The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1950-06-22
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
by Hazel Brannon Smith
Memphis, Egypt
Delayed)

TO spend in Cairo there was only
one morning left open. Every
thing else was taken up with
planned sightseeing in order to
make the most of every minute.
There was just one thing !
wanted to do--while everyone
else was shopping in the native
bazaars-and that was to see
Memphis, the ancient royal cap
ital of Egypt back in the years
from 5000 to $500 years Before
Christ.
Memphis, Egypt is from Cairo
only about the same distance as
Lexington from Durant but
what a difference. Instead Of fif-
teen or twenty minutes it took
more than an hour to make the
short drive due to the condition
of the narrow roads--and the
number of times we had to stop
waiting for herdsmen on camels
to clear the road blocked by the
water oxen and sheep they were
driving.
Memphis is associated with the
second great chapter in Egypts
history being the capital of King
Menes. 1t was at the height of
its glory about IL miles In circuit
before it was destroyed by the
Arabs in the seventh century. To-
day nothing remains but heap
of stones and fragments un-
earthed in recent excavations. 1t
is not city of the living--only
few sun-baked huts are around
but rather a city of the dead.
The great pyramids built by
the people of ancient Memphis to
protect the bodies of their kings
still stand stretched out for
sixty miles along the Nile river.
These pyramids were built, as
resting places for their kings be-
cause the Egyptians believed, as
the Christian does, that the soul
lives on after death and will
some day be returned to the
body. They further believed that
the soul which returned to the
body could enjoy the food and
drink prepared for it and enjoy
the other comforts which were
placed in the tomb. Thus when
these pharaohs died their people
placed in the brick-walled tombs
in the ground with them all kinds
Of rich raiiryei1t, gold, food, drink.
jewels, furniture, chariots and
practically everything else you
could name--according to how
rich they were. BY 5000 years
Before Christ the people started
building great stone pyramids |
over the tombs to protect the |
bodies in their STONE coffim or
sarcophagi
Near the site of Memphis we
saw the oldest surviving building |
of stone masonry, the pyramid
Of King loser, which was built |
about 5000 years Before Christ |
and suggested the pyramid form.
This earliest pyramid WAS no.
thing more than a series of flat
tomb structures built one on top
of the other in diminishing sizes. I
AT Memphis, too, we saw the
colossal statute of Rameses III, the
most famous of the pharaohs be-
fore the Egyptian empire fell.
He reigned 81 years from about
1892 to 1925 Before Christ and is
regarded as the king who op-
pressed the Israelites in the
Bible. This lover of pomp and
ceremony erected monuments to
his own glory everywhere. In
many cases names on existing
statutes were erased and Rames-
es' placed instead.
The statue of Rameses which
has been excavated from the
ruins of Memphis lies in a prone
position parallel to the ground
and is supported by granite
blocks. 1t was carved from gi-
gantic single piece of granite. To
give an idea of the size the head
alone measures about six feet.
The hands are resting at the side
and the feet are missing.
The Alabaster Sphinx stands
today at Memphis and is one of
the most popular places to have
ones picture taken. See accom-
panying photo which was made
by Smitty who accompanied me
on this morning excursion-one
Of the few times he was able to
get away from his duties in the
purser's office.
An interesting experience here
was a short ride on donkey "a
cross the Sahara sands at SAX
kara down to the tomb of the
Sacred Bull, one of the chief
deities of that time.
The sacred bull Apis represented
10 the Egyptians the earthly form
Of the goddess Osiris who was the
Judge of the lower world for the
leeds done on earth.
In the tomb of the Sacred Bull
we were led by guard through
narrow underground |
passages lighted only by the oil
amps we carried. Along the way
We were shown the various rest