A history of ancient Egypt

A history of ancient EgyptVolume One
VOLUME IV.
Printed for Subscribers Only
The work here offered to the public, conceived and com-
menced in the year 1876, was designed to supply what seemed
a crying need of English literature— viz., an account of
Ancient Egypt, combining its antiquities with its history, ad-
dressed partly to the eye, and presenting to the reader, within
a reasonable compass, the chief points of Egyptian life—man-
ners, customs, art, science, literature, religion—together with
a tolerably full statement of the general course of historical
events, whereof Egypt was the scene, from the foundation of
the monarchy to the loss of independence. Existing English
histories of Ancient Egypt were either slight and scantly illus-
trated, like those of Canon Trevor and Dr. Birch, or wanting
in illustrations altogether, like Mr. Kenrick^s, or not confined
to the period which seemed to deserve special attention, like
the "Egypt" of Mr. Samuel Sharpe. Accordingly, the
present writer, having become aware that no " History of
Egypt " on a large scale was contemplated by Dr. Birch, de-
signed in 1876 the work now published, regarding it in part
as necessary to round off and complete his other principal
labors in the historical field, in part as calculated to fill up a
gap, which it was important to fill up, in the historical litera-
ture of his country. Since his intention was announced, and the sheets of his first volume to some extent printed off, Eng- lish literature has been enriched by two most important pub-
lications on the subject of Egypt—Dr. Birch's excellent edition
of Wilkinson's " Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyp- tians," and the translation of Dr. Brugsch's "Geschichte
Aegyptens" made by the late Mr. Danby Seymour and Mr.
Philip Smith. Had these works existed in the year 1876, or
had he then known that they were forthcoming, the author
iii
feels that the present volumes would never have seen the
light. But, as they were tolerably advanced when he first be-
came aware to what rivalry his poor efforts would be sub-
jected, it was scarcely possible for him to draw back and
retract his announced intentions. Instead of so doing, he took
refuge in the hope that neither of the two new works would
altogether pre-occupy the ground which he had marked out
for himself, and in the pleasing persuasion that the general
public, when books are published on a subject in which it
feels an interest, and are devoured with avidity, has its appe-
tite rather whetted by the process than satisfied. He trusts
therefore to find, in England and America, a sufficient body
of readers to justify his present venture, and prevent his pub-
lishers from suffering any loss through him.
In preparing the volumes, the author has endeavored to
utilize the enormous stores of antiquarian and historical ma-
terial accumulated during the last eighty years, and laid up
in works of vast size and enormous cost, quite inaccessible to
the general public. Of these the most magnificent are the
" Description de TEgypte," published by the French savants
who accompanied the expedition of the great Kapoleon; the
" Monumenti deir Egitto e della Nubia " of Ippolito Rosel-
lini; and the "Denkmaler aus Aegypten und Aethiopien '^
of Professor Lepsius. M. Mariette's " Monuments Divers
recueillis en Egypte et en Nubie '^ have also furnished him
with a considerable number of illustrations. Possessing only
a rudimentary knowledge of the Egyptian language and
writing, he has made it his aim to consult, as far as possible,
the various translations of the Egyptian documents which have
been put forth by advanced students, and to select the render-
ing which seemed on the internal evidence most satisfactory.
He has based his general narrative to a large extent on these
translations; and, where they failed him, has endeavored to
supply their place by a careful study, not only of finished
** Histories of Egypt," like those of Lenormant, Birch, and
Brugsch, but those of elaborate ^^ monographs" upon special
points, in which French and German scholars subject to the
PREFACE. T
keenest scrutiny the entire evidence upon this or that subject
or period. Such books as De Rouge's '* Kecherches sur les
Monuments qu'on pent attribuer aux six premieres dynasties
de Manethon/' Ohabas' "Pasteurs en Egypte," ''Melanges
Egyptologiques," and '' Recherches pour servir a Fhistoire de
la XlXme Dynastie et specialement a celle des temps de FEx-
ode," Lepsius's pamphlet " Ueber die XII. agyptische Konigs-
dynastie, nebst einigen Bemerkungen zu der XXVI. und
andern Dynastien des neuen Reichs," and his *' Konigsbuch
der alten Aegypter," Diimichen's '' Flotte einer agyptischen
Konigin " and '' Historische Inschriften alt-agyptischer Denk-
maler/' are specimens of the class of works to which allusion
is here made, and have been the sources of the present nar-
rative much more than any methodized "Histories." The author, however, is far from wishing to ignore the obligations
under which he lies to former historians of Egypt, such as
Bunsen, Kenrick, Lenormant, Birch, and Brugsch, without
whose works his could certainly not have been written. He is
only anxious to claim for it a distinct basis in the monographs
of the best Egyptologists and the great collections of illustra-
tions above noticed, and to call attention to the fact that he
has endeavored in all cases to go behind the statements of the
historiographers, and to draw his own conclusions from the
materials on which those statements were based.
