Egypt Through The Stereoscope

A Journey Through The Land Of The Pharaohs

by James Henry Breasted | 1908 | 103,705 words

Examines how stereographs were used as a means of virtual travel. Focuses on James Henry Breasted's "Egypt through the Stereoscope" (1905, 1908). Provides context for resources in the Travelers in the Middle East Archive (TIMEA). Part 3 of a 4 part course called "History through the Stereoscope."...

Position 62 - War Reliefs Of Sethos I, On The North Wall, Outside The Hypostyle Of The Karnak Temple, Thebes

What splendid action the ancient sculptor has caught and put upon this wall! We can almost see these battles of forgotten wars as they are thus depicted before us. We are standing outside of the great hypostyle of Karnak, looking southward, or nearly so, against the outside of the north wall, as you know from Plan 12. Behind this wall is that vast forest of columns, which we have already viewed.

The wall has suffered much, and several blocks are cut out, as you see. In three rows, one above the other, Sethos I, whom we saw in the flesh at Cairo, the father of Ramses II, has here depicted the victories which he won in the first years of his reign, in the middle of the 14th century B. C.

The top row is almost out of our range of vision, and is also very fragmentary. It contained his war in Syria. This is also the theme of the lowest row, where we see the Pharaoh with drawn bow, standing erect in his chariot, as he charges the fleeing Hittites. We shall be able to follow best the middle row, in which Sethos is doing battle with the Libyans, who have crossed the northwestern border and invaded the Delta.

On the right we see him with the reins of his plumed war-horses tied tightly about his waist, as he urges them in wild career, full into the ranks of the enemy. He has exhausted his arrows, and holds his now useless bow in his left hand, while in his uplifted right, he grasps the heavy bronze sword, with which he is beating down the Libyan chief, who has dared to face him. The Libyan may be recognized by the two feather plumes which he wears on his head.

On the left in the same row is another incident in the battle, where Sethos, now dismounted from his chariot, raises on high the javelin, with which he is about to transfix the Libyan chief, whom he hurls back helpless before him. This is one of the most spirited compositions in Egyptian art, and is unsurpassed by anything of this class to be found before the sculpture of the Greeks. According to the canons of Egyptian art, the king must be represented of heroic stature, towering like a giant above his enemies.

Beneath his feet in this last scene he tramples an enemy whom he has just overthrown, and behind him you may discern the figure of a young prince, standing between Sethos' leg as it is planted upon the head of his fallen enemy and the half chariot wheel behind him. This young prince is Sethos' son, who afterward became Ramses II. But a close examination shows that the prince's figure is not original, and a minute study, though you may not be able to make it out from here, demonstrates that Ramses's figure is carved over that of another prince, which is also not original.

We thus have a most interesting bit of oriental romance and court intrigue, otherwise long since forgotten, which has left its traces on this wall. For it is evident that after Sethos had finished these relief, his eldest son and heir to the throne, desired to have it made public that he had taken part in this battle. He therefore caused his figure to be inserted here behind his father. Whether he had really been present in the battle or not, is, of course, uncertain. Then there arose a conflict between this crown prince and the prince Ramses, each plotting against the other to obtain the throne.

Ramses was successful, and at the first opportunity he had the figure, name and titles of his rival erased here, and inserted his own. But the erasure was carelessly done, and sufficient traces remain to betray the whole affair.

We thus see how much these walls have to tell us of the days when Egypt was master of the land which Israel, just at this very time, was going up to possess. But Egypt's hold upon Palestine in Sethos' time was no longer as firm as in the days two centuries earlier, when Thutmosis III brought back from there those plants and animals which we saw but a moment since.

We are now going to view a monument of the days when Egypt had long since lost her possessions in Palestine. It is found on the south side of this great hall. Find the lines numbered 63 on the lower left-hand portion of Plan 12.

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