Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-08
SOLVING TINES SECRETS.
Latest Discoveries in Egypt and
Crete.
Professor Petric's Work In the Rock
Tombs of Ghizeh-Forms of Soul
Houses--The story of Two
brothers.

out during the past twelve months by
Prof. Flinders Petrle and the students OF
the British school of archaeology in
Egypt arc being shown this week at Uni
versity College, Cover street, London,
says the London Correspondence of The
New York Post. They come mostly from
two places --Ghizeh and Rifeh-and al
though they exhibit nothing sensational
in the way Of novelty, Professor Petric
speaks of them as being exceptionally
valuable in adding to our knowledge OF
Egyptian archaeology. They are certainly
also moro interesting to an uninstructed
person like myself than any which have
seen for long time.
The excavations of tho rock tomhs or
Ghizch which date from the first to the
third dynasty have been the most inform
ing to the student. To him they prove
with some wealth of detail that the
civilization OF Lower Egypt. after the
founding OF Memphis was exactly equiv
alent 90 that of the south at Alydos. Hut
TO the public they must yield in general
interest to two other attractions which
present Egyptian antiquities under That
more human aspect which we can all bet
ter understand.
The first of these is the most comprchen-
sive collection of soul houses which has
ever been brought together under ore
roof The collection here assembled ranges
over many centuries, and presents an I'M
broken succession of models. embracing
every form of construction employed in
the houses of the people. They date pack
20 the period of ghost worship, of which
strictly speaking. they are survival IN
the earliest times offerings were maze III
The cemetery to satisfy the wandering
FOUL when II came ont OF the tofhp at
night to search for sustenancc mat was
placed upon the ground ana dlSh ot
-four set upon It. This became the omblem
Of appea sement or satisfaction, and tho
figure of A. known as the hieroglNph
hotep. was IN use at least as early as tha
time Of Nenos. while the actual mat and
dish continued in use tn the ffth dynasty
The cemetery excavated last year at
Rifeh dated from the tenth to the twelfth
dvnnstv. and contains series OF clay
symbols from the simple mat and dish to
one or more stories furnished with tho
usual implements of life, and sometimes
even with human figures.
The stages begin with a nat baked-clav
tile. with rough mouldings representing
food. a bul's head and other Joints,
tanks for water protected by canopies.
supported on four little posts The next
stage is a simple tent-like dwelling, the
front OF which is open and supported
hv two props, showing the interior. The
tent passes on into n portco open in
front with a row of columns and closed
behind Next the portico contains within
n smaller hutch, which becomes. in the
next edition. a scporatc internal storage
chamber. The roof takes shape as
yeranda to which n circular staircase
comes M from outside The form of the
houses finally becomes stcreotyped s a
one-storied building, with separate rooms
on each floor and evolution proceeds by
gradual increase Of internal furniture and
the stores of food for the dead. In the
most elaborate We're wateriars and corn
bins. with Il baker rolling bread under
the stairs The furniture was usually "A
couch with q head rest upon it and a few
chairs.
The second popular feature OF the ex-
hihition was two wonderfully preserved
funeral chests containing the cofins,
nummies, and funeral emblcns of two
brothers, Khnumu-Nckht and Nekht-
Ankh sons of KhnumuAa, who was IN
mis- time prince Of Shas-Fotop and the
governor of a great province. The two
burials were together in small-chamber
which had never been disturbed. The
coloring on the collins was fresh as or
the day when the tombs was sealed Wit
in the coffin of the elder. who died first
were several figures representing him
self and his younger brother. who pro
badly was the donor of the figures. at
tended by two servents bearing offerings
of food There We're also two large models
Of Nile boats two feet long.
1t Is these figures and models which
specially merit description. because al
though they resemble others. which have
been discovered before they are the
first which have come through untouchoc
and unscratched, and show in some i'm
portant details that the reconstruction
which have been ATTEMPTED Of othe
fragmcntary survivals have erred in on
Or two important respects. For instance
7evcr before was 1t understood that tn
great steering oar at the rear Of a boa
was not used al a paddle to control tn
boat by padding from side to side, bu
was a rudder proper, turning on pivot
In both these boats the great stoerini
lotus flowers and rosettes and the eyes o
Horus on It's wide blade. was fixed b.
rope fastenings in the middle 10 the pro
tecting stem of the boat, and higher mp a
It's upper end. we'll above the st"rsman'
head. to the top Of stout stcrn-post 7
was thus attra chcd loosely at two point
at an angle Of about twenty degrees fror
the vertical, and was controlled by tn
steersman, who stood under the uppe
handle, holding in his hand a short tile
wherewith he rotated the steering oar a
on longitudinal axis,
The two models completely rcpresen
navigation as IL was understood on tn
Nile In one the boat was being sailed u
the Nile under a square rig before tn
prevailing north wind. There are six it'll
mariners carved in wood and painted
warm flesh color with short white kilt!
who are occupied in hauling at the rope
10 raise the sail The other boat is re
presented as going down the Nile in tn
face OF the north wind. The mariners herr
ten of them, are laborng at the oar TIL
mast is unstepped and the sail closet
packed and tied in its original miniatur
ropes. Both the sherman and the lool
out ahead, who when the boat was goin
with the wind We're dressed in short kilt
are now closely wrapped up against tn
cold Each boat has little central cabin
before which the captain is seated.
The mortuary statues Of miniature si2
of the two brothers are admirably carved
There are two figures of the youngt
brother, one in I short kilt, the other
n wig ceremonial dress In cach hIs hea