Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-11
EGYPT VANISHING.
Dams of Nile Burying Much
of Ancient Land.
Reason for Haste and Greater Effort
of Rrchaeologists.
Some of Their Recent Discoveries
Among the Old Records.

compllSh"d in Egypt by the
archaeologists, writes Marie n Buck
nam, the secretary of the Egypt ex-
ploration fund. People read in the
newspapers brief notices of the meet
ing3 Of exploring societies, but without
any clear idea of the work accom-
plishedSor that the whole affair is little
better than a fad of idle people. 1t is
quite fitting that q review of this sort.
which should rot be dull and statistical
but full Of human interest. should be
made at this time, for the reason that
these organizations are rebuilding
their efforts in desperate haste in order
to secure all the finds possible before it
is eNerastingly 100 late. For Ga fact of
which the public has little knowledge,
the construction of two giant dams
across the ancient Nile will Hood a vast
desert. and while thus five millions
more People may live in Egypt, it will
blot out forever countless relics which
would have revealed vast stores of his
tory to us. We cannot protest against
this extraordinary work done in the in
tered Of humanity, industrialism and
progress. but we can only sigh at its
apparent necessity AMI rush eagerly to
save what we may before it is too late
Flinders Pctrie, surveyor of the Egypt
Exploration Fund. in the language or
the scriptures. went down into Egypt"
twcntyone years ago, the pyramid of
l\hufu, standing upon the desert pla-
teau, its purple shadow traversing the
golden sands of buried past like a
mighty sun-Gial, marked the boundary
Of historical knowledge. But now when
uc turn to Egypt we meet with a con
secutive record Of man covering some
1000 years Not only the royal person.
ages of the great Theban dynasty
from the end of the HyksCs era, 1890
T.. g, to the King dynasty. 400
Il. C.-have returned to i place among
living men after their sleep of thirty
centuries, but the great kings of the
first dynasty step forth from the shad-
oWS of 5000 Years 10 their place and
rank among historical rulers.
Beyond the sunrise of this wonderful
first dynasty is the oldest record OF
human history, that ten kings reignerl
for so years at Abydos, and indeed the
last four of these kings have become a
fact We know their names and some
what of their daily life. We see them
returning victorious from battle, where
with diorite-headed mace. stone battle
axe. knives and arrows of flint they
valiantly earned their hardly won hon
ors. We see their public works in ir-
rigating the country by Il system Of
canals and the care they used in num-
boring their flocks and herds. We are
surprised a their sense of humor one
large slate palette of King Mariner
bears carefully drawn animals captur-
ed in some kingly hunting excursion;
The excitement and turmoil Of the I'M
willing. captiVes is more than one OF
their humber can endure, who dis
courses such sweet music from an in
strument resembling. the flute that all
fall under the magic spell and dance
mcnily.
50 skilled in drawing were these peo-
plc that their picture records afford
certain evidence of the first occupants
Of the land. When the Mediterranean
Sea extended $50 miles inland from its
present border and the Nile was still
cutting its channel through the valley
the first white settler made his way
over the Libyan hills and took posses
sion nc the narrow strip of alluVial sol
along the river banks. The date OF
this settlement was about 1000 b. G
High upon the cliffs above Esneh h.
found a tribe short in stature. having
long muscular arms, high CheekbOnes
yellow complexion and hair growing in
Wnlly tufts. The newcomer prompt!
oustcd these men Of the palaeolithit
Hint implements, but preserved for US
their likenessCss.
Between 1900 and 1000 years later
there came another people northWard
by the western shore Of the Red Sea
from Somalland. who entered Egypt
from the east by the kOseir road, arriv-
ing at this midway in the valley. They
were better skilled III the common arts
The union of these two races constitute
cd the Egyptian nation. The origina
migra ton had been from the Caspian
Sci to Arabia where the next division
had occurred. and being a sea lowing
folk they in time had crossed to som
ailand. \ like Immigration took place
from Arabia northward by the eastern
shore az the Red Sea ard that branch
became known to IFS as the Phoenlcians
i177 +. c. marks thu rise of the frs
DYNASTY. Egypt then was far advanced
as the great state which was to heat
the Western World for three or foul
thousand years She had boats re-
curing sixty oarsmen, vessels quite
large enough for crossing the mlou''
sea. and certain of the tombs whose
date IS 1900 f. c. yield yellowish Aegean
pottery that oblige Us to correct all ou
notions concerning the age of Greer
civilization.
The splendid gold -jeweiry found on
wear ago ut Abydos is 1000 years olde
than other known jewelry in~the world
The soldering of the gold is so perfec
the joining cannot be detected eNel
with 4 maEnifying lens. Their gen
cutting was excellent. and a rathe
superb copper dinner-set in siXtee,
pieces is a triumph in metal work
While copper needles. tweezers anC
nails are abundantly found
The luxury of gold hair-pins was al
Indulgence that must have impaired
serenity of mind in those golden days
\ kind Of calling card Was in fashion
Nhen friends sent offerings to TIL
tomb they tied to them little tablets o
IVORY as we today attach cards to tn,
WreathS that are sent to H. friends fun
eral. \
The lady Schesch. mother of Ter. tn
king who followed Mena. Unjust have in
terested herself in mediSine for tn,