IMPORTANT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES IN EGIPT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 443, 7 October 1881, Page 9

IMPORTANT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES IN EGIPT.

(From The Time*.)

Cairo, July 24. Besides being memorable for the appearance of the comets, the year 1881 must ever hold a high place in the annals of Egyptological discovery. Monsieur Maspero,the recently appointed director of the Boulak Museum, is at the present moment in Paris actively engaged in preparing for public \tioa the texts of the pyramids of the Fifth and Sixth dynasties, which were opened last spring at Sakkara. The forthcoming number of his ''Recueil " will contain the entire text of the pyramid of King Ounas, the last king of the Fifth dynasty. But the saying that "it never rains but it pours" may be now fairly applied to archaeological discovery. Long before the savants have had time to peruse, ponder over, or profit by the wonders unearthed at Sakkara they are now suddenly overwhelmed with a fresh supply of material in the form of the largest papyri yet known, and by the apparition of the mummies, with all their mortuary appendages' and inscriptions, of no les? than 30 Royal porsonage3. This discovery which has just been made calls for special interest in England, for among the 30 Royal mummies are to be found those of King Thutmes 111. and of King Ramses II. — it was the former who ordered the construction of the obelisk which now stands upou Thames Embankment, and it was the latter who, 270 years afterwards, caused his own official titles aud honours to be inscribed upon its faces besides those of Thutmes 111. These two monarchs now lie side by side in the Boulak Museum, and even the flowers and garlands which were placed in their coffins may to-day be seen encircling the masks which cover the faces of the deceased just as they were left by the mourners over 3,000 years ago.

Last June Daoud Pasha, Govenor of the province of Keneh, which includes the ancient Theban district, noticed that the Beda* ween offered for sale an unusual quantity of antiquities at absurdly low prices. The Pasha soon discovered that the source of their hidden treasure was situated in a gorge of the mountain range which separates Deir-el-Bahari from the Bab-el-Malook. The gorge is situated about four miles from the Nile to the East of Thebe*. Dao\id Pasha at once telegraphed to the Khedive, who forthwith dispatched to the spot Herr Emil Brugsch, a younger brother of Dr. Henry Brugsch Pasha, who during Monsieur Maspero's absence in Paris is in charge of all archaeological excavations in Egypt. Herr Brugsch discovered in the cliffs of the Lybian mountains, near the Temple of Deir-el-Bahari, or the " Northern Convent," a pit, about 35ft. deep, ■cut in the solid rock ; a secret opening from this pit led to a gallery nearly 200 ft. long, also hewn out of the solid rock. This gallery was filled with relics of the Theban dynasties. Every indication leads to the conviction that these sacred relics had been removed from their •appropriate places in the various tombs and temples, and concealed in this secret subterranean gallery by the Egyptian priests to preserve them from being destroyed by some foreign invader. In all probability they were thus concealed at the time of the invasion of Egypt by Cambyses. Herr Brugsch at once telegraphed for a steamer, which on Friday last safely deposited her precious cargo at the Boulak Museum.

The full value of this discovery, of course, cannot as yet be ■determined. The papyri have not yet been unrolled, not have the mammies been unwrapped. Conspicuous by its massive gold ornamentation, in which cartouches are set in precious stones, is the •coffin containing the mummy of Maut Nedjem, a daughter of King Ramses 11.

Each of the mummies is accompanied by an alabaster canopic orn containing the hearts and entrails of the deceased.

Four papyri were found in the gallery at Dier-el-Bahari, each in a perfect state of preservation. The largest of these papyri — that iound in the coffin of Queen Ra-ma-ka — is most beautifully illustrated with coloured illuminations. It is about 16in. wide, and when unrolled will probably measure from 100 to 140 feet in length. The other papyri are somewhat narrower, but are more closely written upon. These papyri will probably prove to be the most valuable portion of the discovery, for in the present state of Egyptology a papyrus may be of more importance than an entire temple, and, as the late Mariette Pasha used to say," it is certain that if ever one of those discoveries that bring about a revolution in science should be made in Egyptology the world will be indebted for it to a papyrus." No less than 3,700 mortuary statues have been found which bear royal cartouches and inscriptions. Nearly 2,000 other objects have been discovered. One of the most remarkable relics is an enormous leather tent, which bears the cartouche of King Pinotem, of the 21st dynasty. This tent is in a truly wonderful state of preservation. The workmanship is beautiful. It is covered with hieroglyphs most carefully embroidered in red, green, and yellow leather. The colours are quite fresh and bright. In each of the corners is represented the royal vulture and stars.

Fifteen enormous wigs for ceremonial occasions form a striking feature of the Deir-el-Bahari collection. These wigs are nearly 2ft. high, and are composed of frizzled and curled hair. There are many marked points of resemblance between the legal institutions of ancient "Egypt and of England. For instance, pleadings must be "traversed," " confessed and avoided " or demurred to. Marriage settlements and the doctrines of uses and trusts prevailed in ancient Egypt, but the wearing of these wigs was not extended to the members of the legal profession, but was reserved exclusively for the princesses of the blood and ladies of very high rank.

Virginia farmers in the neighbourhood of battlefields are still -able to gather up enough old gun barrels to supply their blacksmiths with horseshoe iron.

A dying thief [was compassionately released from the Rhode Island State Prison, and sent to pass his remaining days at home in Providence ; but before his death he crawled out and robbed seven houses.