DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6551#0140
RETURN FROM UPPER EGYPT.
105
little distance, in front of a large excavation, a consider-
able space had been levelled, whence a staircase ascended
to a chamber at right angles to the excavation, which
had a window opening into the court: grapes, and other
devices, apparently Roman, had been painted on the
walls of these apartments. The inhabitants of the place,
with what justice I cannot say, had a bad character, and,
indeed, during the time I was examining these grottoes,
a number of people, many of them armed with guns,
assembled, and seemed inclined to be troublesome; and
I have no doubt that a Frank, unacquainted with their
language, and unattended by a janissary, would have
met with inconvenience. There were extensive quarries
higher up the mountains to the eastward, which con-
tained Egyptian figures, hieroglyphics, and also inscrip-
tions of a later period, and small pieces of alabaster
were scattered about. It was difficult to imagine how
the large blocks could be safely conveyed from these
lofty situations, as the mountains were precipitous, and
full of ravines. I saw in the plain below, the ruins of
a church built with arches, and likewise those of another
building upon an adjoining eminence.
I did not again disembark till I arrived at E-Siout.
On the eastern bank, a little above that town, a Sheik's
tomb had been built upon a mound close to the river,
under which a great treasure was said to be concealed.
The mound seemed to have been a tumulus, and, by
excavation, some antient memorial might possibly be dis-
covered.
13^.—-E-Siout is a place of importance, and is situated
on the site of Lycopolis, but does not present any object
of antiquity, excepting some excavations in a high range
105
little distance, in front of a large excavation, a consider-
able space had been levelled, whence a staircase ascended
to a chamber at right angles to the excavation, which
had a window opening into the court: grapes, and other
devices, apparently Roman, had been painted on the
walls of these apartments. The inhabitants of the place,
with what justice I cannot say, had a bad character, and,
indeed, during the time I was examining these grottoes,
a number of people, many of them armed with guns,
assembled, and seemed inclined to be troublesome; and
I have no doubt that a Frank, unacquainted with their
language, and unattended by a janissary, would have
met with inconvenience. There were extensive quarries
higher up the mountains to the eastward, which con-
tained Egyptian figures, hieroglyphics, and also inscrip-
tions of a later period, and small pieces of alabaster
were scattered about. It was difficult to imagine how
the large blocks could be safely conveyed from these
lofty situations, as the mountains were precipitous, and
full of ravines. I saw in the plain below, the ruins of
a church built with arches, and likewise those of another
building upon an adjoining eminence.
I did not again disembark till I arrived at E-Siout.
On the eastern bank, a little above that town, a Sheik's
tomb had been built upon a mound close to the river,
under which a great treasure was said to be concealed.
The mound seemed to have been a tumulus, and, by
excavation, some antient memorial might possibly be dis-
covered.
13^.—-E-Siout is a place of importance, and is situated
on the site of Lycopolis, but does not present any object
of antiquity, excepting some excavations in a high range