The bell-and-vase-shaped capitals are of an entirely differ ent description, and cannot be said to have been a develop ment of the above ; they must have arisen from an entirely trees : adaptation of natural forms; While t he above consists of mere reeds, the new form was an imitation of foliage and flowers to that climate—the palm, the lotus, and the pap? rus. The outline as well as the decoration of this kind of capital. deserves the highest praise for its taste, combining as it does the admirable properties of severity and grace, and will bear comparison with the best examples of classic design, nut excepting the Corinthian, to me hitch it bears a very remarkable resemblance, so much so as to us reason to believe that the 1Zointths were indebted to Egypt for the origin of their most admired order. Some specimens bear a slight resemblance to the Ionic ; mm e may allude to that at Latopolis, but this is not so obvious. although we certainly have the upper part of the ionic capital with its volutes repeated as a minor decoration.
The square, capitals, again, with a representation of the head of Isis or other deity on its four sides, form a third class. which seems to have had its origin in symbolism, or at any rate in the mysteries of ; a supposition which is in some measure confirmed by the usual accompaniment of a temple.
There are some columns to be seen in Egypt of a very different description to any we have noticed, and to which Ir. Barry has called attention in a note appended to Mr. G wilt's edition of Chambers ; they bear a marked resemblance to the Grecian Doric, and are considered of earlier (late than any existing specimen of that order. One illustration represents a portico of two fluted columns in antis, the flute.sof which are shallow, and twenty in number. and the capital consists aim abacus only ; the height of the column is about 5 diameters. Another striking example is Mund at Ka laNtehie, on the borders of the Nile, in says Mr. Barry, •• The abacus is square, and 11 inches thick ; the shaft. which has a trill ng diminution, is 7 feet S inches high, and :3 feet inehes diameter. The circumference is in II divisions, me hereof -I. which are at right angles to each other, are that faces covered hieriwdy phics, and the other intervening ones are slink into flat elliptical flutes finch deep." Another example is to be seen at Amad• in Nubia, but here we ha ye t WO different kinds adjoining each other, me hieh throw some Iiglu upon the origin and purport of such columns. In this ease the columns are but square piers with a -.light proje•tion at top and bottom, for abacus and
base, not.cry different fr(un those already described, as placed behind the Caryatid figures at 1psambal ; the pier at the angle, however, presents a somewhat different appearance, for while the abacus and base remain as before, the shaft is both circular and fluted, the rounding of the angles seeming to have been effected as a matter of convenience, and the fluting as of ornament. NVe have already alluded to the not unfrequent occurrence of polygonal shafts, and we cannot help thinking that these, as well as the fluted examples just now described, find a common origin in the square pier of which they are all improvements. We are inclined to coin cide with Mr. Barry in the following remarks :—" The general resemblance of the fluted columns to those of the Grecian Doric order, is manifest, and, in addition to many other remarkable indications in the Egyptian temple, clearly points to Egypt as the source of both Greek and Roman architecture." See DORIC ORDER, CoLums.
having now laid before the reader a general description of the elementary parts and details of Egyptian architecture, as well as of the usual form and distribution of their temples, it is our intention to give some more particular account of the more noted erections, and, in following out this scheme, we cannot do better than give the accounts of the various authorities in their own words.
The principal remains are to be found in Upper Egypt, in the cities lying on both sides of the Nile, but the spot in which they are most numerous and imposing, is in the neigh bourhood of Thebes. The following is a list of the larger temples : Temple of Jupiter, at Earnac ; of Jupiter Ammon ; of Apollo, at Apollinepolis Magna ; of Osiris, at Tentyra; of Venus ; of Timbals, at Knu'his. Temples at Luxor, Den dera. Edfou, Esneh. or Latopulis, ermopolis,Ombos,Syene, Queron, Ipsambul ; Caryatie temple, at Rhamesseion, and various temples in the islands of Phila and Elephantina. In addition to which, we have the tombs and pyramids, the labyrinth, and various monuments, obelisks, and other isolated works.
We have already stated, that the grandest monuments are to be found at Thebes, and, of such, those of Kamac and Luxor take the pre-eminence ; they form two separate erec tions. but are connected together by a lung avenue of sphinxes, as hereafter mentioned. We select these two as subjects for the first description, the authorities being Depot' and Wilkinson.