Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-05-15

UoDelen- ID Ino SOuJu, were GAIL
the remains of people wholly distinct
from the Egyptians. They existed be-
tween the With and IAth dynastles.
about 5000 B. c., and were, it is sup
posed, invaders who overthrow Egyp-
tian civilization at the close of the old
kingdom, bringing in the Ozark Age"
of the With dynasty. This period in
our histories of Egypt has been hith-
erto almost blank, the land being, it
was supposed, at that time subject to
some great disaster, the nature OF
which was unknown. Who were this
new people? Professor Petrie con-
lectures that they were Libyans and a
branch of the same race that founded
the Amorite nation in Syria. This is
suggested by the shape of their skulls,
by their carved work, by their pottery
and by their position opposite the
Great Oasis and the Western Oasis,
with which they had communication
westward across the desert.
What is very remarkable about
these people is that they seem to have
had nothing whatever in common with
the Z egyptians among whom they had
obtruded themselves. They were, it
appe airs, savage horde OF conquerors,
who, within definite area, utterly
displaced the natives, and were not
during long period influenced mate
rally by Egyptian culture. Altogether
some 1900 graves of this race were ex-
cavated with scientific precision
Every object they contained was noted
in position and everything was pre-
served and marked. In this great
number of graves-belongipg to many
different cemeteries-not a single
Egyptian object was found. mot one
scarab or cartouche was found" says
the London Times report of the
lecture, mot one hieroglyphic, not one
piece of usual funeral furniture, a
headrest, or kohl-pot, not one Egyp-
tian head, not one god, not one amulet,
not single piece of Egyptian pottery
such as was found in abundance in a
neighboring Egyptian town. And not
one body was mummified or buried at
full length; all were contracted, with
the knees bent up to the arms. The
position was always with the head
toward the south and the face to the
vest There is almost conclusive
evidence of custom of eating por
lions of the bodies of deceased persons.
The hands were often gone and the
head was almost always severed from
the shoulders. In some tombs per-
feet piece of pottery was substituted
for the head. In others the severance
had gone further and all the bones
were grouped-here ribs, there arm
bones and in another place vertebre.-
Lines of bones were found around the
pits, each with the ends broken off
and the marrow scoped out-evidence
of ceremonial cannibalism, if not of a
revolving habit of utilizing the de-
parted for the ordinary food supply.
In some respects the race was at a
low level of culture, being unac-
quainted with the art of writing and
poor at drawing and sculpture. But
copper chisels, needles and harpoons
were in use, and woodworking was
somewhat developed. Their flint
knives show exquisite skill, far sur.
passing that of the Egyptians. Stone
work was carried to the highest per
lection ip vases and beads. In pottery
they also excelled the Egyptians.
though unacquainted with the potter's
wheel. Few tombs were without half
dozen vases, and one contained So
the vessels, perhaps, in which the il
lustrious decedent was served up to
the guests at his funeral. The physiog-
nomy of the race was fine and power
full, without trace of negro prognath-
ism. Many individuals were over six
feet high, and the great development
of their legs suggests that they we're a
hill race. Their hair was brown and
wavy, but not crisp. The very promi-
nent acquiline nose and long, pointed
beard recall the Libyan and Amorite
type, but, there are also suggestions of
origin in Malta or Italy.
Little less interesting than this new
ly discovered factor in the history of
the worlds civilization is Professor
Petrie's discovery of remains of palace
lithic man, near Thebes, on the high
plateau, 400 feet above the Nile
Near the river is the recently de-
posted cultivable soil. Back OF this
for three miles extends the old river
bed of gravel laid down by the Nile
when, with fifty times its present
volume, it filled the valley. Back of
this still rise the limestone cliffs which
were the Oldest shores of the Nile. 1t
is above these cliffs, on the old plateau
through which the Nile valley is cut,
that Palaeolithic man existed and pro-
duced large flints exactly like those
found in the river gravels of France
and England. They are we'll worked
duU ulWOTu. HelT NdSb age is SuOWu
by their having a black thrown stain
ing, while others, 5000 years old, by
their size show scarcely tinge of
weathering. Besides these flints of
the higher plateau Mr.. Petrie obtained
others of later type imbedded in the
ancient gravels of the former high
Nile. The explorers collection is full
of suggestion. In these various finds
we have strata of the history of man in
time so remote that the period of the
building of the pyramids must, by
comparison, seem a mere yesterday.
1t is reported that Rev. Geo. W. Car
ter is writing most of the editorials of
the Norfolk Pilot. He recently married
a young wife, as heretofore noticed.
He has had a remarkable career as
politician and preacher. He is man
of talent-and an eloquent speaker.