Every temple, every tomb, every wall in the palaces of the Egyptians
was decorated from top to bottom with painted sculptures or paintings.
The first inquiry must be, in what style these paintings should be
executed. They might either be _free compositions in the Greek style_,
or strictly _Egyptian representations, avoiding, however, Egyptian
perspective_, therefore a kind of translation, somewhat in the manner of
the frieze on the wall in the _Musée Charles X._; or, lastly, they might
be simple _copies of genuine Egyptian representations_ drawn by us, and
only adapted for this particular purpose. With respect to the _first_
view, I think that a man like CORNELIUS, if he chose to enter on such a
completely new field, would be capable of forming a beautiful and great
work out of such a task; but then, the public would most likely be much
more interested in the master than in the subject of the representation
derived from a history of which they are still so ignorant. The _second_
method would perhaps deserve a trial; it might succeed once, in a single
case, and would certainly then not be devoid of interest. But I am firmly
persuaded that a series of any length of such bastard representations
would not fulfil the requisite demands, presupposing, as they would,
a double mastery of two artistic languages, and that they would also
be decidedly contrary to the taste of the public. All attempts of this
nature that I have occasionally seen have, in my opinion, been completely
unsuccessful, and have appeared ridiculous to connoisseurs; although,
as I have already said, I do not believe that such an attempt might not
succeed in an individual case, if the subject were carefully selected. It
therefore appears to me, that the _third_ method is the only one left,
although it has least pretension; but it unites so many advantages, that
I believe, indeed, it will also meet with your approval.
There can scarcely be any doubt with respect to the subject of the
representations. They ought to place before us in characteristic features
the highest point of Egyptian history, civilisation, and art, and I was
even astonished at the great number of most suitable subjects which
immediately present themselves, if we allow all that has been hitherto
disclosed of Egyptian history to pass before us. Merely to give you a
hasty notion of this, I will communicate the individual points, which I
wrote down when I was still doubtful whether one of the two first modes
of representation might not be executed. A more diffuse commentary than
I can now give ought indeed to be appended to this, but it only refers
to a very preliminary notion. The names within brackets indicate where
materials could be found for single compositions.
PRE-HISTORICAL.
The elevation of the god HORUS upon OSIRIS’ gods’ throne.
(Dendera.) To be placed with reference to the last number.
OLD MONARCHY.
Dyn. I. The removal of MENES from This, the city of Osiris.
Foundation of MEMPHIS, the town of Phtha by Menes.
Dyn. IV. The Pyramids built by CHEOPS and CHEPHREN.
Dyn. VI. The union of the two crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt
during the reign of APAPPUS, which lasted a hundred years.
Dyn. XII. The Temple of Ammon in THEBES, the city of Ammon,
founded by SESURTESEN I. in the 12th Dynasty.
Immigrating HYKSOS. (Benihassan.)
The LABYRINTH and LAKE MŒRIS, the works of AMENEMHA III. of the
12th Dynasty.
Dyn. XIII. The INVASION OF THE HYKSOS into Lower Egypt, occurring
shortly after.
Expulsion of the Egyptian rulers to Ethiopia.
The rule of the Hyksos.
NEW MONARCHY.
Dyn. XVII.-XVIII. AMENOPHIS I. and the black Queen Aahmesnefruari.
TUTHMOSIS III. expels the HYKSOS from Abaris. JERUSALEM founded
by them.
AMENOPHIS III. Memnon and the sounding statue.
Persecution of the Egyptian gods, and introduction of the worship
of the sun, under BECH EN ATEN. (Amarna.) King HORUS, the
Revenger.
Dyn. XIX. SETHÔS I. (Sethôsis, Sesostris.) Conquest of CANAAN.
(Karnak.) Joseph and his brethren.
RAMSES II. the Great. Miamun. War against the Cheta. (Ramesseum.)
The (brick-making) Israelites (Thebes) build Pithom and Ramses,
under Ramses II.
Colonisation of GREECE from Egypt.
MENEPTHES. EXODUS OF THE ISRAELITES to Sinai. Moses before
Pharaoh. Commencement of the new SIRIUS PERIOD, B.C. 1322.
Dyn. XX. RAMSES III. A battle from Medînet Hâbu.
The king among his daughters. The riches and luxury of
Rhampsinitus. (Medînet Hâbu.)
Dyn. XXII. SCHESCHENK I. (Shishak) takes possession of Jerusalem.
(Thebes.)
Dyn. XXV. SABAKO, the Ethiopian, rules in Egypt.
