Great Portico

British Museum Expedition

to Middle Egypt

The Great Portico at

Hermopolis Magna:

Present State and

Past Prospects

Steven Snape and Donald Bailey

Department of Egyptian Antiquities 1988

Occasional Paper No 63

British Museum Expedition

to Middle Egypt

The Great Portico at

Hermopolis Magna:

Present State and

Past Prospects

Steven Snape and Donald Bailey

British Museum 1988

BRITISH MUSEUM OCCASIONAL PAPERS Publishers: British Museum, Great Russell street London WC1B 3DG

Executive Editor: G.B. Morris, BA Production Editor: G. Bayliss, BA ALA Distributors: British Museum Publications Ltd 46 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3QQ

Occasional Paper No. 63, 1988: British Museum Expedition to Middle Egypt The Great Portico at Hermopolis Magna: Present State and Past Prospects Steven Snape and Donald Bailey

(£)

Trustees of the British Museum

ISBN 0 86159 06 3 5 ISSN 0142 4815 Orders should be sent to British Museum Publications Ltd. Cheques and postal orders should be payable to 'British Museum Publications Ltd' and sent to 46 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3QQ. Access, American Express, Barclaycard/Visa cards are accepted.

iii

CONTENTS List of Plates

p. iv

Abbreviations

p. vi

Acknowledgements

p. vii

Introduction

p. viii

Chapter 1.

The Portico of the Temple of Philip Arrhidaeos at Hermopolis Magna by Steven Snape

p. 1

Chapter 2.

The Great Portico since 1714 by Donald Bailey

p. 8

Chapter 3.

Why and for what Purpose was the Portico Destroyed? by Donald Bailey

p. 48

Notes

p. 50

Index

p. 60

Plates

p. 63

------

iv LIST OF PLATES l.

Plan of the Portico recorded in 1986

2.

Plan showing positions of the copied blocks

3.

Block 1, left: 5th Upper Egyptian Name

4.

Block 1, centre: 6th Upper Egyptian Name

5.

Bl ock s 1- 2: 7th Upper Egyptian Name

6.

Bl ock 2, centre: 8th Upper Egyptian Name

7.

Blo c k 2, r i g h t : 9th Upper Egyptian Name

8.

Block 3 , le ft:

9.

Bl ock s 3- 4 : 13th Upper Egyptian Name

12th Upper Egyptian Name

1 0.

Bl ock 4, c entr e: 14th Upper Egyptian Name

l l.

Blocks 4- 5 : 1 5th Upper Egyptian Name

12 .

Bl ock s 5 -6 : 1 6th Upper Egyptian Name

1 3.

Bl ock 6 , centre: 17th Upper Egyptian Name

14 .

Bl ock s 6 - 7 : 1 8th Upper Egyptian Na me

15 .

Blo c k 7 , centre: 1 9th Upper Egyptian Name

16 .

Bl ock 7, r i ght:

17 .

Blo c k 8 , l e f t : 4th Lower Egyptian Name

1 8.

Blo c k 8 , c e n t r e : 5th Lower Egyptian Name

1 9.

Block s 8-9 : 6th Lower Egyptian Name

20 .

Block 9, centre: 7th Lower Egyptian Name

2 l.

Block s 9-10:

22 .

Bl ock 10, centre left: 9th Lower Egyptian Name

23 .

Bl ock 10, centre right: 10th Lower Egyptian Name

24 .

Blocks 10-11: 11th Lower Egyptian Name

25 .

Blo c k 11: 12th Lower Egyptian Name

26.

Block 12: part of an architrave?

27.

Block 13

2 8.

Block 14

29.

Block 15, end

30.

Blo c k 15, fac e

3l.

Block 16: Thoth

32 .

The P ortico in 1986

3 3.

Blocks 2 and 4 in situ

34.

Hermo p olis Magna and its neighbourhood

35.

Jomard's map of Hermopolis Magna, October 1800

36.

BM Expedition's map of Hermopolis Magna, 1980-81, detail

37a.

Sicard's view of the Portico, 1714

37b.

Pococ ke's view of the Portico, 1737

20th-21st Upper Egyptian Names

8th Lower Egyptian Name

v

LIST OF PLATES

38.

De n o n ' s drawing of the Portico, 1798

39.

En g r a v i n g s of Denon's drawing

40.

Sevres porcelain plate with Denon's view, 1810-12

41­

De s c r i p t i o n ' s view and reconstruction of the Portico

42a.

Description frontispiece:

4 2b .

Hayes'view of the Portico, 1801-2

4 3a .

Pasley's plan of the Portico, 1802

43b.

Bankes' drawing of a Portico column, 1815

44 .

Minutoli and Ricci's details of the Portico, 1821-2

the Portico amidst monumen ts

4 5- 8 . Barry's details of the Portico, 1818 49.

Wilkinson's details of the Portico's hieroglyphs, 18 2 2

50a.

Burton's details of the Portico's hieroglyphs, 1822- 5

5 0b .

Hay's sketch of the Portico, 1825

51a.

Hay's details of the Portico's cartouches, 1825-6

51b.

Rifaud's view of Brine's rum factory, after 1817

52i'l..

Plan of the Ashmunein saltpetre factory, 1931

52b.

Photograph of the Ashmunein saltpetre factory, 19 87

53a.

Abu-Bakr's excavation of the Portico, 1950-53

53b.

Baboon of Amenophis Ill, 1987

54a.

Cornice block from the Portico, 1987

54b.

The portico in 1980

vi

ABBREVIATIONS

ASAE

= Annal es

'*

du S ervi c e des Antiquites d e l'E gypt e

Ashmunei n

(19 80) = D.M. Bailey, W.V. Davies and A.J. Spencer, As hmun ein (1980), London, 1982

Ashmune i n

(1981)

= A.J. Spencer and D.M. Bailey, Ashmun ein (1 9 81), London, 1982

Ashmunei n ( 1 982 )

= A.J. Spencer, D.M. Bailey and A. Burnett, As h mun ein (19 82), London, 1983

Ashmunein (1983 ) = A.J. Spencer, D.M. Bailey and W.V. Davies, As hmun e in (198 3), London, 1984 Ashmunei n

Boyl an

( 1 9 85 )

=

A.J. Spencer and D.M. Bailey, As hmun e in (1 9 85), London, 1986

= P . Boylan, T h o t h t h e Hermes of Eg yp t , Oxford, 192 2

Descripti on

= Descr i p t i on

de l' Egypt e, 2nd edition, Paris,

1820+ LA

=

MDIK

Lexikon de r X g ypt ol og i e, Wiesbaden, various dates

= M~. t tei l u ngen

des deu t schen A l te rtum skunde in Ka i r o

." Inst ~tuts

"" . he fur agypt~sc

Roeder = G. Roeder, He rm o po l i s 1 92 9-19 39, Hildesheim, 1959 von Beckerath

=

J. von Beckerath, Han dbuc h de r XBnig sname n , Munich, 1984

3g y p t i s c h e n

vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are very grateful to many individuals and several institutions for making available the manuscript material and illustrations that have been used in this publication. These include Mrs Leonie de Cos son and Mr A. de Cosson, for extracts from the Bonomi Diaries; Mrs A. Mace for material in the Barry Family Papers in the British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects, the Manuscripts and Archives Collections; Mrs M. Clapinson and the National Trust in conn­ ection with the Calke Gardner Wilkinson journals and sketch­ books in the Bodleian Library, Oxford; the Manuscripts Depart­ ment of the British Library, for the Burton, Dawson, Hay, Hyde, Lane, Pasley and Westcar journals, papers and drawings; Dr Jaromir Malek and Mrs D. Magee for the Barry scrapbook and sketchbook, and the Prudhoe journals in the Griffith Institute, Oxford; Mr A. Mitchell and Mrs J.O. Revell for the Bankes manu­ scripts belonging to the National Trust at Kingston Lacy; Mr Lionel Lambourne and Ms Bryony Llewellyn for access to the Rodney Searight Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the the Ceramics Department of that Museum for the Sevres porcelain plate showing the Portico; Miss Frances Dunkels of the Prints and Drawings Department of the British Museum for the Denon watercolour drawing; Dr Morris L. Bierbrier and the Rev. Selwyn Tillett for advice and information. Thanks are also due to Miss Sue Bird for drawing the map on Plate 34, the key to Plate 49, and other help with the plates; to Mr Philip Weaire for discussing and improving aspects of the reproduction of the plates; To the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation, and especially Mr Mohamed Kamal, for aid at Ashmunein; and to Mr T.G.H. James and Dr Jeffrey Spencer for reading and commenting on our chapters.

viii INTRODUCTION The Grea t Portico of Hermopolis Magna, the only surviving part of the late Temple of Thoth, the Great Hermaion, was almost totally destroyed by order of Mohammed Ali Pasha or his son Ibrahim Pasha in April 1826. The Portico, as described and illustrated b y early travellers, consisted of two rows of six columns, the f i r s t row showing traces of an engaged screen wall, with some arc hitraves, cross-architraves and roofing slabs re­ maining, toge ther with that part of the cornice immediately above the entrance. It seems very likely that this late Thoth Temple was conceived of by Nectanebo I of the Thirtieth Egyptian Dynasty, as mention of it is apparently made on a stele of that king, found at Hermopolis Magna by GUnther Roeder in May 1939 1 and published by him: Jahr 8, Monat 3 des Winters: Seine Majest~t grlindete das Haus seines Vaters Thot, des zweimal Grossen, des Herrn von Chmunu, des Grossen Gottes, der aus der Nase des kam, des Sch~pfers seiner Sch~nheit, aus s ch~nem weissem Stein , und seinen Fussboden aus kj s - S t e i n die l~nge 220 Ellen, di e Breite 110 Ellen, in trefflicher Arbeit der Ewigkeit. Niemals seit der Urz eit war Gl eiches getan worden. Seine Majest~t begann an ihm zu arbeiten t~glich und n~chtlich, und er vollendete es in Freude. Als er sah, d ass se in Vater Thot sich in ihm niederliess, war Seine Majest~t in Leben, Dauer und Gllick ewiglich Er vermehrte das Gottesopfer hinaus liber das, was vorher g ewesen war, Seine Majest~t gab eine Belohnung den Gottes­ di enern und Reinen (Priestern) bei der Vollendung jeder Arbeit, die er in Hesret ausgeflihrt hatte. 2

Re

The width given, 110 cubits, about 57.75m, agrees more or less with the estimated width of the surviving remains of the Portico. 3 The Thoth Temple itself may have had decoration of the reign of Nectanebo 11, but the Portico was inscribed to Alexander the Great, but principally to his half-brother Philip III Ar r h i d a e o s . Both these dedications were no doubt made by Ptolemy son of Lagos, presumably during the life of Philip, and before he assumed the crown of Egypt as Ptolemy I Soter. In 1957 Roeder noticed two blocks in the Portico area bearing the name of a Ptolemy.4 Although most of the Portico was removed in 1826, some of the column-bases remained exposed, to be noted by subsequent travellers, and in 1948-9 and again in 1952-3, Abdul-Moneim Abu-Bakr, of the University of Alexandria, excavated the area of the Portico, and found three column-bases and their support­ ing plinths, and exposed a length of relief-decorated slabs showing the Nomes of Egypt. He also found foundation blocks of various kinds still in situ, and many loose blocks and parts of column-bases, which are now stacked on the site nearby.5 In 1982, an inscribed column-base from elsewhere in the Thoth Temple, but lying loose, was examined by A.J. Spencer, Director of the British Museum excavations, and published.6 The foll­ owing year, limestone fragments of very fine workmanship, and bearing the name of Nectanebo 11 were found 7, and these might well have come from the late Temple of Thoth. In 1981 and 1985, test-trenches were made both in front of and behind the Portico area but failed to show any signs of the Temple fore­ court or structure. Also in1985-6,Steven Snape, on the staff of the Expedition, spent his spare time undertaking a survey

ix of the existing remains of the Portico and making full-scale copies of the inscribed and decora.te~ blocks. His work forms the first part of this Occasional Paper; the second part con­ sists of transcriptions of the writings of early travellers to the site, and the few illustrations of the Portico that were made before its destruction. As so many of these occur in publications now difficult to obtain, and also in unpublished manuscripts, it was thought that fairly full transcriptions, although often repetitive, would be useful. There are no doubt other accounts and illustrations of the Portico in pub­ lications and manuscripts with which I am unacquainted, but I have included all I have traced up to this time. The purpose of the British Museum Expedition is the elucidation of the city site of Hermopolis Magna, both its private and public buildings, and recording the pitifully few remains of what was once the most important structure in the city seems well worth while. Donald M. Bailey

1

CHAPTER 1 THE PORTICO OF THE TEMPLE OF PHILIP ARRHIDAEOS AT HERMOPOLIS MAGNA Ashmunein (1980)8 contains a report on the current condition of a much-destroyed Pronaos/Portico ascribed to Philip III Arrhidaeos, which lies in the northern part of the site. 9 This portion of the Temple of Thoth was excavated, but not pub­ lished 1 0 , by Professor Abd el-Moneim Abu-Bakr as part of his series of excavations at Ashmunein during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Since its excavation the Portico has been subject to material deterioration due to its present situation: it lies in a large trench, the bottom of which is filled with fluctua­ ting levels of sub-soil water. Heavy growths of reeds also constitute a major problem in gaining access to what remains of the monument.

In 1985-6 the present author carried out a scheme of copy­ ing and planning the visible and accessible remains of this monument in order to prepare a published record of the Portico before further deterioration occurred. The problems of accessibility, combined with the primary objective of publish­ ing uncopied epigraphic material, mean that what follows is a record of those parts of the Portico which could be recorded without extensive re-excavation within the trench, which would have involved large-scale pumping operations. This proviso applies as much to the plan of the site (PLATE 1) as it does to the individual copied scenes; on this plan most of the blank area within the trench consists of a large pool of water and/or thick growths of tall reeds (see PLATE 32). When this plan was made (winter 1985-6) the row of uninscribed blocks at the eastern end of the trench was inaccessible and invisible; their position on this plan is taken from their recorded position on the smaller-scale published plan of the site 1 1 , and so should be regarded here as approximate. The spot-heights shown on PLATE 1 are consistent with the system of recording heights at el-Ashmunein adopted by the British Museum expedition 12; the level of the sub-soil water was 2.80m at the time this plan was made. The major architectural features revealed by the excava­ tions of Abu-Bakr were the surviving column-bases from what would have been the western half of the Portico, now to be seen in the centre of Abu-Bakr's trench, in a pool caused by the generally high level of sub-soil water. These three inscribed column-bases have already been published in a number of works 13 and have not been recopied and published here; they were, to all intents and purposes, virtually inaccessible dur­ ing the time when the work of copying was taking place. The excavations carried out by Abu-Bakr also uncovered the lower courses of blocks of what was the back wall of the Portico (PLATES 32 and 53a). This structure would have formed the face of a pylon/gateway at the rear of the Portico. The surviving visible courses consist of solid, vertical blocks of

2

limestone, running down into the mud/water, on which sits a second course of blocks; the latter, of a fine endurated lime­ stone, are angled to slope backwards slightly as they rise, and are inscribed with scenes and hieroglyphic texts in shallow sunk relief; these form the major portion of the present pub­ lication of h i t h e r t o unpublished scenes and texts from the Portico and are labelled Blocks 1-11 on PLATE 2. Theirrresent condition may be judged from the photographs of one of the better preserved blocks (PLATE 33 upper) and a more badly dam­ aged example (PLATE 33 lower). A row of uninscribed blocks, running north-south, lies at the eastern end of Abu-Bakr's sondage, while another section of in s i tu masonry is to be seen at the western end of the trench. To the south of the latter are some inscribed blocks which have also been copied, and are labelled Blocks 13-15 on PLATE 2. A decorated block, No. 12, possibly part of an architrave, lies just east of Block 7. There is, at present, no evidence for any substantial survival of i n situ portions of the Late Period Temple of Thoth, apart from the Portico. Excavations in the close proximity 14 of the Portico in 1985 did not reveal any structural remains. Roeder believed that the Portico was fronted by an open court and a pylon 15; excavations in the Al square (which is in this area: see PLATE 36) by the British Museum Expedition in 1981 di d not produce any evidence to support this theory.16

The Constructional History of the Portico 17, On a stela found at Hermopolis Nectanebo I :J:"ecorded his foundation of a new temple for the god Thoth, in his eighth year. Nectanebo's building has been accepted by the major excavators of the site of Hermopolis Magna 18 as being the original foundation of a temple, the pronaos of which is re­ ferred to in this volume as the Great Portico of Hermopolis Ma gn a . The monarch who is best attested on the surviving inscribed portions of the Portico is the second Macedonian King to be acknowledged as Pharaoh, Philip III Arrhidaeos, but the architectural history of this monument 19 encompasses several other reigns, from the Thirtieth Dynasty to the beginning of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The inscription on the stela of Nectanebo I states that the new temple for Thoth was 220 cubits long by 110 cubits wide 20; since a cubit of the period measured some 525mm 21 the total area o f the building must have been about 57.75m wide by 115.50m long. The exact original dimensions of the Portico are not certain, but seem to agree with the width of Nectanebo I's temple, perhaps indicating that the Portico was part of the original design for the Thoth Temple, the basic plan of which was not radically altered before much of it was inscribed under Philip Arrhidaeos half a century later. The building begun by Nectanebo I was largely composed of limestone (int hd nfr 22 ) , as is what remains of the Philip Portico. Nectanebo I's stela also mentions that its floor was made of ~ 0 , a

3

. . material translated by Roeder 23 as k'~s-stone. Patrlcla Spencer' s 24 translation of this word as b~n-stone seems very plausible but, as the floor of the Phi lip Portico is not now ex tant, having been either removed in antiquity or by Abu-Bakr's excavations 25, there seems to be no way that archaeological evidence from the site can be used to confirm this identifi­ ca t ion.

De spite the clear evidence provided by his stela, Nectanebo I is no t actually attested on the monument itself , although t h e prenomen of Nectanebo 11 was found on a nlock excavated by the Germa n Ex p e d i t i o n in a trench to the north of the western par t of t h e Po r t i c o . 26 However, since this block was not foun d in situ, b ut in a wall dated by its excavator to the Roman per­ iod 27 , i t is inadmissible as definite evidence for work on the Porti c o by Nectanebo 11, although, in view of this monarch's extre mel y active building programme, it might be considered surpr i si n g if none of the Thoth Temple was constructed during his r e ign (see also p. viii, supra). Al exander the Great is certainly attested at Hermopo l is 28, but the re is no i rrefutable evidence linking his name with t h e Port i c o, unless Wilkinson's copies of texts on the monumen t c a n be t ake n as reliable. A limestone block found by the German Exped i ti o n to Hermopolis 29 is inscribed for a king with the Prenomen stp-n-R ' mry-Imn , an appellation which could refer to Alexa nde r the Great, Philip Arrhidaeos (although he is alway s refer r ed to on the Portico as stp-k3-n-R' mry-Imn) , and Ptolemy I. The k i ng in question is given the epithets 'Beloved of Thoth ' and 'Be loved of Shepses', making it very likely that the block origi n al l y came from the Temple of Thoth. Exactly which o f thes e t hree kings is intended is less certain since his Horus ­ Name (the only other of the King's names mentioned on t he b l o c k ), ~n, d o es not fit precisely with any of them on an assessme n t of comp a r at i v e material, but may apply to Alexander ( hk 3-kni) or Ptole my I (wr-p!Jty neio-kni ) .30 Th ere is no clear evidence for any part of the Portico being i nscribed for Alexander IV - the inscriptions recorded by Wilki n son as his seem to be those of his father (see infra , p. 34) •

Roeder 31believe d that Ptolemy I and his dynastic succe s s o r s comp l e te d the Temple of Thoth. The car touche of a Ptolemy on a blo ck from the Abu-Bakr excavations mentioned by Roeder is almo s t c e r t a i n l y that now lying close to the Portico , cop ie d and p u~l i s h e d by the British Museum Expedition. 32

The Ins cribed Blocks The main series of the inscribed blocks consists of a 'geog r aph i c a l procession' 33, symmetrically arranged (Lowe r Egyp t to the east, Upper Egypt to the west), and orientate d toward s what would have been the central doorway at the rea r of t h e Po r t i c o and, by extension, the sanctuary of the t emple. Unlike t he blocks which were removed from Abu-Bakr's s o ndage, and are now placed to the north-east of the trench, th is geo­

4

graphical series seems to be in s i t u despite some subsidence in the centre of the row (see PLATE 32). Each scene (and its accompanying text) follows a set for­ mula. The King wears the royal identifying marks of crown, beard, kilt, and necklace, and is shown kneeling. This posture fills the field with the figure of the King since he is not shown presenting the offerings to a depicted figure of the god. The hieroglyph of the name and epithets of Thoth, which stands at the beginning of each of the texts, must be the equivalent of a depiction of the god since the Ibis-on-a-standard, in contrast to the other hieroglyphic signs, faces away from the centre of the back wall of the Portico (and, by extension, the god's sanctuary) while the King, his offerings, and the main b ody of the hieroglyphic texts, face towards the sanctuary of the god to whom the offerings are being made. 34 The King is shown offering a tray of agricultural products. That these goods are meant to represent the offerings of a particular Nome is made apparent both by the text and by the individual nome-standard which projects above the top of the offerings. The type of geographical procession depicted here is a variant of the arrangement used between the reigns of Taharqa and Ptolemy 11 3 5 although, usually, it is the King himself who presents the offerings in the scenes on the phi lip Portico, rather than through an intermedi a r y 36 , thus emphasi­ sing the ro le of King and his unique relationship with the god. The texts (or, rather, the standard formulae 37) which accompany each scene make reference to an explicit contract, with consideration on either side. The god gives the King abstract gi fts such as life, stability and health and, more specifically, dominion over Egypt. In return the King is in the position of being able to give to the god, as concrete offerings, the produce of the Nomes over which he had been granted authority. It is perhaps significant that this kind of interact ive divine/royal relationship is made clear in the case of a foreign dynasty seeking to consolidate its fitness to rule in Egypt; it is especially appropriate that the god is Thoth, the deity concerned with the maintenance of m3 't and thus the authori ty of the King, establishing his titles and permit­ ting him jUbilees~8 Ideall y, a temple which is orientated with its axis East­ West should have its geographical procession arranged so that the Lower Egyptian Nomes are to the North, while the Upper Egyptian Nomes are to the South. 3 9 In a case where a building is orientated closer to a nominal North-South axis, some attempts we re made to orientate the Lower and Upper Egyptian Nomes to the 'true' North and South respectively - this is the case at the Phi lip Portico and at the near-contemporary Sanc­ tuary of Alexander the Great at Luxor. 40 The ordering of the Nomes in the geographical procession on the Philip Portico seems to follow the conventional order of the period~l Reading from West to East, the first clear scene is the 6th Upper Egyptian Nome, but there is at least one scene to the left of it on the same block, and room for more blocks to the west. The series runs, unbroken, from the 6th Upper Egyptian Nome to the 9th Upper Egyptian Nome, although the Nome fetish of the

5

8th, Abydene, Upper Egyptian Nome is too damaged to read. There is then a group of missing blocks. The next intact series of blocks clearly shows the 15th Upper Egyptian Nome, with what must be the damaged scenes of the 12th-14th Upper Egyptian Nomes. Therefore the missing blocks must have had scenes d e p i c t i ng the 9th-12th Upper Egyptian Nomes. The width o f the gap seems to correspond to this number of scenes. To the right of the 15th Upper Egyptian Nome the 17th and 19th Upper Egyptian Nomes are clear, alternating with what must be the damaged 16th and 18th Upper Egyptian Nomes. The scene to the right of the 19th Upper Egyptian Nome is, presumably, that of the 20 t h Upper Egyptian Nome. Comparative material would lead one to expect the Upper Egyptian series to finish with the 22nd Upper Egyptian Nomeft 2 The Lower Egyptian series begins definitely with the 5th Lower Egy p t i a n Nome, but the remains of a scene to its left must be that of the 4th Lower Egyptian Nome. The series runs, u nbroken,from the 6th Lower Egyptian to the 12th Lower Egyptian No me s . One would expect the original series to have continued t o the 1 7 t h Lower Egyptian Nome since the 18th-20th Lower Eg yptian Nomes only appear on monuments of this kind in the Ptolemaic period.4~ The other inscribed blocks (Blocks 12-16) are presently not in their original contexts, to a greater or lesser extent. Block 1 3 appears to be part of the geographical procession as fragments of two of the Upper Egyptian Nomes. However, the content of the surviving columns of text makes this less likely, since the first column mentions offerings which are, presumably, given b y the King to the god. In the other formulae accompa­ nying these scenes there is at least one full column of text preceding the list of these offerings, with the name andepith­ ets of the god and the titulary of the King. In the illustrations on the Plates, where a block runs down in to the water, or is a small inscribed fragment of a large piece o f masonry, the line designating the edge of the inscribed face of the block halts at the point where further illustration is either impossible or not useful. All the copies (PLATES 3 to 31) have been reduced to one sixth of the actual size of the blocks. Translations of the texts are given on the Plates.

