DOI article:
Crum, Walter E.: Progress of Egyptology: Christian Egypt
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12424#0088
74-
Peogeess of Egyptology.
Mallon prosecutes his interesting studies of the medieval grammarians62
(v. last Report, 74), occupying himself now with those of the 14th century :
Abu Shakir (otherwise Butrus b. Rahib, the chronicler) and Abii 'l-Barakat,
the latter perhaps the most remarkable of all the group. The preface to
the former's Grammar is translated and gives valuable information as to
the mode in which such writers worked.
Gaediner gives63 an instance of the verb n'y, used in a future sense
foreshadowing the Coptic net-.
8. Art, Archaeology, Excavations.—Again the first place must be given to
Kaufmann's work on the site of the Menas shrine.54 The second Report,
with many photographs, tells of further exploration in the 3 connected
churches : the Arcadian basilica, the shrine chapel proper, and the baptistery
—the latter the first met with in Egypt; but besides these, in the vast
monastic buildings adjoining, which alone cover some 40,000 square metres.
An excellent general plan by Falls shows the elaborate complexity of the
ruins. A well or cistern, 80 metres long, brought the healing water to the
shrine chapel and was flanked by baths. Further, four distinct cemeteries
were traced; but the graves held nothing beyond the corpse and an
occasional flask. The almost complete absence, so far, of inscriptions is
indeed very remarkable. A few graffiti seem to point to about a.d. 500.
There remains still work sufficient for several years to come; but funds
are urgently needed. I would call attention to two points : that the flasks
with ayiov (sic) AOrjvoyevov (pp. 53, 60) should be compared with the
fragment at Alexandria (v. Report 1902-03, 61); and that the jar with
X M EfifiavovTjX (p. 94) may support the reading ' Christ, Michael, Gabriel'
for XMr.
Stezygowski, whose future collaboration Kaufmann has secured, reviews
the new Beport.66 A more detailed criticism is that by Baumstaek,66 who
compares the basilica with S. Paolo ' fuori,' likewise dating from about 400.
He sees in it already the chief characteristics of the Cairo churches. The
baptistery he holds to be the oldest of the buildings. Kaufmann had
himself written a short, preliminary account of the work.5'
He has further announced68 that, after the completion of the Menas
excavations, he purposes to undertake a systematic, if not exhaustive,
survey of all the still traceable Christian monuments—how many are
perishing annually!—which enthusiasm for the earlier periods of history
has too often caused to be neglected.
A belated report on work at Bawit in 1903 is given by Palanque.69 His
object was to ascertain whether two of the largest chapels were connected.
They proved not to be so, though several of the smaller were joined. Many
Peogeess of Egyptology.
Mallon prosecutes his interesting studies of the medieval grammarians62
(v. last Report, 74), occupying himself now with those of the 14th century :
Abu Shakir (otherwise Butrus b. Rahib, the chronicler) and Abii 'l-Barakat,
the latter perhaps the most remarkable of all the group. The preface to
the former's Grammar is translated and gives valuable information as to
the mode in which such writers worked.
Gaediner gives63 an instance of the verb n'y, used in a future sense
foreshadowing the Coptic net-.
8. Art, Archaeology, Excavations.—Again the first place must be given to
Kaufmann's work on the site of the Menas shrine.54 The second Report,
with many photographs, tells of further exploration in the 3 connected
churches : the Arcadian basilica, the shrine chapel proper, and the baptistery
—the latter the first met with in Egypt; but besides these, in the vast
monastic buildings adjoining, which alone cover some 40,000 square metres.
An excellent general plan by Falls shows the elaborate complexity of the
ruins. A well or cistern, 80 metres long, brought the healing water to the
shrine chapel and was flanked by baths. Further, four distinct cemeteries
were traced; but the graves held nothing beyond the corpse and an
occasional flask. The almost complete absence, so far, of inscriptions is
indeed very remarkable. A few graffiti seem to point to about a.d. 500.
There remains still work sufficient for several years to come; but funds
are urgently needed. I would call attention to two points : that the flasks
with ayiov (sic) AOrjvoyevov (pp. 53, 60) should be compared with the
fragment at Alexandria (v. Report 1902-03, 61); and that the jar with
X M EfifiavovTjX (p. 94) may support the reading ' Christ, Michael, Gabriel'
for XMr.
Stezygowski, whose future collaboration Kaufmann has secured, reviews
the new Beport.66 A more detailed criticism is that by Baumstaek,66 who
compares the basilica with S. Paolo ' fuori,' likewise dating from about 400.
He sees in it already the chief characteristics of the Cairo churches. The
baptistery he holds to be the oldest of the buildings. Kaufmann had
himself written a short, preliminary account of the work.5'
He has further announced68 that, after the completion of the Menas
excavations, he purposes to undertake a systematic, if not exhaustive,
survey of all the still traceable Christian monuments—how many are
perishing annually!—which enthusiasm for the earlier periods of history
has too often caused to be neglected.
A belated report on work at Bawit in 1903 is given by Palanque.69 His
object was to ascertain whether two of the largest chapels were connected.
They proved not to be so, though several of the smaller were joined. Many