To him again we undoubtedly owe those sphinxes of Tanis
erroneously ascribed by Mariette to the Hyksos Pharaohs (Fig. 216).
We can understand, when we see them,
that Mariette should have been misled,
and that he should have hesitated to
believe in their Egyptian origin. There
is a superabundant energy in these
nervous leonine bodies, which are sturdier
and more compact than those of the
ordinary sphinxes. The face is bony,
the nose aquiline, the nostril slightly
flattened; the lower lip is thrust out,
a bull's ear emerges from the lion's
mane which enframes the face , and
drapes the neck and shoulders. The
technique is that of the Thebans , and
Thebes I believe to be the source of
this Tanite School , but we are con-
scious of an inspiration as yet undis-
ciplined and almost barbarous. The
semi-civilised inhabitants of the eastern
marshes of the Delta imposed a certain
117
FK;.2IQ. ā COLOSSALSTATUE
OF MIRMASHAU (Museum,
Cairo). (Phot. E. Brugsch.)
ART IN EGYPT
fk;. 220.
skbkk - hktep
(The Louvre, Paris).
(Phot. Gaucher - Gudin.)
brutality peculiar to
them on the works
of their masters. The
sphinxes of Amenem-
hat III. show us plainly
enough the ideal they
had in view; they produc-
ed nothing to surpass
these, but we have sever-
al remarkable works by
them executed under
the Twelfth Dynasty,
and also between the
Twelfth Dynasty and
the rise of the second
Theban Empire. The
black granite statues of
Nefert, wife of Sesos-
tris II. (Fig. 217) have
a special charm, in spite
of the ungraceful Ha-
Flfi. 221.
SKHKK-KMSAF
(Museum, Cairo).
(Phot. E. Bnigsch.)
thorian headdress which makes the face heavy. The colossal head
from Bubastis (Fig. 218) and the colossal statues of Mirmashau
(Fig. 219), now in the vestibule of the Cairo Museum, were hewn
in broad planes from a recalcitrant granite , and the modelling
was not carried very far; it is, however, so correct as to be
comparable to the best Theban pieces. The face is mutilated;
but on what remains of it
we divine a vigour equal to
that in the faces of the
sphinxes. It would be inter-
esting to see more exam-
ples which would throw light
on the destinies of this
school ; but unfortunately
the relics of the Thirteenth
and Fourteenth Dynasties
are so scanty, that it is im-
possible to deduce even
the elements of a history
of art from them. As far
as we may safely conjec-
ture, a uniform mediocrity
'1III-. TWIN SIA III.S
(Phot. E. Brugsch.)
118
THE FIRST THEBAN AGE
gradually invaded the whole of Egypt.
Neither the Sebek-hetep of the Louvre
(Fig. 220) the Sebek-emsaf (Fig. 221),
the tv/in kings of Cairo (Fig. 222) nor
the colossal statues usurped by Rameses II.
are bad, and yet no one would venture
to pronounce them good. The royal
workshops whence they came had lost
little of their manual facility, but they
no longer formed artists capable of
competing with those who fashioned the
colossal statues of Sesostris. The private
workshops were very unequal in their
productions. The statues we have from
them in the Cairo Museum (Figs. 223,
225), are coarse and heavy, but the
majority of their customers ordered only
statuettes, many of which are no larger
than figurines; these
KIG. 223. ā STATIK OF A
PRIVATE I'KUSON
(Museum, Cairo).
(Phot. E. Brugsch.)
FIG. 224. ā SKBEK-EMSAF
(Museum, Vienna).
(Phot. Bergmann.)
they treated with
brilliant dexterity.
The Sebek-emsaf at Vienna (Fig. 224) owes
a rather ridiculous rotundity to his horrible
petticoat; his little person is nevertheless,
interesting for the knowledge of the human
structure it reveals. The dainty walking
scribe at Cairo would take his place among
the most delicate works of the Twelfth
Dynasty, if the inscriptions we read upon
him did not compel us to refer him to
the Thirteenth. We know scarcely anything
of the period, and each time an attempt
is made to re -construct it from existing
data, new documents come to light , which
overthrow systems to all appearance most
solidly built up. I have given the results
of my examination of all that is known;
I refrain from positive conclusions which
might be demolished to-morrow.
