DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0123
96
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZE1I.
now broken up excepting what was necessary for the
accommodation of Mr. Andrews and of Mr. Raven, who
intended to remain; the former, in order to complete the
drawings he has so kindly undertaken; and the latter
coffin of Onkh-ape, a sacred bard (Brit. Mus.), the "revealed son of
Netpe." The literal meaning of the two lines appears to be as follows :—
Line I.—Osirian, King Men-kah-re of eternal life, engendered of
the Heaven, child of Netpe.....who extends thy mother ?
Line II.—Netpe over thee, may she watch thy abode of rest in
Heaven, revealing thee to the God (chastiser?) of thy im-
pure enemies, King Men-ka-re living for ever.
The expression "child," in Line I., is indicated by the calf and mouth,
phonetically she, derived from the root shaa, oriri, nasci, represented
by the calf and two human arms, with its determinative of the limb of a
victim. (Vide Salvolini, Analyse Grammaticale Raisonnue, PI. F, 19G.)
The word " rest" is of common occurrence in inscriptions, and is fre-
quently accompanied by the section of a sarcophagus, indicating the
abode of rest, or tomb, over which Socharis particularly presides. The
symbol before the hatchet has been almost all destroyed, but the angular
corner of the head, and the shape of the tail of the bird, is that of the
owl,—a purely phonetic symbol, and not found in a tropical sense. The
deity here referred to is Har, or Horus, identified with Ita, the Sun, the
support and avenger of his father Osiris, and chastiser of the impure (the
mystic enemies of that deity, associates of Typhon, the giants of Greek
mythoi). A personification of the goddess Netpe, kneeling on one knee,
■with wings attached to her hands and arms, is commonly found depicted
on the chest of mummy-coffins. On that of Kotb-ti, a female attached to
the worship of Anion (Brit. Mus.), the prayer of the deceased com-
mences, " Oh, Netpe, ' Mother,' extend thy wings over me;" and
amongst the prayers of the deceased Onkh-ape, the same invocation
occurs : " Extend thy mother, Netpe, over thee, that she may watch
over the abode of rest." The allusion in all these instances is to Osiris,
or the Osirian type of the dead, equally used in embalming the deceased
of either sex. The text of the inscription abounds with the use of
phonetic symbols, proving that at this early period the language had
been definitely formed.
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZE1I.
now broken up excepting what was necessary for the
accommodation of Mr. Andrews and of Mr. Raven, who
intended to remain; the former, in order to complete the
drawings he has so kindly undertaken; and the latter
coffin of Onkh-ape, a sacred bard (Brit. Mus.), the "revealed son of
Netpe." The literal meaning of the two lines appears to be as follows :—
Line I.—Osirian, King Men-kah-re of eternal life, engendered of
the Heaven, child of Netpe.....who extends thy mother ?
Line II.—Netpe over thee, may she watch thy abode of rest in
Heaven, revealing thee to the God (chastiser?) of thy im-
pure enemies, King Men-ka-re living for ever.
The expression "child," in Line I., is indicated by the calf and mouth,
phonetically she, derived from the root shaa, oriri, nasci, represented
by the calf and two human arms, with its determinative of the limb of a
victim. (Vide Salvolini, Analyse Grammaticale Raisonnue, PI. F, 19G.)
The word " rest" is of common occurrence in inscriptions, and is fre-
quently accompanied by the section of a sarcophagus, indicating the
abode of rest, or tomb, over which Socharis particularly presides. The
symbol before the hatchet has been almost all destroyed, but the angular
corner of the head, and the shape of the tail of the bird, is that of the
owl,—a purely phonetic symbol, and not found in a tropical sense. The
deity here referred to is Har, or Horus, identified with Ita, the Sun, the
support and avenger of his father Osiris, and chastiser of the impure (the
mystic enemies of that deity, associates of Typhon, the giants of Greek
mythoi). A personification of the goddess Netpe, kneeling on one knee,
■with wings attached to her hands and arms, is commonly found depicted
on the chest of mummy-coffins. On that of Kotb-ti, a female attached to
the worship of Anion (Brit. Mus.), the prayer of the deceased com-
mences, " Oh, Netpe, ' Mother,' extend thy wings over me;" and
amongst the prayers of the deceased Onkh-ape, the same invocation
occurs : " Extend thy mother, Netpe, over thee, that she may watch
over the abode of rest." The allusion in all these instances is to Osiris,
or the Osirian type of the dead, equally used in embalming the deceased
of either sex. The text of the inscription abounds with the use of
phonetic symbols, proving that at this early period the language had
been definitely formed.