Multi palm capital of the Augustan kiosk on partly submerged island of Philae. Near Aswan, Egypt

Object Details

Local Numbers: Negative number 1965 BC-5, 21A.
General: Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.
Local Note: Typed index card reads, "T 6 Egy. Egypt. Philae Island. Detail: Capitals with stylized leaves at Temple of Isis. Ptolemaic Period. 9/1965. EE. neg.no. 1965 BC-5, 21A." The card was written in 1977-79 by Archives staff using source provided by photographer.

See more items in: Eliot Elisofon Field collection; Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Egypt

Archival Repository: Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Type: Archival materials; Negatives (photographic); Black-and-white negatives; Negatives

Collection Citation: Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

Collection Rights: Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Scope and Contents: "The island of Philae, famous for its rich heritage of temples, now lies submerged beneath the waters of Lake Nasser to the south of Aswan. Thankfully, however, when the Aswan High Dam was built in the 1960s the island's temples were dismantled and then reconstructed on the higher terrain of nearby Agilkia Island, which was prepared and landscaped to look like the original Philae." [Wilkinson R., 2000: The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt. Thames and Hudson]. "The advancement of the cults of female deities was continued with building projects for Isis on Philae. The most impressive building of the Roman period was the huge kiosk, which was, until recently, ascribed to Trajan. G. Haeny has convincingly suggested Augustus. The 15 x 20m kiosk is 15.85m high and was probably meant to shelter the bark of Isis at the eastern banks of the island. The four-by-five columns all carry different, lavishly structured composite capitals that are topped by 2.10m high piers. These were intended to be sculpted into Bes pillars." [Arnold D., 1999: Temples of the Last Pharaohs. Oxford University Press]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for American Institute of Architects, directing the Egyptian portion of the documentary on Ancient Egypt, March 1965 and September 1965.

Collection Restrictions: Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.