The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27

U4lLHO
One OF these knives now in the Glzeh, Mu-
s se,ad i Is ~ inches nciS ,l Ling; -, The handle ar. sn is deco
two snakes and some floral ornaments on one
side. and on the ether. lions chasing gazelles
and antelopeE. Decides four other Quadrupeds
less discernible. This decoration has MOTH nv
Egyptian in its style. and corresponds to the
mode OF ornalnentation observed else where
among the prehistoric specimens. more espe-
cially on vases. Other articles assumed the
shape of knives. but are entirely polished. They
are found on the ground at G0urnah and in the
autochthone tombs n: Ell Amrah. The arrow
heads assume numberless shapes, but in this
case the author was unable TO distinguish the
prehistoric from the historic articles.
sometimes provided with single CHelouan) or
Iouble hook tAhydos. Dimeh. Fl Amrah .Tonkh
&C.,, or even finely indented. while the fints
used during the historic times arc always of an
entirely different type. the perforatinR power
ssri;ip ri from t ihe sharp &c, edge OF = very small
during the historic times, they are made of
bronze. The historic times arrows says NJ.
dis coveries which have been made. The old
est that have come TO US belong to the middle
empire. the most recent ones are but little an
terror to our era; besides this. we know by the
numerous figures of archers which appear on
long after the beginning of the ancient EN-
pire." This dissimilitude of types is sufficient
TO prove the existence of Il neolithic period in
while found abundaotly in the prehistoric set
IltI1tHIN. i eve ia II bpOIS
purely Pharaoh C. Greek. or RoIna"..
Other implements profusely found in the
flint blndee used as saws and sickles. A COM
plete specimen: with It's wooden setting, was
discovered by Flinders Petrie at Kahoun. This
tool is known by numerous reproductions as
a hleroglyphic sign. II should DO noticed
that in It's earliest representations. a fresco
used. one for the blade. another for the handle.
whiic In the late reproductions n single color
have Sapea Copied inc in metal FnA the ea aint s sis ipet they found found
In use among tine Nile Valley autochthones.
Among the arms Discovered are perforated
thones and to Pharaonic Egypt, some were
at Dashur. Wheat grows naturally in Egypt,
and from the great number OF ,ickles found
advanced In the art OF agriculture; also on the
sites of he prehistoric stations are to be seen
eonain%sd in liant Sub JANA downs TO Q our 1a days lay N4 4
statuette from u Dashur mastoba of the III.
dynasty shows an Egyptian using one OF those
Tt autochtnonc tribes of Egypt had a re-
liRion of their own. a gross fetichism. in fact.
of slate iigurines n. the shanes Of turtles.
fishes; or birds found in the prshistoric tombs
such articles exist in the Glzeh Museum aud
In other collections; ,soHe EgyptoloEists,"
says NJ; do Morgan. who believed themselves
& SSIs''e or 10 the Xiii. dynssties most Of
these articles. but generally no attention was
autochthone sepulchres. Because Of this fact
there should be no doubt, as the discoveries
have hecn made under my own eyes. and l
must add that even in the most archaic tombs
of the ancient empire l have never found the
In the necr0pole of Gehel-el-Tarif a small
terra Gotta tigurine Of a human seated image
was found. This, rude specimen is the only
Now we come TO q branch of industry which
is tho best adapted to characterize and date a
period the potter's products. The stone age
pottery was mostly eXhumed from Upper
Esypt's necropoles. The excavations were
remarks are made from observations taken on
the spot. Two kinds of materials are Used In
the making of pottery. the mud from the Nile
h~illsidss at various spots. The hrst ma lateral.
when fired. produces y~ellowIsh or reddish pot
the documentary clay is made q light red ware.
The brown and black vases are obtained by
Is 10 be found In the Sinai district. The most
frequently found pottery in the prehistoric
tomRs j. a coarse kind. very hard To- dis,
empires mastabas. Besides these vases are
often found others made OF red clay, some OF
them having q black border. There are vases
in the Giaeh Museum. but NJ. de Morgan
questions this attribution. as he never found
aay in the middle empire tombs which he has
explored: These vases have occasionally en-
graved linear ornaments. But the lyrical cera-
mics OF the Rutocithones are yellowish vases.
with red painted decorations. They are. album
dainty found in, the metropolis of Abydos.
iflhhs ~ hllt iAults nv az
sumo a greal variety OF shapes. and someti.n mes,
though but seldom, they are fashioned into ami
NAL forms. They are mnttly broad and fiat: their
decoration is OF spirals. undulating or broken
lines, also occasional representations OF anil
mails. such as ostr'ches and Gaze!les. and even
human beings. On none OF these vases ~apnears
the slightest trace OF hieroklyphics or any thing
that could call to mind the Egyptian style.
absolutely characteristic OF the autochthone
race. they have never heen met With in the
Pha.aonic mHstabas. There are also the small
disks Hnown under the name, OF fusaiules. stint.
lar to those which ara abundant in Europe and
typical of the prehistoric times. They are
never found with anything purely PhRraOnic.
Besides the clay vessels. the prehistoric
tombs contain. Il great variety or vases cut out
OF all sorts of stones. ranging In hardness from
alabaster ana limestone To granite aud bnsalt.
The eutochthone stone cutters DO not seem ia
have known any unconquerable difficulty.
From AbYdos and Gebel-el- Tariff come the
most numerous specimens. though suc!! vases
are found everywhere. The custom of making
stone vases lasted as long as the Egyptian EN-
plre. IL must he noticed, however. that the
greatest development OF this ind ustry belongs
10 the earliest times, aud everything tends "a
prove that II originated with the Au'Ochthones
OF the Nile Valley. At FL Am-ah and Gebel-
el-1'nrIf stone vases are found in tombs con-
tanning nothing but flint implements.
The furnished by NJ. de Morgan
seems 10 leave no doubt OF tho existence OF the
prehistoric nan In Egypt, and We max even
learn from his descriptions the conditions OF
lnG and the degree Of civilization Of the autoch'
thones. The Nile Valley Sas much deeper