Dyn. XXVI. PSAMMETICUS, the friend of the Greeks, elevates art.
Removal of the warrior caste to Ethiopia.
Dyn. XXVII. CAMBYSES rages; he destroys temples and statues.
Dyn. XXX. NECTANEBUS. (Philæ.)
ALEXANDER, the son of Ammon, conquers Egypt; builds Alexandria.
Ptolemy PHILADELPHUS founds the library.
CLEOPATRA and CÆSARION. (Dendera.)
Coronation of CÆSAR AUGUSTUS. (Philæ.)
CHRIST at Heliopolis.
This selection would not, indeed, be so great, if we had only to deal
with existing representations. The Old Monarchy would first commence with
the 4th Dynasty, and would entirely omit the Hyksos period, since nothing
has been preserved before the former period, or from the time of the
Hyksos.
On the other hand, the Egyptian conceptions of art might be more
completely represented, and each single representation would at the same
time have a scientific interest. The following provisional selection
which occurred to me might, however, be increased, and altered in all its
parts from the ample supply of subjects in our drawings, which are 1300
in number.
MYTHOLOGY.
1. The great and minor gods; the 1st and 2nd Dynasty of the gods.
(Karnak.)
2. OSIRIS undertakes the government of the lower world. HORUS
that of the upper. (Dendera.)
3. Triad of the gods from THIS and ABYDOS. Osiris, Isis, Horus.
4. Triad of the gods from MEMPHIS. Phtha, Pasht, Imhotep.
5. Triad of the gods from THEBES. Ammon Ra, Mut, Chensu.
OLD MONARCHY.
King CHUFU (Cheops) beheading his enemies. (Peninsula of Sinai.)
Scenes from private life of the 4th and 5th Dynasties. (Giseh and
Saqâra.)
APAPPUS unites the two crowns. (Kossêr road.)
SESURTESEN I., of the 12th Dynasty, beats the Ethiopians.
(Florence.)
Scenes from private life of the peaceful flourishing period of
the 12th Dynasty. Asiatic attendants. Precursors of the Hyksos;
wrestlers, games, a hunt, &c. (Benihassan.) The Colossus dragged
by men. (Berscheh.)
Immigrating HYKSOS who seek for protection. (Benihassan.)
NEW MONARCHY.
The working of the stone quarries of Memphis. (Tura.)
AMENOPHIS I. and Aahmesnefruari. (Thebes.)
TUTHMOSIS III. and his sister. (Thebes; Rome.)
TUTHMOSIS III. Tribute. Erection of obelisks. (Thebes.)
AMENOPHIS III. (Memnon) and his consort Tii before Ammon Ra.
(Thebes.)
March of an Ethiopian queen to Egypt under AMENTUANCH. (Thebes.)
AMENOPHIS IV. (Bech-en-aten), the SUN-WORSHIPPER. His procession
with the queen and four princesses drawn in a chariot to the
Temple of the Sun in Amarna. (Grottoes of Amarna.)
A favourite is borne on the shoulders of the people before
Amenophis IV. Distribution of wreaths of honour among the whole
of the royal family.
HORUS running to Ammon. (Karnak.)
SETHÔS I. makes war upon Canaan. (Karnak.)
RAMSES II. Battle against the Asiatic Cheta. (Ramesseum.)
The same in the Tree of Life. (Ramesseum.)
The same triumphant. Royal procession. (Ramesseum.)
RAMSES III. Battle against the Robu. (Medînet Hâbu.)
The same among his daughters; he plays with them. (Medînet Hâbu.)
RAMSES XII. Procession of great pomp to Ammon. (Qurna.)
PISCHEM, the Priest King. (Karnak.)
SCHESCHENK I. (Shishak) brings the prisoners from Palestine
before Ammon (Karnak), King of JUDAH.
SABAKO, the Ethiopian. (Thebes.)
TAHRAKA, the Ethiopian. (Barkal.)
PSAMMETICUS, Amasis. (Thebes.)
NECTANEBUS. (Thebes.)
ALEXANDER. PHILIP ARIDÆUS. (Thebes.)
PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS. (Thebes.)
CLEOPATRA and CÆSARION. (Dendera.)
Coronation of CÆSAR AUGUSTUS. (Philæ.)
Ethiopian subjects from MERÖE.