Furniture, domestic pottery, and table
utensils of stone or metal, textiles, embro-
deries , in a word, the minor arts, all
flourished under the Theban Pharaohs,
119
ART IN EGYPT
although our museums contain but few spe-
cimens. The discovery of the treasures of
Dahshur has given us so many precious objects
that we are able to form a well-grounded
opinion of the art of jeweller and goldsmith.
Three harems of the Twelfth and Thirteenth
Dynasties have combined to bequeathe us
almost complete sets of jewels belonging to
queens and princesses. Their neckiaces, their
mirrors, their rings, their bracelets and their
crowns are heaped pell-mell beside pectorals
bearing the names of their fathers and hus-
bands; he who would wish to give an idea
of the elegance of their forms, and the
harmonious vivacity of their colours would
have to describe everything, or rather repro-
duce everything in coloured facsimiles. The
principal pectoral of Sesostris III. (Fig. 226),
simulates a naos in gold with lotus -columns,
the field of which is occupied in the centre
by a vulture hovering over a cartouche; two
griffins, emblems of Mentu , the god of war, strike down
Asiatics right and left of the cartouche. The breast -plate of
Amenemhat III. (Fig. 227) is also a naos, but the Pharaoh,
twice represented upon
FKi. 225. ā STATIK
OF A PRIVATl-; PER-
SON (Museum, Cairo).
(Phot. E. Brugsch.)
it, brandishes a club over
a kneeling prisoner who
begs in vain for mercy.
Gold chains, filagree stars,
medallions of glass mo-
saic, necklaces with golden
pendants in the form of
shells (Fig. 228) we pass
from one piece to another,
unwearying in admiration.
One of the crowns
(Fig. 229) is formed of
rosettes and lyre -shaped
ornaments surmounted by
eight upright florets in
gold , lapis lazuli , red
jasper and green felspar; a vulture of gold and precious stones
with outspread wings accompanied this, and an aigrette of gold,
120
IK.. 220. I'KCrOFiAL OK SKSOSTRIS III.
(Museum, Cairo). (Phot. E. Brugsch.)
THE FIRST THEBAN AGE
wvmjfm
m, m\m\\mi y >-|y,i
js' m Ā»t
IK.. 227. ā I'KCTORAL OF AMi:M;MIIAr III.
(Museum, Cairo). (PhotMl. E. Brugsch.)
representing a spray with irolden leaves and trusses of flowers.
The other crown (Fig. 230), is an interlacement of delicate threads
of gold, on which six
Maltese crosses in gold,
with centres of cornelian
and blue limbs, are set
at regular intervals; a
handful of little blossoms
with red hearts and blue
petals arranged in a star
is scattered between the
florets. Nowhere in Egypt,
or throughout the antique
world do we find a richer
design, a more skilful dis-
tribution, a truer sense
of colour. The faults
that have been pointed
out, the superabundance
of heavy enamels and the slightness of the mounting are the
results of causes which explain and perhaps excuse them. The
Egyptians were richly adorn-
ed, not only during their
lifetime, but after their death;
their mummy-jewelry, how-
ever, destined for a motion-
less body, did not need to
be so solid as that of a
living person , continually
shaken by the movements
of the wearer. If our crown
had adorned the head of
Khnemit during the court
ceremonies , it would not
have lasted more than a
few days or perhaps a
few hours ; the enamelled
flowers and crosses weigh-
ing on the gold threads,
would have broken them
promptly. They were de-
signed for the coffin, and
the eternal inertia to which
121
;ki.kction of jkwki.s from dahshi r
(Mu:.eum, Cairo). (Phot. E. Brugsch.)
ART IN EGYPT
they were to be consigned encouraged the artist to consider
only his own taste and fancy. The Greek goldsmiths reasoned
in the same manner, when they worked under similar con-
ditions, and the workmanship of their funerary jewels is as
frail as that of the crowns of Dahshur.
FIG. 22Q.ā ONE OF KHNEMIT'S CROWNS
(Museum, Cairo). (Phot. E. Brugsch.)
BIBLIOGRAPHY TO CHAPTER I
PART II
The first Theban ag^e is the one of whose art-history in Egypt we know least, that on
which there are fewest books and articles.
