Abydos - Osireion - Hypostyle Hall

Adjoining the first transverse chamber is a large three aisled Hypostyle Hall (98ft/30m by 66ft/20m) surrounded by 16 small chambers opening off a narrow corridor only 2ft/60cm wide. Between the central hall and the small chambers runs a ditch, perhaps symbolizing the primal water out of which, according to the Egyptian creation myth, the terrestrial hill (the earth) emerged along with the sun god. At the end of the central hall (representing the terrestrial hill) steps lead down to the water. Between the two rows of pillars in the hall are two cavities in the floor, a rectangular one in the middle which may have housed a sarcophagus and a square one at the east end, perhaps for a canopic chest.