New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-24
WAS WRITTEN 1000 B. c.
Ancient Egyptian Papyrus Given
to British Museum.
COMPILED BY A PRINCESS
Theban Version of Book of the
Dead Added to England's
Treasures by a Woman.
TBy Cable ID The Tribune.I


London, Nov 23.-The already well
endowed collection of Egyptian papyri
IN the British Museum has received an
important addition in the gift by Mrs.
Mary Greenfield OF magnificent
Theban version Of the Book or the
Dead OF the period OF the New Empire
1000 B. c. II contains several unknown
literary compositions, hymns, litanies
and services, and measures 1913 feet in
length and 1s inches In width.
II wa. discovered in the late '1Os oil
the last century in the hiding place OF
the roval mummies at Der-el- Baharl'
and the writer was a woman named
Mesi-ta-ncbt Asher,l-"She who ne
long. 10 the Lady Of Asher that 49,
the goddess Nut of Thebes. She was a
princess, the daughter Of the last priest
king Of the twenty-irst dynasty
Painstchan II, by his niece, the grand
priestess queen, Nesi-khensu, IauS
who held the highest sacred and secu-
Inr offices. The mummifed forms Oh
the princess, her father and mother are
still in the Cairo Museum.
The way in which the author has Sc
I.cted the chapters from the oioer
Theban version OF the Book Of the Dead
shows thorough knowledge Of the
theology Of the period, and the beauty
Of the HYMNS and litsnies to Osiris'
A,em and Harmachis shows the NINA
81 a pious and highly educated person
Th. whole OF the huge papyrus Is
cIearly in one handwriting rs'hef
small feminine hand, and we learn
from il that the lady hold the title OF
Worker or Maker Of the Rolls toooksi
Of Amen-Ra, King Of the Gods She
was also a musician, being cslleu
"s,nssr Of the Quarter OF Nut Lady OF
Asher" In addition. she was e priest
ess OF Amen and Chief Lazy OF the
Ladies' OF Amen Ra"-that Is, mead Oh
IN. female section Of the oonfrsternity
Of the great Theban god.
Pre.dynastie implements Found
R.ports have reached here OF the dis
cov.ry near Luxor, Egypt OF eomo
which contained one Of the moot Velu-
able collections OF pre-dynastic mpie-
msnts and ornaments ever found. the
tomb contained tho dried up remains OF
A man lying in the ssmi-emorYonic po-
sition.
As the Neolithic Egyptians did not
embalm their dead. the body was nearly
crumbled up from the weight OF a
stons slab which had been disiodged
from q. poSition as the covering OF the
tomb. With the BODY were FOUND "A
unique double edged bronze SWORD IN
such an excellent state Of preservation
that the cutting edge remains sharp
several long arrow heads. also IN
bronze; two gold hair rings and lot OF
the well known pre-dynastic pottery.
The tomb WAS probably that OF one OF
IN. warriors OF the first dynasty, our
ing which period the ase Of bronze was
discovered in Upper Egypt. According
TO this theory the body is about SIX
thousand years old.
Lord kitohener's Tact.
Lord Kitchener does not always use
the mailed fist In ruling the Oriental
and that he has learned some Of the
native craft was shown by the way IN
h,oh ba nreyeuted the Egyptian Be
dou,ns from joining their brethren in
Tripoli.
The Egyptian Bedouin Is not com
PEELED to pay taxes or 70 render the
ordinary obligations Of citizenship,
which in Egypt includes military ger
vice.
Soon after the outbreak Of the war
between Turkey and Italy a delegation
of Bsdouins approached General Kitoh-
ener and told him that they wanted
TO 70 across the border to the assist
snce of their hard pressed fellows in
Tripoli The English general admitted
with unexpected readiness that their
request was reasonable, but he re-
minded them that by granting II no
would be creating a precedent which
would make them liable for military
service with the Egyptian army.
The delegation withdrew, and Kitch-
sner was not troubled any more with
requests for leave to cross the border