Columns with composite capitals

During the Ptolemaic period, these magnificent capitals were widely used. The examples on this page are from the Isis temple at Philae.

The design of the capital at the center is dominated by lotus flowers, that of the one on the left by papyrus flowers. On the right, you see a palm tree capital.
The use of palm tree capitals as a "variant" of the composite capital is fairly common in this period. These palm tree capitals lack the grace of the originals from earlier periods.

The architraves seem to float above the capitals. This effect is created by using comparatively small abaci on top of the capitals.

Very different abaci can be seen below, at the kiosk of Trajan (a Roman emperor), about a hundred meters from the same temple. Here, they are taller then the capitals themselves, adding considerably to the airiness of the structure.

On the left, you see an unfinished capital. A whole series of unfinished capitals can be found at the so-called eastern colonnade in front of this temple.

On the capital below, work has progressed somewhat further. These pictures show, that the capitals were completed only after the erecting of the columns.

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