The First Hypostyle Hall :
We
now enter the First Hypostyle Hall, whose extraordinary appearance is due to
the fact that part of the Coptic village of the place was built above it .
All
columns which interrupted the ground level were ruthlessly destroyed, so that
the Hall now looks as if it had never got beyond the first stages of the
rearing of its columns, of which only the bases and the first or first and
second drums are left .
There were originally twenty-four columns arranged in four rows of six
columns each . The nave had as usual two rows of columns, each four in number,
of considerably greater bulk and height than the other sixteen, and we may conclude
that the complete hall followed the regular hypostyle rule, and had calyx
capitals for its central rows of tall columns, and bud capitals for the lower
rows at the sides, the difference in height between the tall columns and the
first row of lower ones on either side being made up by impost blocks above the
architraves of the smaller columns, so as to enable them to take the ends of
the roofing-blocks of the nave .
The scenes on the walls are of no great interest, being merely the usual
formal pictures of the king in the presence of various gods . There is one
exception on the south side of the hall, where Ramses is seen, bow in hand,
leading up a number of captives ; but perhaps this departure from the ordinary
rule was considered legitimate in view of the fact that he is also offering an
elaborate set of Asiatic vases to the Theban triad along with the prisoners .
On either side of the hall were small chapels . The four on the north
side were dedicated to the deified Ramses III, to Ptah of Memphis, to Osiris,
and to Ptah again . Beyond these there is another chapel of Amen-Rê, with a
scene of the offering of bulls in sacrifice .
The rooms on the south side of the hall formed the Treasury of the
temple ( not open ), and have reliefs relating to the royal gifts of treasure
Amûn .
The First Small Hypostyle Hall :
We
now pass into the First Small Hypostyle Hall, which had eight columns, and
thence by a doorway on the left into a series of small rooms which bear scenes
relating to the king's life in the underworld . One interesting scene shows
Ramses ploughing and reaping in the fields of Iaru, in the style familiar from
the vignettes of the Book of the Dead .
The Second Small Hypostyle Hall :
We
come back and enter the Second Small Hypostyle, like its predecessor an
eight-columned chamber .
On the right hand is a red granite group showing Ramses seated with the
ibis-headed Thoth, the god of wisdom .
While on the left a similar group shows him with Maet, the goddess of
truth, thus emphasizing his fellowship with wisdom and truth .
The remaining chambers have nothing of sufficient
interest to be worth examination .
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