DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0386
APPENDIX.
347
I.Greek; 2. Arabic;4 3. Syriac ; 4. Musnadic; 5. Himyaritic;5
6. Roomish ; 7. Persian.
He adds, that the Caliph Mamoon Ben Haroun Al Raschid
came to Egypt,6 and wished to take down one of the Pyra-
mids to see what it contained. He was told that it was impos-
sible; he answered, that at least it must he opened. He made
a chasm, which the author says was to he seen in the Great
Pyramid. Having penetrated twenty cubits, a vessel was found
full of coined gold, each piece of which was a dinar in weight,
one thousand dinars in all, and two hundred dinars besides.
There was also a tablet, according to some accounts, of gold, to
others, of coloured marble, with an inscription in antient charac-
ters, as follows:7 "King-——, son of King -, in the year
-, will open this Pyramid, and will expend in doing so a
certain sum. We here repay him what he has laid out : if be
continues his researches, he will be at a great expense, and will
obtain nothing more." The caliph was greatly astonished : he
admired the beauty and excellence of the money, and ordered an
account to be drawn up of the expenses of the excavation, which,
to his surprise, exactly amounted to the money he had discovered ;
he therefore observed that the antient people were very wise, and
had a knowledge of future events, to which no other persons
could ever attain.8 It was said that the vessel was made out
of an emerald, and that it was taken by order of the caliph to
4 There are two manuscripts at Oxford—tlie one numbered 660 mentions, in-
stead of Arabic, Hebrew.—Dr. Sprenger.
5 A difference is made between Himyaritic and Musnad—see the note on Abou
Ma'aher. The MS. 660, bears Hiritic, instead of Himyaritic. Eichhorn has given
some account of the once powerful empire of Hira : a more detailed notice is con-
tained in Masoudi's " Golden Meadows."—Dr. Sprenger.
6 Makrizi, Soyuti, and the " Mirat-Ezzeman," by Ben Yugi, state that the
Pyramid was opened by one of the Abbasides. A MS. in the Iiodleian Library
affirms that the Pyramid was opened by Al Itaschid; but Makrizi quotes from
Masoudi that it was forced by Al Mamoon.—Dr. Sprenger.
' This is copied with some alterations and additions from Masoudi.— Dr.
Sj>rengcr.
' Masoudi, and those who copy from him, do not mention an inscription, but
merely relate that Al liaschid, or Al Mamoon, being surprised at finding the money,
ordered it to be counted, when it was found equal to the expenditure. From Ma-
soudi's account, it would appear that the caliph was not himself present when the
treasure was discovered, but that the workmen sent him some of the money, when
he admired the coinage and beauty of the metal, and ordered an account of the
expenses incurred to be drawn up.—Dr. Sprenger.
347
I.Greek; 2. Arabic;4 3. Syriac ; 4. Musnadic; 5. Himyaritic;5
6. Roomish ; 7. Persian.
He adds, that the Caliph Mamoon Ben Haroun Al Raschid
came to Egypt,6 and wished to take down one of the Pyra-
mids to see what it contained. He was told that it was impos-
sible; he answered, that at least it must he opened. He made
a chasm, which the author says was to he seen in the Great
Pyramid. Having penetrated twenty cubits, a vessel was found
full of coined gold, each piece of which was a dinar in weight,
one thousand dinars in all, and two hundred dinars besides.
There was also a tablet, according to some accounts, of gold, to
others, of coloured marble, with an inscription in antient charac-
ters, as follows:7 "King-——, son of King -, in the year
-, will open this Pyramid, and will expend in doing so a
certain sum. We here repay him what he has laid out : if be
continues his researches, he will be at a great expense, and will
obtain nothing more." The caliph was greatly astonished : he
admired the beauty and excellence of the money, and ordered an
account to be drawn up of the expenses of the excavation, which,
to his surprise, exactly amounted to the money he had discovered ;
he therefore observed that the antient people were very wise, and
had a knowledge of future events, to which no other persons
could ever attain.8 It was said that the vessel was made out
of an emerald, and that it was taken by order of the caliph to
4 There are two manuscripts at Oxford—tlie one numbered 660 mentions, in-
stead of Arabic, Hebrew.—Dr. Sprenger.
5 A difference is made between Himyaritic and Musnad—see the note on Abou
Ma'aher. The MS. 660, bears Hiritic, instead of Himyaritic. Eichhorn has given
some account of the once powerful empire of Hira : a more detailed notice is con-
tained in Masoudi's " Golden Meadows."—Dr. Sprenger.
6 Makrizi, Soyuti, and the " Mirat-Ezzeman," by Ben Yugi, state that the
Pyramid was opened by one of the Abbasides. A MS. in the Iiodleian Library
affirms that the Pyramid was opened by Al Itaschid; but Makrizi quotes from
Masoudi that it was forced by Al Mamoon.—Dr. Sprenger.
' This is copied with some alterations and additions from Masoudi.— Dr.
Sj>rengcr.
' Masoudi, and those who copy from him, do not mention an inscription, but
merely relate that Al liaschid, or Al Mamoon, being surprised at finding the money,
ordered it to be counted, when it was found equal to the expenditure. From Ma-
soudi's account, it would appear that the caliph was not himself present when the
treasure was discovered, but that the workmen sent him some of the money, when
he admired the coinage and beauty of the metal, and ordered an account of the
expenses incurred to be drawn up.—Dr. Sprenger.