DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0368
APPENDIX.
329
discovered, in a large hall, a quantity of golden coins put
up in columns, every piece of which was of the weight of one
thousand dinars. They tried to take the money, hut were not
ahle to move it. In another place they found the image of a
sheik, made of green stone, sitting upon a sofa, und wrapped up
in a garment. Before him were statues of little hoys, whom
he was occupied in instructing: they tried to take up one of
these figures, hut they were not able to move it. Having pro-
ceeded further to a quadrangular space, similar to that, which
they had previously entered, they met with the image of a cock,
made of precious stones, and placed upon a green column.
Its eyes enlightened all the place; and, upon their arrival,
it crowed, and flapped its wings. Continuing their researches,
they came to a female idol of white stone, with a covering on her
head, and lions of stone on each side, attempting to devour her,
upon which they took to flight. This took place in the time of
Yerid Ben Abdullah.5
In the " Golden Meadows," (9576 British Museum), the author,
Masoudi, alter adverting to the great size of the Pyramids, says, that
they were inscribed with the unknown and unintelligible writings of
people and of nations, whose names and existence have been long
since forgotten. He then mentions, that the vertical height of the
Great Pyramid was about four bundl ed cubits, and that its breadth
was the same; and repeats the well-known tradition, that upon
them were recorded the arts and sciences, various secrets, and
knowledge, and also the sentence, " I have built them," &c.; he
likewise narrates the story of the Mahometan king, who would
have destroyed them, had he not found that the wealth of the
whole kingdom would not have afforded him the means of doing so.
The author says, that the Pyramids were built of squared stones of
unequal size, and that they were the tombs of kings; that when one
of these monarchs died, his body was placed in a sarcophagus of
stone, called in Egypt and Syria, " Al Harm ;" and that a Pyramid
was built over it, with a subterraneous entrance, and a passage
above one hundred cubits long; that the Pyramid was constructed
in steps, which were built up and completed from the top to the
bottom, and effaced when the whole was finished.
Masoudi, in his " Akbar-Ezzeman," also states, that when the
Caliph Ilaroun Al Raschid was in Egypt, he wished to take down
one of the Pyramids to see what it contained. He was told that
1 Who was supposed lo have been a king of Egypt.
329
discovered, in a large hall, a quantity of golden coins put
up in columns, every piece of which was of the weight of one
thousand dinars. They tried to take the money, hut were not
ahle to move it. In another place they found the image of a
sheik, made of green stone, sitting upon a sofa, und wrapped up
in a garment. Before him were statues of little hoys, whom
he was occupied in instructing: they tried to take up one of
these figures, hut they were not able to move it. Having pro-
ceeded further to a quadrangular space, similar to that, which
they had previously entered, they met with the image of a cock,
made of precious stones, and placed upon a green column.
Its eyes enlightened all the place; and, upon their arrival,
it crowed, and flapped its wings. Continuing their researches,
they came to a female idol of white stone, with a covering on her
head, and lions of stone on each side, attempting to devour her,
upon which they took to flight. This took place in the time of
Yerid Ben Abdullah.5
In the " Golden Meadows," (9576 British Museum), the author,
Masoudi, alter adverting to the great size of the Pyramids, says, that
they were inscribed with the unknown and unintelligible writings of
people and of nations, whose names and existence have been long
since forgotten. He then mentions, that the vertical height of the
Great Pyramid was about four bundl ed cubits, and that its breadth
was the same; and repeats the well-known tradition, that upon
them were recorded the arts and sciences, various secrets, and
knowledge, and also the sentence, " I have built them," &c.; he
likewise narrates the story of the Mahometan king, who would
have destroyed them, had he not found that the wealth of the
whole kingdom would not have afforded him the means of doing so.
The author says, that the Pyramids were built of squared stones of
unequal size, and that they were the tombs of kings; that when one
of these monarchs died, his body was placed in a sarcophagus of
stone, called in Egypt and Syria, " Al Harm ;" and that a Pyramid
was built over it, with a subterraneous entrance, and a passage
above one hundred cubits long; that the Pyramid was constructed
in steps, which were built up and completed from the top to the
bottom, and effaced when the whole was finished.
Masoudi, in his " Akbar-Ezzeman," also states, that when the
Caliph Ilaroun Al Raschid was in Egypt, he wished to take down
one of the Pyramids to see what it contained. He was told that
1 Who was supposed lo have been a king of Egypt.