DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0370
APPENDIX.
331
inscription of great antiquity written upon a tablet Qf gold, which
tablet8 was translated by two brothers—Ilwa, and Yercha—at the
request of Philippus, who asked them, how it happened that they
could understand an inscription, which was unintelligible to the
learned men in his capital? They answered, because they were
descended from one of the antient inhabitants of Egypt, who was
preserved with Noah in the ark, and who, after the flood had
subsided, went into Egypt with the sons of Ham, and dying in
that country left to his descendants, (from whom the two brothers
received them), the books of the antient Egyptians, which had been
written one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five years before
the time of Philippus, nine hundred and forty-six years before
the arrival of the sons of Ham in Egypt, and contained the
history of two thousand three hundred and seventy-two years ;
and that it was from these books that the tablet was formed. The
contents of the book were: ' We9 have seen what the stars fore-
told ; we saw the calamity descending from the heavens, and
going out from the earth, and we were convinced that the waters
would destroy the earth, with the inhabitants and plants. We
told this to the King Surid Ben Shaluk: he built the Pyramids
for the safety of us,1 and also as tombs for himself and for his
8 A French author remarks, that it is possible that in the two hundred and twenty-
fifth year of the Hegra an Arabic version was found of a Greek translation from
an antient MS., which may have related to celestial observations, and to the con-
struction of the Pyramids; and also that the two larger Pyramids may, from their
relative positions, have been called "eastern" and "western," and the Third, from the
dark colour of the granite, termed "painted." He conceives that treasures, statues, and
mummies, may have been found within them. lie remarks, that the founder of
the Great Pyramid is called Surid, son of Shaluk ; of the Second, Ilerdjib ; and of
the Third, Kemses, son or nephew of Surid : an account which agrees with the Greek
historians. lie observes, that the entrances, which have been discovered, are on the
northern sides, and about twelve metres above the bases of the Pyramids; but that
in the time of the Caliph Al Mamoon, as the accumulation of rubbish must have
been less, the subterraneous passages, mentioned by the Arabian historians, may
have been more apparent; and he conceives that their accounts are, to a certain de-
gree, founded on facts.
* Masoudi begins his narration of Surid (whose history he has taken from this
document) by saying, that that monarch, son of Shaluk, king of Egypt, had a dream,
which he imparted to the chief of the priests, and directed him to examine what the
stars foretold, &c.— Dr. Sprengcr.
1 As there are two readings at this place, it does not appear that the meaning
of the original was clearly known.—Dr. Sproigtr.
331
inscription of great antiquity written upon a tablet Qf gold, which
tablet8 was translated by two brothers—Ilwa, and Yercha—at the
request of Philippus, who asked them, how it happened that they
could understand an inscription, which was unintelligible to the
learned men in his capital? They answered, because they were
descended from one of the antient inhabitants of Egypt, who was
preserved with Noah in the ark, and who, after the flood had
subsided, went into Egypt with the sons of Ham, and dying in
that country left to his descendants, (from whom the two brothers
received them), the books of the antient Egyptians, which had been
written one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five years before
the time of Philippus, nine hundred and forty-six years before
the arrival of the sons of Ham in Egypt, and contained the
history of two thousand three hundred and seventy-two years ;
and that it was from these books that the tablet was formed. The
contents of the book were: ' We9 have seen what the stars fore-
told ; we saw the calamity descending from the heavens, and
going out from the earth, and we were convinced that the waters
would destroy the earth, with the inhabitants and plants. We
told this to the King Surid Ben Shaluk: he built the Pyramids
for the safety of us,1 and also as tombs for himself and for his
8 A French author remarks, that it is possible that in the two hundred and twenty-
fifth year of the Hegra an Arabic version was found of a Greek translation from
an antient MS., which may have related to celestial observations, and to the con-
struction of the Pyramids; and also that the two larger Pyramids may, from their
relative positions, have been called "eastern" and "western," and the Third, from the
dark colour of the granite, termed "painted." He conceives that treasures, statues, and
mummies, may have been found within them. lie remarks, that the founder of
the Great Pyramid is called Surid, son of Shaluk ; of the Second, Ilerdjib ; and of
the Third, Kemses, son or nephew of Surid : an account which agrees with the Greek
historians. lie observes, that the entrances, which have been discovered, are on the
northern sides, and about twelve metres above the bases of the Pyramids; but that
in the time of the Caliph Al Mamoon, as the accumulation of rubbish must have
been less, the subterraneous passages, mentioned by the Arabian historians, may
have been more apparent; and he conceives that their accounts are, to a certain de-
gree, founded on facts.
* Masoudi begins his narration of Surid (whose history he has taken from this
document) by saying, that that monarch, son of Shaluk, king of Egypt, had a dream,
which he imparted to the chief of the priests, and directed him to examine what the
stars foretold, &c.— Dr. Sprengcr.
1 As there are two readings at this place, it does not appear that the meaning
of the original was clearly known.—Dr. Sproigtr.