At the lower part of the capital there frequently occurs an ornament of diminishing triangles, resembling the sheath from which the stalk of a plant springs. The same ornament often occurs at the base of the shaft, and seems to a certain extent borrowed from the shape of the lower portion of the papyrus plant (here). Other capitals imitate an unopened bud or seed-pod.

Pillar at the Temple at Edfu

At the lower part of the capital there frequently occurs an ornament of diminishing triangles, resembling…

The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu which was known in Greco-Roman times as Apollonopolis Magna, after the chief god Horus-Apollo. It is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak and one of the best preserved. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 <small>BCE</small>. A, pylon; B, obelisks; C, entrance; D, temple courts; E, porticus; F, pronaos (court with colonnades); G, naos; H, sanctarium.

Temple of Edfu, Floor Plan

The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of…