ON USEFUL AND ORNAMENTAL STONES OF ANCIENT EGYPT. 17 



limestones on the coast, have furnished materials for con- 

 struction and sculpture in Egypt, and this from a very early 

 period. This is an indication of the mental activity, observa- 

 tion, and intelligent industry of the people and their rulers, 

 and, with their other achievements in irrigation and in utilising 

 animals and plants, shows the enterprise of an early and 

 active-minded state of society, as distinguished from the 

 fixity and conservatism which appear in later times. 



In connection with this, it is, however, to be observed that 

 no country in the world presents greater facilities for the 

 discovery and exploration of its mineral treasures. The 

 proximity of the different kinds of stone to the river in cliffs 

 easily accessible, and the unrivalled facilities for transport 

 are important factors in this matter. Still, in the hands of an 

 unintelligent and unprogressive people, these facilities might 

 have long remained undeveloped. 



It is also to be observed that frcm the earliest colonisation 

 of Egypt there seems to have been a settled and orderly state 

 of society, an exemption from foreign aggression, and an 

 abundance of food, all tending to a large population, and 

 giving facilities for the execution of public works : while the 

 necessity of combination of effort in the irrigation and em- 

 bankment of the land gave the habit of united action under 

 leaders. 



The great works of Egyptian construction thus indicate to 

 us a country rich in materials and having admirable means 

 of conveyance and an abundant population, and a surplus of 

 food products. On the other hand, they show that there 

 was an educated class capable of forming and executing 

 great plans with precision and taste, and this again, aided by 

 a multitude of skilled artisans, and by ample command of 

 unskilled labour, especially at certain seasons of the year. 



Historically, it is worthy of note that the great works of 

 the Egyptians in stone, if we except the Pyramids, culminated 

 in that period in which there is reason to believe the Hebrews 

 had their residence in Egypt the time of the great 18th 

 and 19th Dynasties. Within this time fall the Temple of 

 Karnac and the greater buildings of Thebes, as well as the 

 greatest works in statuary. We cannot, however, regard 

 these works as other than purely Egyptian, for this was their 



Elan and style ; but the fact that the Pharaohs of this period 

 ad at their disposal the peoples and the wealth of Western 

 Asia must have been no unimportant determining cause of 

 their enormous expenditures of material and labour. It w r as 

 a, time when the artistic skill and ambition of the Egyptians 



103 



