meant; whether it indicated the site of a city, a palace, or a tomb; until, in 1717, the enthusiastic Belzoni undertook the work of excavation. His toil was well rewarded; for it brought to light a magnificent specimen of the highest Egyptian art; a specimen which, with Champollion, we may confidently attribute to the palmiest epoch of Pharaonic civilization.
TEMPLE OF ISIS, ISLAND OF PHILÆ.
Every voyager who visits Ipsambul seems inspired with more than ordinary feelings of admiration.
Here, exclaims Eliot Warburton, the daring genius of Ethiopian architecture ventured to enter into rivalry with Nature’s greatness, and found her material in the very mountains that seemed to bid defiance to her efforts.
You can conceive nothing more singular and impressive, says Mrs. Romer, than the façade of the Great Temple; for it is both a temple and a cave. Ipsambul, remarks Sir F. Henniker, is the ne plus ultra of Egyptian labor; and in itself an ample
recompense for the labor of a voyage up the Nile. There is no temple, of either Dendera, Thebes, or Philæ, which can be put in competition with it; and one may well be contented to finish one’s travels with having seen the noblest monument of antiquity in Nubia and Egypt.
There are two temples at Ipsambul—one much larger than the other; but each has a speos, or cavern, hewn out of the solid rock. Let us first visit the more considerable, consecrated by Rameses II. to the sun-god Phrah, or Osiris, whose statue is placed above the entrance door. An area of 187 feet wide by 86 feet high is excavated from the mountain, the sides being perfectly smooth, except where ornamented by relievos. The façade consists of four colossal statues of Rameses II. seated, each 65 feet high, two on either side of the gateway. From the shoulder to the tiara they measure 15 feet 6 inches; the ears are 3 feet 6 inches long; the face 7 feet; the beard 5 feet 6 inches; the shoulders 25 feet 4 inches across. The moulding of each stony countenance is exquisite.
FACADE OF TEMPLE OF PHRAH-IPSAMBUL.