The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-06

the Iron Age. which so much belongs 10 the
historical period that We can best consider II
In noticing separate countries.
From the recent discoveries In Egypt we
can gain some idea OF the date Of these
periods. We ventured TO assign about 10
90 Il. c. for tho rise OF the Neolithic or
polished stone period at may very possibly
be e9rlier); the beginning OF the use OF cop
per may be placed about 5000 B. C; the be-
ginning OF bronze was perhaps 5000 or 2.Ooo
b.. c.. as its free use IN Egypt u not I'LL
leo b. c; and the use OF iron beginning
about LOCO b. c.. probably in Armenia.
spread thence through Europe until II
reached Italy, perhaps 100 years B. c.. and
Britain about 400 Il. c. Such IL the brief
est outline OF the greater part OF the history
OF man. msssed together IN one general
term Of prehistoric" before we reach the
little fringe OF history nearest 20 our own
age. The whole OF this knowledge results
from the work OF this century.
At the beginning Of this century Egypt
was a land OF untouched and ineKplicable
mystery; the hieroglyphics were wondered
at and puzzled over, without any idea Of
how they were 70 be read. whether ss SYM
bols or as lettsrs The history was entirely
derived from the confused accounts OF
Greek authors. the lsts remaining Of Name
tho's history written about $50 B.. c.. and
the illusions IN the Bible. The attempt TO
make everything At to the ideas OF the
Greeks. and TO make everything refer TO
the BIBLICAL history. greatly retarded the
understanding OF the monumen and 10
scarcely overcome yet. The first great step
forward was when an Inscription was found
at Rosetta in 1879. written IN two methods.
tbs hieroglyphic and the pop
ular denote, along with a Greek version.
BY lSA some groups OF each writing had
been translated. Young identified more
signs. and Cell. by 1922. could successfully
apportfon three-Quarters OF the signs to the
Greek words. The next step was to apply
the modern Coptic language. descended from
the ancient Egyptian, TO the reading OF
the words. Gen had been doing so. but IL
needed a student OF Coptic-ChampolliOn-
TO carry this out thoroughly, as he dId In
lsZl TO 1882. Since then advance in reading
has been only q matter OF detail. not re-
curing any new principles
The knowledge Of TIE art began with the
admiration for the debased work OF Roman
times. the principal interest at the begin
ming OF the century. Then the excavations
among the Ramesside monuments at
Thebes. about 1s209o. took attention back
TO the age of 1OO0-l5oo B. c. The work OF
Lepsius. and later OF Marietta. from 1870
90 opened mems eyes TO the splendid work
Of the early dynasties. about 3COo-4oO0 B.. C.
And. lastly. the excavations of lSo-ls9s have
fascinated scholars by a View OF the rise
OF the civilization and the prehistoric period
before 600 b. c.
throughout the greater part OF the CEN
tury the archaeology OF Egypt lay UNI
all attention was given to the
language: and even Gardner WilkinsOn's
fine view OF the civilization ds3O depended
largely on Greek authors. and had no per-
spective OF history I'm tracing changes and
development II Is only in the last ten or
years that any exact knowledge has
been acquired about the rise and progress
Of the various arts OF life: this study now
enables Ia TO date the sculDture natal |
work. pottery and other art products as * |
actly as we can those Of the Middle Agea |