The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1824-06-29

ne mffhf o. tempted 20 believe ihai these Heae
thr dwellings NJ iht primhiFr nbabiHnt IA
EEYpf nr rafhfr iaaf having Arl served luF thiH
nHrrnsr these tuhtFHaneaaH caves hnd become
ihe abode of thH Dead and had NJ iaHi been res
iort4, ty she people ai hurua in ihrir original
destinsiiuH
IN proportion NJ FEW hslrht oi these rroti0es
increases, they become more richly decorated
and was soon convinced 81 the magnlhcenre
both OF ihe paintings and the sculptures, and Of
the objects they represented. tHaf ] was among
ihe tomhs 90 great men 81 heroes The scalp
turr in all u inrnmparahiy more labored ahd
higher finished than any that haa seen I'D thH
temples and stood n establishment Az the
high perfection VA thH an. and iis Singular De-
tins WV being devoted la silence and 0bacuHiy
III TIE working ot these galleries. beds ni y very
hne grained, caicarsous clay hare occasionally
been crossed and here The lines of the hyeF0-
glyphics have been cui with 6rmucss 81 touch
and precision. Of which marble Offers 5ut few
examples the 6gures have an elegance Of con
tour. o. which ! never thought Egyptian scalp
ture susceptible Here too, ! could Judge OF
the stvle Ol this people in subjects which we're
neither hvcr0glypbir, nor historical. nor scientf-
" ior they were representations uf smnll scenes
taken from natdre wv which Che siiH profile aHI-
lines, ~ common with Egyptian artists, Herr en-
changed Tor easy and natural attitudes groupcs
deeper relief than / should have supposed any
thing bot metal could have been worked One
cannot help being struck with the little analogy
which the greater number Of these subjects have
with the spot wherein they are immuret ,--if
requires TIE presence oi mummies I'D persuade
ones Self that these excavations are tomhs
have found here has-reliris representing games.
such as rope-dancinE and asses taught t0 play
tricks, and "a rear on their bind legs, which are
with an the nature and simplicity
which Bassan has shewn inFeprcseuiing the same
animals on canvass.
The plan OF these excavations Is not less sim
gular there are some which are 50 vast aud
that one would take them for labv-
rinths, or subteTanean temples After passing
the apartments adorned IN the elegant STYLE that
7 have Just described. We entered long and
gloomy galleries which wind backwards and far-
wards III numerous angles, and seem I'D occupy
a great extent 81 ground they are melanch0-
Nv, repusive and without any decoration but
from time 70 time, open into other chambers
covered with hieroglyphics, and branch ont into
narrow paths that lead TO deep perpendicular
pits, which we descended by resting our arms
against the sides, and fixing our feet into steps
that are cut in the rock. AT the bottom Of these
pits we found other adorned chambers, and az
last, ascending long fight 0f steps, we arrived
AZ al open place, which we found on q level
with the chambers we first entered
The paintings found I'D these sepulchures are
the most curious and interesting remains NJ
Egyptian arts, and IN wonderful preservation,
being as fresh as when first executed. Some Of
these were copied by Bruce and Demon, who
viewed every thing with the eye Of an artist,
has since published most valuable collection,
in which there is reason 10 believe, may be found
the most striking and accurate resemblaucies Of
the originals.