The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-06-28

gagged upon-the clearing and partial
restoration of the great temple of Amen
and Hathor, at Dier-al-Bahari, near
Thebes. 1T has been most expensive
work, having cost more than ten thou-
sand dollars, but the results have been,
both from historical and artistic point
of view, of the greatest Importance.
The work has from the commencement
been under the direction of Professor
Edouard Naville, who during the last
three seasons has had the assistance of
that able Psychologist H, r. Hall, Of
the Egyptian department of the British
Museum. There were two temples at
Dier-el-B ahari-th older the funeral
temple of King Mentuhetep III, of the
twelfth dynasty, about B. G. 2600; the
later the splendid fame erected by the
great Queen Hatshepsu, about B. c..
1900 This latter temple is the one on
which so much time and money have
been expended. But the outlay has not
been wasted, for we have restored to us
the memorials of the life and deeds Of
one Of the most remarkable women the
Orient has ever produced, and one who
from her resemblance in mental capac-
ity and enterprise to our own Virgin
queen may be fifty styled the Elizabeth
of Egypt,
The daughter of Thothmes l by his
beautiful wife, Queen Aahmes, she was
early associated with her father, and on
the walls of the birth chamber of the
temple we see the scenes representing
her birth as a divine incarnation of her
father, Amen-Ra All monarchs of the
great Theban dynasties were supposed
to be children of Amen. On another
wall is depicted the ceremony of her
coronation as king, for she assumed
male attire, even false beard, and
used all the kingly titles in her inscrip-
tons. One very important series of
sculptures is that which represents the
return Of the great naval expedition
which she sent to the incense produce
| ing land of Punt, probably Somailland,
which, under Nash her admiral, the
Raleigh of the period, returned laden
with rich treasure and strange animal@
birds and plants. The new volume of
! the exploration, which has just been
issued by the explora ton fund, contains
some very very interesting matter for
it relates to the shrine Of Amen-Ra and
| the forecourt, all of which were richly
decorated with sculptures. The shrine,
| which consists of two rooms, was en-
tered by lofty, granite doorway, and
on either side of the door are represen-
| tations of the man-queen, wearing the
crowns Of Upper and Lower Egypt. A
| specially interesting scene here repre-
sents the queen being brought before
Amen, and the god Thoth or Hermes
acts as priest and introduces her with
a curious address
"She salutes thee she speaks Ito
thee) She cools thee with water, she
gives thee incense. The double is sat
isfied when she fumigates thee with the
eye Of thy own body, her .insense. 9
Amen, lord of the throes Of the two
lands, when thou resteth in thy abode
where thy beauties are worshipped
grant her life, strength and happiness
Such is the threshold prayer. The
shrine no doubt contained the two sa-
cred boats of the morning and evening
boats in which he sailed across the sky
| In the inner and dark shrine chamber
was the splendid shrine of ebony, In
which the statue of the god was kept
1 a portion Of this shrine was discovered
! in 1894 by M. Naville, and 1t is most in
teresting to mention the artist who
made II. Indeed, in Egypt unlike 9th
err lands except Greece, the names OIL
artists of great works are known ant
handed down, In regard to this great
temple we know that the architect was
a man named Senmut, who, in addition
to his artistic abilities, was a minister
Of state, chancellor and bearer o.
| the royal seal" He it was who built
this and many other temples for his
royal mistress. The work of decoration
| was given to a man named Tehuti, the
| record of whose life is found on stole
| discovered by the Marquise of North.
ampton. He was the Benvenuto Cellin
of the age. He it was who made the
| splendid ebony shrine of Amen Ra
king Of the Gods" who plated the
doors of the temple with bronze and
electron," who made crowns, necklaces
and jewels for the queen. These facts
/ give living interest to these discover
les, for they are, indeed, the work Oh
the Oldest masters. Another interesting
Iseries of sculptures, the works designed
no doubt, by one of those artists, repre-
/ sent the queen making offerings p the
shades of her father and mother, and
| the portrait of the latter is a beautiful
piece of work. Particularly interesting
as showing this school of realism in
Egypt is a series of sculptures, slabs
representing the gardens Of the temple
Here we see ponds lined with shady
trees, or bordered with lotus plants ant
full of fish. Here we see a duck rising
with fish in his mouth, or resting OF
lone leg and scratching his poll with thu
Iother. A fish nibbles at lotus tire,
which touches the water or a flock O
famingoes fly frightened away from /
reed brake. Such is the art of whicl
this remarkable queen was the patron
ess, and Tehuti and Senmut her arts
craftsmen, which has been rescued
from de-truction by the Egypt Explora
| fi011 Us,,,1d II or1doy, ClInha