DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4393#0265
RAMESES THE GREAT. 247
to serve out the rations to the soldiers, and also to the
Aperiu [Hebrews?], who quarry stone for the palace of
King Rameses Mer-Amen." A si miliar document written
by a scribe named Keniamon and couched in almost the
same words shows these Aperiu on another occasion to
have been quarrying for a building on the southern side of
Memphis; in which case Turra would be the scene of their
labors.
These invaluable letters, written on papyrus in the hie-
ratic character, are in good preservation. They were
found in the ruins of Memphis and now form part of the
treasures of the Museum of Leyden.* They bring home
to us with startling nearness the events and actors of the
Bible narrative. We see the toilers at their task and the
overseers reporting them to the directors of public works.
They extract from the quarry those huge blocks which are
our wonder to this day. Harnessed to rude sledges, they
drag them to the river side and embark them for transport
* See "Melanges Egyptologiques," by F. Caabas, 1 Serie, 1802.
There has been much discussion among Egyptologists on the subject
of JVI. Chabas' identification of the Hebrews. The name by which
they are mentioned in the papyri here quoted, as well as in an inscrip-
tion in the quarries of Hamamat, is Aperi-u. A learned critic in the
"Revue Archeologique" (vol. v, 2d series, 1862) writes as follows:
" La decouverte du nom des Hebreux dans les hieroglyphes serait un
fait de la derniere importance; mais comme aucun autre point histo-
rique n'offre peut-etre une pareille seduction, il faut aussi se metier
des illusions avec un soin meticuleux. La confusion des sons R et
L dans la langue Egyptienne, et le voisinage des articulations B et P
nuisent un pen, dans le cas particular, it la rigueur des conclusions
quon pent tirer de la transcription. Xeannioins. il y a lieu de prendre
en consideration ce fait que les Aperiu, dans les trois documents qui
nous parlent d'eux, sent montres employes il des travaux de mime
espfcce que ceux auxquels, selon l'Ecriture, les Ih'breux furent assu-
jettis paries ftgyptiens. La circonstance que les papyrus mention-
nant ce nom out ete trouves il Memphis, plaide encore en faveur de
l'assiniilation proposee—decouverte importante qu'il est a desirer de
voir confirmee dar d'autres monuments." It should be added that
the Aperiu also appear in the inscription of Thothmes III at Kaniak
and were supposed by Mariette to be the people of Ephon. It is,
however, to be noted" that the inscriptions mention two tribes of
Aperiu—a greater and a lesser, or an upper and a lower tribe. This
wight perhaps consist with the establishment of Hebrew settlers in
the delta and others in the neighborhood of Memphis. The Aperiu,
according to other inscriptions, appear to have been horsemen, or
horse-trainers, which certainly tells against the probability of their
identity with the Hebrews,
to serve out the rations to the soldiers, and also to the
Aperiu [Hebrews?], who quarry stone for the palace of
King Rameses Mer-Amen." A si miliar document written
by a scribe named Keniamon and couched in almost the
same words shows these Aperiu on another occasion to
have been quarrying for a building on the southern side of
Memphis; in which case Turra would be the scene of their
labors.
These invaluable letters, written on papyrus in the hie-
ratic character, are in good preservation. They were
found in the ruins of Memphis and now form part of the
treasures of the Museum of Leyden.* They bring home
to us with startling nearness the events and actors of the
Bible narrative. We see the toilers at their task and the
overseers reporting them to the directors of public works.
They extract from the quarry those huge blocks which are
our wonder to this day. Harnessed to rude sledges, they
drag them to the river side and embark them for transport
* See "Melanges Egyptologiques," by F. Caabas, 1 Serie, 1802.
There has been much discussion among Egyptologists on the subject
of JVI. Chabas' identification of the Hebrews. The name by which
they are mentioned in the papyri here quoted, as well as in an inscrip-
tion in the quarries of Hamamat, is Aperi-u. A learned critic in the
"Revue Archeologique" (vol. v, 2d series, 1862) writes as follows:
" La decouverte du nom des Hebreux dans les hieroglyphes serait un
fait de la derniere importance; mais comme aucun autre point histo-
rique n'offre peut-etre une pareille seduction, il faut aussi se metier
des illusions avec un soin meticuleux. La confusion des sons R et
L dans la langue Egyptienne, et le voisinage des articulations B et P
nuisent un pen, dans le cas particular, it la rigueur des conclusions
quon pent tirer de la transcription. Xeannioins. il y a lieu de prendre
en consideration ce fait que les Aperiu, dans les trois documents qui
nous parlent d'eux, sent montres employes il des travaux de mime
espfcce que ceux auxquels, selon l'Ecriture, les Ih'breux furent assu-
jettis paries ftgyptiens. La circonstance que les papyrus mention-
nant ce nom out ete trouves il Memphis, plaide encore en faveur de
l'assiniilation proposee—decouverte importante qu'il est a desirer de
voir confirmee dar d'autres monuments." It should be added that
the Aperiu also appear in the inscription of Thothmes III at Kaniak
and were supposed by Mariette to be the people of Ephon. It is,
however, to be noted" that the inscriptions mention two tribes of
Aperiu—a greater and a lesser, or an upper and a lower tribe. This
wight perhaps consist with the establishment of Hebrew settlers in
the delta and others in the neighborhood of Memphis. The Aperiu,
according to other inscriptions, appear to have been horsemen, or
horse-trainers, which certainly tells against the probability of their
identity with the Hebrews,