I now come to my next point, which is that here we have the true origin of our present means of measuring time; that our year as we know it was first determined in these Egyptian temples and by the Egyptians. The magnificent burst of the light at sunset into the sanctuary would show that a new true solar year was beginning. It so happens that the summer solstice was the time when the Nile began, and still begins, to rise; so that in Egypt the priests were enabled to determine, year after year, not only the length of the year, but the exact time of its commencement. This, however, they apparently kept to themselves, for the year in use, called the vague year, began at different times of the true year through a long cycle, as I shall show in subsequent chapters. If the Egyptians wished to use the temple for ceremonial purposes, the magnificent beam of light thrown into the temple at the sunset hour would give them opportunities and even suggestions for so doing; for instance, they might place an image of the god in the sanctuary and allow the light to Hash upon it. We should have a "manifestation of Rā" with a vengeance during the brief time the white flood of sunlight fell on it; be it remembered that in the dry and clear air of Egypt the sun casts a shadow five seconds after the first little point of it has been seen above the horizon. So that at sunrise and sunset in Egypt the light is very strong, and not tempered as with us. They did this: we not only find the exact allocation of words "the manifestation of Rā," but what happened is described. One of the inscriptions relating to the manifestation of Rā has been translated by De Rougé as follows:-- "Il vint en passant vers le temple de Rā; il entra dans le temple en adorant (deux fois). Le χer-heb [celebrant] invoqua (celui qui) repousse les plaies du roi; il remplit les rites de la porte; il prit le seteb, il se purifia par l'encens; il fit une libation; il apporta les fleurs de _Habenben_ [a part of the temple]; il apporta le parfum (?). Il monta les degrés vers l'adytum grand, pour voir Rā dans Habenben; lui-même se tint seul; il poussa le verrou; il ouvrit les portes; il vit son père Rā dans Habenben; il vénéra la barque de Rā et la barque de Tum. Il tira les portes, et posa la terre sigillaire (qu'il) scella avec le sceau du roi. Lui-même ordonne aux prêtres, 'J'ai placé le sceau; que n'entre pas quelqu'un dedans de tout roi qui se tiendra (là).'"[30]