ABU-SIMBEL, the ancient Aboccis or Abuncis, a place of ruins in Upper Egypt, between the first and second cataract, having two temples built by Ramses the Great in 1388 and 1392, one for himself and one for the god Hathor. They lie a short distance apart, at the foot of a precipitous cliff close to the west bank of the Nile. No temple in Egypt produces so grand an effect as the rock temple of Ramses II., and by moonlight its effect is even finer. Its dignified sculptures and the gorgeous colored representations in its interior repay the trouble of the ascent from Philæ. This most stupendous work of ancient Egyptian architecture was the creation of Ramses II. It was excavated out of the solid rock and dedicated at first to the leading deities of Egypt proper, Ammon of Thebes and Re-Harmakhis, but other deities were worshipped there as well. In 1892 the facade 119 feet broad and over 100 feet wide, was restored and two walls had to be built to protect it from the sand which blew into it from the west desert.
ABYDOS, a town and castle ot Anatolia, on the Straits of Gallipoli. In its neighborhood Xerxes, when he invaded Greece, crossed with his immense army the Hellespont, on a bridge of boats. Memorable also from being the scene of the loves of Hero and Leander, and from Byron having adopted its name in his "Bride of Abydos."
Also an ancient city of Upper Egypt, on the left bank of the Nile, supposed to have been the ancient This, and to have been second only to Thebes.
ABYSSINIA, a country of eastern Africa, bounded by the Sudan and Nubia on the W, and N., and by the Italian territory on the E.; area, about 350,000 square miles; formerly called Ethiopia. At present it includes the kingdoms of Tigré (with Lasta), Amhara, Gajam, and Shoa, besides several outlying dependencies.
The country consists of a huge tableland with a mean elevation of 7,000 feet, and crossed by high mountain ranges.
