The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-18
MOST ANCIENT EGYPT.
What the Past Winters Explorations
Have Revealed of IL.
London Daily Telegraph.

London Daily Telegraph.
To antiquarians there are few more fas-
cinating exhibitions than those of the
Egypt Exploration Fund which ii has been
the custom for some years past To hold
throughout the month of July at Uni
versity College, Cover street. II is safe TO
predict, however. that the display to he
opened to-day will attract wider interest.
especially among ladies, than any that has
previously taken place, for the patient re-
searches carried on during the past season
have brought to light by far the oldest eX-
amples of jewelry known To exist, and the
specimens of the goldSmiths craft to be
seen are many hundreds of years earlier
than any previously found The lnveStiga-
tons OF 1S99-l90O placed Egyptologists in
possession of full knowledge. not only OF
the kings of the first dynasty. approx
mately AIS to 45l4 b. G, but revealed also
many mysteries of even DINNER and
more distant past connected with the ten
kings before MeneS.'
These latest researches have thrown much
fuller light upon the prehistoric period. and
Mr.. Maciver, who has explored two large
cemeteries at FL Amrah. is able TO state
that one of them, belonging to the first half
of that remote age, and the second extend
ing from the earliest days down To the first
dynasty, bridge interval concerning
which there has hitherto been only the
most shadowy speculation. AS usual at
these exhibitions d clear and concise cata-
logue is available, and the least learned is
enabled 10 enjoy intelligently these won
drous relics that time has spared. So
precious. however. are the bracelets found
on the mummy of the Queen of Ter at FL
Mehesna that the authorities of the mu-
scum at Cairo would not permit them to he
brought to England. and the London visitor
must rest with exact models OF them. There
are four in all, the first consisting of row
OF facades with the royal hawk alternately
of gold and turquoise. The second has
gold centerpiece copied from the center OF
a lotus flower, having on each side e group
OF turQuoiSes and "A large ball amethyst.
Who shall. indeed. tell the true story OF
queens love. for cunningly interviewer into
IL 81. H. 81 H. .v,a
gold thread, set with turquoise and anne
thyst? The third is Of gold, lapis lazuli.
and turquoise beads, and the last is OF
hour glass-Shaped gold and amethyst beads.
Expert examination has been made of them
and proves that each bead had its psrtcu-
lar place in the scheme. and that the solder
ing of the gold is technically perfect, show
ing no trace Of excess or difference OF
color.
But if these are only facsimiles there are
other treasures hardly less marvellous
which are the actual objects. There Is the
scepter that the symbol of King
Khasekhemuis might and majesty slen-
der copper rod, over which pieced cylinders
of sard or cornelian have been strung bead
wise. united by broad and heavy gold bands.
Looking at II one could not fail to recall
that some thousands OF years later the
sardius found place in the first row OF
stones of the breast plate of Aaron, the high
priest Five exquisite little vases in pol
ished comedian and dolomite marble, with
lids of hammered gold, from the same
monarch's tomb. are polished and dainty as
when they were made though every event
recorded in human history has taken place
since they left their artifcer's hands
And hardly less remarkable are the FL
Amrah discoveries OF prehistoric pottery.
dolls with curly black hair. and rude
models i'm clay OF oxen and other animals.
l. needed, perhaps, only one other dis
coVery to link the eternal truth with to-
day, and that was found i'm the tomb OF
young girl. probably a daughter Of Mena.
the founder of Memphis. whose simple
inscription ran that she was Sweet i'm
heart" No woman could desire a more
beautiful epitaph. to endure for over 5000
years. Vases in pottery and alabaster,
graceful Of form and shape. are abundant,
and there are strings of beads that will
send modern collectors almost frantic with
eEvious desire of possession. Coming down
to rather later day are some noteworthy
blue glazed cups Of lotus-like form. The
excavations at Abydos and the district are
now practically complete and a fact that
makes the discoveries which form this
markabe exhibition yet more notable is
that the ground had been examined before
In concluding his report Prof Flinders
Petrie draws attention to the careless
were carried on. and comments on the
large amount Of material and the most inn
portant history which had been cast aside
il the ordinary mode OF working "A site.
which then pronounced exhausted.
we sec the absolute necessity Of syStema-
tie work with trained workmen encour-
aged by rewards to observe and take care
OF all that can be found. Without such
ork we should never have traced the his
tory OF the earliest dynasties as we now
have succeeded i'm doing