New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-31
AT THE TEMPLE OF BAST.
INTERESTING RESULTS OF THE EGYPTIAN
EXPLORATION WORK

INTERESTING RESULTS OF THE EGYPTIAN
EXPLORATION WORK.
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
CAIRO, April 10.
No one fairly within the magic circles Of Egypt
ology, whose imagination and curiosity have
been fired by the recent astounding
discoveries along the Nile and in the Delta, ever
seems quite able to extricate himself Your CORE
spondent, through the kind offices Of Dr. Grant
Bey. of Cairo, got as nearly into the meshes OF
this modern siren as q man can and yet come out
intact But even he must pay the penalty of his
rashncss by giving an account of what he has
seen and heard DR.. Grant himself is q lost man.
Egyptology has him in its firm grip. Distributed
through his elegant apartments in the busiest
ouarter Of Cairo is one of the finest private col
lections of Egyptian antiquities in existence. He
kccps open house ON Wednesday evening and any
enc who cares for the sight Of rare bits of an
tiouities that throw light on the whole range Of
Egyptian history, well as for mastery ccerone,
who has spent years over his beloved subject,
can easily have the opportunity. DR.. Grant is
well known in America, in Great Britain, and on
the Continents and not few institutions have
received through him valuable contributions to
their museums.
Keeniy alive to the importance of the work
being done in the Delta by the Egyptian Explora-
ton Fund.- and desiring to see the men who have
30 judiciously used the funds of the American and
English public, took card Of introduction from
DR.. Grant to Mr. Naville, who, with Count
DHulss, has charge Of the excavations at Tell
Basta, the ancient Bubastis, near the modern
busy town of ZalxaziS two hours by rail northeast
of Cairo. For many years the large outlying
ruins to the southeast Of Zalazik have attracted
the attention of archaeologists, but it was not
until last year that Mr.. Nayille and his fellow
workers came to the conclusion that hidden be-
meath those masses of shapcless walls and mounds
and heaps of cats bones of the most
interesting temples in the Delta. For some years
the fellaheen have been digging up quantities
of bronze and earthen antiquities as they carried
of the mould Of centuries to fertlzc their gardens
"A months work last year by Mr.. Naville made
him perfectly sure that the magnificent temple
described by Herodotus was situated in the centre
of these ruins, in craterlike depression, running
from east to west, 700 or 500 feet in length,
with the most sacred shrine at the western end
approached by splendid halls decorated with the
statues of some of Egypts greatest kings and with
pictorial illustrations of the festal scenes which
Hcrodotus has described so wildly.
The worship of Bast, from whence the name
Bubastis is said to have originated in Arabia and
found Its way very early into lower Egypt In
the devotion of centuries of pagan Egyptians seems
to have centred itself. The greatest kings of the
greatest dynasties We'd with each other in their
tributes to Bast. the Egyptian Aphrodite.
Herodotus tells us that there were many larger
temples in Egypt than at Bubastis, but none
so costly OF equal to it in beauty Of form. II
was situated island in the centre of the city,
surrounded by moat 90 feet in width the water
of which was brought from an arm of the Nile
The approach to the temple was from the East by
a magnificent avenue lined with trees. The temple
situated that it could be seen from every
part Of the city Bast was the Aphrodite of Egypt,
and the great festivals in her honor celebrated
with all the pomp and licentiousncss possible to
ancient Egypt. The goddess Bast was generally
represented with a cats head. She was called
the daughter OF Ra and the bride Of Ptah, and
personiiies sensual love- She is also a symbol Of
the heat Of the sun. In the lower world she fights
Apep, the serpent, and in the likeness of cat
headed woman she Furnishes the wicked. She
seems to be the union of two natures As Scxhet
she is terrible and as Bast she is kind. The cat
was her sacred animal and as such was veneratcd
On her hea~ generally rests disk with the Uraeus
serpent and in her hands are the sceptre and the
symbol of life.
AS the train approaches ZakazilS, low-lying hills
of dark irregular mounds appear on the right
less than a mile away, and soon
q nearer view reveals their true nature
Tumbling walls of sun dried brick seem to make
up the mass of ali that is left of the once famous
city of Bubastis The tents of the exploring party
appear on the north and here we are at Zakazik
The station, crowded with pedlers of antiquities
and NOISY water-oarriers, is soon past. We push
through the uproarious donkey boys outside the
door, mounting the first good animals that appear,
speak the magic name of Mr.. Naville, and are off
on gallop over a long dyke leading to the tents
less than mile away.
Mr.. Navile and Count D'Hulst were in camp
and DR.. Grants courtesy proved to be an open
door to still further kindness. The tents arc
pitched just the verge of the large cemetery
of cats. and piled up all about were mounds of
cats bones. Here the mummied cats were inferred
with great ceremony in ancient times and the
fellaheen are continually finding bronze images
OF all sorts. walk of ten minutes led us through
this interesting burial ground and through the
gates OF the city, now completely in ruins,
and down to the army of workmen and the fallen
remains of the great temple, now nearly laid bare
after three months Of hard labor by corps of
laborers varying from ! so to 600.
just as we reached the scene of action another
party OF gentlemen came up. and we were intro
duced to DR. Schliemann Of Trojan fame to Pro
lessor Virchow, the celebrated anatomist of Berlin
and to Professor Simpson, of Edinburgh, all Of
whom were on the same GRAND with ourselves
II was rare company, for each man brought to
bear the knowledge OF specialist All spoke
English for the most part. DR.. Schliemann boasts
OF his American citizenship Although man
OF over seventy, he looks more than ten years
younger lie is thoroughly German in the sim
pliclty OF his dress and manner lie took delight
ell day in making use Of Arabic upon every suit
able occasion. He seems to have failed in his en-
deavor to find the tomb Of Alexander the Great at
Alexandria He had some difficulty in getting
permission to excavate in the particular place
ne desired, and finally came TO the conclusion that