[Illustration]
Egypt embraces that part of Africa occupied by the valley of the River
Nile. For many centuries, it was a thickly populated country, and at
one time possessed great influence and wealth, and had reached an
advanced state of civilization.
The history of Egypt extends through a period of about six thousand
years. During this time great cities were built, which flourished
for hundreds of years. Owing to wars and changes of government, many
of these cities were destroyed, and nothing of them now remains but
massive and extensive ruins. Pyramids were built, obelisks erected,
canals projected, and many other vast enterprises were carried out.
Remains of these are to be seen to-day, some in ruins, some fairly
preserved, and, altogether, they give the present generation an idea of
the wealth and power of the different dynasties under which they were
built.
Not far from Cairo, which is now the principal city of Egypt, stand
the famous pyramids. These are of such immense proportions, that from
a distance their tops seem to reach the clouds. They are constructed
of great blocks of stone. Some of these are of great size, and how the
builders put them into their places, is a question we cannot answer.
It is supposed that the construction of the largest pyramid required
the labor of thousands of men, for more than twenty years. It is four
hundred and sixty-one feet high, seven hundred and forty-six feet long
at the base, and covers more than twelve acres of ground.
Sixty-seven of these pyramids in all have been discovered and explored.
They are the tombs in which the kings of ancient Egypt and their
families were buried. To contain their coffins, which were made of
stone, many chambers were constructed in the interior of the pyramids.
It has been calculated that one of the principal pyramids could
contain three thousand seven hundred rooms of large size.
The bodies of those who were buried in the pyramids were preserved
from decay by a secret process, which we call embalming, and which
was known only to the priests. After the bodies were embalmed, they
were wrapped in bands of fine linen, and on the inside of these was
spread a peculiar kind of gum. Sometimes as many as a thousand yards
of these bands were wrapped around a single body. After the bandaged
body was thus prepared, a soft substance was placed around it. When
this covering hardened, it kept the body in a state of complete
preservation. These coverings are now called mummy-cases, and the
bodies they enclose are called mummies. The bodies were finally placed
in huge stone coffins, many of which were covered with curious carvings.
Some mummies have been found, that are said to be over three thousand
years old. But, notwithstanding this great age, when the wrappings are
removed from them, many of the bodies have been so well preserved,
that the features present the appearance which they had in life. Large
numbers of mummies have been carried off to other countries and placed
on exhibition in museums.
The ancient Egyptians erected many obelisks in various parts of their
country. These were monuments made from single pieces of hard stone,
and in some cases they reached a height of more than a hundred feet.
They were placed before gateways leading to the principal temples and
palaces, and were covered with curious carvings, which represented the
language of the people at that time. Their written language was not
composed of letters and words like our own; but they used pictures of
animals, including birds, and also pictures of human figures, and other
devices of a similar nature, to express their thoughts and ideas. These
pictures are now called hieroglyphics.
Until the year 1799, scholars of modern nations were unable to read
this strange language. In that year, however, a stone tablet was
discovered by a French engineer, containing an inscription written in
three different characters:--namely: first, in the hieroglyphics spoken
of above; second, in a running hand also used by the Egyptians; and
third, in the well known letters of the Greek alphabet.
By comparing the words of these inscriptions with many others, the
proper method of interpreting this peculiar language was ascertained.
It was then learned that the inscriptions on these obelisks were the
records of memorable events, and of the heroic deeds of ancient kings
and heroes.
Many of the obelisks have been taken from their positions in Egypt and
transported with great labor to other countries. Nearly two thousand
years ago, the Roman Emperors began to carry them to Rome, where they
were set up in the public squares. Altogether, nearly fifty of these
remarkable monuments were taken away and set up in that city. They were
then, and are still, regarded as evidences of the wonderful ingenuity
and skill of the ancients who first made them.
In late years, obelisks have been taken to Paris and London, and more
recently one has been brought to America, and set up in Central Park
in New York City. This one belongs to the largest class, being nearly
seventy feet high and about eight feet square at the base.
In their large cities, the Egyptians built massive temples which were
dedicated to religious ceremonies. Some of them, although now in ruins,
are considered to be among the most remarkable productions of the
ancients. Tourists who nowadays sail up the River Nile and visit the
site of the city of Thebes, the ancient capital of Egypt, are struck
with amazement at the vast ruins surrounding them.
On the eastern side of the Nile lies what is left of the temple of
Karnak. Imagine a long line of courts, gateways, and halls; with here
and there an obelisk rising above the ruins, and shutting off the view
of the forest of columns! The temple is approached on every side by
avenues and gateways of colossal grandeur. It originally covered an
area of two hundred and seventy acres, enclosed within a wall of brick,
parts of which are still visible, while the rest lie crumbled and
broken.
It is difficult to realize the grand appearance of the thirty rows of
stone columns standing within the wall. Some of those that are still
perfect, are capped with enormous monolith capitals, and it is said
that on one of them a hundred men could stand without crowding.
The hall itself is four hundred and twenty-two feet long by one hundred
and sixty-five feet broad. The stones of the ceiling are supported by
one hundred and thirty-four columns. The largest measures ten feet in
diameter, and more than seventy-two feet in height. They are covered
with carvings and paintings whose colors are still bright, even after a
lapse of forty centuries.
Gazing on what he sees around him, the traveller becomes lost in the
effort to form some idea of the grandeur and vastness of the original.
_Word Exercise._
Cairo (_kī´ro_)
ob´e-lisk
căp´i-tals
cen´tu-ries
co-lŏs´sal
re-lĭg´ious (_re-lĭj´us_)
pro-pōr´tions
E´gypt
mŏn´o-lĭth
cĕr´e-mo-nies
he-rō´ic
ĕn-gi-neer (_ĕn-ji-neer´_)
dy´nas-ties (or _dyn´as-ties_)
mĕm´o-ra-ble
ăv´e-nūes
prĕs-er-vā´tion (_z_)
pyr´a-mĭd
ex-plōred´
dĕd´i-cāt-ed
hī-e-ro-glyph´ics