about 150 feet long, the paws are 50 feet long, the head is 30 feet long, the face is 14 feet wide, and from the top of the head to the base of the monument the distance is about 70 feet. Originally there probably were ornaments on the head, the whole of which was covered with a limestone covering, and the face was coloured red; of these decorations scarcely any traces now remain, though they were visible towards the end of the last century. The condition in which the monument now appears is due to the savage destruction of its features by the Muḥammadan rulers of Egypt, some of whom caused it to be used for a target. Around this imposing relic of antiquity, whose origin is wrapped in mystery, a number of legends and superstitions have clustered in all ages; but Egyptology has shown I. that it was a colossal image of Rā-Harmachis, and therefore of his human representative upon earth, the king of Egypt who had it hewn, and II. that it was in existence in the time of, and was probably repaired by, Cheops and Chephren, who lived about three thousand seven hundred years before Christ. THE TEMPLE OF THE SPHINX. A little to the south-east of the Sphinx stands the large granite and limestone temple excavated by M. Mariette in 1853; statues of Chephren (now at Gîzeh) were found in it, and hence it has been generally supposed that he was the builder of it. It is a good specimen of the solid simple buildings which the Egyptians built during the Ancient Empire. In one chamber, and at the end of the passage leading from it, are hewn in the wall niches which were probably intended to hold mummies. THE TOMB OF NUMBERS. This tomb was made for Cha-f-Ra-anch, a "royal relative" and priest of Chephren (Cha-f-Ra), the builder of the second pyramid. It is called the "tomb of numbers" because the numbers of the cattle possessed by Chaf-Rā-ānch are written upon its walls. CAMPBELL'S TOMB. This tomb, named after the British Consul-General of Egypt at that time, was excavated by Howard Vyse in 1837; it is not older than the XXVIth dynasty. The shaft is about 55 feet deep; at the bottom of it is a small chamber in which were found three sarcophagi in niches. The pyramids of Gizeh are surrounded by a large number of tombs of high officials and others connected with the services carried on in honour of the kings who built the pyramids. Some few of them are of considerable interest, and as they are perishing little by little, it is advisable to see as many of the best specimens as possible. THE PYRAMIDS OF ABU ROÂSH. These pyramids lie about six miles north of the Pyramids of Gizeh, and are thought to be older than they. Nothing remains of one except five or six courses of stone, which show that the length of each side at the base was about 350 feet, and a passage about 160 feet long leading down to a subterranean chamber about 43 feet long. A pile of stones close by marks the site of another pyramid; the others have disappeared. Of the age of these pyramids nothing certain is known. The remains of a causeway about a mile long leading to them are still visible. THE PYRAMIDS OF ABUŞIR. These pyramids, originally fourteen in number, were built by kings of the Vth dynasty, but only four of them are now standing, probably because of the poorness of the workmanship and the careless way in which they were put together. The most northerly pyramid was built by (요) Saḥu-Ra, the second king of the Vth dynasty, B.C. 3533; its actual height is about 120 feet, and the length of each side at the base about 220 feet. The blocks of stone in the sepulchral chamber are exceptionally large. Saḥu-Rā made war in the peninsula of Sinai, he founded a town near Esneh, and he built a temple to Sechet at Memphis. by The pyramid to the south of that of Saḥu-Ra was built "Usr-en-Ra, son of the Sun, An." This king, like Saḥu-Rā, also made war in Sinai. The largest of these three pyramids is now about 165 feet high and 330 feet square; the name of its builder is unknown. Abușir is the Busiris of Pliny. 237 BEDRASHÊN, MEMPHIS, AND The ruins of Memphis and the antiquities at Sakkarah are usually reached by steamer or train from Cairo to Bedrashên. Leaving the river or station the village of Bedrashên is soon reached, and a short ride next brings the traveller to the village of Mît-Rahîneh. On the ground lying for some distance round about these two villages once stood the city of Memphis, though there is comparatively little left to show its limits. According to Herodotus (ii., 99), " Menes, who first ruled over Egypt, in the first place protected Memphis by a mound; for the whole river formerly ran close to the sandy mountain on the side of Libya; but Menes, beginning about a hundred stades above Memphis, filled in the elbow towards the south, dried up the old channel, and conducted the river into a canal, so as to make it flow between the mountains: this bend of the Nile, which flows excluded from its ancient course, is still carefully upheld by the Persians, being made secure every year; for if the river should break through and overflow in this part, there would be danger lest all Memphis should be flooded. When the part cut off had been made firm land by this Menes, who was first king, he in the first place built on it the city that is now called Memphis; for Memphis is situate in the narrow part of Egypt; and outside of it he excavated a lake from the river towards the north and the west ; for the Nile itself bounds it towards the east. In the next place, they relate that he built in it the temple of Vulcan, which is vast and well worthy of mention." (Cary's translation.) Whether Menes built the town or not, it is quite certain that the city of Memphis was of most ancient foundation. The reason why the kings of Egypt established their capital there is obvious. From the peoples that lived on the western bank of the river they had little to fear, but on the eastern side they were always subject to invasions of the peoples who lived in Mesopotamia, Syria, and Arabia; with their capital on the western bank, and the broad Nile as a barrier on the east of it, they were comparatively safe. Added to this, its situation at the beginning of the Delta enabled it to participate easily of the good things of that rich country. The tract of land upon which Memphis stood was also fertile and well wooded. Diodorus speaks of its green meadows, intersected with canals, and of their pavement of lotus flowers; Pliny talks of trees. there of such girth that three men with extended arms could not span them; Martial praises the roses brought from thence to Rome; and its wine was celebrated in lands remote from it. The site chosen was excellent, for in addition to its natural advantages it was not far from the sea coast of the Delta, and holding as it were a middle position in Egypt, its kings were able to hold and rule the country from Phile on the south to the Mediterranean on the north. In the inscriptions it is called Men-nefer,* “the beautiful dwelling," A Het-Ptah ka, "the temple of the double of Ptah," and III Aneb-bet', "the white-walled city." The last name calls to mind the "White Castle" spoken of by classical writers. Tetȧ, son of Menes, built his palace there, and Ka-Kau the second king of the IInd dynasty, B.C. 4100, established the worship of Apis there. During the rule of the IIIrd, * The name Memphis is a corruption of Men-nefer; the city is called by the Arabs Menûf, and by the Copts Memfi, Menfi (1, lengs). |