Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-07-27
A Very Old Egyptian,
gHB lATK "aoT-THoTm-AUNK" IN THE
NEW ORLEANS MEDICAL COLLEGE.
New Orleans Picayuns, 18th.

Now orleans flcayune, lin.
On the second floor of the central
building of the University of Louisiana,
sittmted on Common street between Ba-
rome and Dryades streets, is the muse
I'm of the Medical Department Of that
Institution. A wooden case in the room
ON the Diyades street side. lying on a
plain table, would hardly be noticed by
The casual visitor. 1t is about six feet in
length, two feet in width and height,
and is covered with glass. In it, lying
face upward, surrounded by its cere-
ments, is
AN EGYPTIAN MUMMY
that II In state of tolerablc preserva-
ton, too little attention having been paid
10 it by its custodians in the past. 1t is
covered with bitumen, yet head OF
brown hair can be seen, and the features
still retain their nations characteristics.
Chalk has been inserted under the eye
lids to give them natural appearance.
The chest has been broken in, exposing
nothing but black bituminous confu-
sion of organs undiSlingushable now,
and the left arm has been severed at the
humeras, the right hand fallen off.
Enough is left in good condition, how
ever, to show that it il the sturdy re-
mains of man of about 80 or 80, feet
! inches in height, with considerable
intellectual development. His ccrc-
ments consist of long lengths of Egyp-
fian cloths, those next the body being
The finer. wrapped round and round,
Across the breast two lcathern etraps
run diagonally down from each should-
er, carefully marked in hyroglyphs.
just adjoining the mummy, in u woe
ful condition, Is the papyrus, delicatcly
written in hieroglyphc characters,
which WIS wrapped up with the body
The glass covering is broken.
THE PAPYRus Is DUSTY
and torn, and will not take but little
time before one of the most valuable OF
ancient documents, according to Egyp-
biologists, will be lost forever. The
mummy and this document are far from
being unknown to the scientific world but
they seem to receive but little attention
ut our hands-hrrc. The man lying with.
IN the silent halls of the museum was
just 1880 years ago m honored and re-
vered being. Under him were hosts OF
men who obcyed his command and who
served him as his slaves. lie was also
of the priesthood and ranked as such
His name was
GoT-THoTHI-ACNK,
"Chicf of the Artihccrs," who died ir
the year Y of the reign Of Osorkon III
Our mummy then lived 900 years before
Christ, or before single stone yet dis
covered ut ancient Babylon was insCrib
cd with cuncform characters. Accord
ing to the papyrus, which has been trans
lated by able French and American
Egyptian scholars, he was = native o.
Thebes, where he was n priest. lie hat
seen the splendor aud glory ofthis queer
of cities had watched her army Of 20(
chariots and 10000 men march out o.
each Of her 100 gates. In his day Josa
phut relgncd over the Israelites, and 20t
years were to clapse after this shriyclc(
mans priesthood before Rome was to b,
laid out, and $50 years before the great
NehuChodnosor marched ont Of Babylon
The history Of its transmission here il
an Interesting one.
In the year 1916 Hon. George II. Gid
don, then deep student of cthnology
wrote to his friend, A. G.. Harris, from
Paris, who was very influential resi-
dent Of Egypt, expressing his desire Il
procure series OF
FUNERAL ANTIQUITIES
20 serve a. illustrations Of series OF
lectures he intended giving in the Unit
ed States This letter happened TO reach
Hurts while he was on an archaeological
expedition ut ThcbCs, where he was able
accidentally 10 secure mummy IN most
perfect condition. This Mr.. Harris con-
veycd to Alexandria, Egypt, in his own
Yacht with u number of others from the
the tombs Of Memphis, Abydos and The
he's.
Got-Tholhi-Aunk, the Now Orleans
specimen, was the only one preserved In
ils coffin intact, and IN that condition II
was shipped to Liverpool. Messrs. Ia.
ring Bros. there secured lts traushlp-
ment 10 the United Statcs, aud after five
wears Of doubts and fears, Mr., Gliddou
received It safe In Now York. After
public announcement II was publicly
opened Ia June, 1850, In Boston, In the
presence Of over
Two THOUSAND PEOPLE,
sud Prof. Agasslz aud committee OF
sixteen leading physicians. After un.
winding its long Ccremcnts, tho long en-.
tomhed body OF Got-l'hOthi-Aunk, the
good pricst, aud 'chiof Of the artllccrs, "
was exposed 10 the light of day, 2,7SC
yrnp subsequent to the time II was laid
away followed by procession olmourn-
crs, slayce aud friends, which slowly
wound is way out Of the lofty gateway
olwuturcd Thebes.
The papyrus found with the body was
translated by Mr.. Griddon, and after
wards 10y u Mr.. Birch, Of the British Mt
scum, both culdi In the study OF hero
glyphlcs, aud the first Inca showed that
tho corpse was that Of the "rhef Of the
artitltcrs Of the
ABODE OF AMMoN," TnfDfe.
The papyrus was submitted 10 Dr..
Morlo, Of Philadelphia, whose scientific
scrutiny Identified II with the reign of
osorkon ILL.,, as the Cariouchc or oval
df That King WA found on the lcaihcrn
ctraps across the mummy's chest. The
arlhccr Waa sent to New Orleans and
placed IN the Muscum of the University
Ut Louisiana, where II now ~. On the
2and ct January. 1882, Mons. j. j, Am.
porc, whose opinions on Egyptology
were decisive with tho scientific world,
carefully examined tho body, aud fully
confirmed all that had been said OF lts
history. II has been conceded TO be one
of the fluCAt tynps of the EnvDllnu that