Evening star., 1900-12-12
CLEOPATRA'S EMERALD MINES.
Account of a Visit to Them. With a
Discussion of the Gems.

From the London Standard.
A journey of exploration to what are
known as the Emerald Mines of Cleopatra
is described by Mr.. ID. A. MacAlister in the
new number of the Geogra phical Journal.
They lie in the mountain range that extends
for a long distance parallel to the Red sea,
and a few leagues west of it's coast, in a
latitude rather south of Eofu, on the Nile.
This, like some other parts of the region,
such as the porphyry quarries of Jebel
Dokhan, was far better known than 1t is
now, and more thicky peopled, about twen-
ty centuries ago. and only during the pres
ent one, so far as we know. have isolated
explorers, at long intervals, found the way
into the treasure house of ancient Egypt.
Nhen its rulers first used the emerald for
personal adornment is uncertain. Whether
the large, clear green stones which, ac-
cording to ancient authorities, ornamented
the Egyptian temples were really Ids
is a matter of dispute, but as this gem
owing to its regular shape, which is COM
monty a six-sided prism-and its beautiful
tint stands less In need of the lapidary' S
art than many others, it probably formed
part of the regalia Of princes at a very
early period. That it was known to the
Romans is certain, and the mines now re-
visited used to send their treasures to the
gem cutters of the capital. Ever since then
the stone has been highly esteemed.
In the middle ages few jewels command
ed a higher price; for. in addition to its
beauty, fancy endowed it with medicinal
virtues. 1t was a prophylactic against epi-
lepsy and cure for dysentery. Like the
sapphire, 1t guarded the chastity of the
wearer and resented any trespass by
breaking into pieces Though more pro-
sale age has divested it of these virtues. 1t
is still highly valued, nor do we contemn
its less brilliantly colored relative, the
auuamarne or beryl, which is practically
he
being due to the presence of Il small guam
tty Of the metal chromium. These mines
of the northern Etbai seem to have re-
mained untouched since the decline and
According to Mr.. MacAlster, the work
ings are only small passages hardly more
than burrows, eXcavated In the emerald
bearing schist and sometimes extending for
a long distance. Many scattered ruins may
also be seen-dwellings, watch towers and
tombs. besides those of ten settlements.
In these no doubt the mining population
used to live, and the differences in style
time Some are mere novels, very roughly
btlilt; others show a more careful con-
struction; while third group are well fin
ished.
Mr.. MacAlister also found three rock-cut
temples, for the soft stone lends itself to
that kind Of architecture. He thinks that
their pillars though very primitive in style,
indicate Egyptian designs, with traces of
crumbling inscription in that language.
Broken pottery, sometimes ornamental, Is
abundant but there IS no evidence that the
neighborhood attracted visitors for any but
business purposes. Notwithstanding this,
there was in those times a settled instead
OF nomad population, and travellers once
must have been rather frequent, for in one
place many drawings Of persons, anima 8
and tribal marks are scratched upon the
rocks. The subjects are various enough;
family scenes and f1ghts-in which the
weapons are swords and spears. bows and
arrows-camels and dromedaries, horses,
dogs, goats and oxen, besides ibex. gazelles
and ostriches. Some of the figures evil
IDENTIFY are much older than others; but,
as a whole, they recall to memory the
Sinatic inscriptions which some forty years
ago were believed to be memorials of the
wanderings of the 1sraelites. To this at
tractive hypothesis the late Prof. E. H.
Palmer gave the death blow, when he dem
onstrated them to be-as, no doubt, are
these of the emerald mines-only the fraf-
fiji Of travellers. none Of them, probably,
earlier than the Christian era.