In conclusion he would express his obligations to his en-
graver and artist, Mr. G. Pearson and Mr. P. Hundley, in
respect of his illustrations; to the late Colonel Howard Vyse
in respect of all that he has ventured to say concerning the
Pyramids; to Mr. James Fergusson in respect of his remarks
on the rest of Egyptian architecture; to his old friend and
colleague, the late Sir Gardner Wilkinson, in respect of the
entire subject of Egyptian customs andjmanners; to M. Wiede-
mann in respect of the history of the twenty-sixth dynasty:
and to Mr. R. Stuart Poole, Dr. Eisenlohr, M. Deveria, and
other writers on Egyptian subjects in the " Dictionary of the
Bible," the " Revue Archeologique," and the *' Transactions
of th§ Society of Biblical Archaeology." He has lived to feel.
VI PREFACE.
continually more and more, how small a part of each *' History " is due to the nominal author, and how large a
share belongs to the earlier workers in the field. He trusts
that in the past he has never failed conspicuously in the duty
of acknowledging obligations; but, however that may be, he
would at any rate wish, in the present and in the future, not
to be liable to the charge of such failure. To all those whose
works he has used he would hereby express himself greatly
beholden; he would ask their pardon if he has involuntarily
misrepresented them, and would crave at their hands a lenient
judgment of the present volumes.
GANTiaiBXTBY, December 31, 1880.
of the Conntry. ProfX)rtion of cultivable Territory. Depeittl-
ence on the Nile. Course of the Nile— its Tributaries—Time and Causes of tiie Inundation. Chief Divisions of the Terri-
tory: the Nile Valley; the Delta; the Fayoum; the Eastern
Desert ; the Valley of the Natron Lakes. Character of the
adjoining Countries. . . . . . . 1
CLIMATE AND PRODUCTIONS.
Climate of Egypt—of the Nile Valley—of the Eastern Highland.
Vegetable Productions—Indigenous Trees and Plants
—
—
Mineral Products. . . . . , . 23
The Egyptians of Asiatic Origin—Immigrants from the East
—
Not a colony from Ethiopia—Proof of this—So far peculiar as
to constitute a distinct Race—Their Complexion dark, but not black—their Hair not woolly. Description of their
Features ; of their Form. Their Subdivisions, original and later. Their Intellectual Characteristics. Their Artistic
Powers. Their Morality, theoretic and practical. Their Num- ber. Nfltions bordprinp; upon Eo-vpt : The Lihu (Libyans), or
Taheymu on the West ; the Nahsi (Negroes) and CusJ i^ (Ethi- **
opians) on the Soutli ; the Amu (Shemites) and Shasu (Arabs) on the East. Nascent Empires in this quarter. . 48
viii CONTENTS.
LANGUAGE AND WRITING.
Proposed Mode of Troatment. General Character of the Lan- guage. Connection of the Ancient Egyptian with the Coptic.
Three Forms of Egyptian Writing. The Hieroglyphic Signs
Pictorial. The Signs of four sorts, Representative, Figurative,
Determinative, and Phonetic. Table of the most common Phonetics ; other Phonetics. Number of the Signs. Ar-
rangement of the Writing. Signs for Numerals—for Gods
—
at present not fairly appreciated. Variety and Extent of the
Literature. Works on Religious Subjects—"Ritual of the
Dead." Shorter Works on Religion—Specimen. Historical
Poems—Specimens. Lyrical Poems—Specimen from the " Song of the Harper." Travels. Romances. Autobiog-
raphies—Sketch from the " Story of Saneha"—Specimen.
Correspondence. Scientific Treatises. Works on Magic.
CHAPTER VI.
I AGRICULTURE.