Petosir is and the Restitution of Pharaonic Monuments by Macedon ian Kings The building activity at the Temple of Thoth at the begin­ n ing of the Macedonain/Ptolemaic period can, perhaps, be linked to an individual whose family supplied the highest dignitaries of the cult of Thoth at Hermopolis, Petosiris. The tomb of Petosir is at Tuna el-Gebel, a necropolis of Hermopolis, gives testimony to this connection, both in the specific statements contained in the biographical inscriptions it bears, and inits intrins ic architectural form. In his biography, Petosiris states that for seven years he acted as Controller of the Temple (mr = 'Lesonis,44) at

&n

6

Hermopolis, having assumed this position at a time when a state of chaos existed in the cuI tic foundation at Hermopolis in particular, and in Egypt as a whole, due to foreign domination of the country.45 It was Petosiris who reactivated the oper­ ation of the temple by causing its officers to function as before, and by restoring the fabric of the temple itself. 46 .Se v e r a l authorities have remarked on the resemblance of the superstructure of Petosiris' tomb, as it appears in its present reconstructed state, to an Egyptian temple of the Graeco-Roman period, consisting as it does of a roughly square chapel fronted by a transverse hall (pronaos) with a colonnaded facade. 47 Nakaten 48 cites Dendera and Edfu as two GraecoRoman temples with architectural features strongly reminiscent of Petosiris' tomb; the illustrations of the Philip Portico made while i t still stood, presented in the second part of this volume, suggest another parallel and one which is closer chronologically and geographically. Indeed, it seems very possible that elements of the architectural design of the Thoth Temple, the building of which he seems to have overseen, were adapted by Petosiris for use in his own tomb, albeit on a smaller sca le. This suggestion does, however, presuppose the contempor­ aneity of the career of Petosiris with the reign of Philip Arrhidaeos. Although the close~dating of the life of Pet­ osiris is a subject of some dispute 49, it seems likely that he was active t owa r d s the end of the Second Persian Period and the early Macedonian Period. His tomb shows clear Greek influence, almost certainly indicating that it was built after Alexander's 'liberation' of Egypt, while the foreigners whose rule inEgypt is abhorred in Petosiris' biography can hardly be the ascendant Greek dynasty. This would particularly be the case if, as seems possible, the tenure of the post of 'Lesonis' was direct­ ly related to Royal approval. 50 It is also possible that there was a direct continuity between the Temple of Thoth as it was conceived under Nectanebo I and the obviously extensive building operations carried out at the Temple under Philip Arrhidaeos. This would not be particularly surprising since the building activities of the early Macedonian Pharaohs seem to be typified by a desire to restore and add to existing monuments. This policy doubtless originated as a means of reinforcing their spurious legitimacy to the throne of Egypt by fostering the religious and artistic traditions of their native predecessors. The extensive restoration works started under Alexander the Great51 seem to have been continued under his successor, Philip Arrhidaeos, most notably with the granite sanctuary at Karnak. 52 At Hermopolis a form of homage to the monuments of the pharaonic past may be seen in the 'Dromos of Hermes', if the paved road partially excavated by the British Museum Expedition can be identified as such. 53 This processional way, which seems to have been constructed in 'early Ptolemaic times 54 , was embellished by the integration within it of an alabaster base of Amenhotep III and a stela of Osorkon Ill, with other re-sited dynastic monuments possibly still to be excavated along un­ covered portions of its length. 55 Thus the available arch­

7 aeological evidence suggests that this Avenue may indicate a Macedonian restitution of Pharaonic monuments at Hermopolis. A further, albeit more tenuous, connection between the building work carried out under Philip Arrhidaeos and earlier architectural models, is a 48-facetted limestone column-base/ drum, inscribed for Philip, which lies in the area to the north of the Portico. Its facetted form can, as Spencer56 points out, be most closely compared to columns of this type dating from the New Kingdom. However, it is with the Thirtieth Dynasty that the Mace­ donians seemed to have tried to establish an association - the 'Alexander Romance' of the Demotic Chronicle 57 (in which, by fictive genealogy, Alexander the Great becomes the bodily heir of Nectanebo 11) is perhaps the best-known example of the propaganda linking the last native Pharaohs to Alexander and his successors on the throne of Egypt. In art and architecture too, the dominant theme under the Macedonian Kings was the use of forms prevalent in the Late Period. Baldwin Smith 58 especially cites the use of the 'columnar vestibule, with screen wall, as a pronaos' as a trait of Late Period temples which was to find full expression under the Macedonians. As he points out, the dominant traditional­ ism of Ptolemaic religious architecture seems to be primarily the result of the 'desire of a new dynasty to strengthen its position before the native population, the architects went back, whenever possible, to prototypes sanctified by a vener­ ated past,.59 This phenomenon is claimed for other branches of art: Stevenson Smith 60 refers to the sculpture produced during the Thirtieth Dynasty as being of a 'mannered style' which provided the models for statuary executed after the conquest of Alexander. Steven Snape

8

CHAPTER 2 THE GREAT PORTICO SINCE AD 1714 As the first most outstanding monument of Egyptian anti­ quity which early travellers encountered south of the pyramids, The Great Portico of Hermopolis Magna attracted much attention. However, Father Vansleb, one of the earliest western travellers in the area, visited only nearby Antinoe in 1673, mentioning merely that at Ichemunein the Egyptians 'worshipped a Man of Stone'6~ and Paul Lucas, although describing Antinoe at some length, had no time in 1714 to visit Che-mou-meine, which he thought might be the site of Lycopolis, preferring Minya as Hermopolis. 62 But also in 1714 the Portico was seen and de­ cribed in detail by Claude Sicard on his first journey to Upper Egypt, who writes:

a

J' en partis le 8 Novembr e pour aller Achemounain a deux lieu~s de MellaUi, vers le Nord OUest. Achemounain n'est a present qu'un Bourg; mais l es vastes ruines d'un grand nombre de Palais, dont on voit encore les marbres & les colonnes de granit, marquent assez son ancienne splen­ deur. Apres avoir parcouru les debris de plusiers de ces Palais, je fus frappe de loin par la majeste d'un Portique a douze colonnes. J'en approchay de plus pres; je trouvay le travail magnifique, delicat & si entier, que quoyque la construction ait ete faite pendant les regnes des Pharaons, & a v a n t les conquetes de Cambise Roy des Perses, il semble cependant que les Ouvriers ne viennent que de le finir. Les colonnes ont trois pas ou sept pieds & demi de roy de diametre, sur 7 ou 8 fois autant de hauteur juge l'oeil. Elles ne sont d'aucun de nos cinq ordres d'Architecture, dont l'invention est posterieure la construction de ces colonnes. Ce sont proprement douze massifs ronds de pierre, qui soutiennent un plancher quarre long & isole. Chaque massif ou chaque colonne est de trois pieces. La premiere qui pose sur un base moitie enterree, est couverte de 1eroglyphes gravez. Entre ces 1eroglyphs on distinguepres de la base la figure d'une Piramide avec sa porte ouverte. La deuxieme & la Troisieme piece sont canelees, & peintes de rouge & de bleu. La tete de chaque colonne finit par un simple cordon sans chapi­ teau: & toutes ensemble portent vingt pierres quarrees longues, dont une moitie occupe le dessus, et l'autre moitie le dessous du platfond. Deux de ces pierres beaucoup plus epaisses, & plus grandes que les autres, forment au milieu du Portique une espece de fronton quarre. D'une col­ onne a l'autre on compte quatre pas, excepte qu'au milieu depuis la 3e jusqu'a la 4e il y a six pas entre les deux rangs, qui sont de six col­ onnes chacun . Le Portique a au juste 40 pas de long, ou 100 pieds de roi, et large 10 pas ou 25 pieds de roi. La hauteur des colonnes avec l'entablement est d'environ 55 ou 60 pieds de roi. 11 regne tout autour une frise chargee de riches bas-reliefs, de Mysteres 1eroglyphiques. Ce sont des animaux terrestres, des insectes, des oiseaux du Nil, des obel­ isques, des piramides, des hommes assis gravement sur des sieges. Devant chacun de ces hommes on voit un personnage debout, qui leur presente je ne s9ais quoy; vous diriez que ce sont des Rois, qui re90ivent les pla­ cets de la main de leurs Ministres. 11 y a plus de cinquante de ces figures humaines dans les deux faces de la frise. Le relief y est par tout bien net & bien conserve. La corniche & la frise ne sont point peintes; mais le dessous de l'Architrave tout au long de la colonnade est d'une couleur d'or, qui brille & qui ebloUit. Pour couronner un si beau dessein, on a represente le firmament dans le platfond. Les etoilles

a

a

a

9 n'y 9cauroient etre mieux gravees, ni l'azur paroitre plus frais & plus vif. .... Permettez-moy d'ajouter a cette description, le recit moins s erieux de ce q u i m'arriva a l'occasion de cet ancien monument. L'Arabe qui m' accompagnoit me tira en particulier & me dit a l'oreille, afin que personne ne l'entendit: "N'allumes pas icy ton encensoir, me dit-il, d e p e u r que nous ne soyions surpris sur le fait, & qu'il ne nous arrive malheur." "Que veux-tu dire, luy repondis-je, je n'ay ni encensoir, ni encens, ni feu?" "Tu te mocques de moy, me repliqua-t-il, un Etranger comme toy ne vi ent point icy par pure curiosite." "Et pourquoy donc, re pris-je?" "Je S9ais, m'ajouta-t-il, que tu connois par t a scienc e l'endroit, ou est cache le grand coffre plein d'or, que nos p er es nous ont laisse. Si l'on voyoit ton encensoir, l'on croiroit bien-tot, q ue tu serois venu icy pour ouvrir notre coffre par la vertu de tes parol es, & de t es encensemens." Il entendoit par le coffre les deux pierres d'une g r o s s e u r extraordinaire, qui sont elevees a guise de fronton a u d essus de l'entablement. La sottise de mon guid e e s t la sottise de tout l e pays. Combien de gens, Turcs et chretiens, me dirent a mon retour a MellaUi: "he bien avez-vous vu le coffre? N'y avez-vous pu rien fair e p ar vo s charmes, et vos enchantemens?" Ce discours me donna alors l'inte lligence de ce qui m'avoit ete dit si souvent sur ma route, & de c e q u e je n'avois pu comprendre jusques a present. "Ne nous enlevez p as, me disoit-on, tantot en riant, tantot fort serieusement, ne nous enlev e z pa s notre tresor cache dans le portique d'Achemounain."

...

,,~

J'appris done a cette occasion que dans l e pals, on e s t persuade que l es deux grosses pierres, qui forment un fronton au dessus de l'entable­ ment, renferment un coffre qui contient des sommes immenses en or, & q ue tous l es habitans voisins sont en garde contre les etrangers capables, disent-ils, de leur enlever leurs tresors par la force de leurs enchant­ emen s . De-la vient que mon Conducteur craignant pour ma vie, me donna pa r amitie un avis qu'il croyait me devoir ~tre si salutaire. Je ne regrettay point la perte de ce pretendu tresor cache; mais je r egrettay fort de n'avoir trouve aucune inscription, qui put m'indiquer l e nom de l'Auteur d'un si rare monument, le temps de sa construction, & l a signification de toutes ces differentes figures gravees. Les Arabes appellent grossierement cette Colonnade Melab Elbanat,

c'est-~-dire, le lieu des recreations des Princesses; comme si sa dest­ ination eut ete pour la promenade des filles du Roy, qui la fit bat1r~3

A few days later, on 15 November 1714, Sicard again passed by the Portico, which he drew, and saw that it was the perch of innumerable cranes:

a

En a l l a n t l'Eglise de la Croix, je passay par Achemounain, ou j'ex­ aminay de nouveau toutes les particularitez du Portique, pour le dessiner sur le papier avec toute la fidelite, & l'exactitude possible. La premiere figure cy-jointe est trait par trait semblable l'original.

a

Je f u s fort etonne de voir ce Portique couvert d'un nombre prodigieux de Gru~s. Les gens du pa1s me dirent qu'elles ne manquoient jamais chaque annee de revenir en ce temps des terres du Nord, qu'elles se reposoient sur ce Portique en arrivant, & qu'elles vont ensuite hyverner sur le s bords du Canal de Joseph, sans penetrer plus avant vers le Midy, trouvant les bords de ce Canal la temperature de l'air, & les paturages qu'ell es aiment?4

Sicard's lost drawing of the Portico would seem to be the earliest, but there is no certainty that the engraving of it,

10 made in Paris (our PLATE 37a) Corrrpagnie de Je sus dane l e Levant accurate: as M. Martin says, par un artiste qui n'aurait

for Nouiieaux Memoires des Mis sions de la ii, which appeared in 1717, is it was 'tres librement ~nterprete jamais vu un monument d'Egypte.'65

In March 1716 Father Sicard made his second journey to Upper Egypt and went again to Ashmunein. In a letter of 15 March to his friend Guis, resident in Cairo, he mentions again the belief of the Egyptians that the Portico contained a trea­ sure, the search for which later writers (infra) blame the battered appearance of the building: ,..,.

A"

U

A deux petites lieues de Bechade, on s'arreta a Achemounaln. Le Bey s e rep o s a sous le fameux et magnifique portique ~ 12 colonnes qu e j'ai d e c rit et des sine..... Le Bey me demanda que je lui expliquasse l'ecri­ t u re e n relie f qui regnait sur les colonnes, sous les architraves te sur la frise. J e luis repondis que si c'etaient des caracteres a r a b e s , hebr eux, romains, copts, grecs, je les lirais et je lui en rerdr aisraison. L~-dessus je me mis ~ examiner, je ne vis partout que des hieroglyphes, comme j e le savais dej~. Je lui en donnai une explication tiree de l'usage des s acrifices anciens par rapport aux oiseaux, aux monstres ~ vi s ag e de chien, aux globes, aux gobelets, aux couteaux, etc. Une grand e partie de la Thaife qui m'entourait n'etait pas contente de ma r e p ons e o~ ils ne voyaient nul tresor ~ decouvrir. Je leur fis sentir l'imp e rtinence de ces visions ~ tresors. Les plus senses furent pour moi e t le Bey parut content. On servit quelques poules froides roties p o u r l e dejeuner du Bey. Je le quittai et j'allai joindre le cheikh Hame d. Nous continuames la conservation avec plusieurs autres Effendis s u r l e s pretendus tresors d'Achemounain . 66

As early as the mid-sixteenth century, Pierre Belon remarks that foreign travellers and merchants are regarded by local Muslims as 'chercheurs de tresors'. 67 Two travellers, Richard Pococke and Charles Perry, saw the Por tico in 1737 and Pococke published a plan and elevation (our PLATE 37b ). He descr ibes the Portico thus: About three miles north of Meloui, is the village of Archemounain: The r e is a large country here which also goes by that name. This village i s on the ruins of an old city, which I suppose to be the antient Hermo­ p oli s ; or, which is all the same, as Pliny calls it, the city of Mercury. It s eem'd to have been of an irregular form, extending above a mile from ea s t t o west, and more than half a mile from north to south, and is near two miles from the river. Little appears but heaps ef rubbish all over the site of the old city, except a grand portico of an antient temple .... c ons i sting of twelve pillars, six in a row, nine feet in diameter; there are hi eroglyphics on every part both of the pillars and of the stones laid o n them. I saw on the pillars some remains of paint, and the ceil­ ing is adorn'd with stars; on several parts there are figures of pyramids, a s with a door to them, which Kircher interprets to be (0 ay a~o ~ 6 aL~wv) the good principle; a person sitting, and one offering to him, is cut in s everal parts of the frieze. It appears that the pillars have been built up for about half way between, as in many Egyptian temples. About two hundred pace s to the south, I saw some large stones, and a piece of a p i l lar standing upright, which may be the remains of some building be­ longing to t his temple. I saw also some pieces of granite pillars among the heaps of ruins. 68

Perry's text is more colourful and his description more

full than that of Pococke:

11 We had been informed, that near MeZoue were the Remains of an antient Egypt i an Temple, consisting of Two Rows of Pillars: We therefore made strict Inquiry after it, all through the Town, and all round about it, but to no Purpose; for we could get no Intelligence of it: But the next Day the Vice-Caimacam coming to the Port, where our Vessel lay, we in­ quired of him, who told us directly, that it was at a Village call'd I s hmonie, about Seven Miles distant, to the North-west. He promis'd to send us Horses to carry us, and Men to conduct us, e a r l y the next Morning: But these not coming so soon as we wish'd and expected, we set out with­ out them, and in Two Hours and a Quarter got thither. We found Ishmoni e a large , scatter'd Village, situate upon the Tops and Sides of large Hills of Rubbish; the Ruins, doubtless, of some antient City. Ranging all o v er these Hills of Rubbish, from South to North, amongst which we found sev­ eral Fragments of large Granite Pillars, we came at last to the Portico, which i s situate to the North of the Village, just beyond the Extent of t he Hil ls of Rubbish. It consists of Twelve Pillars in Two parallel Rows, and a Roof intire. Each Pillar, at its Base, is Seven Feet and an half Diameter, and, com­ pr e h e nding the Roof , the Fabric is 49 Feet high. Each Pillar is com­ p o s ' d o f several Stones, and they are all alike form'd in a very curious a nd extraordinary Manner, and intirely foreign to any others we had as y e t seen, especially their Capitals and Bases. Each Pillar, from its Base above half way up to its Capital, is wrought all over with Hieroglyphics, and Figures in Basso ReZievo , re­ p r e s e n tin g the Egyptian Divinities, and the same all round the Out-side o f the Roof. Their Capitals and Bases are either compos'd of, or in­ crusted with, Stones of different Colours, somewhat after the manner of Mosai c Work. The Length of the Portico is 96 Feet, and its Breadth 28 F eet. Its Roof is compos'd of Six long Stones, which go from Side to S ide , o f which there are Three at each End, because there is an Opening in the Middle.

Ishmonie is commonly styled the petrify'd City, on account of a great Numb e r o f Statues of Men, Women, and Children, and other Animals, which a re said to be seen there at this Day; all which, as 'tis believ'd and r eported by the Inhabitants, were once animated Beings, but were mira­ cu lou s ly , not metamorphos'd, but transubstantiated, or changed into Stone, in all the various Postures and Attitudes (as some talking, others laugh­ i ng, others pissing, &c.) which they affected or acted at the Instant of the i r suppos'd Transubstantiation. We did not fail to inquire after t h ese Things, and desir'd to have a Sight of them; but they told us they were in a certain Part, pointing to the Westward, but that they were too s acred to be seen by any except true Believers. We h ad made great Inquiry after Ishmoni e, the petrify'd City, in our way from Mi nio to the Place where we lay, and were inform'd it bore to the Westward of us, (but a pretty way within Land) about Four or Five Leagues before we arriv'd there; but the vvind being then fair, we put it o f f til l our Return; And how little Credit soever this Story may meet with amongst Men of Sense, we had been confidently bDldand assured, by a Turk of good Fashion and Credit at Cairo, that he had been to see it, and that it was actually so as reported. 6 9

In December 1768 James Bruce passed on his journey to seek the source of the Nile, and writes only that 'we passed Ash­ mounein, probably the ancient Latopolis, a large town, which gives the name to the province, where there are magnificent ruins of Egyptian architecture. '70

12 C.E. Savary claimed to have visited Hermopolis in 1779 and to be most impressed by the Portico; he published his descrip­ tion in l7867~ but I quote from the English translation of a year later: Fo ur mil e s north of Melaoui is Achmounain, r emarkabl e for its magnif­ cent ruins. Among the hills of rubbish that surround i t is a statel y por t i c o , little injured by time, a hundred feet long, twenty-five wide, a nd supported by twelve columns, the capital of which is only a small c ord. Each is composed of three blocks of granite, forming tog ether s ix ty feet i n height, and twenty four in circumference. The bloc k n ext t h e b ase is merely rounded, and loaded with hieroglyphics, the line of which begins by a pyramid; the two others are fluted. The columns are t e n fee t distant, except the two in the center, which, forming the e n­ trance , have an interval of fifteen f eet. Ten enormous stones cover the port ico , in its whole extent, and these are surmounted by a doubl e row; the two in the centre, which rise with a triangular front, surpass the other s in grand eur and thickness. The spectator is astonished at b e­ h o l ding ston es, or rather rocks, so ponderous, raised sixty feet high by the a r t of man. The surrounding frieze abounds with hieroglyphics, well s c u lptu r e d , containing figures of birds, insects, various animals, and men sea t e d , to whom others seem to present offerings. This, probably, i s the history of the time, place, and god in whose honour this monum ent wa s e r e c t e d . The portico was painted red and blue, which colours are e f face d in many places, but the bottom of the architrav e, round the co lonnad e , h a s preserved a gold colour surprizingly bright. The ce i l i n g , a l so , contains stars of gold sparkling in an azure sky, with a dazzling br i l l i ancy . This monument, raised before the Persian conquest, has n either the e l e g a n c e nor purity of Grecian architecture; but is inde­ structible s o l i d i t y , venerable simplicity, and majesty, extort admiration. Wha t must the temple, or the palace, have been to which this was the en t ra n c e ~ I confess, Sir, surprize is wonderfully excited at beholding, ami d the Turkish and Arab huts, edifices which seem the works of Genii. The ir age i ncreases their value. Escaped the ravages of destructive conqu e r o r s , and bearing the impressionof ages and ages, they inspir e the co n temp l a t ing traveller with awe. Modern Egyptians view these sublime r emains of a n t i q u i t y with indifference, and suffer them to subsist because to d estroy them would be too much trouble. Superstition and ignorance believe they enclose treasures; wherefore, strangers ar e not permitted to t ak e a faithful drawing: this would expose them to the loss of life, as what happened to Father Sicard proves. While he stood admiring the b e auty of this portico, "Do not kindle thy censer, said the Arab, his guide, grav ely, to him, lest we should be taken in the fact, and some misfortune should follow. - What dost thou mean? I have neither censer, nor fire, nor incense. - That is a joke: a stranger, like thee, doth not com e hither purely out of curiosity. - Why not? - I know thy scienc e in­ f orms thee i n what place the great coffer is concealed, full of the gold o u r f orefathers have left us, and should thy censer be seen, they would p re sen t l y think thou camest hither to open our coffer, by virtue of thy magic words, and carry off our treasure." Such, Sir, is the general opinion of modern Egyptians concerning Europeans, whom they think magicians, and imagine that, when taking the d imensions o n l y of their antiquities, they will be enabled to carry off th eir treasures; nor will they suffer them to write, or draw, peaceably, but impede them all they can. 72

However, it seems highly unlikely that Savary went very much more south than Sakkara: he used Sicard's description of Hermopolis as the source for his tex~~ Sonnini states with

13 certainty that Savary did not go into Upper Egypt, despite his descriptions of that area . 74 Napoleon Bonaparte ' s invasion of Egypt in 1798 allowed the accompanying band of savants , of his Commission of Sciences and Arts, either singly or together, to see , describe, measure and illustrate the Great Port ico at Hermopolis . The first to re­ turn to France and publis h his immensely popular and well-ill­ ustrated account of Egypt was Vivant Denon. Again I give the English translation, brought out in 1803 and describing Denon's visit of December 1798 75 with the cavalry of General Desaix: The next morning, at eleven, we were between Antin~e and Hermopolis. I had not much curiosity to visit the former of these places; as I had already seen the monuments of the age of Adrian, and the buildings of this emperor in Egypt could not present to me any thing very new and striking; but I was eager to go to Hermopolis, where I knew there was a celebrated portico; it was therefore with great satisfaction that I heard Desaix inform me, that he should take three hundred cavalry, and make an excursion to Achnusuin, whilst the infantry were marching to Melaiei. In approaching the eminence on which is built the portico of Hermopolis, I saw its outline in the horizon, and its gigantic features. We crossed the canal of Abu-Assi, and soon after, passing across mountains and ruins, we reached this beautiful monument , a relic of the highest antiquity. I was enchanted with delight at thus seeing the first fruit of my labours; for, excepting the pyramids, this was the first monument which gave me an idea of the ancient Egyptian architecture; the first stones that I had seen which had preserved their original destination, without being altered or deformed by the works of modern times, and had remained untouched for four thousand years, to give me an idea of the immense range and high perfection to which the arts had arrived in this country. A peasant who should be drawn out from his cottage, and placed before such a building as this, would believe that there must exist a wide dif­ ference between himself and the beings ~ho were able to construct it; and without having any idea of architecture, he would say, this is the work of a god, a man could not dare to inhabit it. Is it the Egyptians who have invented and brought to perfection such a beautiful art? This is a question which I am unable to answer; but even on a first glimpse of this edifice we may pronounce , that the Greeks have never devised nor executed any thing in a grander style . The only idea which disturbed my enjoyment here was, that I must so soon quit this magnificent object, and that it required the hand of a master, and ample leisure, to do it justice with the pencil; whereas, my powers were humble, and my time measured out. But I could not quit it without attempting the sketch which I have given to my readers , which can but faintly express the sen­ sations which this noble fabric conveys, and which I sincerely hope some future artist will be enabled to finish under more fortunate circum­ stances. If a drawing can sometimes give an air of greatness to little things, it always diminishes the effect of great objects: so in this instance, the capitals, which appear too heavy in proportion to the bases, have, in reality, something in their massiveness which strikes with wonder, and disarms criticism: here one cannot venture either to admit or reject any rules of criticism: but what is truly admirable, is, the beauty of the prinipal outlines, the perfection in the general construction, and in the use of ornaments, which are sufficient to give a rich effect without in­ juring the noble simplicity of the whole. The immense number of hiero­ glyphics ~hich cover every part of this edifice, not only have no relief,

14 but entrench upon no part of the outline, so that they disappear at twenty paces distance, and leave the building all its uniformity. But the drawing will give a better idea of the general effect than any des­ cription. Among the hillocks, within three or four hundred yards of the portico, enormous blocks of stone may be seen half buried in sand, and regular architecture beneath them, which appear to form an edifice containing columns of granite, just rising above the present level of the soil. Further on, but still connected with the scattered fragments of the great temple of Hermopolis, which I have just described, is built a mosque, in which are a number of columns of cipoline marble of middling size, and retouched by the Arabs; then comes the large village of Achmunin, peopled by about five thousand inhabitants, to whom we were as great an object of curiosity as their temple had been to us. We slept at Melaui, half a league from the road from Achmunin. But here I think I hear the reader say to me, "What: do you quit Hermopolis already, after having fatigued me with long descriptions of monuments of little note; and now you pass rapidly over what might interest me? Where is the hurry? are you not with a well-informed general, who loves the arts, and h ave you not three hundred men with you?" All this is very true, but such are the necessary events of this journey, and such the lot of the traveller: the general, whose intentions are very good, but~hose curiosity is soon satisfied, says to the artist, "I have three hundred men here who have been ten hours on horseback; they must find shelter for the night, and make their soup before they go to rest." The artist feels the force of this, as he is himself perhaps very weary and hungry, and must share with the rest in the fatigues of night encampments, and especially as he is every day twelve or sixteen hours on horseback, as the desert has tired his eyelids, and his eyes, burning and smarting, only see dimly through a veil of blood. 7 6

The original watercolour sketch which Denon made is in the Department of Prints and Drawings of the British Museum (PLATE 38 ) and the French and English editions of his book have slightly different engravings taken from the drawing (PLATE 39 ); there is a further version published in Reybaud's work mentioned below. 7 7 The French engraving was used by Jacques­ Fran90is-Joseph Swebach-Desfontaines as the source for his painting on a plate in the great Sevres Egyptian dinner service made for Josephine Bonaparte, which is now in the Wellington Museum at Apsley House in London; again there are some differ­ ences (PLATE 40). 78 Two drawings in the Rodney Searight Collection, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, a pen and wash sketch by Robert Ker Porter and a watercolour by David Havell, are both taken from a Denon engraving. Denon gives a further description of the Portico in his explanation of his plates, but in one respect he is lead astray by his engraver, describing the winged discs that the latter introduced into his work but which do not appear, either on the monument itself or on Denon's original drawing. He obviously thought that the temple lay under the point from which he sketched, to the south of the Portico and not to the north. PLATE XIV: Ruins of the Temple of Hermopolis, or the great City of Mercury, the capital of the thirty-fifth nome, built by Ishmun, son of Misraim, at some distance from the Nile, near a large town called Ash­ munein, and not far from Melaui. To give an idea of the colossal pro­ portions of this edifice, it will be sufficient to say, that the diameter

15 of the columns is eight feet ten inches, placed at equal intermediate distances; that the space between the two middle columns, within which the gate was included, is twelve feet, which gives one hundred and twenty feet for the portico; its height is sixty. The architrave is composed of five stones, twenty-two feet long, and the frieze of as many; the only remaining stone of the cornice is thirty-four feet. These particulars will give an idea both of the power which the Egyptians possessed to raise enormous masses, and of the magnificence of the materials which they employed. These stones are of free-stone, of the fineness of marble, and have no cement, or mode of union, besides the perfect fitting of the respective parts. With regard to the temple, there is no spring of any arch remaining, which can throw light on the dimensions of the whole extent, or of the nave; the second row of columns was engaged as high up as the door, and detached above; it appears probable, that the part immediately behind was still not the nave, or sanctuary of the temple, but a vestibule or kind of court which led to it. What induces me to adopt this opinion is, that the frieze and the cornice have the same projection and the same ornaments as the fa~ade of the portico on this side. The time of day, and this peculiarity, made me choose this front for the drawing which is here given, in which may be remarked the spring of the engagements of the columns, and that of the gate. The shafts of the pillars seem to represent bundles, and the pedestal, the stem of the lotus, just at the top of the root. The capital has nothing in it analogous to any known style of ornament; the gravity of the Egypt­ ian architecture equals that of the doric order of the Greeks, and is richer. All the other parts correspond with those of other orders: on the astragal of both sides of the portico, and under the roof between the two middle columns, are winged globes, which emblems are constantly inserted in the same place in all other Egyptian temples. The hieroglyphics which are carved on the plinths that surround the capitals, are all the same, and all the roofs are adorned with a wreath of painted stars, of an aurora colour on a blue ground. The plan of the portico is given with the elevation. 7 9

