DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9059#0051
46 THE MONUMENTS OF UPPER EGYPT.
historian. It will be easily understood, there-
fore, to how much error we are exposed when
we wish, for example, to fix the date of the
foundation of the Egyptian monarchy.
And yet, for all that, it must be admitted that
the authority of Manetho, an Egyptian priest,
writing the history of his own country from the
archives of the temples, should always carry
great weight. In vain is it alleged that several
of the dynasties which he cites as successive
were contemporaneous. If the fact were proved,
we must evidently deduct from the total amount
the entire duration of those dynasties which
have thus grafted themselves, like so many
branches, upon the main stem. But the system
of contemporaneous dynasties is as yet sup-
ported by no really trustworthy proof; on the
contrary, it seems certain that Manetho was
well aware that at various epochs Egypt was
governed simultaneously by several dynasties,
and he availed himself of the means of control
at his disposal to strike out of his work all such
dynasties as did not belong to the genuine series
of royal houses who succeeded each other on the
throne, so that the latter were alone officially
enrolled in due order on the register of kings.
historian. It will be easily understood, there-
fore, to how much error we are exposed when
we wish, for example, to fix the date of the
foundation of the Egyptian monarchy.
And yet, for all that, it must be admitted that
the authority of Manetho, an Egyptian priest,
writing the history of his own country from the
archives of the temples, should always carry
great weight. In vain is it alleged that several
of the dynasties which he cites as successive
were contemporaneous. If the fact were proved,
we must evidently deduct from the total amount
the entire duration of those dynasties which
have thus grafted themselves, like so many
branches, upon the main stem. But the system
of contemporaneous dynasties is as yet sup-
ported by no really trustworthy proof; on the
contrary, it seems certain that Manetho was
well aware that at various epochs Egypt was
governed simultaneously by several dynasties,
and he availed himself of the means of control
at his disposal to strike out of his work all such
dynasties as did not belong to the genuine series
of royal houses who succeeded each other on the
throne, so that the latter were alone officially
enrolled in due order on the register of kings.