Instances of the employment of Caryatid lignites in the place of columns are not unfrequent, they are placed in front of square piers, and do not bear the whole weight of the superineumbent mass, w hie his mainly supported by the piers. Examples of this kind are to be flaunt] at I Zamesseion, Thebes, and lbsambal, on the banks of the Nile. between Egypt and Ethiopia. The pronaos of the last-named temple. according to Belzoni, is 57 feet long and 1",•.2 wide, supported by two rows of square pillars. each having a frrure of Sesostris attached to it about 20 feet high. finely executed. and in good preservation. The pillars arc five and a half feet square, and the sides are covered with phies.
Of caoitals, Egpytian architecture allhrds a vast variety, widely differing in thrill and character. One prevailing, thrill is the, bulging or bulbous capital, m hid> projects from the shaft in a flat curve, but:, instead of continuing to expand as it proceeds upwards, it recedes hack, gradually diminishing in thickness, until at its junction with the abacus its diameter equals that of the shaft ; the contour is similar to that w hicln would be produced by a slightly yielding body pressed down by a superineumbent weight. Sometimes this capital exhibits a plain surtitee, only relieved by hieroglyphics arranged in horizontal rings, as at kournon ; at others, it is divided into eight or more compartments, or shafts, running vertically from top to bottom, and covered with hieroglyphics, or reoled. in which latter case another subdivisioo of shafts frequently takes place about half way up the capital, or the shafts toe interrupted by one or more horizontal bands, either plain or covered with hieroglyphics-, as at Latopolis. The sinq.iest capital of this kind is where the reeds of the shaft are ear ried up without any interruption, with the exception of a band at the top of the shaft, underneath the bulge of the capital.
Another form of capital, which was frequently adopted, is the bell-shaped, reseinbling, in contour, an inverted bell, and covered with leaves, flowers, &c., or they May be said to resemble the bell and petals of a (lower, the upper rim turn ing over, and bending downwards. This rim was sometimes perfectly circular, but at others divided into a number of convex curves, thrilling so many distinct petals. The lotus, papyrus, and palm seem to have been the 111,vourite plants for introduction into this kind of capital, and so beautifully were they carved, as frequently to exhibit the most delicate and minute parts, such as the petals, pistyles, reeds, &c. Exam
pies are to be found in almost every building ; among others we may mention those of IIerniontis, I,,atopolis, and A polli nopolis Magna, where there are some exquisite specimens; indeed, all the capitals of this form are exceedingly delieate and beautiful, of elegant form. and chaste enrichment. An example or somewhat similar character is given selected from the temple of Esneh, hut in this ease the contour is dilferent, being convex instead of concave; the treatment, however, is similar, and the design good. Another capital is fropiently intioduced in the greater temples, which may be termed double capital, the lowermost of which consists of four Isis' faces, disposed so as to form a square larger than the shaft, the folds of the head-dress on each side hanging down, and projecting beyond it at the corners. Above each face is it projecting abacus, with a coneave face, and standing upon these, a square tel which forms the second capital. Instances arc likewise to he flunid of triple capitals, which consist, of the last-mentioned double form placed above one of the bell-shaped kind. Another instance of a Capital is given, taken from the tel of Typhon, which consists of a rectangular Pock placed a bell shaped capital, against each of the f our sides of w hick sits an image of the god. 11 cads of animals are sometimes carved in the place of capitals, amongst which are those of the bull, which form is worthy of notice as approximating to the capitals found at Persepolis. Rarely we lied columns without capitals, or with a simple rectangular block, which is little better than an abacus. The Egyptian abacus varies from the Grecian in being nothing, more than a plain square plinth, of consi derably smaller dimensions than the capital, and therefore receding projecting over, as in classical architecture ; indeed it scarcely fortns a member of the capital at all, for. on account of its great depth behind the capital, it is visible. unless it be of extraordinary height ; its purpo-e seems to be. to forin a marked division between the column and entablature. and obviate that heaviness of appearn,ce which would otherwise be oevasionf.d. The bulging capitals norm an exception to this ride. for in them the abacus projects, and overhangs the capital, the object of which is apparent from the peculiar shape of the capital ; in this ease it is usually ornamented ee itl hieroglyphics or otherwise.