GLIMPSES OF OTHER LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11986, 7 June 1902, Page 1 (Supplement)

GLIMPSES OF OTHER LANDS.

[BY THOMAS ALLEN*..!

f MEMPHIS. I ,OuR iiist stopping-place was at Bedrashyn, ! where we bunded and started on our first : donkey' ride in Egypt. We rode across the i sand, and then through cultivated fields to ! the kite of ancient Memphis. Here we saw j the colossal statue of Rameses 11. the ' Pharaoh of the oppression. This granite ■ statue- formerly stood at the entrance of the temple, but now lies prostrate on its J back. Its length is 25ft, exclusive of the i crown. There is a second colossus of j Rameses 11. very near, but of larger dimen- : sions, bei*7ig 42ft long. It is of fine limeI stone, and splendidly executed, the features I being gentle and refined. Our destination ' is the Sal'tkara Necropolis, and we ride through [lal.tn groves and pass splendid crops of wheat and clover. During this ride we saw camels, cows, calves, donkeys, goats, and sheep, tethered by the legs with ropes, and eating at the outer fringe of the growing crop of clover. The crops are too valuable for them \o allow any of their stock to roam at will'. AXCffiXT TOMBS. The Necropolis of Sakka.ru extends' about four miles in length by one mile in width, and is a veritable desert. M. Mariette, the famous French Egyptologist, discovered in this desert, coveted with the drifting saauls of many centuries, some of the most famous tombs the world has ever seen. Going down a sloping path between walls of sand, we enter the Mastada, or tomb of Ti, some; ''-1500 years old. The tuck was hewn for a great distance, forming long passages to the tomb. These rocky walls were covered with a thin coating of fine cement of excellent quality, and polished like ivory. They were adorned with tine mural reliefs, got raised more than one-quarter of an inch, the figures being placed in horizontal parallel rows, and were executed at a. period when Egyptian art was at its best. There \fere representation of servants with sacrifn'ial gifts for the god, dancers, and singers', men engaged in various industrial pursuitssome measuring corn and others baking bread.- herdsmen driving cattle through a river, artisans building ships, others ploughing hind with the same pattern of plough that is used to-day— men engaged in sowing seed, and some reaping and winnowing corn. There were, vessels propelled by oars, and others with sails. These are a. few of the reliefs we sviw in the tomb of Ti, who lived during the fifth dynasty, when he occupied a very responsible position, and possessed great wea'th. Thousands of years have passed since these reliefs were executed, but the delicacy of the work was particularly noticeable, all the lines and figures being as clearly cut and sharply defined as the finest marble. The next tomb we enter is that of Apis, the sacred bull 'of the god Ptah, who was worshipped in a temple at. Memphis, and after death was embalmed like a human being and interred here. This subterranean tomb is also hewn in the rock, and consists of huge galleries, 10ft wide and from 17ft to 20ft high, and has a total length of 380 yds. Each of the Apis mummies was deposited in a huge sarcophagus, made of a single block of black or red polished granite. We measured some of them, and found that they were of an average length of 13ft, about 7ft wide and lift high. The sides were 12in thick, and the weight was estimated to be over 65 tons. Standing on a mound near the tombs we look around and try to realise something of the splendour of ancient Memphis, a city that in ruins was described as lately as the middle ages as "half a day's journey in every direction." , -.No capital of the world dates back so far, and yet with the exception of , the. great colossus of Rameses 11. that marks.the position of the maivL entrance to the Temple of Ptah, and the Step Pyramid of Sakkara, the oldest monument in the world, nothing but the mounds of clay remain to mark the site. •-';-*! '•■■'• The city of Memphis attained its greatest prosperity during the time of the ancient empire, about 2200 8.C.. but it gradually declined when the centre of power was transferred to Upper. Egypt, and Thebes then became the capital. RAMESES THE GREAT. Leaving ancient Memphis, we pass many places of interest on the river, Beni Hassan with its fine temple, Assiout with its bazaars and manufactory of pottery and filters ; Abydos, with its grand temple; and presently arrive at Luxor. What a cluster of names we find here—Karnack, Luxor, Ramesseum, Thebes! All the way' from Memphis to Luxor Rameses the Great appears to be the central figure. He filled the country with temples, and monuments dedicated to the worship of his god. Amen Ra, and to his own idorifieation. This remarkable man reigned in Egvpt for a period of 67 years. 1405 to 1338 8.C., and has left " more permanent records of his reign than any other of the mighty Pharaohs. During his early years he was a great warrior, and fought many battles in Palestine and Syria, capturing many cities. After this, be continued to war with the Hittites for years, and then concluded a treaty of peace with the prince of that country. This remarkable treaty is the first instance on record of an extradition treaty, and is sculptured on one of the walls of the Temple of Karuak. The text of the treaty is in itself a wonderful proof of his power, and shows in the preamble that it is made between the Prince of the Hittites and " Chief of Rulers, who fixes his frontiers where he pleases." The concluding clauses show that all political fugitives were to be returned in safety —" Whosoever shall so be delivered up, himself, his wives, bis children, let him not be smitten to death, moreover let him not suffer in his eves, in his mouth, nor in his feet." KARNAK. It is impossible to convey the faintest idea of the grandeur of the ruins of ancient Thefces. On the eastern bank, we visited the ruins of the greatest temnle the world has ever seen. Formerly there was 9» avenue two miles long, lined with stone sphinxes, and connecting the temples of Lrexor and Karnak. There were about 250 sphinxes on, each side of the road, but the greater number are buried in the sand, only a tew being visible. They are mostly ramheaded, ! and couchant on stone bases, each one. being about ten feet long. Many writers have attempted to describe the temple of Amnion, at Karnak, with its great, hypostyle hall, but hive admitted their inability to do it justice. It has been compared to other noble buildings, but all agree " that there is no building in the world that can be compared to it." This great hall, the wonder of Egyptian architecture, and sometimes called the Hall of Columns, measures 330 ft long .by 170 ft wide, the roof being supported by 134 columns, arranged iu 16 rows. The 12 columns forming the central aiitfe arc 78 feet high, and lift in diameter, grand and imposing with fullblown lotus flowers for capitals; the remaining 12.3 columns are 42ft high, and 9ft in diameter. The walls and columns are covered witth inscriptions and reliefs recording the deeds and valour of that period. This noble temple was begun during the 12th dynasty, finished by Rameses 11. during the 19th dyuasty, and then dedicated to the god Amen Re..' The Great Pylon, or gateway, is both massive and grand. It is 372 ft wide, 142 ft high, and the walls are 16ft thick. The stone lintel over the doorway of this "Pylon is 40ft long, and many of the stones of the temple, stretching from column to column to form the rovf, are from 25ft to 30ft long. The exterior walls of all the Pylons are adorned with bieroglypliies, referring to victories granted by the gods of the temple, to the royal builders.