This selection of representations, or one similar to this, as large as
the partitions in the walls permit, executed in the strict Egyptian
classic style, with the full, splendid colouring of the original,
would have the great advantage, beyond all other methods, of giving
the spectator some idea on a great scale of Egyptian art; the subjects
would force themselves on his criticism, and the study of them, in
conjunction with the smaller and isolated original monuments, would be
more complete. For, with the exception of the tombs which we are now
taking to pieces, and which only offer the most simple subjects, no
monument is of sufficient size to give a notion of Egyptian temples, and
of wall decoration in general, in which grandeur of idea and dexterity of
composition is frequently displayed with a feeling for general harmony
in the distribution and arrangement of the whole, most astonishing to
the attentive observer. Such a selection of what is most beautiful
and characteristic, in large representations, capable of being easily
surveyed, would perhaps be of more service than any other thing in
imparting Egyptian science to a larger proportion of the public, and
at the same time offers the advantage, which is hardly sufficiently
considered at the present day, of averting all invidious criticisms of
the representations regarded as modern works. All hasty critics would,
by this method, be referred to the original, which cannot be robbed of
its most important position in the artistic history of the human race,
by a miserable journalist. They would all learn that before venturing to
criticise the faithful copy, they must first study the original, for if
we can turn the attention of those young artists who have studied for
three years to record these things, I am certain that the classic purity
of their style will not easily be attacked. The novelty of the idea,
and the effect on a large scale, and as a whole, could not fail to make
a considerable impression on the learned and unlearned public, and the
series of subjects mentioned above, independent of their execution, would
afford satisfaction to intellectual men, and more especially to the King.
Lastly, in addition to this, it might be executed at a comparatively
small expense, on account of the perfect simplicity of the design and
colouring, and because all expenditure on the artistic composition has
been previously borne by the ancient Egyptians themselves.
The representations should only commence at a certain height, according
to the manners of the Egyptians, and as is most convenient to our own
purpose, and should rest on a deep band below, the colour of which ought
to be an imitation of wood or stone. The lofty walls should probably be
partly divided one above the other into several sections, and perhaps
the whole series of the Egyptian Pharaohs, or their Name-Shields only,
might be introduced in the frieze. The ceilings in the ante-chambers
might be blue, with gold stars, the usual representation of the Egyptian
heavens; and in the historical saloons there might be the long series of
vultures, with outspread wings, the symbol of victory, with which most of
the ceilings of the temples and palaces are decorated, in an incomparably
splendid manner. Finally, a certain amount of hieroglyphic inscriptions
must not be absent, which are so essentially connected with all Egyptian
representations, and make a splendid impression in variegated colours.
Modern hieroglyphic inscriptions might be easily composed for the doors,
and the central stripes of the ceilings, which would refer in the
ancient Egyptian fashion to the munificence of the king, the locality,
the period, and the purpose of the building. How magnificent the two
Egyptian rows of columns would then look in the centre of all, with their
simplicity and rich colouring!
Finally, another idea might be carried out, perhaps, in the
ante-chambers. Views of the Egyptian localities at the present day might
be introduced upon the walls, to give a notion of the country to a person
on first entering, and of the state of the buildings from which the
ancient monuments, by which they are surrounded, are taken. These views
might be also arranged historically, according to the principal places in
the different epochs of time. But here we must presume that the spectator
possesses some of the historical knowledge which we may hope to see
generally diffused. On that account it would be more useful to attempt
a geographical sequence, and we might embrace the views of Alexandria,
Cairo, the Pyramids of Giseh, Siut, Benihassan, Abydos, Karnak, Qurna,
the Cataracts of Assuan, Korusko, Wadi Halfa, Sedeïnga, Semneh, Dongola,
Barkal, Meröe, Chartûm, Sennâr, and Sarbut el Châdem, in Arabia Petræa.
Besides all this, a most rich, interesting, and at the same time useful,
selection of the subjects and occupations of private life might be
introduced in the lateral chambers, all of them copied from the original,
on a large scale, by which means we might facilitate and excite both
an inviting and effective mode of comprehending that portion of the
collection of antiquities which refer to private life.
LETTER XXXVII.
_Jaffa, 7th October, 1845._
We proceeded rapidly in taking the tombs to pieces; nevertheless, as
was to be expected, the most manifold obstacles were thrown in the way
of the transport and embarkation. The export of the whole collection
of monuments even then required a special permit from the Viceroy; I
therefore set out on the 29th of August for Alexandria, in order to take
leave of Mohammed Ali, and availed myself of this opportunity to give an
official termination to our mission.
