The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-05-25
The Age of a Pyramid.

Modern scholarship seems destined to
win its most signal triumphs through the
application Of careful scientific method
to its researches into the past history of
our race. 1t multiplies its aids, extends
the Iange of its evidences, and by look
ING far beyond the field of the old chroni-
clers is at last able to correct their dis
crepancicS. Where the records of earth
are at variance, it consults the unerring
stars and fixes the chronology Of events
more wisely than the historian who wrote
only a few generations after their occur
renee. The German astronomer, Hansen,
was one OF the first to determine the day
and hour OF an ancient battle by calcuat-
ing the eclipse of the sun which occurred
at the same time; and now the French
Egyptologis.s, prohting by the remark
able Astronomical knowledge Of the old
Egyptians, are applying the same meth
ods OF yeritication, with wonderful sue
cess, to the hicrogIyphic records.
At the meeting of the French Academy
of Inscriptions, on the 9TH of Al pril, NJ de
coverv by the scholar Chabas, which for
the first time introduces a positive date
into the oldest Egyptian history. Hither
to, the distinguished Psychologist, NJ de
Rouge, has only succeeded in establishing
three dates with absolute certainty-the
years 1900. 1910 and 9G2 Is. g., the last of
these being that of the taking Of Jerusa-
lem by Sheshonk l., the Shishak Of the
Bible. But two or three months ago Nj.
Chabas was fortunate enough to succeed
in reading a doubtful car!0uche (royal
name, inclosed in an oval iigure) in the
famous Ebers papyruS, fac-simile Of
which was published last year. 1t PROV
ed to be the name of Pharaoh, MenKeres,
the Mycerinus of the Greek historians,
and the builder of the third or smallest
pyramid at Gizeh Attached to the car
touche was an astronomical note, stating
that the heliacal rising Of the star Sotms
occurred in the ninth year Of the reign of
Menkeres.
The ancient Egyptians had Tie habit Of
signalling important political events by
some contemporaneous astronomical phe-
nomenon. Many of the latter could scarce
ly be identified or determined now but,
since we know that their SOthis is our star
Sirius, we are easily able to fix the rare
periods of its helacal rising. This is the
Astronomical term used when 4 star. after
being in conjunction with the sun and in
visible, emerges from the light sufficient
ly to be seen just before sunrise. Nj. Cha
bas Immediately took his discovery to the
astronomer Blot. who made the necessary
| calculations, whence it appeared that the
heliacal rising of Sothis, in the ninth year
Of the reign Of Mcnkeres, must have taken
! place between the years 3007 and 30lO b.
{. NJ. de Sauley stated that he had made
the calculations independently, and with
| precisely the same result; he was entirely
| convinced OF the correctness of the date
AS the first assured step toward establish
ing, if only in its general outlines, the
| chronology of the Ancient Egyptian En-
| pire, this discovery Is of incalculablo inn
portance. 1t fixes the age of the third
pyramid Of Gizeh at about 1880 years,
and antedates by fully 1770 years the ear
liest accurately ascertained point in an
cient chronology.
These detached epochs are like SO many
solid piers in the flood Of Time. and,
though still too far apart to be bridged.
they furnish secure resting places for the
historian. 1t is not too much to expect,
| that when the aid of astronomy is called
| to the investigation of the Assyrian as
well as the Egyptian records, we may re-
store the chronological charts of both en-
pires from the silent testimony of the
| heavens.