Architecture. ā For civil architectu -e, cf. Flinders Petrie, Hazvara Biahmu and Arsinoe,
in quarto, London, 1889, 66 p. and XXlX pi., Illahim Kahun and Gurab, in quarto, London,
1891, 55 p. and XXXIII pi., Kahun, Curob and Hawara. 1890. 53 p. and XXVlII pi., and
more especially on the decoration of houses: L. Borchardt, Das dgyptische sludlische
Wohnhaiis mil hesonderer Beriicksichtigung der inneren Dekoration, in the Deutsche Bau-
zeitschrift, vol. XXVII , p. 200; for private hypogea, Marittte, Voyage de la HautcEgypte,
vol. I, p. 49-53, and pi. 17; ā P. E. Newberry, Beni- Hassan (Archaeological Survey of
Eevpt, vol. I, II, V, VII), in quarto, London, I, 1893, 87 p. and XLVII pi., II, 1894, 87 p. and
XXXVIII pi.. Ill 1896, 42 p. and X pi., IV 19C0, 9 p. and XXVII pi.; Btrshch (Archaeo-
logical Survey of Egypt, vol. III-IV), in quarto, I ondon, I, 1893, 40 p. and XXXIV pi.. II
1895, 71 p. and XXIII pi.; ā N. de G. Davies, The Rock-tombs of Dvir el Gebrawi (Archao-
logical .Survey of Egypt, vol. XI). in (|uarto, London, 1902, 43 p. and 26 pi.; ā J. de Morgan,
De la fronliere d'Egypte a Koni-Oinbo, i.i quarto, Vienna, 1894, VIII-212 p.; for royal pyramids
of the Memphite type: Flinders Petrie, K(diun Itlidnin and Hawara, in quarto, London,
1890, 53 p. and XXVIll pi., atui Illaliun. Kahun and Gurob. 1891, 56 p. and XXXIII pi ; ā
J. de Morgan, EouUlcs de Daluhour, in quarto, Vienna, I, 1895, IV-165 p. and 40 pi., II
l'X)3. VlII-119 p. and 27 pi. - J.-E. Gautier and G. Jequier. Mcnioirvs snr Ivs fouilles de
Liiht (Memoires de I'lnstitut fran<,ais d'archeologie orientale, vol. VI), in quarto, Cairo,
1902, 107 p. and 30 pi.; for i)yrainid-mastabas: Mariette, Abydos. in folio, Paris, 1870,
vol. II, p. 38-45 and pi. XLVI-XLVII; - Naville, The XI"' Di,nast,, Temple at Dcir el
Buhuri (Egypt Exploration Fund, vol. XI-XII), in quarto, London." I, 1907, 75 p. and XXI pi.,
II, 1910, 29 p. and XXIV pi.; for the points of pyramids: H. Sclui-fer, Die Spitze der Py-
rumide des Kiinigs Anicncmhuls III. in the ieitschrift fiir Agyptisdic Spradie, 1900,
vol. XLI, p. 84-85.
122
THE FIRST THEBAN AGE
Painting: and Sculpture. ā The history of iheThi-ban School for this and the following
period has b<;en established by G. Masp< ro, La Cnclittlc de Karnak cl I'hcolc th- Sculpture
thebaini: in the Revue de I Art ancien ct modcrtw. I'XX), vol. XX, p. 241-2S2, 337-348.
For the whole field of artistic activity, cf. in addition to the works of Davies, Gautier-
Jequier, Newberry and Petrie quoted in reference to sculpture, the following^: Flinders
Petrie, Tunis (Eg^ypt Exploration P'und, vol. II and V), in quarto, London, I, 1885, 63 p. and
XIX pi., II, 1888, 116 p. and LXIII pi., K'optos. in quarto, London. 18%, 38 p. and XXVIII pi.;
ā Fr. W. V. Bissingf, Dcnkmaler agyptischer Skulptur, pi. 19-35, 4()a, 77a; ā J. Capart.
Recueil de Monuments egyptiens. 1902-1905, in quarto, Brussels, pi. XV, XVII, XXlV-XXX II-
LIX-LXII, and the corresponding text; ā L. Borchardt, Kunstzverke aus dem dgyptischen
Museum zu Kairo. pi. 6-7, 23, p. 5, 11; ā E. de Rouge, Album photographique de la
Mission, No. 109-120; ā G. Legrain, Statues et Statuettes de Rois et de particuliers (Cata-
logue general du Musee du Caire), in quarto, Cairo I, 1906, p. 1-29, and pi. I-XXVI; ā
G. Maspero, Le Musee egyptien. in quarto, Cairo, 19;)4, vol. II, p. 25-30, 34-35, 41-45 and
pi. IX-X, XIII, XV. Sur trois Statues du premier Empire thehain, in the Annales du Service,
1902, vol. HI, p. 94-95 and 1 pi. - On the special question of the so-called Hyksos Sphinxes
of Tanis, cf. W. Golenischeff, Amenemha III et les Sphinx de San, in the Recueil de
Travaux. 1893, vol. XV, p. 131-136 and 5 pi.
