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SECTION V

egyptian antiquities.

Chap I.

Egyptian Antiquities in General.

Of all countries in the known world, Egypt presents to curious observation the greatest number of monuments of remote antiquity. Various causes concur to give this country the advantage in this respect over every other part of the globe.

A potent, rich, and enlightened people, are naturally led to leave some marks of their existence, and some proofs of their prosperous condition that may descend to the latest posterity. We know, by the unanimous testimony of the ancients, that the Egyptians have been, from time immemorial, a polished and and flourishing nation, before the comparatively recent period which

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which we regard as the æra of ancient history. Three thousand years have elapsed, since the memory of the authors of many of the celebrated works in Egypt, was lost from among the traditions of priests. So ancient a people must undoubtedly have had a great share in the first population, and the civilization of the south of Europe. All historians agree concerning the splendid exploits of the ancient Egyptians; and of such a people there cannot but remain some vestiges in the country which they inhabited.

It is true, that we have many decisive proofs of the existence of other nations in the remote ages of antiquity, as powerful as the Egyptians and even more enlightened. Yet, of those nations, no vestige remains; their buildings, and other public works, are totally effaced. The country which they cultivated and embellished, is, at present, a barren desart, destitute of every remain that might mark its ancient state, and inhabited, or rather ravaged, by wandering barbarians (S).

Some physical cause must, therefore, have contributed to the preservation of the antiquities of Egypt. Such a cause is discernible in the nature of the climate and of the soil. The air is dry; rain seldom falls, and frost is unknown. Wet and cold, therefore, whose destructive agency wastes

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wastes away, even the most solid works of human construction, have here no influence.

The soil of Egypt, too, might furnish the inhabitants with the most durable materials for building. Through Lower Egypt, and in the rising ground on its confines, calcareous stones are found, of a particular species and full of small cavities. But, of these, no building, except the pyramids, has been constructed. In Upper Egypt, again, where the surface is unequal and elevated, are granites of all colours, the hardest known. The ranges of mountains are composed of granite; and it was therefore easy for the Egyptians to employ in their buildings large masses of stone, of a nature the most proper to resist the influence of all unfriendly agency, whether physical or moral. The modern inhabitants of Egypt cannot break a column of granite, to employ it in building a cottage, as those of other countries break pillars of marble, for similar purposes.

Besides, the ancient Egyptians appear to have spared no expence or pains, in order to confer durability on the works which they reared. Their pieces of sculpture are all saliant, and all of a size and solidity, unusual in the buildings of the other nations of antiquity. The inscriptions, although on so hard a species of stone, are so

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so deeply engraven, that the authors must certainly have intended them never to be effaced.

Upper Egypt being more elevated than the Lower, must have been first inhabited. It seems to have been the principal seat of the ancient Pharaohs, who were so powerful and magnificent; for in it are the most numerous and most superb monuments of antiquity to be found. Many travellers have described these interesting ruins. Pococke and Norden are the most eminent. They have carried their researches farthest, and have given the most exact and particular descriptions.

I had not great opportunity of examining the curious antiquities of Egypt. All that I could bring away, was a few of the figures that were worshipped as idols, of bronze and burnt clay: and these do no credit to either the taste or the skill of the Egyptian artists. In general, it appears, that this nation never excelled in the arts of design. Their paintings are remarkable for nothing but glaring colours; and their sculpture is equally faulty in the design, and in the figures.

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Chap. II.

Of the Pyramids.

Of the antiquities of Egypt, the most astonishing, are, doubtless, the Pyramids. The eye, if not pleased, is at least singularly struck by the appearance of those enormous masses.

The three principal pyramids are seen from Cairo; and every stranger who arrives in that capital is tempted to approach and examine them. We have a number of descriptions of these pyramids already, and I shall not encrease the number. I shall only mention some observations in which I am obliged to differ from those who have gone before me.

The pyramids stand upon the first hill between Cairo and the western bank of the Nile. In going thither from Geesh, we pass a considerable arm of that river, over two beautiful bridges, consisting each of ten arches. Between the two bridges is a long dyke, of substantial mason-work. Several travellers represent the bridges as works of the ancients. But the Arabic inscriptions upon them, prove them to have been built by the Mahometans.

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The traveller is astonished, and feels his imagination in some measure expanded, when he arrives at the foot of those prodigious masses. It is from this circumstance, I suppose, that the pyramids are thought much higher, on a first view, than they actually are. My first care was to measure them. This I performed with all the exactness possible, amongst a crowd of jealous and troublesome Arabs, by whom I was surrounded; and found the largest and foremost pyramid to be four hundred and forty feet, I was surprised to find the result of my measurement so different from what many other travellers had given out to be the height of this pyramid; and was for some time uneasy about communicating it to the public. Upon my return to Europe, I found in the Description of the plains of Heliopolis and Memphis by Mr Fourmont, the following passage: “Lord Charlemont, who arrived in Egypt, while I was there, told me, that he had measured the height of the foremost pyramid, and assured me, that it was only four hundred and forty four feet.” The agreement of this measurement with my own, rendered me less doubtful of the correctness of my operations.

