The times., 1901-03-10

Found TOmbs-Ma EniEcent Hrace-
lets Worn by Forgotten Queen.
LONDON, March 9-The seasons yield
in archaeological lore is briefly reported
by Prof Flinders -Petries, Edwards pro-
fessor of Egyptology Of the University
College. London who has spent the win
ter in exploring the royal tombs Of the
earliest Egyptian dyuasties, and whose
discoveries included some of fascinating
interest.
I'VE are now able to trace" he says,
"the regular development of civilization
during four hundred years, from the time
when writing was rarely used and then
only in d rude, pictorial stage, down TO
common use of delicately figured hero
glyphs which could not be distinguished
from those which were used thousands Of
years afterward.
we have now found beautifully
wrought jeweiry and gold work minutsly
engraved worries and toilet objects Of
Menes. the founder of monarchy, and his
successor. fashioned more than $500 years
ago, and Of his predecessor as We'll There
are about thirty Inscriptions in stone and
ivory. Among these works of Menes are
parts Of four ebony tablets with figures
and inscriptions. one apparently showing
a human sacrifice.
'The strangest object is a massive strip
of gold unknown to us with the name
Menes Aha upon it. OF Ger. the success
sor to Menes, it is astonishing TO find the
forearm OF his Queen still in it's wrap
pings. with four splendid bracelets intact
One is a series of figures of the royal
hawk perched on the tomb There are
thirteen figures in chased gold. alternat-
The second bracelet is composed of spiral
beads of gold and lazuli in three groups.
The third bracelet has four groups in the
shape of an hourglass. with beads OF
amethyst between gold ana connections
of gold and turquoise. The fourth has
centrepiece Of gold copied from the TO-
settle seed, with amethyst and turquoise
beads and bands and braided gold wire.
''Ihis brilliant and exquisiteIy finished
group Of jewclry shows the high level
that had been attained at the beginning
of the first dynasty. 1t is 1000 years old
er than the iewelry of Dahshur, the old
est yet known, and has the great ad-
vantage of being carefully examined as
it was found. and restruug in exact ar
ranSemcut. The arm OF the queen had
heCn broken of by the first pIunderers
and laid in hole in the wall of the tomb
and there remained neglected by four
parties in ancient and modern times who
successfully cleared the tomb
There are forty inscribed pieces OF
ivory and stone and two lions carved in
ivory of the same kind. There was also
discovered a great royal tombstone % hici
was found in pieces and rejCined. Sixty
private tombstones give the names in
use in the royal household. Many We're
formed from the Goddess Meth, and not
one from Isis.
a dozen inscribed worries were found.
including the handle of the royal land
rlca suriuS cord, and also an impress Of
the beautiful royal seal. showing the
King wrestling with hippopOtamus and
spearinG a crocodile.
Coming TO the second dynasty, the
tomb of Per-ab-sen yielded a large tomb
stone OF the King, carved in Syenite, also
the names of his three predecessors
carved in stone bowls. These are HOtepO-
haul. Ranch. and NetOVen. From these
We see Per-db-seu was probably the
fourth King OF the dynasty. and his sue
cessor was apparently khase khemat.
whose tomb has the royal sceptre
formed by cylinders of sard. held to-
ecther by a copper rod in axis and with
gold bands at intervals. There remains
twentv-eight inches of this. but the low
er end has been lost.
There are also seven stone vases with
gold covers. fastened with twisted gold
wire two gold bracelets. twenty copper
dishes. dozens of copper models. tools,
copper axes. fruit knives. and a perfect
dish of diorite.'