DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4393#0106
88 A THOUSAND MILES UP THE NILE.
the language in which they are written has never heen
spoken by man.
As for the rock-cut tombs of Gebel Abufayda, they must
number many hundreds. For nearly twelve miles the
range runs parallel to the river, and throughout that
distance the face of the cliffs is pierced with innumerable
doorways. Some are small and square, twenty or thirty
together, like rows of port-holes. Others are isolated.
Some are cut so high up that they must have been
approached from above; others again come close upon the
level of the river. Some of the doorways are faced to rep-
resent jambs and architraves ; some, excavated laterally,
appear to consist of a serios of chambers, and are lit from
without by small windows cut in the rock. One is
approached by a flight of rough steps leading up from the
water's edge; and another, hewn high in the face of the
cliff, just within the mouth of a little ravine, shows a
simple but imposing facade supported by four detached
pillars. No modern travelers seem to visit these tombs;
while those of the old school, as AVilkinson, Champollion,
etc., dismiss them with a few observations. Yet, with the
single exception of the mountains behind Thebes, there is
not, I believe, any one spot in Egypt which contains such
a multitude of sepulchral excavations. Many look, indeed,
as if they might belong to the same interesting and early
epoch as those of IJeni Hassan.
I may here mention that about half-way, or rather less
than half-way, along the whole length of the range I
observed two large hieroglyphed stelffi incised upon the
face of a projecting mass of boldly rounded cliff at a
height of perhaps a hundred and fifty feet above the river.
These stela?, apparently royal ovals, and sculptured as
usual side by side, may have measured from twelve to
fifteen feet in height; but in the absence of any near
object by which to scale them, I could form but a rough
guess as to their actual dimensions. The boat was pist
then going so fast that to sketch or take notes of the
hieroglyphs was impossible. Before I could adjust my
glass they were already in the rear ; and by the time I had
called the rest of the party together they were no longer
distinguishable.
Coming back several months later, I looked for them
again, but without success; [or the intense midday sun was
the language in which they are written has never heen
spoken by man.
As for the rock-cut tombs of Gebel Abufayda, they must
number many hundreds. For nearly twelve miles the
range runs parallel to the river, and throughout that
distance the face of the cliffs is pierced with innumerable
doorways. Some are small and square, twenty or thirty
together, like rows of port-holes. Others are isolated.
Some are cut so high up that they must have been
approached from above; others again come close upon the
level of the river. Some of the doorways are faced to rep-
resent jambs and architraves ; some, excavated laterally,
appear to consist of a serios of chambers, and are lit from
without by small windows cut in the rock. One is
approached by a flight of rough steps leading up from the
water's edge; and another, hewn high in the face of the
cliff, just within the mouth of a little ravine, shows a
simple but imposing facade supported by four detached
pillars. No modern travelers seem to visit these tombs;
while those of the old school, as AVilkinson, Champollion,
etc., dismiss them with a few observations. Yet, with the
single exception of the mountains behind Thebes, there is
not, I believe, any one spot in Egypt which contains such
a multitude of sepulchral excavations. Many look, indeed,
as if they might belong to the same interesting and early
epoch as those of IJeni Hassan.
I may here mention that about half-way, or rather less
than half-way, along the whole length of the range I
observed two large hieroglyphed stelffi incised upon the
face of a projecting mass of boldly rounded cliff at a
height of perhaps a hundred and fifty feet above the river.
These stela?, apparently royal ovals, and sculptured as
usual side by side, may have measured from twelve to
fifteen feet in height; but in the absence of any near
object by which to scale them, I could form but a rough
guess as to their actual dimensions. The boat was pist
then going so fast that to sketch or take notes of the
hieroglyphs was impossible. Before I could adjust my
glass they were already in the rear ; and by the time I had
called the rest of the party together they were no longer
distinguishable.
Coming back several months later, I looked for them
again, but without success; [or the intense midday sun was