Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-09
PHARAOH'S HOUSE.
RUINS OF A PALACE REFERRED TO
BY THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. -

Ruins of a Castle in the Midst of the
Mud Swamps of the Nile-Discoveries
in Pharaoh's Observation-Disclosures
Ears Victory.
Another very curious and interesting dis
covery has been made in the loneliest and
dreariest corner of the delta plain of lower
Egypt In the land where previous explorers
have found only the monuments Of an ex-
tinct faith and the graves of u dead nation,
Mr.. Flinders Petrie has lighted upon the
ruins Of royal palace. The fortunate finder
of Norcratis has now been working upon a
vast mound called Tell Defenneh, which his
| torians have long identified with the Pelusiac
Daphne of the Greeks and the TahpanheS Of
the Bible. Here he has discovered the ruins
of that very palace to which, as recorded in
the Book of the Prophet jeremiah, Johanan,
the son of Kercah, followed by all the captains
and the remnant of Judah, brought the fugi-
tive daughters of Zedekiah, then dethroned
captive in Babylon. This flight Of the He
brew princeSses took place about $50 B. c.,
| during the reign &C Ua-ab-Ra, whom the He
brews called Hophra and the Greeks Apries.
Pharaoh received the fugitives kindly.
To the mass of the Jewish immigrants he gave
tracts of land, to the daughters of Zedekiah,
his former ally, he assigned this royal palace,
which the Bible calls "Pharaoh's House in
Tahpanhes."
CASTLE OF THE JEWS DAUGHTER
Although this part of the delta is now a
wilderness, half marsh, half desert, over
which no traveller ever passes, it was at the
time when these events took place rich pas
toral district, fortified by the annual over
flow of the Nile. In the midst of mud
swamps have long been observed some groups
OF ruins, to one of which was attached the
name of the Castle of the jews Daughter.
Hearing this from his natives Mr.. Petrie at
once perceived the interest which must tach
to the place, and the intelligent labor which
he has bestowed upon it has met with a suit
able reward. Not only the architectural
structure, but its history also has been
rescued from oblivion.
The building was at first stronghold
quadrangular, lofty, massive, like castle
keep. 1t contained sixteen square rooms on
each floor, both the outer and partition walls
being of enormous strength. 1t is. of course,
impossible to guess of how many stories it
was originally composed, but it is of its fallen
stones that the mound is made This strong
hold was built by Psammeticus l, as is
proved by the deposits marked with the royal
name and titles, placed under the foundation
walls. There were found also the hbation
vessels, specimens Of ores, bricks, the bones OF
the OK and bird sacrificed at the time and
series of tablets with inscriptions. The rooms
in the castle were lined with slabs Of fine
limestone, covered with hieroglyphics, figures
of captives and the like, deicately carved and
painted. These are now splinteTed and
ruined, IS the castle was burned as well as
battered down, and very few objects of value
were therefore TO be recovered But the
Easements remain in very perfect condition.
and in the basement were the kitchen, buffers
pantry and scullery, and these domestic
Offices become of great interest when they
form part of an Egyptian palace $3.50 years