Ancient Kgyptian arched Door-ways.
Until within a few years it was common to ascribe a comparatively late origin to the arch ; but circum- stances have come to light one after another, tending to throw the date more and more backward, until at length it seems to be admitted that in Egypt the arch already existed in the time of Joseph. The observa- tions of Rosellini and of Wilkinson (who carries back the evidence from analogy and probability to about B.C. 2020, Anc. Egyptians, ii, 116; iii, 31(3) led them irresistibly to this conclusion, which has also been re- cently adopted by Cockerell (Lect. iii, in Athenceum for Jan. 28, 1843) and other architects. Wilkinson suggests the probability that the arch owed its inven- tion to the small quantity of wood in Egypt, and the consequent expense of roofing with timber. The evi- dence that arches were known in the time of the first Osirtesen is derived from the drawings at Beni-Has- san (Wilkinson, ii, 117). In the secluded valley of Deir el-Medineh, at Thebes, are several tombs of the early date of Amenoph I. Among the most remark-
Flourin:,'
arched Room at Thebes.
Stone Arch at Sakkara.
about the same period — that of the last dynasty before the Persian invasion — belong the remarkable door- ways of the enclosures surrounding the tombs in the Assasif, which are composed of two or more concentric semicircles (rig. 2) of brick (Wilkinson, A nc. Egyptians, iii, 319). Although the oldest stone arch whose age has been positively ascertained does not date earlier than the time of Psammeticus, we cannot suppose that the use of stone was not adopted by the Egyptians for that style of building previous to his reign, even if the arches in the pyramids in Ethiopia should prove not to be anterior to the same era. Nor does the ab- sence of the arch in temples and other large buildings excite our surprise, when we consider the style of Egyptian monuments; and no one who understands the character of their architecture could wish for its introduction. In some of the small temples of the Oasis the Romans attempted this innovation, but the appearance of the chambers so constructed fails to please; and the whimsical caprice of Osirei (about
ARCH
365
ARCHAEOLOGY
Ancient concave Hoof.
B.C. 1385) also introduced an imitation of the arch in a temple at Abydus. In this building the roof is formed of single blocks of : stone, reaching from one arch- itrave to the other, which, in- stead of being placed in the j usual manner, stand upon their j S edges, in order to allow room j ~ for hollowing out an arch in their thickness ; but it has the j effect of inconsistency, without the plea of advantage or utility. Another imitation of the arch occurs in a building at Thebes, constructed in the style of a tomb. The chambers lie under a friable rock, and arc cased with masonry, to prevent the fall of its crum- bling stone ; but, instead of being roofed on the prin- ciple of the arch, they are covered with a number of large blocks, placed horizontally, one projecting be- yond that immediately below it, till the uppermost two meet in the centre, the interior angles being af- terward rounded off to form the appearance of a vault (fig. 1, above). The date of this building is about B.C. 1500, and consequently many years after the Egyptians had been acquainted with the art of vault- ing (Wilkinson, Anc. Egyptians, ii, 321). Thus, as the temple architecture of the Egyptians did not ad- mit of arches, and as the temples arc almost the only luildings that remain, it is not strange that arches have not oftener been found. The evidence offered by the paintings, the tombs, and the pyramids is con- clusive for the existence and antiquity of arches and vaults of brick and stone ; and if any remains of houses and palaces had now existed, there is little doubt that the arch would have been of frequent oc- currence. We observe that Wilkinson, in portraying an Egyptian mansion {Anc. Egyptians, ii, 131), makes the grand entrance an archway. After this it seems unreasonable to doubt that the arch was known to the Hebrews also, and was employed in their buildings. Palestine was indeed better wooded than Egypt ; but still that there was a deficiency of wood suitable for building and for roofs is shown by the fact that large importations of timber from the forests of Lebanon were necessary (2 Sam. vii, 2, 7; 1 Kings v, G; IChron. xxii, 4; 2 Chron. ii, 3 ; Ezra iii, 7 ; Cant, i, 17), and that this imported timber, although of no very high quality, was held in great estimation. — Kitto, s. v.
Mr. Layard found evident traces of the arch among the Assyrian ruins. He first discovered a small vault- ed chamber, the roof of which was constructed of
baked bricks placed sideways, one against another, in the usual manner of an arch {Nineveh, i, 38). He af- terward came upon several vaulted drains beneath the palace of Nimroud, built of sun-dried bricks, and final- ly a perfect brick arch ; showing the knowledge of this architectural element among the Assyrians at a very early date (Babylon and Nineveh, 2d ser. p. 1G3, 164). See Architecture.