654 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUxM, 1893. 



alabasters.'' These latter forms were held in sneb high esteem that 

 they were exported from Egypt, aud it is stated that "the names of 

 Persian mouarchs have been found in hieroglyphic and cuneiform 

 characters upon them, whilst vases apparently of Egyptian material, if 

 not of Egyptian fabric, have been discovered in the early tombs of Asia 

 Minor, Greece, and the isles of the Arcliipelago." According to other 

 authorities,* the first mention of articles of this nature by Greek writers 

 is that of Herodotus (born 484 B. C), who speaks of a p-upo'^ a\iia<TTp„,> as 

 one of the presents sent by Cambyses to the Ethiopian king. " Some 

 of these vessels," it is stated, '"had a long and narrow neck, which was 

 sealed; so that when the woman in the gospel is said to break the box 

 of ointment, it appears probable that she only broke the extremity of 

 the neck, which was thus closed." The Egyptians did not, however, 

 confine their use of the stone to these small articles, but at a very early 

 period began utilizing it for the interior decoration of their tombs and 

 temples. According to Dr. J. VV. Dawson, t the magnificent granite 

 temple of Kephren at Gizeh was lined with this stone in the early age 

 of the pyramid-building kings. 



" Some of the very old touibs iu the Memphite cemetery at Sakkarah are liued with 

 alabaster, or i^artially so lined. A curious example of the latter may be seen in the 

 tomb called that of Unas. The inner sepulchral chamber of this tomb is liued with 

 slabs of alabaster. The work is then continued in common limestone, aud the 

 entrance of the tomb is line-l with the stronger and more enduring red granite. At 

 Abydos are the remains of a magnificent monolithic shrine of this stone, and at 

 Karuak a similar shrine is built of alabaster slabs, some of them 20 feet in length. 

 In this and other cases one is astonished that so tine work and material should be 

 lavished on places enshrouded in darkness; and the question is raised, but can not 

 be answered, What means of illumination had the ancient Egyptians, beyond the 

 smoky oillamps and torches, which would scarcely suffice adequately to illuminate 

 the interior of tombs aud temples, aud would soon have destroyed their beautiful 

 workmanship.'' 



"The finest work in Egyptian alabaster that I have seen [says the writer] is the 

 sarcophagus of Seti I, father of Rameses II, { found in his tomb in the 'valley of the 

 kings,' by Belzoui, and now in Sir John Soane's Museum in London. It is 9 feet 4 

 inches m length, 3 feet 8 inches wide, and from 2 feet 8 inches to 2 feet 3 inches deep ; 

 and is hollowed out of a single block so delicately that its general thickness is only 

 2| inches, and that a lamp placed within shines through the translucent sides. On 

 the bottom of the coffin is a figure of Netpe, or Athor, the mother goddess, with 

 arms extended to receive the body of the King ; and the whole surface is covered 

 with inscriptions and professional figures representing the liturgy of the dead. The 

 lid was of similar character, but has been broken to pieces. v^ By a singular com- 

 bination of accidents, the mummy of this great King, which had been transferred 

 by its guardian priests for greater security to Deir el Bahari, is now in the Boulak 

 Museum. The noble sarcophagus prepared for it is in London, and his A-ast and beauti- 

 fully decorated tomb stands open for the inspection of travelers in the ' valley of 

 the kings.'" 



* Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 1890, p. 96. 



t Modern Science in Bible Lauds, pp. 283-286. 



tNineteenth dynasty. According to Mariette, 1462 B. C. ; Prof. Lepsius, 1443 B. C. 

 Still others give dates from 1350 B. C. to 1600 B. C. 



'{( A very complete account and a figure of this sarcophagus is given in the Gen- 

 eral Description of Sir .John Soane's Museum, sixth edition, 1893, pp. 43-47. 