The Pascha received me with his former kindness, and immediately issued
the most distinct commands with respect to the export of the collection,
which he presented to H.M. our King in a special letter, which was handed
to me. As soon as all the preparations were accomplished I returned to
Cairo, and there made the last arrangements respecting the transport of
the stone-boat to Alexandria, and then, on the 25th September, started
with Bethmann for Damietta. On the road thither I visited several ruins
of towns in the eastern part of the Delta, such as those of ATRIB
(Athribis), SAMANÚD (Sebennytos), BEHBÉT EL HAGÉR (Iseum), but except
the high mounds of rubbish, composed of Nile mud and potsherds, which
generally indicate historical sites, we everywhere found only a few
blocks, all that remained of the ancient temples. In SAN, the ancient
renowned TANIS, whither I made a last excursion from Damietta across Lake
Menzaleh, the foundation of a temple of Ramses II. alone remains, and
about twelve or fourteen small granite obelisks, belonging to the same
king, are preserved, some entire and some in fragments.
On the 1st of October we went from Damietta, and embarking in the roads
of Ezbe, the following morning set sail for the Syrian coast. We had an
almost incessant contrary wind, and cruised for a whole day in front
of Ascalon, situated picturesquely on lofty sea cliffs; we only landed
yesterday in the Holy Land, on the beach of Joppa.
LETTER XXXVIII.
_Nazareth, 9th November, 1845._
You will not, I am sorry to say, receive my last letter of the 26th
October from Jerusalem, as the courier of our consul, Dr. Schulz, in
whose charge I gave it, with five other letters, was attacked by robbers
at Cæsarea, on the road to Berut, maltreated, and robbed of all the
despatches, as well as of a small amount of money which he had on his
person. There is great disorganisation in this country. The Turkish
authorities, to whom the land has been again handed over by Christian
valour, are both lazy, malevolent, and impotent, while Ibrahim Pascha
knew at least how to preserve order and security, so far as his own
government extended.
We spent nearly three weeks in Jerusalem, part of which time I passed in
becoming better acquainted with the state of religious matters at the
present day, a subject daily becoming of greater importance; partly in
making some antiquarian and topographical researches. These delightful
days were rendered peculiarly valuable and instructive by the extreme
amiability of Bishop Alexander, who overtook us with Abeken from Jaffa,
and was willing to impart all that he knew; and by the scientific ability
of Dr. Schulz, with whom I had been on terms of friendship since our
mutual residence in Paris, in the years 1834 and 1835. An excursion to
Jericho, the Jordan, and the Dead Sea, and back by San Saba, formed an
interesting episode. My journal of this expedition, which I wrote very
fully, was, however, contained in that letter, and will probably never
reappear, so that I can but imperfectly restore it now.
The 4th of November we left the Holy City. We had some difficulty in
procuring horses or mules on account of the war the Pascha of Jerusalem
was carrying on with Hebron, which was assuming a more serious aspect.
We spent the first night after leaving Jerusalem in a tent in BÎREH.
The second day we proceeded by BETHIN (Bethel), ʾAIN EL HARAMIEH (the
Robbers’ spring), and SELUN (Silo) to NABLUS (Sichem, Neapolis), and the
same evening ascended GARIZIM, the holy mount of the Samaritans, whose
remaining population (about 70 men, or 150 souls) we became somewhat
better acquainted with the following morning. They still continue to
be shunned by the Jews, and have as little communication with the
Christians and Mohammedans.
On Garizim we saw the bare rocky surface, surrounded by some remains of
an ancient wall, where these SAMARI still, as in past ages, annually
offer up the sacrifice of sheep to their God. The following morning,
after we had visited the Samaritan place of worship, in which we were
shown the old Samaritan manuscript of the Pentateuch, and had seen
Jacob’s well, and Joseph’s tomb surrounded by vine branches, we rode on
farther, with an armed attendant of Solimân Bey’s, in whose house we were
lodging, and proceeded first to SEBASTIEH (Sebaste, the ancient Samaria),
where we saw the ruins of the beautiful old church from the period of the
Crusaders, said to be built over the tomb of John the Baptist. We spent
the night in the woody GENNIN (Egennin). Thence our road led through the
wide and fertile, but nevertheless barren, plain of Jesreel (Esdraelon),
the great bloody plain of Palestine, to ZERIN and the beautiful spring
(AIN GULUT, Goliath’s spring), where Naboth’s vineyard was situated,
and where the whole house of Ahab was murdered; then to GEBEL DAHʿI,
little HERMON, beyond which TABOR (GEBEL E’ TUR), distinguished by
its cupola-like form and isolated position, rose up and arrested our
attention, until we once more rode into the mountains to NAZARETH,
beautifully situated in a mountain hollow, like an amphitheatre.
