DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0021
10
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEH.
that time for sepulchral purposes: they abound, in fact,
upon almost every Egyptian tomb and sarcophagus, from
the earliest ages down to the time of the Romans ; and the
exception formed by tbe pyramids, appears to corroborate
the antient tradition that those buildings were the mau-
solea of the Shepherd Kings, who conquered Egypt, and
who were entirely of a different race, and hostile to the
religious institutions of the country.
The insertion of the cartouche of Mycerinus in the
Fourth Pyramid may have been accidental,5 but the man-
ner in which it is inscribed upon the mummy-board found
in the Third, agrees with the assertions of the priests, that
that king was held in a more favourable light than his pre-
decessors, and it is probable that, on account of his toler-
ation of their religious observances, he may have been con-
sidered worthy of funereal rites, and also of having his name
recorded over the entrance into the pyramid. It is to be
observed, however, that although his sarcophagus was dif-
ferent from those of his predecessors, and was highly orna-
mented with sculpture, yet that it did not bear a single
hieroglyphic, and that bis body was not enveloped, accord-
ing to universal custom, in linen or cotton, but in woollen
cloth. This mummy-cloth was the first that had been dis-
covered made of that material,6 which is stated to have
been considered impure by the antient Egyptians, and
therefore unfit for sepulchral ceremonies; but more of it
has been subsequently taken by Mr. Perring from some
antient tombs at Tourah, which do not appear to have
s See July 5.
6 An account of this' discovery is given in the Appendix. A skull
and some of the cloth have been deposited in the British Museum by
Dr. Bowring.
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEH.
that time for sepulchral purposes: they abound, in fact,
upon almost every Egyptian tomb and sarcophagus, from
the earliest ages down to the time of the Romans ; and the
exception formed by tbe pyramids, appears to corroborate
the antient tradition that those buildings were the mau-
solea of the Shepherd Kings, who conquered Egypt, and
who were entirely of a different race, and hostile to the
religious institutions of the country.
The insertion of the cartouche of Mycerinus in the
Fourth Pyramid may have been accidental,5 but the man-
ner in which it is inscribed upon the mummy-board found
in the Third, agrees with the assertions of the priests, that
that king was held in a more favourable light than his pre-
decessors, and it is probable that, on account of his toler-
ation of their religious observances, he may have been con-
sidered worthy of funereal rites, and also of having his name
recorded over the entrance into the pyramid. It is to be
observed, however, that although his sarcophagus was dif-
ferent from those of his predecessors, and was highly orna-
mented with sculpture, yet that it did not bear a single
hieroglyphic, and that bis body was not enveloped, accord-
ing to universal custom, in linen or cotton, but in woollen
cloth. This mummy-cloth was the first that had been dis-
covered made of that material,6 which is stated to have
been considered impure by the antient Egyptians, and
therefore unfit for sepulchral ceremonies; but more of it
has been subsequently taken by Mr. Perring from some
antient tombs at Tourah, which do not appear to have
s See July 5.
6 An account of this' discovery is given in the Appendix. A skull
and some of the cloth have been deposited in the British Museum by
Dr. Bowring.