Luxor is very near the river, and there is here a good ancient jettee,
well built of bricks. The entrance to this temple is through a
magnificent propylon, or gateway, facing the north, 200 feet in front,
and 57 feet high above the present level of the soil. Before the
gateway stand the two most perfect obelisks that exist, formed, as
usual, of the red granite of Syene, and each about 80 feet high,
and from 8 to 10 feet wide at the base. Travellers differ in their
estimate of the width of the base, some, perhaps, taking the actual
measure on the surface of the soil while others may make allowance
for that part that is buried; for that the soil is much elevated will
appear from what follows: "Between these obelisks and the propylon are
two colossal statutes, also of red granite; from the difference of
the dresses it is judged that one was a male, the other a female,
figure;--they are nearly of equal sizes. Though buried in the ground
to the chest, they still measure 21 and 22 feet from thence to the top
of the mitre." Another cause of discrepancy in the measurements
may be, that the adjacent sides of the obelisks are of different
dimensions; which is generally the case.

It is this gateway that is filled with those remarkable sculptures,
which represent the triumph of some ancient monarch of Egypt over an
Asiatic enemy, and which we find repeated, both on other monuments of
Thebes, and partly also on some of the monuments of Nubia, as, for
example, at Ipsambul. This event appears to have formed an epoch
in Egyptian history, and to have furnished materials both for the
historian and the sculptor, like the war of Troy to the Grecian poet.
The whole length of this temple is about 800 feet.

But the remains of Carnak, about one mile and a quarter lower down the
river, are still more wonderful than Luxor: one of the buildings is
probably the temple of Ammon, which we know from Diodoius was on this
side of the river. An irregular avenue of sphinxes, considerably
more than a mile in length (about 6,560 feet), connected the northern
entrance of the temple of Luxor with it; but this was only one
of several proud approaches to perhaps the largest assemblage of
buildings that ever was erected. For a minute description of Carnak
we must refer to the plans in the great French work, and to Dr.
Richardson's and Mr. Hamilton's accounts. The irregularities in the
structure and approaches of this building show that the various parts
of