DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5538#0087
THE BURIED CITIES OF ANCIENT EGYPT. 67
was also found buried in a corner of the camp, where doubt-
less it had been hidden by some plunderer when the place
was sacked and burned. This undoubtedly formed part of
Hophra's service of gold plate (that service of gold plate
which he would, of course, have placed at the disposal of his
royal Jewish guests), and it is, with one exception, the only
piece of gold plate ever found in Egypt.
To return, however, to Jeremiah and his famous prophe-
cy—to that day when he took "great stones in his hand,
and placed them with mortar in the brick-work which was
at the entry of Pharaoh's House in Tahpanhes." In illustra-
tion of this passage, I may here quote a few lines from Mr.
Petrie's private report addressed to the Honorary Secre-
tary and Executive Committee of the Egypt Exploration
Fund, during the month of April, 1S86 :
"This 'brickwork,or pavement' at the entry of Pharaoh's
House has always been a puzzle to translators; but as soon
as we began to uncover the plan of the palace, the exactness
of the description was manifest; for here, outside the build-
ings adjoining the central tower, I found by repeated trench-
ings an area of continuous brickwork resting on sand, and
measuring about 100 feet by 60 feet, facing the entrance to
the buildings at the east corner.
" The roadway ran up a recess between the buildings, and
this platform, which has no traces of superstructures, was
evidently an open-air place for loading and unloading goods,
or sitting out in the air, or transacting business, or convers-
ing—just such a place, in fact, as is made by the Egyptians
to this day in front of their houses, where they drink coffee,
and smoke in the cool of the afternoon, and receive their
visitors.
" Such seems to have been the object of this large plat-
form, which was evidently a place to meet persons who
would not be admitted into the palace or fort; to assemble
guards; to hold large levees; to receive tribute and stores;
to unkde goods; and to transact the multifarious business
which, in so hot a climate, is done in the open air. This
was also found buried in a corner of the camp, where doubt-
less it had been hidden by some plunderer when the place
was sacked and burned. This undoubtedly formed part of
Hophra's service of gold plate (that service of gold plate
which he would, of course, have placed at the disposal of his
royal Jewish guests), and it is, with one exception, the only
piece of gold plate ever found in Egypt.
To return, however, to Jeremiah and his famous prophe-
cy—to that day when he took "great stones in his hand,
and placed them with mortar in the brick-work which was
at the entry of Pharaoh's House in Tahpanhes." In illustra-
tion of this passage, I may here quote a few lines from Mr.
Petrie's private report addressed to the Honorary Secre-
tary and Executive Committee of the Egypt Exploration
Fund, during the month of April, 1S86 :
"This 'brickwork,or pavement' at the entry of Pharaoh's
House has always been a puzzle to translators; but as soon
as we began to uncover the plan of the palace, the exactness
of the description was manifest; for here, outside the build-
ings adjoining the central tower, I found by repeated trench-
ings an area of continuous brickwork resting on sand, and
measuring about 100 feet by 60 feet, facing the entrance to
the buildings at the east corner.
" The roadway ran up a recess between the buildings, and
this platform, which has no traces of superstructures, was
evidently an open-air place for loading and unloading goods,
or sitting out in the air, or transacting business, or convers-
ing—just such a place, in fact, as is made by the Egyptians
to this day in front of their houses, where they drink coffee,
and smoke in the cool of the afternoon, and receive their
visitors.
" Such seems to have been the object of this large plat-
form, which was evidently a place to meet persons who
would not be admitted into the palace or fort; to assemble
guards; to hold large levees; to receive tribute and stores;
to unkde goods; and to transact the multifarious business
which, in so hot a climate, is done in the open air. This