File:Up the Nile, and home again. A handbook for travellers and a travel-book for the library. (1862) (14783920633).jpg

Identifier: upnilehomeagainh00fair (find matches)
Title: Up the Nile, and home again. A handbook for travellers and a travel-book for the library.
Year: 1862 (1860s)
Authors: Fairholt, F. W. (Frederick William), 1814-1866
Subjects:
Publisher: London, Chapman and Hall
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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n length. To increase our wonder, this vast block of stone was transported from the quarries at Syene (the modern Assouan), one hundred and twenty-four miles higher up the river. It now lies in shattered fragments beside the portico of the great hall, as shown in Plate XIY. Bv what means this vast t/ figure was overthrown, and split into fragments aseasily as if it had been a porcelain image, is not tobe defined. ATooden wedges firmly driven, and thensoaked with water, would do this, and was a planadopted in procuring the vast blocks of stone fromthe quarries by the ancient Egyptians; but thewedge holes are always to be detected, and in thisstatue there are no such things, or any other ap-parent modes of fracture. The head has been moreinjured than usual by the Arabs, who have cut mill-stones therefrom; but the royal head-dress, and theeyes and ears of the bust, are clearly to be made out.Upon the shoulder is deeply cut the name in hiero-glyphics; the arms, and the ribbed dress of the
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ANCIENT THEBES. 285 figure may also be clearly seen; but the lower por-tion of the statue is now a mere mass of fragments.The portico beside it is remarkable for its Osiriclepillars, clearly shown in our view. The god Osirisis represented with crook and whip held in hiscrossed arms, reposing against each pillar; the crownwhich surmounted his head has, in all instances,disappeared. The figures are, it will be observed, ofcolossal proportion and much grandeur of style.Two lateral corridors of circular columns are con-nected with them. These columns are in the bestantique taste, representing bundles of the stalks,buds, and petals of water-plants. It is much to beregretted, that this noble specimen of early archi-tecture is in so fragmentary and ruinous a condition.It has few rivals in Egypt. At the entry to this temple still lies the granitestatue from which Belzoni took the head now in ourBritish Museum, popularly known as the head ofMemnon, the most celebrated monument of Egyp-tian art

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