The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-03-01

1t should be remembered that in the in
terror of the Pyramid of Mycerinus of
the ". Dynasty-the smallest of the
three great Pyramids of Ghizeh-there
is passageway to the top of which, al
though resembling an arch, is not con-
structed on the principle of an arch
that is to say, blocks were placed hori-
zontally, one projecting beyond that i'm
mediately below it, till the uppermost
two met in the CENTRE the interior angles
being afterward rounded off to form the
vault. Several instances OF these pseudo
arches are known to exist In tombs of the
vi, and later Dynasties, but no true arch
had hitherto been found previous to those
in the tombs of the XVIII, XIX, and
Xxx. Dynasties, near Thebes The arches
in the two recently discovered tombs Of
the VI. Dynasty are built over the en-
frances. They have ornamented key
stones, and are beautifully constructed
of fine bricks.
The third discovery to which I have
referred is that OF the long-sought- for
entrance to the Pyramid of Maydoom-a
pyramid which will probably turn out
to be at least a century older than the
Great Pyramid of Cheops, and hence the
Oldest known monument in Egypt This
pyramid situate some fifteen miles to the
outh of Ghizeh, is one of the most strik-
ing landmarks on the Nile. From dis
lance it seems to stand on the top of
h'llock a nearer view shows this hillock
to be found by theecrumbling away OF
the outer casing of the pyramid itself.
1t is called by the Arabs eel Haram ell
Katdab" (the false Pyramid, for they
suppose it to be formed of the rock itself.
Its general appearance has been de-
scribed by Miss Amelia Edwards as ian
unfinished Tower of Babel" The Pyra
mid of Maydoom is doubtless the most
carefully constructed and all together
the best-built pyramid in Egypt. About
fifty years ago Ibrahim Pasha, wishing
to effect an entrance, Numbered away at
it for a whole day with artillery. He
neither attained his object, nor did the
pyramid itself suffer much material in
Jury. A few weaks ago Maspero's work
men, after long and careful search, re-
moved the massive blocks which had so
long concealed a small opening, that soon
entrance.
This aperture was discovered on the
northern face of the pyramid, and at
distance from the base. The.
corridor leading from the entrance to
ward the interior has been cleared for
distance OF torty-fve metres. This cor
ridor is similarly disposed, and is con-
structed in the same manner, as that OF
the Pyramid of Cheops The entrance
to the central chamber is effectually
blocked up by the falling of the roof OF
the corridor. The workmen are, how
ever, busily engaged in clearing away
the debris-a task both difficult and
perilous, which may require one or per
haps two months. The only texts thus
far found in the corridor are the inscrip-
lions OF two Scribes who visited the in
terror of the pyramid in the time of the
XIV. Dynasty. Recently discovered col
lateral evidence tends to strengthen the
that this pyramid is that OF
King Snefroo, of the Ill Dynasty, who
resigned, according to Brugsch, B. c.
3766, or, according to Marietta, B.
1900. The picks of the Arab workmen
will, however, soon determine the cues.
ton.
Discoveries Of the startling and dra-
matte nature of those of the carefully
preserved Royal Mummies, and the
opening of lQng-closed pyramids and
tombs, are perhaps overshadowed, as far
as pure scientific value is concerned, by
a new region in Egyptology recently
opened by the successful exertions of Dr.
Brugsch Pasha and M. Revillout. These
two savants have made specially of
the demotic writing Of Egypt-a writing
so intricate and confused as to be unin-
telligible to some of the keenest Egyp.
tologists. The hieratic writing, used al
most exclusively by the priests is to the
hieroglyphic what the hand writing Of
the present day is to print. The demotic
IS very much abbreviated form of the
hieratic, and stands in about the same re-
lation to the hieroglyphic that our short
hand does to the page of printed book.
Moreover, the demotic, being written in
the hurry of everyday business, actually
presents a penmanship so cramped and
careless as to add almost insurmountable
obstacles to the already difficult task Of
deciphering it.
The denote came into use during the
XVI. Dynasty, and being used for or
binary business and legal transactions.
its literature gives an insight into the
laws, social state, customs, and manners
of the Egyptians that is not to be hoped
for from the scholarly and monumental