The most complete description of the site of Hermopolis Magna at the end of the eighteenth century (not until the time of the papyrus grubbers of the first decade of the present century was anything more substantial published80) was that of Edme Jomard, appearing in the monumental Description de l'ltgypte, the most lasting result of Napoleon's ill-starred expedition. Like several other visitors, Jomard thought that there were origina lly more than the two rows of columns. Jomard says of the Portico: Le portique d'Hermopolis, seul reste considerable de cette grande ville, a appartenu l'un des plus magnifiques temples de l'Egypte an­ cienne. Les dimensions des colonnes ne le cedent qU'a celles des plus grandes colonnes qu'on trouve dans les grands palais de Thebes, et le diametre excede celui des colonnes de Tentyris de plus d'un quart; la longueur du portique devait exceder celle du pronaos de Denderah, peu pres dans le meme rapport. Ainsi ce monument est un des plus consider­ abies de l'architecture egyptienne. Cette grandeur colossale nous a paru plus gigantesque encore, en sortant d'Antinoe, ou nous avions se­ journe quelques jours, et ou les proportions, quoique d'ailleurs ele­ gantes, nous paraissaient mesquines aupres des edifices de la Thebalde, qui avaient laisse dans notre esprit de si fortes impressions.

a

a

J'ai dit que le portique est dans l'axe des ruines, quante metres environ de leur extremite septentrionale.

a six

cent cin­ Il est peu

16 encombre; douze colonnes sont encore debout, couronnees de leurs soffites, des architraves et des plafonds: mais il a beaucoup souffert, et il a meme perdu une ou deux rangees de colonnes entieres; car tout annonce qu'il etait compose de dix-huit ou vingt-quatre colonnes. Ce qui surprend le plus, est de trouver si peu de vestiges du temple proprement dit. Par­ tout ailleurs, par exemple a Esne, o~ le portique seul subsiste, l'on peut supposer aisement ce que sont devenues les parties posterieures; meme a Antaeopolis, le sol est jonche de pierres qui proviennent des murailles de l,edifice. rci, l'on ne voit plus rien, et le sol lui-meme est peu eleve; on doit donc croire que cette partie du monument a ete detruite, a dessein, de fond en comble, et qu'on a cherche a faire dis­ paraitre jusqu'aux debris des ruines. La pierre dont il a ete bati est calcaire, et l'espece en est numismale: telle est sans doute la cause de la destruction de l'edifice. Les chretiens et les Musulmans ont brise les pierres pour les convertir en chaux. Les architraves et les plafonds sont encore aujourd'hui en place, comme je viens de le dire. Un quart de la corniche, au milieu de la fa9ade, est egalement conserve; le reste n'existe plus: les antes ont disparu en entier. Les chapiteaux sont mieux conserves que les futs des colonnes; de vives couleurs y brillent encore d'un grand eclat. S'il faut en croire le recit que m'ont fait les habitans, c'est Moustaf~-bey qui a sape six des colonnes et les a mises dans l'etat o~ on les voit, afin de faire ecrouler l'edifice et d'en tirer l'or qui, disent-ils, y est cache. Apres avoir degrade exterieurement quelques assises de pierre, il re­ connut l'inutilite de ses efforts, et renon9a a sa folle enterprise. Je ne puis attribuer a un bey, ou du moins a seul homme, la destruction meme superficielle des colonnes, bien que cette degradation, qui s'eleve jusqu'a dix et douze pieds au-dessus du sol, nuise peu a la solidite de ce portique, et n'en ait en aucune maniere ebranle les supports; elle ne peut etre l'ouvrage que d'un tres-long temps, ou d'une suite d'efforts de la part de plusiers hommes puissans. Ainsi que dans les autres villes anciennes, les habitans du voisinage ont les idees les plus absurdes sur l'origine du monument. J'abuserais de la patience du lecteur, si je rapportais les contes extravagans des gens du pays; je prefere citer le surnom qu'ils donnent au temple d'Herm­ opolis. Plusiers d'entre eux se sont accordes a me dire qu'il s'appelait Mahlab el-Benat, c'est-a-dire lieu d'amusement pour les jeunes filles (au les jeunes princesses). Au reste, je crois avoir entendu appliquer ce surnom a d'autres anciens edifices. Le temple est exactement oriente selon le nord de la boussole, c'est­ a-dire que le fayade est tournee vers le sud magnetique; du moins elle l'etait en 1800, le 29 octobre. Cette direction n'est point d'accord avec celle qu'on croyait avoir toujours ete affectee par les Egyptiens, celle du levant; mais l'axe du temple est parallele au cours du Nil, et nous avons vu quelquefois les edifices places dans ce sens. La ville d'Hermopolis avait la meme direction que l'edifice, et meme les axes de l'une et de l'autre se confondent presque en un seul. L'observation que nous avons faite, de la coYncidence de l'aiguille aimantee avec l'axe du temple d'Hermopolis, servira dans tous les temps a connaitre la marche que suit la declinaison magnetique dans ses variations. La hauteur totale du portique au-dessus de la base des colonnes est de l6m2/3 a fort peu pres; la base avait environ 7 decimetres de haut: la colonne, compris le de et sans la base, a l3m, 16 de hauteur. La circonference du fut de la colonne, mesuree a la hauteur des pre­

miers anneaux ou bandes circulaires qui lient les cotes entre elles

, ' autrement de la quatrieme assise, est de 8m, 8, d'o~ conclut le diametre

--------- - - -

17 de 2m, 8, ou pres de neuf pieds; tout en bas du fut, la circonference est de 8m, 7. Le chapiteau a 3m, 94 de haut avec le de. L'entre-colonnement du milieu est plus grand que les autres; sa largeur est de Srn, 20 entre le nu des futs. L'entre-colonnement ordinaire est de 4 metres; parallelement l'axe, il n'est que de 3m, 66. A defaut de , la longueur totale de la fa9ade du portique, qu'on ne peut conna~tre a cause de la destruction des antes, on a me sure l'intervalle exterieur " , entre la premiere et la sixieme colonne; il est de 38 metres, environ 117 pieds: la fa~ade entiere devait avoir environ 50 metres.

a

~

Le portique d'Achmouneyn est un exemple de la solidite de la construc­ tion egyptienne. Aucun edifice peut-etre n'avait ete bati plus solid­ ement; ses proportions sont massives, et la hauteur de la colonne n'a que cinq diametres, tandis que dans d'autres monumens elle en a six. En revanche, l'entablement a des proportions moins elevees qu'ailleurs; elles paraissent meme un peu basses pour la hauteur des colonnes: mais l'appareil etait parfait; et le monument serais intact comme les parties subsistantes, si les constructeurs eussent fait choix du gres pour leurs materiaux, au lieu de la pierre calcaire, dont les barbares ont fabrique de la chaux. Ceux-ci ont tellement exploite cette riche carriere, qu'on ne voit derriere le portique ni colonnes, ni fragmens de colonne, de frise ou de corniche, ni reste de muraille, ni meme aucun eclat de pierre; et ce n'est pas une des choses les moins surprenantes pour les voyageurs, jusqu'au moment ou ils en ont decouvert la cause. Les assises dont les colonnes sont formees sont egales et regulier­ ement hautes de Om, 56. La partie inferieure de fut a 3 assises; la partie moyenne et la partie superieure en ont 4; les liens inferieurs, 1 et demie; les deux autres liens, chacun 2; le chapiteau, 6; enfin le de 1; et si la base en avait 1 et demie exactement, comme je le pense, le tout faisait 25 hauteurs d'assise. Les pierres de l'architrave sont d'une grandeur enorme. 11 n'y en a que cinq dans toute la longueur de la fa9ade. La plus grande, qui est au milieu, est longue de 8 metres (pres de 25 pieds). Les autres sont de 6m, 8. Ce qui reste de la corniche est une grande pierre un peu entamee du cote gauche, et dont la longueur est de lOm, 8 (environ 33 pieds 1/4). J'ai dit que la pi~rre avait pu et re tiree de la montagne libyque; cependant Besa, ancienne ville egyptienne, situee de l'autre cote du fleuve, avait de vastes carrieres qu'on admire encore aUjourd'hui. 11 se peut qu'elles aient fourni aussi des materiaux aux edifices d'Herm­ opolis. 11 n'est guere possible d'asseoir un jugement sur la disposition que devait avoir ce grand edifice; nous n'avons pas meme tente de la rest­ aurer. 11 est certain que le premier portique eta it compose de dix-huit colonnes, peut-etre meme de vingt-quatre, comme Denderah; et l'on peut supposer avec vraisemblance qu'il eta it suivi d'un second peristyle, de plusieurs salles, du sanctuaire et de l'enceinte. Y avait-il un pylone en anant du temple? c'est ce dont on ne peut avoir aucune preuve,du moins par les vestiges subsistans ; car les ruines qui sont au midi du temple sont trop eloignees pour etre le reste de ces portes anterieures.

a

On doit d'autant plus regretter la destruction du temple d'Achmouneyn, que sa disposition et toutes ses parties avaient certainement un carac­ tere particulier. comme on peut en juger par les singularites que pre­

18 sente le portique. Tous les temples ont dans leur corniche, au-dessus de l'entr~e, un vaste globe ail~ qui s'~tend d'une des colonnes du milieu a l' autre. rci, i!. y a point de globe ail~; la corniche, dans toute sa longueur, est uniformement d~cor~e de legendes hieroglyphiques, appuyees sur des vases, couronn~es de feuilles, et tres-serrees l'une contre l'autre. Dans le seul espace de l'entre-colonnement du milieu, du centre d'une colonne a celui de l'autre, il y en a vingt-six: c'est l'unique exemple d'un edifice egyptien dont la fayade ne soit pas decoree du disque ail~. Les colonnes n'ont d'hieroglyphes que sur le d~ et sur les fuseaux intermediaires. Enfin, ce temple est le seul qui, dans son premier por­ tique, presente des colonnes du genre de celles-ci. Les colonnes d'Hermopolis sont decorees de fuseaux ou cannelures, comme celles de Louqsor, du Memnonium, et aussi d'Elephantine, et le chapiteau est en forme de bouton de lotus tronque. Les fuseaux sont lies par trois anneaux, de c inq bandes chacun; en bas et au milieu, ils sont au nombre de huit; au-dessus, il y a trente-deux fuseaux: le chapiteau est egale­ ment a cotes, et leur nombre est aussi de huit. Le bas de fut est ar­ rondi et un peu plus etroit que le diam~tre du premier tiers: c'est l'im­ itation de la tige du lotus a sa partie inferieure. La frise ou archi­ trave est composee de tableaux encadres par des hieroglyphes et represent­ ant des offrandes aux dieux de l'Egypte. Dans ces tableaux, le dieu principal a tantot la tete de l'ibis, et tantot celle de l'~pervier. Les soffites sont enrichis d'inscriptions hieroglyphiques, et les plafonds sont ornes d'etoiles serrees et tr~s-petites. Sous la plafond du milieu, il y a des figures d'oiseaux ayant les ailes deployees. Ce qui etonne le plus apr~s les proportions gigantesques des colonnes, c'est la conservation admirable des couleurs dont le temple etait revetu. Les chapiteaux sont cOlores en jaune, en bleu et en rouge; dans la cor­ niche, les feuilles qui couronnent les legendes sont peintes en bleu, et ce bleu est tr~s-vif. Le plafonds ne sont pas colores, ou du moins les couleurs ne sont plus visibles. 81

The plates illustratipg the Great Portico at Herrnopolis Magna in the Descr i pt i on de l'Egypte are described 82 as follows: PLANCHE 50 (our PLATE 35 ). PLAN topographique des ruines. Ce plan a ete leve exactement, a l'aide de la planchette. On a cher­ che ~ exprimer par la gravure les mouvemens des buttes de decombres: ces buttes sont tr~s-elevees, et recouvertes de vases brises, de briques et de fragmens de constructions. Le monument principal etait un grand temple, dont le portique subsiste encore du cote du nord. Au midi de celui-ci etait un autre edifice, aujourd'hui enseveli sous ses ruines et sous les decombres. De nombreuses colonnes de granit se remarquent dans les ruines, les unes encore debout, les autres couchees, et d'autres en tron9 0 n s epars. Un gros village, etabli a l'extremit~ meridionale des ruines, a succede l'ancienne ville d'Hermopolis. Les bas-fonds sont occupes par de petites mares, ou l'eau arrive par les canaux du Nil.

a

PLANCHE 51 (our PLATE 4la) . VUE du portique, prise du cote du midi. Cette vue pr~sente l'etat actuel des colonnes du portique. Ces col­ onnes, etant d'une dimension colossale, ne sont rUinees qu'a la super­ ficie, et nullement dans le noyau. On attribue cette degradation a l'enterprise d'un be qui voulut saper les colonnes pour chercher de pretendus tresors. Les figures placees sous le portique servent d'ech­ elle pour faire juger de la proportion gigantesque du monument, qui ~tait le plus considerable de la ThebaIde, apres les grands palais de la capi­ tale. Autour de l'edifice sont les buttes de d~combres d'une partie de l'ancienne ville d'Hermopolis. Nota. La gravure a rendu un peu trop sensibles les degradations des colonnes.

19 PLANCHE 52 (our PLATE 41b).

PLAN,

eZevation et detaiZs du portique

du t emp Ze . Fig . 1. Plan du portique. Les parties teintees en noir fonce in­ diquent les portions de l'edifice qui sont encore debout; les parties plus pales sont de restauration. Ainsi qu'on peut le voir dans la planche precedente, il ne reste plus que douze colonnes du portique; il est probable qu'il y en avait encore douze autres pour completer le nom­ bre de vingt-quatre, q~i se trouvent ordinairement dans la plupart des portiques egyptiens. a. Murs d'entre-colonnement dont il n'existe plus que des arrachemens. (Voyez la planche precedente .) b. Murs lateraux du portique. Il n'y a que l'analogie qui nous ait determines ales indiquer ici; car nous n'en avons point retrouve po sitivement de vestiges, probablement parce que leurs debris sont recouverts par les decombres. L'axe du portique se trouve dans la direction du meridien magnetique. Fig. 2. Elevation du portique. La comparaison de cette figure avec la planche precedente fera suffisamment conna1tre ce que la rest­ auration a ajoute a cette elevation. La porte d'entree, les murs d'entr e-colonnement et les antes ont ete ajoutes: mais ici l'analogie est tellement frappante, qu'il n'y a, pour ainsi dire, aucun doute que les choses n'aient existe ainsi lors de la construction premiere du monument. Les colonnes resemblent a celles des palais de Thebes, si ce n'est qu'ell es sont construites d'apres des proportions encore plus massives. Les des sont ornes d'hieroglyphes, et la frise est decoree de tableaux encadres par des hieroglyphes, representant des offrandes aux dieux. L'ornement de la corniche est exact. Voyez, pour le detail, la fig. 7. Nota. On n'a pu prendre de mesures exactes de l'entablement ni de la base d es colonnes: il est tres-probable que celle-ci avait une hauteur et demie d'assise; et l'entablement, cinq: celue-ci a, dans la gravure, une hauteur trop grande d'une quantite egale a celle du listel, par erreur de construction; on a donne une largeur un peu trop grande au diametre des colonnes et a celui des chapiteaux. Consultez la fig. 8 et la fig. 9 pour les dimensions exactes. Faute de dimensions precises pour la mesure des antes, on a donne la fayade une longueur d'environ 53 metres: ell pourrait etre reduite 50 metres, ou le triple de la hauteur. Fig. 3. Plan de la colonne la hauteur a b (Voyez fig. 4.)

Fig. 4. Detail du cha2iteau des colonnes du portique. Les hiero­ glyphes du de sont exacts.~3 Fig. 5. Plan de la colonne la hauteur a b (Voyez fig. 6.) Fig. 6. Detail de l'apophyge et de la base des colonnes du portique. Nota. Il doit y avoir cinq anneaux ou liens, et non quatre au-dessus de l'apophyge: le cinquieme a ete oublie dans la gravure; il devoit etre place la hauteur de la ligne a, b, fig. 6. Consultez aussi la fig. 2. Fig. 7. Detail de la corniche du portique. Fig. 8. Moitie du profil de la colonne avec son entablement. Fig. 9. Profil du chapiteau de la colonne.

a

a

a

a

a

The frontispiece of the Description de Z'Egypte, a kind of long-focus view of Egypt from the Cataracts to Alexandria, shows the Hermopolis Portico wedged in between the Great Pyra­ mid at Giza and the Temple of Hathor at Dendera; in skewing the view of the Portico, the artist left the roof off (PLATE 42a). Also accompanying the French Expedition was the engineer Prosper Jollois and the architect Balzac. The former's account of Ashmunein reads: Nous qUittames Syout pour nous rendre

a Achmounein.

Les buttes de

20 d~combres de cette ancienne ville sont tr~s consid~rables: elles ne ren­ ferment que les restes d'un portique, dont six colonnes sont encore de­ bout. Ces colonnes, ~ boutons de lotus tronqu~s, ne laissent cependant pas de produire beaucoup d'effet, ~ cause de leur ~l~~ation qui est plus consid~rable qu'en aucun endroit que nous ayons visite. Le village d'Achmoun~in est bati sur les ruines de l'ancienne ville. 8 4

Balzac at least got the number of columns correct: Le peristyle du temple d'Hermopolis Magna est compose de douze colonnes fuselees, de quarante-cinq pieds de hauteur. Emploi de ces colonnes en premier ordre, elles qui, dans les autres monuments, sont toujours en ordre accessoire. Leur fuselage continu coupe par trois ceintures et le peu d'hieroglyphes tailles seulement sur les fuseaux de la division du milieu, enfin l'absence du globe aile dont tous les temples sont decores dans leur corniche, au-dessus de l'entree, sont des particularites que j'ai cru devoir recueillir. Une chose remarquable est qu'autour des douze colonnes, il n'existe aucun debris du temple qui a du etre consid~rable. On a remarque un 8 5 chapiteau ionique.

Citizen Ripaud (presumably L.M. Ripault) in his Report to Napoleon gives a brief description of Hermopolis Magna as he saw it in 1798 or 1799; an English translation appeared in 1800: The ruins of the ancient city of Hermes are about a league and an half from the river, on the side of the Libycus. They are situated in a fine plain, and occupy a space of a league and an half in length, and half a league in breadth. The portico of the great temple, consecrated to Hermes, is all that remains. It looks to the south-east, and is com­ posed of ranges of columns resembling the truncated lotus: they are con­ structed of calcareous stone, like that of Garvel-sharkie. The pictures and hieroglyphics are very well executed; and relate principally to Taut, the Hermes of the Greeks, to whom the temple was dedicated. Those tra­ vellers must have been mistaken who have supposed that they saw the colour of gold, which is very rare in the Egyptian monuments. Among the ruins we found a capital of the Ionic order. 8 6

L. Reybaud published in 1830 a multi-volumed history of the French Expedition to Egypt, and, using Jomard and the plagiariser Savary to a certain extent (and copying many of Denon's plates, including that of the Hermopolis Portico) he describes the Great Portico as follows: Achmouneyn, batie un peu au sud de l'ancienne HermopoZis Magna, est de nos jours un bourg important et peuple; ses habitans sont riches en che­ vaux et en bestiaux. Mais ~ cote des ruines de la ville egyptienne ce n'est plus qu'un amas informe de huttes villageoises. Ce qui frappe le plus vivement quand on arrive au pied de ces ruines, c'est leur entendue, leur couleur sombre et noiratre. Lorsqu'on les a gravies, et que, du plateau qu'elles forment, on jette un coup-d'oeil autour de soi, un autre spectacle vient exalter la pensee. On marche sur des decombres qui furent jadis une ville puissant; on cherche ~ trouver dans ces pierres tombees le souvenir des faits dont elles furent temoins. A droite et ~ gauche gisent des blocs immenses ornes d'oves et de moulures; des entablemens, des futs de granit, des bases attiques; et, au milieu de ces decombres, un portique s'eleve debout avec ses douze colonnes, pour attester ce que furent jadis les debris renverses. Ce portique, dont les dimensions sont colossales, porte le caractere de plus

21 antiques monumens ~gyptiens. On presume qu'il_se composait de dix-huit ou de vingt-quatre colonnes, qui formaient le peristyle d'un temple dont les traces ont entierement disparu. Les futs qui restent sont en granit: hauts de quarante pieds, ils en ont environ vingt-quatre decirconference. Les architraves et les plafonds sont parfaitement conserves, et les pierres qui les composent presentent une dimension enorme; on n'en compte que cinq dans toute la longueur de la f ayade, et la plus grande a ving t­ cinq pieds de longueur. On reste stupefait en voyant quelle hauteur ces blocs ont du etre eleves. La frise qui regne a l'entour est chargee d'hieroglyphes. On y reconnalt des figures d'oiseaux, d'insectes, et des hommes assis recevant des offrandes. Le portique etait peint en rouge e t en bleu; le temps a efface une partie de ces couleurs; mais la corniche et les chapiteaux ont conserve les dorures qui les decoraient. Les etoiles y semblent etinceler encore sur un fond d'azur. Quoique l'ensemble de ces debris soit assez intact, quelques parties ont souffert des outrages du temps et du fanatisme. Les trois quarts de la corniche n'existent plus; les anses ont disparu en entier, ainsi que les dix colonnes de la fa~ade.87

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Wi l1iam Hamilton visited Egypt in 1801-2, accompanied by Charles Hayes (1780-1803), whose drawing of the Portico was engraved for Hamilton's book (our PLATE 42b). Hamilton states: The site of Hermopolis Magna we found at this season of the year en­ tirely surrounded with water. Very large remains of the antient wall, and high mounds of rubbish, (the accumulation of ages,) on each side of it, formed an effectual barrier against the inundation when at its height. These mounds are increased from year to year by the earthen cottages that are built upon them, and succesively moulder away;- in earlier times they appear to have been e x c a v a t e d here and there for the purpos e of making cellars and habitations. Many of these apartments hollowed out from such artificial mounds are still to be seen. We could plainl y distinguish the two principal streets of the city, which crossed nearly at right angles. Near to one of these streets, in a spot clear of rubbish, we had the pleasure of observing the magnificent remains of an Egyptian temple, described by Pococke and others under the name of the Portico of Ashmounein. It consists of twelve columns, six in a row, all of an equal height and size, and supporting a roof still entire. The two rows are twelve feet asunder, and the roof consists of large slabs of stone placed cross-wise. The largest circumference of the columns, which is five feet from the ground, we found to be twenty-eight feet and a half, from whence it tapers very gradually both towards the ground and towards the capital. The height, including the capital, is forty feet four i nches, and forty-seven feet with the plinth, architrave, frieze, and cornice. The space between the centre columns is seventeen feet, the other intercolumniations thirteen fe et. The shape of the columns is singular, and totally unlike any productions of Grecian architecture. The lower part is divided into eight similar segments of circles. At six feet from the ground, five narrow bands or rings are passed round it; and these are alternately repeated quite up to the capital, which is shaped like a barrel, apparently encircled with horizontal, perpendicular and oblique rings: the whole bear some resemblance to a bundle of sticks or poles tied together at equal distances, to form a strong and compact support: and yet this character was not so distinctly marked, as to detract in any way from the grandeur and simplicity of the building. Each column, as well as all the other parts of the portico, have been painted over. Blue, red and yellow appear the predominant colours: but its greatest peculiarity is, that each column consists not, as those of other Egyptian temples, of large cylindrical blocks of stone piled upon

22 one another, but of rude and irregular fragments of almost all sizes and shapes; the only instance I have ever witnessed, in Egyptian architec­ ture, of columns thus constructed: and this has been done with so much nicety, that it is still very difficult in many places, where the column is uninjured, to distinguish it from a single mass. The architraves of each front of the portico consist of five stones, each of them passing from the centre of one pillar to that of the adja­ cent one: so that that over the centre pillars is twenty-six feet and a half in length. It is also, as well as the frieze and cornice above it, proportionably higher than the rest; which is another exception to the common usages of Egyptian architecture . There is very little variety in the sculptures at Ashmounein: the deity with his sceptre and crux ansata , receiving offerings, is charac­ terized in different places, with the human face, that of the ibis, or the hawk. In one compartment within is a prostrate figure lying at full length on its back, somewhat in the form of a mummy, with rays diverging from the head and feet: and on the under surface of the central archi­ trave, the deity and offering priests are represented as birds of differ­ ent kinds, crowned like the other figures, and with the same emblems. The inhabitants give to this building the name of Mellabel Beladi. Among the other monuments of antiquity in Ashmounein are some large granite columns, a massy gateway of hewn stone at the entrance of the present village, and, in the principal mosque, about fifty smaller col­ umns of different kinds. Some are of white marble, others of granite; but few of them can boast of any classical proportions, and none have capitals that can claim an earlier date than the decline of the Roman empire in the East. 8 8

On a visit to Egypt in 1802, Charles Pasley, an English army officer , after examining and describing Antinoe in some detail, decided to go to Ashmunein. In his journal, kept in the British Library, he writes: 3rd [May) In the evening we cross over to the opposite village of Rodda & apply to the Sheick el Belled for asses to carry us to Ashmanein next morning .•..• 4th [May) With a Bedowin Arab as a guide we set out for Ashmanein over fine Cu ltivated Land passing a canal. It is about 6 miles distant, a few paultrey huts & only the mounds of rubbish to shew that it has formerly been a considerable Town. We passed a Mosque the interior of which we cou ld see was ornamented with ancient columns. thenn by a road at intervals strewn with pieces of granite we came to An Egyptian Portico of an Architecture Massy & of a striking appearance as entirely different from anything we had yet seen. [Pasley's plan, our PLATE 43a, is drawn here) 6 Immense pillars of 22 courses of Masonry of about 8~ diameter at bottom with Capitals of a singular appearance the whole having been part­ ly fluted convexly & partly cut in rings & painted fantastically with diverse colours compose one front of this wonderful building. 6 Columns similar in every respect & parallel at the distance of eleven feet completed the Portico each column is crowned with a plinth 6~ square & about 2-1 in height. above this is a continued entablature of the same width & height but ranging the whole length of the building of stones about 21 feet long. Over these are immense stones that cross­ ing from one side to the other form the roof they are about two feet high 20 in length & 12 broad. There is some variation in that part of the

23 roof over the 2 Centre columns which being raised 1 course higher forms a pediment as may be seen from the plan. every part of this Building except the columns is adorned with hieroglyphics in good preservation some of which I copied. between the two centre columns at the height of 16 feet appears to have been a kind of door or Gate way formed by a large stone laid across. As this is at present it has a most majestic appearance but I question much whether it could be improved by renewing the paintings. it must then have appeared more singular but not so grand. It is astonishing that the stones of the columns which are by no means large should have continued so perfect. it must be attributed to the goodness of the work which probably was cramped together, & has a very thin layer of excellent mortar - binding the great weight of the upper stones which must contribute to keep the whole firm & the impossibility of getting to the top without ladders the underpart only of the columns which are more within reach being much damaged - & the Building is formed of an exceed­ ing white hard & sound free stone. 89

