The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-05
DEALING IN ANCIENT DEAD.
SCENES At THE AUCTION SALES OF
EGYPTIAN MJMMIES.
That Some of the Remains May
Not Have Been Represented
Owing to n 10th Century Notion.

The sale of rnunmies yesterday by public
auction has caused a partly amused and
partly Mortified sensation in London. The
announcement that the sale Was going 20
take place brought forth several letters OF
protest TO the newspapers in regard 70
dissertation OF the dead and so FORTH ole
OF which l send you as specimen Of the
rest. The writer. lady, says; How dare
Englishnen and Englishwomen Of this
nineteenth century allow and countenance
such thing2 TX Is disgrace TO clviliZa-
ton. We English people boast of oar God )
Acre We reverence our dead. How dare
We NEEDLE with the to.nbs OF the ancients.
make them a nine days wonder, almost
laughing stock. and then stand IN our
church on Sunday morning and say, L be-
iieve in the resurrection of the dead? Let
these few lines of indignation (rigntcous, |
believe). rouse the conscience of not few.
who. unless utterly indifferent 10 sad losses.
must have felt the keen pang OF sorrow in
their lives and repent ere il is too late OF
meddiiug with Gods own.
Another person writes. attributing this
callousness in regard TO the ancient dead
10 the long iapse-thousandss Of years
since their funerals took place, and adds.
but I'VE should remember that when We are
dead thousand years is only a grain OF
the sands of time"
i went 10 the sale, and am afraid l was
more amused than shocked. The auction
room is on one Of the main streets of
CoVent Garden. and the tone OF the
auCtioneer eXtolling the excellence of the
mummIes was at times drowned by the
harsh cries OF the vendors of fruit and
vegetables in the adjoining truck market.
The place was crowded with the usual sup
ply of Hebrew furniture men. but there
was a strong sprnkling OF shOwmen and
museum caterers, as well as a number OF
persons drawn. Ike myself, out OF curiosity.
One OF these latter a substantial looking
clergyman Of the Episcopal church, was
accompanied by a lady, evidently lis wife
To her disgust, his reverence made seri-
Gus bid for the dried body of Ptolemy III
bid as high as so (eie) for i;-and looked
quite disappointed when the price went up
beyond his purse.
My dear. what could We do with it?''
asked the wife.
Put 1t in my study. so that 1 could gaze
at IL while composing my sermons was
the reply What better reminder OF the
dustiness Of all earthly things?'
Tho gentleman WELDING the hammer vas
most facetIous. The mummies were I'M
relied three OF them were stated 10 be
royal remains to-wit, Ptolemy H.. King Of
Egypt: Antiochus Softer, King Of Assyr.a,
and Alpha, the Queen Of Seleucus, king
OF Babylon. DR.. Birch, the expert of the
British Museum. and Prof. Bonomi gave
certificates of the genuineness OF the royal
mummles. and 50 the purchaser. a show
man. seemed 10 have a bargain, when three
Two kings ana a queen. "A good poker
hand" said the auciioneer-were knocked
down FOR seventy-five guineas, or little
more than $751;. Ii did seem queer. when
you thought about il. 10 think of these
once mighty monarchs torn from their
1f oF NO
slUmher. bereft or their winding sheets.
handled with coarse indigniues alike ~
modern Egyptians and civilized Europeans.
transported by rail- and sea TO an island
which had peTcaance no existence when the
Pharaohs reigued, and finally sold As COM
mon merchandise TO j Snowman. TO be
robbed forever more OF the peace OF death
and exhibited along. perhaps. with 4 fat
lady. performing elephant end cage of
monkeys
One OF those learned gentlemen who
know everything, gave me another curious
piece OF information tif trucl. Antiochus
Softer King Of Assyrla. was the son of the
female mummy Alpha, Queen OF Babylon.
by her husband. King Scleucus. who. II
seems was murdered by Ptolemv H. And
the wife and son of the victim. after
twenty odd centuries became par; of a
'Iot" with the murderer. and now seem
doomed for continuous companionship. |
turn In their graves.
BUT there IS also a possibility n these
alleged royal mummies being only com
mon dust. and very common duet. despite
the certificates q SANaEts like Birch and
Bonou. Another very clever gentleman
draws attention 10 the fact that there is
"a suspicion ia regard 70 the origin OF all
muuTlgs. III consequence ~ the char
lstanism of soine Jewish doctors. who. At
the beginning % the sixteenth century.
affected TO bslieve that mumm.hed re-
mains possessed medicinal qualities. !rn-
porters q mummies from Egypt when the
supply Fan short. took 90 manufacturing
them. They robbed glbOets % their bur
dens. enaa.med the common murderer by
filling him with bltumen. myrra and
aloes. gave Alna the name OF an Egyptian
king and theu proceeded TO compound
specifics from the aromatic result
Fancy an ordinary peasant of the time
of Columbus. Who bad the misfortune 10
he hanged for highway robbery turasng
up in these days ot President Mckinley
and queen Victoria IS the n4may 81
Ptoisiny' : teil yog a mummy auction
makes YOU thlnk
There we're also plenty Of ether lots -
strange interest AZ the Covsnt Garden
auction There was an Ashs mise dram
wi.h a number OF human 3awbones al
Iached. which was sold Tor s2-s5 Three
dried elephant tails AN ancsert Roman
sword. and "a autograph letter ~ the late
- John M.llals. were hammered a. ore
los ard went Tor few shillngE I could
lof discover What particular JOY f. 20 bes
found In a dried elephant taft There vas
also "a representation Of thu American
continent 81 the shape @ mummy OF
Peruyisn lady. bat she d!dnt arouse any
particular in1eres, and was purchased
cheap" said the auctloneer. fc- small
si1e-show elrcus.--Sew York Mall