Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-11-28
WOULD NOT SUPPLY THE GEESE.
An Incident Of Pharaoh's Time REVEALED
by the Wrappings Of a Mummy.

'~SAtD ~ - - 80 --~-s
An Incident Of Pharaoi1's Time Revealed
by the Wrappings Of Mummy.
The momertous fact now bursts upon
the world that IN the fourteenth year
of the reign Of Ptolemy PhiIadeiphus
one of the royal gooseherds wrote a
letter stating that he could not supply
twelve geese wanted for the kings fes-
tiYal. Or this simple fact the world
has been in ignorance for over four
thousand years; yet we are now assured
Of it on as irrcfragable historical evil
dence as that which tells Us that the
Pharaoh Of Joseph's time imprisoned
his chief butler and chief baker for
probably as small an oiIense. 1t comes
about in this way. The state paper
concerning the royal geese was duly
pigeonhold, and, after the lapse Of
years, perhaps, was disposed OF as
waste papyrus. 1t fell into the hands
of the undertakers, who used it along
with lot Of similar material in max
ing the cartonnage headcase for a
mummy.
This mummy was entombed in the
metropolis OF little town (the site is
called Tell Gurob at this day) which
began TO fall into decay about the time
OF Menepthah, the supposed Pharaoh
OF the exodus. 1t has been disinterred
by Mr. Pctrie ia the course of his last
seasons excavations in the Fayoum.
The headcase, with thin covering Of
plaster over all, was soaked in water
aud the papyri of which it was com
posed became separated without inPry
to the original writing. Thus we come
TO know about the goOseherd and about
a great many other far more Interest,"
ing facts in connection with everyday
lie and affairs Of the Egyptians Of that
epoch. For their are lots of mummies
and quite 4 crop OF Ptolemaic docu-
ments, and many OF them will soon be
in the actual custody OF the British
museum authorities. Considering the
progress that has been made in Egyptol-
ogy during the present century, and the
abundance OF fresh material that has
been brought TO light Of recent years.
the next generation may be able TO learn
rs much about Egyptian antiquities ~
the present one can about Grecian or
Roman.
From records previously recovered
it appears to be established that Egean
Greeks visited Egypt quite 4,S00 years
ago During his last seasons explora-
tions Mr. Petrie exhumed at Illabuu
some pottery Of that period stamped
with alphabetical characters which are
neither hieroGlyphic nor hieratic
There is nothing to show that these two
facts are in any way connected. But
he exhumed at Tell Gurob quantity
of pottery Of uudoubted Cypriote and
Mycenean types and which belongs to
period somewhat anterior to the eXo-
dus. These, curiously enough are in
cised with characters OF similar de-
scription. The obvious inference is
that these alphabetic characters are
early Greek orPhgnician. Should this
conjecture prove to be we'll founded it
would lead to some startling conelu-
sions. 1t has generally been accepted
that the Homeric epics were preserved
by oral tradition and edited, if not add
ed TO, at a later period. But these dis
coyeries OF Mr.. Petrie suggest the as
founding possibility that the Had may
have been reduced to writing at blind
Homers own dictation. -LeUaHt Her
ulI