Yesterday we made an excursion in the morning from this place over Mount
Tabor to TIBERIAS, on Lake Genezaret, and have only just returned. In
spite of my endeavours to the contrary, we were compelled to take a
body-guard of armed Arabs with us thither, as we did to the Dead Sea; and
we, in fact, encountered various groups of low Bedouin rabble in their
picturesque variegated costume, whom I should have been sorry to have met
alone, most of them in the neighbourhood of beautiful wooded Tabor, where
they were lying on the road, or riding past across the plain.
LETTER XXXIX.
_Smyrna, 7th December, 1845._
From Nazareth we proceeded down the plain of JESREEL to Mount CARMEL,
where we passed the night in the magnificent convent which has been
newly erected. The following morning we descended from this promontory,
commanding the wide ocean and its fragrant coast, to HAIPHA (Hepha),
crossed over the bay to ACCA (Ako, Ptolemais), and then rode along the
coast on the damp sandy shore, keeping the mountain range constantly in
view, and by SÛR (Tyrus) and SAIDA (Sidon) to BERUT (Berytos), where we
met with a kind reception from the Prussian consul-general, Herr von
Wildenbruch.
On the 15th of November, we started from Berut for Damascus. I left
Gabre Máriam behind with Herr von Wildenbruch, and only took with me
my faithful Berber, Ibrahim, and a Kawass. The road, after leaving
the sand-hills immediately surrounding Berut, rises directly up these
glorious mountains, abounding in flowers, trees, and springs of water.
We crossed it nearly on the frontier between the territories of the
Druses and the Maronites. We ascended all day, part of the time on
terribly bad roads cut in the rock, and spent the night on this side
of the mountain ridge; we did not reach the summit till the following
morning, and now had a wide prospect over the fertile plain of the
LEONTES, which separates Libanon and Anti-Libanon, and which, with the
brief interruption of Gebel e’ Scheikh (Hermon), with its ramifications
protruding upwards, it forms one single huge cleft through the whole
of the valley of the Jordan, and continues across the Dead Sea, as far
as the Gulf of Akaba and the Red Sea. We descended to MEKSEH, took our
breakfast on one of its flat roofs, and intended to have cut across
from this point, in a south-easterly direction, through the valley to
MEGDEL and AITHI, but, in preference, we took a circuitous road towards
the north to ZACHLEH, which is one of the largest and most flourishing
towns of Christian Libanon. On the road we met a troop of soldiers,
who were escorting some thousands of weapons on asses, which had been
taken the previous day from the inhabitants of Zachleh. The disarming
of the whole of Libanon by Schekib Effendi had commenced from the
south, and, as is well known, was executed with the greatest prejudice
against the unfortunate Christians, who were miserably sacrificed to a
piece of reckless commercial policy. In order to disarm Zachleh, which
is a strong and influential post, it had been besieged by two hundred
regular troops, some of whom we still found stationed there, and also a
countless multitude of Bedouins had been allowed to encamp in the great
valley of the Beqâʾa, whose aid against the Christians they would have
availed themselves of in case of necessity; these last, however, had
again withdrawn. We inquired in the town, which was still in a state
of great excitement, after Bishop Theophilus, who was described to us
as both a vigorous and heroic champion in the fight; but unfortunately
he had just set off for Beirut. After we had again departed, we met on
the road a German Catholic priest, who accompanied us to the adjoining
place, MOʾALLAQA, and told us much of the cruelties which the Turks had
practised here, as elsewhere, on the miserable inhabitants. Several
hundred more muskets had been demanded than really existed in the whole
place, and the old Sheikhs, who ought to have supplied them, were
cudgelled till the missing muskets had been purchased by the inhabitants
at a high price, and with great difficulty, in the camp of the Turks
themselves.
From Zachleh we went to KERAK, in order to visit the tomb of Noah at that
spot. We found a long, narrow building, of well joined square blocks,
and beside it a small building with a cupola, surrounded by trees, from
which there was a beautiful prospect of the plain, and of Anti-Libanon.
Through a window, hung with votive shreds, I saw a tomb built up in
the usual Oriental form within the long vaulted room, and I was not a
little surprised to see, through the windows in the whole length of the
building, a constant continuation of this same tomb, which seemed to have
neither a beginning nor an end. At length the door-keeper arrived, and,
to my astonishment, I was convinced that the tomb was 40 ells long, by
exact measurement 31 metres 77′ (131 feet English), therefore somewhat
more than 40 ordinary Egyptian ells.[116] The case assumes an air of
probability, as this measurement of the length of Noah’s body is exactly
proportionate to the length of his life, one thousand years.