Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-28
ANCIENT EGYPT.
Much History Gathered From a Single
Site, Abydos.

From the London Times.
The continuation of the work of the
Egypt exploration fund at Abydos this year
has given a wider view of the early civiliza-
ton. Of which the general lines had been
fixed by the previous work on the royal
tombs and the town, writes Prof. Flinders
Petrie. The clearance of the old temple
site over several acres has brought to light
In a depth of about twenty feet, no less
than ten successive temples ranging in age
from about 5000 to 500 B. c. For the first
time we can see on one spot the changes
from age to age through the whole OF
Egyptian history. To separate these build
ings was an affair of anatomy rather than
spade work; the walls Of mud brick were so
commingled with the soil that incessant
section cutting with sharp knife was the
only way to discriminate the brick WORK.
OFTEN only single course of bricks or q
thin bed OF foundation sand was all that
told OF the great buildings which had ex-
listed here for centuries. Over five thou.
sand measurements were taken for the
plans and levels.
The main result as regards the religion
is that Osiris was not the original god OF
Abydos: the tackal god. Upuaut. and then
the god OF the west Khentamenti. were
honored here down to the twelfth dynasty.
The most striking chance is seen about the
fourth dynasty. when the temple was abol
ished, and only a great hearth of burned
Offering Is found. full of votfve clay substt-
tutes for sacrifices. This exactly agrees
with the account of Herodotus that Cheops
had closed the temples and forbidden sac
rifices. This materializfng of history is
de the more real by finding an ivory
statuette of Cheops OF the finest work,
which shows for the first time the face and
character Of the great builder and organ
izer who made Egyptian government and
civilization what it was for thousands OF
years after. This carving Is now in the
Cairo Museum.
ho nP he tto
first dynasty. the beginning of the kingdom.
expand what we already had from my work
In the royal tombs. OF Menes. the founder,
We have part of large globular vase of
green glaze with his name inlaid in purple,
thus polychrome glazing Is taken back
thousands of years before 1t was previous
ly known to exist. The free use of great
tiles Of glaze for wall coverings shows how
usual the art was then. In the highest art
OF delicate ivory carving there are several
pieces OF this age; especially the figure Of
an aged king. for its subtlety and charac>
ter. stands In the first rank of such work.
comparable to the finest carvings of Greece
or Italy. We must now reckon the earliest
monarchy as the equal Of any later age in
such technical and fine art.
Pottery of forms and material quite I'M
known in Egypt also belongs to this re-
mote age: and 1t proves to be Identical with
that In Crete Of the late neolithic age. This
II esh connection Illustrates the trade and
the chronology of that period. A head of
a camel modelled In pottery takes back its
relation to Egypt some four thousand
years; hitherto no trace Of 1t had appeared
before Greek times. An ivory carving of
bear extends also the fauna of early Egypt
The great fort long known as the Shunet
ez Zehtb is now connected with the re-
mains Of another fort. which was discov-
cred between that and the Coptic Deir
which Is In third fort. These buildings
prove now to have been the fortified resi-
dences of the kings of the second dynasty,
whose sealings we have found In the dwell.
ing rooms.
DEGREES OF the nth and sixth dynasties, the
Oldest example of iron yet known which is
of the sixth dynasty. and in the eighteenth
dynasty a great memorial tablet Of tho
grandmother Of that line and the remains
OF a cliff temple Of the type Of DER ell
Behrf. These are but the salient points of
q winters work OF much historical interest.
The collection will be exhibited as usual at
University College, Cover street, from July
to Is.