THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN of the five caves there, are figures of Setau, the Prince of Kash, and other officials, adoring Rameses II.

The finest and most impressive of all the buildings of Rameses II. in Nubia is the rock-hewn temple of Abu Simbel, which he built to commemorate his victory over the league of Asiatic tribes who were led by the Prince of the Kheta ; for simple grandeur and majesty it is second to none in all Egypt. The temple is oriented due. east, and was dedicated to Ra-Harmachis. When Burckhardt visited the temple ' it was so much buried by the sand that he found it difficult to determine whether the statues in front of it were in a sitting or standing posture ! The fa9ade of the temple was formed by cutting away the sloping side of the hill and smoothing the surface for a space measuring 120 feet by 105 feet. At the top was cut "a row of dogheaded apes, twenty-one (?) in number, each being about 6 feet high. In front of the fayade are four colossal statues of Rameses II., each about 66 feet high. On each side of the colossi are smaller figures, chiefly of women ; thus we have Queen Nefert-ari, Amen-her-khepesh-f, the eldest son of Rameses II., Tua, mother of Rameses II., Nebt-tatet, and Bentanta. The large hall, which measures nearly 58 feet by 55 feet, contains eight massive pillars, with statues of Osiris attached to them. The walls are decorated with battle scenes in relief, those on the north wall illustrating the king's Asiatic campaign, and those on the south his raids in Nubia. From the large hall a chamber, containing four square pillars, is entered ; be3'ond this is a chamber about 35 feet long, entered by three doors, and beyond this again is the sanctuary, with an altar. At each end of the long, narrow chamber, in the west wall, is a recess. Behind the altar are painted four gods. Amen, Ptah, Rameses II., and Rii-Harmachis. On the north side of the large hall are two doorways which lead into corridors, and at each end of it, in the west wall, is another doorway which leads into three corridors. The total length of the chambers in a straight line is about 185 feet.

To the north of this temple is a smaller rock-hewn temple, which Rameses II. built in honour of the goddess Hathor and his ' .See his Travels, p. 91.

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