The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-07-17
aaaeraoM gatelligeaeer,
AN ANCIENT EHYPTIAN.
Unrolling Penpi, u Contemporary Of Eiiah
and Ahnb.

and Ahab.
About $50 persons, who had been in
viteG to witness the removal OF the mum.
my from its case, assembled in the anato-
mical lecture room anxiously awaiting
the ceremonies which were to be held
over an ancient Egyptian.
In the front of the room upon long
table stood the object toward which all
eyes were directed; the case, which was
covered with inscriptions and rude rep.
resentatioEs, had been Gilt into and ar.
ranged in such manner as to facilitate
the work that was about to begin. Short
ly after o'clock Prof Tyler arose, and,
after few Introductory remarks, spoke
substantially as follows:
This mummy was presented to Presi
dent White and the university by Mr.
Pomeroy, Consul. General at Cairo. He
procured it at tho metropolis, in Upper
Egypt, about year ago, but was detained
at Thcbes, by the ravages Of the cholera
in Lower Egypt, until fall. AT Cairo q
French scientist translated the hier0.
glyphics which are upon the case, from
which We learn that this mans name
was Penpi' and that he lived in the
twcnty.third dynasty.
"There are different theories advanced
why the Egyptians embalmed The bodies
of their dead one, because it was san.
itary necessity; another, because they
could not bury them with safety. But
these theories hardly seem to be satisfac.
tory. BY the inscriptions or tombs,
monuments, and on the mummies them.
selves, we learn that it was sacred rite,
the expression Of their faith and belief
in their religion, which at that time was
pure faith they believed that life was
conflict between good and evil, aud
that mans destiny would be settled by q
liual Judgment, but evolution was silent.
ly working in the Egyptian faith as well
us science, though downward instead Of
upward. In consequence of this belief
til. friends did all they could to make
the future Of the departed bright and
Happy and to protect him against the
attacks Of tive Evil One.
'From these figures here on the case
we see that the friends of 'PeDpi' vera
anxious TO secure rcpose for his soul ;
here on his head is the sacred beetle,
around his neck is the representation OF
necklace, on his breast Is tho figure of
vulture holding two seals in his claws
an emblam of eternty-below is spar.
row. hawk, also holding a seal. From the
inscription we learn that Peupi' belonged
to the twenty.third dynasty. Eight
hundred years B. G. kind frieuds laid
away this body, which, to all appearances,
has remained unharmed for nearly 5000
years. We can hardly comprehend that
this man lived before the first Olympiad,
nearly fifty years before the legendary
founding Of Rome, WAS contemporary
with the founding Of Carthage; lived
200 years before Cyrus, 300 years before
Coniucius, 750 years before Julius Cesar
invaded Britain, 400 years after the
Trojan war, 100 years after Homer, 222
years before siolon, 900 years before the
battle Of Marathon, or In Jewish chronol.
ogy, 500 years after the exodus, 175 years
after Solomon, and was contemporary
of Elijah, Elisha, and Ahab."
Prof. Tyler then introduced Prof
Gage, who gave brief account Of he
method pursued by the Egyptians in
embalming the bodies Of the dead. lie
said: "The process of embRlming is very
simple, and Is not, as is generally sup.
posed, Lost art. After death the re.
mains were taken to the lower order of
priests, who removed the soft parts of the
body, which was then placed in a sort of
brine and there soaked for seventy days ;
it was then removed, and resin, Cinna-
mon, myrrh, &C., were applied, this was
followed by thorough drying. Some.
times the face was gilded, but only by
the most wealthy. The cost of embalm.
ing body In this wny was from 1000
to $4,000; after the drying process the
body was wrapped, often 900 yards of
bandage being used.
'The case about this mummy il evil
ient.y made of Tho same s..GteT:al as the
cloth wrappings but soaked in some
gum"
After the speaking the mummy was
taken from the case and the unwrappiDg
commenced. The bapdages, which were
Of yellowish color, about ten feet long
and four inches wide, were made of linen
and fringed at the ends; they were put
on very symmetrically, one layer being
,crosswise, the next up and down.
The head only was uncovered in the
presence of the visitors. This was found
to DO in good state OF preservation ;
the hair had been shaven closely, but on
the back Of the head little could be
seen, which wnr of sandy color; the
beard also could be recognized. The
face was Of medium size, with low
forehead, a Roman nusd, and rather h!S!:
cheek bones-altogether good looking
face, taking his age into consideration.
AS the sSunwrappiug was going on a
grain sof wheat, well preserved. waa
found, which was placed in bottle and
passed around that all might see.
Those present were asked to look nj
the mummy as they passed out, An op.
portunity of which nearly all ayailed
themselves, After this the. bandages
were taken from the whole body. Be
tween the legs parts Of the viscera
which had been taken from the body
were found carefully wrapped in liner
cloth. The body was hard and Of darh
brown color, five feet and fivo inches II
height, and the nails of the ingers ant
toes we're as perfect rs when the bod!
was placed in it's narrow limits. 4 mum
ber Of small beetles that had bored thei
way through the case were found among
the bandages. a.