Those enormous masses are built of soft calcareous stone, of the same nature as the rock on which they stand. It is presumable, then, that

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that all the polished stone has been taken from the same place, and wrought at small expence. The fondness for the marvellous, therefore, so common to travellers, has caused them to magnify the expence and labour which those mountains of hewn stone must have cost. With the help of natural philosophy and natural history, wonders of all kinds are reduced to their true value.

To enhance the high ideas which they hold out, of the magnificence of those monuments; various writers represent the pyramids as having been once coated upon the outside with marble. But, of this, I could not, by any pains, discover the slightest vestige. Beside the third pyramid, indeed, some pieces of granite are to be seen; but these are neither large, nor numerous enough, to afford reason for supposing, that even one pyramid could be covered with them. Those blocks might perhaps serve as ornaments, and might possibly bear the inscriptions, of which none are, at present, discernible on the pyramids.

I entered the foremost pyramid, and examined the large chamber, with the coffer in it, of which all travellers speak. But I did not see the second chamber, which was discovered immediately after our departure, by Mr Davison, who had accompanied Mr Montague into Egypt.

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That chamber is thirty feet above the first, and as large, but not so lofty in the roof.

The famous Sphinx is sinking still deeper in the sand; and a great part of the body is already buried. It seems to be formed out of the rock upon which the pyramid stands; a circumstance which confirms my conjecture concerning the place from which the stones for building the pyramids were quarried. I found the chin of the Sphinx to measure ten feet six inches in height; and the whole length of the countenance nearly eighteen feet.

The memory of the authors of these stupenduous and fantastic monuments has been lost some thousand years since: the pyramids are visibly decaying, and must perish in their turn; although, if we may judge of the future by the past, several thousand years must still elapse before their entire decay.

Chap. III.

Of the Hieroglyphics.

The most judicious and enlightened authors of antiquity, a part of whom had travelled in Egypt,

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speak of this country in the most favourable manner. They celebrate the wisdom of its Government, and the knowledge of its inhabitants. Such a country, which must afford so much information concerning the earliest revolutions of human society, may well engage our particular attention. It is natural for us to wish to know its history and institutions.

That we are at present ignorant of all these things, is not the fault of the Egyptians: no people on earth were ever more anxious than they to transmit to posterity the memory of their revolutions, and of their knowledge too, perhaps. No country in the world contains more inscriptions engraved on stones of the most durable nature, than Egypt. But, this pains to inform us has been rendered fruitless by the imperfection of the mode of writing this people employed. Instead of characters expressive of the different sounds in their language, or signs marking each a syllable, with a determinate idea affixed to it, such as the Chinese use; the ancient Egyptians made use of emblems, to mark ideas somehow referable to them, although by a very forced and distant analogy. This is what we, after the Greeks, call hieroglyphic writing.

As the relation between allegorical figures and the ideas which they are employed to represent, cannot be at all times equally evident; and as

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they depend often upon the way of thinking peculiar to those by whom the signs were invented, it is plain, that writing of this sort cannot be legible without a key to explain the original signification of the characters. Some of the ancients have, indeed, explained a few of those symbols; but we meet with an infinite number of which nothing can be known. The hieroglyphics, therefore, cannot be decyphered, because we want the proper key.

When the Tablet of Isis became first known in Europe, some learned men attempted to explain it by guessing from one figure the meaning of another; but their data were insufficient.

Yet, I would willingly hope, that the key to those mysterious writings of the ancient Egyptians may yet be recovered. Various learned men have displayed astonishing sagacity and penetration in decyphering inscriptions in unknown languages, where there has been a considerable quantity of characters for them to exercise their conjectures upon. Travellers should therefore collect as many as possible of the hieroglyphic characters, and publish them carefully, that we may thus be furnished with more points of comparison for those symbols, through a greater variety of combinations.

The study of the ancient language of Egypt would be equally necessary for this purpose. I suspect

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suspect that the true nature of the hieroglyphics has hitherto been mistaken, while all the symbolical figures and characters have been supposed to be of the same sort. After copying a considerable number of hieroglyphics from obelisks, sarcophagi, urns, and mummies, I began to think I could perceive plainly that the large figures were emblems of which the smaller might afford an explanation. I thought I could also distinguish, in these smaller hieroglyphics, some marks of alphabetic characters, or at least of a mixed species of writing, bearing some resemblance to the alphabetical. Wherefore, by the study of the language of the Pharoahs, we may come, with more ease, to decypher these small characters.