Johann Kosmann, in his description of Egypt of 1805 brief­ ly mentions Hermopolis Magna and its Portico; there is no certainty that he visited Egypt: Hermopolis Magna, Mercurii Civitas, 4 4/5 d. Meilen von Ibiu und 10 4/5 d. M. von Oxyrinchus. Der Affe Kynokephalus ward allhier verehret. Jetzt heisst sie Aschmunein. Sunt in ea magna antiquitatis monumenta, ut columnae figuris sculptae et aliae, sagt Abulfeda. Pocock sahe diese Ruinen, und urtheilte aus ihnen, dass die stadt unfermlich mUsse gebaut gewesen seyn. 90

In the second decade of the nineteenth century the Portico was much visited and described. Thomas Legh went to Ashmunein in 1812; his strictures on Denon's accuracy as far as the Por­ tico is concerned are, as we have seen, due more to Denon's engraver and to his (Denon's) forgetfulness, than to any real error: From the ruins of the Roman city of Antino~, we hastened to see the splendid portico of Hermopolis, whuch, as it was the first Egyptian mon­ ument, with the exception of the Pyramids, we had examined, it was im­ possible to approach without partaking of the enthusiasm with which Denon speaks of this superb relique of antiquity. At Erramoun, a small vill­ age on the west bank of the Nile, and the port of the town of Melaoui, which is situated at the distance of an hour from the river, and famous for a large factory of sugar, we took asses, and in about two hours reached Ashmounien, the site of ancient Hermopolis. The Portico is all that remains of the Temple, but it is quite perfect and consists of twelve massive columns, which are not built of cylindri­ cal blocks of stone, but each block is formed of several pieces so neatly joined together, that where they are not injured by time, it is difficult to discover the junction of the several pieces. The columns are arranged in two rows distant from each other twelve feet, and the roof is formed of large slabs of stone, covered with stucco, and beautifully ornamented. The columns and the whole of the interior of the Portico have been painted; among the colours, red, blue and yellow seem to be the most predominant. The hieroglyphics on the plinths are different on each front, but they

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24 are the same on every plinth on the same front. The capitals, which in some degree represent the tulip in bud, are let into the columns. Several other columns of granite are scattered about near the temple, and we observed some also in a ruined mosque, built on the site of the ancient town. The views given by Denon of Egyptian monuments are, in general, highly creditable to the talents and zeal of that traveller, but his delineation of Hermopolis bespeaks the haste with which he travelled, and the rapid glimpse with which he was sometimes obliged to content himself; for the winged globe he has represented on the frieze does not exist in the original. 91

There are aspects of Legh's observations which remind one of Hamilton's above: although it seems very likely that Legh really did v isit Ashmunein, he may have refreshed his memory from the earlier publication. The Nubian traveller John Burckhardt saw the Portico in April of 1813, but did not describe it. 92 Champollion gives details of the site of Hermopolis and its Portico in his L'tgypte sous les Pharaons of 1814, but he took his description from Denon, not visiting Egypt until after the Portico was destroyed: Sous les rois de race egyptienne, Hermopolis fut une ville tres-con­ siderable. De hautes montagnes de decombres, qui se trouvent dans le lieu qu'elle occupa autrefois, donnent une haute idee de son etendue et de sa magnificence. Au milieu des plus deplorables debris, s'eleve un superbe portique de 12 colonnes ayant 8 pieds 10 pouces de diametre. Ce monument, qui servait d'entree a un vaste edifice dont il annonce la richesse, a soixante pieds de hauteur. Le couronnement forme de six pierres enormes, est couvert d'hieroglyphes, ainsi que le haut des cha­ piteaux des colonnes qui sont canelees jusques vers la moitie de leur hauteur. Sur le fut de celles de la seconde rangee, on voit les arrachemens qui servaient lier le portique avec le temple dont il fai­ sait partie. 93

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In 1815 the adventurer Giovanni Finati went there accomp­ anied by W.J. Bankes. Finati, by way of Bankes, briefly men­ tions the structure: Our next landing was at Radamone, where we mounted asses and rode a distance of two hours to Ashmouneim, to see a high and massive portico of twelve columns, which, by comparison, made those that we saw just afterwards on the other bank, at Sheik Abbadi, appear small and meagre, for they are not Egyptian; yet we regretted afresh the lofty gateway which Ibrahim Bey had so lately destroyed there. 94

In a note, Finati refers to the latter monument at Antinoe (which was probably destroyed in 1819, a few years after his visit: his regret was not prescience, but a false memory made during the compilation of his book): The triumphal arch, a building purely Roman in point of style, but of large proportions; it was unfortunately of limestone, which, wherever it was employed, has been a main incentive to spoliation. It is this that has brought to the ground the majestic portico of Hermopolis since I quitted Egypt. 95

It may have been during this visit with Finati that the drawing (our PLATE 43b) of a column of the Portico was made which is now with the William John Bankes drawings held by the

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National Trust at Kingston Lacy~6 The pristine appearance is presumabaly due to the artist leaving out the damage. A manu­ script slip at Kingston Lacy contains comments by Bankes upon earlier travellers' descriptions and illustrations of the Por­ tico: One of many proofs of Hamilton having altered the order of his work for publication (which no traveller should do) he speaks of the columns at Hermopolis as something singular. They would not have struck him to be so i f he had really seen them (in the order in which they appear in the Egyptiaca) after Thebes. There are as many internal proofs that Denon's work was really composed nearly as it now stands as he went on. This wa s the first Egyptian portico which he saw & he therefore might very naturally mistake the engaged columns for the back part & those which s tand single for the front row. His drawing is not quite correct for he h a s given the winged globe its usual place in the frieze but it is similar to that at Sebuah & to several at Thebes. The ceiling has the star pattern like some of the inner chambers at Dendera. Upon the whole I suppose this a temple of very high antiquity. But what can have be come of the rest of it; for the level of the ground has been less r a i s e d & is less encumbered than in the other parts of the site of the old city, which is of great extent? It is to be observed that all the horizontal bands on these columns are in fives.

A year later, in 1816, the Portico was seen by Giovanni Belzoni, who made himself renowned by his exertions and ex­ cavations in Egypt and by his flair for publicity: ..... we crossed the same day over to Ashmounain. Here is the first Egyptian architecture that travellers meet with on the Nile above the pyramids; and I must say, that it has made a great impression on my mind, though it is only a portico of two rows of columns. The solitary place on which it stands, in the midst· of the ruins of Hermopolis, and the majestic appearance of the columns, of a form so uncommon to a European, cannot fail to inspire veneration for the people that erected such edi­ fices. It appears to me, that these ruins are of remoter date than those of Thebes; which does not agree with the opinion, that the temples in the Lower Thebais were of later date than those of Upper Egypt. 9 7

The Earl of Belmore made what can only be described as a progress through Egypt during the years 1816-18 98 , accompanied by a large entourage. The party's doctor, Robert Richardson, published his impression of the journey; they visited Hermo­ polis i n 1817: Next morning, the 26th, was calm, we rowed on steadily and arrived at Alrairamoun about one o'clock, where we were politely welcomed by Mr. Brine. Having procurred a sufficient number of asses we set out im­ mediately to visit the ruined temple at Oschmounein, which the height of the inundation had prevented us from doing when we ascended the river. We reached it after an hour's ride through a fine, but partially culti­ vated plain; the ruins here consist of decayed huts of sun-dried brick, and are about a mile and a half in circumference; but the great object that draws the traveller to the spot are the ruins of what appears to have been a magnificent portico; but we could not discover any remains of a temple to which it probably belonged, nor any tank for water near it. Some people are therefore disposed to consider it as a triumphant monument; but I am not sure that any such thing ever existed in Egypt, unless we are to consider the propylons as such. It consists of two

26 rows of columns, six columns in each row, with a flat stone ceiling beautifully painted and adorned with stars like that of the Memnonium. The columns are reeded and uniform, covered with sculpture and hiero­ glyphics, and are about nine feet in diameter; the whole has been of excellent workmanship, but now much disintegrated. 99

Count de Forbin, in January 1818, is very brief on the subject of the Hermopolis Portico, but manages to place it on the wrong bank of the Nile; again I use the English trans­ lation: On the same evening, I went to visit the portico of Achmouneyn, formerly Hermopolis, about a league from the Nile, on its eastern shore. This monument, an animated production of art, exhibits something pecul­ iarly grand in its structure, but it is completely isolated. There appears not the least trace of the temple of which this was the peri­ style. 100

He goes on to mention 'Un Anglais, M. BrYffiffi, vient de faire construire une raffinerie de sucre pour le comte du pacha .... ' 101 The architect Charles Barry (senior) has a very full description of Hermopolis and its Portico in his diary, now in the British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects, amongst the Barry Family Papers in the Manuscripts & Archives Collection. Barry visited the site on Friday 20 November 1818. It is odd that he denies the presence of the city, when the extensive mounds were described by so many other travellers: The wind this morning being southerly we procured horses and went to Ashmounien (the supposed ancient Hermopolis - There are no remains of foundations or any indication of an ancient city). I was mounted on a fine horse belonging to Mr Brine..... Arrived at the village of Ash­ mounien in 1 3/4 hours. It is situated on the ridge of a low chain of hills bordering an extensive plain between it and the Nile..... The village of Ashmounien is misery itself. The houses are built of sun dried bricks generally consisting of only the 4 walls without any roofs and little better than pigsties. The older inhabitants have hardly clothes enough to cover them and the children run about stark naked. The Portico is situated about ~ mile to the west of the village. It is built of calcareous stone, and retains a very fine rich yellow colour. There are 12 columns remaining in 2 rows. The architrave upon them is perfect and the cross lintels and coffers between them. Over the cen­ tre intercolumniations is a part of the cornice consisting of a fillet, and bold projecting hollow and an astragal at the foot of it. The general dimensions of the Portico are 120.9 in length and 31.6 in breadth. The height of the columns is about 44 feet the diameter 9ft 9ins snd the intercolumniation 12 feet. The surface of the ground is now much higher than formerly, covering entirely the bases of the col­ umns. Two of them have been excavated by Mr Salt. They are of the same calcareous stone as the rest of the Edifice circular, without mouldings, but weathered on the upper edges. The weathering is covered with hieroglyphics in low relief. The depth of the base we could not determine, not having a spade or any implement to deepen the excavation, which discovers now only about 2 feet of it in height. For the pro­ portions of the Column, its mouldings, and other particulars see the Drawings (our PLATES45-8). There are 24 courses in the height of the column, each course in 2 pieces with the joint running through its cen­ tre and the joint of every alternate course placed at right angles.

27 There are some symptoms of cement, though it is not quite clear they may not be the natural exudation of the stone. The abacus (the 4 sides of the abacus are ornamented with hieroglyphics confined within double lines round i t s edges. It is remarkable that in 3 of the sides they perfectly correspond with each other, and the 4th differs very little. The latter faces the north in both rows of columns. The designs all tend to the central intercolumniation. By this it would seem that hieroglyphics were used ornamentally and not exclusively as a language.) has no pro­ jections beyond its encumbent architraves and the whole column would appear to have been worked out of a paralellopipedon (sic). The archi­ trave is covered on both sides, and the soffit with hieroglyphics. It is one thickness and the joints of it occur over the centre of each col­ umn. The cornice above described is also in part covered with hiero­ glyphics, the top fillet and astragal being plain. It is evident ithas been continued all round the building as the ends of it are jointed for the reception of an adjoining stone. Denon has supposed this not to be the case, and has shown it in his Drawing as a central ornament only.102 In the soffit of the Portico are only 2 transverse lintels forming the entrance in the centre. The sides of the lintels, as small as the cor­ responding architrave on the same level are covered with hieroglyphics. The soffit is formed of slabs rebated on the architraves and covered with ornaments. It would appear by the present state of the lower part of the front row of columns that the intercolumniations were originally filled by a screen dwarf wall similar to the temple of Latopolis repre­ sented in Denons work. The Portico has been longer than it now appears: probably one intercolumniation at each end of the flank walls of the temple not a vestige of which however now remains. We met with a very thin covering of a siliceous composition attached to several of the col­ umns with which perhaps the whole of the edifice has been covered. It is slightly grained on the surface and very easily scales off. It appeared to me however doubtful whether it is not a part of the stone itself, the nature of which may be to decompose in laminae. The whole of the Hieroglyphics are cut with the greatest truth and sharpness and in low relief. The design of them generally speaking is not without taste and an attention to symmetry. Found several instances in which they had been picked out in of a red color. They are wholly subservient to the grand outline of the general design of the temple and at a distance of 20 yards are scarcely visible. The whole of the Edifice would appear to have been painted of various colors, of which the blue, red and yellow are still apparent on the various members of the columns and cornice. The blue was a fine azure and has withstood the effects of time better than the other colors. The entrance of the temple fronts the south. The hieroglyphics on the columns are very indistinct but an Anubis is still perceivable on one of the northern range. On the soffits over the Entrance is a supposed symbolical figure of the Nile. It represents the Head and stretched out arms of a man over a large pair of wings. In front or south of this temple a few hundred yards is probably the site of a Roman temple. There are some foundations and lengths of plain shafts lying amongst them. After having occupied the whole day in making a Drawing of this fine monument and taking some memorandums we returned l~ hours before sunset to the village where we very much offended the Kashief by not stopping to take something to eat. 103

Barry's drawing of the Portico are now in the Griffith Institute at Oxford; he was a most meticulous artist and it is very unfortunate that he did not draw the structure as a whole. But what he did give us is invaluable. The drawings include

28 a preliminary design with annotations on very thin paper (PLATE 45 ), stuck into a large scrapbook with others of a like nat­ ure. These details seem to have been worked up and coloured in a sketchbook which contains also many similar finished draw­ ings, mainly plans, of Egyptian buildings, taken from material in the large scrapbook. The Ashmunein finished drawing (PLATE 46 ), like the preliminary sketch, shows a plan of the Portico and details of one of the columns, presumably one of the north­ ern row. On the verso of this page in the sketchbook (PLATES 47-48 ) are most useful details of the underside of the roof, a cross section of the Portico, a sketch of the lower part of the front column to the east of the entrance, showing its bad condition, and a suggestion as to what the ceiling decoration was like. 104 However, the ceiling probably had five-pointed stars like those found during the British Museum's work at Hermopolis together with inscriptions of Nectanebo 11 and which may have come from the destroyed Thoth Temple (but not from the Portico}.105 Also, it seems likely that the figure under the soffit over the entrance, drawn and described by Barry as a winged man with outstretched arms, was a bird, as Jomard has it, probably a vulture. Early in the following year (1819), Edward de Montule went to Hermopolis and later gave his impressions of the place; he was sadly prophetic in his last sentence: The 20th January we passed the limits which separate Upper from Lower Egypt, and made more way than usual. On gaining Radhamante, I immedi­ ately went to visit Mr. Brimm, who I found indisposed. All the descrip­ tions which I had read of the ruins of Achemounin had too much excited my curiosity to suffer me to waste time in compliments; I therefore demanded guides, and immediately set forward upon this expedition. About mid-way between the stream and the desert rises a mound of red­ dish ruins, under which are hidden the remains of ancient Hermopolis. Northward of these vestiges appears a superb portico, while the temple has completely disappeared, of which it once formed the entrance. Twelve columns, ranged upon two parallel lines, measuring 45 feet in height, constitute this remnant, covered with enormous stones resembling those of the pillars; the junction of the masses has been more carefully stud­ ied here than at any other monument I have seen in Egypt; for it is with difficulty you perceive the trace of any cement that unites them; the capitals and bases of the columns, formed after the palm leaf, possess a lightness of which the design can alone convey any idea. These pillars were formerly decorated with hieroglyphics and paintings, which have been obliterated by the human hand; time having operated nothing upon this beautiful and imposing mass; and perhaps in seeking to destroy it, the barbarians have only given a convincing proof of their own weakness. This temple, and that eastward of Phile, are the only ones where the angles are seen supported by columns instead of pilasters. Behind the portico, and to the north, is a heap of earth, which probably covers the ruins of the sanctuary, but no research has hitherto been made in that spot. There are some other remains at Achemounin, but they are very inconsiderable when compared with the above. The Europeans frequently complain, without reason, of the barbarity of the Modern Egyptians; an Italian, whom I ought to name, in order to signalize h im for a Vandal, and who is employed by the Pacha, wishes to abolish this portico to make lime. 106

In July of the same year, John Hyde wrote in his journal,

29 kept in the Manuscript Department of the British Library, of his trip to the site. His own descriptive powers apparently failing him, his words on the Portico are quoted directly from those of Thomas Legh's 1816 publication (supra): Saturday 31 July 1819. At about four o'clock I arrived at the hos­ pitabl e abode of Mr Brine, the superintendent of the extensive rum distil lery and sugar manufactory for the Pacha from whose house I set off to view the ruins of Ashmounein the site of the ancient Hermopolis. "The Portico is all that remains of the temple but it is quite perfect and consists of twelve massive columns which are not built of cylindrkal blocks of stone but each block is formed of several pieces so neatly joined together that where they are not injured by time it is difficult to discover the junctions of the several pieces. "The columns are arranged in two rows distant from each other twelve fe e t a nd the roof is formed of large slabs of stone covered with stucco a nd beautifully ornamented. "The columns and the whole of the interior of the Portico have been p a i n t ed , among the colours red, blue and yellow seem to be the most predominant. "The capitals which in some degree represent the tulip in bud are le t into t he columns. "Several columns of granite are scattered about near the temple." Near to this colonade is a ruined mosque built upon the site of the ancient City. I was induced to enter it and found although greatly d i l a p ida t e d it still serves as a place of Mohomidan Worship, the roof is supported by stone pillars amongst which are several of granite whic h were p robably brought from the contiguous ruins. From the vast heap of dec ombre s a nd extent to which the desert is strewed with fragments of pottery, burnt bricks and other usual indications of an ancient town, it should seem that Hermopolis must have been one of the largest cities in Egypt. 107 .

Also in 1819, on the last day of the year, Frederick Henniker describes the monument but deplores its setting: 31st DECEMBER.- Rhadamone - rode to Ashmounim, the ancient Hermopolis , the on ly remnant of antiquity is the portico of a temple - itis pleas i n g, i n a s much as it is the first specimen of its kind - not totally destroyed - and it is in itself magnificent. Twelve massive pillars support the roof, which appears to a stranger at first sight, to be nearly perfect, unfortunately only one stone of the cornice remains - and the cornice i s the noblest feature in Egyptian architecture: this solitary stone is 26 feet l ong - the length of three modern Arab habitations. The fabric faces t h e south, and on the south or principal side are represented human figures - on the north are birds and other hieroglyphical signs ­ the signs on the cro.wns of the capitals are repetitions of the same mean­ ing, b ut written, those on one side of the entrance, from left to right, and on the other side, from right to left: the cieling is covered with stars, as if to represent the firmament, but not arched. There is some­ thing v e r y imposing in these twelve pillars, notwithstanding that they labour under the great disadvantage that possibly can befal a ruin ­ mounds of filth enclose them and surmount them on every side, neither the blue vault of heaven, nor the setting sun, nor the moon's silver light c a n ever add that more than human finish to the picture which en­ nobles the works of man - through the intercolumniations nothing is to be seen but filth - and yet the ruin is magnificent. lOB

30 Frederic Cailliaud went to Ashmunein on 3 August 1820; he does not describe the Portico, but made an unsuccessful search for the Marcus Aurelius/Commodus inscription recorded by Jom­ ard,which was probably the base from ~a tetrastylon. But Nes­ tor l'Hote copied it for Letronne in 1838 or 1839; however, it had gone when Lepsius visited the site in 1843:

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Le 2 aout, la pointe du jour, nous nous embarquames par un fort vent de nord-ouest, et nous arrivames le soir Reyremounj le lendemain, j'allai encore une fois visiter les antiquites d'Achmouneyn. Je cher­ chai en vain les ruines d'un monument Oll se trouvait une inscription grecque que des savans fran9ais avaient vue, et dont on ne possedequ'une partie; la main destructrice des Turcs a enleve tous ces restes, soit pour en faire de la chaux, soit pour les employer de nouvelles con­ structions. 10 9

a

a

A drawing and profile of one of the Portico columns, and details of the entablature were made by Alessandro Ricci and von Minutoli. In 1820-21, Heinrich Freiherr Menu von Minutoli and his wife undertook a jouney to visit the Temple of Jupiter Ammon in the Siwa Oasis and then went on to Upper Egypt. After describing the workings of Mr. Brine's sugar factory, vonMinu­ toli discusses the Hermopolis Portico: Den 4ten besuchten wir in Gesellschaft des Herrn BRINE die fast eine Meile lande inwarts liegenden Trtlmmer von Hermopolis Magna, die einen Raum von drei Viertelmeilen lang und einer viertelmeile breit einnehmen, wo der agyptische Name der alten Stadt in dem armseligen Dorfe Aschmou­ nin noch fortdauert. In einer verfallenen Moschee findet man antike Saulen von l a u c h g r Un e m Marmor, deren Form jedoch verandert ist. Das Prachtigste auf diesem Feld der VerwUstung ist aber der Porticus des Hermestempels, dessen zw8lf Saulen, aus Kalkstein, in zwei Reihen, mit abgestumpften Lotuskelchen, in ihren Dimensionen nur den gr8ssten zu Theben erhaltenen nachstehen. Ich nahm die Maasse dieses unvergleich­ lichen Denkmals, in Gemeinschaft des Hrn. Dr. RICCI, soweit zusammen­ gesetzte Maassstabe es verstatteten, und liess eine der Saulen, die fUnf bis sechs Fuss hoch verschUttet waren, durch . eine bedeutende Anzahl von Arbeitern bis unter der Plinthe ausgraben. Das Resultat unserer Arbeit findet man Tafel XIII [actually Plate XIV]. Fig. 1-6., wodurch die von Pococke, Denon, Hamilton und im grossen franz8sischen Werke gegebenen Abbildungen berichtigt werden. Die saule Fig. 3. ist aus den am besten erhaltenen Theilen aller zusammengesetzt, und eben so die Farben m8g­ lichst vollstandig angegeben, unter denen ich jedoch das GrUn vermisste, das sonst auf agyptischen Denkmalern selten zu fehlen pflegt. Die Di­ mensionen sind nach englischem Maass bestimmt, welches wir zufallig hier bei uns hatten. Der Tempel selbst, dessen Eingang dieser kolossale Porticus bildete, ist von der Erde wie verschwundenj Nachgrabungen dUrften indess hier eben so belehrend, als durch Aussindung von Kunstwerken fUr den Unter­ nehmer belohnend seyn. 1 1 0

As can be seen from Plate XIV of von Minutoli's work (our PLATE 44 ), Ricci and he produced the fullest surviving detail of the architrave and cornice, with the alternating nomen and praenomen of Philip III Arrhidaeos on the latter; he says that the same names appear both on the block above the column capi­ tals and on the column-bases. However, Porter and Moss, erroneously interpreting Gardner Wilkinson's transcript of texts found on the Portico (infra), suggest that the names, not of Philip, but of Alexander the Great, occur on the cornice)ll

31 See PLATE 54afor a fragment of this cornice still surviving at Ashmunein; the triple vertical grooves beside the cartouche are not, however, shown on von Minutoli's plate. Von Minutoli's engraving illustrates two sections of the architrave, one apparently from the front of the building and the other from elsewhere, but Gardner Wilkinson's drawing (PLATE 49) shows that the series of reliefs with kneeling figures behind the offering kings are from the inside of the architrave. An abridged version of von Minutoli's description of his Plate XIV is given here to explain details on our PLATE 44 Der Porticus des Hermestempels zu Aschmounin, dem alten Hermopolis Magna, von dem Herrn General und Herrn Dr. Ricci.

Fig. 1. Ansicht des GebMlkes. Der ausgebogene Karniess, welcher die KrBnung des GebMudes ausmacht, ist mit Hieroglyphenschildernverziert; der Architrav mit symmetrisch geordneten Bildwerken, in denen viermaldem ibiskBpfigen Thouth, einmal dem Helios, und dreimal dem Horus mit Weih­ rauch und Libationen geopfert wird. Fig. 2. Die Hieroglyphenschilder etwas grBsser dargestellt. Die­ selben Zeichen wiederholen sich auch an der Platte tlber den KapitMlern Und an der Base des SMulen, nur anders geordnet. Fig. 3. VollstMndige Darstellung einer SMule, aus den erhaltenen Theilen mehrerer zusammengesetzt. In der FMrbung wechseln gelb, roth und blau sehr regelmMssig; an den Bildwerken war die Farbe fast ganz verwischt. Im Allgemeinen scheint diese SMulenart, die sehr hMufig vorkommt, dem gegliederten Stengel einer Wasserpflanze mit verschlossener Knospe nachgebildet zu seyn. Fig. 4. Profil der SMule. auffallend schwach.

Das relief der vortretenden Theile ist

Fig. 5. Grundriss des Porticus. Die mittelste SMulemweite betrMgt 17 Fuss, im tlbrigen aber nur 13 Fuss 8 Zoll, und an den Seiten 12~ Fuss. Fig. 6.

Bildwerke, die sich an einem Theile des Architravs befind­

en. 112

Baroness von Minutoli published a popular account of her journey and is very brief on the Portico, though longer on the sugar factory at Reramun: On our arrival at Radamoun, we were well received by an Englishman who is the director of a sugar refinery, belonging to the Pacha. The Arabs, who were jealous of this situation, had reported, in order to depreciate the sugar manufactured by a Christian, that to clarify it he had employed the blood of hogs, which being an unclean animal, is abhored by the Arabs, and from that time he was obliged, in order to pacify their scru­ ples, and induce them to purchase, to clarify with eggs. It is only in a country so abounding in poultry as Egypt, that it is possible to make use of such a process, which requires an enormous quantity of eggs: in Mr. Brinn's manufactory, a thousand are every day required for this pur­ pose. The environs of Radamoun, and a great extent of country in Upper EgYP4 which we afterwards visited, contain plantations of sugar-cane; ..... We remained one day in this place, from which we made an excursion to the magnificent remains of the temple of Hermopolis, the columns of which are still painted in brilliant colours. 113

While her husband remained at Hermopolis to measure and draw she continued u~stream in their boat and had to fight off an attack of river plrates, probably based at Sheik Abada.

32 In his Letters from the East John Carne describes his 1821 visit to Mr. Brine's sugar factory on his way upstream; he did not go to Hermopolis at this time, but on his return journey: Late in the evening the cangia came to near the house of Mr. Brine. This gentleman who is a native of Devonshire, and has its broad provincial dialect, manages a sugar-manufactory for the Pacha; he is very hospitable, and the English traveller is sure to meet a cordial reception at his house, which has an aspect half Egyptian, half English; the garden is laid out very prettily in the latter style. Next morning early we took coffee, and then proceeded to visit the premises, where between one and two hundred Arabs are constantly employed at very low wages: but Mr. B. declared it was often impossible to make these Africans work without blows, though he greatly disliked having recourse to violent measures. Indulgence and kindness towards these people do indeed appear quite mis­ placed: they are certain to abuse them; and so rooted in the mind of almost every African is the love of ease and indolence, that they would rather subsist on the merest necessaries of life, than procure comforts by greater activity. [However, Charles Barry, visiting the factory on 19 November 1818, says that the work was efficient­ ly run by Arab supervisors].114 We sat down to an early and profuse dinner at Mr. B. 's, and had the pleasure of partaking of what was rather rare on the banks of the Nile, a bottle of Champagne; and on returning on board we found two goats and a quantity of fowls sent as a present. This gentleman lives here on the fat of the land, and is absolute sove­ reign over all around him; but the uncertainty of earthly joys seemed to be felt in Egypt as at home, for on our return two months afterwards from Nubia, Mr. B. was dead, his companion, an Italian lady, was cast on the stream without a protector, the assistants and servants were turned off, and the whole establishment put under Turkish management. l l 5 Brine, who was murdered in Cairo by his Sicilian man­ servant, was in fact succeeded by a Signor Antonini, who was as obliging as his predecessor in welcoming visitors and show­ ing them hospitality. Carne eventually visited Hermopolis Magna: Nothing particular occurred till we came to Radamouni, and, having procured asses, rode to the ruins of the Temple of Hermopolis. The portico only remains, and its columns of fine free-stone, unroofed and defenceless , and standing alone in the midst of a plain, having a striking appearance; they are thirty-three feet round and sixty high. 116 Defenceless i t turned out to be,

but roofless i t was not.

