Foreign topography; or, an encyclopedick account, alphabetically arranged, of the ancient remains in Africa, Asia, and Europe; forming a sequel to the Encyclopedia of antiquities / By the Rev. Thomas Dudley Fosbroke.
- Thomas Dudley Fosbroke
- Date:
- 1828
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Foreign topography; or, an encyclopedick account, alphabetically arranged, of the ancient remains in Africa, Asia, and Europe; forming a sequel to the Encyclopedia of antiquities / By the Rev. Thomas Dudley Fosbroke. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![five feet high. Those in the columns, making the ornaments of this hall, are highly beautiful. There are other ruins on the west of the island, which formed the entrance into the temple by the water-side, and on the north-east are the remains of three arches made by the Romans. Here must have been the landing-place to the island. The middle arch has fallen down. On the key-stone the words “ Sanctum, Sanctum, Sanctum, are cut, offering clear evidence that this Island served as a holy seat, not only to the Egyptians and Greeks, but also to the Romans. There are palpable marks of the whole temple having been fitted up for Christian worship. The walls are co- vered with mud to hide the hieroglyphicks in them, and some figures peculiar to the Christian Religion were painted on them ; but time uncovered the hieroglyphicks again as the mud lost its hold in several places. At the back of the temple, as on the north side of it, are the foundations of a building, which served for a Greek church, and was formed from tlie stones of the ruins of other buildings, as is obvious from the hieroglyphicks on them. In this island, continues Belzoni, is the most superb groupe of ruins which he had ever seen together on so small a spot of ground. The whole island, which is not more than 1000 feet in length, and more than 500 feet in breadth, is richly covered with ruins, and being detached from the other barren islands which surround it at some distance, has a very superb appearance. On the island to the west of Rhilae are the remains of a small temple, which has served for Christian purposes. There are but few hieroglyphicks to be seen, and the remains of two sitting figures in front much mutilated. On the south of this temple is a burying-ground so much like that of Gournou, that Belzoni thought it might have been the burial place of the inha- bitants of Philae, though there are other tombs on the mountains on the east of the island. (Belzoni, 199—202.) In p. 103 he mentions an obelisk here. Denon has some good views of Philoe. (pi. 30—32, English edit.) Savary (ii. 87) says, that the sparrow-hawk described by Strabo is visible among the hieroglyphicks. Colonel Light observes (55—56) that Philae is called by the natives Selwajoii, by Norden El Heiff, and speaks (p. 93) of the grand effect which the temples must have had upon spec- tators who were to estimate the grandeur of Egypt from these labricks, which were placed upon the boundary line of the ancient kingdom. . Philippi. At a Khan, called Kunarga, are fragments of ancient columns, as also in many Turkish cemeteries. There are si.K or seven fountains on one spot (whence perhaps came the name Krenides), and an ancient paved road about four feet w'ide. Belon saw in the sixteenth century remains of a magnificent amphitheatre; colossal remains of a tem])le of Claudius; inscriptions, statues, and marble columns, Dorick and lonick. Clarke, viii. 36—45- Philippopolis (presumed to be Armiro, Greece). Imperfect traces, indicating an ancient city ; not far from Armiro are further ancient remains. Dodiv. ii. 85. Phlious (near Nemea, Greece). Many remains, and particularly the ruins of a very ancient Dorick temple. Id. ii. 212. At St. George’s village are eight large square blocks on the plain. Not far from the monastery is a rock almost perpendicular, in which there is a cave, supposed the den of the Nemcan Lion. Further on is a fountain with ancient traces near it. A foundation of some fine walls, which seem to have been built to guard the pass, pro- bably the ancient boundary between the Argian and Phliasian territories, also occurs. Id. 213. Sir William Gell says, that in the plain many foundations are visible; and that the road is constructed upon a kind of terrace, which has been the foundation of the wall of the city of some extent. The city seems to have stretched itself across the](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22012035_0310.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