Extraordinary Produ tiveness of Egypt in Ancient Times. Ten-
ure of Land und- the Pharaohs—Absence of Governmental Interference with the Cultivation. Farming Operations—Pre-
paration of the Soil. Character of the Plough used. Mode of
Ploughing. Use of the Hoe. Sowing. Kinds of Corn grown.
Cultivation of Wheat—of Barley—of the Doora or Holcus Sor-
ghum. Great Variety of other Crops. System of Irrigation
employed. Use of the Shadoof. Hydraulic Works of the
Fayoum. Cultivation of the Olive. Cultivation of the Vine.
Care of Cattle. ....... CHAPTER VII.
ARCHITECTURE.
Primitive stepped Pyramids—Pyramid of Meydoun—of Sac-
carah. Gi-eat Pyramids of Ghizeh. Intention of the Pyra-
CONTENTS. ix
mids—Their technic excellence. Their aesthetic merit.
—
gle! Mammeisi. Beauties of the ArclTitectTfl-e—Massiveness
—Elegance of Columns and Capitals—Caryatide Piers—Em- ployment of Color. Egyptian Domestic Architecture. Pa- vilion of Rameses III. Houses of Private Persons. Chief
Peculiarities of Egyptian Construction. Non-employment of the Arch—Symmetrophobia—Contrivances for increasing
apparent Size of Buildings. .. . . . .91
CHAPTER VIII.
MIMETIC ART.
Sculpture of Ancient Egypt—single Statues of full size—peculiari-
ties. Groups. Principal Defects and Merits. Statuettes. Gen- eral Uniformity and its Causes. Works in high Relief,
rare. Works in Bas-relief, and Intaglio. Defects. Superior-
ity of the Animal over the Human Forms. Examples—Ga- zelle Hunt—Lion Hunt. Foreshortening. Want of Propor-
—
Egyptian Mimetic Art. ..... 123
vations of Eclipses—Planetary Occultations—Motions and Pe-
riods of the Planets—Tables of the Stars—Acquaintance vi^ith
true Solar Year—General Character of the Astronomy. Egyptian Astrology. Medicine. Engineering Science. 137
CHAPTER X.
RELIGION.
—
gion. Opinions concerning God, concerning Evil, and con-
jerning the Soul. Exoteric Religion. Local Origin of the
X co:ntents.
Polytheism. Egyptian Pantheon—Ammon—Kn. —Phthah—Maut—Sati—Neith—the Sun-Gods, Ra, Osiris, &c. Osirid Myths. Minor Deities—Athor, Isis, Khons, Thoth, &c. Powers of Evil, Set, Nubi, Taouris, Bes, Apap. Genii, Anubis, Amset, Hapi, &c. Orders of Gods. Triads. Character of
—
CHAPTER XI.
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
Question of the Peculiarity of Egyptian Customs—proposed mode of treating the Subject. Division of the People into Classes- Number of the Classes. Account of the Priests—The Sa- cred Women. The Soldiers—Number of these last—Training —Chief Divisions—The Infantry—The Cavalry—The Chariot Service— Weapons—Tactics—Mode of Conducting Sieges.
Naval Warfare. Treatment of Prisoners and of the Slain.
—
Glass-blowing—Pottery—Metallurgy, &c. Artistic Occupa- tions—Sculpture, Painting, Music and Dancing. Musical In- struments and Bands. Professions—the Scribe's—tlie Physi- cian's—the Architect's. Lower Grades of Population—Boat- men—Fowlers—Fishermen—Swineherds. Life of the Upper Classes. Sports—Entertainments—Games. Conclusion. 203
Notes. 261
1. Date and Dom Palms (from the "Description del'Egypte") 1
2. Ichneumon (from the " Description de I'Egypte ") 1
3. Egyptian Hare (from the same) 2 4. Ibex, Oryx, and Gazelle (from the monuments) 2
43^. Gazelles (from Rosellini's "Monument! Civili ") Page 36
5. The Smaller Monitor (from the " Description de I'Egypte ") 2
6}^. Egyptian Horses (from Rosellini's "MonumentiStorici") Page 37
6. The Great Monitor (from the same) 3
7. Fruit of the Nymphcpn Nelurnbo 3 8. Egyptian Ass (from Rosellini's "Monumenti Civili") 3
6^. Egyptian Humped Ox (from the same) Page 38
9. Egyptian Dogs (from various sources) 3
10. Hyena caught in a trap (from the monuments) 4
11. Head of an Egyptian Man (from the monuments) 4
