The Second Court, which we now enter, though badly ruined, is in better
condition than the First . On the north and south sides it had a double row of
columns,
on the east a row of square pillars, faced on the side next the court
with Osirid figures, and on the west a raised terrace, with a row of square
Osirid pillars facing the court, and a row of papyrus-bud columns behind them .
The Osirid figures, of which only four in each row now remain,
represented Ramses II, and they are probably the figures to which Diodorus
referred in his description : " Supported, instead of pillars, with beasts,
each of one entire stone, sixteen cubits high, carved after the antique manner
" .
The Osirids are, of course, not monoliths, and Ramses would not have
been flattered by being mistaken for a beast ; but the description can apply to
nothing else in the temple .
On the west face of the front wall of this court is another series of
scenes from the battle of Kadesh . These are more or less a repetition of the
pylon scenes, but are better preserved . In particular the scene by the river
Orontes, with the city of Kadesh, the Hittite king and his infantry, and the
rescue of the king of Aleppo, which are scarcely distinguishable on the pylon,
may here be clearly made out . Early afternoon light is the best by which to
distinguish the details .
Above these warlike scenes are others representing the Egyptian harvest
festival of Mîn . Notice the scene in which priests let four birds fly, to
carry to the ends of the earth the news that Ramses has ascended the throne .
Fragments of colossal statues lie in the court ; in particular the head of a
fine black granite statue of Ramses .
Three flights of steps lead up to the raised terrace on the west side,
where stand the four remaining Osirid pillars corresponding to those on the
east side .
The wall on the south side of the terrace, which formed the vestibule to
the Great Hypostyle Hall, is still preserved . On its east face Ramses is seen
kneeling before the Theban triad, while Thoth, the god of writing and wisdom,
records his name for eternal remembrance . To the left the king is led forward
by Montu, the war-god, and by Atûm . The bottom row of reliefs depicts a
selection of the innumerable sons of Ramses . In the top row Ramses offers to
Mîn, to Ptah, and to a goddess .
We now enter the Hypostyle Hall, which had originally three great
doorways placed at the top of the three flights of steps already mentioned .
This is a hall of the same type as the Great Hypostyle at Karnak, and, though
much smaller, is better proportioned, and possesses more graceful columns . The
taller calyx columns, of which twelve ranged in two rows from the nave .
And with twelve papyrus-bud columns bearing imposts above their architraves
to take the ends of the roofing-blocks ( as at Karnak ), measured only 36 feet
in height, or not much more than half the height of their gigantic brethren on
the east bank ; but they are more satisfactory examples of their type, and are
well preserved .
The side columns are 25 feet high, and windows in the clerestory of the
nave lit the whole chamber, which measures 103 feet in depth and 136 feet in
width .
The views obtained from the nave of the hall either to the western hills
or eastwards through the ruins across the plain to the Nile are very striking .
On the western face of the east wall of the hall ( south half, all that
is left standing ), is a vigorous scene of the storming of the town of Dapur,
in Galilee . Ramses, of colossal size, charges from the left with his chariot
and its rocking-horses, overthrowing an enemy chariot, and trampling on the
slain . On the right the fortress is being assailed with scaling-ladders and by
sapping . Sherden guardsmen ( Sardinians ) distinguished by their horned
helmets, assist in the attack, and the sons of Ramses are busily employed in
slaying in the open field, and in the assault on the town .
At the opposite end of the hall, the king receives the insignia of
royalty from Amûn, behind whom is Mût . On the opposite ( right ) side of the
doorway, he receives the ankh from Amûn, who is
supported by Khonsu and Sekhmet . Beneath both scenes are the inevitable
princes .
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