June 2, 1892] 



NATURE 



107 



ber of years from any start point (= o) at which the ist 

 of Thoth in the vague year occurred successively further 

 and further from the heliacal rising, until at length, after 

 a period of 1460 years, it coincided again. 



As the Sirius-year is longer than the vague one, the first 

 vague year will be completed before the first Sirius-year, 

 hence the second vague year will commence ju5t before 

 the end of the fixed year, and that is the reason that I 

 have reversed the order of months in the diagram (Fig. 4). 



Now it is clear that, if the Egyptians really worked in 

 this fashion, any special day in the vague year given as 

 the date of the heliacal rising of Sirius would enable us to 

 determine the number of years which had elapsed from 

 the beginning of the cycle. This will help us to deter- 

 mine whether or not they acted on this principle, or used 

 one widely different. In such an investigation as this, 

 however, we are terribly hampered by the uncertainty of 

 Egyptian dates ; while, as I have said before, there is 

 great divergence of opinion among Egyptologists as to 

 whether, from very early times, there was not a true fixed 

 year. 



But let us suppose that the vague year was in use, and 

 that the rising of Sirius started the year ; then, if we can 

 get any accepted date to work with, and use the diagram 

 to see how many years had elapsed between that date 

 and the start-point of the cycle, we shall see if there be 

 any cyclical relation, and if we find it, it will be evidence, 

 so far as it goes, of the existence of a vague year. 



Now it so happens that there are three references, with 

 dates given, to the rising of Sirius in widely different 

 times; and, curiously enough, the month references are 

 nearly the same. I begin with the most recent, as in this 

 case the date can be fixed with the greater certainty. It 

 is an inscription at Philas, described by Brugsch (p. 87), 

 who states that, when it was written, the ist of Thoth = 

 28th of Epiphi. That is, according to the view we are 

 considering, the heliacal rising of Sirius occurred on the 

 28lh of Epiphi in the vague year. He fixes the date of 

 the inscription between 127 and 117 B.C. Let us take 

 it as 122. Next, referring to our diagram to find how 

 many years had elapsed since the beginning of the 

 cycle, we have — 



Days. 



5 Epacts. 



30 Mesori. 



2 Epiphi. 



37 X 4 = 148 years elapsed. 



The cycle, then, began in (148 -f 122 =) 270 B.C. 



We next find a much more ancient inscription record- 

 ing the rising of Sirius on the 28th of Epiphi. Obviously, 

 if the Sothic cycle had anything to do with the matter, 

 this must have happened 1458 years earlier, i.e. about 

 (1458 -f 122 =) 1580 B.C. U nder which king. '' Thotmes 

 III., who reigned, according to Lepsius, 1603-1565 B.C.; 

 according to Brugsch, 1625-1577. Now, the inscription 

 in question is stated to have been inscribed by Thotmes 

 III., and, it may be added, on the temple (now destroyed) 

 at Elephantine. 



There is yet another inscription, also known to be of a 

 still earlier period, referring to the rising of Sirius on the 

 27th of Epiphi. We may neglect the difference of one day ; 

 and again, if the use of the Sothic cycle were the origin of 

 the identity of dates, we have this time, according 

 to Oppolzer, a period of 1460 years to add: this 

 gives us (1584+ 1460 = ) 3044 B.C. Again under which 

 king.' Here we are face to face with one of the difficul- 

 ties of these inquiries. It may be stated, however, that 

 the inscription is ascribed to Pepi, and that, according 

 to various authorities, he reigned some time between 

 3000 and 3700 B.C. 



We come, then, to this : that one of the oldest dated 

 inscriptions known seems to belong to a system which 



NO 1 179. VOL. 46] 



continued in use at Phite up to about 100 B.C., and it 

 was essentially a system of a vague year. 



Now, assuming that the approximate date of the 

 earliest inscription is 3044 B.C., and that it represented 

 the heliacal rising of Sirius on the 27th of Epiphi ; the year 

 3044 must have been the [(5 + 3° 4" 3) X 4 =] 152nd after 

 the beginning of the cycle. The cycle, then, must have 

 commenced (3044 + 152 =) 3196 B.C. 



According to Biot's calculation, the first heliacal rising 

 of Sirius at the solstice took place in the year 3285 B.C., 



If we assume that the real date of Pepi, who, it is 

 stated, reigned 100 years, included the year 3044 B.C., it 

 may be that the inscriptions to which I have directed 

 attention give us three Sothic cycles beginning — 



122 + 148 = 270 B.C. 



15^0 + 148 = 1728 B.C. 

 3044 + 148 = 3192 B.C. 



J. NORMAPf LOCKYER. 



( To be continued.) 



NOTES. 



The list of those on whom honorary degrees are to be con- 

 ferred at Cambridge on the occasion of the installation of the 

 Duke of Devonshire as Chancellor shows that culture, and 

 especially scientific culture, goes for very little among the 

 classes of distinction recognized by the University. Eminence 

 in the political world and in society seems to be the claim 

 chiefly recognized. 



Science was well represented at the annual dinner of the 

 Incorporated Society of Authors on Tuesday. The chair was 

 occupied by Prof. Michael Foster, and Sir Archibald Geikie 

 was one of those who responded to the toast of " Literature." 



Dr. a. F, Batalin has been appointed Director of the 

 Imperial Botanic Garden at St. Petersburg, in succession to the 

 late Dr. E. Kegel. 



The ninety-seventh meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists' 

 Union will be held on Whit Monday, June 6. Some interesting 

 notes on the physical geography and geology, botany, ento. 

 mology, conchology, and vertebrate zoology of the district have 

 been issued for the benefit of those who intend to be present. 

 We are glad to see that members are expected to " do all in 

 their power to discourage the uprooting of ferns and rare plants, 

 or the too free collection of rarities of any kind." 



The Botanical Society of France has held its annual meeting 

 at Algiers, commencing April 16, under the presidency of the 

 Algerian botanist, M. Battandier. In addition to the reading of 

 papers, excursions were made to Biskra, and other spots on the 

 border of the Sahara. 



We have received the programme of the ninth International 

 Congress of Orientalists. It is to be held in London from Sep- 

 tember 5 to 12, Prof. Max Miiller acting as President. The 

 Duke of Connaught has accepted the office of Honorary Pre- 

 sident. The following are the Vice-Presidents : the Marquis 

 of Ripon, Lord Northbrook, Lord Reay, Major-Gen. Sir Henry 

 Rawlinson, the Rt. Hon. Sir M. E. Grant Duff, Sir John 

 Lubbock, Sir William Muir, Sir William W. Hunter, Sir Geoi^e 

 Birdwood, Sir William Markby, Sir Edwin Arnold, the Provost 

 of Oriel College, Oxford, the Master of Balliol College, Ox- 

 ford, the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge, H. S. King, 

 and M. M. Bhownuggree. The Treasurer is Mr. E. Delmar 

 Morgan. The Honorary Secretaries are : the Rev. C. D. 

 Ginsburg, D.D., Prof. T. \V. Rhys Davids, the Rev. E. W. 

 Bullinger, D.D., Prof. A. A. Macdonell, M. M. Bhownuggree, 

 the Raja Peari Mohan Mukharji (for Bengal), Prof. 

 Peterson (for Bombay). Many eminent foreign scholars 

 and members of former Congresses have signified their ad- 

 hesion, and several important Societies have undertaken to 

 send delegates. The sections into which the work of the Con- 



