DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6553#0181
APPENDIX.
Ill
" Short Greek inscriptions were indistir ctly cut on the paws
of the statue (see Plate E; Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, in Plate F, and
Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, in Plate H). They prove that the image
was held in high veneration ; confirm the expression of Pliny,
' quasi silvestre nemus accolentium ;' and contain various phrases,
which elucidate many douhtful points in the sculptures in the ad-
jacent tombs.*
"Capt. Caviglia succeeded in laying open the base of the
Sphinx, and in clearing away the sand in front of it, to the extent
of more than a hundred feet.
" It is scarcely possible," continues Mr. Salt, "for any person,
unused to operations of this kind, to form an idea of the difficul-
ties, which Capt. Caviglia had to surmount, when working at the
depth of the base ; for, in spite of all his precautions, the slightest
breath of wind, or concussion set the surrounding particles of
the sand in motion, so that the sloping sides crumbled away, and
mass after mass tumbled in, till the whole moving surface bore no
unapt resemblance to a cascade of water. Even when the sides
appeared most firm, if the labourers suspended their work only
for an hour, they found that the greater part of their labour had
to be renewed.5 This was particularly the case on the southern
side of the right paw, where the people were employed for seven
days without making any sensible advance, because the sand
rolled down in one continued and regular torrent as fast as it was
removed. He therefore only examined the end of the paw,
where an imperfect inscription (see Fig. 2, Plate F) was disco-
vered on the second digit, and a few dedicatory phrases, addressed
to Harpocrates, to Mars, and to Hermes (see Figs. 4, 5, 7, 8, Plate
H).G At the distance of about two feet to the southward of the
right paw, the platform (kh in ground-plan) abruptly terminated,
1 These Greek characters will be afterwards adverted to. Mr. Salt observes,
in reference to one of these inscriptions (Plate E), that Dr. Young, probably
misled by a bad copy, erroneously supposed that the eighth line alluded to
one of the Roman elnperors. The words are — tr/Xer o«-ngi», and they, in some
degree, confirm the account that the Sphinx was considered to be the guardian
of the tomb of Osiris. Sir. Salt, therefore, conjectures that the tomb may be
cither in the body of the Sphinx, or in the Second Pyramid. It is to be ob-
served, that Fig. 2, Plate H, is on a pier above Esne, and has been inserted
by mistake.
4 M. Caviglia should have begun his operations on a larger scale, and
have removed the sand from the monument, instead of excavating near it.
He made the same mistake in searching for the entrance of the Second Pyra-
mid. (See p. 161, Vol. II )
0 Mr. Salt appears to have mistaken these names.
Ill
" Short Greek inscriptions were indistir ctly cut on the paws
of the statue (see Plate E; Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, in Plate F, and
Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, in Plate H). They prove that the image
was held in high veneration ; confirm the expression of Pliny,
' quasi silvestre nemus accolentium ;' and contain various phrases,
which elucidate many douhtful points in the sculptures in the ad-
jacent tombs.*
"Capt. Caviglia succeeded in laying open the base of the
Sphinx, and in clearing away the sand in front of it, to the extent
of more than a hundred feet.
" It is scarcely possible," continues Mr. Salt, "for any person,
unused to operations of this kind, to form an idea of the difficul-
ties, which Capt. Caviglia had to surmount, when working at the
depth of the base ; for, in spite of all his precautions, the slightest
breath of wind, or concussion set the surrounding particles of
the sand in motion, so that the sloping sides crumbled away, and
mass after mass tumbled in, till the whole moving surface bore no
unapt resemblance to a cascade of water. Even when the sides
appeared most firm, if the labourers suspended their work only
for an hour, they found that the greater part of their labour had
to be renewed.5 This was particularly the case on the southern
side of the right paw, where the people were employed for seven
days without making any sensible advance, because the sand
rolled down in one continued and regular torrent as fast as it was
removed. He therefore only examined the end of the paw,
where an imperfect inscription (see Fig. 2, Plate F) was disco-
vered on the second digit, and a few dedicatory phrases, addressed
to Harpocrates, to Mars, and to Hermes (see Figs. 4, 5, 7, 8, Plate
H).G At the distance of about two feet to the southward of the
right paw, the platform (kh in ground-plan) abruptly terminated,
1 These Greek characters will be afterwards adverted to. Mr. Salt observes,
in reference to one of these inscriptions (Plate E), that Dr. Young, probably
misled by a bad copy, erroneously supposed that the eighth line alluded to
one of the Roman elnperors. The words are — tr/Xer o«-ngi», and they, in some
degree, confirm the account that the Sphinx was considered to be the guardian
of the tomb of Osiris. Sir. Salt, therefore, conjectures that the tomb may be
cither in the body of the Sphinx, or in the Second Pyramid. It is to be ob-
served, that Fig. 2, Plate H, is on a pier above Esne, and has been inserted
by mistake.
4 M. Caviglia should have begun his operations on a larger scale, and
have removed the sand from the monument, instead of excavating near it.
He made the same mistake in searching for the entrance of the Second Pyra-
mid. (See p. 161, Vol. II )
0 Mr. Salt appears to have mistaken these names.