g, and merely a thin wall concealed the mysteries from the
sight of the vulgar. Seti resolved to extend the building in a northerly
direction, without interfering with the thin screen which had satisfied
his predecessors. Starting from the entrance in this wall, he planned an
avenue of giant columns rivalling those of Karnak, which he destined to
become the central colonnade of a hypostyle hall as vast as that of
the sister temple. Either money or time was lacking to carry out his
intention. He died before the aisles on either side were even begun. At
Abydos, however, he was more successful. We do not know the reason
of Seti's particular affection for this town; it is possible that his
family held some fief there, or it may be that he desired to show the
peculiar estimation in which he held its local god, and intended, by the
homage that he lavished on him, to cause the fact to be forgotten that
he bore the name of Sit the accursed.

[Illustration: 176.jpg ONE OF THE COLONNADES OF THE HYPOSTYLE HALL IN
THE TEMPLE OF SETI I. AT ABYDOS]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph by Beato.

The king selected a favourable site for his temple to the south of the
town, on the slope of a sandhill bordering the canal, and he marked
out in the hardened soil a ground plan of considerable originality. The
building was approached through two pylons, the remains of which are now
hidden under the houses of Aarabat el-Madfuneh.

[Illustration: 176b.jpg THE FACADE OF THE TEMPLE OF SETI]

A fairly large courtyard, bordered by two crumbling walls, lies between
the second pylon and the temple facade, which was composed of a portico
resting on square pillars. Passing between these, we reach two halls
supported by-columns of graceful outline, beyond which are eight chapels
arranged in a line, side by side, in front of two chambers built in
to the hillside, and destined for the reception of Osiris. The holy
of holies in ordinary temples is surrounded by chambers of lesser
importance, but here it is concealed behind them. The building-material
mainly employed here was the white limestone of Turah, but of a most
beautiful quality, which lent itself to the execution of bas-reliefs
of great delicacy, perhaps the finest in ancient Egypt. The artists who
carved and painted them belonged to the Theban school, and while their
subjects betray a remarkable similarity to those of the monuments
dedicated by Amenothes III., the execution surpass