Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-08-30
Ancient Mode Of Embninning the
EDc;ld.

IIerodotus and Dodorus tell Of three
modes of embalncnt prevalent in Egypt.
The first WAS very costly, answering to
about So 900, exclusive of such gems, jowels,
and gold as love aud prodigality might
lavish upon the dead; the second, $500; tho
third within the reach Of all. As to tho
extent to which gcus and jowels wero
wound up in the ccrecloth to deck the dead
there is the instance of the queen latey
found at Thcbcs, whose ornaments wcro
shown in our Exhibition Of 1860. They
are now in tho Pashas Museum. Their
intrinsic value alone, that iy, break up and
melt down, is several thousand pounds. 1t
is curious in reading the two historians
account Of the Egyptian cmbalmcr to observe
i'll divers matters tho forcshadowiDg of the
modern undertaken 10 his ways. The diff
fcrcnt degrees Of woe were then as now
sounded according to the depth Of the purse.
just as it is now, when the furnisher will
undertake for you any gradation of sorrow
from the simple elm cofIiu and pauper fune.
raj up to the flourish and parade of plumcd
hcarse, weeping mutes and prancing steeds,
so with the Egyptian. Only the manner
was different. When a bereaved mourner,
thoy tell ua, went into ore Of these Egyp.
tian shops, tho functionarics would show
him different models in wood highly and
nrtstioaly finished, or otherwise, to repre-
sent the mummy and coffin. There were
painted patterns of mummics in their multi.
colorcd cases to choose from. The various
costs according to pattern, were then stated
Tho customer chose his model and the bar.
sent back the dead body, and the body
~ l., ~. Il
process was completed. The number Of
days requisite Cor embalming was, as wc
gather from both historians, seventy or
scvcDty-two, and this tallcs with tho
Scripture account (Gcn l. 81; for doubt.
less the immediate process only occupied
part Of the time, the rest being given to the
ritual of mourning. The processes for en-
balming are related very catcgorically. In
somo things they hardly commend them
selves TO our present sentiment of what is
respectful to the dead. The chief secret
| seemed to consist in certain chemicals in-
jectcd into the veins and body; in certain
washings md steepings in natron, aud in
the filling up of the cavity Of the body with
myrrh and other balsamic substances and
| spices. The brains were drawn out through
tho nostrils. Sometimes the face aud hands
we're gilt Certain jewels were laid on the
breast under innumcrable swathings Of linen.
And then kind Of pictured she'll received
the body-a sort of close fitting case made
to open and shut lcngthwiso after tho fashion
of a violin case. But when the mummy
was sent home-what then? Tho family
did not immediately part with it. On the
contrary, they often kept their dead relative
for a long while, guest in his own house. A
room was set apart. The mummy, stand
ing upright as in life, was enshrincd in
kind of painted cabinet-a tabernacle starred
over with innumcrablc heroglyphics, aud
protected with great painted scarahei and
multicolorcd cherubim, with their over
shadowing wings spread athwart the ehoot.
Hitherto, then, at intervals, the family
would conc to hold communion with tho
dead. They would bring fresh lotus flowers
to enwrcath their silont relative or strew
about the ground blossoms of asphodcl and
papyrus. Numberless paintings in the
tombs of Egypt picture this affecting scene
"a mother and her children kneeling in
circle with the dead in their midst, or a
wife with plaintivo face and dshevelled
hair embracing the placid looking mummy
of her husband. Listen to what Diodorus
says: ga clever embalmcr," ho writes, "would
send back the body perfectly preserved,
even the hair Of cyelids and eyebrows re.
naming undisturbed; tho whole appearance
so unaltcred that every feature might bo
recognized. The Egyptians, therefore, who
sometimes kept their ancestors in mugnif.
cent apartments set apart, have an bpportu-
nifty Of contemplating the faces of those who
died long before them, and the height Of
figure Of their bodies being distinguishablo
as well as the character of tho countonnncc;
they may enjoy wonderful qualification
as if they lived in the society of those they
! SEQ before them" Sunday at Home.