The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-20

The museum at Chizeh, in Egypt,
possesses q peculiar interest among
the museums Of tho world, through
the fact that it contains a remark
able collection OF relics OF the an
c1ent Egyptian civilization. the DID
est OF which We ave been unable to
gain any knowledge. So old is the
civilization OF which these treasures
are all that remains to Us. that in
tracing it historians have become
lost in the impenctrable darkness
Of remote antiquity. The first Egyp-|
tan king which We have been able
to locate was Menes. who lived $3.50
years before Christ.
Vast as have been the quaint
ties Of ancient Egyptian relics re
moved to foreign museums. the
Egyptian government has succeeded
IN retaining q large umbe OF the
most valuable and interesting, and
the Museum OF Ghizeh contains a
superb collection Of these.
The visitor to the museum crosses
the great ~draWbridge over the Nile.
and passing through 4 massive gate
way. finds himself III a garden which
forms the enclosure Of the museum.
Directly before him. in red granite.
is a figure OF q Sphinx, the Egyptian
symbol Of the rising sun. The figure
is that Of a calm, majestic human
head, surrounding the body Of a lion.
This Sphinx was brought from lower
Egypt. and bears the carved scrolls
Of Ralneses Ii. Farther on IS the
point Of an obelisk, which is the am
given to the slender, square pillars
with pyramidal ops and sides carved
with strange characters. one Of which
stands in Central Park, New York
city.
In front of the entrance to the
palace in which the museum IS 10
Gated is a modern sarcophagus con
structed in the style OF the Ancient
Empire. It contains the body OF
: Mariette, whose life work was scien-
tifc research mons the ruins OF
Egypt. and who founded. while in
the employ Of the Egyptian govern
ment, the Museum Of Ghizeh. 1t Is
: indeed a fitting resting place for his
l remains.
t Inside tho palace are SC many
objects OF compelling interest that
the visitor finds himself lost as to
which to give his attention. lust in
. side the door is probably the oldest
of all existing monuments. the statue
Several wooden tablets are shown
: Of clear design and exquisite work
manship. The wonderful finish OF
these tablets is still preserved. after
( thousands Of years. owing TO the dry
ness OF the Egyptian atmosphere
y There are also statues In wood. ano
in all varieties of stone A pair O.
: figures executed in limestone are yer1
Interesting, in hat they show the
g cIeverness Of the ascent artist. II
order to give the eyes an animated
expression. he filled II orbit. which
o had been followed out, with a green
ish quartz. into which a rock-crys-
e tai had been asserted. A silver mai
WAS then driven in the center, anc
t by it's reflection Of light. gives tn.
eye an imitation OF tho human or
g2n.
The Egyptians regarded tho scarab
Il a kind OF beetle which appeared a
some seasons along the Nile, a:
y sacred. 1t was the emblem OF crea
tive power. A magnificent collection
e OF figures Of this insect. wrough
in precious stones with the under
body covered with inscriptions. IS cX
hibited in the museum.
: There is also a large collection O.
! bodies preserved by the lost Egyp
tan art OF mummyfy1ng. The Egyp
tians believed that the body WIS t
be used in a future existence, ant
= hence must be preserved intact. The
process required the removal Of al
the soft portions of the body, which
n were KEEP separately. Inc pFdll wa
drawn through the nostrils with III
q Iron instrument. Then the bod,
tlled with q combination Of spices
% after having been immersed for som,
time in brine. So effective was tn,
IS method tha the mummies are in
perfect state OF preservation to thi
ir day.
Certainly few more interestin!
places could be visited by tn
49,, y.1ar than this r111ao13ro with IT
). relics Of a people and a civilization
so long passed out Of existence.
= The North Carolina Forestry Asso
e citation will meet in Raleigh in con
j. yention on Wednesday, February 81