Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-19
tire body being carefully washed was
fine linen.
Collected by Foreigners

tine linen.
Collected by Foreigners.
There are many other interesting things
In the Cairo Museum. for. as one would
naturally suppose. and as have already
told you, the richness and the number Of
articles of Egyptian archaeology surpasses
that of all other museums. Since 1868 for
eigners have been allowed to make ex-
plorations, and. in fact most of the work
has been done by them with the under
standing that the Egyptian government
should have the right to retain any portion
1t might select of the articles discovered.
In that way 1t has received most important
collections. chariot. which is unique, was
the gift of Theodore Davis of Newport and
New York city, an amateur who has spent
large sum of money every year down
here in the interest of history and science.
This chariot, the only one that was ever
found, Is in perfect condition. and when
taken from the tomb of one of the
Pharaohs near Thebes could be sent i'm
mediately to exhibition without stopping at
repair shop. 1t was evidently intended for
racing or pleasure. because 1t is so light.
1t Is made OF a kind of water oak and is
handsomely carved.
The Gizeh Museum is short of Scarabs
and its collection of manuscripts on papy-
rus is not as large may be found in the
British Museum, the Louvre or the mu-
scum at Turin. The oldest book in the
world, the famous Prisse Papyrus which
was found In one of the tombs and was
written about $3.50 B. c., Is in the National
Library of Paris. In Turin Is the next most
valuable of Egyptian manuscripts and the
most important of all from historical point
of view. for it contains a complete list of
the Soverefgns from the mythical god-kings
down to the Pharaohs of the Hykses
dynasty, 100 b. c., the men that Joseph
served
Decree Of Canotas.
From the same standpoint the most i'm
portant writings in the Cairo Museum is
the decree of Canotas, so called issued by
an assembly of priests In the reign of
Ptolmy III, for. like the still more famous
rosetta stones. one Of the most valued
treasures of the British Museum, it has
furnished a key by which the language of
the ancient Egyptians may be understood
and their writings translated. This decree
contains an order that copy of it be
placed in every temple in Egypt, yet only
two have ever been discovered. One is at
this museum. and the other is at the Lou
vre, in Paris.
Here also is wooden statuette, known
as The Village Sheik' which is believed
to be the oldest specimen of the sculptors
art in existence. 1t owes it's name to the
fact that when Marietta uncovered it
among the ruins of Memphis the Arab
peasants standing by recognized a close re-
Semblance to the head man of their conlmu-
nifty, and shouted lei Sheik El-Beled- (the
village sheik).
Statue of Chrephren.
OF greater artistic value, but not so old,
is statue of Chrephren, builder of the
second pyramid. cut in greensboro with
wonderful skill and accuracy. This was
found by Marietta also in temple under
meath the figure of the Sphynx. Upon the
pedestal is inscribed 1.-THE Image of the
Golden Horum, Chrephren, Beautiful God.
Lord of Diadems."
The Hall of Jewels is fascinating for
there is shown the largest collection of an
cient Egyptian jewelry. extant The most
of 1t is of exquisite design and workman
ship. showing the high degree of skill and
artistic taste attained by the goldsmiths OF
the Mosaic period, and even thousand
years before the leader of the exodus was
found in basket among the bullrushes
near the city of Memphis. The rarest and
oldest ornaments in the world We're found
i'll the pyramid of Dashur, near the site Of
the dead city of Memphis by NJ. de Nor
gan, a French archaeologist. in 1894. They
belonged to the Princess Hathor Sat, 4
daughter of RameseS II, and consist of
fingers and toes, breast plates, bands of
gold imbedded with jewels to be worn about
the upper arm. girdles, keaddresses. chains
and pendants and other articles of beaui-
full workmanship. Another fine collection
of gold ornaments and precious stones was
found upon the mummy of Queen Aahho-
tep. the mother of Aahnes I. who lived
about 1900 B. c., and was buried in one
of the tombS of the kings near ThebeS
The museum Is new building of fire
proof materials, admirably arranged and
adapted to its purpose. 1t was built by
reason why antiquities hereafter found in
the ruins of Egypt should remain at home
instead of being distributed over the world,
as they have been in the past.