Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-10
sTATuETTE OF cHEoPs FOUND
Prot. Petrie Reports on the Excavations
at Abydos.

London, July 9.-Prof. Flinders Pc
trie has given some account of the past
seasons excavations at Abydos. In the
clearing of the old temple site over sew
eral acres there were revealed, in a
depth of about twenty feet, ten success
i've temples, ranging In age from about
500 to about 5000 b. c., thus enabling
the changes from age to age through
the whole Egyptian history to be seen.
At one spot the separation of these
buildings was an affair of anatomy
rather than spadework. The mud and
brick walls were so commingled with
the soil that incessant section cutting
with sharp knife was the only way to
discriminate the brickwork. Often on
ly single course of bricks or a thin bed
foundation of sand was all that told of
great buildings which had existed for
centuries.
The main result as regards religion is
the discovery that Osiris was not the
original god of Abydos. Jackal, god of
Vpuaut, and then Khentamenti, god of
the west, were honored here till the
twelfth dynasty. The most striking
change is seen about the fourth dynas-
ty, when the temple was abolished and
only a great hearth of burnt offering Is
found, full of votive clay substitutes for
sacrifices. This exactly agrees with
the account of Herodotus that Cheops
had closed the temples and forbidden
sacrifices.
This materializing of history Is made
more real by the finding of an ivory
statuette of Cheops of the finest work.
showing for the first time the face and
character of the great builder who made
Egyptian government and civilization
what they were for thousands of years
after.
The discoveries of civilization of the
first dynasty at the beginning of the
kingdom throw more light on what is
already known from Prof. Petrie's
works. In the royal tombs at Abydos.
of Menes, the founder, there Is large
globular vase of green glaze, with Men
es's name inlaid in purple. Thus poly
chrome glazing Is taken back thousands
Of years before 1t was previously known
to exist. There are also several pieces
of this age in the highest art of delicate
ivory carving. especially the figure of an
aged king, which, for subtility of char
acter, stands in the first rank of such
n,
work of Greece and Italy. The earliest
monarchy must now be reckoned as
equal to that of any later age. Such
technical fine art and pottery of forms
and material quite unknown in EGYPT
also belongs to this remote age. 1t
proves to be identical with that in Crete
of the late Neolothic age.
This fresh connection illustrates the
trade chronology of the period. A CAM
els head modelled in pottery takes back
it's relation to Egypt some four thous-
and years Hitherto no trace of --e
camel appeared before Greek times.
The ivory carving of a bear also ex-
tends the fauna of early Egypt. a
great fort long known as Shunet Ell
Zebib Is now connected with the re-
mains of another fort discovered be-
tween Shunet and the Coptic DER,
which is in the third fort. These build
ings prove to have been the fortified
residences of the kings of the second
dynasty, whose sealings were found IN
the dwelling rooms of a later age.
There are some DEGREES of the fifth ana
sixth dynasties, and also the Oldest ex-
ample of iron yet known, which is OF the
sixth dynasty.