Papyriform columns in the hypostyle hall of the Ramesseum, Necropolis of Thebes, Egypt

"The temple complex -for it originally consisted of two temples and a palace as well as many administrative buildings- was first called 'The Ramesseum' by Champollion. It was constructed for Ramesses (Ramses) by two architect-foremen, Penre of Coptos and Amenemone of Abydos, and built with a number of original features. Unfortunately, like so many of the mortuary complexes of western Thebes, the life of the temple was not to be long. The hypostyle hall was supported by 48 elegant papyrus columns with intrically decorated and inscribed capitals, and, like the hypostyle of thr Great Temple of Amun (Amon) at Karnak, it was lighted only by high clerestory windows and designed to mimic the marshes of primaveral creation." [Wilkinson R., 2000: The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt. Thames and Hudson]. "Ancient Thebes spanned the Nile River. The east bank is the site of modern Luxor and El Karnak, and was formerly the city of the living, with great temples and residences. On the west bank was the city of the dead, the "Necropolis of Thebes," containing the valleys of the royal tombs, royal mortuary temples, and the houses of priests and workers devoted to the dead." [The J.P.Getty Fund: Thesaurus of Geographic Names]. 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.