Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1903-09-10
NEW INDUSTRY FOR WOMEN.
A Number of Students Are Learning
to Translate Hieroglyphics
for ArchaeolOgists.

It is said that the University OF
Pennsylvania has in its archaeological
collection $4,000 bricks from Nipnur,
the hieroglyphics on which have not
yet been deciphered. Every museum
in Europe which collects this materi-
al has many tablets covered with
Egyptian or Babylonian inscriptions
which have not yet been deciphered,
because no competent person has had
the time to undertake the work, says
the New York Sun.
1t occurred awhile ago to Miss M. A.
Murray, who is an assistant OF W. M.
Flinders-Petrie, the Psychologist, that
here was an opportunity for bright
young women to learn new vocation
which would give them plenty of en-
ployment and fair means of liveli-
hood. With the aid of the archaeolo-
gistS of America and Great Britain she
has already established school Of
correspondence, and though she Is her
self engaged in her work in Egypt, she
is teaching the art of deciphering
Egyptian hieroglyphics to number
of young women in America and Eng
land.
A number of the women students at
Harvard, Cornell and the University
of Pennsylvania, hearing of this oppor-
tunity for usefulness, have also begun
to study inscription reading. 1t Is
task involving a great deal of labor,
but to the order Of mind which is
naturally adapted for this kind of re-
search it is extremely interesting.
Prof. Hilprecht, the archaeologist,
is heartily in favor Of young women
whose mental qualities fit them for
this work taking the studies that will
make them competent translators.
Miss Murray has just issued primer
of hieroglyphics, based on scientific
principles, which will facilitate these
studies.
All archaeologsts say that there is
great need for trained translators OF
Egyptian and Babylonian inscriptions,
and that fair remuneration can be OBJ
tanned for competent work. No young
woman, however, should be encour-
aged to undertake the great labor of
preparation for 1t unless she has
natural adaptation for that kind OF
study.
Archaeological research was never
more active than to-day, and every
year is adding very important treas
ures to the collection already made.
AS the latest number of Biblia re-
marks, every year is bringing some
new treasure from the soil of Egypt.
Within the past few years the dis
covery and decipherment Of Greek
papyri have restored to literature the
Sayings Of Our Lord" the orations of
Hyperides, the Odes of Bacchilides,
the Mines of HerodOtus, and Aristotle
"On the Constitution of Athens" One
Of the most brilliant and striking dis
coveries of recent years Is that made
by DR.. Ludwig Borchardt at Aboukir,
Egypt, where he Is working under the
auspices Of the German Oriental So
ciety.
He found in a Greek tomb Of the
fourth century before Christ Greek
roll inscribed with the second part Of
1.-THE Persians" of Timotheus, poem
which in antiquity enjoyed great popu-
larity but has been utterly lost for
nearly 1000 years. Timotheus was a
Greek lyrist who lived in the time Of
Plato, 400 years before the Christian
era, and whose work was remarkable
for It's originality and novelty. During
his life he was hailed by many of his
contemporaries as the greatest Of
poets, but for some reason his works
were forgotten by posterity.
The recovery Of considerable part
Of one Of his masterpieces promises to
fill what has been a gap in the history
Of Greek literature. The manuscript
has the distinction not only of being
the first example that has come to us
Of the work of Timotheus, but also Of
being the Oldest Greek manuscript
known.