Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-04-16
ANNAPOLIS MD, THURSDAY EVENING. APRIL Is. 1891
BIG FIND OF MUMMIES.
IMPORTANT DISCOVERY OF AN EcYP-
TAN CRYPT.

ciphering May Restore the Lost
Learning of Egypt-curious Ques-
tfons That Await Solution.
A letter from Cairo to the New York
Tribune announces the discovery near
the Temple of Hatasu, in Egypt, of q
crypt containing mummies and manu-
scripts that have never before been dis
turbed. The discovery is considered as
important as that in Der ell Bahari, in
1871, when the mummies of Rameses the
Great, the chief oppressor of the Israel
ties, and of Thothmes /, III, and III,
Seti /, and Amenhotep !, were recovered.
The hidden tombs at Der ell Bahari had
been preyed upon for 10 years by the
shrewd Arab who discovered them. He
had opened mummy cases and sold
jewels and manuscripts to travellers, and
many manuscripts were destroyed, but
Others We're decipherable.
These manuscripts threw much light
upon the customs of the Egyptians, their
daily life, and the extent of their learn
ing in medicine and law. The historical
references have never been very useful,
except to fix dates, as the records are
merely boasting of kings written in the
most fiorid style. Truth about kings was
smothered. The learned men of Egypt
formed vast organization for keeping
knowledge within the bounds they had
fixed. The discovery of subterranean
tomb or crypt near the temple of Queen
Hatasu, at Thebes, was made by an Arab,
who reported it to the government, and
racqivad a xarot,av. xx.xra~l e.. ~. eo;tl,
fulness. The temple stands under bluff
of limestone at some distance from the
Nile. Near the temple the opening of
perpendicular shaft in the solid rock was
found. This shaft upon exploration
proved to be IS feet deep, and at the bot
tom was a doorway, which had been
walled up. The following description of
the underground chambers is from the
Cairo letter:
Passing through the doorway, the ex-
plorers entered level corridor running
north and south, about $50 feet long.
From this flight Of steps led downward
about 18 feet, and then came another
corridor nearly 40 feet long. At the
ends of this second corridor were two
mortuary chambers. Still a third cor
ridor was found, starting from the top of
the stairway and extending IT'S feet
The mummies We're found piled about in
all parts of these room and corridors in
such way as to favor the theory that
they were hastily removed thither from
their original resting place."
Up TO February 10 about 100 num-
mics had been removed to the Boulak
Museum. Its the opinion of the Egypt
ologists who are in charge of the ex-
animation of the mummies and manu-
scripts that the most recent belong to
the twenty-first dynasty. That dynasty
was established by priest who possessed
great influence. Many of the mummies
are those of priests. About the corridors
are hollow wooden images containing
manuscripts, and other manuscripts have
been found upon piles of mummy cases.
1t is believed that these writings were
hidden by priests after the mummies
were removed to the underground
chambers. The hasty disposal of the
mummy cases and manuscripts leads to
the conclusion that they were originally
deposited in the temple of Hatasu and
removed before a threatened invasion.
The painting on the cases, although at
least 5000 years old, is brilliant in color
and apparently unchanged. The elabo-
rate decorations indicate that the dead
were persons of consequence. The forms
of some of the mummy cases are new to
Psychologists and new forms of hero
glyphics appear in the manuscripts.
This may be accounted for by the fact,
recorded by Rawlinson, that Herhor of
the twenty-frst dynasty had formed all
liances with outside nations and had a
wife of Semitic race, who was not a
princess. Herhor was known as Siam
mon or son of Ammon. If the new
records can be deciphered, the history of
Egypt may be rewritten. 1t would be
a singular and interesting outcome, if,
at this late day, all of the lost learning
of Egypt should be restored.
The civilization of ancient Egypt had a
vast influence upon the world, chiefly
through the captivity of the Israelites.
The Egyptians devoted great part Of
their energies and their fortunes to prep
arations for future life. Their belief
In the literal resurrection of the body has
had its influence upon all religious beliefs.
Whatever modern antiquarians believe,
they have not respected the belief of the
Egyptians; for the Egyptian dead have
been scattered and destroyed, ship loads
of mummies having been brought to Eng
Land and the United States to be ground
into paint. The vast cemeteries have
been pillaged for relics of the past. Still
the resurrection of the body is one of the
cardinal doctrines of to-day. The Egyp-
tians held it necessary TO aid in that
resurrection by preparing the body for it.
The moderns hold that the power which
can raise the body to an immortal life is
great enough to bring together the scat
tered fragments after dissolution. The
belief in the resurrection Of the body was
shared BY the Incas Of Peru as well as by
the Egyptians, and Peruvian mummies
are almost as common in our museums
as those from the land of the Nile The
pyramids of Mexico and the mummies Of
Peru are the best evidences yet adduced
70 show that there was formerly q con-
necfing land between Africa and America.
The story Of the lost Atalantis came from
+ ypt, and discoveries IN America 60 far
to sard confirming it. Thequestion now
is, Did the civilization Of Egypt have its
rise in America On Africa2 Are the pyra-
mids Of Mexico older than the pyramids
Of Egypt Are the munies Of Peru older
than the mummies Of EgyptS