In his history of ancient architecture, A. L. Hirt, using Pococke, Denon and Jomard, Portico:

published in1821, describes the

Nach Antinoe kommt Hermopolis magna (ptolem. Geog. 4, 5.); dasietzige Achmuneyn mit dem Reste eines Tempels, ob dem Thoth oder Anubis geweiht, bleibt vor der Hand noch unsicher, denn diese ~gyptischen G~tter fUhren beide bei den Griechen den Namen Hermes. Die Zeichnungen davon gab Pococke Pi. 24. und Denon Pi. 33. genauer im grossen franz~sischenWerke (t. IV. Pi. 50-52.). Die Gr~sse der Massen machen den Ruin bedeutend. Der Durchmesser der S~ulen betr~gt Uber 9 FUss, die einzelnen Steine, welche den Architrav bilden, an 25 Fuss, eines der StUcke des Kranz­ gesimses 34 FUss, und die H~he des Ganzen an 60 Fuss. Die Decke zeigt Spuren von Malerei: n~lich Sterne auf einem blauen Grunde. l l 7

G. Parthey saw the Hermopolis Portico in 1823, but did not publish his account of his travels until 1840, long after

33 the Portico was destroyed: Aschmunein (Hermopolis Magna). Die alte Stadt muss sehr m~chtig gewesen sein: denn die noch stehenden 12 Lotus S~ulen geben den theban­ ischen Riesen wenig nach. Sie haben mit Basis und Kapit~l 40 Par. Fuss H~he bei fast 9 Fuss Durchmesser; die H~he des ganzen Portikus betr~gt beinahe 50 Fuss. Die Geb~lksteine von S~ule zu SMule sind 21 und 25 Fuss lang. Das Karnies ist sehr zerst~rt, doch hat es noch einen Stein von 33 Fuss LMnge. Nach diesen Ueberbleibseln l~sst sich schliessen, dass die ganze SMulenhalle von den gewaltigsten Dimensionen war. Jetzt liegt sie wohl eine halbe Stunde westlich vom Nil, der sonst dicht an den Mauern der Stadt seinen Lauf nahm. 11 8

At some time between 1822 and 1825 James Burton visited Hermopolis and copied some of the hieroglyphs on the Portico!19 This drawing, now in the British Library, is reproduced here as PLATE 50a . In another notebook, Burton makes the cryptic comment 'at Ashmounein in one compartment a prostrate fig. lying at full length upon its back - with rays diverging from feet & head. Large gateway - some granite columns & see in mosque 50 small cols 1 • 120 This is a paraphrase of the last paragraphs of Hamilton's description of the Great Portico

(supra, p • 2 2 ). In the same year, 1823, that Parthey visited Hermopolis, the site was also seen by J. Moyle Sherer. He mentions the presence of a saltpetre factory at Ashmunein: if, as seems possible, the Portico was destroyed to build such an establ~h­ ment then its products must have been used to reconstruct or replace the building seen by Sherer (see Chapter 3 infra): There are some foreigners in charge of a distillery and sugar-bakery at Radamont; they sent to beg that we would visit them: they are Ital­ ians, and superintend this concern for .Ali Pasha. One of them cor.ducted us to the site of Hermopolis: there is a fine fragment of its temple; twelve lofty and massive columns. About a mile from this spot we found a very large forsaken mosque. The barbarian builder had plundered some Grecian temple of its light elegant columns, and·had placed them round the court of the mosque, to support the roof of the piazza; capitals of different sizes, orders; ' a nd material, had been placed on them at hazard, and, in many instances, reversed capitals formed the pediments. There is a manufactory of saltpetre near the village. The Italian who had the superintendance was absent. To the English eye every thing wore a slovenly, disorderly appearance. But talent here has to struggle against the jealous influence of intriguing courtiers, and the inveterate indolence and prejudice of oppressed and superstitious labourers. We dined at Radamont, and they gave us some Italian confectionary, as good as you taste in a cafe at Naples..... Their establishment seemed in very good order, but they complained that their representations no longer met with that attention necessary, and which they did in the lifetime of Mr. Brine, an Englishman long resident here, and who died at Cairo. 121

But in the same year, 1823, Henry Westcar on his Nile journey did not manage to visit Hermopolis, either on his way upstream or on his return six months later: 10 Dec 1823 This evening Rodamone .•... could not go to see the sugar and rum factory, no time. Heard of some ruins and excavations near the desert. 1 9 June 1824 arrived at Raramoun, ..•.• went on shore to visit the ruins about 4 miles distant [Hermopolis]. Landed my donkey also.

34 Found the plague was in the village. [here follows a long description of the sugar factory] ..... Gave up the idea of going to the ruins •.... as it was not thought prudent to run any more risk of catching the plague. 122

Only a few days before Westcar's visit to Reramun, John

Madox came downstream and stayed with Antonini at the sugar

factory:

June 15 [1824]. - I sent a letter to Signor Antonini at the sugar manufactory, saying that, as I had escaped the Theban spear and dagger, I had stopped, according to former promise, to pay him a visit, but wished to know if there was any plague near him; to which he answered, that three only had died of it at Rhademoum, but that, at the large village of Melawi above, many had perished. We accordingly ventured to visit him, as his house was not in the town..... Wilkinson came upwith us again to-day. June 16. - I started a full hour before sunrise for Hermopolis, dis­ tant about an hour and a half's ride over a flat country, with a few villages and trees scattered about. Near Rhademoum, the road lies be­ tween many date or palm-trees, but there is no shelter afterwards ..•.• At Hermopolis are the remains of a long, narrow portico, which in going up the river is, I believe, the first Egyptian temple you meet with; it is surrounded by high mounds of tiles, broken pottery , bricks, and stones, and consists of twelve double columns, all tolerably per­ fect, except their bases, which are rapidly going to decay: three of them have been cleared from the light rubbish around, and appear resting on brickwork. Along the plinth, on the tops of all, are hieroglyphics and figures on the large stones in the middle, which appear to have been preserved by a sort of yellow paint. 123

John Gardner Wilkinson mentions Hermopolis only briefly in his Journal (in the Bodleian Library, Oxford) of a journey from Cairo to Aswan undertaken in 1824-5~ he also mentions the saltpetre factory: At Ashmounein are extensive mounds and the remains of a Portico of a Temple of Hermes. There is also a powder manufactory of the Pasha here. The modern village is built on the mounds at the south extremity. 124

But Wilkinson's transcription of the hieroglyphs of the Portico, perhaps made during his first visit in 1822 (or per­ haps he went there with Madox in 1824?) is the fullest which has survived 125 (our PLATE 49 ). It is from this transcription that the presence of the name of Alexander the Great on the monument is deduced, apparently placed under the architrave at the centre of the Portico. 1 26 Wilkinson himself suggested (see infra) that the name was that of Alexander's son, Alexander IV. He also sketched one of the columns, showing the name of Phi lip Arrhidaeos on the block above the capital. Wilkinson's an­ notations of his sketch of the Hermopolis hieroglyphs aretran­ scribed on the page opposite PLATE 49 Robert Hay, accompanied by Joseph Bonomi, and Signor Anto­ nini of the Sugar factory at Reramun, visited the Portico on 14 January 1825. Hay's diary of the year 1825 is lost, but there is an entry in Bonomi' s diary 127 which .G.e s c r i b e s the visit: 13th. [January 1825]

The morning was more moderate and at two

35 o'clock we arrived at Raramoun, having passed Antinoe thro' the stupidity of the RaIs. I had so bad a headache that I could not deliver a letter of introduction I had for Sig r. Antonio the Director of sugar Manufactory who kindly sent a donkey down for me in the evening, but I did not take advantage of his invitation. 14th. [January 1825] Signor Antonio kindly sent donkeys down for us and I rode to the Manufactory where I met him and gave Mr. Sloan's letter to him. 1 28 He took us thro' the Manufactory, which of course after one in the west Indies is very inferior, though a turkish officer who is placed there, could not understand how it was possible that it could be so as he fancied this one the finest in the world. Sig r Antonio told me that they have now given up distilling spirits, further than to prevent waste, as the Pasha did not find it give him at once a profit would not have patience till it improved but gave it up at once, for he is a man who must reap whereever he sowes, and that very quickly, or he thinks he will lose his profit altogether. Having finished this inspection we rode to Hermopolis which is about an hour and twenty minutes distant and were accompanied by Sig r Antonio. We rode over a perfect plain much of which is now out of cultivation from the insufficiency of last years inundation, over which we see a few patches of dales scattered that in general surround some little village. This plain extends to the foot of the sand hills that lay on the borders of the Western Desert where I am told by Sigr A. excavations might be made to advantage. The day was rather cold and dull but notwithstanding I saw many groups of children without even a rag on them, and so they grew up to manhood, and even decline to old age half naked; indeed the full dress of an Arab would in England be thought half naked. I here observed for the first the curious phenomenom that so often deceives travellers in the desert while suffering with a partchling thirst and on nearer approach the supposed water vanishes in air. But it was some time before I could be convinced that it was really so. The mounds that cover this ancient sit~ are very extensive and are composed for the most part of broken pottery; in several parts we saw some red granit columns apparently Roman where I have no doubt if excavations were made many things might be found. To the Eastward of the village of Eshmounein stands the remains of an Egyptian temple, apparently the front. I suppose a portico, supported by twelve columns, only eleven of which are standing, as only two or three months since some wise turk shattered one with gun powder to bring down the part of the entablature that rested on it, supposing it to be a case filled with money: Another is much shattered, which if taken away will destroy the whole as the entrance will fall in. They are built, and have been well put together. They seem as if to resemble some plants tied together under the head, which forms the capital, they then swell and are bound in other places and again fall in at the bottom, where there are long pointed leaves that shoot out as it were from the base. On the base as well as on other parts of the columns are the remains of Hieroglyphs and the whole entablature and frieze are covered with them and with figures inserted and painted. The upper part of the gate way is covered with names where I fancy are many repetitions.

36 The columns have been painted in stripes of yellow red and blue but

they are very much shattered and defaced. The ceiling is embossed

with lines of stars which h~ve a very pretty effect.

Having walked over the mounds that surround this spot we went to the village where there is a manufactory of saltpeter, which we walked over and then returned to Sig r Antonio's where we found dinner prepared.

It was during this visit that Hay made the sketch of the Portico shown in PLATE 50b. The sketch is very slight, but is probably close to the original: Hay was obsessed with accuracy. It shows, as the Bonomi transcript above describes, that the easternmost column of the rear range had gone. The drawing is inscribed Mellat el Banat in Hay's hand and Hermonthis, wrongly, in a different hand. 129 Anton Prokesch describes the site of Hermopolis Magna as he saw it in 1 8 26 , the year the Portico was destroyed. He says it was b lown up to make a saltpetre factory and points out that similar l i me s t o n e is to be found in the hills an hour's ride away, but that it was less trouble and cheaper to use the nearby Portico; he still reports twelve columns: Dieser Portikus ist seither durch Pulver gesprengt, niedergerissen und zum Bau einer Salniterei verwendet worden. Eine Stunde westlich zieht das libysche Gebirge hin, das Stein fUr eine Welt gMbe; aber es ist wahr, man hMtte das Doppelte an Arbeit gehabt. Der Portikus bestand aus 12 SMulen zu 41' 6" HBhe und 27' 10" Umfang, in zwei Reihen geordnet, mit einer S~ulendicke Abstand zwischen den Musseren und 12' zwischen den beiden mittleren, so dass die Fronte 120' betrug. Die ganze HBhe war 60' . Der Architrav und das Friesbestanden, der Eine und das Andere, aus fUnf BIBcken, jeder 22' lang. Der Stein der Chornische, welcher noch vorhanden war, mass 34'. Die SMulenfusten stellten BUndel vor am Obertheile; am unteren aber die Lotuspflanze. Die Kn~ufe war en die einzigen in ihrer Art; ernster als die dorischen, aber zugleich reicher. Hieroglyphen und Bilder, dann ein MMander mit gel­ brothen Sternen auf blauem Grunde, zierten die Uberlage. Jetzt bestehen nur die Fussgestelle der 12 S~ulen. Auch diese ange­ bohrt, ja zum Theile schon gesprengt. Sie haben die Form eines umge­ stUrzten Kelches. Die obere Leiste daran war mit eine Reihe Hierogly­ phen geziert. Dieselbe Zierde hatten die Seiten des Fussgestelles.1~O

We are extremely fortunate that there are two eye-witness accounts of the destruction of the Portico, that of EdwardLane, on 3 April 1826, and of Robert Hay, three weeks later, on 24 April. Lane writes: From Er Reyremoo'n I walked to the site of Hermopolis Magna, where the village of ASh'moo'ney'n now stands, about three miles distant, towards the west-north-west ••... The site o f Hermopolis is occupied by high and extensive mounds, which, in the midst of the flat cultivated land, are seen for many miles round. Within these mounds, towards the northern side, I found the ruins of the great temple, but was much disappointed at perceiving that there remained only four columns of the twelve which I had expected to see. The eight columns which had disappeared had been employed chiefly to make lime. The last of these had been blown up with gunpowder only five days before I visited the spot; and I found labourers loading their camels with the fragments; wh ile others were commencing the destruction of the remaining

37 columns. The portico faced south; and probably consisted of three rows of columns (or perhaps of four); six in each row. The four columns which remained at the point of my visit belonged to one row. They were of the same order as those along the front of the ancient edifice at the ruined village of El-Ekour'neh, and those in the southern part of the temple of El-OUk 'soor ..... ; but of much greater dimensions: their dia­ meter being nine feet, and their height more than forty. The paint with which they were ornamented was still discernible on those parts of the columns which were least injured by time or the hand of man; but the hieroglyphics were so much defaced that I could not, with any degree of certainty, decipher the name of the founder; partly, perhaps, from my being a s yet unacquainted with the characters. The name is said to be that of Ptolemy; which is singular; for the columns are of an order not seen elsewhere excepting in monuments of the very early Pharaohs. A little to the south of the site of the portico were some large blocks of stone, which perhaps formed part of a portal before the temple. The main body of the temple has totally disappeared. 131

And Hay's account is as follows: Hearing of the rapid destruction of the remains of the temple of Hermopolis I determined to see it before it was totally removed from the list of Egyptian Antiquities, as that wg be its fate in all likelihood by the time I returned & now three columns remain standing - accordingly taking our Camera lucida to take one of the last views that wg be taken of thi s ruin, as we thought, we set out and passed over a considerable e x t e n t of uncultivated ground bearing nothing but long coarse grass ­ some p atches of barley lay here and there in perfect order for cutting. On the road I met a Turk who as usual asked me where I was going and what was my business there - on learning that my intention was to seethe remains of the Temple, he said he had been told all the Columns were now down. This I w~ not give credit to as Sigr A[ntonini] had informed me that when M. Linant had passed he called on Abdin Bey & represented it as a great pity to destroy work~ of antiquity, in which the Bey agreed & remarked that as travellers came so many miles to see them they ought to be preserved & said he wg give immediate orders, w~ it wg appear he had as they have been permitted to survive their companions so long - however his orders are of no avail or he has countermanded them - sure which it is. I rode on and ascended the immense mounds of rubbish and taking the direction in w~ I remembered they lay passed over several of these hills & valleys in miniature, when to my surprise on attaining the top of one of them I saw the object of my ride laying in ruins - people employd in breaking them up & camels carrying them away~ - We had just arrived in time to see the melancholy end of the temple~ -My disappointment was great when I saw prostrate on the ground what I had expected would have been left to show future travellers what Hermopolis was - and I could scarcely believe my eyes that this was the spot where stood the eleven massive columns that I had before seen & drawn. It almost seemed from the spot where I stood as if the very ground had been swept~ I descended the hill of Rubbish, & rode up to the workmen - I walked

round the sad remains, looking if I could see any small fragment of

Sculpture to carry away as a memento of the place.

All that remained of the Sculpture were two names repeated alternately on the blocks that crown the Capitals - they were perfect on one only & I have reason to believe that these were the only names that ever existed on the Temple - from my notes, made when I visited it before. [Here is a drawing of the cartouches, which are illustrated at the end of this excerpt]. The style of sculpture is good, & we endeavoured to bring

38 away a specimen from one of the names - but the clay used by the workmen was so bad also the plaster that they brought us, wo never became hard, that we were disappointed, ' as it broke into pieces on removing the clay mould.

In addition to the sketch of the cartouches included in this diary and shown below, Hay made, perhaps at this time, or during his earlier visit in January 1825, the sketch shown on our PLATE 51a. A note underneath it, not in Hay's hand, states, wrongly, that the inscription is 'From a Temple, now destroy'd, near Echmim' (Panopolis) .132 Hay's diary goes on: Most of the parts that formed these columns were formed of tremendous blocks, but where it was necessary to join a piece of stone to make the circle complete, it was done by wooden cramps. [At this point in the diary, Hay sketched a drum cramped together: see his illustration below]. The stones were laid on top of the other with merely a thin coat of cement between them scarcely thicker than a wash with a brush, as well as those parts that were joined with cramps as above decribed. We sat down to smoke our pipe & take our coffee under the shade of one of these blocks - before we had rested and refreshed ourselves under the remains of the Portico - on the base of one of these columns: It was not far from sunset when we took our leave of Hermopolis, a spot not likely to attract any more travellers. About an hundred paces in front of the temple, I observed some very large blocks wh from their form may have been part of a Propylon to the temple - they are of a coarser calcareous stone than that of wh the temple was composed of ­ round them l ay granite columns & also nearly opposite them on the side of the hill of rubbish, ~ appear to be of the time of the Christians.133

AND SO THE PORTICO WAS DESTROYED

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Hay's diary sketches of 24 April 1826

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\

~i'./ J--/

39 The Great Portico of Hermopolis Magna survives only as a few foundations, some lower-course blocks of the rear wall, three column-bases, several loose fragments, and in the few drawings and engravings made between 1714 and its destruction in 1826. Those made before Denon sketched the Portico in 1798 are unwittingly influenced by the artist's or engraver's inbred knowledge of classical architecture and, indeed, it is not known whether Sicard, who died in Egypt, ever saw his engraver's ver­ sion before publication (PLATE 37a). The surviving illustrations of the Portico are ambiguous and occasionally contradictory in detail, and there is no real certainty about its actual appear­ ance: all representations of the structure differ, some showing it squat, others more attenuated. Hay's very slight sketch (PLATE SOb ) probably is the closest to reality and I suspect that Denon's equally hasty watercolour drawing (PLATE 38) shows the monument as a whole accurately, but the details are impres­ s ionistic and he, like Sicard and Pococke (PLATE 37), drew the remaining central part of the cornice as complete in itself, a lthough he knew that much was missing and his engravings are more correct. The version drawn by Hayes for Hamilton (PLATE 42b) may also be reasonably accurate in overall shape. The Description engraving (PLATE 41a) has definite errors, some ad­ mitted, but its reconstruction of the Portico (PLATE 41b) is perhaps better. Von Minutoli and Ricci seemed to have measured the Por tico accurately enough, but they published only details and not the whole structure: only one column, a plan and part of the entablature. Some of the colours painted on the engraving in the British Library's copy of von Minutoli's work differ from those shown on Barry's finished drawing (PLATES 44, 46). The damage t o the columns, particularly that caused by the removal of the screen wall, is not consistently shown, and it is not clear whether the columns in the second row, their central zone decorated with figural sculpture, were in as good order as some of the drawings indicate: Denon, Barry, von Minutoli, Bankesand Wilkinson draw them as being in not too bad a condition, but Jomard, Hayes and Hay show them as very shattered. Jomard says his engraving shows too much damage, von Minutoli's column is a pastiche of several damaged columns, and Barry's detail of the battered lower part of an entrance column (PLATE 48) indicates that he may have idealised when he drew a column of the row be­ hind. Certainly many travellers remark on the damaged state of the lower parts of the columns. Hamilton and Legh say that the column-drums were made of many irregular stones (was Legh influ­ enced by Hamilton's work?), while Hay, who saw them fallen, says some were made of one piece, others of two.13 4 There was not a friez€a bove that of the architrave, as Denon apparently shows, and refers to, perhaps ambiguously, in his description of his plate, and which Hamilton also mentions; the latter's illustra­ tion (PLATE 42b) appears to indicate that the (single) frieze over the entrance is rather higher than the flanking lengths of frieze, and he also says that this is so in his text: this i s because, aB Jomard's plate (PLATE 41a) shows, the upper part of the frieze was carved on the lower part of the cornice-blocks, missing on each side of the centre. Barry's drawings of details of the Portico (PLATES 45-8) are very valuable, but his sugges­ tion for the ceiling ornament, so very high above him, is prob­ ably wrong. His useful annotations are transcribed on the pages opposite the PLATES. A chart showing the various measurements given by visitors

40 appears on p. 47. Some of these, especially those of the height and the details of the entablature, are no doubt esti­ mates, and some have used the figures given by earlier travel­ lers; those in square brackets probably did not visit the site. We know some fixed points of the size of the Portico from the surviving remains, and the descriptions of the early visit­ ors can combine to give us more information. The length of the Portico can be estimated as rather more than 55 metres from one wing to the other, but as it stood between 1714 and 1826, with both wings lost, its length was given as between 96 feet and 1 24 feet long, the latter probably being the closest. It was between 25 royal feet and 31 feet 6 inches wide. The height of the structure as a whole had a wide variation in estimates, between 47 feet and 60 feet. Ignoring a couple of unlikely and obvious guesses, the estimated he ight of the columns varied between 40 feet 4 inches and 45 feet, but some measurements did not include the abacus and some ignored the base, and several must have been taken from the ground-level up, wherever that may have been. The diameter of t h e columns was given as between 7 feet 6 inches and 9 feet 9 inches: about 9 feet is the consensus. The setting-out circle for a column engraved on one of the bases is 2. 48m in diameter. 13 5 There were between 22 and 24 drums in the columns, and Jomard gave 56cm as the height of a drum. Pasley estimated that the abacus was 6 feet 6 inches square and over two fee t high. The intercolumniation, presumably between the o u t s i d e s of the of the columns, not column-centres, was about 12 or 1 3 feet, except in the centre, where it was about 17 feet. Only Pasley gave the height to the top of the ent­ rance, some 1 6 feet (from the 1802 ground-level?). The five front architrave blocks were between 21 and 22 feet long, except the central block, which was 25 feet long. There were only two cross-architraves, above the entrance. Pas­ ley estimated that the roof-blocks were 20x12x2 feet. The cor­ nice was var iously given as between 26 and 34 feet long: the latter is probably closest. The surviving cornice-block frag­ ment (PLATE 5 4a ) can help in estimating the height of the en­ tablature, i f we can assume that the other courses were of the same height, that is 60cm. Its decoration shows it was the central block of five superimposed courses: above it was a block with the tops of the cartouches and the lower part of the plumes surmo unting them. The block above that was the final outward curve of the cornice, with the tops of the plumes. These two suggested blocks above the surviving block may have been one block of the combined heights. Below the centre block was one with the torus roll and the upper part of the scenes on the arch­ itrave, incl uding the inscriptions above the scenes. The archi­ trave, with the lower and greater part of the decorated frieze, was below the last. The architrave was probably higher than 60cm: if Block 12 (PLATE 26) is an architrave, then it was 87cm high 136, so t h e entablature was about 3.27m high. If we regard the columns with base as being about 44 feet, the abacus about 2 feet, and the entablature about 3.27m, the estimated height of the Portico from pavement to cornice is about 17.3m or 56 feet 6 inches. In addition to the sculptured ornamentation described and illustrated in Chapter 1 above, figural decoration was carved on the central zone of the columns; on the architraves; and on the soffit of the roof-slabs over the entrance. The columns

41 had king s offering to gods, as did the a r c h i t r a v e s . Wilkinson's sketch (PLATE 49 ) notes where various are a s of decoration oc­ curred, although it is occasionally ambiguou s . The front arch­ i t r a ve had a series of kings offering to god s , mostly Thoth, a c co rding to report, but also to Shepses?, Re , Horus and Anubi s, as desc ribed or illustrated by various visitor s . The sequence with a k n e e l i ng figure behind the k i ng , d rawn by von Minutoli and by Wilkinson, is said by the latter to h ave been on the rear centr e o f the front architrave. Barry said that the cross arch­ itraves over the entrance were decorated o n one face only, pre­ sumably the inner face: he called the deco r a t i o n hieroglyphics, but dr ew a series of figures (PLATE 47b) . Th e soffit of a roof slab over the entrance had a figure descr ibed and drawn by Barry as a wing e d human, but more probably was a vulture; Jomard said this was repeated on the other central roof slabs adjacent. The other r o of slabs had yellow stars on a blue ground, although Barry interpreted it differently. Many fig u r e s and hieroglyphs were in relief and sunk-relief, but Wilkin s o n describes them as being in light intaglio; the column in vo n Minutoli's en­ gravi ng seems to show sunk-relief and thi s is likely on a col­ umn. The decoration of the roof slabs was in relief. The lower s tones of the rear wall have sunk -re l i e f decoration; the hieroglyp h s on the column bases and the car t ou c h e s on the cor­ nice a r e a lso sunk. The building was pain t e d overall with blue, yel l o w and red colours, with some re s e r v e d areas . The hi ero g lyp h s apparently covered mo s t available surfaces and were mostly names and titles of kings and dedications to gods. Steven Snape has transcribed those o f the remains of the re ar wall and other surviving parts (Ch a p t e r 1): only Phil ip Ar r h i d a e o s is mentioned on these. Alexander the Great 's n a me s were found on the underside of the architrave over the doorway, and on som~ other unk nown areas. The names and ti tl e s of Philip Arrhidaeos appeared i n profusion , on the entir e l e ng t h of the cornice, on the inside of the front arch­ itrave, on the abacuses of the columns, and on the column bases; the name s above the figures on the central zone of the column­ shafts we r e probably his; the block shown on PLATE 54a is from the corn i c e and has his name. There is s ome evidence for a Ptolemy, found on one or two l o o s e bloc ks . Only Wilkinson recor d ed Alexander's names (he thought i t was Alexander IV); all other s , von Minutoli, Burton, Hay , t r a n s c r i b e d solely those of Ph i li p . Jomard's transcription is completely wrong. 13 7

