The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-01-13
BIG FIND OF MUMMIES.
IMPORTANT DISCOVERY OF AN EGYP-
TAN CRYPT.
Numerous Manuscripts - Their De-
ciphering May Restore the Lost
Learning of Egypt-Curious Cues"
tions That Await Solution.

ciphering May Restore the Lost
Learning of Egypt-Curious Cues"
tions That Await Solution.
A letter from Cairo to the New York
Tribune announces the discovery near
the Temple of Hatasu, in Egypt, of a
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 israeli
ties, and of Thothmes |, III, and Ill,
;Seti /, and Amenhotep |, were recovered.
The hidden tombs at Der ell Baharl 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 were 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
iNiVitH,co IltiNO hCNCi OCCh NCly
except to fix dates, as the records are
merely Boosting of kings written in the
most ford 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 a subterranean
tomb or crypt near the temple of Queen
Hatasu, at Thebes, was made by an Arab,
who reported it to the government, and
received a proper reward for his faith
fulness. The temple stands under bluff
of limestone at some distance from the
Nile. Near the temple the opening of a
perpendicular shaft in the solid rock was
found. This shaft upon exploration
proved to be As feet deep, and at the bot
tom was doorway, which had been
walled up. The following description of
the underground chambers is from thu
Cairo letter:
Passing through the doorway, the ex-
plorers entered a level corridor running
north and south, about $50 feet long.
From this fight of steps led downward
about 10 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 175 feet
The mummies were found piled about il
all parts of these room and corridors il
such way as to favor the theory thai
they were hastily removed thither from
their original resting place.
Up to February 10 about 1850 mum
mics had been removed to the Boulal
Museum. It's 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 t
the twenty first dynasty. That dynasty
was established by priest who possessed
great influence. Many of the mummie'
are those of priests. About the corridor
are hollow wooden images containing
manuscripts, and other manuscripts hav'
been found upon piles of mummy cases
i. It is believed that these writings wer
hidden by priests after the mummie
were removed to the underground
chambers. The hasty disposal of tn
mummy cases and manuscripts leads t.
) the conclusion that they were original,
Seposited in the temple of Hatasu an,
removed before threatened invasion
The painting on the cases, although a
least 5000 years old, is brilliant in colo
and apparently unchanged. The elabc
: rate decorations indicate that the dea
, We're persons of consequence. The form
, of some of the mummy cases are new t
), Psychologists and new forms of hierC
glyphics appear in the manuscripts
This may be accounted for by the fact
, recorded by Rawlinson, that Herhor c
the twenty-irst dynasty had formed a
liances with outside nations and had
wife of Semitic race, who was not
1 princess. Herhor was known as Sian
r mon or son of Ammon. If the ne,
: records can be deciphered, the history {
!. Egypt may be rewritten. 1t would b
a singular and interesting outcome, il
at this late day, all of the lost learnin
s of Egypt should be restored.
: The civilization of ancient Egypt had
/ vast influence upon the world, chief
d through the captivity of the Israelite
The Egyptians devoted great part {
= their energies and their fortunes TO pref
S arations for future life. Their bell,
: in the literal resurrection of the body h;
o had its influence upon all religious belief
- Whatever modern antiquarians believ
y they have not respected the belief of IL
l. Egyptians; for the Egyptian dead ha,
n been scattered and destroyed, ship loa,
e of mummies having been brought to En-
y land and the United States to be grour
;, into paint. The vast cemeteries ha,
" been pillaged for relics of the past st
. the resurrection of the body is one of Il
: cardinal doctrines of to-day. The Egg
d tians held it necessary to aid in tn
d resurrection by preparing the body for
=, The moderns hold that the power whi'
can raise the body to an immortal life
great enough to bring together the see
!. tered fragments after dissolution. T.
belief in the resurrection of the body W
shared by the Incas of Peru as well as
the Egyptians, and Peruvian mummi
are almost as common in our museur
Is as those from the land of the Nile. L
a pyramids of Mexico and the mummies
le Peru are the best evidences yet adduc
= TO show that there was formerly &C