For goldsmith's work and the minor arts, see in ad lition to J. de Morgan's work on
the excavations at Dahshur, the treatises of E. Vernier, La Bijouterie et la Joaillerie egyp-
tiennes (Memoires de I'lnstitut fran^ais d'archeologie orientale, vol. II), in quarto, Cairo,
1907, VII-156 p. and XXV pi., and Bijoux et Orfcvreries (Catalogue general du Musee du
Caire), in quarto, Cairo, 1907-1909, 200 p. and XXXVII p!., also the work of Schaefer,
Agyptische Goldschmiedearhcitcn (with the collaboration of G. Moller and W. Schubart,
forms vol. I of Mitteilungen aus der Agyptischen Sammhtng), in ft>lio, Peilin, 1910, p. 16-19
and pi. 3; ā L. Borchardt, Kunstwerke aus dem agyptischen Museum zu Kairo, pi. 41-42
and p. 17-18.
^30.ā DlADt.M uF KHNK3UT (Museum, Ca.ro). (PhoL E. Brugsch.j
123
FIG. 231.ā ATLAMKS OF THK FORK-COURT AT HEUIXET-HABU. (Phot. Beato.J
CHAPTER II
THE SECOND THEBAN AGE FROM THE EIGHTEENTH
TO THE TWENTY-FIRST DYNASTY
Renaissance 0/ Art at the beginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty ā The Temple and its
ziarioiis Types ā The Hemispeos and the Speos ā The royal Workshops of Painting
and Sculpture at Thebes and in the Provinces: the decoration of Tombs and Hypogea
ā Goldsmith's Work, Jewelry, and the minor Arts.
WHEN we compare the works of the Thirteenth and Seven-
teenth Dynasties, the differences between them appear
so slight that we are almost tempted to believe them contem-
porary. This is more especially true of the statues and statu-
ettes; that of the Shepherd King Khayanu might have been exe-
cuted for one of the Sebek-hetcps, and the mutilated bust which
Mariette discovere in the Fayum (Fig. 232) bears a most decep-
tive resemblance in technique to the Tanite sphinxes of Amen-
emhat III. It must be admitted, however, that a judgment based
wholly upon these official examples might be unfair. At periods
of political abasement, the court workshops were maintained with
great difficulty on the scanty resources at the disposal of their
masters, and they were reduced to servile reproduction of the
124
THE SECOND THEBAN AGE
types and technique of happier
periods. It seems probable, how-
ever, that they did not remain
altogether stationary, any more
than the private workshops. Un-
civilised as the Hyksos are sup-
posed to have been at the be-
ginning of their domination, they
had nevertheless brought with
them not only material elements
of progress , such as the horse,
the chariot, the quiver, the bronze
squamate cuirass and weapons of
a new type, but also habits and
modes of thought novel to the
Egypt of their day. True , the
leaven of originality they intro-
duced into the ancient mass was
not so active as to change its
FIG. 2?2.ā BUST OF A STATUE OF
THE HYKSOS PERIOD
(Museum, Cairo). (Phot. E. Brugsch.)
FIG. 233. ā THE TWO OBELISKS OF KAKNAK.
(Phot. Beato.)
125
entire nature: but it had
strength enough to burst the
ancient moulds in many direc-
tions. Indications of Asiatic
and European influences in
furniture , goldsmith's work,
and pottery mark their advent;
and it is not unlikely that
we may be obliged to enlarge
very greatly the share assigned
to the foreigner in the consti-
tution of Theban art of the
second period, when exca-
vations shall have brought to
light the monuments of Meso-
potamia , Syria, Asia Minor,
and the ^gean peoples.
A. ARCHITECTURE
We are now no longer ob-
liged to judge of architec-
ture by mere fragments: our
relics of the earliest periods
ART IN EGYPT
FIG. 234.ā RUIXS OF THE SECOND PYLON OF HERU-
EM-HEB AT KARNAK. (Phot. Beato.)
are chiefly sculpture, but thenceforward architecture predominates.