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

A few subsequent travellers rema r k on the destruction of the Gr e a t Portico, including James Webs t e r , who vis ited Reramun in Apri l 1828, a few months before his ear l y death ; he writes: On our arrival at Eraramoun, we inspected the sugar factory belonging to t h e Pacha of Egypt, which was originally establ i s h e d by an Englishman, b u t is now conducted by an Italian. Quantities of sugar candy, which is i n g r e a t request among the Turks, is manufactured , and also rum . ... . A sho r t distance south of Eraramoun, formerly stood a very fine Egyptian p ort i c o , which has lately been destroyed by the Tu r k s . They have there a ma nu f a c t o r y for saltpetre, which is obtained b y the evaporation of water from large basins. 138

42 Later in the same year, 1828, Jean F. Champo11ionjourneyed past, and says: J'ai pass~, le coeur serr~, en face d'Aschmoune~n, en regrettant son magnifique portique d~truit tout recemment par les barbares. Hier, Ant inoe ne nous a plus montre que des debris; tous ses edifices ont ete demol is depuis peu, et il ne reste plus que quelques colonnes de granit, que les Visigoths d'Egypte n'ont pu remuer. 139

In a journal attributed to Champollion, but possibly written by his

travelling companion Charles Lenorrrant, on 7 NovEmber 1818, is the entry:

On part it sur les neuf heures du matin, et nous passames successive­ ment devant Reiramoun , situe sur le Nil, dans la direction des ruines d'Aschmounein (Hermopolis Magna), dont le superbe portique, orne de sculptures du temps de Philadelphe Arrhidee (ou plutot de Soter I e r, dont il n'etait que le prete-nom), a ete demoli du consentement du Pacha, malgre les reclamations de Salt et de Linant. 140

Also in 1828, Lenormant rages against Mohammed Ali, liken­ ing him to the destroying Persians: Mohammed a brule galeries, temples, beaux-arts sur les autels de l'in­ dustrie. Pour batir de si belles filatures, il fallait bien de la chaux, et au lieu de l'aller chercher a deux lieues dans la montagne, il lui a paru plus simple de prendre les monuments, et, dans le fait, tout cequ'il y avait de construit en calcaire, c'est-a-dire Antinoe, Aschmounein, et Antaeopolis, et Elephantine y ont enti~rement passe en moins de cinq ans. Qu'on juge de notre indignation en voyant la route ainsi balay~edevant nous, a trouver Antinoe rasee jusqu'au sol, le theatre, les deux grandes rues a portiques, l'arc de triomphe et tous les monuments disparus; le portique colossal d'Aschmounein transforme en porte de canal et en raffi­ nerie de sucrei enfin, a voir l'Egypte comme si un autre Cambyse vena it de la traverser. 1 4 1

Gardner Wilkinson also deplores the loss in 1835 and again in 1843: Nearly opposite El Bersheh is the village of E'Reramoon, where the pasha has established an extensive sugar and rum manufactory ; and a short ride from this is Oshmoonayn, the site of Hermopolis Magna; but the ele­ gant portico of the temple of Thoth has shared the fate of the limestone ruins of Antinoe, and nothing now remains to induce the traveller tovisit its lonely mounds..... The only names in the portico were of Philip and Alexander, the last having in his nomen the title "Son of Amun".142 Abeut twenty years ago part of the beautiful portico of the temple of Thoth, at Oshmoonayn, was still standing; but being unfortunately built of calcareous stone, it was destroyed by the Turks, and burnt for lime like the monuments of Antino~; and little more remains to induce the traveller to visit its lonely mounds. When I first visited it in 1822, twelve columns were standing, in two rows, 12 feet apart, six in each row, with an architrave and cornice, not with the Agathodaemon in the centre, as Denon tells us, but with a succession of royal ovals on the cornice, and on the architrave offerings presented by the king to Thoth, Re, and another god. These were repeated along its whole length, and were principally made to Thoth or Hermes, the deity of the place. The columns were also covered with figures of the king offering to the gods, and other sculptures in light intaglio; the whole, as usual, having been coloured. In style the columns resembled that in the British Museum 1 4 3, representing the stalks of water plants bound together, surmounted by a

43 capital in the form of a bud; though the latter is very far inferior in size to those of Hermopolis. This order of Egyptian column is common in temples of an early age,. and was frequently used in the time of the eighteenth dynasty. The names of Philip and Alexander, the latter having the title of "son of Amun" in his nomen, were inscribed on the portico of Hermopolis; this part having been added by their order, or by the governor of Egypt in their name, to the original temple, which was doubtless of a much older date. These kings were not Alexander the Great and his father; but Philip Aridaeus and Alexander, the son of Alexander, under whom Ptolemy Lagus governed this province of the Macedonian empire; so that the por­ tico dates between the years B.C. 322 and 311..... The modern town stands on the southern extremity of the mounds, which are of great extent. A powder-mill has been established there by the Pasha, and many persons are constantly employed amidst the mounds in removing the nitre, for the manufacture of purified saltpetre, and for agricultural purposes. 144

Rather later, in 1850, Gardner Wilkinson again mentions the monument and publishes a description of the columns of the Portico: The columns of the portico of Hermopolis Magna (Oshmoonayn), destroyed in 1821 (sic), were a singular variety of this order. They were com­ posed of several water-plants, with a capital like [a bud]; but, besides the bands round the neck, were two other sets (each of five bands); one beneath the ends, that fell perpendicularly below the bands of the neck, the other set just above the pointed sheath-ornaments on the curving end of the shaft; and between these two lower sets were sculptures .•... re­ presenting the king offering to the Gods. The plinth was round, with a chamfered edge ••.• : Having only a drawing of them, I cannot give their 1q 5 exact dimensions.

Nestor L'Hote, describing to the Secretary of State for Public Instruction aspects of his journeys in Egypt in 1838 and 1839, says that he searched for and found one of the column­ bases of the Philip Arrhidaeos Portico. He recognised as a church the area which, later, for so long was regarded as the Agora of the city 1 4 6 , and described the presence of an other­ wise unattested necropolis at the north of the site, presumably where the village of el Idara or its cemetery now stand: 147

a

Les ruines d'Achmouneyn (Hermopolis Magna), situees deux lieues et demie du Nil, n'offrent plus aujourd'hui qu'un vaste amas de ruines en briques crues, et des restes d'edifices qui ont appartenu l'epoque grecque ou au Bas-Empire romain. Des colonnes de granit disposees en ellipse et portant encore leurs chapiteaux ornes d'acanthe, indiquent l'emplacement d'une eglise chretienne batie avec les materiaux d'un tem­ ple grec; pres de la gisent d'autres chapiteaux de facture byzantine, et plus loin, des tron9ons de colonnes doriques cannelures profondes; enfin, vers l'extremite nord des ruines, qui couvrent un espace fort etendu, on voit des amas considerables de tetes de morts et d'ossements blanchis par les siecles; les restes de linceuls et d'etoffes impregnes de bitume, confondus parmi les ossements, ne laissent pas de doute sur l'antiquite de ces debris et sur l'existence, dans cette partie de la ville, d'une necropole destinee probablement la classe nombreuse des habitants qui n'avaient pas le moyen de se menager une tombe dans la mon­ tagne situee de l'autre cote du fleuve. J'ai parle, dans une precedente lettre, des hypogees de Deyr et de la dependance ou ils devaient etre de la ville de Schmoun.

a

a

a

Quant au beau portique egyptien qu'on admirait encore ici, il y a

44 quelques annees, il a disparu comme s'en sont alles taus les monuments de pierre calcaire. Je n'en ai retrouve sur place, et apr~s avoir longtemps cherche, que la base d'une colonne portant le nom symbolique de Schmoun et la cartouche de Philippe-Arridee. 1 4 8

It was presumably during this visit that L'Hote copied for Letronne the Marcus Aurelius/Commodus inscription at the cross­ ing of the two main roads of the ancient city (see Note 109). In George Long's 1832 description of Egypt the Portico is described as still existing; this remained uncorrected in the 1846 edition; there is no evidence that Long ever went toEgypt: But the fi rst temple in the true Egyptian style that we find in Upper Egypt is the p o r t i c o of Ashmoumein, on the west side of the river (lat. 27 0 40'), on the site of the antient Hermopolis the Great. This portico, which is all that now remains of the temple, consists of a double row of pillars, six in each row; the architraves, which are formed of five stones, each as usual passing from the centre of one pillar to that of the next, still remain. The stone over the centre pillars, where the intercolum­ niation is wider than between the rest, is twenty-six feet and six inches long, which will serve to give some idea of the magnitude of the masses e mp l o y e d in t he Egyptian buildings. 1 4 9

E. Prisse d'Avennes regrets the Portico in 1843: Nous passames en face d'Achmouneyn le 23 mai; c'est, comme vous le savez, Monsieur, dans le grand ouvrage d'Egypte qu'il faut chercher au­ jourd'hui le magnifique~e~ c~lossal portique qui avait~frappe nos savants d'admiration, et qui a ete detruit il y a quelques annees. 1 5 0

Because there had been some argument about the subject, Joseph Bonorni went to Hermopolis Magna in June 1831 to confirm if possible the royal names which had appeared on the Portico: 25th June 1831 This morning Sig. Antonini and Mr Feutler, a german chemist assistant of Alessandri {employed at the sugar factory], and my­ self rode to Ashmouneyn. It is situated about an hour west of Raramoon. We found twenty or thirty people employed digging among the mounds of this ancient site for lime stones, of which the temples both here and at Antinumn were built, to repair the cotton factory at Mellowi in the con­ struction of which about six years ago the beautiful egyptian portico that then existed was broken up into small pieces and used as lime. (There were 11 columns supporting their entablatures and the ceiling which was decorated with stars and other appropriate ornaments). Not far from where it stood is now uncovered a wall of very large stones thrown down on its face t hat bears a long inscription in large and well formed Greek characters 151 and in the midst of a mound of rubbish the excavators had cut down on a beautiful portico of roman corinthian columns the capitals as near as I c ou l d guess were four feet high, extremely well cut and in the style of t h e ruins that once existed on the other side of the river at Sheikh Abade Antinumn. The shafts were of granite carelessly cut not polished or fluted, perhaps egyptian obelisks converted into roman col­ umns. Six of the capitals these vile people were breaking up seemingly without the l east consciousness or regret at destroying so much beauty and labour. In several other places shafts of granite had been turned up the capitals already broken and taken to the lime kiln. I looked about for ancient bricks but found none inscribed. We then examined a large mosque t h a t appears to have been a christian church, the door of the edifice is adorned with white marble fragments and shafts of white marble. Passed the remainder of the day at Raramoon.

45

26th June 1831 I obtained from [the Chiaia bey] permission to dig at Ashmouneyn as the egyptian portico there having been destroyed before hieroglyphics were so well understood there is a dispute concerning the name of the king. We spent the remainder of the day at the sugar fac­ ory at Raramoon where we slept. 27th June 1831 This morning set out for Ashmouneyn taking with me a young man from Raramoon armed with his towra (hoe) and basket to look for the remains of the Egyptian temple or some fragment that might throw some light on the disputed point. After a little search on the spot we dis­ covered the remains of six of the bases of the columns of the ancient portico covered with mould and over grown with khalf, we then proceeded to remove the impediment having bribed one of the excavators that were employed by the iconoclastic party to help us and I was soon enabled to copy the name and some other hieroglyphs with which this number of the ancient column was decorated, our labour was directed to one only of the bases for they are so colossal that with our slender means we had not time enough to undertake a more extensive excavation. These bases are unlike any other egyptian terminations of a column I have seen, the usual form like the cheshire cheeses these have the upper angle cut off afford­ ing another surface for an inscription [two sketches show the difference]. We then rode about the rubbish and passed through the modern village of Ashmouneyn built partly on the mounds in the mud walls of the houses are several stones miserable fragments of egyptian and roman magnificence (The never failing indication of an ancient site)!52 One does wonder whether pointing out the position of six limestone bases to one of the limestone foragers might have led to the disappearance of the six easternmost examples! Gardner Wilkinson's view that nothing remained to induce the traveller to visit Hermopolis's lonely mounds largely pre­ vailed, and the site was left to Bonomi's iconoclasts looking for limestone, to the workers of the saltpetre factory, to illici t antiquities-seekers and to the sebakhin. Seemingly only L'Hote and Lepsius recorded visiting the site, in 1838-9 and 1843; the next written report is apparently that of Charles Wilbour, who went there in 1884, having missed i t in 1883: Yesterday morning we went over to Schmoonayn by the railway of the Da!ra San!eh. We went last year, all save Maspero, but as we donkeyed from there to Toonah el Gebel, we had no time for the ruins of the an­ cient City of Thoth. And indeed but little remains besides the immense mounds of decayed city which cover more than a square mile, and a dozen admirable granite pillars which could not be used for the sugar works of Rodah. The exquisite marble columns and the beautiful walls, which adorn the Description de Z'Egypte, could be made into lime and are no more. 153 The railway Wilbour mentions not -only took sugar-cane to Roda, but was used to convey thousands of tons of nitrogen-rich earth (sebakh) from the city mound to be spread on the fields. PLATE 36 shows the railway embankment coming right into the city site. This sebakh was composed of the occupation-levels of the Arab period and much of the Roman period city.154 Its removal made available to antiquities dealers huge quantities of Greek pa­ pyri, and when Hermopolis had been pinpointed as a major source for this vitally interesting material, German and Italian ex­ peditions came to work on the site in the first decade of this century.155 At the time that these excavations were taking

46 place, one of the remaining bases of the Portico was illustrat­ ed in a discussion of Hermopolis by E. Breccia 156 "who also published a redrawn version of von Minutoli's engraving of the Portico (our PLATE 44), but with some details omitted (the hieroglyphs in the cartouches oh the cornice, for example). A block with the name of Philip Arrhidaeos, doubtless from the Portico and found at Hermopolis before the end of the nine­ teenth century, is in the Cairo Museum, Inv. No. 34624. The Hildesheim Hermopolis Expedition of 1929-39 did very little work on the site of the Great Hermaion, but Alfred Hermann, a member of the expedition, studied two bases and a loose frag­ ment of another which at that time were visible, and published transcriptions of their texts. 157 GUnther Roeder discussed the bases of the Portico in his 1959 publication of the Hildesheim As mentioned in the Introduction above, Expedition's work. 158 Abu-Bakr, in 1948-9 and in 1952-3, excavated the area where the Portico stood and exposed the three remaining column-bases and their plinths (PLATES53a,54b)and other architectural featuresJ59 He also found the remains of colossal statues of baboons, erect­ ed by Amenophis III and broken up to form the foundations of the Portico floor (PLATE 53b).160 Abu-Bakr published only a brief popular account of his excavations before he died. 161 In 1980, W.V. Davies and A.J. Spencer of the British Museum studied some of the loose blocks excavated by Abu-Bakr and published some of the inscriptions. 162 A block from the cornice of the Portico (PLATE 54a) in 1980 was lying in the courtyard of the Hildesheim Expedition's house; it is now outside the new maga­ zine of the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation nearby}63Pinally, Steven Snape's work in the first part of this Occasional Paper is an attempt to rescue the results of Abu-Bakr's excavations before they deteriorate further, and to show the state of the Portico in 1986. Donald Bailey

47 MEASUREMENTS OF THE GREAT PORTICO AT HERMOPOLIS MAGNA

Author ity

Length

Width

Height

Other details

S i c ard (171 4)

40 paces or 100 royal feet

10 paces or 25 r oyal feet

55-60 royal feet

Oiam. of col. 3 paces or 7>, feet

Betwee n co ls 4 and 6 paces

96 feet

2S feet

49 f eet

100 feet

25 feet

Poc oc ke (17 37)

Pe r r y (17 37 )

l s a vary (17 79)]

Oiam. of col. 9 feet Oi am. of bottom of col. 7>, feet Ht. o f col . 60 f e e t

Ci rcumf . of co l . 24 fee t

Be t we en cols 10 and 15 f e et

Oen on (179S )

120 feet

60 feet

Oiam. of col . S f e e t 10 i nc he s

Between co ls 12 f e e t

Ar c hitr a ve blocks 22 f e et l ong

Cornic e block 34 f e e t l ong

J omard (lSOO)

3Sm or about

117 feet

16 2/3m +

70cm bas"

Ht . o f col. (without ba s e 13 .16m

Oi am. of co l . 2.Bm

Circumf . of col . B.Bm

Ht. o f capital 3.94m

About 25 co urses in col. (incl.

b a s e and abacus

Ht. of col. drum 56cm

Centre architrave Bm or 25 feet

Other architraves 6 .Bm long

Cornice block 10 . Bm or 33~ feet

Est. W. of facade 50-53m

Balzac (c .1SOO)

Ht . of col . 45 feet

Hamilt on (lSO l)

Pasl ey (lS02)

47 f eet

112 feet

2S fee t

Ht . of col . 40 feet 4 inches

Circumf . of col . 2S>, feet

Between cols 13 and 17 feet

Oiam. of col . B>, feet 22 courses in col.

Be t we e n centre cols 15>, feet Bet ween front and rear cols 11 & 11>, feet Abacus 6~ feet square , over f e e t high

Ar c hi tra v e blocks 21 fe et long

Roof blocks 20x12x2 feet

Ht. of doorway 16 fee t

Legh (lS1 2)

Betwe en co ls 12 fee t

Richa r d so n (lS 17 )

Oi am. of col . 9 feet

Barry (lS lS )

120. 9 feet

31. 6 fe et

Ht. of col. about 44 f e et

Oiam. o f co l. 9 f e et 9 i nches

24 c ourses in c ol. Between co ls 12 feet

d e Montule (lS19)

Ht. o f col . 45 f e e t

Henn i ke r (l S19)

Corn i c e block 26 feet l ong

von Mi nutol i ( l S2 l -2)

124 f eet

30 feet

Ht. of co l. 44 feet 3 inches (with base , without abacus) For detailed measurements of col. see PLATE 44

Be twe e n cols 13 f e et B inches and 17 feet Be t we e n front and rear cols 12

f e et 6 inche s Carne ( lS2l)

Ht. o f col . 60 feet Circum f. of col. 33 fee t

Pa r they (lS23)

50 f eet

Bur ton (lS22-5) Proke sc h (lS26)

Oiam. of col . 3m Ht . o f base 94cm 120 f e et

60 f e et

Lane (lS 26)

Ht. o f co l. 41 f e e t 6 i nc he s Ci r c umf. of co l. 27 fee t 10 inches Betwe e n cols 12 feet Architra ve s 22 f eet l ong Cornic e block 34 fe et l on g Ht . o f col . over 40 f eet Oi am. of col. 9 f eet Between co ls 12 f e et

[Re ybaud ( lS3 0 ) ]

Ht. o f c ol . 40 f e et Circumf . of co l . 24 fee t

Wilkinson (l S43) [Hall (190 7) ]

Ht . of col . 40 Paris feet Oiam. of col . 9 feet Arc hi tra ve s 21 and 25 f e e t long Corn i c e block 33 feet long

Bet wee n cols 12 f e et 124>, feet

29>, feet

Ht. o f co l . 55 f eet

48

CHAPTER 3 WHY AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE WAS THE PORTICO DESTROYED? The why is simple: as Prokesch states (supra), to go to

the limestone sources in the hills (at Tuna or across the river

behind Antinoe) would have doubled the cost of supplying the

lime-kilns. The Pasha (Mohammed Ali or Ibrahim Pasha - it is

not certain which) was merely following the age-old practice of

using unwanted material ready to hand. From the end of pagan­

ism the religious area of the city was used as a quarry for

ashlar blocks, for lime-production and for hard-core: very fine

decorative fragments with inscriptions of Nectanebo 11 which may

have come from the late Thoth Temple were found amongst packed

l imestone fi ll below a probable church in the area in front of

the temple .164 Much of the Temple of Thoth may have gone by the

si xth century AD. By the time of the first modern recording of

the Portico, the Temple was otherwise totally destroyed, to­

gether with the readily available ashlar blocks of the extremi­

ties of the Portico, its screen wall, rear wall and rear roof:

the remaining columns and entablature were just too massive for

easy removal , although much of the cornice had been levered off.

However, one column went between 1823 and January 1825, and gun­

p owd e r disposed of the rest in April 1826. The Pasha had al­

ready removed the limestone structures at nearby Antinoe. John

Hyde in his Journal notes the triumphal arch there being demol­

ished on 1 August 1819. 165 Some of the Antinoe material may

have been used to build a bridge at Reramun. 166 John Madox

writes that columns from Antinoe were removed by the Pasha for

the building of a manufactory.167 Edward Lane says that the

limestone of Antinoe was shipped upstream to Asyut to build a

palace for the Pasha or was burnt for lime. 168

There have been several assertions as to what purpose the

material from the destroyed Hermopolis Portico was put: (1) an

unspecified sugar factory (Lenormant, 1828, Carre, 1956 169);

(2) the sugar factory at Reramun (Sauneron, 1982 170); (3) the

sugar factory at Roda (Wilbour, 1884 171); (4) a saltpetre fac­

tory (Prokesch, 1826: the year it was destroyed, Baedeker, 1892,

Hall, 1907 172); (5) a cotton factory at Mellawi (Bonomi, 1831 173);

(6) a canal-gate (Lenormant, 1828 174). It is perfectly possible that that the lime obtained from burning the Portico was used for more than one purpose. I am inclined to think that the sugar factory theory (Assertions 1­ 3) is unlikely. The factory at Roda was built later than that at Reramun, with which, according to Clot-Bey, it ran concurrent­ ly for a while 175 and later superseded. The Reramun factory (PLATE 51b) was erected about 1817, when it was visi ted by the Ea r l of Belmore' s party (supra), and see Brine's entry in Who was Who i n EgyptoZogy.176 Charles Barry, visiting it on 19 November 1818, says that it was ~rected within the last 3 years'. He reports that it was made of burnt and unburnt bricks, that the main timbers were palm-logs and it included planks imported from Italy. 177 The Reramun factory was still working in the early 1830s: Bonomi mentions it in his Journal in 1831 178 and in letters to Hay of 28 and 30 July 1833 he speaks of Signor Anto­ nini of the factory at Reramun. 179 James Augustus St John

49

describes the sugar factory of Signor Tonina on his visit of 27 December 1832 18 0 ; he also says that the Reramun factory is the only one in all Egypt. 181 However, Clot-Bey implies that the Roda factory was working a year later, in 1833~ producing con­ . slderably less sugar than t h e Reramun wor k s. 18~ Wl'lk'lnson men­ tions the Reramun works in a book published in 1835183 , and it had not been superseded by the Roda works in early 1836, when it was visited by John Lloyd Stephens. 184 (Legh refers to a large sugar factory at Mellawi in 1812 185, but this may have been re­ placed by the Reramun works) . Thus it would seem that the con­ struction of the Roda sugar factory in about 1832-3 owed nothing to the much earlier destruction of the Portico, although it is conceivable that the Reramun factory may have been repaired or extended with material from the 1826 demolition. Hay, visiting Reramun in the middle of Februarli 1826, mentions sugar as being in full production at that time 86, but Lord Prudhoe in his Journal for 8 March (sometime between 1826 and 1830) states that 'The sugar manufactory at Radamone is well built but for want of repairs and use looks at present forlorn. Rum is made in cOTh­ siderable quantity but no sugar has been made for two years'. 7 Clot-Bey, above, indicates that by 1833 sugar was again a major product at Reramun, but Stephens in 1836, says only a limited amount of sugar candy was being made. The statement by Fairholt that the Reramun factory was still working in 1860 seems likely to refer to the Roda sugar works. 1 88 Incidentally, Carre states that Antinoe was destroyed about 1830 to build the sugar factory at Roda 189 , but, as we have seen, the remains of that city were in the process of being demolished in 1819 and the limestone structures there were certainly gone soon after. The saltpetre factory (Assertion 4) is the most likely can­ didate. Jomard mentions saltpetre being produced on the mounds of the city of Hermopolis in 1800, and taken to Mellawi for the manufacture of gunpowder. 1 90 By 1823 there was an actual salt­ petre factory at Ashmunein, described by Sherer 191 and mentioned a year or so later by Wilkinson. 192 In 1833 a saltpetre factory at Ashmunein produced some 1533 hundredweights (about 77950 k~) of saltpetre, being the third most productive plant in Egypt. 93 The extensive fired-brick remains (PLATE 52 ) of a saltpetre factory are still extant in the suburb of Ashmunein known, per­ haps significantly, as Ezbet Ibrahim Pasha. 194 This may well represent the replacement of the poor (pre-destruction) estab­ lishment described by Sherer, and the mortar still holding the bricks together is likely to be a product of the demolished Great Portico. Assertions 5 and 6, a cotton factory in Mellawi and a canal-gate, mayor may not have been other recipients of material from the Portico. Thus, for petty commercial reasons was the Great Portico at Hermopolis Magna destroyed. It had survived for 2300 years and the structure it was demolished to build lasted for bare ly a century, the squalid replacing the magnificent. I give the last words to Citizen Denon, the first populariser of the gran­ deur of Egyptian architecture, whose report 195 to the Institut d'~gypte was given an ironic twist a generation later: Je vis ruines me colossale me semble

enfin le portique d'Hermopolis; et les grandes masses de ses donnerent la premiere image de la splendeur de l'architecture des Egyptiens. Sur chaque rocher qui compose cet ed ifice, il qu'il etoit grave POSTERITE, ETERNITE.

Donald Bailey

50

NOTES 1.

G. Roeder, in

MDIK

2. ASAE 52, 1954, p. 3. Ashmunein (1982),

9, 1940, p. 78; Roeder, p. 91, 24d, pp. 299-300,17.

411; see also Roeder, pp. 53-4, 59c.

p. 9.

4.

Roeder, p. 53, 58, p. 112, 25.

5.

A. Abu-Bakr, in Egypt Travel Magazine 71, Archiv far Orientforschung 16, 1952-3, p. 126-7; Ori entalia 20, 1951, p. 343; ibid.

Ashmunein (19 82) , 7. Ashmunein (198 3) ,

6.

1960, pp. 27-8; see also 163; ibid. 17, 1954-6, pp. 23, 1954, pp. 67-8, pls IX-X.

p. 25.

pp. 8-9, 1983/26, 1983/ 30-32; a block with the name of Nectanebo 11 was found by the Hildesheim Expedition in 1929 in the north part of the Thoth Temple area: Roeder, pp. 2-3, 13, pl. 4c-e, p. 91, 25b.

8. Ashmunein (1980), p. 4, pl. 36. 9.

For its position in relation to the topography of the site, see the

map of Hermopolis published in A.J. Spencer, Excavations at el - Ash­ munein i, The Topography of t he Site, London, 1983. See also our

PLATE 36.

10.

For references to these excavations, ibid., Note 39.

11.

Spencer, op. cit.

1 2.

Ibid., p. 4.

13.

For references, see Roeder, pp. 301-2, the main work cited being K.

Bittel and A. Hermann, 'Grabungbericht Hermopolis 1933' in MDIK 5,

1934, pp. 11-44.

14.

Ashmunein (198 5),

15.

G. Roeder, 'Zwei hieroglyphische Inschriften aus Hermopolis' in ASAE

5 2, 1954, pp. 315-442 (especially p. 429), and amalgamated into his

plan of the site in Roeder, pl. 3.

(Note 9).

p. 17.

16. Ashmunein (19 81), p. 4.

See also the square Al in our PLATE 36.

17. ASAE 52, 1954, pp. 410-41?. 18.

ASAE

1 9.

A brief summary of what is known of the history of the Portico is given b y D. Kessler, 'Hermupolis Magna' in LA ii, 1978, col. 1141.

20 .

ASAE

21.

W.F. Reineke, 'Der Zusammenhang der alttlgyptischen HBh1- und Langen­

masse' in Mitteilungen des Instituts fUr Orientforschung 9, 1963, pp.