12. The Glossy Ibis and Ibis religiosa (from the " Description de I'Egypte ") 4
13. The Oxyrhynchus or Mizdeh (from the " Description de I'Egypte ") 4
14. The Sic-sac or Trochilus (atter Wilkinson) 5
15. Egyptian Child (from the monuments) 5
16. The Egyptian Asp (from the "Description de I'Egypte ") 5
17. Egyptian Plough (from Rosellini's " Monument! Civili ") 5
18. Egyptian Phonutic Alphabet 6
19. Mode of Ploughing (from Rosellini's " Monument! Civili ") 7 20. Egyptian Hoe (from the same) 7 21. Egyptian Hoeing (from the same) 7 22. Egyptian Man and Woman (from the monuments) 8
23. Binding WTieat in Sheaves (from Rosellini's '
' Monument! Civili ") 8
26. Doora Harvest (after Wilkinson) 9
27. Vines grown in Bowers (from Lepsius's " Denkmaler ") 9
28. Vines trained on Posts (after Wilkinson) 9
29. Egyptian Vase and Amphorge (from Lepsius's " DenkmSler ") 10
30. Rescuing Cattle from the Inundation (from the same) 10
31. Medicine administered to Cattle (,from Rosellini's " Monumenti Civili ") 10
32. Marking of Cattle (after Wilkinson) 11
33. Egyptian Sheep (from Lepsius's '
' Denkmaler ") 11
34. Egyptian Pigs, Hog and Sow (after Wilkinson) U $5. Egyptian Goats (from Lepsius's " Denkmaler ") 12
86. Doorway of Tomb near the Pyramids (from Lepsius's " DenkmSler ") 12
37. Section of Pyramid, showing modes of completion (by the Author) 12
38. Pyramid of Meydoun (from Vyse's " Pyramids of Ghizeh ") 13
xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FIG, PTJLTB.
39. Great Pyramid of Saccarab, present appearance (from the same) 13 40. Section of ditto (from the same) 13
41. Generel View of Tomb-chamber in the Third Pyramid (from Vyse's " Pyra- mids of Ghizeh") 14
42. Arrangement of the Blocks forming the roof (from the same) 14
43. Section of Third Pyramid, showing passages (from the same) 1.5
44. Sarcophagus of Mycerinus (from the same) 15 45. General Plan of the Pyramids of Ghizeh (from the same) 16 46. Section of the Second Pyramid (from the same) 16 47. Section of the Great Pyramid (from the same) 17
48. Relieving Stones at the entrance of the Great Pyramid (from the same) 17
49. Section of Gallery in Great Pyramid (from the " Description de I'Egypte "). 18
50. RoGk-tomb near Thebes (after Fergusson) 18
51. King's Chamber and Chambers of Construction (from Vyse's " Pyramids ") 19
52. Section of Brick Pyramid at Ulahoun (from the same) 19
53. Southern Stone Pyramid of Dashoor (from the same) 20 54. Outer-Casing Stones of the Great Pyramid (from the same) 20 55. View of the Great and Second Pyramids (from the "Description de
I'Egypte ") 21
56. " Doric " Pillar and Section of Base (from Rosellini's " Monumenti Civili "). 22 57. Egyptian Pillar and Section of Base (from the same) , 22 59. Plan of Temple (after Fergusson) 22
60. Ground-plan of Temple at Medinet-Abou (from " Description de V Egypte") 23
61. Section of Temple (from the same) , 24
62. Section of Hall, Rameseum, Thebes (from the same) 24
63. Stelae in front of Granite Cell, Great Temple, Karnak (from the same) 24
64. Ground-plan of the Rameseum(from the same) 25
65. Internal view of the Hall of Columns in the Great Temple of Karnak (from the " Description de I'Egypte ") 26
66. Ground-plan of Great Temple at Karnak (from the same) 27a
67. Internal view of the Small Temple at Karnak (from the " Description de I'Egypte ") 276
68. Section of smaller Pillared Hall (from the same) 28
69. Ground-plan of Southern Temple, Karnak (from the same) 28
70. Mammeisi, or "Temple of the Mother of Gods." Elevation and Ground-plan (from the same) 28
71. Egyptian Columns (from the same) 29
72. Egyptian Bell-Capitals (from the same) 29
73. Egyptian Lotus-Capitals (from the same) 30
