone wall with six openings, protected by stone lattice-work, 
through which the hall is lighted. The ceilings are constructed of stone 
slabs, almost all of which are 28 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 4 feet thick, 
weighing about 65 tons each. The architraves are 24 feet long, and 6 feet 
thick. The shafts of the columns are constructed of courses each 3 feet, 2 
inches high, and each course is composed of four pieces, all of them covered 
with hieroglyphics and symbolical sculptures in recesses. Pl. 5, fig. 11, 
represents one of the capitals of the large columns; pi. 6, fig. 7, the central 
portion of the hall, with the view into the second court. PU. 5, jig. 9, shows 
another style of capital found in this palace. The capitals of the 122 smaller 
13 
