Egyptian Capitals

Color plate showing a variety of ancient Egyptian capitals with painted ornaments.

• 1. Capital of the large Columns of the temple of Luxor, Thebes, 1250 BCE. It represents the full-blown papyrus, and around it papyri and lotus buds alternating.
• 2. Capital of the smaller columns of the Memnonium, Thebes, 1200 BCE. Represents a single bud of the papyrus decorated with the coloured pendent fasciae.
• 3. Capital of the smaller columns of the temple of Luxor, 1250 BCE. Representing eight buds of the Papyrus bound together, and adorned with pendent and coloured fasciae.
• 11. Capital from the unfinished hypsethral Temple in the Island of Philae. Roman period, 140 BCE. Composed of the papyrus plant in three stages of growth, and arranged in three tiers.
• 12. Capital from the temple at Koom-Ombos. The full-grown papyrus surrounded by various flowers.
• 13. Capital from the principal temple, Philae. Representing two tiers of the Papyrus, in three stages of growth.
• 14. Capital from the unfinished hypaethral temple, Philae. Composed of three tiers of the Papyrus Plant in three stages of growth. The stem of each plant is distinguished by its size and colour, and continued down to the horizontal bands which bind them together round the shaft.
• 16. Capital from the portico of Edfu, 145 BCE. Represents the palm-tree, with nine branches, or faces.