Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-06-05

ternal sarcophagus painted represen.
;ation Of the beetle, holding in its
claws a globe. The embalIring sob
stance ia Asphal.us, the bi'umen of Ju.
dea and it is well known that this
was employed for the pur-
pose BY the ancient Egyptians. 1t is
into the cavities Of the eyes,
nose and mouth, and probably the great
cavities of the head and body. Every
part that has been examined is so tho.
roughly impregnated, as to lead to the
SUI picion that the body bad been I'M
mersed in it, while IN liquifed state.
This is undoubtedly one ofthe most
perfect and curious presentations which
has issued from the catacombs OF "
gypt, The freshness Of the colors, the
frmness ufthe plaster, fine cosdi-
tion Of the wood, and the 81 chg texture
of the linen might lead to question. in
regard to lite antiquity Difficulties as
to the possibility Of it's being SO long
preserved in this state will vanish,
wien it il Remembered, that the walls
ofthe Necropols Of rhebes, and even of
small and insulated monuments exhibit
all the perfection of figu and Of color
ing; that the profound recesses of the
city oftte dead hewn out ofsolid rocks,
are mace essible to moisture, and that
without air and moisture decomposi-
ton or decay cannot be produced.
These sarcophagi being composed of
durable and covered with imperish-
able materials, SO arranged as to ex-
clude the air, might probably have
preserved their contents still longer
period to come, than that they have al
ready passed through, since the great
err cause of decomposition was ia the
air enclosed in the sarcophagus when
it was first ceiled up. There are, in
dependent of these reflections. marks
of genulneness in every part of these
reliques, which at once carry cOnvic-
ton to the heart Of the observer; and
there is something in their combination
which we are ready to say, the science
of uodern Europe could not attain +;
and which the ignorance of modern
Egypt would not attempt.
My respected colleagues Professor
Everett, Drs. Jackson, Gorham and
Bigelow i,ave examined the objects des.
eribed abs We, and believe are perfect
ly Statistic: that they are the genuine
works Of ancient Egypt.
You will, therefore, gentlemen, with
Mr.. Van Lennep, have the qualification
of aiding great public charity, and of
contributing to the improvement of the
learned and curious. Your donation
will give them an opportunity of OBJ.
serving specimens, the most ancient in
the world. of Egyptian sculpture,
painting and manufac lures: of witness
ing tha great perfection of THE People
in preserving the remains of their
friends from corruption; and of enjoy
ing the reflections, associated with the
reliques of an obscure and mysterious
antiquity. &C. WARREN.
Boston, May l9 1898.
NorE.- The Egyptians were led to
the operation Of embalming by their
peculiar notions of the connections be-
tween the soul and body. They be-
lieved that the soul was immortal, that
while the body remained entire, the
soul continued with it that as soon as
the body decayed the spirit passed into
the body of some quadruped, whence
their reverence of animals: further,
they believed that after period ofthree
thousand years, the soul was allowed
to inhabis another human body.
The ancient Egyptians employed diff
ferent modes of embaimipg, according
to the rank and estimation Of the Dis
ceased person. The following was con
sidered the most perfect Soon after
death the body was delivered to the
embalmers, who began their operations
by removing the vicera. The brain
was taken out through the nostrils, by
breaking down the ethmoid bone, and
passing curved knife or hook into the
cavity of the skull Whatever could
not be removed in this way was washed
out by certain liquids. An incision two
and half inches long, was made into
the left side through which all the vi
scera were drawn out excepting the
heart and kidnies. The cavities were
we'll washed, filed with aromatic gums
and covered with patron carbonate Of
soda. J After the soda had been applied
seventy days, the body was dried and
covered with asphaltus, the bitumen Of
India. The corpse was afterwards en-
veloped in a multitude ofturns of ban.
daees, and covered with cloth. Hav
ing completed their labors, the EN-.