MANUAL OF EGYPTIAN ARCHAEOLOGY Guide to the Study of Antiquities in Egypt.

346 Pages·2008·5.09 MB·English

MANUAL OF EGYPTIAN ARCHAEOLOGY
AND
Guide to the Study of Antiquities in Egypt.
FOR THE USE OF STUDENTS AND TRAVELLERS.
BY
G. MASPERO, D.C.L. OXON.
MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE;
PROFESSOR AT THE COLLÈGE DE FRANCE;
EX-DIRECTOR GENERAL OF EGYPTIAN MUSEUMS.
TRANSLATED BY
AMELIA B. EDWARDS.
NEW EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED BY THE AUTHOR.
With Three Hundred and Nine Illustrations.
1895.

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PREFACE TO THE FOURTH AND REVISED EDITION.
Notwithstanding the fact that Egyptology is now recognised as a science, an
exact and communicable knowledge of whose existence and scope it behoves all
modern culture to take cognisance, this work of M. Maspero still remains the
Handbook of Egyptian Archaeology. But Egyptology is as yet in its infancy;
whatever their age, Egyptologists will long die young. Every year, almost every
month, fresh material for the study is found, fresh light is thrown upon it by the
progress of excavation, exploration, and research. Hence it follows that, in the
course of a few years, the standard text-books require considerable addition and
modification if they are to be of the greatest value to students, who must always
start from the foremost vantage-ground.
The increasing demand for the Egyptian Archaeology by English and American
tourists, as well as students, decided the English publishers to issue a new
edition in as light and portable a form as possible. This edition is carefully
corrected, and contains the enlarged letterpress and many fresh illustrations
necessary for incorporating within the book adequate accounts of the main
archaeological results of recent Egyptian excavations. M. Maspero has himself
revised the work, indicated all the numerous additions, and qualified the
expression of any views which he has seen reason to modify in the course of his
researches during the past eight years. By the headings of the pages, the
descriptive titles of the illustrations, and a minute revision of the index, much
has been done to facilitate the use of the volume as a book of reference. In that
capacity it will be needed by the student long after he first makes acquaintance
with its instructive and abundant illustrations and its luminous condensation of
the archaeological facts and conclusions which have been elucidated by
Egyptology through the devotion of many an arduous lifetime during the
present century, and, not least, by the unremitting labours of M. Maspero.
April, 1895.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
To put this book into English, and thus to hand it on to thousands who might not
otherwise have enjoyed it, has been to me a very congenial and interesting task.
It would be difficult, I imagine, to point to any work of its scope and character
which is better calculated to give lasting delight to all classes of readers. For the
skilled archaeologist, its pages contain not only new facts, but new views and
new interpretations; while to those who know little, or perhaps nothing, of the
subjects under discussion, it will open a fresh and fascinating field of study. It is
not enough to say that a handbook of Egyptian Archaeology was much needed,
and that Professor Maspero has given us exactly what we required. He has done
much more than this. He has given us a picturesque, vivacious, and highly
original volume, as delightful as if it were not learned, and as instructive as if it
were dull.
As regards the practical side of Archaeology, it ought to be unnecessary to point
out that its usefulness is strictly parallel with the usefulness of public museums.
To collect and exhibit objects of ancient art and industry is worse than idle if we
do not also endeavour to disseminate some knowledge of the history of those
arts and industries, and of the processes employed by the artists and craftsmen
of the past. Archaeology, no less than love, "adds a precious seeing to the eye";
and without that gain of mental sight, the treasures of our public collections are
regarded by the general visitor as mere "curiosities"--flat and stale for the most
part, and wholly unprofitable.
I am much indebted to Mr. W.M. Flinders Petrie, author of The Pyramids and
Temples of Gizeh, for kindly translating the section on "Pyramids," which is
entirely from his pen. I have also to thank him for many valuable notes on
subjects dealt with in the first three chapters. To avoid confusion, I have
numbered these notes, and placed them at the end of the volume.
My acknowledgments are likewise due to Professor Maspero for the care with
which he has read the proof-sheets of this version of his work. In departing from
his system of orthography (and that of Mr. Petrie) I have been solely guided by
the necessities of English readers. I foresee that Egyptian Archaeology will
henceforth be the inseparable companion of all English-speaking travellers who
visit the Valley of the Nile; hence I have for the most part adopted the spelling
of Egyptian proper names as given by the author of "Murray's Handbook for
Egypt."
Touching my own share in the present volume, I will only say that I have tried
to present Professor Maspero's inimitable French in the form of readable
English, rather than in a strictly word-for-word translation; and that with the
hope of still further extending the usefulness of the book, I have added some
foot-note references.
AMELIA B. EDWARDS.
WESTBURY-ON-TRYM,
August, 1887.

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CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
ARCHITECTURE--CIVIL AND MILITARY.
§ 1. HOUSES: Bricks and Brickmaking, Foundations, Materials, Towns,
Plans, Decoration
§ 2. FORTRESSES: Walls, Plans, Migdols, etc.