145-163.

52, 1954, p. 429; Spencer, op. cit.

52, 1954, pp. 410-411.

22. ASAE

52, 1954, pp. 410-411; for Harris, Lexicographical Studies pp. 69-71.

23. ASAE

(Note 9), p. 7.

int hd nfr as limestone, see J.R. in A~cient Egyptian Materials, Berlin,

52, 1954, p. 411.

24 .

P. Spencer, The Egyptian Temple: A Lexicographical Study, London, 1984, pp. 160 and 241-2; following Harris, op. cit (Note 22), pp. 81-2.

25.

These involved the removal of foundation-rubble, including fragments

51 of the colossal quartzite baboon statues published in pp. 6-8, pls 7-11 and 24-27. See our PLATE 53.

Ashmunein 1980,

26.

Roeder, p. 2 and plo 4c-e; Spencer, op. cit.

(Note 9), p. 7 and map.

27.

Roeder, op. cit.

28.

Roeder, p. 300.

29.

Bittel and Hermann, op. cit.

30.

von Beckerath, pp. 117-118.

31.

Roeder, p. 112.

32.

Ibid.;

33.

H. Beinlich, Studi en zu den 'Geographischen Inschriften' (1 0.-14. o. 8g. Gau), Bonn, 1976.

34.

A type of hieroglyphic reversal described in H.G. Fischer, The Ori entation of Hi eroglyphs i: Reversals, New York, 1977, pp. 41ff.

35.

Beinlich, op . cit.

36.

Compare the assimilation of King and fecundity figure described in J. Baines, Fecundity Figures, Warminster, 1985, pp. 319-320.

37.

For this formula in the Graeco-Roman period, ibid., p. 188.

3 8.

C.J. Bleeker,

39.

Beinlich, op. cit.

40.

M. Abd el-Raz iq, Die Darstellungen und Texte des Sanktuars Alexan ders des Gross en im Tempel von Luxor, Mainz, 1984.

41.

W. Helck,

42.

Ibid.

43.

Ibid., pp. 132-133.

44.

F. de Cenival, pp. 154-158.

45.

G. Lefebvre, Le Tombeau de PetosirisiDescri ption, Inscr. 81; ii Lee Textes, p. 54.

46.

Ibid., Inscr. 59; i, p. 80; ii, p. 32. These functions would seem to be the duties of the 'Lesonis' of a temple: de Cenival, op. cit. (Note 44), p. 158.

(Note 13), p. 38 and fig. 17.

Ashmunein (1980), p. 4 and plo 21a.

(Note 33), p. 27.

Hathor and Thoth, Leiden, 1973, pp. 143-145. (Note 33), p. 27.

Die alt8gyp t i schen Gaue, Wiesbaden, 1974, p. 62.

Les Associations Religieuses en Egypte, Cairo, 1972,

Ancient Egyptian Literature iii, Berkeley, 1980, p. 44. 48. S. Nakaten, 'Petosiris' in LA iv, 1982, cols 995-8, Note 13. 47.

M. Lichtheim,

49.

For references to contrary views on this subject, ibid., Note 11.

50.

de Cenival, op. cit.

(Note 44), p. 158; K.Th. Zauzich,

'Lesonis' in

LA i i i , 1980, col. 1008. 51.

For a list of these see Helck, op. cit.

52.

For references, see H.-J. Thiessen, 1982, cols 1028-9.

(Note 41), p. 132.

'Philipp Arrhidaios' in

LA iv,

53. Ashmunein (1982), pp. 9-10. 54.

Ibid.

55.

One might compare the 'Dromos' approaching the Serapeum enclosure at Saqqara. This avenue, leading to a temple ascribed to Nectanebo I,

52 seems to have been embellished with statuary of both Dynasty 30 and the early Ptolemaic period and also, possibly, restituted New Kingdom monuments. For these, see J.P. Lauer and C. Picard, Les statues ptoLemaiques du Sarapieion de Memphis, Paris, 1955.

56. Ashmunein (1981),

p. 25.

57.

For references to the Demotic Chronicle, see B.G. Trigger, B.J. Kemp, D. O'Connor and A.B. Lloyd, Ancient Egypt: a SociaL History, Cambridge, 1983, p. 360.

58.

E. Baldwin Smith, Egyptian York, 1938, p. 179.

59.

Ibid.

60 .

W. Stevenson Smith, 1958, p. 429.

61.

J.M. Wansleben, The Pres ent State of Egypt, London, 1678, p. 12. Roeder, p p. 6-7, 19, gives a brief description of early travellers to Ashmunein. He says that Father Vansleb mentions also the famous persea tree at Hermopolis that bowed down to the child Jesus during the Flight to Egypt, but I have not been able to trace a copy of that p articular publication of Vansleb's. This passage is also mentioned in A.I.S. de Sacy, ReLation de L'tgypte par Abd-ALLatif, Paris, 1810, p. 67.

62 .

P. Lucas,

63 .

C. Sicard,

6 4 .

Ibid., p. 102.

65 .

Ibid., p. xii.

66.

Ibid. i, p . 10.

67 .

J.M. Carre, p. 6 .

6 8.

A Des cr i ption of the East, and some other Countries i, Obse rvations on Egypt , London, 1743, p. 74. G. del Rosso, in his Ri cer che su LL'Archite t t ur a Egiziana, Florence, 1787, p. 151, uses

Architecture as CuLturaL Expression,

The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt,

Voyage du Sieur PauL Lucas Ouevres

New

London,

i, Amsterdam, 1720, pp. 70 and 58.

ii (edited by M. Martin), Cairo, 1982, pp. 75-9.

Voyageurs et t crivains

Fran~ais

en tgypte

i, Cairo, 1956,

R. Pococke,

Pococke's description of the Portico.

A View of t he Levant ,

69 .

C. Perry,

London, 1743, pp. 326-7.

70.

J. Bruce, Trav eLs to Discover the Source of the NiLe ii, Edinburgh, 1805, p. 2. I am grateful to Elisabeth R. Fairman of the Yale Center for British Art, who has kindly looked through the Bruce Papers and drawings, and has not found a further mention of Ashmunein.

71 .

C.E. Savary,

7 2.

C.E. Savary,

7 3.

carre, Op e cit.

74.

C.N.S. Sonnini de Manoncour, Trav eLs in Upper and Lower Egypt, London, 1800, pp. 7-8; and see J. White, Aegyptiaca, Oxford, 1801, p. 28.

7 5.

Or possibly November 1798: D. di Pietro, Voyage Historique en tgypte, Paris, 1818, where, on p. 101, the Portico is mentioned: 'des ruines d'Hermopolis, ou l'on admire encore les debris d'une superbeportique'.

76 .

D.V. Denon, 43.

77.

Different engravers made versions of Denon's view, including Audinet

Lettres sur L'tgypte ii, Paris, 1786, Letters on Egypt i, London. 1787, pp.

pp. 48-51. 450-53.

(Note 67), pp. 83 and 88-90

TraveLs in Upper and Lower Egypt

i, London, 1803, pp. 239­

53 for the French edition, and E. Harding and Hawkesworth for English editions: these appear to be either steel or copper engravings; all are slightly different. . An aquatint version, again with differences, appears in D. Valereani and G. Segato, At~ante Monumenta~e de~ Basso e de~~'A~to Egitto ii, Florence, 1837, plo 43.

The Sevres Egyptian Service 1810-12, London, 1982, fig. 66.

78.

C. Truman,

79.

Denon, op. cit.

80.

E. Breccia, in Bu~~etin 1904, pp. 18-43.

81.

E.F. Jomard, in pp. 171-8.

82.

Ibid. x, pp. 409-412. Plate 51, showing the Portico as it appeared, is reprinted in R. Anderson and I. Fawzy, Egypt in 1800, London, 1988, plo 48; the commentary has some errors, probably derived from Porter and Moss (Note 111 below) .

83.

The hieroglyphs are certainly not correct!

84.

J.B.P. Jollois, Journal d'un Ingenieur in G. Maspero, Bibliotheque tgypto~ogique vi, Paris, 1904, p. 123, edited by P. Lefevre-Pourtalis; Jollois saw the Portico in October or November 1799.

85.

[ ] Balzac in Maspero, ibid., p. 230; Balzac's visit was made in October 1798.

86.

(Note 76), pp. 317-8.

de ~a Societe Archeologique d'Alexandrie 6,

Description de l'tgypte 3 Descriptions iv, Paris, 1821,

Report of the Commission of Arts to the Bonaparte 3 on the Antiquities of Upper Egypt, London,

Citizen Ripaud (L.M. Ripault),

First

Consu~

1800, p. 89. 87.

L. Reybaud, Histoire Scientifique et Militaire de l'Expedition Fran­ caise en tgypte iii, Paris, 1830, pp. 436-7. 3

88.

W.R. Hamilton,

89.

C.W. Pasley, Journal: Egypt, British Library, Add MS 41973, folios 29 verso-31.

90.

J.W.A. Kosmann, Erdbeschreibung von Aegypten, Breslau, 1805, p. 102: Abulfeda, who visited Egypt several times in the early fourteenth century, is presumably mentioning the Portico.

Aegyptiaca, London, 1809, pp. 303-5.

Narrative of a Journey in Egypt, London, 1816, pp. 35-6. 92. J.L. Burckhardt, Travels in Nubia, London, 1822, p. liv. 91.

T. Legh,

93.

J.F. Champollion,

94.

W.J. Bankes, ed., Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Giovanni Finati, London, 1830, pp. 102-3.

95.

Ibid., p. 101.

96.

Ref. No. I.C.2.

97.

G.B. Belzoni, Narrative of the Operations and Recent Discoveries .•...• in Egypt and Nubia i, London, 1822, pp. 45-6.

L'tgypte sous ~es Pharaons, Paris, 1814, p. 289.

98. Bulletin de l'Institut Francais d'Archeologie Orientale 69, 1970, pp. 143-5; The Metropolitan Mus~um of Art Bulletin 36, 1978, p. 59. 99. R. Richardson, Travels along the Mediterranean ii, London, 1822, pp. 134-5.

Travels in Egypt, London, about 1820, p. 31. 101. L.N.P.A. Forbin, Voyage dans le Levant en 1817 et 1818, Paris,1819,p.83. 100. L.N.P.A. Forbin,

54 102.

Denon's drawing may have indicated the centre cornice slab as com­ plete in itself, but his description of his plate shows that he knew there were lost blocks on either side: see p. 15 above.

103.

C. Barry, Journal: '25th June 1818 at Athens. Journey to Denderavia Smyrna, Constantinople, Alexandria and Cairo 29 Nov 1818': RIBA Drawings Collection B, No. 5 (6 in Catalogue), folios 49ff.

104.

For similar patterns, see Prisse d'Avennes, Histoirede l'Art Egyptien, Paris, 1878, p1s 28 and 34,v from ceilings of the New ,. v , , . ,

....

Kingdom to the 26th Dynasty; also Fortova-Sama1ova and M. Vi1imkova, Egyptian Ornament, London, 1963, Nos 95-8, of the New Kingdom; Eva Wi1son, Ancient Egyptian Designs, London, 1986, p1. 66 centre, of the 18th Dynasty. This pattern seems to have been used more in tombs than in temples.

Ashmunein (1983), p. 99, fig. 11, 10. 106. E. de Montu1e, Travels in Egypt during 1818 and 1819, London, 1821, 105.

pp. 59-60. 107.

J. Hyde, Journal, British Library, Add MS 42102, Saturday, 31 July 1819. Hyde was not the only one to quote directly from Legh: compare Michae1 Russe11, View of Ancient and Modern Egypt, Edinburgh, 1831, pp. 219-20.

108.

F. Henniker, Notes 3 during a Visit to Egypt 3 Nubia 3 the Oasis 3 Mount Sinai and Jerusalem, London, 1823, pp. 95-6.

109.

F. Cai11iaud, Voyage Meroe..... 1819 3 1820 3 1821 et 1822 i, Paris, 1826, pp. 272-3. For the inscription, see Description de l'Egypte v, p1. 56, 17; J. Letronne, Recueil des Inscriptions Grecques et Latines de l'Egypte, Paris, 1842, No. XLVI; C.R. Lepsius, Denkm8ler das Aegypten und Aethiopien, Textband 2, Leipzig, 1904, p. 113. For the tetrasty10n possibility, see also Ashmunein (1983), pp. 45-6.

a

H.C. Menu von Minuto1i, Reise zum Tempel des Jupiter Ammon in der Libyschen waste und nach ober-Aegypten, Berlin, 1824, pp. 240-41. 111. B. Porter and R.L.B. Moss, Topographical Bibliography iv, Lower and Middle Egypt, Oxford, 1934, p. 167. 110.

112.

von Minuto1i, op. cit.

(Note 110), p. 381.

113.

W.A.L. Menu von Minuto1i, 98-9.

114.

Barry, op. cit.

115.

J. Carne ,

116.

Ibid., pp. 160-61

117.

A.L. Hirt, Die Geschichte der Baukunst bei den Alten i, Berlin, 1821, p. 16; p . 107 refers to the Atlas volume, Plate I, fig.8, showing the French Expedition's reconstruction of the Portico, as our PLATE 41b.

118.

G.F.C. Parthey, Wanderungen 1840, pp . 516-7.

119.

J. Burton, Papers, British Library, Add MS 25636, folio 15 verso.

120.

Ibid., Add MS 25632, folio 40.

121.

J.M. Sherer, Scenes 1825, pp. 134-5.

Recollections of Egypt, London, 1827, pp.

(Note 103).

Letters from the East, London, 1826, pp. 115-6.

durch Sicilien und die Levante ii, Berlin,

and Impressions in Egypt and in Italy, London,

55 122.

H. Westcar, Diary, British Library, Add MS 52283. It seems likely that the 'ruins' are Hermopolis, as Antinoe was some years destroyed, and Reramun is on the same side of the river as Hermopolis.

123.

J. Madox, Excursions in London, 1834, pp. 57-8.

124.

J.G. Wilkinson, Journal:

125.

J.G . Wilkinson, Sketchbook, Bodleian Library, MS B 8, folio 133.

126.

Roeder, p. 111, 24b, suggests that two loose blocks with the name of Alexander the Great, found at Hermopolis, come from the Thoth Temple.

127.

In the possession of Mrs Leonie de Cosson. I am very grateful to her son, Mr A. de Cosson, for locating a transcript of this entry, which, because of illness, Mrs de Cosson was unable to do. There is an epitome of the entry in W.R. Dawson, Transcripts of Journals, British Library, Add MS 56325. There is some suggestion that Bonomi is here transcribing Robert Hay's 1825 diary, now lost, but it seems stylistically more likely to be his own journal, and Hay's customary abbreviations are not employed.

128.

Dawson, Ope cit. (Note 127), identifies Sloan as Charles Sloane, a British consular official in Cairo.

129.

British Library, Add MS 29832, folio 73.

130.

A.F. Prokesch von Osten, Vienna, 1829, p. 118.

131.

E.W. Lane, 'Description of Egypt' ii, Chapter VI, folios 87ff: British Library, Add MS 34081.

132.

R. Hay, Papers, British Library, Add MS 29814, folio 108.

133.

R. Hay, Diary in Egypt 1824-1837, British Library, Add MS 31054, 24 April 1826, folios 117-9; puplished in part in S. Tillett, Egypt Itself, London, 1984, p. 25.

134.

Charles Barry also says the column-drums were made in two pieces, the joins of superimposed drums being at right angles to the one below: see p. 26 above.

135.

Ashmunein (1980), p. 4.

136.

Roeder, p. 301, 19b, 623V; 8.87m) .

137.

For Wilkinson's, von Minutoli's, Burton's, Hay's and Jomard'srecords of the hieroglyphs of the Portico, see PLATES 49, 44, 50a, 51a (and p. 38), and 41b. Other publications of hieroglyphs from the struc­ ture include J.L. Ideler, Hermapion, Leipzig, 1841, p. 73 and No. 40; S. Sharpe, Egyptian Inscriptions from the British Museum and other Sources, Second Series, London, 1855, plo 60; G. Daressy, in G. Mas­ pero, ed., Recueil de Travaux 10, 1888, p. 143; K. Sethe, Hieroglyph­ ische Urkunden der griechisch-r8mischen Zei t i, Leipzig, 1904, II 9, 6; A. Hermann, in MDIK 5, 1934, pp. 39-44; Roeder, pp. 300-301; Ashmunein (1980), p. 4. See also Porter and Moss, Ope cit. (Note 111) . Only Wilkinson illustrates the name of Alexander the Great, the others concentrating on the easily read inscriptions on the bases, abici and cornice.

138.

J. Webster, Travels 1830, p. 181.

139.

J.F. Champollion,

the Holy Land, Egypt, Nubia, Syria &c ii, 'Cairo to Asouan', Bodleian Library, MS B 32.

Erinnerungen aus Aegypten und Kleinasi en,

MDIK 7, 1937, p. 36 (wrongly given as

through the Crimea, Turkey and Egypt ii, London,

Lettres ecrites d'tgypte et de Nubie en l82 8 et

56 1829, Paris, 1833, p. 85. 140.

H. Hartleben, ed., Lettres et Journaux de Champollion ii, Paris, 1909, p . 141; the original of this is transcribed in O.C .C.E. de Rouge, ed., ~10numents de l'Egypte et de la Nubie ii, Paris, 1875, p. 465 ( s e e p. 319 for the Lenormant possibility: it is not clear how much of the succeeding manuscript is by Lenormant) .

141.

C. Lenormant,

142.

J.G. Wilkinson, Topography London, 1835, p. 383.

143 .

EA 64, with inscriptions of Amenophis Ill, Merenptah and Sethnakhte.

144.

J.G. Wilkinson, Modern Egypt and Thebes ii, London, 1843, pp. 66-8. Wilkinson also mentions the Portico in his Manners and Customs of the Anci ent Egyptians v, London, 1847 (3rd edition), p. 4: ' ...•. the city of Hermopolis; where, as we learn from the sculpture of the Portico , the Cynocephalus shared with [Thoth), of whom he was the type, the honour of the temple. The few columns which remained of the Portico at Oshmoonein, or Hermopolis Magna, were thrown down in 1822 (s ic) by the Turks, and burnt for lime; suffering the same fate as the r u i n s of Antinopolis, and other limestone relics ..... '

145.

J.G. Wilkinson, xxii.

146.

See. M. Henig and A. King, eds, Pagan Gods and Shrines of the Roman Empire, Oxford, 1986, pp. 231-2 for references to work on this site.

147.

Unless i t is the same as the 'Tombeaux Turcs en briques' shown on Jomard's map (our PLATE 35), but the apparent presence of mummifi­ cation may argue against this.

148.

N. L'Ho te, Lettres ecrites d'£gypte, Paris, 1840, pp. 128-9; a much abbrevi ated version of this -t e x t is published in E. Fagnan, Ouevres Choisies de A.J. Letronne ii, Paris, 1881, p. 488: 'Les ruines d'Aschmounein (hermopolis magna) n'offrent plus qu'un vaste amas de ruines en briques crues, et des restes d'edifices qui ont appartenu l'epoque grecque ou au Bas-Empire. Quant au beau portique, dessine dans le grand ouvrage de la Commission d'Egypte, il n'en existe plus rien que la base d'une colonne portant le nom de Philippe Arrhidee. '

Beaux-Arts et Voyages ii, Paris, 1861, pp. 135-6. of Thebee , and General Vie1JJ of Egypt,

The Architecture of Ancient Egypt, London, 1850, p.

a

149.

G. Long , The 1846, p . 55 .

Egyptian Antiquities in the British MUseum i, London,

150.

A.C.T.E . Prisse d'Avennes, in

151.

Probably the Marcus Aurelius/Commodus inscription mentioned in Note 109 above.

152.

J. Bonomi, Diary, 25-27 June 1831. Mrs Leonie de Cosson.

153.

C.E. Wilbour,

154.

Vast areas of the city mound must already have been removed for the saltpetre factory at Ashmunein: to produce more than 76 tons of saltpetre in 1833 alone (see Note 193 below) must have required a huge quantity of sebakh.

155.

D. Kess ler, in LA ii, 1978, col . 1146: Lit. zu Grabungen; the Berlin papyrus expedition exposed paving below the columns in 1905 (Roeder, p. 53, 58). This no longer exists and may have been removed by Abu-Bakr: see Archiv fUr Orientforschung 17, 1954-6, p. 277.

Revue Archeologique 1, 1844, p. 730.

Quoted by kind permission of

Travels bn Egypt, Brooklyn, 1936, p. 266.

57 156.

Bulletin de la SociBte Archeologique d'Alexandrie

6, 1904, fig. 12

(opposite p. 38).

157.

MDIK

158.

Roeder, pp. 300-301, 19. He also describes aspects of the Portico before 1929 and what he saw during his visit of 1957: Ibid., p. 53, 58. Roeder mentions the presence of five bases with the name of Philip Arrhidaeos (ibid., p. 54, 61 and p. 111, 24c) but only three now remain,excavated by Abu-Bakr, and Hermann in 1929 saw only two in place.

159.

See Note 5 above. For the bases in 1980, see PLATE 54b, Ashmunein (1980), plo 3b, and T.G.H. James, The British Museum and Ancient Egypt, London, 1981, p. 31; and in 1986, our PLATE 32.

160.

Ashmunein (1980),

161.

See Note 5 above.

162.

Ashmunein (1980),

163.

Fine quality limestone (Tura?). Ht. 60cm, depth 110cm, width of face 106cm, surviving width of block 153cm (broken at each end) • The top of the block shows the beginning of the outward curve of the cornice. The three vertical flutes beside the cartouche (not shown in von Minutoli's or the Description plates but may be indicated in others) are painted red, the outline of the cartouche and the hiero­ glyphs within and below it are red, and the area within the cartouche is painted yellow. The surface of the block is unpainted.

164.

Ashmunein

165.

British Library, Add MS 42102.

166.

In Wilkinson's journal referred to in Note 124 above.

167.

Madox, op. cit. (Note 123), vol. i, p. 261; on p. 262 he describes Antonini's and 'Birne's' sugar factory at Radamouni in 1823.

168.

British Library, Add MS 34081, folio 85 of 2 April 1826. A palace at Asyut built by Ibrahim Pasha, was seen by Archibald Edmonstone: A Journey to Two of the Oases of Upper Egypt, London, 1822, p. 3.

169.

Lenormant, op. cit.

170.

Sicard, op. cit.

171.

Wilbour, op. cit.

172.

Prokesch, op. cit. (Note 130); K. Baedeker, Egypt, Leipzig and London, 1892, p. 19 (where Philip Arrhidaeos is said to be a native of Ashmunein 1); H. R. Hall, Murray' s Handbook for Egypt and the Sudan, London, 1907, p. 329: 'destroyed by Ibrahim Pasha to build a salt­ petre factory.'

173.

Bonomi, op. cit.

174.

Lenormant, op. cit.

175.

A.B. Clot,

176.

W.R. p. 39, under Brine, Charles.

5, 1934, pp. 39-44; see also Roeder, p. 5, 17b.

pp. 6-8; Roeder, p. 187, 45e; see also Note 5 above

p. 4.

(1983), p. 5.

(Note 141); Carre, op. cit.

(Note 67), p. 200.

(Note 63), p , 75, Note 2. (Note 153).

(Note 152). (Note 141).

Apercu , General sur l'tgypte ii, Paris, 1840, Dawson and E.P. Uphill, Who was Who in Egyptology,

pp. 293-4.

London, 1972, For our PLATE 51b, see J.J. Rifaud,

Voyage en tgypte, en Nubie et Lieux Circonvoisins depuis 1805 jusqu'a 1827, Paris, 1830-36?, pl. 232. 177.

Barry, op. cit.

(Note 103), 19 November 1818.

---------- ---

58 178.

Bonomi, Ope cit.

(Note 152).

179.

Hay Papers, British Library, Add MSS 29859 and 38094.

180.

J.A. St John,

181.

Ibid., ii, p. 423.

182.

Clot, Ope cit.

183.

Wilkinson, Ope cit.

184.

J.L. Stephens, Incidents of TraveZ in Egypt, Arabia Petraea, and the HoZy Land, i, New York, 1837, pp. 189-90: 'At Ramaioum, not far below

Egypt and Mohammed AZi i, London, 1834, pp. 257-8. (Note 175). (Note 142).

Siout, we went ashore to visit a sugar-factory belonging to the pacha. This manufactory is pointed out as one of the great improvements introduced into Egypt, and so far as it shows the capabilities of the Arabs, of which, however, no one can doubt, it may be considered use­ ful. Formerly eighty Europeans were employed in the factory, but now the work is carried on entirely by Arabs. The principal was educated in France, at the expense of the pacha, and is one of the few who have returned to render any service to their country and master. The enlightened pacha understands thoroughly that liberal principle of political economy which consists in encouraging domestic manufactures, no matter at what expense. The sugar costs more than that imported, and is bought by none but governors and dependants of the pacha. It is made from cane, contains a great deal of saccha­ rine matter, and has a good taste, but a bad colour. This factory, however, can hardly be considered as influential upon the general interests of the country, for its principal business is the making of rock-candy for the ladies of the harem. They gave us a little to taste, but would not sell any except to Mrs. S., the whole being wanted for the use of the ladies. There was also a distillery attached to the factory, under the direction of another Arab, who gave satisfactory evidence, in his own person at least, of the strength of the spirit made, being more than two thirds drunk. ' 185.

Legh, Op e cit.

(Note 91).

186.

Hay Papers, British Library, Add MS 31054.

187.

Algernon Percy, Lord Prudhoe, MS Journal for 8 March [sometime between 1826 and 1830]: transcript in the Griffith Institute, Oxford. It is a constant frustration that the year date is often omitted by travel­ lers, both in their manuscripts and in their published works:

188.

F.W. Fairholt, Up the NiZe, and Home Again, London, 1862, p. 154: 'We now pass Reramoon, a pleasantly-situated town, chiefly remarkable for the large sugar and rum manufactory, established about fifty years ago by an English gentleman, named Brine. The building, with its tall chimneys, is also as perfectly English as if it stood in Lancashire. '

189.

carr~, Ope cit.

190.

Jomard, Ope cit.

(Note 81), p. 168.

191.

Sherer, Ope ci t.

(Note 121).

192.

Wilkinson, Ope cit. (Note 124); see also Bonomi's Diary for 14 January 1825 (Note 127).

193.

Clot, Op e cit.

194.

The remaining walls have, since 1984, been tidied up and modern walls added, to form an enclosure.

(Note 67), p. 34.

(Note 175), p. 295.

