The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-18
NO LONGER A MYTH.
Founder Of the Long Line of Egyp-
tiau Kings.

The founder of the long line of Kings
who ruled over Egypt for some thou
sands Of years was Menes-at least, SO
We have been taught to believe. With
him begins the story of civilization in
the Nile Valley, but whether Menes was
real person has been doubted even
more perhaps than the reality of Ro-
mulus-the founder of that other imper-
ial land to which Egypt was destined to
become subject But now the actual
tomb of Menes is reported to have been
found. Thus another great fact in the
history of the earliest civilization
stands forth to build upon. Comment
ing on the discovery The Chronicle"
of London prints the following:
"A very interesting discovery has
been made by DIR. Borchardt of the Gil
zeh Museum, which adds immensely TO
our knowledge of early Egyptian his
tory, provided it is fully sustained The
scholars have hitherto told US that the
origins of Egyptian history were
wrapped in absolute obscurity, and In
particular that the founder of the first
Egyptian dynasty, whose name was
Menes, was a mythical person, like
Cadmus Of Thebes and old Anchises,
and many other worthless who, in SIM
pier times, We're regarded as real men.
To Menes was ascribed by the ancient
Egyptians the canals of Egypt and the
union of Upper and Lower Egypt into
one kingdom.
Last year a tomb was discovered
near Thebes, and now DR.. Borchardt
has identified that tomb with that of
Menes, who turns out to have been a
real character. The bones and the
seal Of Menes, whose body was burned,
not embalmed, and the inscription in
which he calls himself the King of Up
per and Lower Egypt, have been so
clearly identified that it would appear
there is little ground for doubt. At
least the authority of NJ. de Morgan
and DR.. Borchardt cannot lightly pc
set aside, and they are agreed as to this
tomb being that of the real founder of
the first Egyptian dynasty. In other
words, MeneS was no myth, but a real
human being, the founder Of kingdom
which endured, under the guidance of a
great and powerful priesthood, for
thousands of years.
TT is clear that there is far more in
ancient tradition than the skepticism
of modern historians, especially Of the
German school, has been wont to adj
NIT. Much Of the old Roman tradition,
set aside by Niebuhr, has now been
indicated beyond all dispute by the
actual evidence of brick and stone. The
Biblical records, which some of the
critics tried to dissolve away into thin
air. have been justified by tangible ev-
idence. One school of critics resolved
Abraham into a sun myth, but the, per-
sonality of the mighty founder of the
most tenacious race in human history
stands out again in it's imposing out
lines. The German advanced criticism
of the New Testament has been pretty
severely handled by the still newer
critics with the latest learning. The
methods of Strauss no longer hold In
the minds of serious thinkers.
TT seems not unlikely that much or
ancient history will be reconstructed,
not as the subjective critics who
evolved camels out of their moral con-
seriousness imagined, but by very
substantial incorporation of much that
was held to be legendary or mythical
into the surer history of the future. The
new history calls archaeology, crani-
ology, and inscriptions to it's aid, and
so earns IOf uSelI QoSltiOH VI
strength which before our century was
unknown. The strange paradox is
brought about that the further we are
removed from ancient times the more
we know about them. In a special de-
gree it may be said that a fairly COM
plete reconstruction OF Egyptian his
tory and religion would be a most i'm
portant contribution to the knowledge
of the history of mankind, and this
knowledge seems to be on the point of
being obtained. According to NJ de
Morgan, real Egyptian history begins
with a race of conquerors, whose ORR
gin was probably in Babylonia. They
brought with them wheat and barley,
the OK, the sheep, the goat, the begin
nings of writing, and perhaps the use
of tools They blended with the prim-
tive race, living in the stone age, and
from that union the historic Egyptians
preceded. 1t was this mixed race
which built the pyramids and temples.
So far, if NJ. de Morgan is to be relied
on, and there are few more trustworthy
investigators, have the researches into
the history of old Egypt led US, and it
is a long way"