GRAND APPROACH TO THE TEMPLE OF PHILjE, NUBIA. 
This view is taken from the southern extremity of the island, and shows the lateral 
colonnades, or cloisters, which hound the dromos, through which the entrance to the 
Temple of Isis was approached. On the left, near the foreground, the remains are 
seen of a small square temple, half closed by an intercolumniating mural screen. Its 
columns are surmounted by a very singular capital: above the ordinary and Pharaonic 
adaptation of the doum-palm, is a quadrifrontal representation of the heads of Athor, 
or Isis, as in the capitals at Dendera, having an abacus, representing a small temple. 
Here these two members form together one lofty abacus, and, as its base spreads out 
towards the top of the doum-palm capital, the effect is by no means inelegant, though 
singular. 
The approach to the propylon lies through this irregular hypsethral court, or dromos: 
it is irregular, because, on the left, the colonnade does not extend to touch the propylon, 
but an open space remains between them, through which some granite rocks, of singular 
form, are seen. These rocks are in the middle of the Nile, and bear curious inscriptions, 
and are called by the Arabs the Throne of Pharaoh: whilst, on the right, the range 
of columns of a corridor of greater width, masks, in its approach to the propylon, 
one-half of one of its towers. Above this corridor the elegant Temple of Osiris, 
called by the Arabs the Bed of Pharaoh, appears: it is a beautiful object, which 
greatly increases the picturesque character of the scene. 
The huge figures on the first propylon represent, on the left, the Pharaoh Philometor, 
or his brother Physcon, sacrificing his enemies to Athor, or Isis; and on the right 
he is making an offering to Osiris. These figures of Isis are twenty feet high. The 
principal building is the temple of Isis, commenced by Ptolemy Philadelphus and 
Arsinoe, and completed by succeeding monarchs; among whom were Euergetes I., 
Philometor, his brother, Euergetes II., with the two Cleopatras, and Ptolemy, the 
elder son of Auletes, whose name is found in the area and on the towers of the 
propylon. Many of the sculptures on the exterior are of the latter epoch of the 
Roman Emperors, among whom are Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius, Domitian, Nerva, 
and Trajan. 
The actual gateway, or pylon, in this view was erected by Nectanebo, the unfortunate 
Pharaoh who was dethroned by the Persians in their last invasion. This portion 
of the ruins of Philse and the remains of a little temple, dedicated to Athor, near the 
southern extremity, whose quadrifrontal abacus might have suggested the capitals at 
Dendera, are the oldest of these beautiful ruins. The gateway, flanked by wings, 
raised by the Ptolemies already mentioned, forms the first propylon to the principal 
temple. When this was a Christian church, the figures on the propylon were concealed 
with a sort of stucco, to hide all heathen and idolatrous forms; and Theodoras, who 
