The most ancient actually existing arches of stone occur at Memphis, near the modern village of Saqqara. Here there is a tomb with two large vaulted chambers, whose roofs display in every part the name and sculptures of Psamaticus II. (about B.C. 600). The chambers are cut in the limestone rock, and this being of a friable nature, the roof is secured by being, as it were, lined with an arch, like our modern tunnels.
To about the same period—that of the last dynasty before the Persian invasion—belong the remarkable doorways of the enclosures surrounding the tombs in the Assaseef, which are composed of two or more concentric semicircles of brick (fig. 2) (Wilkinson, Anc. Egyptians, iii. 319).
Although the oldest stone arch whose age has been positively ascertained does not date earlier than the time of Psamaticus, 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 absence of the arch in temples and other large buildings excite our sur prise, 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 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, reach ing from one architrave to the other, which, instead of being placed in the usual manner, stand upon their edges, in order to allow room for hollowing out an arch in their thickness ; but it has the 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 are cased with masonry, to prevent the fall of its crumbling stone ; but, instead of being roofed on the principle of the arch, they are covered with a number of large blocks, placed horizontally, one projecting beyond that immediately below it, till the uppermost two meet in the centre, the interior angles being afterwards rounded off to form the appearance of a vault (fig. t). The date of this
building is about B.C. 1500, and consequently many years after the Egyptians had been acquainted with the art of vaulting (Wilkinson, Anc. Egyptians, ii. 321).
Thus as the temple architecture of the Egyptians did not admit of arches, and as the temples are almost the only buildings 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 conclusive 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 occurrence. We ob serve that Sir J. G. Wilkinson, in portraying an Egyptian mansion (Anc. 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, though better wooded than Egypt, was still deficient of wood suitable for building and for roofs, is shewn by the fact that large importations of timber from the forests of Lebanon were necessary (2 Sam. vii. 2, 7 ; 1 Kings v. 6 ; t Chron. xxii. 4 ; 2 Chron. ii. 3 ; Ezra iii. 7 ; Cant. i. 17), and that this im ported timber, although of no very high quality, was held in great estimation. [BRIDGE.]—J. K. [It may be added that arched gateways are frequently re presented on the Assyrian bas-reliefs. (See Layard's Nineveh, ii. 260). In his second series of re searches the same enterprising traveller discovered several arches belonging to the ancient architecture of Assyria (Nineveh and Babylon, p. 163-4)].