Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1925. ARCHAELOGICAL FIND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10349, 12 March 1925, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1925. ARCHAELOGICAL FIND.

If the tomb just discovered in Egypt should prove to be that of Seneferu,, archaelogists will certainly be greatly interested, for it will reveal a great deal of a period in the world’s history concerning

which but little is as yet known. The civilisation of ancient Egypt is of great importance to the student for from it sprang the beginnings of much of the scientific knowledge that enriches the world to-day. The origins of Egypt are shrouded in mystery, stretching far back beyond the dawn of history, and even if every treasure in the land were unearthed the blank would not be filled up. Tutankhamen, the discovery of whose tomb in 1923 marked a distinct advance in Egyptology, was comparatively a modern beside Seneferu, for he reigned, so far as can be fixed by the imperfect data available, only about 1400 years before the

Christian era, compared with his predecessor’s 3700. The first really historical king was Mena (Menes of the Greeks) who founded the white-walled city, afterI wards known as Memj>his, over j 6000 years ago according to some ] authorities or 4000 according to ! others. Even at that early period the civilisation of Egypt had reached a remarkable stage of development. Heiroglyphic writing was then coming into common use and a State religion and priestly organisations were fully regulated and established. The furniture of inlaid ivory and ebony, the carved alabaster vessels, the copper work, and the gold ornaments, examples of which have been discovered at various times, prove how far the Egyptians of that remote period had advanced in handicraft. Dur-

ing the third dynasty the great step pyramid at Sakkorah was built and the great sphinx of Gizeh may have been also built in that period, though some authorities place it among’ the works of the succeeding era. The fourth dynasty (3766-3566 was, however, the great pyramid-build-ing regime. Cheops, who succeeded his father, Seneferu, built the great pyramid, and Khaf-Ra was responsible for the second great pyramid. The reign of the former seems to have been marked by the great oppression of the people. Tradition says the temples were closed and all labour ceased so that all persons could be employed to build the great pyramid. Khaf-Ra was also a great oppressor of the people. The shepherd kings, or Hyksos, propably nomad Semites, invaded Egypt about 1900 8.C., conqtiering her without a blow. Three hundred years later they were j driven out, opening up one of the ! most glorious periods of Egyp--1 tian history. Four hundred

years, however, were still to elapse before Raineses 11., in his pride, cruelty and appalling’ extravagance sapped the strength of Egypt, incidentally oppressing the descendants of the men from Canaan who generations previously had sought com in Egypt. It was his son Mer-en-

ptah who hardened his heart until, losing" his firstborn, he called Moses and Aaron by night and said “Rise up and get you forth from among my people.'*

Thus the importance of the present discovery will he readily recognised, for, even should the tomb prove to be not that of Seneferu himself hut that of one of his high officials, it will add tremendously to existing knowledge of this exceedingly interesting ancient people.