Few temples in Egypt are more extensive or finer than this must once have been. Sufficient still remains to show its extent and magnificence: traces of columns, fragments of battle-scenes, and sacred processions, display its architectural beauty and the interesting historical events which once adorned its walls. The cruel hand of time, some convulsion of nature, or, what is most probable, the barbarous hand of man, have destroyed them, and thus torn many interesting pages from the history of the world.
A general view of these ruins may be seen in the background of [Plate XXIII.,] which gives a correct idea of the confused mass that now remains; and my view ([Plate XXV.]), the most picturesque of any that I have of Gibel el Birkel, represents in the foreground the solitary column before mentioned. The separate plan ([Plate XXIV.]) of this temple I drew myself, and spared no pains to make it as correct as possible, excavating for that purpose: and had I been less acquainted with Egyptian edifices, I could not have succeeded so well. The exact form of the first propylon of this temple is not discernible, being quite destroyed, great part of the stones carried away, and the rest covered almost entirely with the sand which drifts continually from the desert. The dimensions given to the propylon in the plan, I obtained by some little excavation, and by observations of the ground. I do not pretend to say they are quite correct; but, from the dilapidated state of this part of the temple, more exact measurements cannot, I think, now be obtained. To understand fully the following detailed description of this edifice, the reader must refer to my [plan.] The total length of the temple is nearly 500 feet. The first court is 150 feet long, and 135 wide, and was surrounded by a row of columns, 5 feet 9 inches in diameter, resting on bases 7 feet 6 inches in diameter. Nine only of these columns are now visible. These, however, are sufficient to afford a correct idea of what the court has been. I obtained the intercolumniation by excavation, and have thus ascertained that this court must have been ornamented with 26 columns, and not more, as it has been represented. There were nine on each side, including the angles, and four at each end.
Pl. 21.
| Drawn by L. Bandoni. | Printed by C. Hullmandel. |
TEMPLE OF TIRHAKA, GIBEL EL BIRKEL.
London. Published by Longman, Rees & Co. April 6th. 1835.
The propylon of the second court is also much injured, but not to the same extent as the first. On the south-west side, which is less injured than the other, I found the remains of a staircase leading to the top of the edifice. The depth of this propylon, which is 28 feet, I was able to ascertain with more precision than the other. The second court is 125 feet long and 102 wide. It was curiously laid out, in a manner which first made me conceive it to have originally formed two rooms: the first containing four rows of six columns each, two on each side; and the second room, six rows of columns of three each: but, on further examination, I found that there was no mark on the side walls of its having been thus divided. There is a thin wall, which connects together the seventh and eighth columns of the centre avenue, that is, the last of the columns that would have been in the first room, and the first of the second. This proves that this could never have formed more than one court; for, had it been divided into separate rooms, these columns could not have been connected. I conceive it most probable that, as the architectural part of a temple was generally constructed before the ornamental, the columns may have been erected with the intention that it should have been divided into two rooms; but that afterwards, as the making the whole one apartment formed no very great architectural defect, though it certainly was one, this arrangement was adopted, probably in order to afford a more continued space for the procession which adorned the walls. Otherwise, rooms leading into the sanctuaries, ornamented with six rows of columns, of three each, agree exactly with the general description of an Egyptian temple.
With some little excavation, I found the traces of all the columns marked in the plan on the western side, and two on the other, with a similar connecting wall above mentioned: the width of the centre avenue was 17 feet. The diameter of the columns is 5 feet 5 inches; and they rest on circular bases. A reference to the [plan] will show that the nine columns on each side, forming the centre avenue, are in an exact line. The six columns of the second row, on entering, are in a line with the intercolumniation of the second and third rows, of what I, at first, erroneously conceived to be a separate portico.
On the west side of the second propylon are the fragments of a battle-scene, now almost unintelligible. Shattered pieces of a warhorse, of a king drawing his bow, and of slain combatants, denote that the historical representation of some celebrated conflict has been sculptured there. The side walls of this court seem to have been covered with splendid processions, perhaps equal to that in the beautiful portico at Medenet Abou; but nothing remains, except, in one place, a few heads; in another, the hawk and jackal standards, and several fragments of feet and limbs; and here and there, one or two hieroglyphics occur. I regret exceedingly that these sculptures are so completely destroyed, as, doubtless, they would have made an interesting addition to the pages of history. The battle, with its horrors—the resistance, flight, and slaughter—the fiery steed, trampling on the dying—the portraits and the names of the vanquished people—the warrior’s triumph and gratitude to the gods, and the processions in commemoration of his victory—were, no doubt, sculptured on these walls. This once beautiful temple, and the historical records with which it was adorned, are now almost entirely destroyed. Sufficient only is remaining to prove the beauty of the style, and make us sensible of the loss we have experienced in its destruction. The nature of the event these sculptures told, may be imagined; but as matter of history it is lost for ever.