Many of the temples built under the second Theban Empire
still exist , more
or less complete,
and reveal to us its
conceptions, plans,
and methods of
execution. It is
very possible that
the architecture
of this period
counted several
schools, but we do
not yet know how
to define them.
Nearly all of its
surviving works
are situated at Thebes itself, and in regions under the artistic
control of Thebes, i. e. Southern Egypt, and Ethiopia. If any examples
of those which embellished Memphis and the cities of the Delta
at this time had come down to us , we
should no doubt see in them peculiarities
which would enable us to settle the
question in one way or another; but so
far, the fragments which survive are not
sufficiently characteristic to give us the
right to say that another school, distinct
from the Theban School , flourished in
the north.
Two elements seem to have been in
common use at this period, which were
either unknown, or very rarely used in
the earlier ages, the pylon with its
customary pair of preliminary obelisks
(Fig. 233), and the hypostyle hall. The
pylon (Fig. 234) is a straight monu-
mental door, surmounted by a massive
cornice, and enclosed between two rect-
angular towers with sloping walls. It
is the face which the temple turns to
the outer world, and it was through
it that Pharaoh and the faithful passed in state, when they went
to enter into official relation with the god. Each temple was
126
piqi
1^-
MA
IK,. 1}.^. I'l.AN (II' llll';
I'HlNt IFAL TEMPI. K AT
KAKNAK. (Phot. Beato.)
THE SECOND THEBAN AGE
supposed to have but one;
at Thebes, however, and
also, no doul^t, at Memphis
and other important cities,
the kings, anxious to
enlarge the divine house,
constructed other pylons
in front of the principal
one, and these were made
gradually wider and wider,
and higher and higher;
as the numbsr was not
limited by any law, it
increased almost indefin-
itely, till it was checked
only by the poverty or
insignificance of the sover-
eign. At Karnak there
are six from west to east
(Fig. 235) and four from
north to south ; they were
separated from each other
or from the body of the
building by a court bor-
dered with a portico on
three sides, north, east, and west. A hypostyle hall generally
intervened between the last of them and the actual dwelling
of the god. It consisted of a central nave upheld by two rows
of columns, and two side-
aisles, the number of rows
in which was variable, two
and two at Medinet-Habu,
three and three in the
western Ramesseum, seven
and seven at Karnak. The
columns of the central
aisle (Fig. 236) are often
higher than those of the
laterals (Fig. 238) and the
architect utilised the re-
sulting difference of levels
In the ceilings to light
the interior; he pierced
t. 236. ā CENTRAL AISLK OF THE HYPOSTYLE
HALL IN THE RAMESSEUM. (Phot. Beato.)
127
ATLANTKS
THEBES.
(Phot.
n, HAMESSEUM AT
Beaio.)
ART IN EGYPT
FI(j. i3S.ā TRANSVERSE SECTION OF THE HYPOSTYLE HALL AT KARNAK
(After Chipiez) (Hist, de I'Art. vol. I, pi. V).
the vertical wall that united them with a stone clerestory, through
which the light entered
(Fig. 239). The side -aisles
were illuminated only by nar-
row slits in the ceiling; as one
receded from the centre, the
light diminished, and semi-
darkness reigned against the
lateral walls , even at the
most brilliant hours of
the day. Very often, a
single chamber not being
considered enough, the archi-
tect placed two or even
three in a line , and in this
case he also doubled the
sanctuary , which was then
composed of a hypostyle
hall with four columns for
the sacred boat, and beyond
this, of one or several
rooms where the god re-
ceived daily worship. For
the rest it would seem that
the Second Empire added
2X,i). ( LI-.KKSIOHV
HALL A'l KAKNAK.
|- -I UK IIVI'OS'l Vl.l',
(r/,<,l. Heal,,.)
128
THE SECOND THEBAN AGE
FIG. 240. ā PROTO-DORIC COLUJtNS AT
KARNAK. (Phot. Beato.)
little to what had been in use under the First. Its architects
employed pillars, either bare, or with Atlantes against them
(Fig. 231, 237), and hexa-
gonal columns of the
kind called proto- Doric
(Fig. 240), at first lavishly,
and then more sparingly,
though they were never
dispensed with alto-
gether. They persisted,
indeed, to a later period,
and there are examples at
Elephantine dating from
Amasis, and in the temple
of the Theban Ptah, dating
from the Ptolemies. On
the other hand, the
column with a bell-shaped capital became more frequent, and
vied in popularity with the lotus- bud and palm-leaf capitals.
