RAMESES II.

court, about 45 feet wide and 43 feet long, contained three rows of pillars, the most westerly row having statues of Osiris. The sides of the court are formed of the living rock, and on this are sculptured war-scenes, wherein Rameses II. appears in his chariot. The first chamber contains six pillars, and beyond this is the sanctuary containing two recesses. The temple was called " Pa-Ra," i.e., " House of Ra," and was dedicated to Amen-Ra and Ra-Heru-Khuti, or Ra-Harmachis. At Ibrim, in the second " shafts only remain of the two outer rows. In front of each of the four pillars "are the legs of a colossal figure, similar to those of the temple of Corne, at "Thebes. A portion of the excavated rock which had formed one of the walls "of the pronaos had fallen down ; on the fragments of it a battle is " represented ; the hero, in his chariot, is pursuing his vanquished foe, who " retires to a marshy and woody country, carrying the wounded along with " him. In a. lower compartment of the same " all, the prisoners, with their arms " tied behind their backs, are brought before the executioner, who is represented " in the act of slaying one of tliem. All these figures are much defaced. On " the opposite wall is another battle, but in a still more mutilated state : in " this, prisoners are brought before the hawk-headed Osiris. On the front wall " ol the eel a, on each side of the principal entrance, Briareus is represented in "the act of being slain, and Osiris, with uplifted arm, arresting the intended " blow. This is the same group which is so often seen in the Egyptian "temples ; but Briareus has here only two heads, and four arms, instead of the "numerous heads and arms represented in Eg\pt. On the four pillars " in front of the cella, variously dressed figures are sculptured, two " generally together, taking each other by the hand. The Egyptian Mendes, "or Priapus, is also repeateiily seen. The cella of the temple consists of "an apartment thirteen spaces square, which receives its light only through " the principal gate, and a smaller one, on the side of it. Two rows of "small pillars, three in each row, extend from the cella to the adytum : these " pillars show the infancv of architecture, being mere square blocks, hewn out " of the rock, without either base or capital ; they are somewhat larger at the " bottom than at the top. The inside walls of the cella, and its six pillars, are "covered with mystic figures, in the usual style ; they are of mucii ru'ler work-" manship than any I have seen in Egypt. Some remains of colour prove "that all these figures were originally painted. On one of the side walls of "the cella, are five figures, in long robes, with shaven heads, carrying a boat "upon their shoulders, the mid. He of which is also supported by a man with "a lion's skin upon his shoulder. In the posterior wall of the ceha, is a "door, with a winged globe over it, which leads into the small adytum, " where the seats of four figures remain, cut out of the back wall. On both sides " of the adytum are small chambers, with private entrance into the cella ; " in one of which a deep excavation makes it probable that it was used as a ".sepulchre."

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