§ 3. PUBLIC WORKS: Roads, Bridges, Storehouses, Canals, Lake Moeris,
Dams, Reservoirs, Quarries
CHAPTER II.
RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE.
§ 1. MATERIALS; PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION: Materials of
Temples, Foundations of Temples, Sizes of Blocks, Mortars, Mode of hoisting
Blocks, Defective Masonry, Walls, Pavements, Vaultings, Supports, Pillars and
Columns, Capitals, Campaniform Capitals, Lotus-bud Capitals, Hathor-headed
Capitals
§ 2. TEMPLES: Temples of the Sphinx, Temples of Elephantine, Temple at El
Kab, Temple of Khonsû, Arrangement of Temples, Levels, Crypts, Temple of
Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Philae, The Speos, or Rock-cut Temple, Speos of
Horemheb, Rock-cut Temples of Abû Simbel, Temple of Deir el Baharî,
Temple of Abydos, Sphinxes, Crio-sphinxes
§ 3. DECORATION: Principles of Decoration, The Temple a Symbolic
Representation of the World, Decoration of Parts nearest the Ground, Dadoes,
Bases of Columns, Decoration of Ceilings, Decoration of Architraves,
Decoration of Wall-surfaces, Magic Virtues of Decoration, Decoration of
Pylons, Statues, Obelisks, Libation-tables, Altars, Shrines, Sacred Boats,
Moving Statues of Deities
CHAPTER III.
TOMBS.
§ 1. MASTABAS: Construction of the Mastaba, The Door of the Living, and
the Door of the Dead, The Chapel, Wall Decorations, The Double and his
Needs, The Serdab, Ka Statues, The Sepulchral Chamber
§ 2. PYRAMIDS: Plan of the Pyramid comprises three leading features of the
Mastaba, Materials of Pyramids, Orientation, Pyramid of Khûfû, Pyramids of
Khafra and Menkara, Step Pyramid of Sakkarah, Pyramid of Ûnas, Decoration
of Pyramid of Ûnas, Group of Dashûr, Pyramid of Medum
§ 3. TOMBS OF THE THEBAN EMPIRE; THE ROCK-CUT TOMBS:
Pyramid-mastabas of Abydos, Pyramid-mastabas of Drah Abû'l Neggah, Rock-
cut Tombs of Beni Hasan and Syene, Rock-cut Tombs of Siût, Wall-decoration
of Theban Catacombs, Tombs of the Kings of the Eighteenth Dynasty at
Thebes, Valley of the Tombs of the Kings, Royal Catacombs, Tomb of Seti I.,
Wall-decorations of Royal Catacombs, Funerary Furniture of Catacombs,
Ûshabtiû, Amulets, Common Graves of the Poor
CHAPTER IV.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE.
§ 1. DRAWING AND COMPOSITION: Supposed Canon of Proportion,
Drawing Materials, Sketches, Illustrations to the Book of the Dead,
Conventional Treatment of Animal and Human Figures, Naturalistic Treatment,
Composition, Grouping, Wall-paintings of Tombs, A Funerary Feast, A
Domestic Scene, Military Subjects, Perspective, Parallel between a Wall-
painting in a Tomb at Sakkarah and the Mosaic of Palestrina
§ 2. TECHNICAL PROCESSES: The Preparation of Surfaces, Outline,
Sculptors' Tools, Iron and Bronze Tools, Impurity of Iron, Methods of
Instruction in Sculpture, Models, Methods of cutting Various Stones, Polish,
Painted Sculptures, Pigments, Conventional Scale of Colour, Relation of
Painting to Sculpture in Ancient Egypt
§ 3. SCULPTURE: The Great Sphinx, Art of the Memphite School, Wood-
panels of Hesi, Funerary Statues, The Portrait-statue and the Double , Chefs
d'oeuvre of the Memphite School, The Cross-legged Scribe, Diorite Statue of
Khafra, Rahotep and Nefert, The Sheikh el Beled, The Kneeling Scribe, The
Dwarf Nemhotep, Royal Statues of the Twelfth Dynasty, Hyksos Sphinxes of
Tanis, Theban School of the Eighteenth Dynasty, Colossi of Amenhotep III.,
New School of Tel el Amarna, Its Superior Grace and Truth, Works of
Horemheb, School of the Nineteenth Dynasty, Colossi of Rameses II.,
Decadence of Art begins with Merenptah, Ethiopian Renaissance, Saïte
Renaissance, The Attitudes of Statues, Saïte Innovations, Greek Influence upon
Egyptian Art, The Ptolemaic and Roman Periods, The School of Meroë,
Extinction of Egyptian Art
CHAPTER V.
THE INDUSTRIAL ARTS.