The Hathor column was reserved for the
buildings sacred to the goddess Hathor at
Bubastis and at Der-el-Bahari; the capital
was composed of two masks of the goddess
set back to back and encircled at the
neck by a simple band where they im-
pinge upon the shaft. Once only, in the
ambulatory of Thothmes III. at Karnak
(Fig. 241), a variation more eccentric than
ingenious was tried, in which the bell was
reversed, and the thinner end of the
shaft was sunk in the base, while the
thicker one was set into the mouth of the
bell. It would seem that this combination,
in which all the elements were transposed,
had no success, for we find no trace of
it elsewhere. The three usual columns
are not found indifferently everywhere;
the bell-shaped capital was used preferably
for the central aisle of hypostyle halls,
while the lotus-bud form was relegated to
the exterior porticoes, the interior rooms,
or the side aisles of the hypostyle halls, and the palm column
reigned in the porticoes. These customs were, however, tenden-
129 K
FIG. 241.ā ONE OF THK
COLUMNS OF THE AM-
BULATORY AT KARNAK
(After Chipiez) (Hist, de
I'Art, vol. I, p. 572).
ART IN EGYPT
FIG. 242. ā THE EA'^T TE^^fPLE AT ELEPHAN-
TINE (After Chipiez' restoration)
(Hist de I'Art, Vol. I, p. 402).
cies rather than a rule; broadly speaking, it may be said that
the lotiform order was the one most in favour during the Second
Theban Empire.
Some of the temples
such as those of Thoth-
mes III. and of Amen-
ophis III. at Elephantine
contained only the number
of rooms strictly necessary
for the wants of the god.
One of these (Fig. 242) was
merely a sanctuary of sand-
store, about 14 feet high,
by 40 feet long, and 30
feet wide. It had a base-
ment of masonry with a
slight parapet, sustaining
a portico composed on each side of five square pillars, enclosed
between two large corner-pillars, and on each fagade, of two
columns with lotus capitals. It was entered on the east, where a
flight of ten or twelve steps mounted to the portico and to
the cella between the two columns ; another door opened at the
western extremity (Fig. 243). It was a peripteral temple, and the
Pharaohs of the Eighteenth Dynasty had a certain predilection
for the plan, for it recurs at Karnak and at Medinet - Habu.
That of Medinet-Habu, almost identical with that of Elephantine
in dimensions, was founded by Thothmes II. and Queen Hat-
shepset, but it would seem that before its completion, a second
building was added towards the west ā perhaps by Thothmes III.
ā consisting of six
rooms arranged in
three rows of two each,
the sanctuary at the
end, and the chapels
of the paredri at the
sides. Construction
and decoration betray
negligence, or rather
lack of skill, on every
hand , and this is not
surprising, if we re-
member that at the time Aat-tcha-Mutet ā our Medinet-Habu ā
was a little provincial town. To give but one instance, the slabs
130
i 1; m
1
q
L._.\J:ii_' '^
FIG. 243.ā LONGITUDINAL SECTION OF THE
EAST TEMPLE.
THE SECOND THEBAN AGE
FIG. 244.
-RUINED FACADE OF THE TEMPLE OF
AMADA. (Phot. Oropesa.)
of the roof are so badly adjusted, that it was found necessary
io prop up those of the portico by means of columns placed
at the angles, regard-
less of symmetry. They
seem to be there more
or less by accident,
and yet they harmon-
ise so well with the
whole, that their pre-
sence does not shock
the spectator ; they
appear as a singu-
larity, or a graceful
audacity, rather than
a constructive error.
The temple of Amen-
ophis III at El-Kab,
almost as simple as
those of Elephantine
and Medinet-Habu, is on a different plan. It has two compart-
ments at present, but the first, which is a portico, was built
under the Ptolemies, and formed no part of the original arrange-
ment; only the room of the sacred boat, the sanctuary, dates
from the Theban period. It is oblong in shape, and is sustained
by four Hathor-pillars; a niche, which was approached by four
steps, is hollowed out
in the end chamber,
and this was the Holy
of Holies, the retreat
in which the divine
statue was concealed.
In general , we note
two distinct types for