DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3715#0010
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The other characters appear to mean, the sacred father of the protecting
. powers, living unalterable, reigning, and ministering;.
But the most remarkable feature of the whole embellishments of the cata-
comb, consists of a procession of captives ; which will be seen on the left,
immediately as you enter the chamber on the lower tier, or compartment of
the wall:—Before a hawk-headed divinity, are four red men, with white kir-
tles ; then four white men, with thick black beards, and with a simple white
fillet round their black hair, wearing striped and fringed kirtles ; before
these are four negroes, with hair of different colours, wearing large circular
-ear-rings, having white petticoats, supported by a belt over the shoulder; and
next in order, march four white men, with smaller beards and curled whis-
kers, bearing double spreading plumes in their heads, tattooed, and wearing
robes, or mantles, spotted like the skins of wild beasts. Now Mr. B. is disposed
to consider the red men as Egyptians, the black-bearded men as Jews, and
the tattooed as Persians; and these conjectures seem to accord remarkably
well with the history of the times concerned : for Necho, the father of
Psammis, whose tomb this is supposed to be, is known both from sacred history,
and from Herodotus, to have had "wars with the Jews, and with the Babylo-
nians ; and Herodotus mentions his expedition against the Ethiopians. So
that this procession may very naturally be considered as consisting of captives
made in his wars.—The passages in scripture, which illustrate this portion of
history, will be found in the II. Chronicles, chap, xxxv., ver. 20,21,22,23,24 ;
and chap, xxxvi., ver. 1, 2, 3, 4 ; and in Jeremiah, chap, xxxvi. See also the
Sd Book of Herodotus.—It is impossible to conceive any thing more striking
than this agreement of sacred and profane history, with this remarkable
representation in the catacomb.
There is ample room for curiosity to indulge itself in conjecture, as to the
import of the other pictures which adom the pillars and.the walls of the
Entrance Hall.
Hall of Iii.auties.—Returning'into this chamber, where are two statues of
granite, with lions' heads, which Mr. B. brought from the temple situated
behind the two colossi, in the plains of Gournou; the chief subjects of the
representations on its walls will be found to be the reception of Psammis by
the principal divinities of the Egyptian mythology: he appears to be generally
attended by the hawk-headed deity, Arueris ; and, in some places, is pre-
senting offerings to Isis, or other female divinities; and is ultimately received
by Osiris, clothed in white.
Passage.—The principal tablets in the passage, are thus explained :—
On the left, No. 1, is Isis, in the form of a cow, adored by groups of
figures.
No. 2, King Psammis is represented doing homage to a deity, considered
to be a personification of Stability ; a pair of weeping eyes are inserted
between the two lower plates, or bust, and the hands hold the hook and flail.
Over the King, the hieroglyphics are interpreted, King Osiris, Dispenser of
comforts to the Countries—Psammis the Powerful.
Nos. 3 and 4. In these two tablets, the Goddess Buto is exhibited: she
holds the King's right hand with her left, and with her right she presents
to him a breastplate, which hangs round her neck, and which seems to be
the Alethia, or Truth of Diodorus.
No. 5. Psammis is represented embracing a singular deity; over the
King, is his name, followed by the epithet, Vulcanian, or devoted to
Phthah.
No. 6. King Psammis, who is the principal figure of the catacomb, is
represented sitting on a throne, or chair of state; his belt, or apron, is
marked with bis name. The vulture soaring over the King seems to repre-
sent some tutelary genius ; it holds a ring, which, in other cases, serves for
the support of plumes, or other honorary trophies. The altar before the
figure is loaded with an offering of some substance, cut into slices, and
standing in a compact mass.
The other characters appear to mean, the sacred father of the protecting
. powers, living unalterable, reigning, and ministering;.
But the most remarkable feature of the whole embellishments of the cata-
comb, consists of a procession of captives ; which will be seen on the left,
immediately as you enter the chamber on the lower tier, or compartment of
the wall:—Before a hawk-headed divinity, are four red men, with white kir-
tles ; then four white men, with thick black beards, and with a simple white
fillet round their black hair, wearing striped and fringed kirtles ; before
these are four negroes, with hair of different colours, wearing large circular
-ear-rings, having white petticoats, supported by a belt over the shoulder; and
next in order, march four white men, with smaller beards and curled whis-
kers, bearing double spreading plumes in their heads, tattooed, and wearing
robes, or mantles, spotted like the skins of wild beasts. Now Mr. B. is disposed
to consider the red men as Egyptians, the black-bearded men as Jews, and
the tattooed as Persians; and these conjectures seem to accord remarkably
well with the history of the times concerned : for Necho, the father of
Psammis, whose tomb this is supposed to be, is known both from sacred history,
and from Herodotus, to have had "wars with the Jews, and with the Babylo-
nians ; and Herodotus mentions his expedition against the Ethiopians. So
that this procession may very naturally be considered as consisting of captives
made in his wars.—The passages in scripture, which illustrate this portion of
history, will be found in the II. Chronicles, chap, xxxv., ver. 20,21,22,23,24 ;
and chap, xxxvi., ver. 1, 2, 3, 4 ; and in Jeremiah, chap, xxxvi. See also the
Sd Book of Herodotus.—It is impossible to conceive any thing more striking
than this agreement of sacred and profane history, with this remarkable
representation in the catacomb.
There is ample room for curiosity to indulge itself in conjecture, as to the
import of the other pictures which adom the pillars and.the walls of the
Entrance Hall.
Hall of Iii.auties.—Returning'into this chamber, where are two statues of
granite, with lions' heads, which Mr. B. brought from the temple situated
behind the two colossi, in the plains of Gournou; the chief subjects of the
representations on its walls will be found to be the reception of Psammis by
the principal divinities of the Egyptian mythology: he appears to be generally
attended by the hawk-headed deity, Arueris ; and, in some places, is pre-
senting offerings to Isis, or other female divinities; and is ultimately received
by Osiris, clothed in white.
Passage.—The principal tablets in the passage, are thus explained :—
On the left, No. 1, is Isis, in the form of a cow, adored by groups of
figures.
No. 2, King Psammis is represented doing homage to a deity, considered
to be a personification of Stability ; a pair of weeping eyes are inserted
between the two lower plates, or bust, and the hands hold the hook and flail.
Over the King, the hieroglyphics are interpreted, King Osiris, Dispenser of
comforts to the Countries—Psammis the Powerful.
Nos. 3 and 4. In these two tablets, the Goddess Buto is exhibited: she
holds the King's right hand with her left, and with her right she presents
to him a breastplate, which hangs round her neck, and which seems to be
the Alethia, or Truth of Diodorus.
No. 5. Psammis is represented embracing a singular deity; over the
King, is his name, followed by the epithet, Vulcanian, or devoted to
Phthah.
No. 6. King Psammis, who is the principal figure of the catacomb, is
represented sitting on a throne, or chair of state; his belt, or apron, is
marked with bis name. The vulture soaring over the King seems to repre-
sent some tutelary genius ; it holds a ring, which, in other cases, serves for
the support of plumes, or other honorary trophies. The altar before the
figure is loaded with an offering of some substance, cut into slices, and
standing in a compact mass.