TTefr
'Gurgeis
Map of the Plain of Thebes.
Rkfrrknces.-Wm( Bank: 1 Temple of Kurneh. S. Colossal Slntue of Rameses. 3. Avenue of Sphinxes. 4. Dei baked Brick. 6. Deir ol-Medineh. 7. Broken .statue of Ramese9.—£'a»( ^an*.- n. handine of Luxoi ■ •• • ~
rf. Temple of Ptolcmv Pbiladclphiis. e. Avenue of Sphinxes. /A "
pie. i. Exterior Court, k. Colonnade. /. Obelisks ~ '
.1. ..ui.iv. It. j.niitiiu^ 111 AjuAur. y. rreiicn i onsuiilie, r. Je
_,. ue of Unm-headed S])hinxe8. ^. Pond. A. Principal Entrance
. Temple of Aiuenophis. n. Propyicea.
. 1-Bahri. 5. Enrlosure of Un-
6. French Consuliite. c. Temple and Obelisk, of the Great Tern-
THEBES
307
THEBES
In subsequent times its population dwelt in small villau;es, and Thebes no longer existed as a city, and this has been the case ever since; no one of tliese vil- lages, or those that have succeeded them— lor the same sites do not appear in all cases to have been occupied — having risen to the imijortance of a city. At tlie pres- ent time there are two villages on the eastern bank, El- Karnak and El-Uksur (Luxor) ; the former, which is in- considerable, near the oldest part of ancient Thebes ; the latter, which is large and the most important place on the site, so as to deserve to be called a small town, ly- ing some distance to the south on the river's bank. Opposite El-Karnak is the ruined village of El-Kurneh, of which the population mainly inhabit sepulchral grot- tos; and opposite El-Uksnr is the village of El-Ba'irat, which, indeed, is almost beyond the circuit of the mon- uments of Thebes.
IV. Description. — The plan of the city, as indicated by the principal monuments, was nearly quadrangular, measuring two miles from north to south, and four from east to west. Its four great landmarks still are El-Kar- nak and El-Uksur upon the eastern or Arabian side, and El-Kurneh and Medinet-Habu upon the western or Liby- an side. There are imiications that each of these tem- ples may have been connected with those facing it upon tu'o sides by grand dromoi, lined with sphinxes and other colossal figures. Upon the western bank there was almost a continuous line of temples and pidjlic edi- fices for a distance of two miles, from El-Kurneh to Medi- net-Habu; and Wilkinson conjectures that from a point near the latter, perhaps in the line of the colossi, the " Royal Street" ran down to the river, which was cross- ed by a ferry terminating at El-Uksur on the eastern side.
As Memphis is remarkable for its vast necropolis. Thebes surpasses the other cities of Egypt in its tem- ples. The primeval kings of Egypt who ruled at the northern capital were tomb -builders, those who pre- ferred the southern capital were rather temple-builders; and as the works of the former give ns the best insight into the characteristics of the national mind, those of the latter tell us the history of the country under its most powerful kings. Thebes is the most thoroughly historical site in Egypt. The temples are not only cov- ered with the sculpiured representations and histories of the chief campaigns of the conquering kings and the similar records of their presents to the shrines, and many other details of historical interest, but they have the advantage of showing, in the case of the most im- ])ortant temple, or rather collection of temples, what was added under each dynasty, almost each reign, from the Itlth century B.C. to the Roman dominion; and thus they indicate the wealth, the power, and the state of art during the chief part of the period for which Thebes was either the capital or an important city of Egypt, The following is the plan of an Egyptian temple (q. v.) of the age of the empire : An avenue of sphinxes, with, at in- tervals, pairs of colossal statues of a king, usually seated, led up to its entrance. The gate was flanked by lofty and broad wings, extending along the whole front of tlie temple, the long horizontal lines of which were re- lieved by tapering obelisks. The first hall was usually hypiethral, unless perhaps it had a wooden roof and was surrounded by colonnades. The second, but some- times the third, was tilled with columns in avenues, the central avenue being loftier than the rest, and support- ing a raised portion of the roof. IJeyond were the naos and various chambers, all smaller than the court or courts and the hall. This plan was not greatly varied in the Theban temples of which the remains are suffi- cient for us to form an opinion.— The great temple of El-Karnak, dedicated to Amen-ra, the chief god of Thebes, was founded at least as early as the time of the 12th dynasty, but is mainly of the age of the 18th and 19th. The first winged portal, which is more than 360 feet wide, forms the front of a court .S"29 feet wide, and 275 long. Outside the eastern portion of the south
ITorili
J^ast
Plan of the Great Temple at Karnak.
A. First Propvlon. B. Open Area, with corridors, and a s'nffle column erect. C. Second Propvlon. D. Oreat HaH. E. Tliird Propvlon. F. Fourth Propvlon. G. llall with Osiride fitrnres. H. Granite Sanctuary and adioiuing Chambers. I. Open Court. K. Columnar Edifice of Thoth- mea Hi. L. Temple of Rameses III a. Sculptures of Sethos I. b. Sculpt- ures of Shishak. c. Scnlpt\ires ofRameses II. <<. Small Obelisk, e. Large Obelisk. /. Pillars of Osirtesen I. g. Hall of Ancestors.