74. Complex Egyptian Capital (from the same) 80
75. Caryatide Figures (from the same), 30
76. Egyptian Arches (after Wilkinson) 30
77. Egyptian Dwelling-house, outside view (from Rosellini's " Monumenti CiviU") 31
78. Egyptian Dwelling-house, viewed from Internal Court (from the same) 31
79. Ornament of Window Sills 32
80. Ornamentation of Pavilion (from the " Description de 1' Egypte ") 32
81. Egyptian House, partly in section (from Rosellmi's "Monumenti Civili ") 32
82. Ordinary Sphinx and Crio-Sphinx (from the monuments) . ... 32
83. Ground-plan and View of the Pavilion of Rameses III., (from the " Descrip-
tion de I'Egypte.") 83
85. Egyptian Sitting Statue 34
86. Group ofTwo Statues, Husband and Wife (from " Description de 1' Egypte"). 34
87. Egyptian Walking Statue 34
88. Egyptian Figures of Phthah and Bes (from the monuments) 35
89. Modelled Figures of Animals (from the " Description de 1' Egypte ") 35
I
FIG. PtATE. 90. Egyptian Statuettes (from tlie same) 36
91. Head of Female, in a good Style (from the " Description de 1' Egypte ") .... 36
92. Colossal Figure of Ramese:i II. (from the "Description de 1' Egypte ") 36
93. Sphinx of the Pyramids (from the same) 37
94. Hunting the Gazelle and Hare (from Rosellini's " Monument! Civili ") 37
95. An Egyptian King destroying his Enemies (from the " Description de I'Egypte") 38
96. Female Tumbler in an impossible Attitude (from Rosellini's " Monument! Civili") 39
97. Figure of an Egyptian Priest (from Lepsius's " Denkmaler ") 39
98. Animals foreshortened (from the " Description de V Egypte ") 89
99. Rameses III. hunting the Lion (from the " Description de I'Egypte ") 40
100. Forms of Neith 41
101. Ammon-Khem and Ammon-Kneph ., 41
102. Form of Sati 41
103. FormsofKneph 43
104. Ordinary forms of Phthah 43
105. Ammon, ordinary form 43a 106. Forms of Khem 43a 107. Form of Maut 43a lOS. Egyptian representations of the Gods Taourt, Savak, and Osiris (from the
monuments) 436
109. Egyptian drawing Water from a Reservoir (from Rosellini's " Monumenti CiviU") 44
110. Forms of Ra 44
111. FormsofTum 45
114. FormsofShu 46
116. Horus destroying the Great Serpent, Apap (after Wilkinson) 47
117. Forms of Horus 47
118. Forms of Athor 48
119. Forms of Isis 49
120. Forms of Khons 49
121. Forms of Thoth 50
122. Forms of Seb 50
123. Forms of Merula 51
124. Form of Netpe 51
125. Form of Aemhetp 51
126. Forms of Pasht 51
127. Forms of Nephthys 52
128. Formof Anuka 52
132. Apophis and Tum (after Wilkinson) 53
'
134. Form of Tafne 54
135. Form of Merseker 54
136. Form of Heka 54
137. Forms of Set 54
138. An Egyptian Priest 54
139. Egyptian Helmets (from Rosellini's "Monument! Civili") 55
140. Ordinary Egyptian Shields (after Wilkinson) 55
141. Egyptian Coat of Mail (from Rosellini's "Monument! Civili") 55
142. Warrior with Shield of unusual sizo (after Wilkinson) 55
xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FIG. PLATa 143. Infantry drilled by a Sergeant (from Rosellinis " Monumenti Civili ") 55
144. Light-armed Troops marching (from Rosellinis " Monumenti Storici ")
—
145. Egypti{iu Slinger (from Rosellini's " Monumenti Civili ") 56
146. Spearmen and Archers (from Rosellini's " Monumenti Storici ") 56
147. Egyptian Spear, Straight Sword, and Falchion (from the same) 56
148. Chariots in Battle (from the same) 57
149. Egyptian War Chariot, Warrior, and Horses (from the same) 68
ir)0. War Chariot, with Bow-case, Quivers, and Javelins (from the same) 59
151. Egyptian Battle-axes and Pole-axe (from Rosellini's " Monumenti Civili").
.
153. Egyptian Daggers (from the same) 60
154. Egyptian Bows (from the same) 60
155. Archer taking aim (from the same) .. 60
156. Archers stringing their Bows (from the same) 61
157. Egyptian…