DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12654#0137
Sect. TIL]
THE PYRAMIDS.
109
have been thought to be recognised on the monu-
ments.
The next Memphite Dynasty was the Fourth, some
of the Kings of which possessed great power, and
made themselves famous by the wonderful monuments
which they raised. At this period of Egyptian history,
we begin to be able to study the chronicles of the
early Kings from contemporary records; and as this is
the time at which we can first decidedly ascribe
certain Pyramids to particular Kings, it will not be
amiss to controvert an opinion which has gained some
adherents. It has been supposed that each Pyramid was
the tomb of a sovereign or sovereigns, and that all the
Pyramids were built before the Shepherd-invasion, being
the tombs of successive Kings. It is enough to remark
that ancient authority, the evidence of the monuments,
and the relative positions of Pyramids, are against this
theory; and the monuments distinctly shew that con-
temporaneous Kings were buried in the Pyramids
around Memphis. Under these circumstances, it is
manifestly unnecessary to enter upon this question in
detail; and I have merely mentioned it to warn the
reader against accepting as facts unsupported hypo-
theses, however boldly put forth.
According to the scheme of the Dynasties which I
have adopted, the Fifth Dynasty (of Elephantinites)
was, in its earlier part, contemporary with the Fourth
(of Memphites); and the records in the tombs at the
Pyramids satisfactorily prove this to have been the
case.
Certain names, which can only be those of Elephan-
tinites of the Fifth Dynasty, are found in tombs at the
Pyramids of the time of the Fourth Dynasty; and, in
these instances, are mentioned with Kings of that
THE PYRAMIDS.
109
have been thought to be recognised on the monu-
ments.
The next Memphite Dynasty was the Fourth, some
of the Kings of which possessed great power, and
made themselves famous by the wonderful monuments
which they raised. At this period of Egyptian history,
we begin to be able to study the chronicles of the
early Kings from contemporary records; and as this is
the time at which we can first decidedly ascribe
certain Pyramids to particular Kings, it will not be
amiss to controvert an opinion which has gained some
adherents. It has been supposed that each Pyramid was
the tomb of a sovereign or sovereigns, and that all the
Pyramids were built before the Shepherd-invasion, being
the tombs of successive Kings. It is enough to remark
that ancient authority, the evidence of the monuments,
and the relative positions of Pyramids, are against this
theory; and the monuments distinctly shew that con-
temporaneous Kings were buried in the Pyramids
around Memphis. Under these circumstances, it is
manifestly unnecessary to enter upon this question in
detail; and I have merely mentioned it to warn the
reader against accepting as facts unsupported hypo-
theses, however boldly put forth.
According to the scheme of the Dynasties which I
have adopted, the Fifth Dynasty (of Elephantinites)
was, in its earlier part, contemporary with the Fourth
(of Memphites); and the records in the tombs at the
Pyramids satisfactorily prove this to have been the
case.
Certain names, which can only be those of Elephan-
tinites of the Fifth Dynasty, are found in tombs at the
Pyramids of the time of the Fourth Dynasty; and, in
these instances, are mentioned with Kings of that