59

195. Memoires sur L 'Egypte publ-iee pendant Lee Campaqnee du General Bona­ part-e, dane Lee Annees .vI et VII i, Paris, Year VIII, p. 406. A sl ightly different version of this is given by Chalbrand, an army officer of the French Campaign, in his Les Franr;ais en tgypte, Tours, 1856, p. 130: 'je m'empressai de suivre M. Denon at les autres mem­ bres de la commission qui allaient visiter les ruines d'Hermopolis Magna, situees quelque distance. Les grandes masses de ces ruines me donnerent le premiere image de la splendeur de l'architec­ ture colossale des Egyptiens; mais le temps ne nous permit pas d'etudier en detail ce qui reste de ces immenses edifices, dont chaque pierre semble porter ecrits ces mots: posterite, eternite.'

a

---------- -

60

INDEX References are to page and plate numbers. No references are given to Hermopolis Magna , to the Portico or to the Thoth Temple , as these are found t hro u g ho u t the text . However , the va riet ies of spelling found for Ashmunein and Re ramun (and s o me othe r places) are included b e c au se of the interest they t hr ow on tr avelle r s ' a ttempt s at tra n s l i t e r a t i o n of the Egypti a n Arabic . Dates o f birth and de ath are g ive n , wher e po ssible , fo r many of the t ravellers a nd scholars who have vi sited or wri tten a b out Hermopolis Magna . Abdin Bey,

37

Abu -Assi canal ,

Brine , Charles (Birne , Brimm , Brims, Brinn , Brymm; 13

Abu-Bakr , Abdul-Moneim (1907 -1976), 3, 46, 56, 57, pI. 53 Abulfeda, 23, 53 Agathodaemon, 10, 42 Agora, 43 Akhmim (Panopolis), 38 Alessandri , Signor, 44 Alexander Ill, the Great,

viii, 1, 2 ,

viii, 3, 4, 6, 7 , 30 ,

34, 41, 43, 55 Alexander IV , 3 , 34 , 41, 43 Alexandria, 19 University , viii

Amenophis Ill , 6, 46, 56, plo 36 Andrews, Richa rd , pI . 36 Amun, 42 , 43 Antaeopolis, 16 , 42 Antino e

Cail1iaud , Frederic (1787-1869) , Cairo , 10 , 11 , 32, 33 , 34

(Antinoopolis, Antino polis, Antinumn , 8 ,

13, 15 , 22, 23, 24, 32, 35, 42, 44 , 48, 49 , 55, 56, p l , 34 See a Lso Besa; Sheik Abada Anton!n!, Signor (Antonio, Tonina),

32, 34, 35 ,

36, 37, 44, 48 , 49, 57 Anubis, 27, 32, 41 Apsley House, 14 Ashmunein (Achemounain, Achemounln, Achmounain, Achmounein, Achmouneyn , Achrnuneyn , Achmunin, Achnusuin, Archemounain , Aschmoonin, Aschmounein , Aschmunein, Ascmounen , Ashmaneln , Ash'moo 1ney'n, Ashmoumein, Ashmounain , Ashmounayn, Ashmouneim ,

Aswan,

11, 25, 42 , 46,

12, 26, 43 , 47 ,

Asyut (Siout, Syout), 48, 57, 58 Audinet (engraver), 52, pI. 39 Baboon , 23 , 56 statues, 46, 51 , plo 53 Baedeker, Karl, 48 Bahr Yusef Canal , 9

Bailey , Donald, pls 52 , 54 Baldwin Smith , E., 7 Balzac, Citizen (architect, 1725-1820), 19, 2 ~, 47 , 53

Bankes, William John (1787-1855), 24, 25 , 39, pI . 43 Barry, Charles (17 95-18 60), 26 , 27, 28, 32, 39 , 41, 47, 48 , 55 , pIs 45-8 Bechade (Bayadia?), 10

32, 47

48 , 49

Cecile, Citizen, pI. 41

Chalbrand, Colonel, 59

Champollion, Jean Francois (1790-1832), 24 , 42

Chmunu , viii '

See aLso Ashmunein

Church, 43, 44, 48

Clot, Antoine Ba rthelmi (1799-1867) , 48 ,49

42

13 , 49 , 56

9

Da~ra Sanieh railway ,

45

Davies, W. Vivien, 46

Dawson , Warren Roya l (1888-1968) , de Cosson , A., 55

de Cosson , Le o n i e,

55

55 , 56

de Fo rbin , Louis Nicolas Philippe Auguste (1777­ 1841) , 26

de Montule, Edward , 28 , 47

del Rosso, G. , 52

Demotic Chronicle , 7 , 52

Dendera (Tentyris), 6, 15 , 17 , 1 9, 25

Denon, Dominique Vivant (1747-1825), 13 , 14, 20,

23 , 24 , 25 , 27 , 30, 32 , 39 , 42, 47 , 49 , 52, 54 ,

59 , pIs 38 -40

Desaix , General,

1 3 , 14

Devilliers du Terrage , Rene Edoua rd (1808-1889),

p l , 41

Deyr, 43

di Pietro, Dominique, 52

Dramas of Hermes, 6 -7 Dramas of the Serapeum ,

51

25, 48

Belon, Pierre (died 1565), 10 Belzoni, Giovanni Battista (1778 -1823), Besa,

Carre , Jean Marie , Cataracts , 19

Cranes ,

13 , 14 , 17 , 19 , 28, 29 , 30, 31 , 44, 45 , 49 , 52 , 50

34

Belmore, Earl of,

Canal-gate , 42 , 48, 49

Carne , John (1789-1844),

Commission of Science and Ar t s , Commodus, 30 , 44 , 56

Cotton factory, 44 , 48, 49

Eshmounein, I c h e mun e i n , Ishmonie, Oschmounein , Oshmoonayn, Oshmooneim ,

10, 24 , 36 , 35 ,

30

Museum , 46

Cambyses, 8 , 42

Camera lucida, 37

Colonnaded streets,

Ashmoune in, Ashmounen , Ashrnouneyn, Ashmounien , Ashmounim, Che-mou-melne ,

Schoun), 1 , 8 , 9 . 20, 21, 22, 23 , 32, 33 , 34, 35, 56 , 57, pls 34 ,

died 1821), 25, 26 , 28 , 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 48, 57 , 58, p l , 51 British Library , 39 Department of Manusc ripts, 22 , 29, 33 British Museum Department of Egyp tian Antiquities, 42 Department of Prints and Drawings, 14 Expedition to Hermopolis Magna , viii , ix , 1, 2, 3, 6, 28, pl o 36 Bruce, James (1730-1794), 11, 52

Burckhardt , John Le wi s (1784 -1817) , 24

Burton , James (1788-1862) , 33 , 41 , 47, pI. 50

25

17

Bird , Susan , pIs 34 , 49 key

Bodleian Library , 34 Bonaparte

Josephine, 14

Napoleon, 13 , 15 , 20

Bonomi , Joseph (1796-1878), 34 , 36, 44 , 45, 48 , 55 Boylan , P. , pI. 21

Breccia, Evaristo (1876-1967), 46 .Bridge , 48

Echmim, see Akhmim

Edfu, 6

Edmonstone, Archibald (1795-1871), 57

Eggs, 31 Egyptian Antiquities Organisation, 46 El Bersheh , 42

El Idara, 43 , pI. 34

Elephantine , 18 , 42 Fairholt, Frede rick Wil1 iam (18 14-1866), Fairman, Elisabeth R. , 52 Feut1er, Mr,

44

Finati, Giovanni (1787 -1829+) ,

24

49 , 58

61

Flight to Egypt ,

52

Garve 1 Shar kie, 20

Geographica l procession , see Nomes of Egypt

Giza , 19

Gourna (E1-Ekour 'neh), 37

Griffith I n s ti t u t e, 27, 58

Guis (Frenc h res ident in Cairo), 10

Gu npo wd e r facto ries , see Saltpetre f a c t or i e s

Hadrian, 13

Hall, Henry Regina1d Holland (1873- 1930) , 47 , 48

Hamilton, Wi11iam Richard (1777-1859) , 21, 24 , 25 ,

30, 33, 39, 47

Harding , E. (engraver) , 53, p l , 39

Hathor, 19

Have11, David, 14

Hawk , 22

Hawkesworth (engraver), 53

Hay, Robert (1799-1863), 34, 36, 37 , 38 , 39, 41 ,

48 , 49, 55 , p1s 50, 51

Hayes, Char les (1780-1803), 21, 39 , p1. 42

Helios, 31

Henniker , Frederick (1793-1825), 29, 47

Hermann , Alfred , 46 , 57

Hermes, 20, 32 , 42

Hermonthis , 36

Hi1desheim Expedition, 3 , 46, 50, p1 . 26

Hirt , A10ys Ludwig, 32

Hogs ' blood, 31

Horus, 31 , 41 , pls 28, 29

Throne , p 1s 14 , 20 , 21 , 22

Hyde, John (died 18 2 5 ), 28 , 48

I b i s, 4 , 18 , 22, 31 , p 1s 18 , 25

I b i u, 23

Ibr ah i m Pasha (1789-1848) , viii , 24 , 48 , 49 , 57

Inscription , Marcus Aure1ius/Commodus, 30 , 4 4, 53 ,

56

I n s t i t u t d 'Egypte , see Commission f o r Scie nce

a nd Arts

I s hmun , son of Misraim , 14

Jesus Christ , 52

Jo11ois , Jean-Bap tiste-Prosper (1776-1842) , 19,

53, p I . 41

Jomard, Edme Fran90is (1777-1862) , 1 5, 20 , 28 ,

30, 32, 39 , 40, 41 , 47, 49, 56, p 1. 35

Jupiter Ammon, 30

Karnak, Kingston Kircher, Kosmann,

6

Lacy, 25

Athanasius (1602 -1680) , Johann Wi1he1m Andreas,

10

23

Lane, Edward Wi11iam (1801-1876) , 36 , 47 , 48

Latopolis, 11, 27

Legh , Thomas (died 1857), 23 , 24 , 29 , 39 , 47 , 49

Lenormant, Charles (1802-1859), 42 ,48 , 56

Lepsius, Car1 Richard (18 10-1884) , 30 , 45

Lesonis , 5 , 6, 51

Letronne, Jean Antoine (1787 - 1848), 30

L 'Hote, Nestor (1804 -1842), 30, 43 , 44 , 45

Lime-burning and production , 16, 1 7, 28 , 30 ,

36 , 42 , 44 , 45, 48, 56

Linant de Be11efonds , Louis Maurice Ado 1phe

(1799 -1883), 37, 42

Long , George (1800- 1879), 44

Lucas, Paul (1664 -1737), 8

Luxor (E1-Ouk'soor , Louqsor) , 4 , 18 , 37

Lycopolis, 8

Ma do x, John (f1 . 182 1-1834) , 34 , 48

Mah1ab e 1-Benat (Ma1abe1 b e n a t t , Me1ab E1b a na t ,

Me l 1a be 1 Be1adi , Me 11a t e 1 Banat), 9 , 16, 22 ,

36, p L, 46

Marcus Aurelius , 30 , 44, 56

Martin, M.,

10

Maspero, Gaston Cami11e Charles (1846-1916) , 45

Mellawi (Melaiei, Melaou i, Melaui , Melawi ,

Mel l aui, Mellowi , Me l ou e , Melou i), 8 , 10 , 11,

1 2 , 13 , 23, 34 , 44 , 48, 49 , p l . 34

Memnonium, 18 , 26

Merenptah , 56

Minya (Minio), 8, 11

Mi rage, 35

Mi s r a i m, 14

Mo h amme d A1i Pa s h a (1769-1849) , v iii, 42 , 48

see also Pasha , the

Mosque at As hmu ne in, 14 , 22 , 24, 29 , 30, 33 , 34

Mustafa-Bey, 16

Nakaten, S. , 6

Naples, 33

Napo leon , seeBonaparte National Trust , 25

Necropoleis , S , 43

Nec tanebo I t viii , 2 , 3, 6 , 51

Nectanebo 11 , viii, 3 , 7, 28 , 48, 50, p1. 15

Nile god, 27, p1. 47

N81deke, Arno1d, p1. 52

Nomes of Egypt , viii , 3-5 , p1s 3-25

Obelisks, 44, p1 . 15

Offering-scenes, 4-5, 18 , 19, 22, 31, 41, 42 , 43,

p1s 3-25 , 47 , 49

Osorkon Il l , 6

OXyrhynchus , 23

Panopo1is , 38

Papyri, Greek, 1 5, 45 , 56

Parthey , Gustav Fr i e d r i c h Constantin (1798-1872),

32, 33 , 47

Pasha , the, 28, 29 , 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 , 41 , 42,

43, 48, 58

see also Mohamed A1i

Pas1ey, Cha r les Wi11iam (1780- 1861) , 22, 40, 47,

pl. . 43

Pe r c y , Algernon, see Pr udho e , Lord Perry, Char les (1698-1780) , 10 , 47

Per sea t ree, 52

Petosiris , 5-6

Pe t r if i e d c ity , 11

Phi 1ae (ph i1 e ), 28

Phi1ip 11, of Macedon , 43

Phi1ip III Ar r hid a e o s, viii, 1, 2 , 3, 6 , 7 , 30 ,

34, 41, 42, 43, 44 , 46, 56 , 57 , p1s 3 , 5, 6,

8 , 9, ii, 12, 13 , 1 4 , 15 , 18 , 19 , 20, 21, 22,

22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 28 , 29, 30 , 54

Pirates, 31

Plague , 34

Pliny, 10

Pococke, Richard (1704 -1765), 10 , 21, 23 , 30,

32 , 39 , 47 , p l , 37

Po r t e r , B. and R. L.B . Moss , 30, 53

Porter, Robert Ker, 1 4

Prisse d 'Avennes, Achille Constant Theodore £mile (1807- 1879), 44

Prokesch von Osten, Anton F ranz (1795-1876), 36,

47, 48

Prudhoe, Lord (1792-1865), 49

Pt o1 emy I So ter, vi ii , 3 , 42, 43

Pto 1emy 1 1 Phi1ade1phus, 4

Pt o 1 emy (uncertain), viii, 3 , 36 , 41

Pyramids , 8 , 13, 19 , 23, 25

Railway , 45

Re, viii, 4 1 , 42 , p 1s 4, 7 , 13, 15 , 20 , 22, 24,

28

Re -Herakhty, p 1s 28 , 29

Reramun (Alrairamoun , Er aramoun, E'Reramoon, Erramoun, Er Rey remoo'n , Radamone, Radamont, Radamoun , Radamouni, Rademon, Radhamante, Ramaioum, Raramoon, Raramoun, Reiramoun, Reramoon , Reyremoun , Rhadamone , Rhademoum, Rodamone), 23, 24 , 25 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31, 32,

33 , 34, 35 , 36 , 41 , 42, 44, 45, 48, 49,

55, 58 , p 1s 34 , 51

Reybaud, Lo uis, 14 , 20 , 47

Ricci, A1essandro (died 1832), 30, 31, 39, p1. 44

Richardson , Robert (1779- 1847) , 25 , 47

Rifaud, Jean Jacques (1786-c.1845), 57, p1. 51

Ripaud , Citizen, Bee Ripault, L.M. Ripau1t , Louis Made1ene (1775-1823), 20

Roda (Rodah, Rodda) , 22, 45 , 48 , 49 , p1 . 34

Roeder , GUnther (1881 -1966) , viii, 2, 3, 46, 52, 57

62

Royal Institute of British Architects, . 26 Rum factory/distillery , 29 , 33, 35, 41, 42 , 49 , 58, p l , 51 Sakkara, 12 , 51 Salt, Henry (1780-1827), 26, 42 Saltpetre factories, 33, 34, 36, 41, 43, 45 , 48, 49 ,56,57, p l , 52 Sauneron, Serge,

48

Savary, Claude Etienne (1750-1788) , 12, 20 , 47 Searight, Rodney, 14 Sebakh, Sebakhin, 45, 56 Sebuah, 25 Secretary of State for Public Instruction, 43 Segato , Gerolemo (1792-1836), 53 Serapeum, 51 Sethnakhte, 56 Sevres Egypt ian Service, 14, pI. 40 Sheik abada (Sheik Abade, Sheik Abbadi), 24 , 31, 44 see also Antinoe Shepses, 3 , 41 , pIs 24, 28 Sherer, Joseph Moyle (1789-1869), 33 , 49 Sicard, Claude (1677-1726), 8-10 , 12 , 39, 47, p I , 37 Siwa Oasis, 30 Sloane , Charles, 35, 55 Snape, Steven,

viii , 41, 46, pIs 1-33

Sonnini de Manoncour, Charles Nicolas Sigisbert (1751-1812) , 12 Spencer, A Jeffrey , viii, 7, 46, pI. 54 Spencer, Patricia,

3

St John, James Augustus (1801-1875) , 48 Star decoration, 8-9 , 10 , 12, 15, 21 , 25, 26, 28 , 29, 32 , 36 , 41, 44 Stephens, John Lloyd (1805-1852), 49, 58 Stevenson Smith, W., 7 Sugar candy, 41, 49, 58 Sugar cane, 31, 45 , 58 Sugar factories, 23, 26 , 29, 30, 31, 32 , 33, 34, 35, 41 , 42, 44, 45, 48, 49, 58, p l . 51 Swebach-Desfontaines, Jacques-Franyois Joseph, p l . 40

14,

Taharqa , 4 Tentyris, see Dendera Tetrastylon , 30 , 53 Theatre , 42 Thebaid , 18, 25 Thebe s, I S, 19 , 25 , 34 Tho th, vii i , 2, 3 , 4 , 5 , 20, 31 , 32, 41, 42, 56, p l s 3, 6 , 11 , 1 2, 13, 14, 15, 18 , 19, 20 , 21, 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 28 , 29 , 31 Treasure, hidden , 9 , 10, 12, 18 , 35 Triumphal Arch , 25 , 42 , 48 Tuna el-Gebel (Toonah el Gebel) , 5 , 45, 48 Valereani , Domenico (f l. 1823-1837), Vansleb , Father,

53

see Wan sl e be n, J.M.

Victoria and Albert Museum, 14 Visigoths, 42 von Minutoli, Heinrich Carl Freiherr Menu (1772­ 1846) , 30 ,3 1 ,39 , 41 ,46,47, pl.. 44 von Mi nu t o l i , Wol f rad ine Augu s t a Luise Menu (1794 - 1868), 30, 31 Vulture , 28 , 41 Wansleben, Johann Michael (1635-1679) , 8 , 52 Webster , James (1802-1828) , 41 Wellington Museum, 14 West Ind ies, 35 Westcar, Henry (1798-1865) , 33, 34 White , Joseph (1745-181 4) , 52 Wilbour, Char les Edwin (1833 - 1896) , 45 , 48 Wilkinson, John Gardne r (1797 -1875), 3, 30 , 31, 34 , 39, 41 , 42 , 43 , 45, 47, 49, 55 , pI . 49 Yale Center for British Art ,

52

63

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Plan of the Portico recorded in 1986

------------- --

(s. Snape)

64

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Plate 2.

Plan showing positions of the copied blocks

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65

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Plate 3.

11

A

Block 1

(left) -

5th Upper Egyptian Name (S. Snape)

Line 1

.•... Lord of Hermo[polis], Chief of all the gods. The King of [Up]per [and Lower] Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands .....

Line 2

••... Phi[l]i[pos],has come .•...

66

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Plate 8 . Line 1.

E

Block 3 (left)

- 12th Upper Egyptian Name (S. Snape)

..... [Her]mo[po1is] ..... Lord of the Two Lands,

stp-k3-n-[R']

mry- [Imn J., Line 2.

..... [Phi1]ipos ....• [has c ome ] to you, [bring]ing •..•. offerings,

71

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Plate 9. Line 1.

A.

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Blocks 3-4 - 13th Upper Egyptian Name

(S. Snapel

. .... The King of [upper and] Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lan ds,

stp-k3-n-[R'] mry-[Imn], Line 2.

[Phi1]i[pos has come] to you, bringing every good thing

Line 3.

ordains

Line 4.

as your ..... forever(?).

For Block 4 see Plate 33

72

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Plate 10.

\ II1

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Block 4 (centre) - 14th Upper Egyptian Nome (S. Snape)

Too damaged to be read

For Block 4 see Plate 33

73

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Plate 11. Line 1.

I I I I I I

Blocks 4-5 -

15 th Upper Egyptian Name

H

(s , Snape)

a [Tho]th, Lord of Hermopolis, who makes ..... The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands, stp-k3-n-R' mry-Imn,

Line 2.

..... [P]hili[p]os [has come] to you, bringing all things (in ) abundance,

Line 3.

..... all (?)-offerings .. (?) .. which are in the 15th Upper Egyptian Nome. He ordains it for you to

Line 4.

your .. (?) .. great many jubilees.

(a )

Or 'eye of (?) '.

For Block 4 see Plate 33

74

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3

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y-[Inm],

Line 2.

Son [of Re], Lord of Appearances, Philipos has come to you, bringing all ~-offerings,

Line 3.

all df 3w- o f f e r i ng s , which are in the 7th Lower Egyptian Nome, that-you may give to him all dominance,

Line 4.

all victory, acceeding as King of Upper and Lower Egypt upon the Horus-Throne of the Living, forever.

83

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Plate 21. Line 1.

Line 2.

Blocks 9-10 - 8th Lower Egyptian Name (S. Snape)

Thoth, Lord of Hermopolis, Foremost of (?)a. The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands, stp-k3-n-R' mry-Imn, • .... Lord of Appearances, Philipos has come to you, bringing ~-offerings, all

Line 3. Nome. Line 4.

'~w(?)-offerings,

all ~f3w(?)-offerings which are in the 8th Lower Egyptian He ordains it for you to your Temple, Horus-Throne

(a) !~nt 'faience' or, perhaps more likely, read gr~ and so 'Foremost of

the Night'; the latter epithet would suit Thoth's role as a lunar

deity. Neither epithet appears in Boylan's listing, although one

might possibly compare nfr gr~ 'beautiful one of the night' (Boylan,

p. 189).

84

2

3

4

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=

1

ill

I 1

11

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Plate 22.

Bl o c k 1 0 (centre left) - 9th Lower Egyptian Name (S. Snape)

Lin e 1.

.... . He rmop o l i s , Lo rd of H ~eroglyphic writing. The King of Uppe r a nd Lowe r Eg yp t , Lord o f the Two Lands, stp-k3-[n]-R'

mry-Imn, Line 2.

.... . Lord ..... Philipos has come to you, bringing all k3w -of f e r i n g s , all ~f3w- o f fer i ng s ,

Line 3.

. ... . all ..... (?)-offerings which are in the 9th Lower Egyptian Name, that yo u may give to him dominance and victory over all (the Two?) Lands

Line 4.

[accee]ding as King of uRper and Lower Egypt, upon the Horus­ Throne of all the living lik e Re.

(a) The functi on of the altar hieroglyph,

h3wt , in this phrase is unclear.

v

85

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4

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Plate 23.

Block 10 (centre right) - lOth Lower Egyptian Name (S. Snape)

Line 1.

[Th]oth Lord of Hermopolis, Foremost of the Temple of the Net ..... Lord of the Two Lands stp-k3-n-R' mry-Imn

Line 2.

Son of Re, Lord of Appearances, Philipos has come to [yo]u bringing ..... things ....•

Line 3.

. .•.. which are in the lOth Lower Egyptian Name. for you to [your] temple,

Line 4.

that you may give [to him] ...•. bow down .....

a

He ordains it

(a) See above, Plate 15, in the scene for the 19th Upper Egyptian Name.

86

3 1/

Jl

I I I I I 1

s

6

T

Plate 24. Line 1.

Line 2.

Blocks 10-11 - 11th Lower Egyptian Nome (s. Snape)

(?)a ...•. Hermopolis, Great God. Egypt ..... has come .....

The King of Upper and Lower

[Phi]lipos ...•. to you ~(?) [-offerings] .....

Line 3.

(?},-offerings [which are in] the 11th Lower Egyptian Nome, that [you] may give [to] him

Line 4.

which is in the house of (?) years (?) ••••• like Re.

all (?) to him forever .•.•.

(a) What traces survive at the beginning of this register would seem to suit 'Shepses' rather than 'Thoth'. After Thoth himself, Shepses is the most frequently mentioned deity on what survives of this temple (cf. Block 14 below, Plate 28; Ashmunein (1982), p. 25, plo lOa and fig. 31, 1). However, since every other scene in this series mentions Thoth at this point, it would probably be safe to assume that the surviving traces are a damaged writing of 'Thoth'.

87

P late 25 . Line 1.

Block 11 - 12th Lower Egyptian Name (S. Snape)

Thoth, Lord of [Hermo]polis, [Chi]ef of Ibi[ses ](?). The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands, stp-k3-n-R'

mry-Imn, Line 2.

Son of Re, Lord of Appearances, Phil[ipos] has come to you, bringing all k 3w-offerings, all ~f3w-offerings,

Line 3.

every good thing which is in the 12th Lower Egyptian Nome. He ordains it for you to your Treasury,

Line 4.

that [you] may give to him heaven and earth so as to satisfy him, all the gods as a protection which is behind him.

88

--

Plate 26.

Block 12 (S.Snape)

Decorated portion of a large block (an architrave?), published by the Hildesheim Expedition, in MDIK 7, 1937, plo llb and in Roeder, p.301, 19b, 623V, plo 66i (detail).

89

2

1

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Ilf J

11 ~ I

tlgl (I ~ II

1

6

Plate 27.

Block 13 (S. Snape)

Legible corner of a very badly worn and damaged block, lying upside down.

Line 1.

all ••..• s, all plants, in(?)

Line 2.

stability ...•.

.....

90

Block 14, on Plate 28 opposite Line l.

..... [Hermo]polis .....

Line 2.

the Horus W[3~]-t3[wy]a

Line 3.

King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands,

stp-[ k]J-n-R[' mr]y-Imn Line 4 .

Son o f Re, Lord of Appearances, [P]h[i]li[po]s

Line 5.

[Beloved of] Shepses who is in Hermopolis, great one (?) •••••

Line 6.

Belo[ved] of Thoth, [twice] great (?), Lord of Hermopolis .....

Line 7.

the Horus WJ~-tJwy

Line 8.

King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands,

stp-[ kJ- n]-R' mry-Imn Line 9 .

Son of Re, Lord of Appearances, Phili[p]os

Line la.

[Be]loved of Re-Herakhty, great god, who is in the midst of Hermopolis

Li n e 11.

[belo]ved of

Line 12.

[Given life, stability and dom]inion like Re

Line 13.

[Given life, stability] and dominion like Re.

(a) The Horus-name W J~-t 3wy, for Philip Arrhidaeos, only seems to be

a ttested a t Hermopolis, cf. von Becherath, p. 117.

-

--

--------------

91

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-------- - - -- - - - ------------ Plate 28.

Block 14

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~ ~~~~4"":" .. ~ .J &-~ ~ ~ .--~ .rJ .AO:. .da-_..dt. .~ ••

~ 11.1 . ~ --... ~ ~La- '~&- ,.:~#~ ~~~

Plate 50a.

_

-'~:;r

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...l

;'

Transcription of cartouches on the Portico, 1825 Hay)

~ l1lll J!lI1IU'lI'l iK'lrlil'tlWillX vu:.~lI\\li. " _ I X . _

•

Plate 51b. View of part of Brine's sugar and rum factory at Reramun, after 1817 (J. Rifaud)

120

EZBE-T-iBRAHin BE :c..OAD

I

I Plate 52a.

Plate 52b.

DORF EL ASCHMUNEIN

Map of Hermopolis Magna, 1930-31: part showing the si te of the saltpetre factory (A. mHdeke)

Remains of the Ashrnunein saltpetre factory, 1987

(Photo: D. Bailey)

121

Plate 53a. Abu-Bakr's excavations, with two column-bases and rear wall of the Portico, and part of a colossal baboon-statue, 1952-3

Plate 53b. Restored colossal statue of a baboon of Amenophis III, 1987 (Photo: D. Bailey)

122

Plate 54a. Cornice-block from the Portico with the name of Phi1ip Arrhidaeos, 1987 (Photo: D. Bailey)

Plate 54b.

The Portico in 1980

hoto: J. Spencer)