DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0367
328
APPENDIX.
scatter incense round the building with a thuribulum, like that
used in Christian churches.3
The following story is related by Masoudi, in the " Akbar-
Ezzeman."
Twenty men of the Faiouni wished to examine the Pyramid.
One of them was accordingly lowered down the well by means of a
rope, which broke at the depth of one hundred cubits, and the man
fell to the bottom ; he was three hours falling. His companions
heard horrible cries; and, in the evening, they went out of
the Pyramid, and sat down before it to talk the matter over.
The man, who was lost in the .well, coming out of the earth,
suddenly appeared before them, and uttered the exclamations —
" Sak, Sak, Saka, Saka," which they did not understand; he
then fell down dead, and was carried away by his friends. The
above-mentioned words were translated by a man from Syad
(Said,) as follows: " He, who meddles with, and covets what does
not belong to him, is unjust."'1 Masoudi proceeds to relate, that,
in a square chamber, some other explorers discovered in the lowest
part of the Pyramid, a vase containing a quantity of fluid of an
unknown quality. The walls of the chamber were composed of
small square stones of beautiful colours; and a person, having put
one of these stones in his mouth, was suddenly seized with a pain
in his ears, which continued until he had replaced it. They also
3 The Coptic account ends here. It appears from M. Quatremcre's disserta-
tion, that the traditions of the antient Egyptians were preserved by their descend-
ants, the Copts, who were held in great respect by the Arabs. It is also said, that,
in the reign of Ahmed lien Touloun, who conquered Egypt about 200 a.h., a
learned man, above one hundred years old, and of either Coptic or Nabathsean
extraction, lived in Upper Egypt. This person had visited many countries, and
was well informed of the antient history of Egypt, and was, by order of Ahmed
Ben Touloun, examined before an assembly of learned Mahometans; and Ma-
soudi's account of the Pyramids is said to have been given upon the authority
of this learned man. Masoudi also mentions certain persons who were, by pro-
fession, guides to the Pyramids. It may be remarked, that the Arabian authors
have given the same,accounts of the Pyramids, with little or no variation, for above
a thousand years; and that they appear to have repealed the traditions of the
antient Egyptians, mixed up with fabulous stories and incidents, certainly not of
Mahometan invention. The history, however, although evidently incorrect, yet
seems as well worthy of credit, as the fables of Greek mythology, or as Homer's
account of the heroes engaged in the Trojan war.—Dr. Sprcngcr.
1 Makrizi has alluded to this story; and it is given at some length in MS. 9973,
in the British Museum. This account has been taken from the latter document, on
account of the bad condition of Masoudi's manuscript, but it has been carefully
collated and compared with it.— Dr. Sprenger,
APPENDIX.
scatter incense round the building with a thuribulum, like that
used in Christian churches.3
The following story is related by Masoudi, in the " Akbar-
Ezzeman."
Twenty men of the Faiouni wished to examine the Pyramid.
One of them was accordingly lowered down the well by means of a
rope, which broke at the depth of one hundred cubits, and the man
fell to the bottom ; he was three hours falling. His companions
heard horrible cries; and, in the evening, they went out of
the Pyramid, and sat down before it to talk the matter over.
The man, who was lost in the .well, coming out of the earth,
suddenly appeared before them, and uttered the exclamations —
" Sak, Sak, Saka, Saka," which they did not understand; he
then fell down dead, and was carried away by his friends. The
above-mentioned words were translated by a man from Syad
(Said,) as follows: " He, who meddles with, and covets what does
not belong to him, is unjust."'1 Masoudi proceeds to relate, that,
in a square chamber, some other explorers discovered in the lowest
part of the Pyramid, a vase containing a quantity of fluid of an
unknown quality. The walls of the chamber were composed of
small square stones of beautiful colours; and a person, having put
one of these stones in his mouth, was suddenly seized with a pain
in his ears, which continued until he had replaced it. They also
3 The Coptic account ends here. It appears from M. Quatremcre's disserta-
tion, that the traditions of the antient Egyptians were preserved by their descend-
ants, the Copts, who were held in great respect by the Arabs. It is also said, that,
in the reign of Ahmed lien Touloun, who conquered Egypt about 200 a.h., a
learned man, above one hundred years old, and of either Coptic or Nabathsean
extraction, lived in Upper Egypt. This person had visited many countries, and
was well informed of the antient history of Egypt, and was, by order of Ahmed
Ben Touloun, examined before an assembly of learned Mahometans; and Ma-
soudi's account of the Pyramids is said to have been given upon the authority
of this learned man. Masoudi also mentions certain persons who were, by pro-
fession, guides to the Pyramids. It may be remarked, that the Arabian authors
have given the same,accounts of the Pyramids, with little or no variation, for above
a thousand years; and that they appear to have repealed the traditions of the
antient Egyptians, mixed up with fabulous stories and incidents, certainly not of
Mahometan invention. The history, however, although evidently incorrect, yet
seems as well worthy of credit, as the fables of Greek mythology, or as Homer's
account of the heroes engaged in the Trojan war.—Dr. Sprcngcr.
1 Makrizi has alluded to this story; and it is given at some length in MS. 9973,
in the British Museum. This account has been taken from the latter document, on
account of the bad condition of Masoudi's manuscript, but it has been carefully
collated and compared with it.— Dr. Sprenger,