Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-29
MUMMIEs OF EGYPTIAN KINGS.
Details of the Finding of Thirty
Valuable Papyri aIsO Discovered.
A Cairo letter to the london 7Tm,

Valuable Papyri aIsO Discovered.
A Cairo letter to the London Times
says;
Besides being memorable for the sp-
pearance of the comets, the year 1881
must ever hold high place in the an
mails of Psychological discovery. M.
Maspero, the recently appointed Direc-
tor of the Boulak Museum, is at the
present moment In Paris, actively en-
gagged in preparing for publication the
texts of the pyramids of the fifth and
sixth dynaSties, which were opened last
spring at Sakkara. The forthcoming
number of his 'ReceuiP will contain the
entire text of the pyramid of King
Ounasi, the last king of the fifth dynas-
ty.
"But the saying that 1T never rains
but it pours' may now be fairly applied
to archaeological discovery. Long
before the sGUGnts have had time to
peruse, ponder over, or profit by the
wonders unearthed at Sakkara they are
now suddenly overwhelmed with a
fresh supply of material in the form of
the largest papyri yet known, and by
the apparition of the mummies, with
all their mortuarY appendages and in
scriptions, of no less than thirty
royal personages. This discovery which
has just been made calls for special
interest in England, for among
the thirty royal mummies
are to be found those
of King Thutmes III. and of King Ram
ses II. 1t was the former who ordered
the construction of the obelisk which
now stands upon the Thames embank
ment, and it was the latter who, two
hundred and seventy years afterward,
caused his own official titles and honors
to be inscribed upon Its faces beside
those of Thutmes III. These two mon
archs now lie side by side in the Boulak
Museum, and even the flowers and gar
lands which were placed in their coffins
NAV to-day be seen encircling the masks
which cover the faces of the deceased
just as they were left by the mourners
over three thousand years ago.
"Last June Daud Pasha, Governor of
the Province of Keneh, which includes
the ancient Theban district, noticed that
the Bedaween offered for sale an unusual
quantity of antiquities at absurdly low
prices. The Pasha soon discovered that
the source of their hidden treasure was
situated in a gorge of the mountain
range which separates Deir- el-Bahari
from the Bab-el-Malock. This gorge is
situated about four miles from the Nile
to the east of Thebes. Daud Pasha at
once telegraphed to the Khedive, who
forthwith dispatched to the spot Herr
Emil Brugsch, younger brother of DIR.
Henry Burgsch Pasha, who, during
M. Maspero's absence in Paris, is in
charge of all archaeological excavations
in Egypt. Herr Brugsch discovered in
the cliffs of the Lybian mountains, near
the Temple of Deir-el Bahari, or the
Northern Convent a pit about thirty
five feet deep, cut in the solid rock Sc
cret opening from this pit led to gallery
nearly two hundred feet long, also hewn
out of the solid rock. This gallery was
filled with relics of the Theban dynas-
ties. Every indication leads to the con-
viction that these sacred relics had been
removed from their appropriate places in
the various tOmbs and temples, and con-
cealed in this subterranean gallery by the
Egyptian priests to preserve them from
being destroyed by some foreign inva-
der. In all probability they were thus
concealed at the time of the invasion of
Egypt by Cambyses.
Herr Brugsch at once telegraphed
for a steamer which on Friday last safely
deposited her precious cargo at the Bou-
lax Museum. The full value of this dis
covery, of course, cannot as yet be deter
mined. The pspyri have not yet been
unrolled, or have the mummies been un-
wrapped. Conspicuous by its massive
gold ornamentation, in which cartouches
are set in precious stones. is the coffin
containing the mummy of Maui Nedjem,
daughter Of King Ramses II. Each of
the mummies is accompanied by an ala
baster canOpic urn, containing the heart
and entrails of the deceased
"Four papyri were found in the gal
lery at Deir-el-Bahari, each in q state of
perfect preservation. The largest of
these papyri, that found in the coffin of
Queen Ra-ma-ka, is most beautifully
illustrated with colored illuminations
1t is about 16 inches wide, and when
unrolled will probably measure from 100
to 140 feet in length. The other papyri
are somewhat narrower, but are more
closely written upon. These papyri will
probably prove to be the most valuable
portion of the discovery, for in the pres
ent state of Egyptology papyrus may
be of more importance than an entire
temple, and, as the late Marietta Pasha
used to say, 1t is certain that if ever
one of those discoveries that bring about
a revolution in science should be made
in Egyptology, the world will be indebted
for it to papyrus.
mo less than 3.70O mortuary statues
have been found which bear royal car
touches and inscriptions Nearly 1900
other objects have been discovered. One
of the most remarkable relics is an enor-
nous leather tent, which bears the car
touche of King Pinotem, Of the 21st
dynasty. This tent is in q truly won
eerful state of preservation. The work
manship is beautiful. 1t is covered with
hieroglyphs most carefully embroidered
in red, green and yellow leather. The
colors are quite fresh and bright. In
each of the corners is represented tine
royal vulture and stars"