The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-11-01

AS THE Egyptians have no taste for
antiquities, and but little knowledge of
history, and are inscnsible to its poetic
association, they are Indifferent to
whatever disposition may be made of
the Pharaonic remains. They might
object to the demolition of the Pyra-
mids, as they attract travellers to Egypt,
who spend Il great deal of money in
Cairo and Alexandria during the win
ter season. The mummy-pits around
the Pyramids and the site of ancient
Thebes have for some time been spoil
England, to manure the fields Of that
country with their phosphate. Prac-
tically, the ancient Egyptians are of no
use to anybody, and they themselves
could not object, on their own theory,
to have their bodies converted to the
benefit of the living. According to the
doctrine of metempsychosis, their souls
have transmigrated into other shapes,
and perhaps may be lodged in the myr-
lads of bats that now inhabit the tombs
of the Kings of Thebes. Millions on
millions of the inhabitants of ancient
Egypt are buried in the mummy pits
that line the border of the desert from
Grand Cairo to the cataract at Assouan.
In one that 1 visited near the Pyramid
of Cheops, and which was part, no
doubt, of the cemetery of Memphis,
thousands ON thousands of mummies
were piled in tiers, one above the other,
to an unfathOmed depth. When
dragged out their bones cracked like
dry wood, and thrown upon fire the
air was filled with aromatic perfumes
from the substances in which they were
embalmed. One of the Arabs with us,
who incautiously jumped into the pit,
almost sank out of sight as he crashed
through the brittle mass of dry
bones and withered skeletons. Every
nr"m"a HI; has waist pdpyrGy scroll af
his genealogy and personal history-a
kind of autobiography in brief. Where
many are entombed together it was
receptacle of the common dead. The
great, the royal, the noble and the mil
itary caste were placed in separate
tombs, their bodies encased in triple
series of gaudily-painted chests covered
all over with hieroglyphics and emble
matte devices, and the face vanished
with gold. A gilded face always indi-
Gates mummy of rank, who, in his
day, played an important part in the
affairs of his country. The skulls have
not much breadth of front or height of
brow, and they do not denote a highly
intellectual race. Nevertheless, the old
Egyptians did great things in their day.
They invented letters, they Graded the
arts and sciences, and they built the
most colossal and imposing and endur-
ing monument of:.architecture the world
has ever seen. The Copts of modern
Egypt are said to be descended from
them, and probably they are, for they
have the same grave, mysterious,
sphinx-like features that ancient dwell
ers of the country had, as pictured on
the painted walls of the royal sepul-
cheers at Thebes and Danderrah. Like
their ancestors, they do not assimilate
with other races, and keep up their gen.
eric characteristics and purity of blood.
The Khedive has tolerated the COM
merce of the common run of mummies,
but he has for several years past for
hidden the export or sale of the aristo-
cratic class, whose precious remains
are. so elegantly preserved in orna-
mental chests of high intrinsic value
Alexandria Cor. PHILADELPHIA Press.