The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-09

].
We shall indicate the value Of this work
n for the moment we direct attention to
the care with which the authors and editors
have brought together the information
derived from recent discoveries with refer
ence 10 the civilizations which rose In the
valleys Of the Nile and the Euphrates. In
the Introductory chapter contributed by
Mrs. Stevenson we are reminded that,
thanks TO the investigations Of Maspero,
Petrie and others, the day is past when
scholars could assert that Egyptian civilza-
ton. shke Pallas-Athene. had burst upon
the world. armed cap-A-pie, at the foot Of
the pyramids" We now know that from
the prehistoric interments Of Nagadah to
the reign Of Aha-Mena, or Menes (the first
King Of the First Dynasty, according to
Manethol, and from the latter TO the pyra-
mids Of Gizeh. may be traced the consecu-
tive stages Of laborious evolution. Even
in the prehistoric age the original pit
dug In the ground for interment purposes
had been improved into a large, sepulchral
chamber, lined with mats, rooted with tim
Der and brushwood, and provided with
vases and other furniture. The early
dynastic tombs were much the same, only
they were lined and foored with timber
The offerings at first we're dropped he
tween the timber lining and the sides Of
the pit. Later. regular cells were built
for the offerings, and ultimately a series
Of storerooms was added. The tomb
, originally had an entrance. Subsequently,
q sloping hole led TO IT, in time a stairway
was made; at last long passage appears,
such as il seen in he pyramids A similar
evolution Is discemible in the outer form
Of the tomb. AT first the sand was heaped
over the pit or chamt er in a slightly re Used
mound NEXT this heap was walled in for
the purpose Of keeping the sand from blow
ing away. Then the wall was gradually
raised and became brick block (rnastsha)
At last. this expanded and rose upward
m a mass Of concentIic coatings, which
eventually reached the pyTamidsl shape, ss
at Medium, and eliminated in the pyra-
mids Of Gizeh." In like manner the wood
and mud brick structures Of the primitive
architecture furnish clues TO the peculiar
technique Of the later stonewoTk. Then.
again. the hard stone beads Of the prel IS
toric NagadAh stoneworkers lead 70 the
rich, though still beadlike, jewelry Of the
wife Of Teta dhe second King Of the First
Dynasty, which itself was followed by
elaborate goldsmithery; while their blue
glazed quartz beads prepare one for the
glazed vases Of King Mena Tor Menes)
and for the large tiles which were used
for wall decoration under the earliest
dynasties named by Manetho. as we'll as
for the fine and varied glazes Of later times.
u Is also pointed out by Mrs. Stevenson
that sthe concisely inscribed tablets end
labelled offerings Of Mena's age foreshadow
the gradually increasing use Of writing
which grows on the walls Of the mastnhas
OF Medium and Of Gizeh until, under q e
Sixth Dynasty, the walls Of TIE entire sepul-
chral chamber in the royal pyramids Of SAX
kara are covered with 'olg religious texts
In view Of the evidence obtained in recent
wears, Il seems probable that, from first "a
last, the Egyptians steadily puIs ed a con-
eistent course Of development. When the
monumental record opens the stamp Of
Fgypt's peculiar civilization Is already set
upon the Egyptian people, and wheresoever
NAV have been the primevnl home Of their
ancestors, and whatever continRents the
original North Africans may lave received
At various times from Asia, the country
asslrnIlsted the newcomers.
Mn. Stevenson recalls In her introduce
ton that Petrie, as a result Of his most to
cent researches, seems justified in Ovid
ing the newly discovered prehistoric re-
mains Into sequences covering in the ag-
RreEate a psTiod Of two thousand years,
AZ the outset he sees In the Nile Valley a
population wearing goat skins and manu-
featuring the simplest pottery, but gradu-
ally rising, until IL has evolved an elaborate
civilization, which he regards as having
V,eached n decadent stage when II was re-
vitaMzed by the founders Of the First by.
nasty. Were these prehistoric Egyptians
themselves immigrants into the Nile Val
leyi II 30, who were their predecessors,
and whence did they GOMEZ Did the pre-
historic Egyptians develop their own cult
ure, gradually forming the petty principal
ties Of Upper Egypt, which eventually over