DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4393#0077
SAKKARAII AND MEMPHIS. 59
remains unsolved to this day; but it could no doubt be set-
tled at a glance by Professor Owen.*
Par more startling, however, than the discovery of either
Apis or jewels was the sight beheld by Marietta on first
entering that long-closed sepulchral chamber. The mine
being sprung and the opening cleared he went in alone ;
and there, on the thin layer of sand that covered the floor
he found the footprints of the workmen who, three thou-
sand seven hundred years f before, had laid that shapeless
mummy in its tomb and closed the doors upon it, as they
believed, forever.
And now—for the afternoon is already waning fast—the
donkeys are brought round and we are told that it is time
to move on. Wo have the sight of Memphis and the fa-
mous prostrate colossus yet to see and the long road lies all
before us. So back we ride across the desolate sands; and
with a last, long, wistful glance at the pyramid in plat-
forms, go down from the territory of the dead into the
land of the living.
There is a wonderful fascination about this pyramid.
One is never weary of looking at it—of repeating to one's
self that it is indeed the oldest building on the face of the
whole earth. The king who erected it came to the throne,
according to Manetho, about eighty years after the death
of Mena, the founder of the Egyptian monarchy. All we
have of him is his pyramid; all we know of him is his
name. And these belong, as it were, to the infancy of the
human race. In dealing with Egyptian dates one is apt to
think lightly of periods that count only by centuries ; but
it is a habit of mind which leads to error and it should be
combated. The present writer found it useful to be con-
stantly comparing relative chronological eras; as, for
instance, in realizing the immense antiquity of the Sak-
karah pyramid, it is some help to remember that from tho
time when it was built by King Onenephes to the time
when King Khufu erected the great pyramid of Ghizeh,
there probably lies a space of years equivalent to that
which, in the history of England, extends from the date
* The actual tomb of Prince Kha-cm-uas Las been found at Mem-
phis by M. Maspero within the last three or four years. [Note to
second edition.]
\ The date is Mariette's.
remains unsolved to this day; but it could no doubt be set-
tled at a glance by Professor Owen.*
Par more startling, however, than the discovery of either
Apis or jewels was the sight beheld by Marietta on first
entering that long-closed sepulchral chamber. The mine
being sprung and the opening cleared he went in alone ;
and there, on the thin layer of sand that covered the floor
he found the footprints of the workmen who, three thou-
sand seven hundred years f before, had laid that shapeless
mummy in its tomb and closed the doors upon it, as they
believed, forever.
And now—for the afternoon is already waning fast—the
donkeys are brought round and we are told that it is time
to move on. Wo have the sight of Memphis and the fa-
mous prostrate colossus yet to see and the long road lies all
before us. So back we ride across the desolate sands; and
with a last, long, wistful glance at the pyramid in plat-
forms, go down from the territory of the dead into the
land of the living.
There is a wonderful fascination about this pyramid.
One is never weary of looking at it—of repeating to one's
self that it is indeed the oldest building on the face of the
whole earth. The king who erected it came to the throne,
according to Manetho, about eighty years after the death
of Mena, the founder of the Egyptian monarchy. All we
have of him is his pyramid; all we know of him is his
name. And these belong, as it were, to the infancy of the
human race. In dealing with Egyptian dates one is apt to
think lightly of periods that count only by centuries ; but
it is a habit of mind which leads to error and it should be
combated. The present writer found it useful to be con-
stantly comparing relative chronological eras; as, for
instance, in realizing the immense antiquity of the Sak-
karah pyramid, it is some help to remember that from tho
time when it was built by King Onenephes to the time
when King Khufu erected the great pyramid of Ghizeh,
there probably lies a space of years equivalent to that
which, in the history of England, extends from the date
* The actual tomb of Prince Kha-cm-uas Las been found at Mem-
phis by M. Maspero within the last three or four years. [Note to
second edition.]
\ The date is Mariette's.