The hieroglyphic inscriptions are found chiefly in Upper Egypt, where all the monuments, and even the walls of those superb temples, which are still standing, are covered over with inscriptions of this sort. It is no less common upon the tombs of the mummies at Sakara. The embalmed bodies have covers full of hieroglyphics; and the sepulchral urns are marked with them. Such as have been painted upon wood and cloth are in as good a state of preservation as those which are engraven upon stone. It is very probable, that, in the caverns of Sakara, if

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these were examined, there are other more precious antiquities.

To collect these scattered remains, would be a matter of great importance. But travellers seem to have neglected this care; or at least to have misemployed their pains upon it. They satisfy themselves with examining what can be seen for money, by paying an infidel guide. But, they use no means to gain the friendship of the Arabs who rule in Upper Egypt. Without the good will of this jealous race, it must be impossible to make such researches with ease or security. The Arabs, if cured of their natural distrust, would assist, instead of obstructing the curious researches of strangers. But a person, who would gain their friendship, must stay longer in this country than is common for that tribe of travellers who go into Egypt, merely that they may say that they have been there.

Other travellers are too indolent to take the trouble of copying these strange and fantastic characters. This task became irksome to me, too, at first; but, in a short time, the hieroglyphics became so familiar to me, that I could copy them with the same ease as alphabetic characters, and found the task an amusement instead of a toil.

But one cannot engage, particularly in such pursuits, without exposing one’s self to a variety of

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of inconveniences among an ignorant race, who regard Christians with distrust, and are always ready to insult or abuse them. But we often bring such troublesome accidents upon ourselves, by neglecting to acquire a sufficient knowledge of the manners and language of the country.

I myself often met with such inconveniences, in copying hieroglyphics at Cairo, where the people are more mischievous in their dispositions than in the country. Going to make a draught, at one time, of a piece of curiosity that struck me, I carried with me a Mullah for protection. The street in which it stood was very much frequented; and a crowd of people drew round us; but, without offering any insult, only admired my European dexterity in writing with a pencil without ink. A Saradgi, however, one of a body of soldiery, somewhat of the character of hussars, in the service of the Beys, came up, and, to shew his consequence, attacked me with abusive language. The Mullah advised me to go away, before the fellow should proceed to strike me. I returned at another time; and, to secure myself against a similar interruption, gave a trifle to a saradgi, who was standing near. But another saradgi came up, and asked me who had given me permission to write there? He whom I had paid, answered, “His master.” The other replied,

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that “his master forbade me.” A third time, I returned, and had nearly finished my copy, without disturbance, when the Imam of a mosque observed how I was employed, and made a noise that obliged me to retire. Thus should I have been disappointed of my purpose, if I had suffered myself to be discouraged, and not opposed coolness and patience to their teazing and mischievous arts.

At another time, when I was drawing sketches of some fragments that stood before the governor’s house, I was suffered to proceed, without interruption, for several hours. But at last the governor sent a saradgi to carry me before him. When I appeared, he asked my reason for copying the Pharaonic inscriptions. When I had explained it to him, he took my paper, and shewed it to the nobles about him, who laughed at the vain curiosity of the Europeans. The Saradgi carried away my paper; and, when I asked it from the governor, he told me, that I might have it from the Saradgi, when I chose. This I understood to be a hint to give the fellow a present; and accordingly presented him with a crown; upon which I had my paper restored, and obtained leave to copy the rest of the inscription.

That which is the greatest curiosity, and contains the greatest number of hieroglyphics, is, a

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coffer of black granite, seven feet long, standing near the old castle, Kalla el Kabsch. It was this coffer that I had to come and go so often to, before I could get a drawing of it made. Pocoke and Maillet mention it by the name of the fountain of treasures, or the fountain of lovers. A part of those inscriptions is covered over with plaster; for this fine piece of antiquity now serves as a cistern for water. This coffer seems to have been the coffin of some person of distinction.

A similar coffer was dug up twenty years ago, and was conveyed to Cairo, to be placed in a mosque. But it was was broken in bringing it ashore at Bulak. The fragments were placed around a tree before the governor’s house; and while they were in that situation, I made a draught of them.

I was told, that similar coffers stood at the entrance of several other mosques, containing, in like manner, hieroglyphic inscriptions. But, not being permitted to approach those mosques, I could learn nothing positive about them.

I copied the inscriptions from a broken obelisk, and from some urns of white alabaster, of which Norden has given representations. The French consul permitted me to make a drawing of a very interesting piece of antiquity at his house. It was the wooden lid of a coffin that

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had contained a mummy, and was covered all over with hieroglyphics, and with other characters that had some appearance of being alphabetical. But as Cairo was not the place in which such inscriptions were to be found in the greatest abundance, I could not copy so many of them as I should have wished.

To facilitate the explanation of the hieroglyphics, I have made out a table of such as occur most frequently in all inscriptions. It may be farther remarked, that certain figures or characters occur oftener upon the obelisks, and others, again, upon the fragments of tombs. This fact may be of some use in helping to an understanding of the meaning which they were intended to convey (U).