Washington sentinel., 1898-07-09

PORTRAIT STATUES IN EGYPT AND
AMEuCA.-It is a sir rgular fact,
says the american antiquarian,
that from the earliest time there
were portraits which accurately
represent the forms and faces OF
individuals. Some Of them were
kings, others noblemeD and a few
private persons. An unknown man
OF the fourth dynasty wrought out
OF a block OF wood has been pre-
served From this we learn the
dress, the form and the lace OF the
men who lived in that time, 1000
BIC. The dress was simple tunic
with a cord about the waist, rude
sword suspended from the cord,
and a knotted staff is held in the
left hand. All OF it is very plain
and simple, just as we would ex-
pect to see at this time Later on
there are the portraits of the HYS-
SOS kings. These have been des-
cribed b. Or e. II. SaVce. They
are IN great contrast to the statues
lust mentioned. They represent
long, lank, lean faces, just such
faces as we would expect to see in
the Turanian or Mongolian races,
with a long lock Of hair falling
on the shoulder, resembling the
pigtail Of the Chinese, but more
resembling the scalp locks of the
American Indians Still later there
appears another set of portraits
They seem to belong to a superior
race, and yet one which was allied
or akin to the first race that reigued
during the first tour dynastieS, who
were the pyramid builders but not
the builders OF the temples. The
portraits Of the Pharaohs are also
| given in most okS on Egypt0l-
ogy. Among them the most in
teresting was that of Rameses ii.
These were tall and stately kings,
but they salso show something Of
the royal air. Later on we find as
great a change in theportraits as we
do in costumes and in the art and
agriculture of Egypt. The faces
now resemble the Babylonian and
Assyrian kings, as they have heavy
boards and full faces, and wear
crowns or turbans. Tne hair falls
IN heavy tolls below the crown.
They seem to be we'll ted and are
very complacent, and are in con-
traSt to the warrior kings such as
Rameses and others. The age of
PtolemY brought more luxury
and ease, which are exhibited in
| the portraits as much as in the
surroundings Of the kings. Al
the way through the his ory of
Egypt there was a line ct nobility,
notwithstanding the changes and
revolutions which occurred. There
was evidently a progress in civiliz-
alton, and this progress had much
effect upon individuals, as upon the
entire race, and marked its lines in
their faces and forms as much as il
did in their dress and equipage. 1t
is very interesting to trace this
progress and study the history OF
Egypt md the East IN the liVht Of
the portraits which have been pre-
served What shall we say about
the early American history, that
which preceded the advent Of the
white men and the date OF the dis.
covery7 Can we learn anything
from the portraits which had been
preserved in the land? We have
in the preceding numbers spoken
OF the portrait columns at Uxmal
Palenque, in Central America, and
have maintained that they we're
the portraits OF kings and queens.
Some have thought differently, for
they have held that they represent
the divinties and culture, heroes
and mere imaginary figures. A
few, such as M. lie Plongeon, have
held that they were portraits which
resembled Egyptian faces, and
have imagined from this tact and
others a connection between
Egypt and America in prehistoric
times. A close study of the por-
trait columns will reveal the error,
for there is no resemblance what
ever. There is, however, a lesson
to be learned. These portraits are
in great contrast to the pictures Of
the North American Indians, OF
which Blackhawk was a specimen.
They must have belonged to differ
ent races, and represent different
line Of descent.