§ 1. STONE, CLAY, AND GLASS: Precious Stones, Lapidary Art, Beads and
Amulets, Scarabaei, Statuettes, Libation Tables, Perfume Vases, Kohl-pots,
Pottery, Clay, Glazes, Red and Painted Wares, Ûshabtiû, Funerary Cones,
Painted Vases, "Canopic" Vases, Clay Sarcophagi, Glass, Its Chemical
Constituents, Clear Glass, Coloured Glass, Imitations of Precious Stones in
Glass, Glass Mosaics, Miniature Objects in Coloured Glass, Glass Amulets,
Coloured Glass Vases, Enamels, The Theban Blue, The Enamels of Tell el
Amarna, Enamelled Ûshabtiû of Amen Ptahmes, Enamelled Tiles of the Step
Pyramid at Sakkarah, Enamelled Tiles of Tell el Yahûdeh
§ 2. WOOD, IVORY, LEATHER; TEXTILE FABRICS: Bone and Ivory,
Elephant Tusks, Dyed Ivory, Egyptian Woods, Wooden Statuettes, Statuette of
Hori, Statuette of Naï, Wooden Toilet Ornaments, Perfume and Unguent
Spoons, Furniture, Chests and Coffers, Mummy-cases, Wooden Effigies on
Mummy Cases, Huge Outer Cases of Ahmesnefertari and Aahhotep, Funerary
Furniture, Beds, Canopies, Sledges, Chairs, Stools, Thrones, Textiles, Methods
of Weaving, Leather, Breast-bands of Mummies, Patchwork Canopy in
Coloured Leather of Princess Isiemkheb, Embroideries, Muslins, Celebrated
Textiles of Alexandria
§ 3. METALS: Iron, Lead, Bronze, Constituents of Egyptian Bronze, Domestic
Utensils in Bronze, Mirrors, Scissors, Bronze Statuettes, The Stroganoff
Bronze, The Posno Bronzes, The Lion of Apries, Gilding, Gold-plating, Gold-
leaf, Statues and Statuettes of Precious Metals , The Silver and Golden Cups of
General Tahûti, The Silver Vases of Thmûis, Silver Plate, Goldsmith's Work,
Richness of Patterns, Jewellery, Funerary Jewellery, Rings, Seal-rings, Chains,
The Jewels of Queen Aahhotep, The Ring of Rameses II., The Ear-rings of
Rameses IX., The Bracelet of Prince Psar, Conclusion
NOTES
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FIGURE
1. Brickmaking, tomb of Rekhmara, Eighteenth Dynasty
2. House with vaulted floors, Medinet Habû
3. Plan of the town of Kahûn, Twelfth Dynasty
4. Plan of house, Medinet Habû, Twentieth Dynasty
5. Plan of house, Medinet Habû, Twentieth Dynasty
6. Façade of house of Second Theban Period
7. Plan of house of Second Theban Period
8. Restoration of hall in Twelfth Dynasty house, Kahûn
9. Box representing a house
10. Wall-painting in Twelfth Dynasty house, Kahûn
11. View of mansion, tomb of Anna, Eighteenth Dynasty
12. Porch of mansion of Second Theban Period
13. Porch of mansion of Second Theban Period
14. Plan of Theban house and grounds, Eighteenth Dynasty
15. A perspective view of same
16. Part of palace of Aï, El Amarna tomb, Eighteenth Dynasty
17. Perspective view of part of palace of Aï
18. Frontage of house, Second Theban Period
19. Frontage of house, Second Theban Period
20. Central pavilion of house, Second Theban Period
21. Ceiling decoration from house at Medinet Habû, Twentieth Dynasty
22. Ceiling decoration, Twelfth Dynasty style
23. Ceiling decoration, tomb of Aimadûa, Twentieth Dynasty
24. Door of house, Sixth Dynasty tomb
25. Façade of Fourth Dynasty house, sarcophagus of Khûfû Poskhû
26. Plan of second fortress at Abydos, Eleventh or Twelfth Dynasty
27. Walls of same fortress, restored
28. Façade of fort, tomb at Beni Hasan, Twelfth Dynasty
29. Plan of main gate, second fortress of Abydos
30. Plan of S.E. gate of same
31. Plan of gate, fortress of Kom el Ahmar
32. Plan of walled city at El Kab
33. Plan of walled city at Kom Ombo
34. Plan of fortress of Kûmmeh
35. Plan of fortress of Semneh
36. Section of platform of same
37. Syrian fort, elevation
38. Town walls of Dapûr
39. City of Kaclesh, Ramesseum
40. Plan of pavilion of Medinet Habû, Twentieth Dynasty
41. Elevation of same
42. Canal and bridge of Zarû, Karnak, Nineteenth Dynasty
43. Cellar with amphorae
44. Granary
45. Plan of Store City of Pithom, Nineteenth Dynasty
46. Store-chambers of the Ramesseum
47. Dike at Wady Gerraweh
48. Section of same dike
49. Quarries of Silsilis
50. Draught of Hathor capital, quarry of Gebel Abûfeydeh
51. Transport of blocks, stela of Ahmes, Tûrrah, Eighteenth Dynasty
52. Masonry in temple of Seti I., Abydos
53. Temple wall with cornice
54. Niche and doorway in temple of Seti I., Abydos
55. Pavement in same temple
56. "Corbelled" vault in same temple
57. Hathor pillar in temple of Abû Simbel, Nineteenth Dynasty